My Homestay Mother

     I feel I am so lucky because I have a very nice homestay mother. I have an more intersting Winnipeg life because of her. My homestay mother is a thin with brown hair women. I feel she is like my second mother and I love her so much. My homestay mother is so kind. I can do and eat anything I want at home and I can bring my friends to came home. She said:" Because here is your home." I am so happy and I don't wanna move out even though my home is far from school.  

     When I just came here, I didn't know English. For sure, I just know some simple sentences and words. Even though I didn't know how to speak English, my homestay mother also talked to me. She didn't seem annoying, it made me felt comfortable and have an courage to speak a little English with her. When I said wrong sentence, she always correct for me and tell me how I can say it correctly. In last winter I was so clod because I just came here and my city is very warm city. Before I was afraid to tell her because I thought it was not good idea, but I really felt cold and I couldn't sleep well at  night. I felt the whole house was clod! Finally, I couldn't bear it, then I told my homestay mother I felt cold at my room. She was surprised and she said she has already turned on the heater. Second day, she brought a new small heater with her when she got home!! I didn't know what I should say at that moment, I just said Thanks to her. I still use it until now.:) 

       Sometimes, my homestay mother invite my roommate and I to join some activities with her. Last year, she invited us to went to Ballet! She paid for us! That day is my first time to watched ballet performance at Winnipeg. I felt so excited and happy. It was awesome ballet dancing! Before I came here, I know art in Winnipeg is very famous. Also, my homestay mother drove us to a small town which is outside of Winnipeg, to visited some beautiful gardens in last summer. Even though the weather was so hot for me( I hate summer's sun), I also came with her and I was glad I came because those gardens is amazing! I didn't know the garden can be created like that before. The gardens owner was also good to us and asked some questions to me and my roommate. When they know we are from another country, they was very happy because no foreigner visit to their garden before. 

      The Chinese New Year of this year is the most happy day for me. My homestay mother made a very big dinner for us! When the dinner started, my homestay mother and her boyfriend said to us:" This is for Chinese New Year for my roommate and I because we don't know how to cook Chinese food, so we cooked other food instead.Hoping you guys will like." My roommate and I was very very SURPRISED! Because we thought it's for her daughter, her daughter doesn't live with us. On Chinese New Year, she came home for dinner with us. During dinner, we talked a lot about China. We drank and laughed. After dinner, my homestay mother's boyfriend gave us cake which is he bought. And!! My homestay and her boyfriend gave us red pocket and card!! We were MORE SURPRISED! This meal made me very moved! I love my homestay family! We said to them:" Thanks very much!" I almost wanted to cry because in China, all the family will be together at that day, and I was with my family too!:)

       

My Hometown

     Now, my family lives Hainnan Island which is the most south of China. But my hometown is in another province which is called Guangdong. My hometown is a village located in the mountains. It is surrounded by lush hills and woods with a brook running through it. This is where children often frolic. The building in the village are old but peaceful. Everyone looks satisfied and happy. I love my hometown and I hope it may be as beautiful as ever.

     Actually, I don't know many people who live my hometown because I didn't grow up there. Just every Chinese New Year, my parents will take us to go home for half month so I and my brothers and my sister is happy when the New Year is coming. I love my hometown's house, it is very big house in my hometown. It has three floors and almost 30 rooms and 10 washrooms. I know you can't believe that when I say this. 

     Because my sister, my brothers and I didn't grow up here so we don't have friends. Every time when we go back to our hometown, no children want to play with us.:( But we really want to play with them. I think they are afraid of us. For this reason, my father builded a basketball field at my house's left side for us. We are so happy for that. After lunch, my brothers play basketball and my grandparents and I will sit another side to see them. We talk to each other so much. For example, I tell them about my friends, my life of school. We have lots of fun. In frond of my house, we have a very big oblong courtyard, my brothers usually roller-skating there and we shoot off fireworks there. we also have half round fishpond next to courtyard. After New Year, my grandfather will put small fish into fishpond to keep them become big. Sometime, we use my grandfather's fishhook to fishing there, but we haven't got fish! :( I don't know why when my grandfather goes fishing, he always can get a very big fish! Our house 's right side is a place to keep pigeons because my grandfather loves pigeons. And we have a beautiful garden. My grandmother works there. She plant some fruit trees there, such as, longan, carambola. When we go back to our home, they will be ripe then we can eat! I love my hometown! I really miss it and my grandparent! I will go back to my hometown as soon as I go back to my country. If you are interested in my hometown, you can visit me! I will be so welcome!:)

    

The nightlife in My City

                       My city is called Hainan Island which is in the most south of China. Hainan Island is surrounded by sea. Actually, I was born in another city which is my hometown, but when I was 3 years old, my parents moved to Hainan Island for work. I love this city because I grow up here, I love sea and the weather makes me feel comfortable and the nightlife in this city is attractive. In my city, it is dazzling every night, you don't have to afraid of night.

     people are hard work in daytime, they have unbearable stress, they may aspire to pure and fresh air. So they may want to release themselves to reduce their stress. So when the night is coming, my city is more prosperous and beautiful . Every building is bright so when you see a whole of my city is wonderful. Bridges are very huge with some distinct colorful light and red lanterns. we can go shopping at night. Usually, people will go shopping after they eat dinner or go out for dinner then go shopping. In my city, shopping malls close at 10pm. This point is different with Canada. Because people have to work in daytime so you can see more people go shopping at night more than daytime. Shinning light and beautiful clothes will make you happy and can not control yourself! haha I love shopping ! When you see this shopping mail, can you still control yourself just looking? 

     In addition, we also go to Karaoke at night. People love going to Karaoke at night because the Karaoke look romantic and nice more than daytime. I think the boss of Karaoke is intelligent, Karaoke's price will be higher than daytime. but people will still go there even though the price is higher. I love to go to the Karaoke which is the most good one in my city, of cause, it is more expansive too, but when you see the inside of Karaoke, you will do not care about the money, just want to singing there and have fun. Actually, it has specious card which can give a discount if you are VIP and it has different size room. According how many people you have. During you sing, you can order something to eat. Many people like to have birthday party there. You can see the second picture is singing room. In the corner, there is a specious seat for a person who is singing. The person do not have to see the big screen, he or she has a small screen. This is my favorite Karaoke in the city!:)

     Also, we have another activity you can go at night, and I am sure you will love there! Can you guess? It is that you can go to beach! Because my city is surrounded sea so we have beautiful beach in my city. People love to go to the beach which is called Jia Ri Hai Tan. We have a number of expensive hotel near the beach. In the beach, you can swimming or just lying there to enjoy sea wave voice or you can enjoy city dazzling night scene. Otherwise, you can have BBQ there with your family or friends! :) There is a big space to do your BBQ but people bring their own food to go there because the food in there is more expensive.  In BBQ area, you can see a lot of tables and the chair is made of wood, looks very speciously and makes you want to eat BBQ there. There is volleyball area next to BBQ area and another side is basketball. Also, there is singing and dancing area for people who want to singing. Everyone can sing there if you are not shy. Listening to sea Wave voice, delight drinking and leisurely stroll along the soft sand of beach, what a carefree night! :) 

     Actually, we have others activity at night, such as, night club, going to a street where you can eat different kinds of snack, going to a tea bar. If you go to my city, you will have much fun!:)    

    

My Life in Winnipeg

     I have been in Winnipeg for one year. I want to go to University of Manitoba so I have been learning English since I came to Winnipeg. During this year, I feel comfortable and happy because of my homestay family and IEP English program. When I just came here, I felt culture shock but it makes me exciting to have a new life in this neck of the woods.

     It was winter when I just came to Winnipeg. Sometimes I felt maybe I will die in here, it is so cold! I could feel biting cold in the air, so I have to wear lots of clothes and look like a ball. It makes me felt uncomfortable because I felt hot when I got to inside of school. Before I went to school, my homestay mother explained me bus schedule. This was my first time felt that I am in another contry. My first time to by bus was surprised, I did not know how to get off bus but I saw some people pull a thread which is yellow before they got off the bus. In my home city, we do not have to pull thread because driver will stop at every bus stop. I thought I am smart at the moment, however, I went to back door after I pulled the thread. I did not know I need to push the door instead I just standed there. I was wondering why the driver have not opened door for  me until someone helped me. I was embarrassed at that moment! I was on the bus one day, I saw the driver puted on a board to floor for a women who has difficulty behaviour ability. I felt happy for her but also feel delight for Winnipeg. I saw many this kind of  people take bus, they do not feel their inferior, they have the gots to take bus, even they may have a job! They are awesome, and Winnipeg's transportation thinks this way to help them is great. The pressing problem for me was making a quick adjustment to the canadian lifestyle that it was time schedule. For my easegoing home city, Canadian seems like perpetual-motion lifestyle. They seem never stop moving and they do not want to spend too much time to do things, just finish quickly, such as talking on the phone. Everything is done according to a schedule. They are alwasys busy even on the bus. They read on the bus. In my home city, I feel we are a lot of slower because we do not feel we need to alwasys be busy.I could spent one night just talking to my friends. I think just we have different concept of how time should be spent. 

     In addition, I am glad that I choose to go to IEP English program. It is an awesome program for me. First, every week we have different activity, such as, bowling, skating, skiing or go to musume. We can find delight from activities. Sometimes we have pizza party during lunch time, it is free! We can eat until we feel full. From these activity, we also can learn more about Winnipeg. Every Thurthday we have conversasion coffee which can help us practise our speaking. During conversation coffee, we can make new friends and eat snack. It has lots fun. In home city's English program, they just have schedule for students, no activity. Seconed, IEP's teachers are wonderful! They are very kind to all of students, and very helpful. Students have close and open relationships and enjoy with teachers. For example, last Friday was one of our classmates' birthday. Our teacher told us we will have a small party for her and if we want, we can bring some snack to celebrate for her. In this program, not only do we learn English, but we also know more about Winnipeg. Third, IEP's classes are funny. Teacher will give us some game to play after we leared. This is very geat idea for me beacuse according this game, I will find if I can understand what we learned or not. Anyway, I really enjoy IEP.

     Another pleasant thing is my homestay family. I feel I am very lucky to have them. When I just came here, I felt my room was cold so I told my homestay mother about this. Then, she brought a small heating installation to me. Sometimes she bring me to her sister's home for dinner. She is very nice to me. If she doesn't have dinner at home, she will cook for me before she leave. I remember she brough me to a small town for visiting some gardens in summer time. My homestay makes me feel I am not alone in Winnipeg, makes me feel they are also my family.
     When I go back to my country, I will have plenty of memories to tell my family all that my experience in Winnipeg and I want to create more memorable experience for my life in Winnipeg. 

An Old Man

     This is one of my experiences about an strange old man in Winnipeg. I still remmember the first time I met him was on Friday in May last year. I was level 250 student and I just finished activity on Friday night. When I was waiting for my bus around at 9:30  in downtown, an old man came to me and asked me:''Did 33 bus pass?" I said:" Sorry, I don't know, but I haven't seen it." He replied:'' Thanks." Maybe after 2 minutes, he asked me:" Are you from Japan or Korea?" I said:" I am from China." Than, I continued texting message to my friend because I was afraid at that time in downtown alone. He continued asking me:" Nice jacket,are you a student?" "Thanks,yes." I replied. He said:" I am a pianist." I was surprised because I like someone who can play piano. I started to look at him, he wore a black jazz hat and suit. He found I am intersted in piano, so he continued saying something about himself and I just listened to what he said to me. He is not canadian, but I forgot where he is from. He told me he is working for a big hotel and someday I can go to the hotel to listen, he will play one song for me. I was so happy. Than I saw my bus is coming. I said goodbye to him. When I just standed in frount of  the bus, he called me and asked me:" Sorry, what is your name?" After I asked him, I missed my bus!! My bus didn't wait for me!:( Than, the old man apologized to me. I said:" Don't worry, I can wait for next one." It was cold outsaid, so I went into the small house which is at the bus stop. Maybe after 5 minutes, his bus arrived but he did not get on the bus. I wondered and asked him:" Why did not you get on the bus?"  He said:" After you get on bus, I will." I was surprised. He said:" It is too late now, just be carfull:" I said thanks to him. Than, he gave me his card and ask me my phone number. I felt uncomfortable when he asked my phone number, so I said:“ Sorry, I just came here, so I haven't had phone number yet." He said:" That's ok." Then, he showed me he and his student's picture but those picture is very old look a little bit yellow. When my bus came, I got on my bus and went home. I felt happy after I got home because I practised my speaking. But after that night, I was afraid of him! I felt he is stange because I saw him almost day in and day out! Everyday when I was waiting for my bus, I could see him at the same bus stop which is at the bay and when I went shopping, I still saw him at polo park! It was crazy!!! Then I changed my bus stop to wait for my bus, but sometimes I still could see him. When I saw him, I hid or went another way. Something is interesting, eveytime I saw him, he wear the same clothes! haha  Now, I still can see him at polo park! :( Actually, I also have something stange things about him, but I don't wanna scard you gus! To remmember be carefull when you go out!

Weddings in China





     Talking about wedding may make girls be vision their own wedding, so do I. Every girl will have  exspecious wedding ceremony.:) In Canada, people who will get married will be at church, but in China, we will not be at church. Nowadays China, we like to perform a ceremony in Hotel. At that day, they will spend money to have a whole hotel just for one day. It is called hotel wedding, it has three parts: meet bride, ceremony, eatting.           First, of course, bride is the most important at that day, so bridegroom has to meet her from her home. Bridegroom will convene all his boy friends compose a big, plush fleet to come to bride's home. They will knock at the door with red packet, then bridegroom can go into. When bridegroom meets bride,bridegroom should give flower to bride, but bride will not accept immediately. Bride's girl friends will think the ways to torment bride and his brothers.After they feel enough to torment, then bride will accept the flower.Next, bridegroom has to find bride's shoose, but the shoes is hid by bride's friends. If bridegrrom can not find the shoes, he has to give money to them to buy this news and find the shoes. After bridegroom find shoes, he will help bride change shoes.Then, bride's mother gives Tang Yuan to eat.(Tang Yuan embodys they will be luck forever is sweet food.) They have to feed each other. Then,at bride's home,bridegroom and bride should kneel to her parents with tea; bridegrrom will say thanks to bride's parents. After this, they can take picture together. Then bridegroom MUST HOLD bride to go out with firecrackers , and bride's feet MUST NOT  touch floor. AS the same, when they arrive hotel, bridegroom has to hold bride to banquet hall. when they get off car, their friends will throw petal for congratulations.

     Next, compere will say something and introduce bridegroom and bride's love story.(If they don't want, that is find.) Bridegroom will come from front door to stage with flower, then bride comes from front door with her father to meet bridefroom. Bridegroom will kneel (one leg) to give bride flower to express love,  bride accepts flower and hold up bridegroom. After that, they will go to in frond of love candelabrum and light love fire.They will change ring and help each other to put on their finger, then kiss! :) They will come to parents with tea, their partens will return money to them. Then, bridegroom and bride will dirnk cross-cupped wine. After that, bride will throws flower to people who haven't got married yet!

     Finally, after they finish ceremony, they will change cloth and come back. Guest can start to eat! And bridegroom and bride will go to each table to exchange toasts.

     This is Chinese wedding ceremony in China! :)

The Forcks Market ^o^

     Today was a very nice weather, but i had a wonderful day! I went to the forks market. I haven't gone there for a long time. I just remember that last time I went there was in April last year, so I went there today! Maybe because of the nice weather, I saw many people at the forks. This time, I wanted to foucs to go around here. There are lots of small store, and numbers of small stuff. I like the forks' style, I think here is different between outsaide, it looks like far from city, like a small town. Some people was sitting and talkng with friends, or eating food. I went around from second floor to first floor, I went to each store. There are some stores have something intersting stuff. If you want to buy something to your friend who is in your country a gift, you can come here to choose, because here has a lot of things that embody Canada. When I went to frist floor, I saw a women who was playing guita and singing is smiling, a guita's bag was near to her which was put money by people. At that moment, I thought does she need money? yes or no? but she was happy and enjoyed, I could see that from her smile, so I was happy for her. I asked her if I can take picture for you or not. She said of cause, so I took picture when she was singing and playing guita. I thought this is life. I don't know why this time i went the forks, I felt like China. Maybe I miss my home, my country too much!haha