Ayusa 國際愛優生文化交流協會

After all the good compliments for my Fung-Li-Su, today I brought a box of homemade Fung-Li-Su to school. At lunch, I gave one to Darren, who lived in Okinawa for 12 years and speaks fluent Japanese (which surprised me at first). He usually doesn’t enjoy sweets, but he finished a whole one without sharing which really pleased me! At trig class, Ms.Campbell said I made her day by giving a homemade treat cause she ran into a deer in her car today and wasn’t having an awesome day. Turned out Ariana liked it too, and she shared pieces with classmates around her, they were very interested and asked many questions about it and seemed to find it exotic and delicious, which made me proud to say, 『Its a popular Taiwanese dessert.』
Its kind of ironic that the period of time I learn to master many Taiwanese and Chinese dishes is the year I am far away from home. Honestly, I never really cooked when I was home in Taiwan. Now I think about it, must be because my mom took such good care of me and I didn’t bother to cook because she cooks so well. Here, because I miss home food and because I want to share with Americans such delicious dishes we have, I learn to cook and experiment and try my best. Its really not a big deal once I got my hands to it, and it brings confidence and self-accomplishness once well done.
Ive always liked to look at my year here as an early chance to spread my wings and let them strengthen, although sometimes it may feel stressful and harsh, I know that if I do well now I will have no problems in the upcoming future. Meanwhile, although somewhat stressful, bu also packed with excitement and awesome adventures awaiting me to experience.
Well, I guess I have to ask my mom to mail more ingredients for me to make more of the delicious Taiwanese dessert!

Pictures:1. Darren!

2. you can see the beautiful filling reflecting sunlight in this picture

3. Thankyou, Ms. Campbell!

4. looks like I need to bake more, Ariana

5. He’s really shy but he let me take the picture anyway

Last week was homecoming week. Among all the spirit days, I liked character day the most. Everyone dresses up as a character or puts on a mask. I guess this is how Americans make life fun. You can’t expect there to be a party everyday but you can make the most out of everyday life. Just by some cool ideas, going to school can be something to look forward to too. Of course I went to the homecoming dance, it was a blast and I had a chance to see all my classmates and friends go crazy and silly dance.
My host mom and dad( Ms.Mary and Mr.Eddie) went on there second honey moon for a week so I stayed with another host family that week. They have two exchange students too, and we get along well. It is nice to share cultures from three different lands with each other and share feelings of the more or less homesickness. It was a 3 day weekend, so John(host dad) made the best out of it. He brought us to Atlanta’s CNN museum, 1996 Olympic Park, Atlanta Aquarium, and the Coke museum! My favourite was the coke museum, there was 170 kinds of coke products from all over the world for us to taste and try! I tasted all of them.
There happened to be chicken and garlic and tomatoes that night, so I made some 『three cup chicken』 for Larul and Jayson to try. They enjoyed it and devoured it. Next, I fried tomatoes and eggs, for John and Jayson. Jayson is from Beijing, where they like things stronger, so when I was making it, he kept on asking me to add more salt! He said they way we cook it is different too, because my eggs ended up fluffy, but I think this is just due to my personal way of cooking. To him, whatever I say or how I cook represents the whole southern Chinese population.
This was a really good experience to have a chance to spend time with another family and other exchange students. Other than learning that Northern Chinese like their food saltier and Europeans are very passionate(the other host brother is from Spain), I also learnt that no matter where we’re from, we all need to treat on another with respect and show care as if we were true bred siblings.
Pictures:1. Character day!

2.Homecoming dance!

3.at 96 Olympic memorial park

4.fried tomatoes and eggs!

5.3 cup chicken!

Recently we had County Championships for cross-country. The girls and boys both won second place. It was a disappointment for the boys but an excitement for the girls. Newspapers were not expecting much from our girls’ team, so we proved that we work hard and have a chance just as well as other teams. The next day we had cross-country fund raising yard sale. Terrin baked cookies, Alec’s mother baked muffins, and I baked Taiwanese Pineapple Cake (fung-li-su). I didn’t expect it to sell well because it isn’t as pretty-looking as the other pastries, but some people actually bought it and liked it!
So cross-country season is generally over and I joined swim team. The first day at practise they put me in beginners’ lane. The coach told me I shouldn’t be here so next ended up in experienced lane. That was very exciting for me and they also told me I have a good butterfly. I really like how people here are very complimenting and positive. Like in cross-country, teammates tell you 『good job』 even when you know its not. In art, nobody hides their positive feelings about someones good work. At the festival face painting booth, even when I know I messed up a painting, they still say, 『Is that a lion? Looks good!』 I guess compliments don’t merely mean 『good job』, it also means 『don’t stop』, it boosts others’ confidence and inspires others to do more.
Pictures:1.in the middle, 『Taiwan』 shaped Fung-Li-Su!

2.me, far right, 『come to our yard sale!』

3.Fing-Li-Su for 30 cents!

4.Buy Fung-Li-Su and get your picture taken for free!

This week was very exciting because it was 『Fall Festival』 week. Every church has their fall festival on this week. On Wednesday, Ms.Mary brought me to Southside Baptist Church’s Fall Festival. There was alot of people and children dressed up in their costumes. Thursday was our home church’s Fall Festival. Mary and Eddie volunteered in a booth to help host a game for the children. I helped them and also helped out in 『Face Painting』 for two hours. It is not easy to grab a small brush and try to draw on squirming children!It turned out to be alot of fun and a good experience to hang out with church friends and chat and paint faces. Saturday I went to National Central Baptist Church’s Festival. It was $8 to get in but you can play and eat all you want. I had 4 cups of lemonade, 2 hotdogs, 1 bag of popcorn, and 2 funnel cakes, which is a southern special where they fry some batter until it is crisp and put powdered sugar on it. By the way, I have gained 8 pounds since I came to the U.S. I wonder where all the pounds come from! And I am trying to convince myself that these are all weight from the lean-muscle I gained from cross-country.
Speaking of festivals, I turned in 3 artworks for Georgia National Fair, and actually got to see them at the fair! The best thing is, recently I learnt that one of them won third place! It was the one I did for fun when school haven’t started. Ms.Mary was very excited about this because it was the view of her back yard, I simply sat down at the kitchen table and painted the view from her window.
I really like it how I have 1 period of drawing class everyday. I love to draw and paint and I actually got many pieces done since I came here. Back home, I only did major arts, such as pencil and watercolor. But here, Ms.Peavy (our art teacher) makes us try out all different kinds of materials, such as pastel. And now, I am even working on a self-portrait from ripped out newspaper! Breaking through new materials can be stressful, but I learnt that, once I give it a shot, I discover that I can do more than I expect!

Pictures:1.third place at Georgia National Fair

2. my pastel, (copying Monet’s 『Water Lilies』)

3.wrapping up the festival with some 『self portraiting』!

4.last one to go!

At the blink of an eye it has been two months since I arrived here in America. Already, I have felt myself changing and improving in person.
At first it was hard to get used to living with my host family and spending long hours with them. Just recently, I started to like spending time with them and enjoying random chatting with Mary and Eddie. Rather than just living with them, I even feel that I love them just for who they are and feel thankful for them treating me so well. Often, I feel that they are really considering things for me and they are so nice to me, because, sometimes even when I feel sorry for being late, they do not get mad at me at all.
As in school, I feel that I am growing to accept all kinds of people. Unlike before, I no longer want to only hang out with those who seem 『cool』, I guess this is a gratitude for people accepting me even that I knew no-one when I first arrived, and that I am fro a land so far away and different. I have joined the cross-country team. This brings excitement to my life and gives me goals to achieve. We run 5k everyday, its hard and tiring, but its worth it just to get to know young american athletes and to watch myself improve gradually. My 5k PR at first was 30 minutes. Just yesterday at Albany County Meet, I ran a 26:30. I was really excited with my score, and still, I know I can do better one day. Also, I am looking forward to joining swimming team next season and track in the spring. It’s really a blessing that Mary and Eddie not only allow but even enjoy me being active in teams and clubs.
I also joined Partners’ club. We help disabbled children and get to know other club members. For a starting, I raised $40USD for the club .
I haven’t been missing home as much since I got my web-cam working. I feel glad that I can let my parents know I’m doing well, and let them know the excitements in my life.
For literature class I wrote a 『Bucket list』 for this year as an essay. It inicludes 5 things I hope to accomplish this year. Here they are:
1.make 2 friends for life that I will keep in touch even when I leave
So far I have made many friends, and to have a friend is to be one. So I will continue doing my best to be thoughtful and joyful to be someone’s best friend.
2.attend an art fair
So far I have attended Perry Fair and turned in three peices of my original artwork. One of them is a mix of watercolor and chinese painting. I tried to turn in Chinese caligraphy but the size was not standard I will try again next time to turn in some caligraphy.
3.ace grades
4.share Taiwan-chinese culture in a class
5.have a great year

Photos include
1) Mary and Eddie with the chinese drink I shared with them. I didnt know they would enjoy it!

2) me and the girls Crosscountry team, just yesterday at Albany meet.

3) Us having a great time even after running 5K!

4) Eddie, Mary, and I at a restaurant. They always share the best of American food with me.

5) My friends delighted me when they emptied the 『3 cup chicken』 I made

6) For World History class, I made a report of the ancient Chinese civilisation, and I decorated with calligraphy

7) This was what I turned in for Perry Fair, I hope the Chinese scenery stands out well.

Mary was really excited when I painted a picture of her backyard. She even aid I made it look better than how it really is, which makes me really happy.