来自yp20056@126.com的邮件‏

Dear Mrs Halladay,
It's a long time since we met last time. Now I have been in the new place for three months,but I'm still unfit for the life here. I usually feel unhappy about the sad things. I even can't find any other things to do except studying. I went back to the campus alone yesterday, to think of the good memories there,the studying room, the library,the playground I ofen jog in the evening.
I remember the nice smile on you face and your young heart. How could you do that? Why I usually feel sad? I like quiet and don't like people talking and laughing together. What I can do? I need your help.

Yours sincerely
Karen
Post Graduate class

Karen:
Thank you for the beautiful picture you sent to me. You are so very beautiful, my friend. :)
Much Love,
Mrs. Halladay


2010/4/11 Jane Halladay

My Dear Sweet Karen:

It was wonderful to hear from you! I am sad that you must study all the time and that you are so busy.
I really wish that you would come to see me and we could talk.
I think of you often and wonder how you are doing and if you are happy. It sounds like you are not so happy and that makes me sad. I wish all the good things that life has to offer for you. You are very special to me and I would love to help you in any way that I can.
I have learned the secret to a happy life and it lies within each of us. We MUST decide that we will be happy and put a smile on our face and try to make other people happy. I have found that when I am sad, it helps to try to help other people and make them happy. When I do that, I seem to forget my troubles because I am only thinking of other people.
Please call me on the phone when you are sad or e-mail or chat with me. You should not feel sad all the time. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you eating well? Please phone me so we can talk....
I love you very much and I hope that you will try to help others, as I suggested.
I will wait for your return e-mail or a phone call....
Much Love,
Mrs. Halladay

Dear jane:

Thank you very much fou your e-mail! As you said, I didn't have a good sleep for about a week, I often weak up in the night because my nerve is tense. I am very concerned about my study so I feel nervous. And I don't even know very well about how to make friends with other peple.So I feel lonely even can't find a true friend to talk about my happiness and sadness, beause everyone seems to have his/her world. So I remerber you, the smile I really admire.

hello, Mrs Halladay‏

Dear Mrs Halladay,
It's my pleasure to write a letter to you. Long time no see, and I miss you very much.
You are the best teacher that teach me English practice, and I learned a lot from your class. You love us, and do a lot to us. I remember the happy time in your house. We really enjoyed it and thanks for your delicious food. I t's wonderful.
Now we are studying in the affiliated hospital of medical colleage of Qingdao University. As a medical student, I find time is so limited that I have a lot of things to deal with everyday. I'm sorry that I didn't write to you in time.
Best wishes.
yours
Albert

Qing Ming weekend - April 2,3,4,5, 2010‏

Just thought that I would drop a short message for you to add to the Blog site regarding our Qing Ming weekend with our friends, the Henderson's. We had such a great time. Attached you will see Nancy and I at the pearl market, with Rita - the gal we buy the pearls from. Nancy bought a load of pearls and so did I. My list of pearls to buy for everyone is dwindling - slowly, but surely.

Also, you will see the fresh fish "catch" we saw that night - just hanging out on the busy street to dry!!! It looks kinda distorted and odd colored because it was taken at night! This was the second batch of fish outside drying - must be the season!

The Qing Ming festival is celebrated every year on the 106th day after the winter solstice. Actually in English, it is the "grave sweeping" or "grave cleaning" holiday. Sort of like our Memorial day. On this day, the family gathers to eat the food the matriarch of the family has cooked the day before, as they do not cook food on that day. The left-overs are taken to the grave site of loved ones and left for the deceased spirits to eat, along with wine. They also take large sticks of incense and "play money" to burn so the deceased can have spend the money in the afterlife.... They also clean the grave site sometime within a 10 day period.
Everywhere we went, we saw yellow "pretend money" which could be purchased to take to the graves. This is one celebration when the Chinese DO NOT use fireworks. Heaven knows - they light fireworks for EVERY other occasion.

We continue to sporadically have the use of the Internet and we continue to wait for the hot water every morning from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and every evening from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. But - life is good and we feel very blessed to live among these dear people. I guess, as frustrating as it is, there are big "pay offs" in the time spent with our students and dear Li Yang. It is all worth it because of the cherished memories we will have of Qingdao and our time spent living here.

We are planning on Lesa coming at the end of the month and we can hardly wait to show her our "life" here in China. We pray that she will have the same feelings that we have for these dear people. I really do not know how anyone could live among them and not see their many virtues and their kind, gentle ways.

Much Love to everyone,
Mom