Growing

Being excited and curious, I was the first one to get to Shanghai International Exposition Center. Though I am not strange to this place, still, I felt such kind of environment was pretty different from where I learned HAVC systems and refrigeration principles. But soon, I got to used to the atmosphere there, and waiting for my colleagues. In the afternoon, I met my boss, Julie, who was busy preparing the exhibition. I stepped forward and introduced my partner and myself to her, and I felt very confident. It was good. On the first day, my partner and I get the assigned  jobs, and then Julie left us for her conference. For most of the time in the day time, we were taking charge of everything there. And the best part was I shook the hand of the president of ARI...He is a gentleman, and looks very energetic. He is really somebody. And I think I acted properly and well...I met a lot of people on the first day, and I really enjoyed it. Being too shy to have some cookies served there, I felt very hungry when I got back to dorm, 2 hours after I left the expo center when it was the dinner time.

 

The second day is still similar to the first day. I thought there could be some changes, but I was wrong, Standing there introducing the institute, handing out the name card of the boss, and doing things just like a secretary. On the first day, I was very glad that my boss trusted me, and asked me to do so many things. But as closer I am getting to the end of the second day, I felt more like that I have been used to free my boss. I thought I could be an interpreter, but I was just like a secretary. The reason I applied for this job was not because I want to earn some money, but because I want to be what I wanted to be. So the reality and my ideal are really too far away, and I was a little bit low today. Also I felt that I am really small- a tiny sand standing in the middle of the huge rocks, the sand which can be ignored completely. Also the ignorance from the rocks is not pure, it contains discrimination and arrogance. I thought people are easy to get along with as long as you smile at them and be active, not passive. But once again, I was wrong. People look at each other just through the glasses with colors. And all of the people are different-the slightest distinction which you take for granted can be a really big gap in another person's eyes. So I think solving some problems are not just as easy as using your passions, but to use your wisdom and experiences, both of which are what I lack most...

 

The last day was better than I expected. Sometimes it's very ironic that things are just going the other way around while you don't have a clue of what is wrong. Julie is a decent lady, with graceful behaviours and firm hand shaking, and you can easily connect her with an image of a successful business woman. There is no doubt that she is a strong woman, by which I mean her will power. I just had feeling for that. Also, Julie is very generous and polite-she apologized for not being able to have enough time to tell me what to do about the stuff there. As a matter of fact, I have learned a lot through this, and I think those things are what I am supposed to do; and that those are what a graduate student can do. Obviously, Julie had prepared to give me some tip, and she gave my partner and me some tip for taking some stuff to her hotel. From what she had given me, I can tell that she was pretty satisfied with what I did during the 3 days' time. As for the Stephen, he is such a charming person, and I really respect him. And I hope many years later, I could be just like him...

 

During the 3 day's working as an interpreter, I learned a lot of things. I had my lowest time, and also my highest time. It was great to work for those people, and work with my colleagues. I think, what I have experienced will not just the good memories, but the precious experiences that I am going to digest in the rest of the days. On the way back to school, my feelings were complicated. I felt satisfied with this exposition, but I also had a slight fear which made me think that if I can another such good chance to practice...I wish I could be more sophisticated...For the first time, I felt that things don't really come easy. Everything comes and exists, there is a reason; though I am not sure what exactly the reasons are. I cannot say that I will still be lucky in the future, but one thing I think I can do is BE ACTIVE. When I got back to my dorm again, I knew that my normal day has come again, and there are lot of things waiting in front of me. For this time, I am not afraid of finishing them, and want to accomplish them. Life is just like the mixture of different kinds of flavors: in the beginning, it was like a pure water, and in the end it will be just the water again. It is the means that we need most, not the end. Only you know what you have added into this water in the process. Maybe it's a little bit crazy to say so, but I think it's right that life doesn't happen to us, but we make it happen...

 

In the end, God bless those good people out there, and I hope everything goes well...Ciao...