The Secret Garden

Little Mary was a bad-tempered, and disagreeable child before she moved to England. She met the servant, the gardener, and met friends there. Realizing something warm between people, she became mature and thoughtful during playing outside in nature.

Breathing fresh air, running and sweating around made Mary change a lot as if by magic. Being rude to others or ignoring often hurt someone who really cares about you. At last, Colin had also changed by Mary's help. He was also a rude and disagreeable child as the same as Mary did before. But after he met Mary, they went to the secret garden which grows lots of beautiful flowers, creatures and warm sunshine. He recognize the meaning of life and stopped thinking negatively, he was suddenly full of courage and hope to face the illness. He bravely stood up and started have fun with his friends. Just like a healthy child as other ones.

I was so touched when I thought that Mary was just like those days I were still being naughty and rude to anyone in my casual life. How ashamed it is, now thinking about those insulting words and behavior. I'm really apologized to those teachers and my parents. After having some experiences, knowing what to do, searching for the target in one’s life....It would be great to have nothing worry about, and simply take a walk in the sunshine. Being close to nature is something I would like to do if there were no school and assignment occupying my time. 

With those pressure and stress, struggling for something ridiculous and unreasonable. Feeling painful and tired, I'd rather take a break for few minutes during a little walk in the park with nothing disturbing. Our mind had just been ruined by the reality after leaving our childhood. Now we were surrounded with plenty of books instead of nature. The magic of secret garden can also be used in our daily life. Think something positive instead of putting oneself in a illness situation, you may have your dream come true.

It never ends

Since graduated from elementary school, I haven't went back to see my English teachers teaching us for years. We were taught to know every  KKphonetic symbols to meet system in junior high school at last.  Practicing amount of test questions was one of the measures.

In elementary school, English never made me feel interested in it in class. After noticing I was never concentrate in class, my teacher gave me some books to choose. The game was: You can read those books instead of doing those boring activities and homework, but your results would depend on the report you gave me in the end of the semester. Actually I enjoyed those days reading Sherlock Holmes with no pressure and meaningless homework.  

Since then, I had a reading ability as if by magic. I’ve never thought reading is such an amazing habit that no one could disturb you in the situation. I found delights in reading either English or Chinese novels.

Those were the days

I went to a kindergarten which make every children speak only English when I was three. You can only ask for toilet in English. During either play time or in class we could speak only English. That was a really smart way to let children learn and use English in usual life. We read English picture books, fought each other in English, had fun with foreign teachers. I knew my Chinese name until I almost graduated from kindergarten. In my family, we are used to call others in English names. Practicing writing Chinese seem hard for me at that time. But I was happy learning those days.

I was not really getting used to the new learning environment in elementary school. My classmates were really good at shouting at each other in Chinese words that I had never heard of. It may be the reason why I was so quiet and nervous talking to others in class. There was still cram school after school, teachers I had known since long time ago. English lessons, homework, tests every week, speech contests, spelling bee award, ghost story writing, summer and winter camp....Although some were a bit boring, it really helped me improve my English ability.

I had a New Zealand pen pal then. Whole class would each write a letter to them. Saying something interesting in Taiwan, our school life, family members....I still remember that they can go to school at nine o' clock and go home at two. Whole class would like to move to there then. Students in other countries are free and happy either during weekends or school life.