When I came to Cincinnati as an au pair (家庭打工留学生), a lot of things there were different from what I knew. My host family lived in a huge house I could only describe as a "castle"．In Germany I had lived in a small apartment together with my mom. Soon I found out that the "castle" was actually rather small in our neighborhood.

    Everybody there was very friendly and polite. They greeted you when they were walking by at least 3 feet away from you. They must not have seen a German au pair before, for most people I met asked me all kinds of questions about Germany. I enjoyed answering their various strange questions. I made a lot of friends and I started to hang out with them.

    Of course, there were a number of new things, and it took me the whole year to find them all out. I never got homesick. Perhaps it was because I did not have too many negative experiences and felt loved and welcomed there.

    However, I had undergone some painful experience back in Germany. I was frustrated by the way people would run me over and not even say "Sorry." Taking up my studies at the TU-Dresden, I felt lonely. Everybody here seemed to be withdrawn(离群的) and I missed everything I had in Cincinnati. Germany was so "cold". I found it so much harder to make new friends. After six months I got a roommate and only two good friends. I also flew back to Cincinnati several times for long periods. I felt that without those visits I was not able to make it.

    Now I am over this German culture shock. It almost took me an entire year. I am still going back and forward between Dresden and Cincinnati four times a year.

    On a recent visit to the Museum of Modem Art with a friend and her daughter, wandering through the museum's exhibits, I was struck by how often my friend's 13-year-old daughter asked us to take photos of her with her smart phone in front of the artwork. Then, she gazed at the photos which she would then post on Instagram, Snapchat and all the rest. She was not the only person who was doing this; it seemed everyone was busy taking photos of themselves "experiencing" the museum.

    This is by no means a criticism of my friend's daughter or anyone else. What was concerning, at least to me, was that in between being photographed and posting, my friend's daughter had no interest in the artwork, a fact which didn't seem to matter or have anything to do with wanting to post herself as someone enjoying the experience.

    When I was her age, I had no interest in going to museums either. Having no interest in art at her age (and any age) is completely normal. But what is disturbing is how much of a young person's energy these days goes into creating an image of the life they're living and the character they "are" in that life. While creating a self-image has always been a big part of growing up and figuring out our identity, social media seems to have changed the rules of the game. Social media has not just increased the pressure and possibility of creating a self-generated(自我创造的) self-image, but also distorted(歪曲) the process through which we become who we are. Young people now seem to be creating an image of who they are in place of becoming who they are, posting their life rather than living it.

    Social media has turned life and its experiences into an exercise in narcissism(自恋，自我陶醉). No matter what the experience is actually about, it becomes about you, the person who is living it. A concert is not about the music, a restaurant not about the food and a sport event not about the sport; it's all about you, the doer, and what the event says about you. As a result the more we use life create an identity, the more distant from life we feel. Instead of being part of it, we feel as if we have to keep generating new life material.

    I hope the next time you post your story, pause for a moment and experience where you are, feel what it feels like to live what you're living without using life for your benefit, or for anything at all. Just live, without the narrative(叙述). While you may feel this practice is a threat to your identity, causing you to miss a chance to prove your value, in fact, the benefit will far outweigh any loss it brings.

    The Golden Week holiday is extended to eight days this year, as China is ushering in two celebrations from Oct. 1-8: the National Day holiday and the Mid-Autumn Festival. For anyone who is looking forward to a rich，refreshing break, here is a list of some of the best exhibitions, shows and things to do around town.

    Qin and Han dynasties relics

    The Civilizations of Qin and Han celebrates the glory of those two dynasties (221BC-AD2 20) in terms of politics，economics, arts and culture. More than 300 artifacts from 30 museums and institutions across the country are on show through Nov. 30.

    If you go: 9am-5pm till Nov. 30. Closed on Mondays. National Museum of China, 16 East Chang'an Avenue，Dongcheng District. 010-6611-6188.

    Ticket: Free

    Artist's solo show

    Chen jialing is a famous artist who seeks a connection between Chinese and Western art, and demonstrates and excellence for industrial design. He will show dozens of ink paintings. Also on display are his designs on decorative works for daily use, such as bowls, furniture pieces and silk scarves.

    If you go: 9am-5pm till Oct. 8. National Museum of China, Dongcheng District.

    Walk into a time machine at Beijing Design week

    This year's Beijing Design Week is allowing visitors to explore exhibitions and events in the city's Dashilar area with interactive experiences that apply advanced technology, such as virtual reality.

    By simply scanning a QR code, information about exhibitions and events linked to the Beijing Design Week being held in the Dashilar Design Community pop up. Push the button on your screen, and you can use the “time machine” to wander through the alleys of Dashilar area.

    If you go: till Oct. 5.3 Cha'er Hutong, Xicheng District.

    Ticket: Free

    German designer Weingart's works at Beijing Design Week

    Another highlight of this year's Beijing Design Week is an exhibition from German - born designer Wolfgang Weingart. His style has been influencing designers and his students in Europe and North America over the years.

    If you go: 9:30 -5:30 pm till Oct 8. Art Museum of Central Academy of Fine Arts, 8 Huajiadi South Street, Chaoyang District 010-6577-1018.

    Ticket: 120 yuan per person.

    My friend Jason and I wanted to do something to help other people who are less lucky and help us grow at the same time. After we decided that we would volunteer in Nepal, I did some surveys on the Internet and I found an organization called Volunteer(志愿者) Nepal and felt strongly that it was the right choice for us.

    While making our plans, Jason and I realized that others might like the chance to be a part of our experience. So before leaving for Nepal, we asked the people we know whether they would be interested in donating(捐赠) money or goods to Nepal Orphans Home.

    One friend, whose family owns a shop called Drake Supermarket, told others about it. Many people wanted to donate something. We received donations that filled 29 boxes with sporting goods, toys, coloring books, pencils, children's books, and more, The boxes were later taken to Drake's warehouse(仓库) where I prepared them for shipment. Drake agreed to ship them to Nepal for free .

    The boxes had arrived at the Volunteer House when we arrived there. The next day, Jason and I opened the boxes. The children from the orphanages(孤儿院) stood in a line and were able to choose a gift. This took about an hour, but the looks on their faces and the happiness that we saw in their eyes made it one of the best days of our life.

    We visited the orphanages there in the following days. Being with the children at the orphanages was both sad and wonderful. I'm sure that anyone who has volunteered will understand what I mean by that. My experience as a volunteer was very useful. It has changed me as a person and the way I viewed life in the past.

    A walk through the galleries of Quebec's Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) places individuals face-to-face with some 43,000 artworks ranging from Chinese ceramics(陶瓷制品) to Inuit sculpture.

    While the visiting is an incredible cultural experience, a group of local physicians will soon be able to prescribe(开处方) museum visits as treatment for some illnesses.

"We know that art contributes to neural(神经的) activity," said MMFA director Nathalie Bondil. "What we see is that being in contact with art can really help your well-being."

Hélène Boyer, vice president of a Montreal-based medical association, explains that museum visits have been shown to increase levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter(神经传导物质) known as the "happy chemical" which helps to lift mood.

    According to Boyer, the small increase in hormones(荷尔蒙)associated with enjoying an afternoon of art is similar to that offered by exercise, making museum prescriptions ideal for the elderly experiencing pain that prevents them from regularly joining in physical activity.

    The museum visits are designed to improve traditional methods. As Bondil notes, spending time in a peaceful environment can provide a welcome distraction. "What is most important is this experience can help them escape from their own pain," she says. "When you enter the museum, you escape from the speed of our daily life."

    "I am convinced that in the 21st century, culture will be what physical activity was for health in the 20th century," said Bondil. "Some people would do well to recall that just in the 19^th century, sports were believed to do harm to the body. Just as doctors now prescribe exercise, they will be able to prescribe a visit to the MMFA."

    With a focus now on the environmental influence over the fashion industry, some bloggers who cut their teeth sharing details of endless clothes and products are changing their direction-enter the "no-buy" movement. The idea is simple: instead of buying new clothes or beauty products, you make a promise to use the things you already own. Some people sign up to a "no-buy year". Others decide not to buy for a few weeks or months or choose "low-buy" with a strict spending cap.

    This life style has caught the attention of many people who struggle to keep up with the latest fashion. Modern people's desire for material things is often not caused by poverty (贫穷) , but by anxiety, which is further enlarged by the rise of social media.

     "Social media puts pressure on people to spend money," says Katherine Ormerod, author of Why Social Media is Ruining Your Life. Many online influencers are given the items they use and wear for free, but Ormerod is determined not to wear any new products she is given. "Really I just want to convince people they don't have to spend a lot of money on fashion to look stylish and there's no such thing as 'last season' anymore," she says. "True style has never been about that anyway."

    However, self-satisfied expressions of minimalist (极简主义的) living have earned plenty of doubts. "Minimalism is a good quality only when it's a choice, and it's telling that its fan base is from the well-off middle class. To people who don't have enough in the first place, celebrations of 'less is more' can sound more like a luxury (奢侈) than a considerable loss." Stephanie Land wrote in The New York Times.