Although I started learning English during my college years, when I entered the States, I only understood two English words “Yes” and “No”. We learned many grammar rules but we could not make the language connections to the real English world. Language frustration worries almost all first generation immigrants. For example, I got a letter from a Chinese-American who has lived in the States for a long time and has a good IT job saying “My 11-year-old girl writes quite well, but as her parents, we could not even read her article.”In addition, my Chinese-American professor friend has difficulty reading a novel. Improving our English skills has become a long journey for all of us. Honestly, if I have a chance, I really want to reach out to everyone in the world who has had a similar experience: learning a second language in adulthood. I wish I could encourage them to speak out about the culture shock, frustration they felt about the differences between West and East.

     I have mainly focused on my English writing since 2008 after I found “Literacy Volunteers”, an organization that specially focuses on helping immigrants improve their English. I decided to challenge myself, writing a story like an American. I saw many wonderful Americans there. As soon as I met my teacher Alice, I asked her to be my private language tutor and have taken Tims English class. Every week Alice and I have worked on my English essays sentence by sentence.

     To observe the culture differences between West and East, occasionally, I posted a few of my English essays online. I mentioned previously about American culture; when people read the same article or even face the same situation, American and Chinese act very differently. In my viewpoint, these differences make America the strongest country in the world. I know you have the right to express your own opinions, but accusing others without proof is not acceptable.

    David Beckham was born in 1975 in London, at a place called Leytonstone. When he was a young boy, his greatest passion was in football. He played it whenever he had the chance. Sometimes he would go and watch a game with his friends. When David Beckham was 12 years old, he won the Bobby Charlton Soccer Skills award. This was an important step forward for this young boy, and it led him to go for a visit to a football training camp in Spain. As a boy he played for schools of Essex and also for his county team.

    In 1991, he became a trainee with Manchester United. This meant that he could practice football as much as he wanted to and play for the highly successful Manchester United Youth Cup team and Under-21 team. In April, 1995 he played his first football league game against Leeds Untied. During 1995 and 1996, David became a regular member of the team and Manchester United won in both football seasons, with David scoring many goals.

    His goals made him a household name. In the first game of the 1996-1997 season, he scored a surprising goal from beyond the halfway line; seeing the goalkeeper a little way out of his goal, Beckham became famous overnight. He continued to score astonishing goals, especially from free-kicks. The speed of one of his shots was timed at 157 kph. He also had the ability to make the ball go from left to right, or right to left, whenever he chose. Goalkeepers were never sure where the ball was going, and it regularly ended up in the goal.

    My senior years, I can't believe it is almost over. Now when I look back, it was stressful, but exciting, the ball, graduation, and then of course, college.

    I started applying for my college months before Christmas. My parents told me it would be smart if I set up interviews and tours. But I wasn't motivated. I wanted to go to college, but I didn't want to deal with the stress.

    As the days flew by, my applications lay on my desk just as I had left them three months before. “You are wasting valuable time,” my parents complained. Sweeping away the gathered dust on the applications, I worked on them every Sunday until I finished. Next came writing the essays. I had many ideas, but every school had different requirements. I changed them until I was pleased. Finally, everything was underway.

    Now I just had to wait. In March, I started receiving letters of rejection. I began to think that I had set myself up for disappointment. I had a letter from Salem State College starting that they wanted to see my grades before they made their decision. Yes! At least someone wanted to consider me. At the beginning of April, I received a letter from Keens State. Those opening words: “We regret to inform you…” made me sit down and cry. I had lost all hope. Then I heard from Plymouth State. Not my first choice, but…I had been accepted. Maybe if I get my grades up, I can choose another school…

    The college application hurt me deeply. All my friends had dozens of schools to choose from. I guess my parents were right. High school grades are undoubtedly important to your future plans. If I could do it all over again, I would take it more seriously.

    Whether you are entering the job market for the first time or you are already at work, you have to know the various fields where you can work and the types of jobs available per field. Now it is time that you gained basic knowledge about ten common fields of work and some types of jobs in that field. Here they are:

    Technology Jobs

    The technology field is always growing very fast, so job growth in the field is also constantly booming. Here, you are always in the cutting-edge. However, you always have to update your skills when you are working in technology. Engineering and IT graduates are people who primarily do work related to technology.

    Education Jobs

    Here is a field which allows you to share your knowledge with others. You need subject-matter knowledge and teaching skills to be in this field. Most of all, you need plenty of hearts. While the everyday life of teachers may be tiring, education is one of the most fulfilling (令人满意的) fields to enter. You may need some certifications, though.

    Healthcare Jobs

    Healthcare professions enable you to use a great knowledge base of the human body and of latest health advances so you can save lives, provide comfort, cure illness, and maintain people's health. Work here is often done in hospitals and private clinics.

    Science and Mathematics

    Discovering new knowledge is the primary task of scientists and mathematicians. Training here takes a long time and goes beyond getting a bachelor's degree. However, the work will be fulfilling, especially that you may be at the edges of revolutionary discoveries. You can also use any experience and research skills acquired in either field to work in regular employment settings.

    We all love our children and we all know how competitive the world is these days. What's it going to be like when our children leave school? Will they have the skills they need to stay ahead of the competition?

    All children need two basic skills to succeed. They must be able to read and they must be able to write. And with so much information available to them these days, they must be able to read quickly and accurately. That's why your children need to be able to speed-read.

    It's ironic (讽刺的) that at this time of space-age technology, we've gone back to one of the earliest forms of mass communication—the written word. The Internet has introduced a revival (重新流行) of writing, and if you can't keep up, you'll be left behind. You certainly don't want your children to be left behind.

    You can help to make sure that your children are excellent writers—you can help them to learn how to use their language. Better still, you can learn with them!

    You and your children can spend time together in a worthwhile pursuit (事业)—learning how to write. Forget the theme parks, the computer games, the expensive movies and interesting sports. If you want your children to have treasured memories of time spent with you, learn together.

    For less than you would pay for tickets to a theme park, you can invest in your children's future—help them learn to write well with my six-part writing course.

Don't stand by while your child is left further and further behind.

    A dog found swimming more than 220 kilometers off the coast of Thailand has been returned safely to land.

    Late last week, workers on an oil rig (钻井平台) noticed the animal, all alone, in the water. It began swimming toward the side of the rig. The dog was able to get itself onto a solid area.

    He appeared cold, tired and fearful. The workers lowered a rope and secured it around the dog. Then, they worked together to pull the animal up to safety.

    The crew that found the dog quickly gave their new friend a name: Boonrod. The name means something similar to one who survives in a disaster in the Thai language.

    One of those workers was Vitisak Payalaw. He has been providing updates on Boonrod on his Facebook page. He said it was lucky that the crew noticed the dog in the water. If there had been waves, he said, the animal would not have been seen.

    No one knows how Boonrod ended up all alone at sea, or how long he had been out there. But Vitisak and others have guessed the animal might have fallen off a fishing boat.

    On Monday, Boonrod arrived on dry land. A team of animal doctors was waiting for him in the southern Thai province of Songkhla. Workers at the Songkhla port also welcomed the dog with neck rubs and a special welcome necklace made of yellow flowers. Many people took pictures with Boonrod.

    Vitisak wrote on Facebook, Today (April 15), a ship transporting the dog arrived onshore at around 10.am. His overall condition has improved. He is getting stronger and can smile.

    The dog is now in the care of an animal doctor in Songkhla. The animal protection group Watchdog Thailand said he is in good condition and getting stronger. On Tuesday, the group published pictures of Boonrod getting washed—and getting plenty of love and attention.

    Vitisak says that if no one claims Boonrod as their pet, he will take him with him to his home in northeast Thailand.