I was blind, but I was ashamed of it if it was known. I refused to use a white stick and hated asking for help. After all, I was a teenage girl, and I couldn't bear people to look at me and think I was not like them. I must have been a terrible danger on the roads. Coming across me wandering through the traffic, motorists probably would have to stop rapidly on their brakes. Apart from that, there were all sorts of disasters that used to occur on the way to and from work.

One evening, I got off the bus about halfway home where I had to change buses, and as usual I ran into something. "I'm awfully sorry," I said and stepped forward only to run into it again. When it happened a third time, I realized I had been apologizing to a lamppost. This was just one of the stupid things that constantly happened to me. So I carried on and found the bus stop, which was a request stop, where the bus wouldn't stop unless passengers wanted to get on or off. No one else was there and I had to guess if the bus had arrived.

    Generally in this situation, because I hated showing I was blind by asking for help, I tried to guess at the sound. Sometimes I would stop a big lorry and stand there feeling stupid as it drew away. In the end, I usually managed to swallow my pride and ask someone at the stop for help.

    But at this particular evening no one joined me at the stop; it seemed that everyone had suddenly decided not to travel by bus. Of course I heard plenty of buses pass, or I thought I did. But because I had given up stopping them for fear of making a fool of myself, I let them all go by. I stood there alone for half an hour without stopping one. Then I gave up. I decided to walk on to the next stop.

FOREIGN TEACHERS ARE NEEDED ALL OVER CHINA

Ad No.90374

Posted July 12, 2015 by Amanda

Expire Date August 12, 2015

Tag：Beijing Language Teaching Part Time

We are looking for Teachers, whose Native Language is English, willing to teach in China. Mostly schools are in South of China.

The Benefit package for ESL Teachers includes：

One-year Contract：1st September 2015 to 1st August 2016

Salary 4,000 RMB to 5,000 RMB/Month

Teaching load & schedule：20 teaching hours per week

A rent-free, fully furnished apartment with a living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom   

Kitchen facilities provided, other electric appliances will be supplied, water, heater, microwave etc.

If you are interested, please read the information above and kindly send your application to attach the following documents (in doc or JPEG format)．The subject to be mentioned, as “teach in China”

1).CV/Resume（简历）

2).A copy of academic degree/diploma/certificate/or college transcript

3).A photocopy of the data page of valid passport

4).A recent color photo

5).A letter of recommendation or release letter from your previous Chinese school （Only if you worked in China previously）

6).Any other relevant information that you think might help your application

    When I was growing up, Mother's Day was as important as Christmas.

    The energy around the house was always positive, mostly thanks to my father who made sure that his kids appreciated their mother. We would clean the house, and Mum got breakfast in bed in the morning and didn't have to lift a finger all day. And in the evening, we went to a restaurant for a traditional Mother's Day dinner.

    What I learned from my father over the years, was that no matter what, he always put my mother before himself. He absolutely loved her and never let her forget that.

    I maintain(保持) my father's Mother's Day tradition with my wife. Growing up, I learned that showing affection to the woman you love or who gave birth to you is an important part of life. You see, it goes both ways, and the love you have for your mother comes back to you again and again.

    Believing that and feeling it when you can may keep you from being lonely, even if your mum isn't close by or has passed away. There are a number of us who no longer have a mother in our lives, and truth be told, there are often times when I wish my mum were still here to comfort me. So instead, I remember the times she did just that. It makes me smile, and somehow, those memories of a more simple and loving life give me the comfort I'm looking for.

    If you are mum-less, you too should find a deserving woman in your life and celebrate Mother's Day with her. If you don't know anyone, there are plenty of lonely mums in rest homes who would enjoy your company for a couple of hours. The visit will make both of your days, and perhaps your lives, a little bit better.

    Learning how to face silence in conversation is an important skill, especially when working across cultures.

    In international negotiations, experienced negotiator (谈判者) stay silent and impassive on purpose because that will make others feel uncomfortable and possibly make compromises without having to do anything. Americans especially can't stand silence, so they often are the first to break the silence and sometimes might be at a disadvantage in negotiations.

    So, what's the best response? Set your jaw and wait it out. Don't offer a compromise just because they are not speaking. If you have to say something, ask a direct question, such as "What's your initial reaction to that offer?" Once a silence is getting into 45 seconds you could say, "Let's come back to that in a minute and go on with the next part of our negotiation."

    In presentations, silence can be far more effective than dramatic passion (热情). Before starting, look at the audience and be silent for a moment because that says, "I'm in control. I know what I'm doing. I'm confident."

    A classic example was when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs launched the first iPhone. He introduced with many pauses so that you didn't miss his key points. Because silence makes us nervous, our natural reaction is that we'd better pay attention, there's something going on here.

    Equally, when giving a speech to staff or trainees, pauses count-especially if there are negatives. If you keep talking you're spoon feeding. Give people a moment of silence to get beyond the emotional response and to start thinking consciously and processing.

    Silence can be an inward-focused thoughtful activity or an outward stillness where you give yourself the time to watch and think and listen to the world around you. Having observed the use of silence in Finland and also among the Blackfeet Nation, a North American Indian tribe in northern Montana in the US, we can see benefits far beyond wheeling and dealing.

    Silence can be a very powerful point for understanding ourselves, understanding others, for developing better common understanding and more productive outcomes and that applies to business, politics, education, law, medicine, every area of human life.

How to Keep Personal Art Journals

You might have heard that keeping a journal is a great way to record your thoughts and understand your emotions. Typical journaling involves only writing. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. And because there are so many ways to express yourself in an art journal, it's a wonderful creative outlet for both beginners and more experienced creatives.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. It combines elements of writing, drawing, painting, collage (拼贴画), and even graffiti to express yourself. This includes your everyday life, as well as your hopes, dreams, and fears. A single page will often have both words and illustrations to offer a look at what's going on inside your head.

Art journaling is a way to practice self-care. It encourages you to take a little time for yourself — even if it's just for 15 minutes a day. When you look back at what you've written or drawn, you can gain valuable insight into the challenges in your life. The point of creating a visual journal is not to make every page a masterpiece. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

Art journaling is completely customizable (可定制的) depending on your skills and interests. Many people choose to use mixed media and decorate their pages with drawing and painting materials. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. The most important thing when beginning your art journal, however, is selecting the right book.

There are many considerations when it comes to picking your journal book. Size is one. If you enjoy making large drawings, for instance, then a bigger book might be best. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Since it's a good chance you'll be using mixed media, select a journal whose paper can handle both drawing and painting.