In the 1920s, the airlines were just beginning. It was unusual for people to travel by air because it was expensive and dangerous. In those days, there were no flight attendants (服务生) to look after the passengers. Young men, or “stewards” helped the passengers onto the airplane and carried the passengers' bags but they did not provide food and drinks. But then in 1930, a woman called Ellen Church invented the “stewardess”.

    Ellen Church was born in 1904 on a farm in Iowa. She was a different child. She didn't want to work on a farm or marry a farmer. She wanted a more adventurous (冒险的) life. Ellen studied to be a nurse at the University of Minnesota and then got a job in a hospital. For the next few years she stayed at the hospital and at the same time took flying lessons and got her pilot's license.

    Ellen was 25 years old when she first got in touch with BAT (Boeing Air Transport). She loved flying but she understood that airlines were a man's world. Though women like Emelia Earheart were becoming famous, she realized it was impossible for a woman to have a career as a pilot. But she had another idea. Most people were afraid of flying because flying was still not a very safe way to travel. There were often delays (延误), many crashes and the bad weather made many passengers sick. Ellen thought nurses could take care of passengers during flights and BAT agreed.

    The young woman from Iowa and seven other nurses became the first air stewardesses.

    At first pilots were unhappy because they did not want stewardesses on airplanes, but passengers loved the stewardesses. In 1940 there were around 1000 of them working for different airlines. The early “stewardesses” had to be under twenty-five-year-old, single and slim. When a woman joined an airline, she had to promise not to get married or have children. It was a hard job and not well paid. They worked long hours and was paid $1 an hour.

    In the 1970s, stewardesses were unhappy in their job and airlines had to make some changes. Since the 1970s, “stewardesses” have been called flight attendants. They are well paid and work fewer hours than in the past.

    As a volunteer teacher, I traveled a long way to a small village school in Longzhou, Guangxi. On my way there, I thought about the village, the school, and the children there. However, my heart sank when I arrived there. It wasn't what I expected. It didn't look like a school at all! The school had only three rooms, one for Grades 1, 2 and 3, and the other for Grades 4, 5 and 6. There was a third one for me.

    The children welcomed me warmly on my first day. They asked me a lot of questions, and I told them stories about myself and my life in Beijing. The next day, I gave them a test to find out their level（水平）. To my surprise, though the test was very easy, over half of the students couldn't pass it. I knew they needed me.

    I was busy preparing lessons, reading test papers every night. I enjoyed teaching these lovely and hard-working children, and I could see that they were making progress with my help. I have also learned a lot from them. I understand their lives better, and we are now good friends.

    I have worked in Longzhou for a year now. I'm happy, and the experience has been very useful for me. I love the small village and the children. In fact, I would like to continue working here.

My wife's birthday falls at the beginning of spring. On that day, I came home from work, stopped her from entering the kitchen and asked her to eat out. "Has Lily called?" she asked. I shook my head. The atmosphere(气氛) at the dinner was oppressive. My wife kept glancing at her phone, showing no signs of appetite( 胃口 ).

Early the next morning, my wife got up, dark rings around her eyes. We only have one child. When Lily still lived at home, every year we would start the grand preparations days in advance for her birthday. And after she left for college, my wife would call her from time to time. How could she ignore(忽视) all our love and forget her mum's birthday? On the way to work, I texted Lily, "Your mum didn't sleep well last night."

The next day, we were about to have dinner when there was a sound of a key rattling in the lock. In came our daughter, face red with cold, a birthday cake in her hand. "Sorry, mum. Happy birthday to you!" she said, tears welling up. Immediately, my wife pulled Lily into a hug, complaining (责备）"You silly girl, why do you come all the way back at such a time? Don't you know it is cold inside?"

Lily just stayed two hours in care of missing her classes. Seeing Lily boarding the train, my wife started blaming me for that message, yet in a better mood. I did feel I handled this matter perfectly both for my wife and my child's growth.

Later, I called my parents and told them about it. I never thought they would respond with a long silence, and then said,"How many times have you forgotten our birthdays? Has either of us ever complained?"

Pormpawee is a fan of traditional Chinese culture. She is among thousands of young people in Thailand who have learned Mandarin（普通话）. And she has been watching Mandarin in a creative way. making learning more enjoyable

In recent years, more young people in Thailand are trying to learn about China through social media, movies and TV programs, and hanfu is very popular with Pompawee's students. That's where she has got her new idea of teaching. She shares with them this latest Chinese fashion(时尚)in class, helping them learn about the culture as well as the language itself. 

Mandarin is like a key. helping me to open the door to understand China, "she said. Pormpawee developed a love for the Chinese language at the age of 13. When she was in high school, she made an important decision—learning Mandarin at college. Now35-year-oldPormpawee has taught Mandarin for over 10 years. 

Pornpawee visited China for the first time while she was in the university. She found Chinese food so great. Before travelling to China, Pornpawee had only heard of a few Chinese dishes, such as hot pot and jiaozi. She was amazed by the kinds, the tastes and the Chinese ways of cooking. "Chinese people are very kind to foreigners. During my first visit to China, my Chinese friends and their families always took good care of me and kept asking whether I was used to the life, "she recalled(回忆) . 

So far, Pormpawee has visited several Chinese cities, "China is such a large country, "she said. "My trip to China will never end and I'd like to introduce more to people of my country. "

I start my first day of school at junior high today! What I am thinking about makes me1 . I don't know anything about junior high. I am going to be a new kid in the school and I am going to have to make new 2 .

I am not alone(孤单的). All of us going into junior high are in the3 boat. Though(尽管)I am 4 being a new junior high school student, I am also excited about it! I am excited about all the different 5 I get to study.

I will miss my old friends, but I 6 hope to make new friends. The letter from my new school 7 that this Friday will be Club Day. There are a lot of 8 at my new school. I think I might join the Film- Making Club. It is a good way to 9 new friends and share hobbies.

I am so 10 now! My family are all excited for me as well. I am looking forward to a great year and an exciting new world!