Dear Aihua,

    How are you? I've been busy arranging my 1 with my brother, Colin. We plan to 2 a few weeks travelling before he is admitted to the univers ity. We will 3 so many exciting places and do lots of 4 things.

    My first 5 is Morocco, in northern Africa. We're going to 6 camels through the Sahara Desert. I 7 it will be very hot, dry and 8 there. Even though it may feel uncomfortable to sit on a 9 for almost a week, I still look forward to it.

    Then we are going to travel down the River Nile. We will 10 white-water rafting there. It's so 11 that we have to wear special clothing, a helmet and a life jacket for protection just 12 the rafts gets turned upside down or sinks.

    After that, we will live with the 13 people in Kenya and 14 local customs(习俗). We'll eat and drink 15 they do, including cow's blood!

    Due to the 16 walk we have to cover everyday, I need to buy a large, strong, light backpack to carry my 17 of food and water. During the day, we'll walk 18 the land, following the 19 of big animals. Of course, I will try to 20 the animals to take some good photos. I will email you as soon as I come back.

                                                                                                                                                                              Love

                                                                                                                                                                              Toby

    As a child, I started learning to play the piano, my favorite musical 1,but I was forced to give up when I started my middle school 2 I could concentrate more on my studies.

    It's one of my biggest 3to stop practicing the piano when I recall sadly today. During the following years, I kept telling my piano teacher that I would4. However, I didn't keep my promise because I was 5 with my study. 6 I lost touch with my teacher. Some years later, my teacher died. I was very sad because I lost such a good teacher. She was a very warm and gentle person. It hurts me to think she may have been 7 that I never returned. I haven't taken lessons since then but to be honest, I 8 to. Sitting at the piano, I couldn't help recalling many 9-- times of my practising at home and playing before my teacher and one time my teacher 10 me after I played entire pieces of music wrong in front of her colleagues. I was so11 that I could hardly say anything. But her12 helped me ease my shame. These memories, 13, good or bad, never caused my 14 for playing the piano again.

    This thought then led me to think that15is like music, and that we all try to play different 16in the instrument of our life. Sometimes the pitch(音高) is 17when we play it well, but sometimes we are out of tone. However, we all continue to create our own 18style of music. No matter what style our music is, it is 19 that we sing the songs of joy, quietness and love. Though I may never make it back to piano lessons, it doesn't20 that I've stopped making music.

    Be a Traveler, not a Tourist

    Last summer, I had just enough money saved to buy a golden ticket—a 3-month train pass that would take me to the furthest reaches of Europe. Excited for my journey, I packed all the necessities(生活的必需品)—except the 1.

    While the convenience of the Internet was definitely a contributing factor to my 2not to take with me the few expensive kilograms of out-of-date information, this was not the only reason why I decided to fly alone.

    To be honest, my main 3with the guidebook is that I find it4 the pleasure of a journey—like bossy aunt who is always telling you what to do, 5 she doesn't always know what is the best.

    Experience has taught me that there is an obvious 6 between a tourist and traveler.

While waiting in a queue, I met a man who had a checklist. He showed me his list of “Top 20 Things To Do in Italy” and 7 off in a loud American accent that he'd seen everything Italy has to offer in just four days.

    The problem I had with this man's 8 to travelling was that he was too 9 information provided by his guidebook. He was lost in the 10 attractiveness of the “must-sees” and 11 to all the wonders and adventures that might happen during the 12 trip.

    So, 13any guidebook, I traveled to Estonia, the tiny Baltic country bordering Russia. In the 14 of advance plans as guidebooks would suggest, I had no choice but to turn to some friendly faces for advice. I 15myself first and then asked them what was happening around the town. When this 16 an invitation to a beautiful Estonian home by a river where I 17 a 110-degree wood-stove sauna（桑拿浴）, 18 picked forest-mushrooms and the good 19 of our five newfound Estonian friends, I was most glad that I had left my “bossy 20” at home.

    Mott hoped to find a lady on an Iowa community Facebook page, but she didn't even know her name. All she knew is that the 1 woman looked to be in her 30s, had purple hair and was 2 gentle and compassionate.

    At 10:25 am on Black Friday Mott was busy shopping 3she received a(n) 4 phone call, which came in from the nursing home where her mom lived. The nurse on the phone 5 her that her mom passed away. Mott just kind of 6, kneeling down and starting to cry uncontrollably.

    The lady came across Mott and, instead of passing by, she 7 and asked what was wrong. Then she kept Mott in a tight 8 until Mott was able to regain enough senses to get back on her feet. She even 9 Mott to the checkout line and asked if any shoppers had enough Christmas spirit to let the sad woman 10 in line. The lines immediately parted to let her 11. Mott, still 12, didn't think to ask the lady her name after paying her bill.

    In recent days, Mott's 13 to the woman had been a comfort so much that she longed to thank her 14. So she reached out and hoped people would help her find the lady.

    Stephanie, 42, realized that Mott had been looking for her. The most 15 thing she could think to do was to attend Mott's mother's 16. Once Mott 17 her, the two strangers-turned-friends wrapped each other in another big hug, tears running down. The family and other mourners 18 , probably feeling what I felt: It was reassuring to see such a warm, visible sign that the 19 meetings and random acts of kindness we often take for granted sometimes 20 a big difference.

Happy Maggie

    During my childhood I experienced greater hardships than most people go through in a lifetime. In my short 17 years of life, I have been1five divorces of my parents. Having a new stepmother or stepfather every few years was2, but the constant moving was worse. My father's cancer diagnosis3 me apart, and his two heart attacks and4 with diabetes put a huge pressure on the family. By age 13, I was5and emotionally scarred. I felt like I had no one to6and that nothing would ever get better. Then I met Maggie, and my attitude towards life changed.

    For many summers, I 7 at a horse-riding camp for people with special needs. We taught children and adults specialized skills8their abilities. For example, we would teach a child with autism(自闭症)9skills, or a child with cerebral palsy(脑瘫) strength-building exercise. Each volunteer was10a specific child during eight weeks. A few weeks later, I was asked to11 another volunteer who was sick. That was the day my12 on life changed forever.

    As I began to work with her, I looked through her file to get more information, which was 13. She had been physically abused as a newborn and throughout her infancy. Her birth parents14her so badly that they caused her a serious brain injury by the age of two. Her skull had been broken, however, the amazing thing about Maggie was her15attitude.

    When I met Maggie, she was 12, and she would say16but "I'm happy!" If you asked her" How old are you?", "I'm happy" she replied each time. Everyone at the camp17her "Happy Maggie".

    My life growing up was a huge struggle, 18Maggie taught me not to get in the way of happiness. Nothing bad in life should be enough to change19I am. She gave me20. If I learned anything from Maggie, it would be, no matter what, be happy.

    I had an opportunity to see something special when I was visiting a friend. Now, my friend 1 on a small farm. It is far from the street lights and business lights of the 2. When darkness fell he 3 me to his backyard where we 4 and stared at the stars. The street lamps where I live block out all but a few 5 ones, but here it was like the whole 6 was alive with light.

    It was so wonderful to 7. I had forgotten how beautiful the night sky could be. Instead of being 8, it was blue and millions of stars seemed to twinkle (闪烁) with happiness. I could see why our ancient ancestors spent lifetimes 9 them, recording them and cherishing (珍爱) them. 10 it was still the middle of winter, I felt the 11 around me. Seeing this great creation of the universe was like being 12 in a blanket of love. It was so perfectly peaceful. Having all the lights of the night sky shining above me, I could see my own 13 light shining bright as well. I wanted to live 14 ， love well, and shine bright. I wanted to fill my life with love and then 15 it with the world. I wanted to spend all of my days and nights 16 the hearts and souls of others.

    I wish everyone could live off the beaten path so that each night they could 17 and watch the stars. Too 18 we let the artificial lights in this world distract (使分心) us from the light of the stars, the light of our 19, and the love in our hearts.

    May you always keep your20 towards the sky.