I hated to read books, when I was young. Like most of the teenagers, watching TV is preferred instead. However, since I went to Wells (UK), I started reading books.

My first book was called - Wild Swans, borrowed from my guardian. Great book, lots of facts and history about one Chinese should know. You know, my histroy is not very good, esp recent Chinese history. I didn't know what has happened since 1911... from movies, and other places, it was a big confusion.

But then this book told me a lot about how Chinese has gone through those suffering period. It is not easy to have the China now.

There are two things I remember. The first one is when I read about there were starvation in China after industrial revolution. I dreamt that I was begging rice... I was absorbed. The feeling of war did implant into my brain by the book. After that long while, I still hate war a lot. People said American should punish Afghanistan, my intuition was "there must be other way to solve the problem".

After reading the book, I learned another thing in life. You have to keep yourself away from the group, not to be seen as the same, only that you can keeo your own judgement and not be influented by the others. That is important, to double think, not blindly trust what you have heard. Of course, in some sense, not let everyone understands you thoroughly. Then one cannot be hurt easily.

That is a rule of thumb to be living abroad. To have friends, but not "party". Enjoy to know people, and not infuented by others. I had a good practise when I was later in Uni. I had some happy years there.