Good morning sunshine! It's time to eat breakfast! If you don't wanna make it yourself, you can go to STARBUCKS~~ (This is the route from my house ~ Jubei, Wen-Yi Street)

First you walk out of the apartment (B Building) and past the gold fish pond to where the room, the guardian usually go. The fastest way to go to Starbucks is to go to your right. As you walk, you will see some store, buildings that are still constructing, and houses. Later, you will reach Wun-tian Street. Notice you are still walking on Wen-Yi Street. You keep going and would see some coffee shops (but not STARBUCKS), and other buildings you usually see. Then you will meet another, the Wujhuoliou Road. Along Wen-Yi street, you'll usually see a lot of the same kinds. So just keep walking until you reach Wunlu Street. STOP! Now, walk to your left and down. Right at the corner, there would be a STARBUCKS. You could hear music (jazz) and smell the coffee beans.
To be quick, STARBUCKS is on Guangming 1st Road. Like about the 3rd block from my house~

Oh no! What's up there???

It's "CAT" to the rescue this time~
This cat climbed up more than 20m of a tree and unfortunately it couldn't find its way back down!

This male cat was thought to have been chased up the tree and it was spotted in an early morning. People were waiting for the fire service to come to the rescue. While waiting, it climb higher and higher!! And!! The ladders of the fire service weren't high enough to reach the cat. So, they called a tree surgeon to save the cat.

The branches of the tree was tiny and it couldn't keep his balance. Plop! He fell off~ Was it hurt? Well, luckily the rescuers used a coat to catch the falling cat. As soon as it was rescued, it ran off... Who does it belong to? We don't know.

Image and link of the story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7900000/newsid_7902000/7902096.stm

In the last 2 Science classes, we did 2 kinds of puzzle activities. One with just white paper and the other one with a piece of newspaper.

Which one's harder? Which one's easier? Why?
The white paper puzzle is harder than the newspaper one. (Still, our group was the first to finish in two activities~~ XP) The newspaper one was easier because we are able to see the words, fonts, colors, and pictures. Then we will be able to match them up!! Whereas the white paper... It's harder! No pictures or any hints that will make it easier for you~~

Have you ever felt eager to put on dancing shoes and let yourself into dancing?

Now, Darren Bennett & Lilia Kopylova (Strictly star dancers) are convincing kids to take a shot at dancing! Right now, about 2,500 kids in the 29 schools of England, dance to keep fit in sport lessons. Even boys started to join~

This is what Darren Bennett said: "Boys are seeing ballroom and Latin dance in a whole new light - if their sporting heroes can do it, then so can they."

Getting fit?

Ed Balls, the government minister of children and education mentioned that dancing was an excellent way to keep us children fit and healthy.

Ed Balls said: "Making physical activity an attractive option for all young people is especially important if we are to tackle obesity."

Here's my idea:

Since dancing can keep us in fit, why don't we try dancing during our Wellness Class?? Haha! While that make learning even more interesting and fun to do? ( > 0 <>
Picture and link of the story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7900000/newsid_7907200/7907255.stm

ONE: Meaning of Geography

Geography describes the world we are living and what it'll be like in the future. It is all about letting us know and to understand the world we are in.

Process of "PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT":
For example... In Aisa there will be a seasonal reversal wind. It makes summer into a rainy season and winter into a dry season... That's because there's a huge land mass = Asia. It goes all the way from the equatorial rounds to polar rounds. Beside it is the Indian Ocean.
Land and water heat and cool unevenly, which cause the temperature to be different.
If the temperature is different, the pressure will be different; if the pressure will be different, it initiate the flow of the winds. Because of that, during the summer, the lands will be warmer than water (low pressure system). When the air flows into the low pressure system (from the Indian Ocean), it'll turn very warm and very wet = summer rainy season. Same for the winter but with the opposite way.
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PEOPLE & PLACES
It relates to the physical environment and the action between people and places. Asia has the population of over half the people in the world. But... Not evenly spread on the continent.
Each places have different way of life: Language, Religion, Food, and Physical Appearances...

Physical environment can influence the decisions people might take in a certain area. Like the actions the people have on land...
For example: ASIANS (MOST OF):
- Eat rice
- Depends on Monsoons
- Rice can't grow in dry regions of Asia.
- Northern Chinese (dumplings)
- Southern Chinese (rice)

Suppose that you are Manolin. You write a letter to Santiago expressing your feelings. This letter would be kept in a glass bottle and out to sea. What will the letter be like?

Dear Santiago,
I really miss you a lot! You have been away for just second day and it felt like you've been gone for years. I glanced towards the sea everyday at sunset. I could see your wrinkled face smiling back at me. Is it true that you are OK? Or are you filled with troubles and problems out at sea?

There's no words that can explain my true feelings now. I really don't know it you'll get this letter. But if you do, you'll know how I feel right now. Wish you happiness and full of success!

Your best pal,
Manolin

Last week in All School Gathering, we have been showed a small play where Peter (Grade 7) was using a PC. His new mac would be coming in soon. But he needs to do his humanities homework and it needs a macbook!! So, he went to Jacob (Grade 10?) and borrowed his laptop. Jacob agreed, but there's a condition... If Peter damaged his macbook in anyway, he will have to give Jacob his new macbook. Peter, agreed to this promise. Unfortunately, somehow Peter dropped Jacob's macbook. Jacob found out and demands that Peter is to give him his macbook. Peter disagrees. He said that he didn't sign a contract with Jacob, therefore it doesn't count... Jacob argued and said that Peter HAVE give him his new macbook no matter what! The problem is, should Peter forefill what he had promised or just let it pass?

---
I think that Peter should give Jacob his macbook. He made a verbal promised and vowed to Jacob. And, infront of witnesses!! But, I think that he can also fix the broken macbook (like totally new) and then give it to Jacob... But Jacob insisted that he wants Peter's macbook.
---
Problme solved:

During Humanities class, we went downstairs to see Ms. Galland and her students (Kevin, Roxanne, Tina, Cindy, and Kassandra) had discussed this problem. They had solved the problem... They say that Peter had won and Jacob lost...
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I was confused about why it is that way, but... they say it just is~ LOL XP
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Picture Links: 1 and 2

Hello explorers!

To find out where Hsinchu International School's art room is, look at the given picture.

Where's the school? = Hsinchu International School, 290 no., Nioupu East Road, Hsinchu, Taiwan. By looking at the map, you can probably figure that out!! XP

Just in case that the words are blurry, it is near the running track above...



This is our beautiful school!! And the arrow shows where the art room (301) is.
But when you enter the campus, you will need to walk few meters until you get to the building.

That's about it!!

For more information about the school, go to THIS website!!

You probably know what "Geography" is mostly about. It is not just about landscapes, mountains, climate, rivers, people, socializing, economics, environment, plants, animals, and the study of the world around us.

If you look deeper and define what geography really is, you can say that it's divided into groups.

Physical Geography
- Study of earth science (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, pedosphere, plants, and animals).

Human Geography
- Studies of economics, culture, political perspectives, cities, communities, government, religion, languages, socializing, and human history.

Environment Geography
- Study of technological changes and political ecology.

Regional Geography
- Study of the history of geography.

This is not a complete blog post about what geography is. At least it gives you some more deeper information.

Source 1
Source 2
Source 3

This blog post may change as I add more...

In Mrs. Smith's science class today, we had a special day called S.M.A.S.H. day. S.M.A.S.H day represents "Smith's Marvelously Awesome Science Hoopla". We did a similar one with the paper towers (There's a blog post on it). But this time, it's more like a "hoopla"! By looking at the picture, you've probably figured by now, that it was about a yellow submarine!

Talking about the "Yellow Submarine", what is the task? We were to build a periscope... The periscope will have work for us; to see in the box from the floor to the table. The box would be filled with "THINGS" for us to figure out. We were to pair in partners. Lian and I are in one group. We struggled to make it out of ten pieces of paper, tape, and a box for the cardboard. We've got an hour to finish the complete product – the periscope.

Our building processes was filled with laughter, ripping sounds, cutting of the cardboard, "ouching" sounds, and the scratchy noise of mirrors. We did it in a rush because we had a limit of time to finish it.

We kept on fixing it because it falls apart continuously (I can't even remember how may times). Sometimes we modified it because it's not working, I couldn't see the other side! Each time we had hope to make the best. The way we communicated was first by drawing each ideas on one of the ten pieces of paper. We discussed a little and got to work, until we were getting nervous and about to give up. Once we got a plan in mind, we will get excited and energetic. But we tried to calm each other down. Why we were SO hyper? That's because we've got the idea and it's running out of time!!


If you could give a list of tips and suggestions to someone who is doing this for the first time, what would it be? What would you tell them to help out? --- Mrs. Smith

If you are doing this task like us, I suggest some steps you could follow:

1. Calm down what ever is about to happen.
2. Think that you and your partner are about to finish (plus, win a prize)!
3. If you have a plan in mind, explain fast and let them fully understand your ideas.
4. Draw a draft before you do anything else.
5. Focus and don't mess around!

Zakat: When they look after other people and provided wealth for those that are less fortune... They are being a community contributor and a person of high character!! Yeah!!

KENYA, AFRICA.... WHAT HAPPENED? PETROL EXPLOSION!!

The petrol tanker crashed dripping petrol everywhere. At the sight, people cuddled around to gather the fuel. It happened near a town called Molo. It exploded when it got lightend, killing about 111 people and harmed more. Officials were confused on how the explosion started and worried that people's lives will continue to be taken away. People think a cigarette had caused this issue and was on purpose.

After this issue, in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, there was other problems that killed about 25 people.

Who are the ones that caused all this to happen?

I am waiting to hear more!! Who is the killer or maybe, "killers"

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7860000/newsid_7863500/7863599.stm

Dolls that had the same names (Sasha and Malia) as President Obama's and Michelle's children had decided to rename them. Now it had changed into Marvelous Mariah and Sweet Sydney.

Why did they make this decision? Michelle, US's President's wife, was not happy to have dolls named as their kids.The American Company (part of the Ty Girlz Collection) argued that they named the dolls after her daughter's names because it had suited the dolls perfectly. This company of dolls sold their collections in January with some other dolls (Bubbly Britney, Lucky Lindsay and Precious Paris).

Did Michelle have some reasons besides the one which says that she wasn't happy about this idea?

I think that the company think that if they have dolls named after Shasa and Malia, people would buy them!! Haha~

Picture and info all from this link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7860000/newsid_7869300/7869354.stm

IF IT REALLY DID HAPPEN...

YEAH!! AT LAST I'VE WON 10 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE LOTTERY!!! What should I do with it??

I know what I should do! I can donate half of the money to charities. Some people in the world suffer from poor environmental conditions, no money, diseases, famine & droughts, not enough clothing, no shelter, no opportunities for jobs, orphanages (when they lost their parents) and no education... I want to help those people to have a better lives.


Remember, help those who are poor in poverty!!! Be helpful, BE A PERSON OF HIGH CHARACTER, A COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTOR, PROBLEM SOLVER, A CRITICAL THINKER, AND AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR TO PASS THE MESSAGE DOWN TO EVERYONE!!!


Just to let you know, there's a website where you can enter the meaning of each word and then they will donate rice to the poor. Here's the website: Freerice Try it out!! Increase your vocabulary while you help!!

It is the almost the end of school. We have Language Arts at the last block and by that time, all of us were almost asleep... We were TIRED!!! I see people lying on top of their desks, dropping their heads bit by bit, and I even heard one yawn. Oh my, is the class boring or is it because school is about to end??

Well anyway, at that point... we were reading this book called "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway.


We sat in a small circle and took out our books (just like the one above, exactly...). We began reading it with our teacher, Mr. Laffin, first. It goes like: the teacher, Victor, Andrew, Patrick, Tung Erh, Lian, me, Jasmine (Jazzy), Annchi, Cherine and then back to Mr. Laffin. We were trying to get each other to read the longer paragraphs (we POPCORN"ED" to each other like that). Sometimes, we attack the same person and making he / she to read them. The he / she who gets to do all the long readings were complaining about them having bad lucks. That's how Mr. Laffin wants us to write this blog post, not on bad lucks, but on GOOD LUCKS (HAPPY ONES)!!!!! So, that's why I'm sharing mine's with all of you....

My Happiest Moments: (Now, we are at the time when I was 7 years old...)
You ready?
1...
2...
3...

BOOM!!!
Right now, you're an angel (I suppose) that floats on my shoulders...
There was SARS in Taiwan, so we decided to go to the US...

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Today is the first day of school. My school is called "Melbourne Elementary School" and it's in California, US. I live in my Aunty's house with my mom and my brother. In California, the air is so, so, so fresh that I can forget all about other things...

1. The air makes me happy... (Wait... Does that count? ¬__¬??)
(Continue)...

So, my mom drove me and my brother to the school, although I wish I could go there by walking. It was a big school and lots of Americans were there. I was suppose to be in Grade 1 that time, but they let me in Grade 2. So, I was there being the youngest in the grade; and the only Chinese.
The ground was paved and we were lining up due to the sign which says my grade. I looked around me, my classmates were staring at me. I'm like "Oh my!!". I freaked out. I was getting nervous. Just I was about to race for my mother, our teacher, Ms. Mazur, came to us and introduced her to us. All of us need to shake hands with the teacher, one by one...
I was nervous, like I mentioned, and she held out her right and without knowing what I was doing, I reached out the same hand! So, embarrassing!! (THAT WAS MY EMBARRASSING MOMENT!!) You know why? I was busy observing her with shock. That time I was thinking: "Is she really my teacher or is she my principal?". Hahah... I was dumb that time.... > <> <

In grade 2, we do not have division in gender like we do now. I get quite well along boys... They are all very nice, indeed. ^_^... I met a girl called Amanda. She had the same "mentor" teacher (I dunno if it's even spelt like that or not but....) I had. My mentor is far much better than my homeroom teacher... (Sorry to say this but umm...) She sends me cards, candies, and little gifts almost everyday.

2. Being with a mentor teacher.
(Continue...)

I got to know Amanda and we spent time together lots of times. Another friend of mine's, Hannah, she introduced me with another friend of hers (which I had forgotten the name, but remembered her looks...).

3. I enjoy being around with welcoming friends. (Not that I mean that being around with HIS friends are bad, but that was my first time having American friends and others from other countries). "A different taste of friends..."

It was my birthday (about that time). We celebrated with my cousin and my brother. We wrote cards and invited everyone I like = my friends, to the party. We played games and had lots of fun.

4. Having fun with people I like...
(Continue...)

Sadly, at when we were about to leave back to Taiwan... My friends didn't have emails or any way for me to contact them with. That was bad. So right now, while I was writing this, I am also thinking about them... So sad... so bad.... The only way right now is to use social networks to find them when we are all older.
THAT WAS ONE OF MY HAPPIEST MOMENTS~~ THE END~~ HAHA