Even if we are far away from each other, across mountains and seas, I still want to see you

Time flies, and before I know it, I have been in the United States for two months. My return date is approaching, but I feel a deep sense of reluctance in my heart. When I was sitting in my colleague's car, I couldn't help but feel melancholy. I watched the buildings passing by outside the window and wanted to remember them deeply. In fact, it’s not just the beautiful buildings that I’m reluctant to part with, but also the people and things here. Two months in the United States, it feels like a dream, and I am grateful for everything I have encountered.

In the early summer of 2019, with a little nervousness and a lot of expectations, I took a plane to the United States. As the plane broke through the clouds, encountered the vast deep blue, and crossed the Pacific Ocean, which lasted more than ten hours, I I finally came to the United States, which feels both strange and familiar to me. This is a strange country, and it is also a country that is always mentioned in textbooks and English listening materials.

As soon as I got off the plane, I saw my supervisor, Ms. Michelle, waiting for me at the baggage claim area with a hand-drawn drawing written by herself, which said "Welcome Xuemei". I hurried up to greet me, and Michelle shook hands with me. , besides being surprised and moved, it also calmed my anxiety and nervousness of arriving in a foreign country for the first time. When I was waiting for my luggage, Michelle was waiting for me quietly. Unexpectedly, my luggage and my companion’s luggage never showed up, making Michelle wait for so long. I felt very embarrassed because the plane was delayed and she was already waiting for me at the airport. It's been several hours. After not seeing our luggage for a long time, Michelle took us to the luggage retrieval office to go through the formalities. After the arrangements were made, Michelle drove me back to the town. Along the way, we were accompanied by bright sunshine, blue sky and white clouds, rolling green mountains, and the valleys on both sides of the road. The blooming pink Albizia julibrissin makes me feel extremely familiar and surprised. Albizia julibrissin is one of my favorite plants. I didn’t expect that in the summer of the United States, which is half a world away, her figure is everywhere, floating in the air. With a light fragrance.

On the way to the town, Michelle played her favorite music, and we talked and laughed all the way, while the mountains and green forests of Tennessee flew by our side. During this short time together, I felt the care and respect an American lady gave to a Chinese girl. Michelle took the initiative to communicate with me. We slowly got to know each other from topics such as preferences, interests, family, etc. She always slowed down her speaking speed and repeated patiently, trying to make me understand every word she said. When I apologized for my poor speaking, she complimented me on my speaking, and finally she said that when you leave the United States, your speaking will be better because everyone here speaks English.

I don’t know whether it’s the sunny and warm sunshine, the distant mountains and the blue sky and flowing clouds in Tennessee that make me feel at ease, or whether the time I spent with Michelle was so relaxing and enjoyable that I actually forgot about the travel and jet lag. I was so tired that I forgot to worry about my lost luggage.

Driving closer and closer to the destination Pigeon Forge, we all call it Pigeon Forge. I fell in love with this town almost at first sight. Sunshine, music and laughter filled this small town. There are various amusement parks with colorful buildings, but the colors are comfortable and the styles are unique, and almost no one is the same. Looking around, you can see the continuous Great Smoky Mountains in the distance, with undulating mountains. When you look back, you can see a long, clear river running through the town, and crape myrtles in full bloom among the green trees. It's like a fairy tale town!

Surrounded by mountains and rivers, it can be said that the Feng Shui is excellent.

Michelle took me to Island, where I work. After completing the onboarding procedures, Michelle gave me a map and asked me to wander around and get familiar with the environment. There are many shops on the island, and the buildings are also colorful, just the right light color. The island is full of sunshine and music. The white Ferris wheel rotates slowly against the background of blue sky and white clouds. The musical fountain dances to the rhythm of the music, and the happy children Grinning, leisurely people are walking or sitting quietly, enjoying the bright sunshine.

I work in the Margaritaville island hotel on the island. The hotel environment is excellent. The main color is my favorite light blue, and the interior decoration is also very exquisite.

My job is in the guest room, which is a job that is more suitable for me in this project. I work indoors and will not be exposed to the sun. When I clean the room alone, I can also listen to music, books and articles, and I have a little germaphobia. , when everything is put in order, there will be a little happiness. Of course, I am also very surprised and happy about the occasional tips I receive.

My colleagues are also very kind to me. Sometimes I receive small gifts and snacks from everyone. When I first got familiar with the work, everyone was patient and taught me carefully. Every time I didn’t understand something, they would I will say: "Let me show you." Every time I meet a guest in the corridor, everyone will smile at you and say hello to each other. Some guests will also say to you sincerely: "Thank you!" Whenever this happens, even if the body is tired, But I felt very happy in my heart, and it seemed to have a cheering effect.

There will be an onboarding meeting one week after joining, where we will be introduced to the company’s size, rise, values, etc., as well as employee requirements, etc. The company's working environment and atmosphere are very good, and I can clearly experience the corporate culture and atmosphere.

The company's hierarchical relationship is not obvious. Supervisors and subordinates are all friends. Especially at company picnics and baseball games, I feel a harmonious and comfortable interpersonal relationship. I remember that Petter played with us on the trampoline and took pictures regardless of the image. After the event, he sent me home and chatted with me on the way. I later learned that he was the boss of the hotel.

I am extremely lucky. My colleagues are all very nice and I have a good job. I am not bullied because I live far away. Michelle, the HR manager, picks me up every morning, and my colleague Dee takes me home after get off work in the afternoon. , or will send me directly to where I want to go, thank you. Although every time I asked Dee to send me somewhere after get off work, she would always say: "You killed me." But under my coquettishness, she would eventually send me there.

I live in the mountains, in the home of a local American. There is a large garden at the door. In the garden, my landlord Rhonda grows white lilies, sunflowers, etc., as well as vegetables such as cucumbers and pumpkins, and several other vegetables. There is a wooden bird house, and there are often birds resting on the wooden house and branches. There are light yellow coffee tables and chairs in the corridor. The sky is the shadow of distant mountains and floating clouds. Maybe the only disadvantage is that the transportation is inconvenient, but I met people, but it is no longer a shortcoming.

This is my room. Rhonda took me to Walmart to buy bed sheets and quilt covers, helped me choose the style, and finally let me choose the one I like best. She also asked her roommate what her favorite color was. After her roommate told her it was green, she pulled out a green sheet and quilt and put it on her roommate's bed. She decorated the bathroom with a garland and hung a picture frame on the wall on the sofa; she They also prepared hot water kettles, rice cookers, bread machines, etc. for us Chinese girls. As a new arrival in a foreign country, I was really deeply moved by this kind of careful and thoughtful care and kindness. I really fell in love with it in minutes. Got her.

Landlady Rhonda

Landlady Rhonda is a friend I like very much. She is over fifty years old, but when we get along with her, I can feel a girlish feeling. Various decorations reflect her good taste. She enjoys life very much. She loves to take care of her garden and vegetable garden, feed her beloved birds, listen to the birds singing, and sit quietly in front of the door while shelling beans and admiring the flowers. , enjoy drinking coffee in the sun, and enjoying leisurely cooking time... I like her kitchen very much. Kitchen utensils are available from steaming to frying and baking.

Armando

Rhonda has a Mexican friend, Armando, who I also like very much. He is passionate and a gentleman. He is an engineer who often works outdoors. He has dark but muscular skin. He is also a good cook. We have cooked together. I cook Chinese food, Rhonda cooks American food and various dessert breads, and Armando cooks Mexican food. As a result, I was fortunate to taste many delicious American classics and authentic dishes. Mexican food. Every dayoff, they would drive my roommates and me to go shopping and travel. I really don’t know how to describe how lucky I am.

Roommate Sisters

My roommates are three Chinese sisters. We all signed up for the same project, and then traveled thousands of miles away and met in a foreign country. They are very beautiful and speak very well. Well, they also have super cute personalities. Sometimes I would just listen to their laughter and play, and I would snicker from the sidelines. I still remember going shopping at the outlet together. No one advised anyone to spend wisely, we just "buy, buy, buy." In the end, Rhonda said that we were Crazy Chinese girls, and the time we spent cooking together was so wonderful. I really missed the food of my motherland. The funniest time was when we turned into grinders and kept chopping vegetables in order to make dumplings.

Friends of the church

I have to mention the friends of the church. They are all volunteers of the church and take care of international students from various countries for free. Activities are often held for us to get together and experience American games, including Frisbee games, sandbag throwing, volleyball, various card games, etc.; we can also taste various delicacies together, including various salads, hamburgers, homemade ice cream, Mexican Burritos, cakes, etc.; enjoy the local scenery together, such as the Great Smoky Mountains, fireflies, forest lakeside, etc. They also shared their stories, helped us solve problems in life, and prayed sincerely for us. In the process of getting along with them, I truly felt loved and loved. They were so pious, practicing their beliefs and doing things they recognized.

Chinese Sister-Mengzhu

There is also a Chinese sister in the local area, we call her Sister Meng. She has lived here for eight years, and she serves Chinese people every week. Students organized parties, cooked for us, took care of us, and took us to eat barbecue, hot pot, fried rice, dumplings and other Chinese delicacies. Sometimes, you may need to prepare for a gourmet party several days in advance. She was a J1 student in 2011. Going to the United States really had a huge impact on her life. The twists and turns and stories are difficult to describe briefly. She was very willing to take care of us because she had also experienced the difficulties of living in a foreign country.

Grandma Alliene

I met Grandma Alliene through Sister Meng. Even without any conversation, just a smile, I fell in love with her almost at first glance. She is a very elegant lady. It seems that no one in this world dislikes her. I was fortunate enough to have two or three opportunities to be alone with her. She drove me aimlessly, introduced the things I encountered along the way, listened to her speak slowly, and felt her tenderness. One scene that impressed me deeply was when a group of us Chinese girls sat around her and listened to her telling stories. Before leaving, she sincerely prayed for us, smiled and hugged us one by one, and then Smiling as we left.

Cute Chinese Girl

Sister Meng’s activities not only take care of us, but also allow us students to connect with each other. There are many students from Sichuan here. I really love them. They are all beautiful and have great personalities. I also like to hear them speak dialects. It is very interesting. I often eat delicious food and listen to them talk. Smirk. There are also some little girls from Gansu, Shaanxi, Xinjiang... I like them very much, they are like blooming summer flowers, bright and lovely, beautiful without knowing it.

Laura who loves to laugh

Laura’s Chinese name is Ai Meili. As her name suggests, she is really beautiful and cute. She once worked as a foreign teacher in China for one year. teacher. I love her brownies. Every time I attend an event, she almost always picks me up in her cute little car. I enjoy the time chatting with her in the car and am very grateful to her for taking the trouble and time to pick me up. The most impressive conversation was when I told her how moved I was and how their care had purified a part of my soul. Before leaving, she prayed for me in the car, which actually made me burst into tears.

I am so lucky to meet them. The teacher said that project satisfaction is largely related to the improvement of oral English. Maybe for me, it is related to luck and the people I meet.

Everyone I met when I came to the United States seemed to want to create beautiful memories for me. They always said, when you look at these photos again, you must think of me, okay?

Pigeon The theme of the valley is "escape", which is like creating an extraterrestrial place without worries and worries for you to escape to. Sunshine music fills the entire town and echoes with people’s laughter. It’s really wonderful to encounter this place this summer!

Many scenes always make me feel like I am in a movie. Some scenes are similar to scenes in the movies "Forrest Gump", "Heidi and Grandpa" and "Call Me by Your Name". Sitting on the swing in Rhonda's garden, surrounded by trees and flowers, I was immersed in the summer green, eating the sweet cakes she made, eating the fragrant barbecue made by Armando, and watching the bonfire in front of me smoke. I felt like I was living a little forest life in the United States. Everything is so wonderful!

This is really a good opportunity for you to immerse yourself in the local culture. I still remember the fireworks blooming in the sky on Independence Day, the band's performance and the lively crowd in the park, the patches of Tennessee orange and the passionate cheers in the baseball game auditorium, the full of RVs parked by the lake, and the riding on the lawn. Children on bicycles chased and laughed, couples and children danced under the stage as the singer sang... On Independence Day, the page about Independence Day in the history book came to my mind, and I had never thought about it before. I will watch an Independence Day fireworks in the United States.

This is also a great opportunity to experience a different culture. I don’t think there is any country where there are so many multicultural collisions, such as China, Russia, Turkey, Canada, Romania, Italy... different languages ??and thinking, different food and aesthetics. I remember a Canadian mother and daughter stayed at Rhonda's house and made the Canadian delicacy "Shepherdess Pie" to share with us. I learned some Romanian with my colleagues, and every time I met a beautiful girl from Romania, I said to her in Romanian: "You are so beautiful!"

I also like the Mexican music videos that Armando shared with me, including performances by street performers, videos of singing and musical instruments, and I also like that he shared his travel photos. Michelle shares her favorite music and singers with me every day, and recommends operas and books to me. I taught my colleagues to speak Chinese, taught them how to use chopsticks, shared my favorite poems and poems with them, and introduced my life in China with my mobile photo album...

Traveling in the mountains and rivers

This was the first time Rhonda and Armando took me out together. The weather was very good that day, white clouds were following outside the car window, and the summer greenery surrounded us. We stretched our hands out the window to feel the cool mountain breeze, and stopped to touch After taking pictures of the flowing stream and stepping on the rocks, we went home and cooked together, with the radio playing music, and enjoying the food and its preparation together.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It rained that day, and I was able to catch a glimpse of the symphony of the forest. The rain hit the green leaves, the mountain wind blew, and the stream flowed on the moss-covered rocks. I was lucky enough to see a deer deep in the forest, and a butterfly wet its wings and rested on a wooden stake. I deeply feel that no matter where the mountains and rivers are, they always make you feel close to them.

Gatlinburg. It can be considered a quick trip, but it also gained a lot of happiness. This is another fairy tale town adjacent to Pigeon Forge. It is lined with various exhibition halls and shops, as well as the Great Smoky Mountains winery. There are many surrounding designs of the Great Smoky Mountains mascot black bear, as well as colorful animals flying in the sun. Bubbles.

University of Tennessee . Sister Meng took us to Knoxville to visit the University of Tennessee. The university is very beautiful and the buildings look like they came out of a European fairy tale. What is magical is the sculpture. No matter what the weather, the torch will never go out. After that, we went shopping at West Town Mall and ate Sichuan food at a Chinese restaurant. I have never eaten such delicious Sichuan food in China.

There are also many unknown small places.

Armando drove me to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way. He would stop when he encountered a beautiful place, and we would walk into the scenery together and take photos. At the end of each trip, he would take me to buy a cup of McDonald's "MC Coffee". End the date with the sweet smell of chocolate. Really good memories.

My roommate works at the local "wonderworks" and can take me to the amusement park for free. One afternoon, under the dazzling sunshine, I went out riding bicycles with my roommate and went here to play. The island where I work, the Ferris wheel and musical fountain on the island, I am surrounded by them every day.

My expectations before coming here were just to make a little money, taste some good food, make some good friends, enjoy some scenery, experience different experiences, and leave some good memories. Now it has been fully realized, and I have gained a few pounds and become a few shades darker.

The friends I met here all gave me a sense of déjà vu, as if I had seen them somewhere before. Maybe some people and things are destined to meet, even if they are separated by oceans and thousands of miles away. outside.

I wonder if you also have a story that is destined to happen here.