Florham Park Rink

This is the Florham Park Roller Rink where I practice skating as often as possible when I am in NJ.

Pixel, my puppy

I have the most adorable chihuahua at home...her name is Pixel. Here are a couple of pictures of her. She and I were very close and I miss her a lot.

Currently, she is at my parents' home being ridiculously spoiled! She absolutely loves sitting in people's laps and I am certain that my parents are doing their best to satisfy that desire. She is very demanding about it too. And the green blanket that you see here, that is her's. If she can't get at it or it is in the wrong place, she will poke at you until you fix it!

I also have another puppy, Jesse, but I don't seem to have any photos of him here.

My Skate Team

I am merely a beginner when it comes to skating, but I do belong to the All American Figure Skating Club in NJ, or at least I did until I left for China. I miss them all.

The other day, as a fundraiser for competitors going to distant competitions, a show was held, in which my friends performed. They sent a couple of pictures. Here is one of them.

University in the US

I keep getting questions about what university is like in the US. It is really hard to explain. I think the biggest difference is the flexibility of the US school system.

Students can go to school either part-time or full-time. Your class schedule is not preset. When you start a program, you are given a list of classes that you must complete in order to graduate. It is your responsibility to work with your adviser and select classes each semester that bring you closer to your degree. If you don't take the right classes it can delay your graduation.

This also means that if you need to work long hours in order to pay for school you can take fewer classes or if you are lucky enough to be able to just go to school you can take more.

I think that students in the US are also required to do more self-learning than here, but that is just and impression so far. We are required to do a lot of studying on our own and sometimes to learn beyond what is presented in the book or in lecture. For me this meant studying long hours, similar to what I see students doing here in China. It is not the same for all students in the US. Everyone is different and takes things at a different rate.

Before applying to medical school in the US, you need to have completed certain classes and take a test called the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT's) that covers Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Most students have a 4 year degree called a Bachelor's Degree before applying.

While I was in school, I had to work in order to pay for my everyday living expenses and my school tuition. I also had to take out loans to pay for school. My parents helped as much as they could, but school is very expensive in the US.

Some pictures of my home

So, this is a picture of my home, yes it is purple. Oh, and that bright yellow, cute car out in front - my car. It's a Smart Car, great gas mileage and it's fun!


These other shots are from the area around where I live, mostly showing some of the fall colors. Thank you Dad for sending me the pictures.