A letter from a waiting student in Taiwan

Dear AYUSA San Francisco Office and teachers：
Time passed fast. There is about two weeks after Jun. 28th the day I should leave. I know you the teachers are also very busy and hard working on the program. Thank you.
I still remember that my family from the oldest grandmother to the youngest baby was very expectant for my program three weeks ago. They also prepared many things for me warmly. My father brought me to the suit shop for making the formal suit. We tried many suiting materials and my father insisted to buy the good one, so he paid about 250 U.S.D for the suit. It is very expensive to me. I don’t know the suit can cost that much money. For my present to the host family and classmates in the states, my mother, even grandmother and I make 150 decorations hardly in a week. From string beads, waving and design the card and good words on it, we spent many time and paid efforts. In my luggage, you can find tea, moon cake, teapot, Chinese fan, Chinese writing brush and many kinds of Chinese gift. Mom also helped me to take some informational sheets about Taiwanese culture from Taiwan Tourism Bureau. I also take some introduction about my junior high school from my teacher. They are happy to provide it. I have two luggages. Totally, present occupies two third in one of my luggage.
Nowadays, when I am going to sleep, I hope that I can find I am in the plane to the states when I wake up. Nora the Taipei AYUSA teacher promised me that I can go there before Aug 31st. Every official letter from agency also showed that the program will never be canceled. I had missed the Pre-AYUSA. Don’t let me disappoint again.
I prayer our Bodhisattva that will help every thing goes well. As a little student, don’t have enough power and authority to do something, but I hope you can realize my feelings.
For you, two weeks is only enough for solving some cases. For me, two weeks is as long as two years.
After all, I am very appreciated you and your efforts anyway. Prayer

Sincere Yours

Yen Hwa
The07-08AYUSA exchange student(Taiwan)






敬愛的AYUSA舊金山總部的老師們：
時間過得很快，轉眼間離原本應出發的7月28日已經過了兩個多禮拜。我知道老師們也為學生們的交換機會努力奮鬥了很久，真是辛苦了。
還記得三個禮拜前，為了我的交換學生計畫，一家人老老小小都非常的期待，也熱心的為我準備東、準備西。父親為著我的正式西裝，帶著我跑了好幾趟台北市的西服店，先是套量，然後選料子，父親堅持要買比較好的毛料，付了天價般的8000元，我從來都不曉得做一套西裝要這麼多錢。又因為我的手長，前前後後又修改了好幾次。為了準備我的禮品，我、媽媽還有我的阿嬤努力了一個禮拜做了150個小吊飾，從串珠、編結，到後來設計吊飾上的卡片、要放的好話，都花費了我們許多心思。打開我的行李箱，裡面還準備了茶葉、月餅禮盒、茶壺、中國扇子、文房四寶、許多中式風格的小飾品、小卡片。媽媽還幫我從觀光局所取了許多介紹台灣文化的文宣品，還為我從靜思精舍要了許多介紹慈濟的光碟、手冊，我還跟我的國中拿了學校的簡介光碟。老師們都很熱心提供。總共我帶了一個大、一個中的行李箱，光是禮物和文宣品就佔了中行李箱的三分之二。
兩個禮拜後的現在，每天晚上睡覺前，我都會許願，希望明天我就可以在開往美國的飛機上醒來，哪該有多好。AYUSA台北辦事處的Nora老師承諾我8月31日前一定會成行，AYUSA發給我的所有信件裡也都強調交換學生的計畫不會有任何變數。我已經錯過了文化營，我不想再失望一次。
願菩薩保佑你們萬事順利。身為一個學生的我，實在沒有甚麼多少的力量或分量去處理這種事情，但我希望老師們能重視我們的感受。畢竟，兩個禮拜對你們而言或許只能處理一些個案，但是對我們而言卻度日如年。最後，不管結果如何，謝謝你們為我們學生所做得一切。願菩薩保佑你們。

07-08AYUSA交換學生
閻華 敬上