My Response to Six

你好，子渊！

我在网上检索《三体》，看起来很有意思！ 我也很喜欢科幻小说！ 我会去我的学校的图书馆，从图书馆借书。寒假的时候我想读两本书，叫The Fake Prince和Foundation. 我的朋友说这本书都很有意思！在学校我很喜欢上中文课和物理课。 现在我觉得大学毕业以后，我想当一个天体物理学家因为我对天文学感兴趣。除了中文和物理以外，今年我也很喜欢历史课。 这个学期我有一个新的美国历史老师。 我想我的以前的老师可是我的新的老师好像好玩儿。

But I’m really excited for the winter break! My family and I were debating whether or not to go to the Caribbean during the break, since part of my family lives there and since it’s WAY warmer there than here, but we decided to stay at home. I actually wanted to stay at home, since I’ve always celebrated Christmas at home and so I’m so used to it. What’s your favorite holiday? Mine would have to be either Christmas or American Thanksgiving, since there’s tons of awesome food and your surrounded by all of your friends and family. 

Hope to here back from you soon！ 祝：天天开心！！！

Tori （文凯）:-) 

Received Another Email!

Hi Tori!

Sorry for the delay, I have being busy with our mid term examination, which is pretty crucial in our high school life. I don't know if I an supposed to write both in Chinese and in English, my teacher who is charge of this project didn't mention much about how I should communicate. So, I guess I will also send both Chinese and English mail. I feel happy for your mother to have such a pen pal, it’s just so hard to find a friend like that, let alone pen pal. Thanks about asking how was I doing, I am doing ok with my study. The weather is as the same here in Beijing, today is the first snow day in 2016! And we went to a traditional Chinese clinic called 弘医堂, we learned a lot about herbal medicines, today’s social activity (as it is called by our teacher) is so much better than just sitting in our classroom learning stuffs. I love Agatha Christie “Tommy & Tuppence” series and a Chinese Science fiction called “Three Body”(《三体》), have you ever heard of that? Science fiction is always my favorite! 

其实，不瞒你说，我们这边的理科也是越来越难，（说起来和废话一样...不过我特别喜欢聊天）我们这边高二的时候分科了，分为文科和理科，文科从高二开始副科主修历史、政治和地理，理科从高二开始副科主修物理、化学和生物。选择学哪一个由我们自己来决定，我学理科。我们数学考试永远都是会死人的，我们从来不敢说自己准备好了，因为是事实准备了也没用，总会几家欢喜几家愁，但是说实话我很喜欢研究理科的问题。我也很喜欢你的名字的来历～你在学校最喜欢学哪几个科目啊？

Looking forward to your reply!

Six Z

祝：无忧无虑，天天开心～～

发自我的 iPhone

Fall Term Pen Pal Reflections

1) How much time have you spent on writing correspondences with your Chinese partners?

I have spent a good and considerable amount time writing correspondences with my pen pal (around thirty minutes for each email), since I try hard to have proper grammar and look over each email multiple times before sending it. 

2) Have you responded right away? Have they?

My first pen pal responded right away, while my second pen pal did not. In her email, my second pen pal explained that studying was taking up a considerable amount of her time, most likely do to upcoming midterms. While I responded quickly to my first pen pal, I did not respond as fast to my second pen pal, since I did not want her to feel stressed and obligated to write back to me immediately. 

3) What are some of the things that you learned about your partner? 

For my first partner, I learned that his name is 刘宝祥, however his English name is Bolt. He is currently eleven years old and in seventh grade. He loves sports, including soccer, basketball, badminton, table tennis, and cross country. He also enjoys playing instruments, such as the piano and the Erhu, and listening to pop music. 

For my second partner, I learned that her Chinese name is 曾子渊 and that her English name is Six. She is currently sixteen and in eleventh grade. Her hobbies include golfing, fencing, reading, and (like me) knitting/crocheting. 

4) Have you learned any new words? List them here.

New words I learned included 咱们 and 交流. 

Final Message to Pen Pal for this Term....

你好， 子渊！

其实，我最近发现我的妈妈也有一个笔友了！ 她的笔友住在澳大利亚。 她们好想互通写信了差不多四十年了！

你怎么样？这个星期这儿的天气越来越冷, 天气预报说后天要下雨了。 我刚才考完一个数学考试。 我和我的同学以为了我们准备好了， 可是考试太难了！😭下课以后，有的同学看上去死了！ 

我的爸爸爱打高尔夫球。 我也很喜欢打高尔夫球，可是更喜欢练习瑜伽。你写了你喜欢读书。 你喜欢什么书？ 

(Apparently I’m supposed to write to you both in Chinese and English, so I’ll write in English now!) 

You also asked in your last email how I got my Chinese name. It was randomly picked! My Chinese teacher just randomly gave me my name. The interesting thing, though, is that my Chinese name and my English name, which is really Victoria (my nickname is Tori), both have the same meaning of Victory. 

Also, my teacher told me to upload a picture of myself! 

这是我： 

(Photo for some reason not uploading on Blogger!) 

你可以把你的照片发给我吗？ 

Hope all is well！祝：天天开心！ 

Tori (文凯）😄

She Responded!

Hi Tori!

This is Six from China, an eleventh grader in RDFZ(this is the official name of our school, however it does have an international name: The High School Affiliated to Remin University of China, it’s a day school). I’m 16 years old, and yes, I name myself Six, (my dad picked it) so does my international friends. My Chinese name goes as 曾子渊. I have no siblings, just my parents and me- three members in my family. Well, during my weekends the sad thing is that I don't actually have much spare time to do what I like after entering senior 2. However before this semester it is reading, fencing and golfing which I would prefer to fulfill my life. You speak very good Chinese, to be honest I haven't seen a single person who is so interested in Chinese and can get such great progress in two years! What a smart girl you are! Hey, I also love crocheting❤️ it was one of my favorite activities when feeling bored. Did you pick up your Chinese name by yourself? If so, how did you do you that? What's your favorite subject in school? Do you have any siblings? 

It is so nice to hear from you, I had been longing for a pen pal for almost 8 years since I last wrote to a stranger and I haven't heard of my mails until today...

I am sorry that I always make mistakes on Grammar in English😣 Now I really must switch my mode to study because my assignments. 

I am looking forward to your reply!

Love

Six（子渊）

祝：天天开心💓

A New Pen Pal, A New Start!

I wanted my new pen pal to know the same general info that I gave Bolt, so I resent my first email titled 你好! 

你好，我听说你是我的笔友了！ 

我的英文名字是Tori, 可是我的中文名字是陆文凯。 我现在上安多弗高中， 上十一年级，今年十七岁。 因为我是寄宿生, 所以我现在住在我的学校， 可是我的家人住在康涅狄格州。我的学校离我的家差不多两个小时。这个学期我在上五门课：数学课，英语课，中文课，历史课和物理课。 在学校，我很喜欢学中文，已经学了两年中文。 周末我喜欢跟朋友玩儿，玩儿电子游戏，织衣服， 看书， 什么的。

你家有几口人？ 周末你喜欢做什么？你喜欢怎么样的音乐？

文凯（Tori）

(Sent October 15, 2016) 

Sad News...

Unfortunately, I had to let Bolt know I now have a new pen pal. Another student and I shared him as a pen pal, and so I was eventually assigned my own pen pal. I wrote the following: 

你好，刘宝祥，

其实，这是我的最后的发给你的电子邮件。刚才我的老师告诉我他换我的笔友了。 我很高兴认识你！ 

陆文凯

Hi Bolt! 

I hope this email finds you well. Unfortunately, this will be my last email to you. My teacher actually just told me that I now have a new penal. I loved briefly getting to know you! 

  

Best, 

Tori 

P.S. I haven’t read Spirit Animals before, but I’ll be sure to take a look at it! :)

(Sent October 15, 2016) 

I Got a Response!

你好，陆文凯，我是刘宝祥，很高兴收到你的来信。

我今年12岁，英文名字叫Bolt。我出生在北京，住在北京，北京是我的家。 我去过Conneticut，在纽约旁边， 我认为那是个很美丽的地方。我现在上7年级，刚刚开始我的中学生活。我们这儿小学要上六年。我喜欢我的学校，我参加过很多活动，去过美国几次。你来过中国吗？我的英语还可以，咱们也可以用英语交流。

I was born and grew up in Beijing. Right now I'm in seventh grade. I love my school, the Middle School Affiliated to Renmin University of China. It's one of the best schools in China. I'm proud that I can study in this school.

I love travelling. I've been to New York, Tennessee, Washington D.C. and other places of America.

I have many hobbies. I play soccer, basket ball, badminton and table tennis.Right now I'm learning Chinese martial arts. Just beginning.  We just had a sports meeting this Monday. I run 1000 meters. There were 40 runners for this race and I finished at 15. Not too bad. I love music too. I play the piano and I play Erhu( a traditional Chinese music instrument). I love pop songs. Maybe you can recommend some English music to me.

 Can you tell me more about your school and your city?  What kind of books are reading? I love reading Spirit Animals.

Looking forward to your reply.

Best,
Baoxiang Liu  刘宝祥

(Received 13, 2016) 

First Letter to Pen Pal: 你好！

The first letter I sent to my pen pal in Beijing! 

你好！ 我听说你是我的笔友了！ 

我的英文名字叫Tori, 可是我的中文名字是陆文凯。 我现在上安多弗高中， 上十一年级，十七岁了。 因为我是寄宿生, 所以我现在住在我的学校， 可是我的家人住在康涅狄格州。我的学校离我的家差不多两个小时。这个学期我在上五门课：数学课，英语课，中文课，历史课和物理课。 在学校，我很喜欢学中文，已经学了两年中文。 周末我喜欢跟朋友玩儿，玩儿电子游戏，织衣服， 看书， 什么的。

你家有几口人？今年你上什么课？ 周末你喜欢做什么？

再见！

文凯（Tori）

(Sent on October 13, 2016)