【推荐1】Two years ago, from February 2016 to January 2017, I went on a student exchange program to Auckland in New Zealand. I chose to go to New Zealand because firstly, it is a safe country and secondly, I wanted to go to a country that is culturally different from my own.

I started considering going on a student exchange program after making a backpack trip around the world when I was a freshman (大一新生) at Waseda University. I met so many people of different backgrounds during my trip. When I was travelling, I realized the importance of speaking English. I felt that if I knew English, I could communicate and make friends with a lot of people around the world. Then, I made up my mind to work hard after coming back from the trip.

When I was at Auckland University of Technology, I mainly took classes related to language pedagogy (教学法). Unlike at Waseda University, many of the classes at Auckland University of Technology were held in small class size, usually a class size of 15 students to a teacher. In addition, rather than one-way passive learning, students were required to actively raise their opinions and take part in group discussions in class. The classes were also practical in nature and required a lot of preparation.

Spending a year studying abroad has made me feel more confident in communicating in English. I was also able to meet people of different backgrounds thanks to the exchange program. Comparing to the past, I am now a better listener and also better at voicing my opinions. Studying abroad does not only improve my language skills, but also makes me grow as a person.

【推荐2】Life is like a roller coaster; every point has ups and downs. However, enthusiastic individuals are not scared of such uncertainties. One example of such people comes from a woman named Nicole.

Nicole went to Wor Wic Community College to study Criminal Justice. Although she became a mother during her studies and her responsibilities were increased due to children, she didn’t give up on her enthusiasm. She took a break from her studies when her kids needed more attention but later returned and completed her degree. Nicole finally became a police officer and all her enthusiasm and motivation (动力) to serve society and help people in need made her respect life and freedom and treat everyone with dignity and sympathy.

Everything went according to her plans, but uncertainty put her in a challenging situation. Nicole suffered from an injury that ended her career in the police force, but her dreams did not stop. So, she became a death doula (临终关怀者). Being a death doula, she is now providing comfort to the dying and their families during difficult times. She chose this field after her grandfather’s death. She couldn’t bear the pain of losing him; therefore, she decided to become a death doula and contribute her services to help those who suffer from the pain of losing their loved ones. Nicole Thornes has written her book, Daddy’s Home, inspiring readers to deal with the feelings of emptiness and recover from mental illness after losing someone close. Daddy’s Home is a fiction, but it covers true aspects and events of losing someone. It inspires readers and tells them the importance of a new beginning. Nicole has creatively written a heart-breaking story that allows people to lighten the burden from their chests after the sorrow of losing someone.

Born on January 9th, 1980, Nicole Thornes is a mother, a former police officer, and a death doula enthusiastic about serving people in need. Nicole’s journey from a police officer to a death doula has always been devoted to the happiness of others.

【推荐3】Modern medicine and the latest technology can save many lives. If you live in a country where healthcare is readily available and accessible, then your chances of recovering from illnesses or accidents are very good. But for many people in the US who are uninsured (无保险的), they can't afford these new medical treatments. That's why Doctor Demetrio Aguila in Norfolk lets poor patients pay for surgery (外科手术) through volunteer work.

“For years I had been doing surgery for patients and taking care of their health problems. Then I would find out months later, sometimes years later, that I had caused their financial ruin，” Aguila said. Serious illnesses can completely deplete a family's savings, leaving them no choice but to go bankrupt (破产).

Then he formed Healing Hands M25 as a way to give poor patients the medical fees they need by donating their time to community service. The process is pretty simple. They practice partners with local charitable organizations. The patient picks the charity and donates his time and sweat; Aguila determines the amount of volunteer hours the patient has to complete. “We've lowered the cost of healthcare. We've made it fair for everybody involved，” Aguila said.

The first patient to participate in the program was Jeffrey Jenson who worked for 560 hours to pay for surgery on his leg. Jenson asked his friends and family to help him complete the hours. Jenson said that his volunteer work greatly affected his life as much as the surgery. “The M25 program is not about money — it's about if people come together to help other people, then the community becomes better，” said Jenson.

This program is a big win for the patients, the local community, and Dr Aguila who knows he has done everything he could to help his patients.

【推荐1】I have always had pets. My first animal friends were guinea pigs. And then I tried my best to persuade my parents to get a dog. For some reason they did not seem to believe I would walk the dog three times a day, no matter how hard I tried.

Then my mother said a friend’s cat had had kittens and we could go and get one. At first I was disappointed, but with time I learned to love our cat so much I have had cats ever since.

I just have to remember to bolt everything into place. If I don’t, things fly (they seem to get airborne when cats are around —the more expensive an object is, the more it seems to enjoy flying).

Also, watering plants is no problem. During the years all the plants have disappeared except the cactuses (仙人掌). They don’t seem to interest cats much. Nor do they need much water. It would be nice to get flowers, but I do advise against anyone bringing them to me. No matter what flower — it is considered a kitty snack.

Changing furniture is nice too. Cats help in letting us know when it is time to change the sofa. Either when the fabric starts to look like Einstein’s hair that has been combed with cats’ paws (爪子), or when no amount of vacuuming (用吸尘器打扫) helps in revealing the original color of the couch, thanks to the generous donation of cat hair. A soft sofa is nice, sure, but it sort of gets a bit embarrassing when, all our guests leave the house with fur-trousers.

I could go on and on to tell you more interesting stories between us next time!

【推荐2】On July 29, 10-year-old Mayah Zamora went home after being hospitalized for 66 days. Mayah was a survivor of the May 24 shooting rampage at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.

The little girl had more than 20 surgeries and underwent weeks of physical therapy after being shot in her hands, chest and back during the school shooting. Mayah’s doctors have called her survival miraculous.

On August 24, she was honored as the Hero of the Month for August by MLB’s Houston Astros at a game against the Minnesota Twins, where she threw out the first pitch. While there, Mayah also met former Astros shortstop (游击手) Carlos Correa, who shared some incredible news with her family.

The Zamoras learned during the game that the Correa family Foundation and other donors are funding the construction of a new home for the family in a location they chose. The trauma (创伤) of living just blocks from the gunman’s house had been taking a toll on (给……造成重大损伤) the young survivor.

“I could never begin to imagine everything she has gone through, and we feel that this is one thing we could do to try to alleviate some of her pain,” Correa said. “I’m thankful to both teams for being a part of this effort.”

His foundation shared a statement and some great photos of Mayah’s special night at the ballpark on its Facebook page.

“We are so proud of you. Mayah, and we are honored to recognize you as our Hero of the Month,” wrote the Correa Family Foundation. “We hope this will be an opportunity for Mayah and her family to rebuild their lives, make new memories, and look towards a bright future.”