Standing at the intersection, I was both confused and thrilled. Am I really in Philadelphia now? Which way leads to the place where I will spend the next 7 weeks? It felt like I was daydreaming. Not until I entered Fisher Bennett Hall was I finally settled and found a peace of mind.
"This experience had such a far-reaching influence on me that I will never be able to forget it!"
The Student Center in the ELP never got boring, just like the city of Philadelphia itself! It was my first time I felt the charm of being addicted to chatting with friends from around the world. In the Student Center, students flowed in and out all the time. Meeting people with diverse cultural backgrounds taught me one thing: think outside the box and embrace whatever surprises you with a big smile!
In class, I do not usually take the initiative to bluntly answer questions but a lot of my classmates spoke their opinions without hesitation. From those straightforward friends, I learnt how enjoyable it is to speak out freely, and gradually my spoken English improved greatly.
There are free session trips for ELP students and almost every student joins the festivities! I will never forget the amazing beach trip to Atlantic City! Staring into the vast ocean and feeling the winding coastline stretching beyond my view under my feet, I could imagine myself flying like a seagull through the blue. And I could sense the wildness the American ocean represents.
Philadelphia is a city that pulses through your veins. Being a resident of International House of Philly, I went to a free concert with a lot of other friends. That night was filled with powerful stillness. Outwardly, we all kept whispering in order not to disturb others; inwardly, we were all screaming for the brilliant performance. Oh, life is really too beautiful here to feel sorry for any mishap. I got accustomed to living in this historic city that I constantly forgot about being a college student in China. This experience had such a far-reaching influence on me that I will never be able to forget it!
