A Lovely Weekend in My 4th Hometown -- Shirley's 114th Friendly Greeting --Sun, Nov 18,2007

Hi,Dear Friends

How are you? I do hope that you are well and have an easy and relaxed weekend.

After some long time business days, I involved myself into my music, art and language learning world on the weekend. To create my own music, to work on my little web site and to accompany my guests to spend their 3rd weekend in my city.

Sunday afternoon, I went to the 3rd concert, that I have attended since Oct 14, the Shenzhen Concert Hall started to work. The wonderful music by Mozart, Brahms and Johann Strauss by the Shenzhen symphony orchestra brought me a beautiful enjoyment.

Saturday morning, I went to the Shenzhen Sport Center near my home for a running as usual, but I took my camera with me because it was the starting point of the yearly 10 thousands people long-distance running. I was later, after sending my guests somewhere. The athletes had run out of stadium, but there were still many --maybe thousands old people dancing with drum there.

Can you imagine? When I just came here in 1991, the average age of Shenzhen people was 24 years old. Unless having a doctoral degree or a high -class professional technology title, everyone had to pass a professional and a combined examination if he or she wanted to become a Shenzhen resident with a formal ID, and her or his age could not be elder than 40 years old. Every one entered Shenzhen had to have a special passport. During the most important Chinese Holiday's Spring Festival, whole of Shenzhen was just like an empty city for most of people had gone back home to reunite with their family. I had made a joke that, if there were two people in a bus, then, one would be the driver, the other would be me. Even, it was difficult to catch a taxi during the holiday.

Along with the hard work of us and the support by whole of the country, Shenzhen people have created the fastest development speech of China and our combined economic power has jumped on the 4th position in China and Shenzhen became the most modern city within a short 26 years history. Quickly, Shenzhen has become a big city with a 10 million population. Any Chinese people can enter here freely now. People have bachelor degrees have not needed to pass any test before they got their Shenzhen ID. More and more people have picked up their parents here to enjoy their later lives. No matter having a Shenzhen ID or not, all of the elder people over 60, 65, 70 are offered many advantages. They need not be in the line in the public occasions, they are free in the parks, on buses and subway...They have become a very important and to be respected group in the city.

Now when you go to any Shenzhen shopping street in a holiday, you would be surprised when the city has had so many people and what you have to care for is how to catch your accompanier and don't lose your road in the too many people.

Ha, the more I see and think, the more I love the beautiful city as my 4th hometown.

Where are you living now? Do you love your hometown or the place you are living in now?

I am just a learner on that art of painting, music, calligraphy, languages and to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do a little bit things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be An Electronic Bridge Of Culture Exchange, Friendship and Language Learning. To help the others while to improve myself.

I appreciate your understanding, directions and supports. I do hope to get your friendly help...

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn or shirleyz004@yahoo.com. You are welcomed to publish your opinions in the forum.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Written and Edited on Sun, Nov 18, 2007