Trip to Banff

The Saturday before last Saturday, my parents and I made a trip to Banff where is so beautiful. Mentions Banff, everyone says "Oh! That is a beautiful place. You'd better go there and enjoy yourself." We had heard these since we came to Calgary. So, we decided to hire a driver who is also a guide to take us on a tour of Banff.

We started at 8:00 a.m. with some food and drink. I was lying on my mother’s thigh during the way because I am easy to be carsick. It took us one and a half hours. Then I found that the mountains are so high; as a result, they block the sunshine. When I got off the car, it was so chill that I was shivering. To my surprise, there were still few people in the trousers that are shorter than their knees! And the tops of mountains are covered with snows that make them look like ice creams! In addition, the water in the lake is blue-green with the inverted reflection of the white mountains. The scenery is very attractive so we took many pictures. Our first view spot is the Moraine Lake where has appeared in the back of the Canadian twenty-dollar bill. Then we go to Lake Louise that is named for the Princess Louise, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria of England. At that time, the sun has risen, so we felt warmer J. After made photos, we headed for the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. In front of the hotel are some poppies that I had never seen before, because people don’t allow planting poppies in China. And many stores sold interesting things in the hotel, including clothes, ice-wines, jewels, fossil, and so on. We went to another place before we had lunch. It was amazing that two girls sat on the top of a car playing a guitar and singing wonderful songs. Then we went to take the Banff Gondola. We four stayed in the box that was hanging in the air, looking out of the window. There we can see the Bow River and some golf courses. On the top of that mountain is a small stone house. It used to be a spot to observe weather. Then we went to see the Bow Falls and Cascades Ponds. There was a small rainbow over the running water. We also saw the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel from another mountain. And it looked like a beautiful castle shining in the sun.

After that, my one-day trip was finished. I was so happy that I wasn’t carsick when we were back. I think Banff National Park is a wonderful place. I feel like going there again after I earn money because the remembrances there are so cute!

the mid-autumn day

In china, mid-autumn day is a festival that families get together in August 15th on the lunar calendar. But this year, our whole family celebrated the mid-autumn day abroad, in Calgary.
In the past years, our big families often got together and had dinner during festivals for as far as I can remember. There are seventeen people in my family. I have a grandma and a grandpa, four uncles and ants, an elder bother, two younger sisters, and a younger brother.Of course, western will call them my cousins. And I have lived with my parents and my grandparents since I was ten years old. We lived together happily in harmony. But when I was in grade three, my elder brother's family moved to Beijing, and they come back to met everyone only one or two times every year,even less. So sometimes my grandparents went to Beijing when they missed my elder brother. Now he studies in the USA. In addition, the elder one of my younger sister and her family has been in Calgary for five years. So the people who can get together were less and less year by year. Meanwhile there was always someone absent when we have dinner during festivals. That's a pity!
And now, I am one of the people who are absent. In Calgary, few people celebrate the mid-autumn day. And the moon cake is too expensive for us! So we ate sweet dumplings instead. In fact, that's a common day except that my parents went out to watch the full moon.
In China, people always say that the moon in the 16th is rounder than that in the 15th.So I took pictues for the moon the next day.
It was the most boring mid-autunm day I have ever experienced.

Nancy in Calgary

From China to Canada,it is a long distance and it took me long time.When the plane arrived,I only felt terrible,because I was airsick,and it was black in my head.
I found that I left my family and my friends behind and came to a very strange place.Fortunately,my parents came with me.What's more,we live in my aunt's house with my aunt and my cousin,a sister who is younger than me by one year.
At first,I only stayed at home,because I thought that there was nothing to do for me.Besides,my English is  poor,so I was afraid to talk with others in English.Then I have made many Chinese knots during those days.And I watched the TV programmes for kids,but I can hardly understand them.  A few days later, my parents connected the university so that I could have the EAP classes after some exams.
Oh,I'm not free now.I I should go to school from Monday to Thursday.And on Friday,we study online.In fact, that's quite fine.It's much better than the study in my highschool.We must go to school before 7:00 a.m,and we couldn't go home until 9:50 p.m.We have rests every two weeks,but when we were in grand 12,we have only two days off every month.So I feel pleased now.
I like to study here.