The exchange year is over but its legacy and influence to my life will be everlasting.

Compared to the first trip to America, this year wasn't a time period when I could always enjoy myself. The ten month journey was a training session that enhanced my personalities.

The flight took off I did not look back. So much of the positive side of America has rooted in my mind; however, that's how the irony breaks out. Before long a small town of Waterford unfolded in front of my craving eyes. Talking to my host family in a manner as polite as possible, I didn't know where I was heading. The concrete structures in the city transformed into the trees that came endless passing the car window. I was not sure if I could handle living in a agricultural town, which means I had to deal with the contrast between a city and a small town.

So the following months were time for me to adjust myself and recalibrate. I encountered great difficulties but I gradually found the joy out of it and recognized how the unique experience valued much in my life.

As I anticipated, the people came to talk to me. They are with open minds so it's been easy for me to make friends. On the very first day of my school, the girl sitting next to me spoke to me first. I guess I looked nervous about the brand new environment and school so she wanted to help me out. This is not likely gonna happen in my home country. That girl impressed me with the hospitable spirit those country people possess. Yet more people appeared in front of me with friendly images. As a result, I quickly blended into the social network with tremendous speed that I could never imagine when I got into a new situation before.

The year coming to the second half, I discovered that hanging out is a popular activity among American kids. From a visitor's point of view, it's totally a waste of time; however, it's their way of spending the day with fun stuff, rather than our playing video games at home! After a couple times hanging out with the kids there, I deeply understood the difference between countryside and urban life. Moreover, the faint competition doesn't exert as intense pressure as it does in countries with huge populations so the lifestyle feels so crude and natural.

Another thing to mention is absolutely their religions. Not long before, when the teaching of God still remained in schools, religion is more important than modern science. Grown in China, I wasn't able to degrade the priority of scientific knowledge but there, a lot people consider science taught at schools an auxiliary option. The more some one learns the truths about and from God, the more complete the person is. So now many Americans are confronted with problems such as why should a person with a master degree but not faith get a decent job but the real believers struggle under poverty line. I can clearly see the transformation of American society and I bet some people are reconsidering this on-going issue.

Frankly I expected the journey to be a trip to wonderland but it came as lessons and experiences. I did not get to go to the spectacles everyday but between every waking up till going to bed in the night, I learned more about aspects of life, which I would certainly treasure for the rest of my years. Life if not only about money and prosperity, but relationships and love as well.

做为一名赴美公立交换生的学习生活结束了，但是这精彩的甚至有些传奇的经历将影响我未来的岁月。

与我第一次短期赴美的经历不同，这一年来我并不只享受快乐。这十个月的学习生活磨练了我的意志。

从飞机落地的一刹那，我没有太多的顾虑，因为先前参加过短期的文化交流，但是随着前行的车辆，我曾经对美国的初始印象开始动摇了。一个叫WATRFOLD的农业小镇铺展在我充满渴望的双眼前。一路的钢筋水泥建筑变成了无穷无尽的碧绿的树木，不断的地拍打着玻璃车窗，一时我都不知道身处何方。我开始怀疑我是否可以适应这农场式的村庄，我的心是否可以游离于这城市与乡村之间。

在接下来的日子里，我努力调整自己。虽然遇到了许多的困难，我渐渐发现这个克服的过程让我体验了什么是快乐，并深切的感到这些独特的经历对于我以后人生的道路有多么珍贵。

那里的人们很友好，他们性格开朗，经常会主动和我交谈，在开始的时间里很大程度上缓解了我对于陌生环境的紧张感，同时也促使我交了更多的朋友。我上第一节课的时候，是一位女生先跟我打招呼，主动帮助我，这种事情在中国是绝对不可能的。这个女孩的身上真正体现了美国人民的善良好客的品质。我身边许许多多的人都这样热情地帮助我，给我留下了深刻的印象，如果没有他们，我真不敢想象我能这么快的适应这个全新的环境。

在项目的后半阶段的时候，我发现出去游逛，玩耍似乎像是美国孩子的一种生活习惯。从一个参观者的角度来看，这简直是浪费时间，然而换一个角度想想，这比我们中国的孩子呆在家中只上网打游戏要强多了！跟伙伴出去几次，才对城市与乡村的生活的区别有了深刻的体会，人口聚集的城市压力大很多，而人口相对稀少的农村，生活方式要简单的多，生活节奏也缓慢的多。

另外给我留下深刻印象的是美国人的宗教信仰。在学校，宗教的学习甚至比科学更重要，这对于我这个在中国长大的学生，是不可思议的，无论如何我也不会把知识的学习放到宗教学习的前面，对于他们科学知识的学习却是选修课程。美国人认为如果一个人从上帝那里学到的东西越多，作为一个人越完整。如今许多美国人对许多发生在身边事情心存疑问，例如为什么有很高的硕士学位没有信仰的人却可以得到一份体面的工作，真正有信仰的人却挣扎在贫穷线以下。我能真切地感到转型期的美国，每个人都在重新审视这些现实生活中出现的问题。

坦白的说，对于这次做交换生，我原本只希望是一次愉快的旅行，而这十个月却教会了我很多，让我经历了很多。虽然从早到晚，我过得波澜不惊，平淡无奇，可是我却收获了很多，这对于我以后的生活来说是弥足珍贵的----生活并不是只有金钱与财富，我们的生活是因为有爱才变得美丽无比。