冬天，第二学期开始了，要说最令我期待的就是解剖课。听起来就很刺激，对不对？我也是听别人说这算是比较难的生物课程中的一种，要学很多人体器官和运作关系。刚好我在国内生物课上这方面学得好，而且也很喜欢。前两节课都比较正常，胖胖的生物老师就讲了一些基本的人体系统和系统包含的器官等。第三节课就动真格的了！一进教室我就看到旁边的水池里放了一只不知道是什么东西的生物。外表光滑，深粉色的皮，整个一坨蜷缩起来。我听到有人议论说是一只小鹿。老师进来以后说我们牧场今天有一只小牛死于难产，已经做了去毛处理，现在我们先打开它的身体看看都有什么。原来是牛，旁边一个棕发女生说什么也不要和我们一起把小牛开膛破肚。我们一圈人围着小牛带好手套，老师安慰好那位棕发女生，让她坐在旁边观摩。他先把小牛肚子上的皮揪起来，让一个金发女孩拿剪刀顺着小牛肚子中间一直剪上去。听到轻轻地像是什么东西撕裂的声音，粉色的皮肤被剪开，露出了里面的猩红色。我凑近了点仔细一看，第一个露出来的是一圈一圈绕在一起的小肠，泡在深红色的血水里，顿时胃里就有种不适的感觉。慢慢剪开的越来越大，露出了越来越多的器官，胃、肝……眼睛和神经慢慢地适应了这样的画面，恶心的感觉也慢慢地褪去，开始专心研究器官来。当我们观察完腹部以后，要向胸腔继续剪，但是这里有骨头包着会比腹部难剪开得多。老师拿着剪刀晃了一圈，问我愿不愿意试试。我当然愿意啦，解剖课当然是要动手解剖的啦。我拿着剪刀顺着刚才的切口向上，明显碰到了硬硬的东西。手上不由地暗暗用力，拿着小剪刀用力往上剪过去，然后就听到了铁器摩擦骨头的声音，只听到旁边一个女生一阵干呕就跑出了教室。我倒没觉得这声音太难受，虽然周围的人都下意识地往后退了退，我再一用力，一口气使劲剪到底，然后用力把胸腔掰开，露出里面的心脏和肺。我看到了老师赞许的眼神（估计是他没见过这么彪悍的亚洲妹子）。这节课不仅让我学了好多好玩的东西，也激发了我好多潜能。在国内，生物课从来都没机会真正解剖，就算偶尔可以，也不能解剖这种大型哺乳类动物的尸体。这课真的是越上越喜欢，有时候心里都会突然蹦出来去当外科医生的想法！
我觉得就是这个学校，或者说出国留学给我带来的最大的收获就是敢于尝试一切新鲜的事物，并且我开始对生活抱有一种极大的热情。以前在国内，虽然我成绩也不错，但是不得不承认学习对我来说是一种敷衍或者是任务，每天都抱着极不情愿的态度去面对，并且大家都一样，千篇一律的复制人、复制思想。每天不是解题，就是背课文。我想很多我们在国内学的东西也是很奇妙的，但是那种教育方式消磨了人的耐心和热情，只剩下无休止的厌倦和敷衍。也许，很多人会觉得奇怪，我现在一没事就喜欢拿本古文诗词的书看看。在国内，大家都很讨厌这种无休止的背诵和默写，还有思想分析，但是当我再也不用去背诵的时候，我才突然发现这些字句中都蕴含了我以前不曾注意到的无限美感。如果我现在还在国内读高中，会不会还是恨它们恨到死啊……
话说回来，新鲜事物可不止是课程，“学霸”不是我的风格。还有服装设计、珠宝设计。所以晚上活动我毅然决然选了这个。一开始要从基础学习，简单来说就是拿一根银丝掰弯做圆，然后放一小片金属在接口处，用火把小金属片烤融化把接口封住，然后打磨打磨，一个最简单的戒指环就做好了。听起来简单，其实过程很繁琐，还要量自己手指的指圈长度，要把接口处磨平，还要把戒指敲成一个完美的圆。每一步都需要耐心和精细度。慢慢到后面就开始增加自己的设计了，由于材料限制，也做不出太有挑战性的东西，但是大家都很热衷于发挥想象，物尽其用，设计各种项链、手链、戒指和耳环。另一个挑战是我爸妈还有Tiffany他们都没想到的，跟我一起在这个学校里的中国人也鲜有尝试的——芭蕾舞！这在中国实在不是一个很热门的选择，因为相比民族舞和爵士都更难一些，而国内很多人学芭蕾舞要么从小被爸妈逼着学，要么是为了中考、高考加分而学的所谓“特长”。这可能就是为什么没有中国女孩愿意学这个的原因吧，好不容易脱离了“魔爪”，说不定还有心里阴影呢。但是对我来说，小时候没学这些反倒使我对舞蹈抱有一种向往和憧憬，总觉得跳芭蕾的女孩很优雅，很有气质。总之就是试试呗，要换作以前可能怕跳不好，很丢人，但是现在根本就觉得这都不值一提，自己跳得开心就好了。这是一个长期的功夫，但是我明显感觉到自己慢慢对芭蕾越来越有热情。每次活动，自己的肌肉都是很放松，而每次旋转跳跃，都是对内心情感的一种释放，就像有一只平时被束缚在体内的野兽突然冲出来，带着你昂头挺胸，迈开腿、张开胳膊，全身都变得柔软而有力度，忘情地跟着音乐释放一样。芭蕾本身就是舞蹈里很难的一种，再加上我根本没有任何经验，短短一个学期并没有让我迅速成为“舞蹈家”，但是妈妈说我后来回去的时候明显觉得我走路的姿态不同了，比以前更舒展，也更昂头挺胸，看起来更自信了。我觉得这种从内而外不自觉的气质改变比芭蕾跳得好与不好更重要。
冬天是申请季，新的学生开始申请学校了。我之前参观学校的时候就很想当tour guide。tour guide就是我当时访问学校的时候那些带着我参观学校的学生向导。我很喜欢这个学校，所以也乐于向别人介绍我们学校，而我觉得更好玩的就是观察别人，观察那些要申请我们学校的学生都是怎样的人。经过简单的练习，我就可以带着那些学生和学生家长参观学校了。当然了，有很多美国学生都可以做这个，之所以学校让我来做很大一部分原因是希望我能给国际生尤其是中国学生用中文讲，更便于他们理解，也更便于表达我作为一个国际生的立场和感受。总之，大部分的中国学生比较腼腆，我就担当起负责问问题、挑起话题的重任。一般来说，学生家长们倒是有很多问题，主要是问这边交通是否便利，安全能否保证，宿舍怎么样，能不能自己做饭之类的问题。要离开父母了，家长第一关心的其实还是生活。有时候路上遇到教导主任或者校长聊聊天什么的，听他们说英文磕磕巴巴的，我都替他们捏一把汗。但是想到自己一年前也是这样的状况，又觉得自己不知不觉中的改变和进步真是大啊。果然学语言还是要有环境的！当然了，我觉得做tour guide有时候也是需要有一定心理承受能力的，比如说偶尔会遇到比较奇葩的学生家长。记得有一次有个学生和他父母还有他们的一个外国朋友一起来，那个学生本身英文水平很一般，但是他父母一心想把他送进和中国学校一样紧张的美国高中。所以在他们参观我们学校的全程中，无论是艺术厅还是牧场，他们甚至连假装一下感兴趣都没有。中间见了校长之后，那个外国人直接问校长我们学校有没有AP课程。我当时就震惊了！美国人一般不是都崇尚让孩子学得开心自由的么，我还是第一次见这么关心课程的人！校长耐心地给他们解释我们为什么不想设立AP课程。孩子他爸直接来了句：“我觉得这不是我们想要找的学校，就这样吧。”然后就说不要继续参观了，让我直接带他们回停车场！回去的路上，他们还跟我讲他们急着去下一个学校参观……去了学术性更强的学校又能怎样？
13.Be brave to try new things
The second trimester started in the winter.I looked forward to Anatomy class the most.I heard Anatomy was one of the most difficult in the Biology credit courses.We would learn about organs and systems in the human body.I learned this in middle school and I liked it very much.The first two classes were normally talked about general organs of human body.Then,something interesting came in the third class.When I went in to the classroom,I saw a creature in the washing pool.Yes I could just call it creature because I could not tell what it was.It had smooth and pink skin.Students said it might be a deer.The biology teacher said a calf died that morning and we were going to open it to see what was inside.A girl with brown hair refused to do this.The rest of us put on gloves and started!The teacher held the skin of the belly of the calf and asked a blond girl to cut that part with scissors.There was a tearing sound and bloody organs appeared.I went closer and examined the intestine and the liver.I felt slightly uncomfortable at first.But after I got used to this picture,I could focus on the interesting structures.After the belly,we were going to cut the chest and it would be much harder than the belly.The teacher asked me if I wanted to do that.Of course,why not?I held the scissors and cut upward.I could feel the hard bones and applied more strength.Then I heard the sounds of the crack of bones.A girl next to me ran to the bathroom and threw up.I did not feel uncomfortable even though I saw people around me stepping back a little bit.I open the chest and saw the lungs and heart.How beautiful and amazing those were!That was the beginning of a new experience,since I had never had a chance dissect animals by myself in China.After I took this class,I wanted to be a
surgical doctor at times.(www.xing528.com)
That was the best gain for me in the Putney School or the entire experience of studying in America.I was encouraged to try many new things and had enthusiasm for life.Before,although I had good grades,study was an arduous task for me.Everyone was tired of memorizing things.In fact,the things we learn in China were also interesting but the ways we learned them made people hate them.Maybe some people could not understand that I liked to read ancient Chinese poems when I did not have to memorize them.At this moment,I could really discover the beauty in them.
New things to try were not only found in courses.We also had jewelry-making activities some evenings.That was every girl’s dream,I believed.The frst thing we learned was how to curve a silver stripe into a circle and connect it with a melted metal drop.Then we just needed to polish it to make an easy ring.It sounds easy,but the process was complex.We had to measure the size of our fngers,make the connection spot fat and make the ring a perfect loop.Every step needed patience and caution.Then we could design our jewelry later,like different rings,bracelets,earrings and necklaces.Anotherchallenge was ballet dance!My parents and Tiffany were surprised because I had never learned dancing in China.A lot of kids were forced to take dance class in China,but I refused to take it.
Now I felt that it was time to learn something as a hobby instead of other intentions.I looked forward to being an elegant ballet girl.I wanted to give it a try,anyway.I did not want to consider if I could not do it well.The most important part was that I should get happiness from it.I could feel my enthusiasm for ballet growing.Every movement was not only a practice of muscles,but also a release of emotions.It felt like a monster in my body suddenly erupted but it became so gentle and soft at the same
time.I could hardly call myself a“dancer”after only one trimester,but my mother said she could feel the difference in me.I felt confdence was more important than the dancing skills.
New students started to apply in the winter.I was hoping to be a tour guide when they frst visited American high schools.Tour guides were the people who led me as I visited the school and introduce me to the school programs.I wanted to introduce my lovely school to others.More importantly,I liked to observe others by the process of talking with them.After simple practice,I could start to give tours.Of course,a lot of American students could do that,so my main task was to give tours to international students.I could talk more about personal feelings as an international student.I could also speak Chinese with the Chinese students so that they could understand better.Most students were shy,so I had to start conversations.Parents always had some questions for me,like about transportation problems,and if students could cook by themselves.Parents always worried about their living environment.Sometimes Chinese candidates met the Director of the School or the Dean of Students and I worried about their English communication.But the previous year,I was in the same situation as they were now.Now I had made huge progress.A language environment was so important for a language learner.Sometimes I felt that I need more mental capacity to tolerate some“special”students
and parents.Once,a Chinese boy came with his parents and an American friend.His English skills were not really good,but his parents wanted him to go to a school with a lot of academic tasks and homework similar to Chinese high schools.During the process of visiting Art building or barns,they did not even pretend to be interested.When they met with the Director of the School,the American man asked if we have AP courses.I was shocked!In my mind,Americans would care more if children will be happy here.It was my frst time to meet an American adult who cared so much about courses.The director explained why we did not have AP course.Then,the boy’s father said,“I don’t think this is the school we are looking for,”and he asked me to lead them back to the parking lot!They were so impatient I felt uncomfortable.On the way back,the father kept saying they were short on time and they need to go to next school quickly.I did not like the way they demonstrated they did not like my school.I did not think they needed to show that to the people of my school,because we all love our school!It was only because they could not see the strong points of my school.
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