To President
NJ,Oct,2001

Dear president Bush,

Hello, my name is Nancy Chen from Woodrow Wilson Middle School. I am 12 years old, turning 13 on this year’s Halloween. Here are some questions I wanted to ask you about.

First of all, what does it feels like to be a president? Sometimes I wish I’m a president when I grow up, and rule the whole country by myself. I even had several dreams about being a president when I was little, but I just don’t know how it really feels like. Is it hard?

Another question I’m wondering is that are you going to rebuild the Twin Tower? There are many rumors around about the Twin Tower, and I don’t know if they are true.

Anyway, I wish you have enjoyed my letter, and maybe even write back to me if you have spare time.

Thank you.
Sincerely,
Nancy Chen

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Mexico
NJ,Oct,2001

The Spanish speaking country I have chosen is Mexico. It came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. Mexico is bordered by the United States to the north, Belize and Guatemala to the southeast; Mexico is about one-fifth the size of the United States. Baja California in the west is an 800-mile peninsula and forms the Gulf of California. In the east are the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Campeche, which is formed by Mexico's other peninsula, the Yucatán. The center of Mexico is a great, high plateau, open to the north, with mountain chains on the east and west and with ocean-front lowlands lying outside of them.

Mexico has many major cities, including Acapulco, Cancun, Cozumel, Los Cabos, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.

The official name of Mexico is Estados Unidos Mexicanos. Vicente Fox Quesada was the president in the year 2000. The capital of Mexico is the Mexico City, which is also the largest city in the country. The languages spoken in Mexico is mainly Spanish, though some other people there speaks Indian languages.

After dark, each night of the "Posada," a procession begins led by two children. The children carry a small pine-decorated platform bearing replicas of Joseph and Mary riding a burro. Other members of the company, all with lighted long slender candles, sing the "Litany of the Virgin" as they approach the door of the house assigned to the first "Posada." Together they chant an old traditional song and awaken the mast of the house to ask lodging for Mary. Those within the house threaten the company with beatings unless they move on. Again, the company pleads for admittance. When the owner of the house finally learns who his guests are, he jubilantly throws open the doors and bids them welcome. All kneel around the manger scene or "Nacimiento" and offer songs of welcome, Ave Marias and a prayer.

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Golden Age of Islam Essay
NJ,Oct,2001

Do you know where the word "algebra" comes from? It was from a person called al Khwarizmi from the Golden Age of Islam. A Golden Age is the time of good achievements and prosperity. Some achievements the Muslims made include mathematics, science, medicine, art, and many, many more.

One of the most important achievements of Islam was medicine. The Muslims were one of the first people who know about herbal medicine. They are also the first ones who found out the diagnosis and treatment for measles and smallpox, and it's very important because now since people knows the treatments, scientists could try and figure out some cures for the diseases. Another reason for medicine's importance was that the Muslims have clean, public hospitals for surgery. The cleanness of them prevent diseases from spreading to other patients, and the public hospitals heal the poor people who can't afford it.

Another important achievement would be the bookmaking and literature of Islam. The Muslims didn't invent papermaking, instead they captured some Chinese papermakers as prisoners, and the Chinese got their freedom by telling them the secret of papermaking. Then the Muslims wrote many sensitive poems and translated books from Greece and Rome so we still have them today.

I think that we have Golden Age today because for the reason that everything's pretty peaceful. There is plenty of food for everyone, and the scientists are inventing useful items. I think that all those reasons form the Golden Age.

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Poems
NJ,Nov,2001
(will publish soon)

Oh, the wonderful poems,
Can melt people's heart.
It can tell us to rise,
And never fall from the start.

Poems could be for nature,
Like the glittering streams flowing,
Or the fluffy clouds overhead,
And the mild wind blowing.

They could be about strong dogs,
They could be about cute cats.
They could be about blue skies,
Or even baseball bats!

Spiders making webs,
Birds of the skies.
All those are captured,
In a poetry writer's eyes.

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I can Fly
NJ,Nov,2001

Imagine if everyone can fly without having to use anything! Don't be jealous of me, but I flew like that before.

It was a quiet and calm night, I was on the roof of the White House in Washington D. C. for the fifth time in my life. I closed my eyes, let the tranquil breeze touches my cheek lightly, and said, “Abracadabra, give me the right, to fly in the sky, of the peaceful night.” Then, right after the words came out of my mouth, I felt the roof of the White House drop slowly, but I stayed in the air.

I opened my eyes slowly, and observed the environment around me: I had rose to about 3 feet above the White House, the whole city block spread under me like a gigantic map. I tilted my head to the left and stretched it forward to speed toward my left side. Trees passed me like lightnings, bats stared at me with open mouthes.

I loved the feelings of flying, though it was a bit scary. At this point you might ask, “How did you learn to fly like that?” Well, I can explain that clearly.

It all begun when I met my tooth fairy. The tooth under my pillow was the last one of my baby tooth. That night I had woke up at exactly 12 o' clock midnight to go to the bathroom, and I heard a tiny fluttering noise. I was so curious that I decided to go check on the fluttering noise instead. When I flipped up my pillow, where I thought the sound was from, I saw a little fairy trembling next to my tooth, and I started my most extraordinary conversation in my life.

“Hello, you must be the tooth fairy!” I whispered.

“Why, y...yes I am, miss.” She had a sweet and tinkling voice.

“Am I the only person alive who had see a tooth fairy?” Curiousity had made me ask that question.

“Yep!” She was now less nervous, “And please don't tell anyone about this!”

I was pretty much amused,”I don't know... I'll try, but I have a big mouth, ya see.”

The tiny fairy thought about that for a moment, and she replied, “I'll give you a wish, and you promise NEVER to tell anybody.” I agreed.

So next time you woke up at night and saw a flying object that looks like a person, do not scream. Just remember that it's only a girl who got a wish, and had wished to be able to fly without using anything. That girl would be me.

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