Today is my big day!

Today is my big day. It's a day for me to show myself in English after a five-year gap of nonuse English. I'm so proud that this time I've done a good job.

I have been nervous for a whole week as soon as Mr. Zhao told me that I was chosen to make a presentation next time. It has been a long time since I spoke English last time, even for making a presentation in English. I had learned English for more than fifteen years, but hadn't used it since the beginning of my library career. What's a pity! The fact is there are no chance and no need to use it. How can you imagine my dump English go?

Everyone knows that practice makes progress. A language, for non-native speakers, no practice also means forgetting. Each time when I thought of the time it took to learn English, and uncountable mornings early to rise to read aloud, I have a strong willing not to give up the harvest of those hard work in such an easy way as just leaving it alone and forgetting it. I wish I could make good use of my spare time to do more practice in English. I attempted to recite English words. I also had a go at learning NCE-3. But nothing works because of my giving up half way. However, as a technique staff to keep on study language seems like a mission impossible. It's really easier said than done.

Five years went by, what I can do to English is leave it as it is. Recently, a famous teacher was invited to give a course of oral English to the librarians like me. She is a good teacher, and in the first course I even have a desire to speak. But I have no proper words to use. I contributed this to my limited words. After the second course, I changed my idea.

At first, it's a three minutes talk. My colleague, a pretty little girl told us some thing about her hobby with the reasons, then she turn to tell how she learned swimming, and she finally got it over. Juan(friend of mine) made some comments, because she was so moved by the story. So was I. But I was too shy to open my mouth even if I have ideas. I thought it over after that, maybe the reason is I have no proper words to express myself in English on live. Actually, I was moved by her strong willing heart to do something. She loved her hobby in such a direct way and never gave up until succeeded. Compared with her, I was so lazy. And her story embarrassed me.

It's time for my PPT. I prepare it for several days. Adada gave some advice on the structure of PPT, and my colleague help me to correct my pronunciation. It's difficult for me to speak out what I'm thinking. Though read the paper I wrote before is more easy. Besides, I'm good at design for people, such as visual design, graphic design and experience design. Those fields are about my research interest--Cognitive Psychology and Human factors engineering. Except some mistakes, I express my job and my thought by speak and pictures at last, though I made good preparation for that. I was given great courage by the smile of Miss Li. I even have desire to speak aloud in English at every chance whatever it was right. Miss Li is like a magician who can arouse the hope deep inside one's heart. I don't know how she did that. But I discover that word is not the only reason. It's being shy, worried about losing face, having little confidence that blocked my way of speaking out. I do appreciate Miss Li for her help. How important to be a good teacher!

I still remember I've also written a bucket list after seeing the Bucket List. It includes being familiar with a classical book, reciting one of Chinese cultural classics, using two languages, learning a sort of dancing, playing one musical instrument, and grasp some abilities, such as driving, swimming, cooking and first aid, etc. I hope English study is just a beginning.

Just a presentation, but for me it has some important meanings. Today is really my big day.