I have been in Vancouver for seven months and this is the first spring I have experienced in Canada. Comparing spring here with that in my hometown, Tianjin, the third largest city in China, I think I am experiencing a very different spring, which is shown in two respects.

First, there is little rain all spring in my hometown and thus an old Chinese idiom, the rain in spring is as precious as oil, expresses the farmer's desire to expect more rain in spring. In Vancouver, on the contrary, there is more rain than I could imagine and sunshine becomes precious.

Second, I have further understood the Canadian relaxed life-style since the beginning of spring. There is a very large playground in front of my house and, in winter, I always saw an empty playground through my bedroom window because of the cold weather. But since the beginning of March, the playground has become busy, for more than two sport contests are held here every weekend, including adult teams, teenager teams and even child teams. I like to watch them, not only because I feel we all are joyful about spring's coming but also I can further understand the Canadian relaxed life-style. But at the same time, a very strong desire to enjoy this relaxed life-style as radically as Canadians always hits my heart and I can't enjoy it, because I am experiencing a very hard time now as a new immigrant. I deeply hope that the day I can really enjoy my life will come soon.

Although my first spring in Canada is different from in my hometown, I think I like it for I feel hopeful here.

May 15, 2000