Making Friends in America!

While riding in a taxi on the way to my internship, I saw tombstones in the field outside the window. At the time, I was very curious about what was hiding in the large cemetery, which seemed to shine under the sun. Why doesn’t the cemetery look scary?

When the day was over, I went back to my dorm and asked my roommate, Leah. She thought for a moment and told me that I should go on a tour of the cemetery, which was really the Arlington National Cemetery, one of the most famous in America. She asked me if I was interested in going there with her to have a look. I almost jumped for joy!

The transportation system in Washington is so good that we only needed to take the subway for an hour to get to the national cemetery station. Once we walked out onto the platform, we could see the broad road, blue sky, and white clouds. The national cemetery is free to visitors, who need only go through security to enter the cemetery. It is really big. Thanks to Leah, who grew up in Washington D.C., I had a free guide. Without her, I would surely have been lost in this large field. What impressed me most about the visit was watching the changing of the guard. The guards' quick movements of holding and removing the guns made the audience feel a sense of dignity and respect for the heroes who had died for their country.

After visiting the cemetery, Leah took me to the fashion center at Pentagon to shop and eat. We went into a Chinese restaurant. The delicious spring rolls and the spicy dumplings were especially satisfying. Leah suggested adding chili sauce to the pork noodles. I laughed,saying, “You love chilies as much as the Sichuanese in China!” We laughed together. I love hanging out with foreign friends. During the conversation with Leah, our friendship was further enhanced and the cultural exchange was very interesting. So, if you are also studying or working abroad, please don't hesitate to go out with foreign friends, you will have a great experience!

SAF Spring Correspondent Zichen Lin from Ocean University of China is reporting from American University.