Shen Yu discovered Valentine’s Day in America, is very different from in China.
Shen Yu from China
February 14th was Valentine’s Day. In America, this day is very different from in China. In China, it is only boyfriend’s and girlfriend’s day, but my teacher and my friends in America told me that Valentine’s Day is a public day. Boyfriends’ and girlfriend’s gifts mean a loving heart. If other people send gifts to each other, it only means friendship.
In school, boys and girls send many kinds of cards, change gifts, and send chocolate to each other. You can send any gift except red roses. If you want to send red roses, you must be careful.
This was my first Valentine’s Day in America. I was very busy studying English and I didn’t understand all these things clearly. Maybe I didn’t need to send any gifts. I watched others to see what they did, so next time I can understand.
On that day, when we began the reading class, Mr. Peters gave every student some chocolate and said, “Happy Valentine’s Day!”
I was very happy. I thought the teacher gave his students gifts and blessings. I never saw that in China. Maybe American teacher is very different. I didn’t buy gift for the teacher, so I owed gift to the teacher. Anyway, I want to say, “Thank you teacher and I’m sorry.”
When we had a break, one of my classmates sent me a Pokemon card. It was very funny. I felt we were children. I thought I owed a gift again, but I felt thankful. It was the first gift from my new classmate.
When we were moving to our grammar class, suddenly I heard someone calling me: “Shelly!” I stopped. Another classmate who was only one day in our class called me and gave me some chocolate. She said, “Give these to you and your friend. Have a good day!”
I was looking at her leaving and thinking she spoke Arabic. We were in the same class only one day, but now we are friends. That’s very good, but I owed a gift again.
When I came home, my Chinese friend sent some roses and chocolate. I was surprised and happy because I never received roses in my past life, but I hoped it was the last gift. I didn’t want to owe more gifts. In China, we often heard about a lack of care between humans in America, but now I know that is wrong.