2 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tsp finely chopped fresh gingerroot

1 small onion, finely sliced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp lighy soy sauce

marinade

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1tsp sesame oil

1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine

1 tsp sugar

pinch of white pepper

Method:
1 Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl, then mix in the beef. Cover and let stand for 1 hour, basting occasionally. Blanch the b roccoli in a large pan of boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and set aside.

2 In a preheated wok or deep pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and stir-fry the garlic, gingerroot, and onion for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for an additional minute. Remove from the wok and set aside.

3 In the clean preheated wok or deep pan, heat the remaining oil and stir-fry the beef until it has changed color. Return the broccoli mixture to the pan with the salt and light soy sauce and stir until cooked through. Serve immediately.

Ingredients:  (serves 4)

10oz/280 g pork belly, thinly sliced

1tbsp vegetable or peanut oil

1tbsp chili bean sauce

1tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and lightly mashed

1tsp sweet red bean paste (optional)

1 green bell pepper, finely sliced

1 red bell pepper, finely sliced

1tsp sugar

1tsp dark soy sauce pinch of white pepper

Method:

1. Bring a pan of water to a boil and place the pork slices in the pan, then cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes, skimming occasionally. Let the pork cool and rest before slicing thinly.

2. In a preheated wok or deep pan, heat the oil and stir-fry the pork slices until they begin to shrink. Stir in the chili bean sauce, then add the black beans and the red bean paste, if using. Finally, toss in the bell peppers and the remaining ingredients and stir-fry for a couple of minutes.

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Ingredients (serves 4)

3oz/85 g cashew nuts

3 tbsp peanut oil

4 scallions, slivered

2 celery stalks, sliced thinly

3 carrots, sliced finely

3 3/4 oz/ 100 g baby corn, halved

6oz/ 175 g mushrooms, sliced finely

1 clove of garlic, chopped coarsely

1 lb/ 450 g uncooked shrimp, shelled

1 tsp cornstarch

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 fl oz/ 50 ml 1/4 cup chicken stock

8 oz/ 225 g savoy cabbage, shredded

6 oz/ 175 g snow peas

freshly cooked rice, to serve

Method:

1. Put a skillet or wok over medium heat, add the cashew nuts, and toast them until they begin to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2. Add the oil to the skillet and heat. Add the scallions, celery, carrots, and baby corn and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms and cook until they become brown. Mix in the garlic and shrimp, stirring until the shrimp turn pink.

4. Mix the cornstarch with the soy sauce and chicken stock until smooth. Add the liquid to the shrimp mixture and stir. Then add the savoy cabbage, snow peas, and all but a few of the cashew nuts and cook for 2 minutes.

5. Garnish with the reserved cashew nuts and serve on a bed of rice.

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We find everyday something new, interesting and often amusing about our host student. He is friendly and outgoing and so are we. It’s a good match and we are all doing well in this new relationship. Part of the pleasure for us parents is having a younger kid around again. Our son is a senior in High school and he is growing up and headed out of the house out soon. Our host student is just a freshman, still small and young in looks, spirit and manner. He is willing to share more enthusiasms and energy with us. We look forward to watching him also grow into a man, but let’s not hurry! This is fun!
One piece of culture shock that surprised us is how often he comments on the clean air; the bright sun, moon and stars and the scenery here in New England. We went on a Whale watch at the end of summer and enjoyed a crystal clear blue day out on the Atlantic Ocean. One night in the front yard I pointed out the half moon and he was excited enough to take some pictures. He said he was capturing the moon. Driving out in the country here we now appreciate that our sky is very blue. We took him to visit our country property and he saw lots and lots of stars. His comments help us to appreciate our healthy environment.
My husband found out that we were selected by our student partly because he works for a large telecom company, and indeed our high speed internet and wireless system in the house are being well used. There is plenty of technical talk nearly every night at dinner and we are all getting schooled in the latest and greatest Apple products. They are really amazing and our student is great about showing some of the fine points and special features of the products. One funny thing happened with our student’s brand new laptop. I wanted to get him outside to enjoy the good weather, so I set him up on the bench swing in the yard, with pillows and encouraged him to relax with the new laptop. Unfortunately, a bird flew overhead and dropped a little white “message” on the new laptop! What a crisis! He didn’t know what to do. We cleaned it very carefully. No permanent damage was done and the next time he sat outside we rigged up a large umbrella to protect the laptop from the birds.

如果在走读学校上学，和寄宿家庭的交流就是对美国文化最好的了解。每天一起吃晚餐，每周一起去教堂，每周日一起看橄榄球赛，文化在无形之中便渗透进了生活。
在通过了语言和文化的障碍后，我们就成为了一名合格的高中留学生。对于学业和课余活动，我的建议只有一个词，ambition。
对于课程和学习要有野心，有honors就不报普通课程，有AP就不报honors。因为作为在中国高中摸爬滚打过来的人，我们最不怕的就是刻苦。
课外活动更需要野心。在美国学校的第一天，印象最深的就是年级主席，那么明年就竞选年级主席。学校有从不同国家来的人，但是没有International Club，那么就建一个International Club。学校没有橄榄球队，那么就建议和别的学校合办一个。一个学校就像一个社会，有太多的机会去发觉，但机会只给找到机会的人。
留学之路不平坦，但一定值得。语言，文化，学习这些都只不过是忐忑的留学之路的小插曲，每天都有新的挑战。然而挑战就是机遇。在拿到名校的录取通知书时，回首望，一切决定一切努力都是值得的。
这不会是您看过的第一篇留学文章，也不会是最后一篇，但这篇是由一个在美国高中摸爬滚打过的留学生写的亲身体会。这些小小的感受，只希望能给您的留学之路提供更多的信息与建议。
王宇轩 2011/10/5于马塞诸萨