The Yellow Jacket (Brownwood, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 9, Ed. 1, Thursday, November 2, 2000 Page: 4 of 12
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Features
November 2 2000
Page Four
HPU fulfills Zhu's dream of American lifestyle
VANESSA SANDERS
YJ Copy Editor
Ml the way from Chengdu China sophomore CIS
major Betsy Zhu has found her place and identity in the United
Stales and at Howard Payne University.
lui describes herself as having been the typical Chi-
nese student bel'oie she came to the states.
"At that time to succeed meant having a lot of money.
When I came heie two years ago I was very ambitious. I
wanted to become the lemale Bill Gates." Zhu said with a
laugh
Listening to Amencan music and watching American
in' ics weie some of Zhu's favorite escapes. Through these
media hu became attiacted to the American lifestyle and
began to hue turthei hopes of one day coming to America.
"horn what I saw m movies . everything was so dif-
leient. mei leans' lifestyle how they dressed .1 thought
I luit is so cool Maybe I can go there one day.'" said Zhu.
hu's dream was affirmed when she attended a sum-
mei camp led by American missionaries three years before
coming to the states when she became a Christian.
"The missionaiies just had something that I always
w anied but at that time. I didn't know what it was" she said.
hu's onginal plan was to complete college in China
and (.ome to America tor graduate school but it was made
possible toi her to come sooner than expected.
" Ml the oppoitumties weie right there and fell on my
lap. so I thought 'Why not .'" If I came eailier 1 would adapt
lo the uiltuie easily and have moie opportunity to make
meiiL.m friends" Zhu said.
But. Zhu found that making American friends did not
come easily She came to Fort Worth Texas as an exchange
student where she attended Western Hills High School.
"I didn't have any friends" she said. "They thought I
didn't know anything because I couldn't speak English so
they didn't try to get to know me."
Zhu's bright Hollywood expectations of America were
dimmed in the light of American high school realism.
"In American high schools socializing is more impor-
tant than studying" she said. "People try to become popular.
I think it's shallow. I didn't like that part."
Upon graduating Zhu's initial desire was to go to the
University of North Texas but she found HPU offered a
cheaper tuition (to exchange students) and was a private Chris-
tian school in Texas.
Zhu had plans to transfer from HPU at the end of the
first semester here until fall revival.
"God just spoke to me through the speaker and slapped
me on my face and woke me up" she said. "That was when
I realized what Christianity is all about I real-
ized we can be so close to God; closer than I had
heard of-like a friend you can talk to."
Zhu then made an effort to get to know the
people of HPU and began to find her place here
"I think my personality fits into this cul-
ture. It's where I belong" said Zhu.
Her place at HPU was reaffirmed after en-
during many trials while working and living in
New York this summer. Zhu stayed with her
mother's friend and had plans to work all sum-
mer to cam money to pay for tuition this year
Hard times began for Zhu when her mother's
friend told her to move out the second month she
was there.
"I didn't know where I was going to go or
live." said Zhu. "No one was going to rent an
apartment to me if I would only rent it for one
month."
Zhu then moved from house to house ac-
cepting any offers from vanous people that she
met including one from a friend that she knew
from HPU who lived in New Jersey She stayed
with the friend's family for only three days.
"I hate to depend on people" she said.
She began to have thoughts of returning to
Texas but didn't know what she would do if she
did. Zhu then ran into a friend from Brooklyn
who agreed to let her stay with her for a couple
of days but the friend soon demanded she leave
"She pointed at me and was yelling and said
"You're such a loser and 1 feel sorry tor you.' I
was already devastated and then she put me
down" said Zhu. "I had been trying to w itness to
her. Don't expect to change somebody when first
you have to let God change you."
Just when she thought all was lost she
found a newspaper with job openings at a new
Japanese restaurant in Connecticut. There the em-
ployer offered employees a place to stay for free.
"I thought 'I'll give it the last shot. If I don't get the
job I'll head back to Texas' so I called" said Zhu.
Zhu got the job and a place to stay. Then Zhu returned
to HPU just in time for classes on Aug. 30. After her New
York 'adventure' as she calls it she now holds deeper truths
and a stronger faith than she ever imagined.
"I thought I was strong and God showed me how weak
I am" Zhu said. "We don't realize God's unconditional love
until we experience just a little bit of what Jesus went through
when he had to die for us. We don't realize our weaknesses
till' . "' . k" p .
Ml m- '"$ M ?4
ln fc t iflfn iir tM
Br ilBBHKM
I ill M i ' I
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
International student Betsy Zhu is thankful for the
encouragment and Christian fellowship she has found at HPU.
until we are totally broken."
Because she came to HPU Zhu has been able to grow
in her faith. She credits this to her Christian friends who
have encouraged her.
"That was what I needed: Christian encouragement"
she said. "Friends are so important."
Zhu has found happiness fulfillment and freedom here.
"I came here because I wanted to change myself" said
Zhu. "I wanted what my American friends had and now
I've found that joy and peace that only God can give you
and a guaranteed future."
Sheffield takes teaching abroad
Photo Contributed
Associate childhood professor Ann Sheffield spent two weeks in
Africa helping to improve classroom conditions.
University News Service
"There are no finer gifts than
these ... People to People reaching
around the world sharing peace
love and understanding ... for the
children."
For two weeks in August this
was the message carried by an early
childhood delegation of United
States educators to their counterparts
in South Africa. Ann Sheffield as-
sociate professor of early childhood
education at Howard Payne Univer-
sity led the group which was spon-
sored by People to People Interna-
tional. Educators from the U.S.
toured childcare centers pre-
schools and teacher-training col-
leges and universities in the regions
of Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Throughout the trip they observed
the privileged and the poverty-
stricken schools and programs.
They shared ideas with university
and classroom administrators fac-
ulty and students and they distrib-
uted teaching supplies in an effort
to upgrade classrooms.
It was an experience
Sheffield will never forget.
"This was the ultimate inter-
national experience of my life-
time" she said. "This life-changing
encounter was truly a God-
given blessing to me and I am for-
ever indebted for the opportunity
to lead this delegation."
Sheffield was selected for the
leadership role based on her expe-
rience in education participation in
professional activities and previous
international trips. She has served
on similar exchange programs to
Russia and Poland and recently
. . AV.V.V.V. '
taught oral-English in China.
"No single experience can
impact or change a person's cul-
tural vantage point more than the
opportunity to 'step inside' another
country" she said. "A brief yet
meaningful walk alongside educa-
tional counterparts enlightens and
broadens one's professional view."
During their trip to South Af-
rica Sheffield said the participants
'discovered new dimensions in
education shared a vision for
schools and made a global com-
mitment to the lives and destina-
tions of young children."
Among the cities they visited
were Johannesburg South Africa's
commercial capital; Pretoria the
country's administrative capital;
and Soweto the birthplace of Presi
Africa coninued on page 12
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The Yellow Jacket (Brownwood, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 9, Ed. 1, Thursday, November 2, 2000, newspaper, November 2, 2000; Brownwood, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth103463/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Howard Payne University Library.