2014-09-01

【Aiden in English】

        Having a friend over is incredible. You can relax, chat, and have fun. Having a friend over is even better today since it is Labor Day.

        That means tomorrow is the first day of school in the fall. So my friend Robbie and I had a good long talk about school. After ge

2014-08-31

【Aiden in English】

        Bowling is a fun game. It shows your muscle skills and accuracy. However, something unexpected happened today when Dad and I visited Facenda Whitaker Bowling Lanes in PA for the Labor Day Weekend holiday.

        It turned out that there was a glitch in the sensors because

2014-08-30

【Aiden in English】

        Parties are the best way to meet new friends, have fun, and showcase your skills. So today, when Dad took me to a holiday party at his friend's house, I brought my Chinese Yo-Yo from GHCS Summer Camp and a book of Classics for the Developing Pianist.

        Everyone w

2014-08-29

【Aiden in English】

        At last, the tragic day arrives! Just as I began to get used to the vacation and no responsibility, it wound down from my 9-week-long summer camps. Now, the school awaits in four short days. So, at that very moment, the GHCS Summer Camp went out with a bang. Since today is Friday (Yay!)

2014-08-28

【Aiden in English】

        Spoons is a fun card game that kids can enjoy. Although it may get a little rough, I love it. Except at GHCS Summer Camp, we made a few adjustments.

        Around one this afternoon, just after lunch, my friends Kevin, Michelle, and I were playing Spoons when su

2014-08-27

【Aiden in English】

        Today, I've acquired a new hobby. It's not like I haven't done it before, but today is the day I truly look into it. And so my latest hobby is… Origami. It all started with an Origami class at GHCS Summer Camp, where I was taught how to make an inflatable paper ball. Not tha

2014-08-26

【Aiden in English】

        Today, I discovered a whole new level of Chinese Yo-Yo at the Guanghua Chinese School (GHCS) Summer Camp. Previously, I was focused only on spinning it. But now, I can toss and catch it. As much as you learn how to manage the lift and drop motion with two sticks, you'll make significant

2014-08-25

【Aiden in English】

        Today marks the beginning of my last week of a nine-week summer camp. It was a massive change for me. No more games or sports, just learning and that kind of… junk. I know! There is learning in the summer. No way. But that's what we're doing at Guanghua Chinese School (GHCS) Sum

2014-08-24

【Aiden in English】

        Ten years ago, at my first-ever birthday party in my house, Auntie Hongli and Uncle Henry came over to see me, along with their two little daughters, Lynna, 7, and Jennifer, 4. A decade has passed, and we can finally have a reunion back in NJ from PA. This is more about M

2014-08-22

【Aiden in English】

        Sadly, today is my final day at the YMCA for summer camp. Time passes quickly and doesn't last long. And as much as today is a sad day, it will probably become the best day of my whole summer (excluding my vacation in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor)!

        We w

2014-08-21

【Aiden in English】

        Dodgeball has many cool versions. For one, there's Everyman. This version is the craziest game of all. The name should provide a good indication of what the game is about. It's every man/woman for himself/herself. If you're hit, you sit down. When you're sitting down, you may

2014-08-20

【Aiden in English】

        I'm not the guy you pass to in soccer. Why? I have slow reflexes, like dirt, and I'm not the strongest kicker. However, a miracle happened today.

        We were down by one in a scrimmage against another team. I was put up in midfield for three short minutes. Wow,

2014-08-19

【Aiden in English】

        Dodgeball isn't just throwing balls around. No. There are many types of dodgeballs. That's what I like about this game.

        So, my favorite version of dodgeball would be a nightmare. This version is straightforward. Once you get out, the person who got you out

2014-08-18

【Aiden in English】

        I love dodgeball. I know that I enjoy many sports. But in dodgeball, I'm I mful. In football, I'm a mod, but not a one-shot wonder. Neither am I in basketball.

        Today in my dodgeball camp, whichever team I was on, 99% of the time, won. Why? It wasn't bec

2014-08-16

【Aiden in English】

        Every August, the Saint Stan's Summer Festival is held at the Mater Dei Catholic High School in Lansdale, PA. It's not a huge carnival, but there's a good festivity.

        The games look great, and the food tastes fabulous. However, I go on rides every year.

2014-08-15

【Aiden in English】

        My team for the 2014 Fall Rec. The Soccer 5^th-6^th Grade Division sounds extremely unusual at MUSC. Firstly, 75% of the team members come from my elementary school. Yes! 75% of my team's fellow members are from my elementary school. Is it wild, huh? However, it's not as surprisin

2014-08-14

【Aiden in English】

        Staying at home without video games is boring. This time, it's not because of a fever. The camp was on a field trip to a lake that I wasn't excited about. I feel like not going is a mistake now, since I'm overloaded with Chinese homework, and the only companion I have is my grand

2014-08-13

【Aiden in English】

        I'm not a team leader. No way in sports. So, when I was appointed as the team captain of a flag football team in my summer camp, I felt that one of the other kids should have been chosen. For one, I'm not the fastest kid in the world. The other three team captains seemed as quick as

2014-08-12

【Aiden in English】

        Plague Inc. is the most addictive free game on the App Store. The plot is simple. Kill everyone with viruses, bacteria, fungi, or contagious diseases. I know it sounds gross, but it's fantastic. You learn a ton about how outbreaks spread. The best part is watching a virus take over the w

2014-08-11

【Aiden in English】

        Have you ever played the Bullet Game? Well, if you wonder what in the world I am talking about, the Bullet Game is when you line up, and whoever can catch the pass thrown by the QB can stay in. If you drop it, you have to say goodbye. Once you see the ball, you step back in line at the

2014-08-10

【Aiden in English】

        I have never seen a true friend leave my life so far. Sure, classmates moved, and acquaintances left, but never friends. And today, a girl named Crystal said her goodbyes.

        Crystal and I became best friends at the Bright Horizon Child Learning Centre, PA preschool,

2014-08-09

【Aiden in English】

        What better way to finish a summer trip to the Everglades NP of Florida? So when our bags got packed, we left our Glory Carnival to revisit some world-famous Everglade Alligators.

        Please remember that alligators do eat humans, but only in self-defense.

  &

2014-08-08

【Aiden in English】

        I love comedies. They're funny and entertaining; what's not to like about them? And what show is better than the famous Punchliner？ The show features the best entertainers from across America. George Lopez started it and decided to work with Carnival Cruise Lines. I bolted to the ne

2014-08-07

【Aiden in English】

        At school, we were taught that stingrays were deadly killers of the sea and had poisonous stingers that could instantly kill you. I disagree, especially after seeing the stingrays when Mom and I sailed Allura Catamaran to Stingray City Sandbar in Grand Cayman.

2014-08-06

【Aiden in English】

        Dolphins are substantial and intellectual animals. They act as the masters of the seas, and their ability to move in water so quickly and gracefully makes me intrigued by these intelligent beings.

        After all, today was the day that I could finally interact with dolp

2014-08-05

【Aiden in English】

        Belize is probably one of the best places for snorkeling. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor is the second-largest barrier reef on Earth, stretching 186 miles in the West Caribbean, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

        Today, after hearing about the coral sea of

2014-08-04

【Aiden in English】

        I have always loved snorkeling. You'll know that by now if you've read about my adventures in the Galapagos Islands. Yet, today in Cozumel, Mexico, the snorkeling experience wasn't as fascinating as I had hoped.

        We were unprepared. Mom bought

2014-08-03

【Aiden in English】

        Have you ever tried finding a needle in a haystack? Nobody is insane enough, actually, to do it. Have you ever tried to find a group of specific cruise staff members in a sea of people for a scavenger hunt? Sure, they are wearing bright T-shirts. However, we're talking about a cruise shi

2014-08-02 Chinese Valentine's Day

【Aiden in English】

        The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the ideal destination for a summer getaway. There is nothing like paradise for relaxation, thanks to its stunning barrier reefs, pristine white beaches, expansive blue skies, and abundant

2014-08-01

【Aiden in English】

        After being sick at home for two days, I was finally back in action, even though my fever hadn't gone away. With medication, there was no problem. But without those horrible pills, my temperature would spike. So, today, I took a risk, and after eating an Advil pill, I left for LC.

&n

2014-07-31

【Aiden in English】

        The Renaissance Fair reflects the medieval cultures in Mount Hope, PA. Women wore dresses that trailed behind them, while men wore flashy suits in almost any color, often paired with cool, fluffy (or stiff) collars, as I had expected. But I had no idea that there was a Mud Comedy Show. It wa

2014-07-30

【Aiden in English】

        If you are sick, you can get away with it or stay home from school. Being home during mid-summer is the worst, especially when it happens for the second time after treatment. I had to go through an ordeal because of the same fever yesterday.

        The fever didn'

2014-07-29

【Aiden in English】

        Staying home during mid-summer isn't a holiday retreat but the definition of boredom. There are no activities in summer camp, no fun with friends, and limited time for video games. I had no companion except for Grandma, so the house sounded very quiet. Not to mention that I had a fever.

&

2014-07-28

【Aiden in English】

        Basketball might be my favorite sport. It's pretty simple and easy to catch on, regardless of your age. The only issue is that I'm not very offensive. You see, today, the best player in the Basketball Camp wasn't me, but a 3rd grader two years younger than me. Why? Because h

2014-07-25

【Aiden in English】

        Ahh... there's nothing like a cool swim in the pool during an extremely hot day, is there? Let me tweak that sentence a bit. First, today wasn't extremely hot, and the pool was more incredible than extraordinary. Away cooler, you could say freezing, too. The instant I bit the water,

2014-07-24

【Aiden in English】

        You can't come to the Sports Summer Camp and don't want to play football. That's how it is, whether there is a two-hand touch, flag, or tackle (hopefully not). Football is everywhere. So today, I played flag football for two hours straight.

        First, flag

2014-07-23 Great Heat

【Aiden in English】

        Pokémon is so famous that every kid at the summer camp has been absorbed into the video game. They are intelligent animals that populate the world, and the player may catch one with a PokéBall. Once caught, it may be used to battle other Pokémon and trainers. Pokémon have

2014-07-22

【Aiden in English】

        Nightmares come from the mind. Our imaginations create these horrifying scenes from the unknown. Ghosts are commonly seen in nightmares due to their mysterious nature and their use as a means to scare. Darkness is also the main feature that makes a nightmare terrifying. If you have nightmare

2014-07-21

【Aiden in English】

        Finally, I returned to the sports camp at LCHS. Without hesitation, I left the learning, singing, and dancing behind. Now, sports are on the menu, and I don't have time for those things the girls love the most.

        At the Chinese school's summer camp, boys had

2014-07-20

【Aiden in English】

        Summer pool parties are the best. The friendly and cool water, accompanied by hot temperatures, is paired with a BBQ featuring filet mignon, pork sirloin steak, cracker barrel chicken tenders/diced shrimp, grilled jumbo shrimp, marinated lamb chops, and home-grown veggies. There were many mo

2014-07-18

【Aiden in English】

        Chess is tough. It utilizes knowledge to develop battle strategies and predict the opponent's moves. Chinese chess requires the same skills but with a few different pieces. There is one general/marshal (king/queen), two advisors/guards, two horses (knights), two eleph

2014-07-17

【Aiden in English】

        Shading is one of the most frustrating techniques of sketch drawing. It captures the light, so every stroke counts. The darkness of each line is crucial to illustrate your own idea. And if the shading is done correctly, the outcome will look spectacular.

        Today, I l

2014-07-16

【Aiden in English】

        I used to think that Yo-Yo didn't need skills until today. I learned them @ Guang Hua Chinese Summer Camp. Boy, it is so wrong. The Chinese Yo-Yo is probably even more complex than any Yo-Yo you've ever experienced.

        First, the Chinese Yo-Yo has two discs co

2014-07-15

【Aiden in English】

        The body parts of a boy are not the best topic during a conversation. That wasn't the case today.

        While the campers were peacefully drawing in the art session, I drew my name in a fancy version with a huge "D." When I finished my name, my friend walke

2014-07-14

【Aiden in English】

        When I arrived at the summer camp at Guanghua Chinese School in PA, my first impression was: "Oh boy!" There were books and books and more books. Last time I checked, the school will start in two months.

        As I sat down, a teacher handed me a Chinese book t

2014-07-13

【Aiden in English】

        The 2014 World Cup is concluding with Argentina facing Germany. These two teams played in back-to-back World Cup Finals in 1986 and 1990. Both have won once against each other, and today, it appears to be the tiebreaker for them.

        As soon as the game began, Ger

2014-07-12

【Aiden in English】

        The beach becomes one of the best places to be during the summer. The cool water is perfect for a hot day. However, that was not the case when Dad and I visited the Ocean City beach in NJ. The water was freezing! It seemed like swimming in the Arctic Ocean. I didn't stay long since I was

2014-07-11

【Aiden in English】

        The 4^th Street Pool in Lansdale is probably among the best community pools ever. Last time, I couldn't go on the best slide there because no one would offer the qualified test. Today, a counselor gave me the test, which was easier than easy. I swam approximately 50 yards/45.7 meters

2014-07-10

【Aiden in English】

        Our world is populated with many bugs. These tiny creatures are everywhere. To them, the world is a vast and intimidating place, and they thrive in a highly perilous habitat with numerous predators. How do bugs manage that? We learned it today when Jon, the Bug Man, came to our Soccer Camp a

2014-07-09

【Aiden in English】

        The Netherlands has always played amazingly well, but it is just not good enough. They have never won the World Cup title. However, would today be their chance to advance to the finals? Or will their opponent, Argentina, go on and face the awaiting Germans? It all came down to this game.

&nbs

2014-07-08

【Aiden in English】

        Brazil has never lost a home game and has beaten or tied every game since 1971. But that's all about to change. In this semifinal match against Germany, Brazil's pure confidence will be turned into a dark defeat in the World Cup.

        The first 30 minutes became

2014-07-07 Minor Heat

【Aiden in English】

        The 2014 World Cup is entering the final stages, and the world is on the edge of its seats. Back at Lansdale Catholic HS, another soccer showdown is beginning…

        Today was the first day of Soccer Camp. Surprisingly, I would have to say that I was prob

2014-07-05

【Aiden in English】

        In the USA, the 4^th of July is probably the most celebrated holiday every year, whether it's going to the beach, staying at Grandma's house, or watching fireworks locally. Dad and I traditionally celebrated the Day of Independence with a spectacular show of fireworks. Unfortunat

2014-07-04 Independence Day

【Aiden in English】

        When people think of parties, they think of delicious food, incredible drinks, colorful Piñata, and outdoor games. Only the first few items on the list were applied at today's party. The adults were having a long conversation (boring) and drinking beers and win

2014-07-03

【Aiden in English】

        To me, Sports Summer Camp is supposed to be all about fun. No talent or skill, just fun. However, it's not so much fun when kids get hurt if you ignore basic techniques. That's at today's 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th-grade soccer.

       &nbs

2014-07-02

【Aiden in English】

        Today, we did what everyone at Basketball Camp was waiting for. We had a 90-minute 5-on-5 game with subs.

        To put it simply, it was a chaotic scene. Fouls were called every few minutes, primarily for half-court violations, as the younger kids wer

2014-07-01

【Aiden in English】

        The U.S. soccer team has never qualified for the World Cup. This year, a miracle happened in Brazil. The USA advanced to the Round of 16 unexpectedly after passing the qualification rounds.

        As fortunate as the USA is, its fortune couldn't last forever. Thi