I walk up to a window,
beneath the vibrant stars,
​yet what I see is different than a landscape vast and far.
instead I see my reflection,
and realize a special truth,
that the world revolves around me,
and it revolves around you.
Now look up to the sky and stare at the sun ,
and remember, 
for someone just like me and you,
is looking at it to.

Today I competed in a zoo race in the Singapore Zoo. The video below was shot after I finished the race. Click the video to hear more about my experience.

I believe that Din-Tai-Fung is a phenomenal restaurant that serves delicious dim-sum.

First of all, they can change the meal order. They can change it for people who have allergies or are vegetarian, the chefs can prepare special meals for you. You can also have them include or disinclude side orders.

Secondly, the staff there are very kind. They are kind because they can give you a stand to put your bag. They also offer child menu’s and high chairs. At the beginning of each meal, they will give you a small platter of steamed spinach and adults will be given freely refillable glass of Jasmine tea. You can ask for directions and you will be given them.

Thirdly , you can order any time in the meal. I know this because once I was at Din Tai Fung and I had already ordered my dessert but then I was still allowed to order my noodles. You can also ask for takeaway.

Also they have a see through kitchen so while you wait for your order children can go see the food being made.


Lastly, the restaurant is placed very conveniently because even though they do not have a washroom in the restaurant, you just have to walk down the hall and take a right to find the washroom.

Some of favorite dishes include the vegetarian buns as well as the sponge cake and custard buns. These are all chinese delicacy hand made specially for you.
 
That is Why I think that Din-Tai-Fung is a splendid restaurant.



​

Once upon a time, a fast spreading disease was going around and everybody was super glum.  However, at one school the students had extremely bright spirits, they laughed and played and learnt all day long.  Everybody was happy except for a girl called Emma.  She was very fancy, fashionable, and exquisite but nobody played with her.  She always tried to make a friend but nobody seemed to like her.  Then one day, a new girl came to class.  The new girl's name was Violet.  Emma was hoping that she and Violet could be friends but then she remembered that nobody liked her.  However, at recess, Violet walked over shyly and asked to play.  Emma asked, "You want to play with me?"  "Yes you," said Violet.  Emma said, "Oh, thank you, thank you thank you so much."  Violet said "You're welcome."  So the two girls laughed and played for the rest of the day.  When it was time to go home, Violet asked, "Can I sit next to you on the bus?"  Emma said, "Sure."  The next day however, Emma was not there and Violet wondered why.  Suddenly, everyone was dismissed from recess and they had to go to the assembly room.  There stood the principal standing, waiting patiently for everybody to quiet down.  Then the principal announced that Emma had the disease that was going around.  Violet was shocked.  She was so sad, she started crying.  In fact, many people started to cry as well.  Suddenly, Violet stopped crying and yelled, "Emma!!!"  As she screamed a big bubble formed from her mouth and it went straight to Emma.  The bubble enveloped Emma and healed Emma because their friendship was so strong.  Emma rose up high into the air and she screamed, "Violet, I am OK thanks to you."  Then Emma floated back to school and they lived happily ever after, until Violet got the disease.

Dear US Treasury Secretary Lew:

I understand that you are looking for suggestions for a woman to put on the new US$10 bill. I feel strongly that Rosa Parks should be on the US$10 bill.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a bus and sat at the front in a section for white people only.  When a white person asked Rosa to give up her seat, she said no.  The bus driver (who was black) said he would call the police if she didn't move.  Rosa refused to move and was taken to jail.  

Rosa Parks was confident, principled and a fighter.  The reason that she is confident is because she believed she would change the way blacks were treated and that a small action like refusing to give up her seat can make a big difference.  The reason that she was a fighter was because she fought and she risked her life for the education and other basic rights of black people.  I also think she was a fighter because she knew that other blacks didn't think that she could stop this unfair treatment and even though some white people wanted to kill her, she kept on fighting until she got her way.  Finally, Rosa Parks was principled because she stood up for what she believed in.  She knew the only way to get what you want is to stand up for yourself and others so that people against you can see your strong feelings about what you think is important.  That is why I think Rosa Parks should be on the new US$10.  #TheNew10

Sincerely,
Elliana Patel
ellianapatel@gmail.com

Last weekend, I went on a junk boat!!! It was so delightful to be on a boat with free space to go exploring. My favorite part of the boat was the very front because we saw dolphins and colossal jellyfish that swam under our boat.  Once we had dropped anchor, Marlo and I went up to the top of the boat to jump off.  We were 3 meters above the sea.  I hesitated every time before jumping because I was worried that a jellyfish would come and sting me.  Then I got the courage to jump off the top but every time I looked down, I got really nervous because I was afraid of how high I was.  I reminded myself about how I had jumped from this height before at the LRC and that I had not been afraid to do it.  I took a great big jump and screamed, but after 3 seconds I hit the water and I realised that it was not too bad.  I ended up jumping 8-10 times more.  I can't wait to go on a junk boat again.

This weekend my parents were away and I spent a lot of time with my friends.  We had a lot of fun, but on Saturday, my friends didn't want to play with me and were being mean.  It made me think about the rules of friendship and this is what I wrote in my journal:

Last week I participated in the Grade 2 Resource Market.  The resource market is about trading, spending and practicing bartering.  We formed groups of 6 students and got a pack of resources and we had to make shapes with them.  We had to sell the shapes to the bank.  My team's packet had 1 sheet of paper, 2 rulers, 1 pencil, 1 compass and NO scissors.  How were we going to cut shapes without scissors?  We had to barter for a pair of scissors with another team.  We found out that folding the paper can quadruple the number of shapes we could make.  We made different shapes depending on the amount we could sell it for.  The bank kept changing the prices it would pay for the shapes and the bank was very strict about the shapes being perfect.   I enjoyed many things about the resource market.  I liked that we only had some resources and enjoyed bartering for other resources.  I also liked that we had to think about sacrificing some objects to get something else.  In the end my team came in second place in our class and we made $2710.00.  It was a lot of fun.