Dear Mom,
　　Thanks for your letter encouraging me to move forward when I feel homesick and blue. It is true that I am still adjusting to everything around me here on campus although it is already the beginning of the third month. I admire those of my classmates who seemingly need no adjustments at all and deal so well with everything around them. But don’t worry, Mom, I am catching up! I feel I’ve learned so much in the last couple of months. I am learning to do things by myself and feel great when I finish something independently. I have even learned to wash my own clothes!
　　Mom, I applied for an email account with Hotmail yesterday and here it is: xgzhu@hotmail.com. You may send me a message on Dad’s laptop. I can receive it here in a couple of minutes. Amazing, isn’t it? We may ‘talk’ to each other via email now.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Lovingly yours,
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Silvia