Throughout the school year, the students in Class 4A wrote quite a few essays. Their best essays have been collected in a book. Here’s one essay by Xiu Kun He Zhan:
A Part of Life
Xiu Kun He Zhan
Before I came to the United States, I lived in China. After I graduated from high school, I was hired by a farming brigade. It was out of my hometown. So, I left my home for the countryside, and worked as a farming accountant.
I worked hard in the farming brigade. I lived in my office, and went home just once a week. I was a competent accountant and was good at my job. I never made any mistakes. And in my free time I usually helped the farmers to read or write letters, weave woolen sweaters and to do some odd jobs.
So, even though I was a young girl, they were respectful to me and liked me. They treated me like I was one of their family members. Most of the farmers were friendly, simple and honest. I loved them. I did my job for years until I found another job in my town.
Even though I left the countryside 40 years ago, I still miss the farmers and my life there. In October 2007, I went back to China and I visited my family and visited my old friends the farmers.
The time that I worked in the countryside was a fine part of my whole life.
To read the rest of the essays, click on the cover below: 
I love this essay by Xiu Kun He Zhan. In a few words she paints a picture of the farming community and shows me how well she fit in there by working hard and helping people after her work was done. Her last sentence sums the whole essay up.
Great idea to make a collection of the year’s writing. Everyone has a souvenir of the class, and lots of people get to see the stories.