For comments or feedback, please e-mail Rich Yueh at Rich.Yueh@scanews.com.

My name is Rich Yueh. I am 18 years old and an incoming freshman at Purdue University. During my high school years I played on the Varsity golf team and performed with the marching band for 3 years. Currently I reside with my family in Chesterfield, Missouri.

I chose to go on this trip for many reasons. First, I felt it was important to learn more about my history and background. You cannot move on in the future without acknowledging the past and I felt this trip was the proper time to do so. Second, I wanted to see what China was like and encounter a country other than the US. As soon as I got to China I was hit by culture shock and instead of fighting it, relished it because I knew I could not get this at home. Lastly, though equally important, I went to practice my Chinese. The Chinese language is becoming more and more popular and I did not want to fall behind.

I write my articles in order to open myself up and share my experience as a second-generation Asian embracing 5,000 years of ancient Chinese history, as well as tasting new foods, meeting new people, and talking about the trip in general. I welcome all feedback that can be sent to Rich.Yueh@scanews.com.

(07/15/2004)

【時報訊】

聖路易時報自本(725期．2004年7月15日)期起，推出聖路易大學高中訪問團紀實中英文專欄—「由拱門到長城」(From the Arch to the Great Wall)網站SCANews.com\greatwall 亦同步推出，歡迎讀者閱讀並隨時上網流覽。

「由拱門到長城」專欄由參加中國訪問團之西派克衛高中畢業生岳群執筆，專欄將記載報導此次聖路易大學高中中國訪問團16天在中國大陸所見所聞，品嚐道地中華美食，親灸中華文化，旅遊山川古蹟，走訪通都大邑，體驗中國之旅是「由拱門到長城」專欄將呈現之風采。

讀者若對此專欄有所回響，歡迎電郵作者岳群，電郵郵址：Rich.Yueh@scanews.com

作者簡介：

岳群，今年18歲，即將進入普渡大學電腦系就讀，曾獲2004年美華協會青少年領導才能獎，聖路易科學館傑出義工獎，並膺選聖路易西派克衛高中高爾夫球校隊及參加學校樂隊擔任鼓手，目前住在密蘇里州Chesterfield城。

有幾個原因讓我參加了今年六月聖路易大學高中中國訪問團，首先我覺得我應該多認識一些我的歷史和背景，不知過去怎可遇見未來，這是個適當的機會去認識中國，此外，我真的很想看看中國是什麼樣子，到了中國後，我所感覺到的社區衝擊對我而言，不是挑戰，而是享受那種在美國無法體會的感覺，最後，另外一個同等重要的原因是我想要練習我的中文，中文在世界上愈來愈普遍，我得要好好把握機會學習說中文，免得落伍了！

經由這個專欄，我願意將身為第二代亞裔移民的感受和大家分享，包括古老中國五千年的歷史，好吃的中國食物和在旅遊中所遇到的新朋友，當然也有著旅遊期間的一般見聞，歡迎大家與我一起分享這種感受，請隨時電郵：Rich.Yueh@scanews.com