文：許聿涵 桃園市私立啟英高級中學

　　這次的筆友活動，對我而言是一場非常特別且珍貴的全新體驗。因為以前從來沒有機會擁有這樣的交流，為期四個月的交流，時間雖說長不長、說短不短，我卻從中收穫了滿滿的感動與成長。其中最幸運的，莫過於認識了我的筆友 Fiona——一位來自美國的小女孩。

　　雖然她年紀比我小，但在我們通信的這段期間，我從她的字裡行間，深深感受到她對生活充滿期待的熱忱，以及超越年齡的成熟。這種積極的生活態度，是我非常需要向她看齊與學習的。透過交流，我更深入地了解到臺美文化的差異，也發現彼此的校園生活截然不同。我們雖然生活在不同的經緯度、感受著不一樣的溫度、過著不同的人生，卻意外地心靈契合。

　　Fiona 經常與我分享她家農場的小動物，這對我來說非常新鮮。在她傳來的照片裡，我能看見那些在鏡頭下鮮活跳動的生命，也深刻體會到「愛很偉大」這句話——正因為有她細心的照顧，這些生命才如此豐沛。每次回信，她總會分享小雞或小馬的近況，甚至連小雞下蛋這類生活小事，也會在第一時間雀躍地告訴我。透過 Fiona 的分享，我不僅認識了美國農場的生活，也了解到他們在學校更鼓勵自主探索與多元發展。這讓我打破了以往對美國的刻板印象，真正用「心」去認識了另一個世界，也讓我的視野變得更開闊。

　　坦白說，在參加活動前，我對於用英文與人交流感到十分恐懼，遲遲不敢跨出第一步。然而，Fiona 的包容與鼓勵給了我很大的力量。她總是對我說，儘管大膽地用英文表達，即使我的文法或用字不夠完美，她也會努力去理解我想說的話，並毫不吝嗇地給予讚美。

　　這次的交流讓我明白，學習英文的目的不再只是為了應付學校的考試或追求完美的文法，而是為了能和世界另一端的人建立真正的連結。當我放下對犯錯的恐懼，英文就變成了一座帶我走向世界的橋樑。

　　非常感謝當初那個願意相信自己、勇敢跨出第一步的自己。這段旅程，真的非常有價值。這四個月的洗禮，讓我變得更有自信。未來，我會帶著從 Fiona 身上學到的生活熱忱，繼續勇敢地面對未來每個挑戰，並保持對世界的好奇心。

Participating in this pen pal program has been a truly unique and precious experience for me. Having never had an opportunity like this before, the four-month journey—though neither too long nor too short—has brought me an abundance of heartwarming moments and personal growth. The greatest blessing of all was definitely getting to know my pen pal, Fiona, a young girl from the United States.

Although she is a few years younger than me, through our correspondence, I could deeply feel her passion for life and the maturity in the way she thinks about her future. This positive attitude toward life is something I truly need to learn from her. Through our exchanges, I gained a deeper understanding of the cultural differences between Taiwan and the U.S. and noticed how vastly different our school lives are. Even though we live at different latitudes, experience different temperatures, and lead entirely different lives, we surprisingly connected on a deep level.

Fiona often shared stories about the animals on her family farm, which was a very fresh and novel experience for me. In the photos she sent, I could see the vibrant lives captured through her lens, and I truly understood the phrase, "Love is great." It is because of Fiona’s attentive care that these animals thrive with such vitality. In every reply, she would update me on how her chickens or horses were doing, and she would even excitedly share the news as soon as her chickens laid eggs. Fiona’s stories not only introduced me to American farm life but also gave me a glimpse into how their schools encourage independent exploration and diverse growth. This broke my past stereotypes about the U.S., allowing me to connect with another world with an open heart and broadening my horizons significantly.

To be honest, before joining this program, I was terrified of talking to others in English and hesitated to take the first step. However, Fiona’s warmth and encouragement gave me immense strength. She always urged me to express myself freely in English, reassuring me that even if my grammar or vocabulary weren't perfect, she would try her best to understand what I meant, and she never held back her praise. This exchange made me realize that the purpose of learning English is no longer just about passing school exams or pursuing flawless grammar, but about building genuine connections with someone on the other side of the world. Once I let go of the fear of making mistakes, English transformed into a bridge leading me to the world.

I am incredibly grateful to my past self for believing in myself and being brave enough to take that first step. This journey has been truly invaluable. The growth I experienced over these past four months has made me much more confident. Moving forward, I will carry the passion for life that I learned from Fiona, continue to bravely face every challenge ahead, and always maintain my curiosity about the world.