(Written by a university freshman in Macao)

          This was the first National Day I’d had in Macao.  The dormitory was much more silent than before, as most of the guys had gone back home.  I got up around 8:00, and decided to wander around the campus after showering.  Smelling the scent of things growing in the golden sunshine, hearing the murmur of the leaves in the wind, I felt much relaxed than ever.  It was just like being at home in my own garden, and I started to jog. 

         

          The buildings far away stood there quietly, hugged by a slight milky fog.  Among them a gray road went through, like a stream lying in the mountain.   There were only a few cars on the road.  It seemed that most of locals were still fast asleep. 

          I walked on a sidewalk leading down a hill to the area were the university was built.  My path led me through stacks of black and white buildings of many different shapes, and I saw that a few nice lanterns had been hung.

          The view was interesting, but it wasn’t like National Day; something important had been lost.  The more I walked, the more disappointed I became.  It didn’t feel like the real holiday; it was more like a common day off. 

          There was no sense in jogging through such a silent city; it would be better to turn around and do some studying. 

  

          I took a deep breath while hoping that things would be different next year, and returned to my room.