wherever i am, i find it hard to resist the tempting call of my hometown. situated at the north-western tip of xin-zhu county, bordering tao-yuan county with a small winding stream is my old hometown, the humble and bleak fishing and farming village. the residents there used to make their living by fishing in their boats on the nearest waters of the taiwan strait. later, those boats were heavily outrun by modern ships.

　　since then, life has never been easy for the villagers, as they have to live off the tiny pieces of land. i often feel that they are peasants rather than farmers. the village is famed for its windy weather, bad for farming but good for the strengthening of character. i can still recall how those salty winds howled all the way through my childhood. but as i now look back upon those tough days and drab rural lives, i feel blessed; i seem to have gone through the ordeal and am capable of facing any hardships. as i am growing older, in my heart, my hometown has become the symbol of the deepest nostalgia and stood for an everlasting affection.

　　i, in turn, can always seek solace through visualizing my lovely hometown.