Dear Ms. Miles,

Bear with me on this e-mail. I need to get it out of my system.

First of all, I wanted to see what the world was like and what could be in store for me. But, I really wanted to get the heck out of the "Place of heartaches and painful reminders."

It is horrible not to be able to go home when you feel a pang of homesickness, especially when your loved one passes away.

Darn those time conversions ... it makes it difficult for family to call you and catch you at the right time.

Or to get your favorite hairstylist you trust to just cut 2 inches and not 20 inches.

As much as I call this place Rusty Ruston, it does have a certain charm about it.

True enough, there are no skyscrapers, posh clubs, nice designer boutiques or REAL Chinese or Japanese restaurants, but Ruston does have the X-factor -- made possible by all the great Rustonians.

I remember those times when I'd go to the post office and would occasionally get a package from my Mom and my best friend, and I would hold the package in my hands and go to the cafeteria to open it.

Sometimes my eyes welled up with tears.

It's those snail-mails and e-mails thatÊ make it clear who the ones are that think about you, despite your absence.

But still, the experience here has been wonderful.

Christina Chua

Journalism Graduate

Fall 2003