这篇英语短文是我在49岁移民美国后，从零基础开始学英语后写的第一篇英文作品，并将发表在我所居住这城的女性杂志__5ive__第四月号上。
真心为自己点赞~！期待的朋友们支持我。学习是一辈子的事，50岁也一样可以开始学英语。
继续努力！欣儿！
A Mistake My GPS Made
Xin Obaid
I love traveling. Not only for beautiful views, but also for unexpected memorable experiences.
July 14, 2016. On that day I set out for a wine-tasting tour at Old Mission, located in Traverse City, Michigan,
where I had also made reservations at a Bed & Breakfast. I entered the address of theB&B into my GPS, so I knew the drive would take nine hours.
Yes, around 8:30 p.m., my GPS finallyannounced: “Your destination has arrived!"
I got out of my car and looked around. Under a dark sky there was only one house that I could see.
It was a single-family dwelling. I was confused,but I did not have any choice, so I knocked on the door.
The door opened immediately; as if the curtains were opening on stage, a handsome man appeared in front of me.
“What are you looking for?” he asked, in a not-unfriendly manner. I replied, “I am looking for my hotel.”
“This is my house,” he said. I felt so sorry to have disturbed his privacy.
I said, in some distress, “I am so sorry to bother you, but my GPS said I have arrived at my hotel, so…”
He said, “May I see your hotel address?”
I handed him my reservation print-out, and smiled. He took a look at it and said, “This hotel is about two miles from here.
Go straight ahead and turn left. Drive for maybe two minutes, then turn right…”
Unable to keep my composure, I blurted out, “Please stop. I can’t follow your instructions.”
The handsome man stopped and looked at me for a moment,
then offered, “Would you like to follow me to your hotel?” I quickly nodded and smiled again.
He drove his car along the dark and narrow country road and I followed him for about five minutes.
We arrived at a three-story wooden house and got out of our cars.
“Here you are,” he said to me.
I was so grateful! I repeated, “Thank you so much!” again and again.
He opened his car door, about to leave, when he asked, “Where are you from?”
“Iam from China, but I live in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, right now.”
“What are you doing in this area?” I walked toward him and told him about my wine-tasting tour.
Without saying a word, he took a business card from his pocket and handed it to me.
Hesaid, “I am the owner of2 Lads Winery.Please come to our wine-tasting room tomorrow.”
Thatwas a surprise, but I thankfully accepted his invitation. I said, “See youthen.”
The next morning on my way to2 Lads Winery,I drove while humming a tune. Suddenly I thought,
I need to buy flowers for him as a thank-you gift. I looked around, then got a great idea: wildflowers
look much more beautiful than flowers from a store. So, I picked wildflowers from the field nearby.
WhenI arrived, I saw that 2Lads wine-tasting room is a gorgeous glass house,
located on a hilltop surrounded by beautiful row upon row of growing grapevines.
Inside, there were four employees. I spoke with a young man who was working at the counter,
and let him know I wanted to meet the owner, Mr. Olivier, because we had arranged to meet there today.
He said, “Mr.Olivier did not come here today, because his mother had just arrived to visit him.”
I felt disappointed, but I said to myself, “It’s fine.” Then I left the flowers and a thank-you note with the worker,
directing him to convey them to Mr. Olivier.
I started my wine-tasting with five different kinds of wine in five wine glasses.
A knowledgeable young worker then began to tell me what she knew about each kind of wine,
and the correct way to taste them. She was very professional, and the wine tasted delicious. Everything was almost perfect.
Iwent to the checkout counter to pay my bill.
Thecashier said, “You are fine. Your bill is paid.” I did not understand.
The cashier smiled. “Mr. Olivier called us early this morning,
he said his Chinese friend will come for a wine tasting, and he would cover the bill.”
Wow!The tears were just inside on my eyes suddenly, but I did not let them down.
OnceI was back home, I wrote him an email. In return I received a story about him.
He was born and raised among the beautiful vineyards of Stellenbosch,SouthAfrica.
From his youth he had worked closely with his grandfather on the family farm,
where he gained his education about growing grapes and making wine. In1999,
he moved across the planet to Old Mission Peninsula in Michigan and launched his career making cool-climate wines.
Lookingat a map, I found Stellenbosch. I viewed photos of Stellenbosch on Google.Stellenbosch is a very beautiful place.
If not for my GPS error, I never would have known that the world has a city named Stellenbosch.
I would have missed something special!
Sometimeswhen I have a glass of wine in the evening with my husband,
I use the wineglass from2 Lads Winery. I feel so fortunate that I made friendship with Mr. Olivier by accident.
Ibelieve that miracles are never far away---who knows around which corner wewill find one?
All we need to do is: Go ahead. Be brave and knock on next closed door on your path. See what will happen.