If I were afforded the opportunity to go back to a specific time and place in the past, I would venture back to ancient Greece. During the 5th century B.C., the Greeks were in the process of developing and reforming a wide range of cultural, social, and scientific pursuits which still have a significant impact on the world today.

In the arts, Greece excelled in many fields, particularly dramatic literature. The works of Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes have had a tremendous influence not only on western literature, but also western thought in general. The works of these playwrights are still performed on stages around the world today. However, it would be a rare and exciting opportunity to see these plays performed for the first time.

The ancient Greeks also excelled in the social sciences. Perhaps their greatest contribution in this area came in the form of democracy. The Greek words "Demo" and "Cracy" mean "People" and "Rule" respectively. Today, many of the world's great nations have adopted, and to a certain extent, modified the ancient Greek system. Yet, its birth and early maturation period all took place in ancient Greece.

Academic subjects such as Philosophy, Astronomy, Physics and Biology also received a great deal of attention in the ancient Greek world. The philosophical writings of Heraclitus, Plato, and Aristotle have had a profound influence on western scholarship for well over two thousand years. The Mathematical theories of Pythagoras and Euclid, combined with theories from other great ancient civilizations, provided a foundation upon which later mathematicians such as Newton and Einstein based their work.

The world of the Ancient Greeks would most certainly be an exciting and stimulating place to go back to. Politics, Drama, Physics, and a number of other subjects were still in their infancy, and all were being fiercely debated and examined. It would undoubtedly be and enriching experience to observe and take part in such a fascinating civilization.

The topic makes me recollect my childhood, the happiest time that I had in my hometown. It is a remote village on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau full of imagination and intrigue. My childhood there was cheerful and unforgettable.

It used to be a very small village, surrounded with high mountains; the melted snow water from the top of the mountains formed many clear brooks and went through the village. The crystal water moistened the grass and crops in the village and also provided the village people with all sorts of fish and shrimps. The appearance of the mountainsides varied as the seasons change yellow in spring, green in summer, red in autumn and white in winter. The top of the mountains was always covered with snow, shining under the sun. When you were in the village, you would feel you were touching the sky and you will feel a sense of holiness around your body.

My childhood friends and I enjoyed our life in the village so much. We liked to swim in the water freely and catch the fish on fine days. We grazed the animals in the grassland after school. The sheeps on the grassland are like stars on a vast velvet green carpet. We played games in the pasture, we sang folk songs on the hill, and we climbed trees in the forests. We were always so happy that we often forgot to go home or go to school. I boast it was the most beautiful place in the world, although full of impoverishment. The villagers were so poor and they barely have enough food at that time, but they were so optimistic. They kept working hard with little return without any hesitation or complain. It was since childhood that I learned how to face hardships and failures in my life.

My childhood days were innocent and worry free. I left my hometown for a better educational opportunity when I grew up, but I always miss that wonderful homeland. I take every opportunity to visit it. The pictures of the place and the life there will always live in my mind.

If I were afforded the opportunity to go back to a specific time and place in the past, I would venture back to ancient Greece. During the 5th century B. C., the Greeks were in the process of developing and reforming a wide range of cultural, social, and scientific pursuits that still have a significant impact on the world today.

In the arts, Greece excelled in many fields, particularly dramatic literature. The works of Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes have had a tremendous influence not only on western literature, but also western thought in general. The works of these playwrights are still performed on stages around the world today, and many of them have been adapted to movies. Still, it would be a rare and exciting opportunity to see these plays performed for the first time.

The ancient Greeks also excelled in the social sciences. Perhaps their greatest contribution in this area came in the form of democracy. The Greek words "Demo" and "Crazy" mean "People" and "Rule" respectively. Today, many of the world's great nations have adopted, and to a certain extent, modified the ancient Greek system. Yet, it originated from ancient Greece.

Academic subjects such as Philosophy, Astronomy, Physics and Biology also received a great deal of attention in the ancient Greek world. The philosophical writings of Herbalists, Plato, and Aristotle have had a profound influence on western scholarship for well over two thousand years. The Mathematical theories of Pythagoras and Euclid, combined with theories from other great ancient civilizations, provided a foundation upon which later mathematicians such as Newton and Einstein based their work.

The world of the Ancient Greeks would most certainly be an exciting and stimulating place to go back to. Politics, Drama, Physics, and a number of other subjects were still in their infancy, and all were being fiercely debated and examined. It would undoubtedly be an enriching experience to observe and take part in such a fascinating civilization.

If I could go back to some time and place in the past, I would choose my childhood and my hometown. There it was full of my child's happy days. Especially nowadays, I live in a metro city full of chaos, traffic and pollution.

I would never forget the clear stream in my hometown. My friends and I used to swim and fish in the water, and play on the grass nearby. Currently I am still looking for such a nice place for my child, but I cannot find it anymore.

I have lost contact with my close friends in my childhood for nearly twenty years. Their appearances are still kept in my memory. Their honesty, naive and helpful characters taught me what real friendship is. Perhaps they were all married and even have children, perhaps they have achieved their childhood dreams one way or the other, and perhaps they are struggling for living just like me. I wish we could get together sometime like our childhood years, free from worries about the future.

I still remember my hometown in New Year times. Every child was dressed well, and got more freedom from their parents than other days in the year. Everyone in my hometown was happily talking about their harvests and their plans in the next year. Needless to say, us children can enjoy lots of delicious foods in such days.

During my childhood days, I lived happily and healthily in a beautiful environment, and I had very close friends. I wish I could go back to enjoy my cherished memories again.