Monday, April 28, 2008

Liberty Island Tour-Statue of Liberty

Since 1776, United Sates of America have been a strong practicing country of liberty and democracy, a country which spreads the messenger of liberty all over the world and protect those away from tyrant and autocrat. Also, United States is a union consisted by immigrants come from everywhere around the world. No wonder people call it “The Melting Pot”.100 years after independence, a friend of US, France gave American a gift to honor valuable ness of liberty. The French artist Frédéric Bartholdi spended years designed and scupture this 34 meters tall, 204 weight bronze statue called ” Liberty Enlightening the World”. Since 1889, the lady liberty had stood on the liberty island welcoming those immergrant who came for liberty. Far away from liberty lsland, you can still recognize the statue when you sail in the Hudson river. I cannot imagine how awesome it was for the immmergant from Europe to see this symbalic wonder. Although today we are in the jet age, the liberty lady is still standing there enlighting the world with liberty and justice.
In the early morning of Mannhutan, the cloud was still sleeping, lazily swung among the skyscapers and the eraly seagull in the urban atmosphere. The breeze laughed at the people when people had funny face on as it passed through their legs. Walking to the Battery Park, My mom and I were still sleepy because of sleeping late. Suddenly, A little cuttie sneaked in front of us and quickly ran into the bushes next to us. A Squarol! We were excited to see a bunch of cute squarol waking a walk leisurly,even in the world biggest city.
Far away, we merely saw a tiny shadow in the middle of Hudson Bay’s morning mist. That is the Statue of Liberty. Facing the Hudson, the Statue of Libery stood still to welcam he coming of the new day with seagols ,sea waves and for sure, the tourists from the world. Part of tourist was us. We joined the line and tried to find out where was the end of the crowd. Really, We took a long walk and finally found the last person of the whole group meanwhile we had already walk for half mile away from the deck.2 hours wasn’t too long if you had lots of fun during the boringness fowaiting. My mom and chated, shared out happiness and appreciate the unexpected episodes. We met a couple from Spain who were just behind us. Because my mom had been to Spain before, she was really supprised and tried to talk to them. We excitedly trying to talk Spanish with each other. “Hola” and “Gracias” filled between our ice-breaking conversation and also broke the cold morning. Finally, That was our turn for Liberty Island Ferry.
As our ferry approaching the deck, the lady liberty seem to be enlarged. I could see very detail feature of the statue. The bronze rust on the light green statue reflected the wave of the river shining throughout the Hudson Harbor.
The liberty lsland is a little island where used to be a jail. My mom and I walked around the statue, took pictures and helped others taking pictures. I didn’t know since when I started being particular on taking pictures. In order to approach the certain angle, I had to kneel or even lie down on the ground. It seemed to be rediculus but I did put something awesome in my SD memory card beside traditional people-in-the-middle pictures.
You know, sometimes people feel unexplainablly touched when they stand beside something monumental. I felt the same thing while I realized the statue was too tall that everything near her range would just being covered by her shadow. Her face and her eyes were looking in the same direction firmly. That remindered me that she has been standing there for hundreds of years. Certainly not everybody can do that. If she could feel, sh must be really tired.
After the visit of the statue, we were ready to go, meanwhile the police started dispersing the crowd, I didn’t know the reason but we just went rapidly to the harbor back to the ferry. The ferry started and brought us back to the urbanizec real world. Well, 3 o’clock afternoon, my heart were still throbing.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Ma Mam Mia






Located in the downtown New York City, the Broadway is known of its Broadway Show. Since 18th century, the New York City has been the center of American theatre. Many familiar dramas such as Chicago, Phantom of Opera and Cat are all come from Broadway.
It is my first time to be in New York City, the most imagine for me is not the tall buildings and busy people. In contrary, I was expecting the Broadway Show. Theatre can usually present a culture concern rationally. A player on the stage can present a family or a shadow of a society. A conflict and a climax can also express the mood of people and the movement of the society. The stage and props can also show the art and economy of a nation.
Couple weeks before the trip, I checked the Internet for information of Broadway Show ticket. When I saw the price, the first thing came to my mind was “Taiwanese Headache” which my mom always made fun of me because I didn’t like to spend money, but after my theatre teacher who lived in New York before suggested me to try if I could find the half price ticket online, I finally found out an acceptable price. A little asks could save me hundred bucks.
The show we saw was “Ma Ma Mia” which had been played in Taiwan before but I hadn’t had a chance to see it. The Ma Ma Mia is talking about a young girl has no daddy. Before her marriage, she wanted to find her father and accidentally read her mother’s diary about her three former boyfriends. She sends the invitation to each of “father candidates” to here wedding. She also needs to figure out who is her real dad among three men. The story is happened in the Greece, a romantic and mythic state
First time appreciating a formal show, there was nothing could cover my curiosity and happiness. Mom and I lined up for the show in front of the Winter Garden Theater on the Broadway. We were all excited and expecting to see the show. Entering the performance hall, we saw many people wore formal clothing and looked like ladies and gentlemen walking around and talked with each other elegantly. The spotlight and the elaborate architecture constructed an atmosphere of beau monde.
The show started with a happy girl sang about how happy she was to get married. She invited her cousins, aunts and her “dads”. Her mom was a hard-working money lover. She sang the song “ Money! Money!” in the very cute way. Other flat characters and dancer gathered together and tried to hook the audience as the money hooks mankind.
The girl’s fiancé was an employee who had a strong infatuation with diving and fishing. The night before wedding, he even went to diving with his buddies. The girl’s aunts were totally different. One of them was a mammon, and the other was expedition. Three fathers had their own personality too. They were successful businessman, explorer and normal person. In addition, there was always a strong single parent momma. They tried to find the perfect match with each other on the crazy little island. How “Ma Ma Mia” it was
Bowing, the certain slowly fell as feathers. That was a great night with my momma. A good theatre always reflected a deep part of people’s mind, which wasn’t expose too much. In the final scene, the girl decided to let her mother being her father. Mother always support and love children. I love my mom and glad that she cam come.

Friday, April 4, 2008

My Dream Land MIT





Since I was fifth grade, I have had a strong interest on engineering. In our daily life, everything is based on engineering whether it is a giant building or just a piece of chocolate. Engineer is the brain and the human of human civilization.
I remember when I was child, my mom gave me toys such as playing block, which I need to think and create. My sister and I liked to create new stuff. Sometimes we combine many different kinds of toys to make a new shape or a new function; even we try to do ‘’surgery’’ on my sister’s Barbie doll. Later in the kindergarten, we still like to create.
Since 2003, my life had been full of scientific research project. My first long-term project was to analyze the principle of fluid dynamics in order to make an efficient aircraft. Since very early, I have realized and learned the spirit of science and the way of science such as teamwork. Science had been my interest and ambition through my academic life.
Maybe it is too early to establish an aim, I am still ambitious to make contribute my life on science and industrial, and my aim is to universalize and graduate replace the gas-consuming society. That will be my goal!
MIT had been the top engineering school for a long time. Professors and students have been inventing the new technology and create a new world day by day.
Located in Cambridge in Boston in, MIT is next to downtown Boston, Charles River and Harvard University.
In the morning of my first trip to Boston, we went to the MIT on the local subway system T. I had campus tour that day but I almost missed it because the campus was so big that takes me hours to figure out how to get to the other end. In the rush hours with my mom, we took a glance of MIT’s landscape. State Media laboratory center lied on the corner of the Greek style old main buildings with a modern face and impressive shape. The great dome of the Barker’s library was facing the downtown Boston across from the Charles River which is gorges but also harmonious with the trees and sky. Walking through the campus was other kinds of joy.
The campus tour started with hundreds of high school students and their worried parents at noon. In the crowd, most of them were oriental face and the rest of them were local American. They were all looked similar somehow. Maybe they are all nervous but curious about the school they were looking for. I glanced upward the great dome of the right wing of the whole building. The indirect light on the concrete surface reflected tender brightness but also create an awesome atmosphere.
The leading guide led us to the student center across from the busy intersection. Around the corner, there was the modern theater consisted by 3 main frame. It sounded like these 3 frames, which looked like unbelievable, supported the whole construction. The student center was a busy place. Student come for lunch or just grab and go. Beside the dining area, there was a big Olympic standard size swimming pool with bright lighting and great audience seats. As Mr. Pepper in his book Creative Factory: MIT “ Swimming half hour is the best way to relax.” The swimming pool probably will be my favorite place to go when I feel stress.
After the right wing, we went to the opposite side of the campus. We passed the tallest building known as “The Green Building” in MIT. Each year during the Halloween, the student will use the nitrogen liquid freeze the pumpkin and drop them from the top of the building, which are about 30 floors. Sounds cool, doesn’t it.
Suddenly after we passed two layers of glass screen, there lied a great big building. Maybe I should not say “a”, it was actually a pile of buildings known as State Center. In the front of the building, it looked a section of the airplane and the rest of orange building was just lying in random directions without any support. I doubted it would support itself well, but it seemed to be all right. Maybe that was the feature of MIT and MIT beavers, crazy but accurate awesomely.
We came back to the Endless alley, the sunshine came though the every glasses screen of every windows. In the end of the alley, we got out of the building. Facing us, there was the view of the Back Bay area of Boston. The tallest building was Hancock hall and the on prior to it was Prudential Center. Below the city, Charles River brought the spirit and the duck for this city.
In the opposite side of the Charles River, the Great Dome known as Barker’s library dignifiedly raise straight up on the bank. Wow! That is the temple of the industrial science to me. The great building was written “ Massachusetts Institute of Technology”. Although every letters ”U” looked like “V”, I could recognize it right away. After the campus tour, I came back to the Dome, took pictures and admire how import to me to see this spiritual creation. I was touched and briefly talked with the building; I kneel down, touched and felt the concrete ground. The whole building graduate became a part of my heart and my soul. I guest it was one of my homes, the home for me to struggle and to persuade. I kissed the ground with my skinny lips and quickly stood up. Meanwhile I knew that was where I should belong. Yeah! That is where I belong. I think now my aim is clear enough and close enough. It doesn’t matter if it is hard to enter the school. As Master Cheng Yang said,” If you have well, the power to achieve it will come with it.”