Blog writing #8 ----The MIT Museum

Blog writing #8

Ji Mengzhu (Kelly)

07/31/2010

This week, we visit the MIT museum which is located in Boston. It is the most fantastic and amazing trip I have seen. This is because I appreciate a lot of exhibitions in terms of science like different Roberts in this museum. I feel that the purpose of MIT museum is to the creative energy of MIT, and to stimulate an understanding and appreciation of the meanings of scientific and technological innovation in the modern world. According to the introduction of interpreter, she tells us that “Recently expanded by 5,000 square feet, the Museum's galleries present ongoing and changing exhibitions on science and technology and current research; architecture and design; and oceanography, underwater robotics and ship design. People will find high-tech artifacts, prototypes, intriguing scientific instruments, historic photographs, amazing holograms, a scientific aquarium, and even ingenious kinetic sculptures”. Besides, what I am interested is that the clock in the MIT museum. This is because it is different from our traditional clock, signing one, two, and three and so on. To my surprise, this special clock uses the chemical element, such as H, Hi, and Li and so on to represent the time. I like it very much, because I think that this idea is quite creative. Therefore, I like this trip very much and I think this trip is the most interesting and meaningful trip from the whole summer course.

Blog writing #7 ---- Tour of Harvard University

Blog writing #7

Ji Mengzhu (Kelly)

07/16/2010

This week, we go to Harvard University which is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This top university is every student’s dream, also is my dream. This is because Harvard University is an ideal setting for learning and students can more or less acquire the high and creative education. What’s more important, we are very glad to invite the second-year student to introduce this university for us. In the following paragraph, I will talk about two parts I am interested in.

Firstly, we visit the Student Housing. In the campus, we find that there are a lot of student dormitories. According to this second-year student, he told us that “over 80% percent of students choose to live campus, taking advantage of proximity to classes the wide array of resources and activities, and the opportunity to get together at any time of the day or night”. Then we visit the next stop ---- Library which is so fantastic and amazing. He also pointed that “this library, with its signature bell tower, is the physical an intellectual heart of campus. It is the world’s largest business library, with more than 600,000 volumes spanning seven centuries ---- a resource for the community as well as for scholars around the world”.

In one word, I want to say that Harvard University is wonderful!

Blog writing #6 ----African American Heritage Trail

Blog writing #6

Ji Mengzhu (Kelly)

07/10/2010

This week we go to the African America Heritage Trail which is located in Boston. Also, we visit a lot of places, such as Robert Gould Shaw and 54^th Regiment Memorial, the Phillips school, John J. Smith House, the African Meeting House and so on. In the following paragraph, I will generally provide the information of African American Heritage and mainly focus on one part that I am interested in.

According to the introduction of the Arica America Heritage from the website, it said that “between 1800 and 1900, most of the African Americans who lived in the city lived in the West End, between Pinckney and Cambridge Streets, and between Joy and Charles Streets, a neighborhood now called the North Slope of Beacon Hill. The American Revolution was a turning point in the status of Africans in Massachusetts. At the end of the conflict, there were more free black people than slaves. When the first federal census was enumerated in 1790, Massachusetts was the only state in the Union to record no slaves”(Museum of African America Heritage history 2010).

Additionally, what I am attractive to is the first site called Robert Gould Shaw and 54^th Regiment Memorial. This is because the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was the first black regiment to be recruited in the North. Furthermore, I like that statue very much, which is quite delicate. Also, there is another reason why I like it. This statue is very similar in terms of appearance to one that is located in my hometown, Chongqing. Therefore, when I appreciate this statue, I have the strong nostalgia to my hometown.

In a word, I think this trip is very meaningful although the weather is extremely hot!

Blog writing #5 ----The Massachusetts State House

Blog writing #5

Ji Mengzhu (Kelly)

07/03/2010

This week, we visit “The Massachusetts State House” which is located in Boston. This trip was different from others, because the interpreter gave explanation when we visit each place. From her description, I knew that after the American Revolution, the state leader wanted a larger and more elegant home to better reflect the prosperous new republic, spacious enough to accommodate an expanding government.

Today, the Massachusetts State House is the oldest building on Beacon Hill. The building and its grounds cover 6.7 acres or about two city blocks. Then the interpreter gave us some detailed explanations about each different statue and office. However, what I am interested in is the “House of Representatives”. The Massachusetts Legislature, or General Court, was established in 1644. It has two branches--- the 40member Senate and the 160 member House of Representatives. Also, the Representative can vote electronically by pushing a green “yes” or a red “nay” button on their desks. I think it is quite advance that at that time; the electronic application could be used in the voting. Therefore, that is why I like the “House of Representatives” very much.

In a word, I think I am interested in this trip and like it quite well.

Blog writing #4 ----The Federal Reserve Banks

Blog writing# 4

Ji Mengzhu (Kelly)

06/28/2010

This week, we have a visit to the Federal Reserve Banks which were created in 1913 and established by Congress as the operating arms of the nation’s central banking system. The appearance of the Federal Reserve Banks is very majestic and spectacular. On the other hand, the Federal Reserve Banks has the very rigorous process for visitors to go inside of the Banks. That is to say, every person should have safety inspection. For instance, all your metallic objects need to be put on the belt, such as coin, cell phone, and anything with Aluminum foil.

Additionally, the professional officer gave us a detailed pretention about the Federal Reserve System. He mainly divided his presentation into three parts: Monetary policy, Payment system and Bank regulation and supervision. During his presentation, I had a better understanding about this Bank. He mentioned that “the Federal Reserve Banks hold the cash reserves of depository institution and make loans. Besides, it will move currency and coin into and out of circulation, and collect and process millions of checks each day.” What’s more important, the Federal Reserve Banks are relatively independent within the government; in other words, it is self-financed and therefore is not subject to the congressional budgetary process.

On the whole, I acquire a lot of knowledge in terms of banking from this trip ---- A visit to the Federal Reserve System.

Blog writing #3

This week, I have the freedom trail in Boston. I walk along to visit a plenty of places, such as the Boston Common, Park Street Church, Boston Latin School, Faneuil Hall and so on. It is very fantastic and amazing. In the following paragraph, I would like to introduce the scenic spot I am most interested in.
First of all, I want to mention the Faneuil Hall which is my favorite scenic spot. My first impression of Faneuil Hall is that the style of this building is quite spectacular and a little traditional. Date back to the history of Faneuil Hall, it was originally built in 1742; Faneuil Hall was the site of the colonist’s early protests against British taxation and is still used as a meeting place today. There are three floors in this building. The first floor is to shop, the second floor is to have the important meeting and the third floor is “Headquarters for Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, the third oldest chartered military organization in the world and oldest in the western hemisphere”. (The Freedom Trail, 2010)
Additionally, I also talk about the feeling of this trip. It is a long time to have this trip, because it requires us to walk along to visit the twelve scenic spots. Besides, the weather is so hot that I nearly cannot open my eyes. Accordingly, I feel quite uncomfortable. However, after visiting those meaningful places, I think it is very worthy of having this trip. This is because I acquire a lot of knowledge and broaden my horizon from this trip. Therefore, that is why I think this trip is quite fantastic and amazing.
In a word, that is my perspective towards this trip----The Freedom Trail.