Memorable Moments in VCU

How time flies~
Hardly can I believe that I have already been in Richmond for three weeks and now I have to pack my bag and head for NYC.
My feeling is rather complicated.I am excited about finishing the study in VCU and heading for NYC to have fun. On the other hand, it means that my visit to USA comes to the last part. I am unwilling to leave this place and the people here, especially the interns who are so nice that always ready to help me and try to make our activities more wonderful and colorful.
Let's keep in touch~And whenever you come to China, do let me know and I will be you guys' "intern" at that time.

The toughest thing of the summer school in VCU is undoubtlessly the 4-page paper.I have never written a 1500-word paper before.
What topic should I focus on?
How can I develop my ideas?
How to organize the paragraphe?
How to write in an academic and professional way?
......
All kinds of problems came to my mind when I started to work on my paper.The topic range was so large that I was not able to figure out a specific one.I kept changing my mind on the topic for several times, from history to culture and finally I decided to write something that related to my major, so I chose to write on the Great Depression in America.
Since I had a class on economic history of America last semester, I am quite familiar with this importment event in American history. And I read some paper when I studied this class, so it is not hard for me to find the materials.
But how to organize this materials and form my own opinion is the most difficult thing.And I am still working on it.

Thursday, when Matt finished reading my draft, he did give me some helpful advice. And I found out a big difference between paper in America and in China. In China, writers like to be professional and explain things in an academic way, which often confuses readers. If a paper is not well understood, people may think it is a valuable one. And keep studying it even though it just explains the topic in some obscure words. But in America, writers are supposed to make the paper easy to understand even make it easy to those who know nothing about the topic.So I always find that American papers are easy to catch the writers' ideas. Well~it is really a big difference.

Exhausted!
This was the first time that I kept rowing a boat for such a long time.My arms might be paining for the next week...
At the very beginning, Grace, Vivian and me were in the front of the canoe team.We rowed and rested by turns.We were curious about everything, dragonflies, butterflies, water-plants, whirlpool,etc.Although the sun was buring above us, we still enjoyed our time on the James River.
However, we gradually found out that we were falling behind others.We rowed and rowed, but the canoe didn't go a straight line but a "Z" one.When we got to the bridge and thought it was the end of the trip, a bad news came from the coach, saying that we only finished one third of the whole distance.
Desperate!
Seldom did I feel so helpless...Three little girls, in the middle of the river, exhausted and no one wanted to row any more......
But we had to go on.We had no choice...
I just kepting rowing like a machine without thinking and talking...And my arms seemed to without my control......
One of the most lasting time in my life finally came to the end.But I was proud of myself for having finished the task.

It is the first time that I have so much fun in a musical class.
Although I have been studying playing the piano for 15 years, I always feel a little boring to have a classical piano class.But the lecture given last night surprised me so much that I could hardly believe the piano could be played in that fancy way.
The performance of the band was excellent, bugle, base, drum and piano made a harmonious melody.I was busy listening to the melody of each instrument but still not able to figure out how could they match together and build the harmony.
Pro.Tony Garcia tried to explain how they played jazz in a simple way,and I succeed in understanding what he said though there were still a few professional words I couldn't catch up.
Anyway, it was a wonderful Jazz night~

We paid a visit to Thomas Jefferson's house Monticello on Monday.
When the bus travelled along the mountain road,I read a beautiful sentencen in the introduction: "all my wishes end, where I hope my days will end, at Monticello----Thomas Jefferson,1787"How deep the love was that he was willing to spend rest of his life in Monticello.

Monticello was a house,an ornamental landscape, a farm, a plantation, a small mountain, and a large and diverse community. It encapsulated the interests, talents, ideals, ambitions, dreams and realities of one of the most complex and interesting members of the bold and creative group we know as the Founding Fathers.It showed Jefferson's knowledgeableness, intelligence, personality and creativeness.

Maps in the hall showed his concern about the world.
Clocks in each room showed his unwillingness to waste a minute.
Different status showed his respect to the great people in history.
Piano, books and oil paintings showed his all-rounded hobbies.
The view outside the house was also fantastic with pieces and pieces of green.

After visiting Monticello,gradually did I come to know the meaning of the sentence mentioned above.

After Mr.Dan Ream finished being our tour guide to the library,my friends and I made the decision immediately that we wanted to stay with Dan's family on the home-visit day.
Although it seemed to be rainy on Sunday afternoon,we were still looking forward to visiting Dan's family to know more about the typical American way of life.
Annie,Cindy and I got to the library at 3pm and Mr.Ream had already waiting there.After introducing ourselves,we started our trip~

The activities decided by VCU tended to show the bright side of life in USA, however, dark side always exists.Dan showed us around both the poor district and the wealthy district in Richmond and figured out the deep gap between the wealths and the poors,which gave me an all-rounded view about the city.
What's more,Dan took us to the Hollywood Cemetery, a place we would never go to without his guide.Chinese people always think that going to a cemetery is kind of unlucky thing, however, the Hollywood Cemetery is so beautiful and quiet that I can simply consider it as a garden.He told us a few stories about the graves there,sad but memorable.

Finally at 5:30pm, five of us got to Dan's house.It is not that big but well decorated,clean and clear,which makes me feel comfortable like home, especially the room in the backyard where we sat and talked together is my favourate one.The big book shell in the living room shows that the whole family is knowledgeable.
Mrs Ream and their son Paul greeted us at the door then showed us around the house.After a brief talk, dinner was prepared.It was the most delicious dinner I had ever had since I came to America, fried chiken, vegetable salad,bean and cherry wine......wonderful~
Worthy to mention is their dog Carolina.Before meeting her,I was kind of afraid of big dogs,but she is so cute and gentle that I even want to raise a pet just like her.And she seemed to like us too,which made us even more happier.

We talked a lot about their daily life.Which surprised me most is their community activities.There is no concept about "community activity" in China.But people here are so nice that they build houses for homeless people at their leisure time and they donate so much which exceeds my expectation.

To sum up,I really learnt a lot from this home stay and I do appreciate the Ream's family for having me to their home.I come to know more about the typical America in politics, language, culture and people relationship etc.How I wish I can be with them for a longer time!