http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/ en Copyright 2007 Sat, 04 Aug 2007 09:34:07 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 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. http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/08/last_night_in_richmond.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/08/last_night_in_richmond.html Sat, 04 Aug 2007 09:34:07 +0000 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. http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/08/paper_preparing.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/08/paper_preparing.html Sat, 04 Aug 2007 08:44:36 +0000 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. http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/08/canoeing.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/08/canoeing.html Sat, 04 Aug 2007 07:21:30 +0000 ]]> http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/08/wonderful_jazz_night.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/08/wonderful_jazz_night.html Wed, 01 Aug 2007 20:38:13 +0000 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. http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/08/monticello.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/08/monticello.html Wed, 01 Aug 2007 19:52:10 +0000 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! http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/home_stay.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/home_stay.html Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:17:00 +0000 During these days in Richmond,I become more and more willing to study in USA because of the excellent professors,the good studying amosphere and the nice people here.I don't know whether it is the same situation in other places of America, however, Richmond raises my expectation to study abroad.And I am kind of unwilling to leave now. After visiting to the Darden business school,which is the most beautiful school I have ever been to, I am dreaming that one day I am able to study there but it's really difficulte for me to reach that goal. However, just as the famous slogan says "Impossible is nothing".No one knows the future.And I will try my best.]]> http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/a_visit_to_uva.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/a_visit_to_uva.html Tue, 31 Jul 2007 06:00:57 +0000 Holidays have gone,doubtlessly,we all came back to classes. From Tuesday to Thursday,I can't help struggling with sleepiness in the class,even though I bought starbucks in the morning.Maybe it was kind of related to the subject of the lectures. The lectures on Tuesday and Wednesday were about politics.Although I specialized in politics when I prepared for the college entrance examination,it doesn't mean that I like politics but only mean that I can do well in it and get a high score to enter my ideal school.So after the examination,I turned to economics, which, compared to politics, I prefer to study more. I have been always thinking about that It's easy to find something that one is intertestd in but it's hard to keep that interests.The world is so various that everything seems to be attractive and I am eager to try all of them,and figure out what on earth I can be reconciled to devoting to.But it is unrealistic because of the contradiction between innumerable things and limited life.If I just keep trying different things, I will gain nothing in the end. Nevertheless, I am still perplexed about what I really like and how to stick to it and what I can do is only to have a try... eh...It seems to be too far away from the topic...skip it~ The lecture on Friday was quite interesting because it brought the theories into reality.And I asked a question for the first time,which was really impossible for a person like me. I began to take the courage to express my opinion and try to speak English loud in front of so many people.It was kind of progressive, wasn't it? http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/back_to_classes.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/back_to_classes.html Sun, 29 Jul 2007 05:38:35 +0000 The next day on the beach was similar compared to the previous ones,not that much exciting,but I still enjoyed myself just for doing nothing all day long which was kind of rare in life.]]> http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/va_beach.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/va_beach.html Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:03:25 +0000 Then we came to the most exciting roller coaster in the park----the Griffon.When we were still miles away from the roller coaster,we were able to hear the screamings coming out from the perpendicular part.I have never been on a roller coaster before because I am so scared of the centrifugal force,especially when the train is coming down from the top.I was kind of unwilling to get on the roller coaster at first,however,I was not reconciled to paying the ticket for waiting under the roller coaster and keeping the cameras or something else for my friends......So~I made up my mind to have a try finally. When the roller coaster began to move, my heart was beating faster and faster.I began to question myself why I got on this damn train......Suddenly it dropped from the top and I was so scared that I kept my eyes closed during the whole process.It felt like that I was being thrown from one side to another.Finally, I survived.I was proud of myself and from then on I would no longer be afraid of roller coasters.What a great breakthrough! After the Griffon I tried other two roller coaster----Le Scoot Log Flume & Alpengeist.They were no so thrilling as the Griffon and I became to enjoy myself. See, I was making progress.^_^ Then we went to Carousel and picked up the happiest memory in our childhood on the rocking horse. Time was far not enough for having fun in Busch Gardens.We had to take the cable back to England when it was getting close to the departure time. Sincere thanks to Erik for being a tour guide for us so that we were able to save our time in deciding where to go and how to get to the exact places we wanted to.^_^]]> http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/busch_gardens_1.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/busch_gardens_1.html Tue, 24 Jul 2007 04:36:50 +0000 When I go back to China,I can show off that I have seen Harry Potter~Yeah~ ]]> http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/harry_potter_comes_1.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/harry_potter_comes_1.html Sat, 21 Jul 2007 06:12:28 +0000 Before I came to America,I had heard that American's way of teaching is quite different from that of China,activeness,feeling free to ask questions and being friends with professors.I recognized that it was true when we started the first lecture with Dr.Ryan Smith on the subject of Colonial America to the Revolution.Since I learnt that when I was in high school,it was kind of a revision and Dr.Smith had so pure an accent that I could take it as a practice of TOEFL test,haha~ But the afternoon was a little bit boring,Dr Ted Tunnell kept skipping so fast that I could hardly catch up with him.Some of the words he used were kind of obscure and acadamic and I had never heard of them before.So I just kept struggling with falling asleep... Night time came,we went to Short Pump Mall for shopping.The things there were not that good but some of them were really cheaper than those in Shanghai,especially the commodities with famous brand like Clinique,L'evis and Body shop,etc.But I just saved for the shopping in NY so that it was just a window shopping personally. I was totally exhauted after the whole class day and shopping and can't help closing my eyes on the way home.But it was still a colorful day~ http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/first_class_day.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/first_class_day.html Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:26:53 +0000 Then we paid a visit to the Virginia Capitol.It's really hard to imagine that general travellers can visit a government building in China.And I got some ideas about part of the American history during the time of Revolution and got to know something more specific about George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The building itselt is kind of Roman style,with a large lawn in front of it.What's more,the building behind the Capitol is even more fascinating,just like the castle in the movie though I don't know what it is actually used for. Central business district is another charming scenery.Quite different from Shanghai,there few skyscrapers for companies and there is almost no people on the street even it's supposed to be the rush hours. The tour finished around 4:30pm.What a pity that I can't just get off the coach and walk around the city or visit some of the exquisite bookstores and restaurants...]]> http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/bus_tour_around_richmond_1.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/bus_tour_around_richmond_1.html Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:30:59 +0000 Have you ever imagined that it will take two days to get to USA from China by plane? That was what exactly I experienced on July 14&15...... Day One:Shanghai—Tokyo—Shanghai...T_T Day Two:Shanghai—Chicago—Richmond I have repeated the whole story for many times and almost everyone has learnt what happened couple of days ago,so skip the desperate or somewhat funny story and just get the final result——I got to America. Well,it was really an exhausted trip, but I was still looking forward to the new type of life in VCU and in the US,which almost became the spiritual support during the tough flight.And I am sure it won't disappoint me. http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/how_far_is_america.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/how_far_is_america.html Thu, 19 Jul 2007 04:11:44 +0000 Because of some technical problems with my laptop,I was not able to connect to the Internet until last night.Anyway,it's all done now. ^_^ So~Announcement:My blog is open! Welcome and don't hesitate to leave your comments after reading~happy to share the memorable moments with all of you guys in VCU~ http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/my_blog_is_open.html http://blog.vcu.edu/chend5/2007/07/my_blog_is_open.html Thu, 19 Jul 2007 03:57:22 +0000