Cathy Zhou's blog

One thing that magic garden impressed most is the diversity of materials they used, I always figured mosaic should be a simple piece of art,but when I walked in the place,the huge art piece made by millions of small ones really shocked me.The use of mirror pieces should be my favorite,since it made the art piece unique to everybody who sees it.The reflection of every visitors can be part of this masterpiece.

In my mosaic, I tried to make scattered picture a whole by putting pictures taken at similar angles aside,from the sky to views downstairs,making it continuous somehow.I also inserted one mosaic of my face in it,half taken at the garden and half taken at night.It's interesting to put broken pieces together and endow a new meaning inside.

The trip we took this Saturday was a magical exploration.

I did not have any plan until the morning I met up with my group, we talked about the places we saw online that interested us and decided to go to an art museum when we got there.

When we arrived, I took a look around the random angle of the city, it is ----concrete and different from any city I’ve seen previously. The huge mirror buildings reflected the sky and clouds, which made them part of the blue. It’s beautiful concrete. We saw the city hall, which is a nicely preserved building, magnificent, graceful, you can see a history out of it.When we walk along the street, there are flags of different nations. I tried to find my country through the long street and found the five stars right in front of the library.

The essay of Henig totally recalled my memory of family times, when my father always complains how technologies have been ruining my childhood: I have never climbed trees or catched an insect in my childhood----but these were never anything I would love to do. I spent time with my childhood friends playing card games or acting plays, we enjoyed pretending to be someone in the TV series. But there was little time for playing since I was attending preschool classes and take piano, drawing, handwriting, taekwondo at the same time. They don’t want me to be left behind by other kids, and arranged a busy schedule for me.

And the serendipity essay by Sunstein, I have to say the only reason I buy magazines and newspaper is that those wide range of random messages cannot be replaced by online surfing. I want to read something I have no previous experience or knowledge of, and want a little surprise for life. I always read through the whole paper---even the name of the editors on the back, which is like an exploring experience.

I had a very vague impression about my city when I was younger. I spent most of my time in the neighborhood area with my peers, and my whole world was around those little corners: the grassland in front of our apartment, a little candy shop across the street, grandpa’s bike, and little toys got from KFC. When the holiday came up, my parents would take me downtown, for a good restaurant, a reward from the mall’s showcase, or a crowded festival that could fill a child’s eyes with happiness.

Then I turned five, my family decided to send me to an elementary school downtown, where I got closer to “the city”.

That time the city is a small city, a place known for spicy food, beautiful weather, old museums and tea houses. Cars are not widely affordable; people wander from streets to streets, if getting tired, they would stop by a tea house and have a rest.  Sometimes I would peep from my classroom on 3rd floor, where I see a glance of “city”. The center of the city locates two blocks away from my school, which is a square surrounded by a sports center and a few shopping centers, crowded with people from inside and outside. Everyone looks forth to their destination, with a either desperate or hopeful anticipation, and therefore moves along. The old buildings, the tea houses, and the sparkling traffic lights filled my 6 years.

And it changes rapidly as the time passes.

This picture was taken when I was skyping with my friend who I haven't seen for half an year.I have lived in my hometown for 15 years and went on a one-year exchange program in US.I was homesick,shy,and lost the first time I stepped on this strange field.I held my words carefully so that my shabby accent doesn't come out often,I stared at those strangers of different races,frustrated and sad.My first time out of the country alone was such a scare to me.However,when I take a look around,it was not as bad as what I've being imagining.I tried to talk to people,started to make friends,and built up a positive attitude with the help of them. And the time I began to contact my old friends,I can finally smile out.I realized that every obstacle was not that hard to overcome as long as you deal with it with courage and smile.And all I wanted to give to them is a big heart,to show that I appreciate everything I met,things that occur around me.They made me who I am,affect my ways,my choices,and will lead to a future I'm looking forward to.