The Virginia Highlands

http://media.point2.com/p2a/htmltext/57ed/05b4/e7e2/a4060576ddefff402173/original.jpg

For our last english project we were asked to explore another Atlanta neighborhood and make an interactive guide to it. Our group instantly agreed to research the unique qualities of the Virginia Highlands. We explored the areas of the community such as dining, shopping, art & culture, and housing. After doing a lot of research and visiting the neighborhood, I have been able to see what a special part of the city that it is. It is like a traditional neighborhood oasis sin the middle of a sprawling city. You receive all the great qualities of a good community such as narrow sidewalks, straight-grid like streets, and corner stores, but you also have an amazing view of the Atlanta skyline when you look up. The community makes that a point. In their neighborhood sign, there is a picture of houses and trees in the foreground with the beautiful Atlanta skyscrapers in the background. The Virginia Highlands is has a lot to offer to a family. The houses are antique and beautiful with plenty of yard space. Also, there is walkability and accessibility. There is no trace of huge parking lots nor mega malls. Rather, the streets are lined with small boutiques and locally owned galleries and restaurants. The community is a special place involved in and is a treasure hidden in the big city. If you are new to Atlanta, I highly suggest you check this traditional neighborhood out! -Amy

Friends to Family

Everyone says that college was the prime time of their life, their youth; it was when they discovered who they were, when they fell in love, when they made friends that turned into family. In coming to Tech I realized that the men and women that I meet over the next few years may very well be the same men and women that I spend time with for the rest of my life. However, I never imagined that right away, within the first five months of school, that I would make friends that have truly become my family. I saw that they have become like family because I would do almost anything for them. My best friend at school is great! I couldn't believe how much I missed him over the last five days. I really couldn't believe it! Then, as it would naturally follow, the thought occurred to me that I would have no idea what I was going to do over Christmas break. How am I going to spend an entire month away from my best friend? We study together, watch movies, hang out... & everything!

There's a toast that I really like: "So here's to the nights that turned into mornings, and the friends that turned into family." What with finals coming up and there's never been more cause for those nights that have turned into mornings; and in coming to college, I have never made the kinds of friends that have turned into family.

XOXO

Texas_Girl [Katy S.]

New Experience in Atlanta

I have to say this weekend should be one of the most exciting one so far. As a crazy basketball fan, i will never forget my first NBA game at Philips Arena that is ATL Hawks home stadium.
Hawks is becoming the hottest team of NBA as they keep winning games and being the top of the league. So far, they lead the NBA with 11-2. Fortunately, ticket price is not as expensive as i imagined. Since we bought group tickets, we spent only $10 apiece on the game and a free chick-fil-a meal. Cheap tickets make fans more involved in Hawks game. The stadium were almost full. Without a superstar like Kobe and LeBron, Hawks still draws a big crowd of fans. With the support of fans, our players beat every team at Philips Arena. By the way, it seemed that Beyonce and Jay-Z were sitting in the first row. But i was not quite sure because we sit kinda far from celebrity seat area.
Basketball triggered the passion of people in Atlanta. Before i came to the game, I would never know the magic that attracts people. That is the atmosphere. First of all, I have to admit i was attracted by A-town dancers. They made the intervals of the game even more catching than the game itself. Of course, hot girls have special magic that attracts guys. Other than A-town dancers, there were also interesting old men dance, funny mascots show and special dunk performance. Last but not least, the spectators were quite involve and became a part of this game. The camera man will give close-up shots to anyone who is very special. People dance or show their banners to draw attention of the camera man. Funny things are shown on the big screen. In that game, camera man gave close-up shots to lovers and the broadcaster asked them to kiss each other. What's funny is that at last they gave a close-up to players on another team and asked them to kiss.
I am not sure if it is the the passion of people in Atlanta makes our team so good or the good performance of our team triggers our passion. Anyway, i enjoy living in Atlanta and cheering for Hawks.

Yuchen Zhu

population of las vegas

Creating a Website

It's time for our next project in English 1101. We've got to make a website, a website that makes a claim about a community. Our group (Sarah, Philip, and Clay) has decided to make a website using Moogo, a free website designer. With this site, you can make a professional looking webpage that focusses on many aspects of the "Golf-Cart City." We created tabs for Events, About Peachtree City, and one for the Community. Under About we have Fun Facts, and History. Under Community, we have Shopping and Dining, Schools, Parks and Recreation, and Neighborhoods. If you go to our website, you'll be able to see everything that we've been working on. In our site, we have decided to argue that Peachtree City is a traditional neighborhood with slight sprawling influences. In order to maintain the notion that Peachtree City is in fact a traditional neighborhood, we are using the specifics to encourage that theory. Under Community, with Shopping and Dining, we are focusing on the boutiques and smaller restaurants that are specific to the small town, proving the traditional style of the city. But focusing on the neighborhoods, we looked at which places and portions within the city had specific traditions. For example, the Industrial part of the neighborhood is where most of the industries and manufacturing plants are located. Parks and Recreation will focus on the local places for children and families to go to spend the day playing with each other and fostering a social life. By creating our website, I hope to learn more about creating a website for a business and a location in particular. I think that this project will help prepare me for the business world when I graduate from Tech.

Hope you've thought about what's going on after you graduate ;)

XOXO

Texas_Girl [Katy S.]

Analyze This... Analyze That

Rhetorical analysis is something we do every day. We make judgments about a place or object based on the way it is presented to us. We sometimes don't even realize it. Recently, we have been assigned a project in which we are to take an image of an artifact, structure, or website that is making an argument about that place. At first it seemed like it was going to be difficult, but as I got into it I realized that these are things we pick up on. We analyze images everyday. When I see a billboard advertisement for something like I dentist, I analyze it. If the person in the picture is smiling and showing of her pearly whites, I will most likely think to myself that I should try to go to that dentist. The girl looks happy and look how good her teeth look. I think to myself, "I want what that is selling".

That is the exact same process as analyzing a place. I searched the internet and I found a tourism website for Savannah Georgia. They aren't trying to sell you beautiful teeth, but rather a vacation destination. This website went into great detail to sell Savannah. It uses all three rhetorical appeals of ethos, logos, and pathos. They establish credibility with a seal in the background and with the website title being official Savannah guide. Logically, they post the cities founding date, trying to embellish the historical aspect of Savannah. Also, they establish Pathos with the layout. The website resembles a memory book or photo book. This makes Savannah seem like a place that memories can be made. There were many other things around the website that made Savannah seem like the best place to go. After I had finished analyzing the website I was ready to plan my trip and make an itinerary.

Overall, it was way easier than I thought it would be to analyze this display. Its funny because it is something we do everyday and we don't even realize it. I judge books by their cover. It is all in the advertisement of the item...

Amy

My first impression of this picture is excitement and joy. People are cheering. It seems that they are watch a game in a fast food restaurant. This picture gives me pleasure. Even though it’s none of my business what they cheer for, I feel happy when I see people are happy. I think it is human nature or conditioned reflex. This picture seems to tell us this is a place of diversity where people can have fun.

The picture appeals to people who enjoy watching games with others and cheering for their favorite team with fans.

From left side, we can tell that it must be a fast food restaurant. Someone is making food. There are French fries and beverage machine. It is also a place of diversity. In this picture, there are white people, black people and Asian people. It also might be a place for middle age people. The people seem to be 30 years old or more. Obviously, they are watching TV and cheering for something. Though some people turn around to pray or shout for joy, most people look in the same direction. There must be a TV on top. Someone is holding a board with “XXX The Best” on it. XXX is probably the team they cheer for. People stand very close to each other. The atmosphere seems to be very lively. Their favorite team is winning the game that can be told from their facial expressions.

Yuchen Zhu

Sleeping

Everyone's seen the Facebook bumper sticker:

"(a) adequate sleep
(b) social life
(c) good grades
Welcome to college,
Pick one."

So incredibly true. Either you sleep and don't go out or study enough; you go out with friends and don't have time to study and because you're out so late you don't sleep; or, you study so much that you never go out with your people or sleep. It's all about balance. I'm seriously trying to learn that; so far, I've gotten sick, twice, from not getting enough sleep and killing my immune system and still going out at night. It was ridiculous and my cousin told me that I just need to get more sleep, I should have listened to her. Anyways, last night, my dad was in town, so we went out to dinner and a movie, so I got back to my room around 10. Fine, right? Plenty of time to go to bed and I could have gotten at least 7 hours of sleep if I had gone to bed by at least 11, it could have been amazing. Well, I left my phone in his car, and had to find some way to call him, so after all that, it was probably 10:30 by the time I was in my room. But, I wanted to study and hang out with a friend who I haven't seen in a few weeks. Smart_Ass and I studied until 1:30 in the morning!! Don't get me wrong, I was able to accomplish options (b) and (c), but I totally sacrificed (a). (A) is possibly the most important of all of these because, if you don't get enough sleep, you won't be able to focus during your classes, this also means that you'll have no idea what's going on so you won't know what to study. If you don't sleep enough, you'll turn into a person who snaps more quickly than normal, you'll have a shorter temper, and not understand much of what people are saying and continuously have to ask them to repeat themselves. With all of these personality shifts, your friends won't want to hang out with you. If they don't want to hang out with you, how can you obtain option (b)? Without (a), you cannot get the others. I'm currently running on four hours of sleep... Four hours of sleep!! This is so not enough. Certainly not enough for me, I know how much sleep I need to get to not go all Dr. Jeckle & Mr. Hyde. It's 8 hours. 8 hours, not four. By the way, I just woke up at 6:00, it's now 8:37, and I'm fighting, literally fighting, to keep my eyes open. But that's just what keeps us up, having to go over and over our school work, and make it perfect and more perfect

Bottom line: SLEEP!

XOXO
Texas_Girl [Katy S.]

Google Images. IStockPhoto "Sleeping" Web. 9 Nov. 2009. .

More about Disney

Simply to enhance the point that we were making about how Disney has been created a magical get away for children throughout the generations, here are some commercials from over the years.

1971:

1987:


1990s:


2007:


Over the years, Disney has not only bridged the gap between parents and their children, but with their movies, they have bridged the gap between grandparents and their grandchildren, and moving on into the next generation, they are continuing to bridge the gap between great-grandchildren and all the family ties above them.

remember when you believed in the magic?

XOXO
Texas_Girl [Katy S.]

Tale as old as Time

I want to expand on Texas Girls' point about Kunsler's article on Disney World, "Capitals of Unreality" . In his article he expresses the that Disney World is merely a place of extravagant unreality. He claims, "Disney World is where they escape to worship the nation in abstract, a cartoon capital of a cartoon republic enshrining the falsehoods, half-truths, and delusions that prop up the squishy thing the national character has become." I feel like Kunsler totally exaggerates the meaning and purpose of Disney World. Yes, it is a place to escape from reality. Yes, it is a place where we get away from the sprawling place we have built around us. But would you really go so far in saying that it is a place "enshrining falsehoods, half-truths, or delusions". Has Kunsler ever heard of childhood? Was he a normal kid who experienced imaginary friends, playing pirates in the back yard or wishing he could fly? I think the whimsical nature of Disney world defines our childhood. I think that one reason people love the place so much is because it reminds them of their childhood.

Now I was born in the 1990. I grew up loving Disney. That is what I watched when I was a child: the Disney classic movies that instilled moral lessons. The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Aladdin, and The Lion King. I loved all these characters too. It is what I loved about my childhood. I still like to go back and watch these movies. It makes me reminisce on all the halloween costumes where I was a belle and pocahantus. It makes me reminisce on the all my princess birthday cakes I had each year. It makes me reminisce on the Simba and Baboo stuffed animals I used to sleep with. It makes me reminisce on how fun just being a kid was. I'm sorry Kunsler if you think this unreality is full of crap.

Behind the "show-biz frosting", I still believe Disney's motivation is pure. Walt Disney believed in the same factor of a whimsical childhood that I brought up earlier. He believed in hope and simple day dreaming. I think sometimes one just needs to look past the corporate aspect of Disney. I don't think it was created to rip people off and to make people feel good because there are no cars. I think they just wanted to provide a place to let-loose, and have fun being a kid again. It's a vacation destination. And isn't the point of vacation to get away from reality? I honestly think Kunsler was just way too dramatic, made to many assumptions, and over-analyzed Disney completely.

Picture from: http://www.floridatix.co.uk/images/photos/large/walt-disney-world1.jpg

Kunsler was Wrong...

For English class, we were asked to read another chapter from Kunsler's book. In this, he spent the majority of it bashing the wonderful Disney World. When I was 7, I went to the "Most Magical Place on Earth" for the first time. It was incredible! I'll never forget flying over and seeing the ivy Mickey Mouse head, walking through the Golden Gates, and soaring through the air on the roller coasters. Kunsler says that it's a week in Hell for adults; but my dad was in Orlando on business, so me and my sister (who is 9 years older than me) got to explore the parks by ourselves. My dad came one day, but the most fun I had was running around with her, even the waiting in lines. It was nice to have him there, but I especially loved being with my sister and getting to know a whole new community. It was incredible, we got to meet the princesses, the classic disney characters (Mickey, Minnie, Chip & Dale, Goofy, and everyone else), and the characters from the movies that we grew up watching (that I still loved watching at the time). Like I said, it was magical. My whole point in explaining this isn't to convince you that Disney World is a magical place, I'm sure you already know that. My point is to tell explain why Kunsler is wrong.

He says that even the experience of waiting in lines makes the entire park horrible for children, I was a child, it wasn't horrible. The waiting in lines made the experience all the more enjoyable. It made the wait fun because we would look at people and giggle, and talk about the rides that we had been on and the one that we were about to go on, and all the rides that we still had left to go on. When we were bored, we would pull out maps and route out where we were going and what the "quickest" way would be to go to them. It was incredible, those are some of the best memories of my childhood, and even my pre-teen years. I went almost every year for eight years. I loved every minute of it, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I could go back to Disney world, to the "Most Magical Place on Earth." Because, to me, it truly is the most magical place I've every been. Disney World makes magic real for children, it makes them believe that things can happen, that elephants can fly, than pirates still exist, that princesses are beautiful and kind and have fairy godmothers. Disney World takes children to the highest hopes of their imaginations. I know this because that's what it did to me.

We've learned about sprawl, and suburbia, and all the horrible things that it causes; but no one ever talks about the good things. The good things are that it creates places like the Mall of America, Six Flags, Orlando Studios, and Disney World. These places were created because of the land and the revenue that they could offer for the states in which they are located. Personally, I like to believe that the visionaries behinds these modern civil engineering marvels had a different goal in mind: to make kids happy, and to restore their belief in magic.

keep believing,

Texas_Girl [Katy S.]

Visit to Little Five Points

Halloween is drawing near. Many shops are selling Halloween stuff in Little Five Points. I was fascinated by those costumes such as vampire's teeth and ghost masks. I'm looking forward to the Halloween costume party which will be my first Halloween experience in America.

Little five points impressed me by its diversity. All kinds of music could be heard in different restaurants, shops or snack bars. Even different languages could be heard. I met some cute girls talking in Russian or another European languages. But i'm not sure where they come from. There were some people doing arts. I met a guy who could make a story with whatever word we gave him. That was interesting. He made a story about the four words right after we gave him four words randomly. He even didn't need time to think.

People were having food and drinks at cafe, talking to each other. Public places like that provides a good opportunity for people to communicate. It was a short visit to record sounds for English class project. I believe that there must be more interesting things. I'm looking forward to another visit.

Yuchen Zhu

Rain in Atlanta

How awful my last week was! Amy said she got a swine flu. I know how terrible the feeling is. Because I got a flu last week and missed some classes. But i'm lucky enough to catch up with everybody. It rained a lot recently. I read the blog "Live Apartment Fire" and found an interesting article called "Should i stay or should i go?". It was raining heavily. Two photographers were supposed to deliver a compelling live coverage. Unfortunately, the rain was too big. They stopped at a restaurant and the rain started to soak into the restaurant from the parking lot. Even worse was the thunderstorm.

I hated the rain. It ruined the six flags night. The six flags park was under water. You can see it from the picture. Last weekend, my friends walked to a guitar shop. It was a long walk. It was not raining when we left campus and we didn't bring umbrellas. It proved to be a mistake. It began to rain when we left campus. Fortunately, there were some fast-food restaurants along the street where we could shelter from the rain. However, it was a lot fun. We walked when the rain was not too heavy. While it became bigger, we had to hurry to a shelter. The rain made the long walk longer, because we had to stop to shelter from the rain. It was so annoying that we spent almost one afternoon shelter from the rain.

Yuchen Zhu

Going Greek!!

I'm Greek. Was that a smart idea? As of now, I'm really not sure. I don't even know if the whole RUSH process was worth it. But I am really enjoying being a part of my sorority.

For now, I'm going to pretend like these endings have justified the means, because I'm getting a Big_Sis. I can't wait to meet her because she gives me great gifts! I'm not crazy about yellow, and she's realy sweet....

Ahh!!! But I found out who my Big_Sis is... She will now be known as Roma. She's basically like me, only older. Let's put it this way; she began her revelation letter with:
"Dear Katy,
Let's just face it, we're both basically mean and sarcastic people..."
Ha-ha. Needless to say, we are two pees in a pod. Well, two pees, same pod mold, but she's a third year here at Georgia Tech and in Alpha Phi. I knew who my Big_Sis was before I was even on the 15th word of my letter.

I began this post a few weeks ago, before I met Roma. I met one girl, Leong and she's who really made me want to join Alpha Phi. I met her on preferentials night, and she made me feel more at home there than I had anywhere else. But when I met Roma, the head of New Member Education, I decided that I really did want to stay in Alpha Phi. I have since then decided that the ends are justifying the means. The new member meetings are over, I absolutely love dressing up, I'm being initiated tonight, and will be a Alpha Phi girl for life.

Anyhoo, back to my not-so-favorite-class... Biology (grrr)... Caio

XOXO
Texas_Girl [Katy S.]

Explore the Opportunities...

Well, It has been at least two weeks since I have written! And that is because I was lucky enough to get the swine flu. How awesome is that? So I have been playing catch-up. While in high school is it fun to miss school, it isn't in college. I got so behind, but I am glad to see all the cool videos and maps my fellow bloggers have put up. They are really cool if you haven't checked them out already.
So this week, I want to revisit a blog that I talked about earlier in one of my posts called "Drive a Faster Car". I mentioned how much I loved it because of its interest and spotlight on art, music and culture in Atlanta. Well I want to address it's stance on community and it's uses of multimodal media. While this blog doesn't assess it's neighborhood problems or provide solutions to make things better it is awesome because it introduces you to the rich and vibrant life Atlanta has to offer. What is community to the authors of Drive a Faster Car? Community is something you should be actively involved in. It is life. It is culture, music, art and independence. These bloggers implicitly note that community is something that is exciting. Things are happening all around you, all the time. There is so much community has to offer to you. There is so much Atlanta has to offer if you just get out on the streets! Because I am a HUGE fan of music and art this blog has a special place in my heart. It is now bookmarked on my favorites. I like it because it reminds me that there is so much more going on outside of Georgia Tech. Sometimes I forget that there is a huge lively city out there. This blog is my daily reminder. They have menu bars on the side that list upcoming events, links to Atlanta art, media, blogs, music, social events, clubs, shops, parties, film, comedy, and restaurants. If you have nothing to do you can certainly find something rocking to do on this blog.
Another great thing about this blog is it's use of multimedia. First of all it is filled with visual communication. There are many many pictures that capture your attention. There are a lot of pictures of artwork, bands and their albums. They not only communicate visually through images but also through the entire design of the page. A large title dominates the top, the sides are filled with sub menus to links, and the middle is the core and heart of the site:the blog. Also, the color scheme isn't over-the-top or too busy. It is not distracting or overbearing. It is very simple and sophisticated. Design and pictures show visual imagery to go along with their written communication. Of course this blog has written communication. That is the main component of a blog. The bloggers write about upcoming events and review them. They also voice their opinions on recent art shows and concerts that they have been to. It is very interesting. Another type of communication displayed is electronic. There are many videos, menus, and user applications available to users. Overall, this site uses many different modes of media and communication that attract quite a large audience.
So, what have I done about this. What have I done because of this blog. I will tell you what. I have EXPLORED. With the weather in Atlanta being amazing over the past week I haven't been able to help myself. Sunday I went to Piedmont Park. My friend and I had no set route. We just wanted to walk around and stumble upon the treasures of Midtown. We found tons of beautiful buildings, yummy smelling restaurants, happening bars, intricate water fountains and one big beautiful open park. I had such a good time getting to know my way around.
Also, my english teacher recently assigned a group project to become familiar with the sounds of Atlanta. So I have been going out with my group to different restaurants and spots in Midtown to capture the essence of the neighborhood. It has actually been really fun.
All in all, Atlanta is amazing. All I can say is that if you don't have swine flu, then GET OUT THERE. It is exciting. There are many exciting things. You check out my favorite blog "Drive a Faster Car" to get some ideas, or just do what I did: start walking.

downtown Atlanta

My friend gave me a ride around the downtown of Atlanta near our campus. Actually we were going to Publix, but we got lost. This is the night scenery of Atlanta Downtown. I uploaded this video on Youtube. Hope you guys like this.

Yuchen Zhu

Libraries

please press play while you listen to the audio file, so that you can hear where I was, and truly begin to understand what I mean when I say that the library isn't the best place to study.

Libraries are boring, they are often times are to concentrate in, and a lot of the time, you zone out because there's so little going on around you that you stop focussing and just stare out into space. According to a third year student, the library is an incredibly depressing environment, not nearly as warm and inviting as a coffee shop. At least, I do. I'm supposed to talk about the resources offered by going to the Library, but in my opinion, Starbucks is a much better place to study! By being there, you can get a good drink (way better than Jazzmin's), eavesdrop on conversations, and can enjoy the music. For example, I am listening to three different conversations, all in different languages! I am watching the baristas make a variety of drinks, intermittently enjoying a conversation with a fellow student, and still managing to get homework done!.

However, benefits present themselves at the library; according to this same student, "it can be good for group projects," because of the rooms, video spaces, and enclosed presentation areas provided for Tech students. Other resources are it's, well, books. It's a library, so of course there are books, but one doesn't always need books to study, sometimes, all you need is your laptop, a friend, and a cup of coffee. Even if you do need a text book or two, it's not that difficult to walk to Tech-Square with one. You can even think of it as a work out! :)

Bottom line, the library may have incredible resources that would be great to use in the case of projects; but if you're going for straight up homework and studying, Starbucks is the place to be.

But for me, Starbucks is the place to be...

XOXO

Texas_Girl (Katy S.)

Bankhead

This is a neighborhood called Bankhead. It is located in the west downtown,very close to our campus. I heard of this neighborhood from a stranger when i went to Engineer Bookstore. A man told me not to go to the southwest from our campus. He said it's a dangerous neighborhood. Some of my friends told me that there are drug dealers and prostitutes hanging around there. According to statistics from a website, this neighborhood has much more crimes than average American neighborhoods. I'm interested in Bankhead neighborhood because of some famous rappers like T.I. People in this neighborhood are almost African Americans. It's home to some rappers. T.I. was raised in this neighborhood and used to be a drug dealer. Obviously, Bankhead is not a good neighborhood for most people.

View Larger Map

Yuchen Zhu

River Farm

I went to River Farm, a community where my dad's cousin lives. It was exactly how I thought that a neighborhood should be. When asked which qualities I thought beneficial in a neighborhood, I stated:

• · Space for kids to play, large back yards and front yards
• · Side walks for going on bike rides
• · A playground/park in or nearby for kids to play
• · Good neighbors
• · Near a reputable private school
• · Far enough away from the city so that the noise and the light from the city don’t effect and reach the neighborhood
• · A “safe” neighborhood; one that has a low crime rate
• · One that is close (within fifteen minutes driving) of a mall and mall area

River Farm fulfilled each and everyone of my qualifications. I saw children running around their yards with their siblings, and parents taking their dogs and kids for walks. Everyone that I met was extremely nice, they all had the genuine sense of people who loved living where they lived, and honestly wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. The neighborhood, no, the whole area (Old Alabama Road) felt completely safe. Because it wasn't in the city, I had the natural assumption that it was going to be safe; which could be the reason that I felt secure, but apart from my previous feelings, I did feel very, very safe and secure.

It was so easy to get everywhere, it was only a quick drive over to the central area where we grabbed some CPK (California Pizza Kitchen) for lunch/dinner. It was great! I loved it! Unfortunately, I burned the roof of my mouth on the cheese, but... It was definitely worth it :).

The picture above is what it looked like as we walked past the Chatahoochee on our way around the community. Another great thing about River Farms, is the Tennis & Swim clubs. That was really, really pretty. I especially loved it because it reminded me of the community that I grew up in back home in Texas.

I hope that you'll get a chance to go and look at it one day; both River Farms, and Grogan's Mill.

Have a nice day,

Texas_Girl (Katy S.)

The Gorgeous Grant Park

For our first essay assignment, we were asked to do a neighborhood evaluation. Typically I would cringe at the thought of writing a paper, but this time is different. It is a hands-on, observation, opinionated report on a neighborhood in the Atlanta area. I wanted to pick a place that has had a bad reputation, one that is not as nice as the Little Five Points, Buckhead, and Midtown area. The first place that popped into my mind was Grant Park. It has history as being the largest historic neighborhood in Atlanta. The community had suffered from miscarriage and neglect until the 1970's when people got serious about it's restoration. (http://www.grantpark.org/core/item/page.aspx?s=2122.0.35.20). Since then, the area has been blooming. Here are some things that I love about the place: the colorful old historic houses, the beautiful grant park, the feel of an old traditional neighborhood, the effort being made into the renovation of the community, the variety of people, young, old, black, white, methodist, baptist, longtime residents, newcomers, people from all different social classes living together, the history, the corner stores, the zoo, and even the cyclorama. All of these elements make up a inviting and appealing place to live. When I went there to make observations I expected a trashy run-down neighborhood, but instead, I got a surprise. I saw heart. I saw the effort that has been put forth by the residents to turn their community around. I added one element to my criteria after I visited. It was " A community that cares". One that has an associations and committees designed to bring progress and prosperity to to the neighborhood. I highly recommend visiting the Grant Park area. I can't wait to go back in a year or so and see the all changes! It's exciting! Until next time...Amy

Picture: (http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/buildings/ghd1.jpg)

Why do you Blog?

Why do people "blog"? Why are people to compelled to write about their lives, their community, and their pets? In a blog, anything and everything goes. What makes people do this?

Different people have different reasons for getting the word out on their communities. For some it is to get more people to travel to their small towns, for others, it is to spread the word about upcoming events, and for most it is because they love their towns so much, and feel the need to share their feelings with the rest of the world.

For example, Jeff Jones from St. Paul writes about how to and not to "Placecast" and about the different events going on in the Twin Cities. However, not only does he talk about what's going on in his home town, but also about what's going on in other cities across the United States. He talks about what's going on in Cleveland, Boston, Ellis Island and countless other places. Now we come back to the question: "why?"

The answer is simple, he is setting a guideline for other to Placecast by, not only this, but he is also giving people valuable information about what's going on in the rest of the country. The Twin Cities, famous for so much, does not need the publicity offered by Jeff. 3M, inline skates, Target, Best Buy, Snoopy & Friends, The Mall of America, and so much more. Listen to me, no I sound like an advertisement. I'm originally from MN, so my roots are tied there and that's why I was so excited to find Placecasting .

Anyways, it's always interesting to hear about other's home towns and to tell people about yours. I would guess that this is the main reason that people "blog." So that they can share the places, thoughts, feelings, and people who are so important to them.

I better go,

Have a nice day,

Texas_Girl (Katy S.)

I've been in Atlanta for 3 weeks. The campus is as good as i imagined. Although some buildings are old, facilities inside is good. And i've been to other places off campus many times. I like the atmosphere of the city, but it's not perfect. Although most things are good as expected, I still came across something unpleasant. Overall, i like this city.

The traffic is better than that in China. I think people are always driving politely, but some people still complain about traffic. Drivers wait until pedestrians walk across the road. I've never seen any jaywalkers so far. Cars are running at a very high speed.

I've been off campus many times, by car, on foot and by subway. I went to driving movie with friends and had dinner at night. The night scenery of Atlanta is beautiful. I went to a retreat with my fraternity friends. No matter in downtown or suburb, I seldom saw any taxis. Maybe it's because almost every American has a car.

I went to Lenox Square by myself one time. I took the subway. The ticket price is $2.25 which is much higher that that in China. The station seems very old and it's dark inside. I took the wrong line first time and wasted a lot of time taking subway. The train is not crowded. In China, you should make a lot of efforts to get into the crowded train because it can hardly hold any more people.

I walked to Publix to but some snack this evening. I ran into a man who asked me for money. I gave him one buck, but he was still asking for more. He was annoying. So I gave him more. It was my worst experience in Atlanta so far.

I read the blog that Amy recommended. There was a new that the rapper Fabolous would be in the Footlocker in a shopping more this Thursday afternoon. But i was busy at that time. So i didn't come. It's a pity.

I like the city so far. And i'm looking forward to more surprise.

I caught myself calling Atlanta my home

Greetings!

It's Amy here! Well, It has been another long week filled with a mixture of rainy and sunny days. Georgia weather is bipolar. In the morning you get a downpour and by the afternoon the sun is beaming! So, this past week in english class our professor asked us to check out some blogs about the metro community area. We were suppose to analyze it and figure out why the author of this blog is writing about his community. Is he complaining about something? Trying to get something changed? Does he want to make a difference? Does he just want to tell you about his home? What compels this author to write about his neighborhood?

I did some research, checked out a couple of interesting blogs about metro Atlanta, but one stuck out to me. It's called Drive a Faster Car (www.driveafastercar.com). I loved this blog for it's purpose. It isn't someone complaining about the current conditions, the outrage of swine flu, politics, or the terrible economy. Its about culture, art, music and diversity in the streets of the city. On this blog there are so many things to check out. They post events happening all around the area including concerts, festivals, and art shows. The blogs focus is on the entertainment and culture of the great Atlanta.

There is so much to look at on Drive a Faster Car. It's filled with music videos, pictures, audio clips, event posters and so much more. Besides the fact that I am obsessed with music, I love this blog because the author's passion for this city so transparent in his posts. It is refreshing! He is genuinely is excited about all the events going on in his community, and he wants to share it with everyone. I think what inspires him to write is what he sees and experiences everyday. He is actively involved in these neighborhoods and encourages you, through his blog, to just emerge yourself. Get out there! Expose yourself to your surroundings. Get involved and give Atlanta a chance to prove to you it can be called home too!

I am sure there are many more blogs out there just like Drive a Faster Car! I think people like to write about their home and all the things they love about it. And even if they don't love it, their purpose might be to change something. They might want to make a difference in their neighborhood. No matter the focus of the blog, I think a common theme among blogs is writing about where you are from and where you are now. The environment in which you live is important and is apart of you. It is interesting to read about everyone's different cultures and how that affects their outlook in life.

So as one week comes to a close and another one begins, I think I am officially in the adjustment stage of culture shock (I talked about this in my previous post). Today, as I was walking back from dinner at The Varsity (an Atlanta landmark), it hit me. As I was walking across the bridge, watching the cars go underneath me(on the very same expressway shown in the video that Texasgirl posted), I noticed the strong warm breeze, the noise, the beautiful color of dusk, all the skyscrapers start to light up, I realized I could easily call the city my home. There is just something about it. Now that I am use to it, I love it. I get it. I understand why there are so many blogs just about Atlanta. It's beauty not only lies in the bright lights but also in the diversity of it all. The music, the art, the people, the culture. It's exhilarating really. Now, I am happy to call it home. (The picture is of me and my new home in Atlanta)

Driving in Atlanta

Here's what ti looks like to drive through Atlanta... My new home!

XOXO

Texas_Girl (Katy S.)

Miles（Yuchen Zhu）

I come from a country which has a amazing population. The population of China is about 1.4 billion. That's why our neighborhood is much more different from that in America. Unlike my co-bloggers, i live in an apartment in China. Actually almost everyone who is in city lives in apartment. The apartment building usually has more than ten floors ,sometimes more than twenty. The neighborhoods are more like traditional ones. Because there are 10 or more apartments in one neighborhood and each apartment contains about more than 40 families. In the morning, everyone wants to drive to work. I cannot imagine if our neighborhoods are sprawl what the traffic will be like.

My hometown is Harbin which is located in the northeast of China. It's not big in area but very big in population. I lived in a 9-floor apartment. Our neighborhood is a traditional one. But the traffic is still bad. In rush hour, i think even a bicycle faster than a car. And the government is busy building subway system to relieve traffic pressure. We don't have a distinct barrier between shopping area and residence area. In shopping area, there are also apartments. We also have shopping malls in neighborhoods.

I studied in Shanghai for 3 years. It's the largest city in China. It's a international metropolis like New York City. But most neighborhoods are also traditional ones. There are many shopping centers in the city. Schools are usually built in suburb. And there is district called Pudong. It's like Manhattan. There are many skyscrapers. Parking in China is also a very serious problem.

I don't think sprawl is good, especially in my hometown. Nicole has a yard behind her house. Amy also has her own land near her house. I wish i could live in a house. Really bored of living in an apartment. Katy is from Texas. I've never been to Texas. But i think it is nice place. I have been to California. I lived in a homestay for a week. The experience is much more different from China. Now i live in Atlanta. So far I feel very good.

Texas Girl

Texas Girl here. Like my fellow bloggers, I am New To Atlanta, I'm pretty sure that I've already said that, but unlike Amy and Small Town Girl, I am from farther away. In the 1980s, The Woodlands Texas was formed by the Woods family. They not only made a city, but a home for more than 500,000 people. The Woodlands was--no, is-- my home.

The Woodlands is relatively small in comparison to the larger Houston that shadows my home. We have a "down town," an old part of town, and a new. Downtown consists of Mall Ring and Market Street. Mall Ring is the literal ring that runs around the local mall and restaurants that surround it. The photo above is of our downtown; it was found via Google-Images and has a copy write from John F Hark. That's the tallest building in The Woodlands! All the top stores are there! We've got everything from Gymboree to New York and Company to Macy's. Not only do we have shops, restaurants, child care, department stores, but we even have a Children's Museum! This is great because when mom's go shopping with their kids, they can just stop by and educate their children. Right across from the mall there's Market Street. That's what gives our city a small town feel. There, you can walk to every store and talk to the people. Small stores and boutiques line the pedestrian-friendly streets and sidewalks while shoppers stop at local Mom-and-Pop restaurants and home-made jewelry stores. It's odd because Market Street, the most home-town-ish place in The Woodlands was built most recently out of all the villages. There's also the Boardwalk where the river runs through the area, and it's surrounded by the newest restaurants and bars. This area was made to attract to the younger population. No the sixteen and seventeen year-olds, but the people in their twenties who don't necessarily have families.

That's another thing about The Woodlands it's full of "bad sprawl." There's lots of room between each house, and there's always plenty of room for kids to play in the front yards, back yards, and in the streets. In The Woodlands, you can find anything from small one bedroom homes to larger 50,000 square-foot mansions. Not only are there dozens of different types of houses, but there are also apartments. Like the homes, apartments range in size, price, and style. The newest apartments, the Boardwalk, are right there on the Boardwalk of the waterway. The Boardwalk apartments attract more to those same people who enjoy going around the Downtown area. Living at these apartments makes sense if you enjoy going around Downtown because there really isn't any public transportation there. There's a Water Taxi that can take you from the Library around to the different parts of Downtown. The bus can only take you from East Shore (a neighborhood that embodies both old-fashioned manor houses to new row-homes) to Market Street and Mall Ring.

A lot of people know each other, but not all that much, because people are so diverse the really only common ground is that about fifty percent of the people's families are in the oil industry. A lot of people go to private school because if you work for Exon, and you're not from the states, than Exon Mobile will pay for your children's education and you're home. It's really interesting.

Unlike Amy, there are stop lights everywhere! Traffic too! You learn to avoid the heavy-traffic areas, and you most definitely take into account the time of day when you travel. Rush hours are generally between 7:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., and from 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. That's usually when people are going to and from school and work during the morning, lunch, and dinner.

Anyways, I should probably get going. Like always, have a great day,

Texas Girl (Katy S.)

Small Town Girl

Unlike my co-bloggers, I am from a small town in extreme south Georgia called Leesburg. To get to my house, I must pass cotton, corn, sunflower and peanut fields all relatively on the same road. Downtown Leesburg is a victim of sprawl with its one small strip mall containing Moma's Pizza, Subway, Natural Nails. The one street in Downtown Leesburg, which only has two traffic lights, is pedestrian friendly in a way, but it is not golf cart friendly as Katy mentioned Peachtree is. The sidewalks were built at least thirty years ago with all the cracks and holes exposed. The sidewalk is mainly used by low-income citizens, who live in the heart of Leesburg, an area referred to as Cat's Alley. Leesburg is a very safe community with the biggest problem coming from Cat's Alley. This is located behind the cementary which is accross the street from the one and only high school in the county. I never realized that only having one high was an oddity. But my co-bloggers, being from Texas, China, and close to Atlanta, most likely had multiple. I have heard since being at Tech that some schools were located just five miles from each other. I think it would be safe to assume that sprawl is the main agent for that.



My house is located on six acres of land with an island in the back. An island may sound odd, but I live on the Kichafoonee Creek. The creek has a mind of its own, and it decided to have some of the water run off to make the island. The run-off is referred to as the Little Creek but is usually pretty dry during the summer months besides some just standing water that is four feet deep. During the winter, I love to listen to the rapids on the creek because it is so calming and neat. While listening to the water, my family and I would star-gaze. It is so wierd not being able to see the stars here at Tech. During the summer or whenever my brother, friends and I got bored, we would go to the rope swing at the creek, kayak/canoe down the creek, or go exploring. My brother and I loved to do this when we were younger. We got in some pretty sticky situations sometimes though. For example, I have stepped on a very dangerous rattlesnake and a water moccasin. William and I found out in the woods where a sinkhole that a house from the 1950's had sunk into it. Also, we found the indian graves and a log cabin that had old books and papers from the 1800's.

My neighborhood kind of fits the definition for sprawl, but it is out in the country. Everyone must drive to get anywhere. This anywhere is usually Albany, a town of about 120,000 people and is where all the teenagers go to have fun- the movies, restuarants. To get to Albany from my house is about a thirty minute drive. I can make it in twenty minutes by taking the dirt road which hardly ever was dry except during a drought. I drove a Z-71 truck, so muddy roads were not a problem for me. Trucks are not uncommon back home because they are needed for hunting, towing and many other tasks. Yes, I hunt. I used to hunt in my backyard before we had neighbors, so I understand the term NOT IN MY BACKYARD. My yard and house are completely different from my neighbors, but the majority of the homes are two-story with a fairly lengthy driveway. My neighborhood has no "cookie-cutter" shaped homes, and we are racial diverse. Now with that being said, each race associated itself more with their own kind. It wasn't an overly friendly neighborhood. Everyone "watched" you and knew your business, but no one would come over to help to do something. It was kind of a lengthy walk from house to house, but it was attainable.

Like Katy, everyone knew everything about all the students at my high school. I knew everyone's name, and there were no such things as secrets at my school. This will be the biggest adjustment to Tech. Another adjustment is the noise from all the traffic. Back home, there was so such thing as traffic compared to Atlanta and Charlotte, NC.


"Just a small town girl" - Journey
Nicole

New to Atlanta

Move-in day finally arrives! All of your stuff cramped into the back of your car. You don't know what to expect. A new chapter in your life is about to start. You don't really know anyone in this new environment. All of your life you have had your parents to guide you step by step. Now, it is your time to shine. Independence! Freedom! You control how much time you study, how much time you party, how much homework you do, how many classes you attend, how many tests you study for...and so on. All this responsibility, all of a sudden, hits you like a brick to the head. It is what most like to call culture shock. By definition, culture shock is the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected into an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes (Oxford American Dictionary).At Georgia Tech one can't help but experience a cultural whirlwind.

My name is Amy, and I can say for sure that Georgia Tech has sent me into a cultural shock. Unlike my blog mates TexasGirl and Chinese Boy I come from Fayette County, Georgia. It is around 40 minutes south of here. It is a relatively large county composed of Fayetteville, Tyrone, and the place notorious for it's common use golf carts, Peachtree City. It is definitely a product of Sprawl. My home is on 9 acres of land. It is wonderful. We have a cornfield, and acres of plush green grass. I live in a small house that is just right for my family of four. I have always lived in that house, and I love it there. The area is private and was an ideal piece of property to grow up on. Lots of yard to play in! Cars are a necessity to get around though. Its at least a 10 minute drive to the nearest strip mall or highway. If I ever want to go to a friends house it's at least a 20 minute drive. There is no walking option. The area is typically inhabited by middle class caucasians. I went to a small private school where my graduating class was 58. I knew everybody's first and last name in my entire high school. My teachers were my friends and truly cared about my success in school. Life was completely different there, and life is completely different now. When I was thinking about what to post on this new to atlanta blog I wanted to give an accurate description of my feelings in this strange new world called college. So curiously I looked up on wikipedia the stages of culture shock. And there it was. What I have been feeling in three simple phases.

1. The Honeymoon Phase-"During this period the differences between the old and new culture are seen in a romantic light, wonderful and new. For example, in moving to a new country, an individual might love the new foods, the pace of the life, the people's habits, the buildings and so on." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_shock)

- Ahh yes... I believe this was just last week for me. After I had got settled in my dorm, eaten in the delicious Britain dining hall, and walked to class everyday, I was loving it. Everything was exciting because it was so different! Moving to Atlanta, which seems like a new country to me even though it's only 45 minute from my hometown, has been exciting. The pace of life is much quicker. There is always something going on. There are so many different kinds of people here, especially on Tech campus. Georgia Tech is really a culturally diverse environment. There are students and teacher from all over the world here. Atlanta: the lights, the skyscrapers, the sound of rush hour, the odd smells...all new and all wonderful.

2.Negotiation Phase - "After some time (usually weeks), differences between the old and new culture become apparent and may create anxiety. One may long for food the way it is prepared in one's native country, may find the pace of life too fast or slow, may find the people's habits annoying, disgusting, and irritating etc." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_shock)

- Well It has been about two weeks and I think I am slowly moving into this phase. I haven't really felt anxiety. I have only felt stress due to the enormous amount of homework I have to do and the upcoming tests that are right around the corner. I do miss my mom's cooking and access to my FAVORITE drink, Chick-fil-a sweet tea. Time seems to fly by, and I am quite disgusted and irritated by the fact that in every class I sit right by the kid coughing and sneezing his swine flu germs all over me.That annoys me. While it may seem like I am a downer right now there is hope! Stage 3.

3.Adjustment Phase - "Again, after some time (usually 6 – 12 months), one grows accustomed to the new culture and develops routines. One knows what to expect in most situations and the host country no longer feels all that new. One becomes concerned with basic living again, and things become more 'normal'."(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_shock)

- I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks when I gain my footing here at Georgia Tech. I can't wait to get into a routine, to feel like I know what I am doing and what is going on. So on my next blog I will be sure to note my progression into the adjustment stage but as for now I am just surviving.

I am just trying to get a feel for this new way of life, but it is cool that I am not the only one. Miles aka Chinese Boy has come from a completely different country, and TexasGirl a new state. It has been rough for me, but I can't imagine how it has been for them. Well at least there are 2,600 other people I am surrounded by that are going through the same thing. It is comforting to know that I am not alone in my journey to adjustment in this new exciting place, Atlanta.

Chinese Boy

So excited to become a member of Georgia Tech. It took me 16 hours by air to fly to Atlanta. Actually my American Dream was from California. It was several years ago. I went to CA and Vegas for vacation. I fell in love with this place.

I grew up in Harbin China. Located in the northeast part of China, my hometown is a beautiful city known for its ice and snow sculpture and skiing. As a tourist city, Harbin attracts people from all over the world. Because it is not far from Russia, Harbin has a lot of Russian style architecture and Russian food restaurants. I love my hometown, but i wanna go out and study in a more advanced placed. So i left my hometown and went to a high school in Shanghai(the largest city in China). In Shanghai, i met new friends and had a different experience. I got more chances to go abroad.

I'm a single child of my family. My dad used to be a teacher, but now he is doing business. My mum teaches Russian in a high school. But my mum used to work as a translator in Russia when i was very young. And i stayed with my mum in Russia for half a year. My parents paid much to attention to my education. They always want me to go to the best school.

As my parents expected, I studied very hard and always wanted to do my best in everything. But I’m not a nerd. I hang out with friends in my leisure time. I wanna experience everything exciting. The most exciting one was the bungee jumping. I have many hobbies. I play basketball a lot. Although I ‘m not high (5 ‘9’’), I play very well. I’m a point guard and good at dribbling. Sometimes I play streetball. I watch NBA games. Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant are my favorite basketball stars. I listen to rap and R&B music. Some of my favorite rappers are from Atlanta.

I have been to many counties, such as Russia, New Zealand and America. America is my favorite. The education, lifestyle and culture are all much more different from those in China. People are friendly. Most of the best universities in the world are here. That’s why I came to this country to study. I was also admitted to University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Wisconsin Madison and Purdue. But Georgia Tech is my first choice. It is located in the north east of the United States. Climate is nice. Georgia Tech has better football and basketball team. The leisure time in Georgia Tech must be awesome. Most importantly, Georgia Tech has a good study atmosphere. Students have more opportunities such as Co-op jobs.

I am not homesick, because i am used to staying far away from parents. In high school, i lived in school dorm.

Welcome.

Welcome to New To Atlanta, I'm New2Atlanta (well, one of us), but I'll usually be writing as TexasGirl. It's nice to meet you:). As you read this I'd like you to think of something; if you're a native to this city, think about what it would be like if you weren't, and if you, like me, are from out of state, well, you probably know what I'm going through. Not only have I been plucked out of my home, and am now sleeping on a six-by-three piece of plywood, but I am also going to bed at about one, and waking up around seven... But, it's not as bad as I'm making it sound. My bed is moderately comfortable, I've been staying up because of RUSH and homework, and waking up to go to classes--which are about 100 times better than I could have fore-scene. Anyways, not only are we living a totally new life complete with new housing, schedules, and friends... But we're in a completely new city!! Now, I myself have only been to Atlanta twice before packing up, and shipping out. Once to tour this beautiful campus I new live at, and once for FASET. All you Tech students ought to remember what FASET is; if you don't attend GT, then FASET is orientation.

While I love saying that I am a Yellow Jacket, I also hate being 821.1 miles away from my home. I never thought that I would say that. My main goal in applying for schools and going to college was to get as far away from home as possible... I'm not saying that I regret this decision or anything, but I am seriously thinking of advising my younger cousin to learn from me and not go quite so far away. Most of all, I miss my puppy. He is a long-haired miniature chocolate brown doxie, and I love him so much! He has this way of sensing when I'm upset and comforting me the way no person can. I also miss my mom, who is truly my best friend. Have you ever seen Gilmore Girls? Well, that's pretty much my mom and I. My best friend who is my age, is also attending her first year of school this year, she just moved in today actually!

Anyways, my English professor assigned this blog as a way for us to--wait! I don't really know why he assigned it yet. I just know that we have to update it every week and personally every other week. So I thought I'd get a jump start.

TexasGirl (Katy S.)