From America_Study at University of Saint Joseph_9

August 6^th, Saturday, 2016

We made it!  Today is The day we have been waiting for.  We came to highlight this program of visiting to USJ.  Yes, this is it. It is the excursion to New York. We woke up a little earlier than usual to take a bus to New York City. The weather looks perfect for this highlight in the early morning, but in New York City, it is expected to get sudden shower.  It’s not a big deal to us.

Two and half hours’ bus ride finally took us to the place where magnificent tall buildings stretch anywhere. The bus kept going on to our first destination of today's highlight tour, Statue of Liberty. When the bus arrived Battery Park, we got off to take a boat to Liberty Island.  We all together finally landed Liberty Island, where Statue of Liberty.is standing.  The view of Statue of Liberty was so amazing that the students were eager to take photos.  So many people are walking around there, and what a great diversity!  From the very beginning of the United States’ foundation, so many people have been immigrated for their liberty.  You can feel this history in this island.   “Yes, this is it!  This is America, the land of liberty! “

Then we took a subway to Battery Park to the world fanciest 5 th avenue.  We walked through this marvelous avenue to move on to Museum of Modern Art at 5th avenue in Midtown of Manhattan where many museums and libraries stretch this area.  So many fine art works from post impressionism works to Andy Warhol are exhibited that it will take much time to watch all the works.  We took a look at some of the famous works there and enjoyed this touchy atmosphere of New York.  “Yes, this is New York, the city of artists”

And then we took a quick walk tour to our final destination of Times Square.  So many people from so many countries are walking, yelling, shouting, laughing and taking pictures. Messy, busy, noisy and funky place is there.  Our American language partners said to us, “”We have heard Shinjuku and Shibuya in Tokyo are much active and exciting than here in New York, is it true?”  We answered, “ No!  Actually, you can find more people are walking around anytime in Shibuya and Shinjuku, so they are busy and noisy town.  But in term of “diversity”, there is no comparing New York to Tokyo.  Here in New York, the languages we can hear from around are French, Spanish, German, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Turkish, Arabic, Swahili, Japanese and some more African languages.  “Yes, this is it! New York, the city of diversity!

今日はハイライトのニューヨーク訪問！天気もパーフェクトですが、ニューヨークではにわか雨が予想されています。もちろん、たいしたことではありませんが。コネティカット・ハートフォードからバスで2時間半のライドで、ニューヨークです。マンハッタンに入ると、景色は数々の映画で見たあのニューヨークの風景が迎えてくれます。　バッテリー・パークを目指して、そこでバスを下車。「自由の女神」があるリバティ・アイランドまでのボートに乗ります。そしていよいよ「自由の女神」へ。　アメリカの建国の物語は、自由を求め、実現する物語。自由を求めて、アメリカにわたってきた移民の人々の歴史的な場所です。

次に、ニューヨーク近代美術館（MOMA）へ。ポスト印象派のポール・セザンヌ、アンリ・マチスから、ピカソの近代の芸術を決定的に変える契機になった「アビニョンの娘たち」！そして、マルク・シャガールのこれも歴史を動かした重要な作品、幻想的な「村と私」。そして何よりもニューヨーク的な60~70年代ポップ・アイコン、アンディ・ウォーホルの数々の作品。これもニューヨークならでは。

最後に、タイムズ・スクエア。皆「コマーシャルと同じ！」と。いえいえ、映像はでは体験できないのが、この空気感。この雑多な活力は東京では体験できないもの。 その圧倒的なダイバーシティを体験できたことも大きな経験値として、これからの人生に生きてきます。