Charles Ray Exhibition at The Art Institute of Chicago

Two weeks ago, I had a chance to visit the Art Institute of Chicago and I found a new exhibition in the Modern wing, called "Charles Ray: Sculpture, 1997–2014." I was not too excited about the exhibition at first as I thought it will be a typical exhibition. However, this one was different. The whole room is almost empty with couple sculptures lying around in the middle of the room.

The first one that stunned me was a sculpture of a life-size car crash. It looks so real, except from the coloring of the sculpture. I found out later that he actually took an actual car crash and making the exact replica from it. This simply shows how detailed-orientated Charles Ray is in making this sculpture. And this is the beginning of my fascination toward Charles Ray.

Teach For Thailand Visits Chicago

Teach for Thailand (TFT) is the project promoting Education which is inspired by Teach for America and Teach for All. Teach for Thailand itself is fairly new with only two years of official establishment. Currently, it is trying to promote the program to more motivated Thai students who are studying abroad in the United States and England. This is why they made a trip to Chicago.

The connection that I have about Teach for Thailand came from Alisa who is an undergraduate student from Brown University. I met her during my trip to Boston for spring break two years ago. She interned at Teach For Thailand last summer, and I decided to reach out to her once I know about it on the Newsfeed of Facebook. After talking with a person from TFT, I am really excited with help them while staying in the US in any way that I can. However, once I finished my interview for the Campus Leader (CL) position, I did not feel ready to add one more responsibility on top of everything that I have right now. I almost reject the offer, but then I think that no chance comes twice. If I did not take it now, I might not have the same chance again. This is a chance that I can help the Thai education which I simply only have it in my mind for the whole time while not doing anything about it. In the end, I took the chance, and my first task is to organize the TFT tour which they will come to the US to promote the program on different college campus.

Poster for the visit of Teach for Thailand in Chicago

Teach for Thailand is a two-year fellowship program for newly graduate students or motivated individuals to become a teacher in a poor neighborhood for two years while receiving educational supports and workshop for leadership to develop their personal skills. The goal is to provide schools with motivated and prepared teachers to go to the classroom and make a difference with students in that classroom while also develop their own skills, which makes this program a win-win for both the fellows who are a part of TFT and schools that these fellows go into. It is difficult to tell whether it is a successful program or not since this is only its second year, but it is good to see many people are enthusiastic about fixing the education problem and this will be a good start for more discussion about education in Thailand.

Osaka Garden: Too close to be true

Jackson Park's Osaka Japanese Garden

What do you think when you see this photo? My first time seeing this photo is from one of my friend's facebook photos, and I just cannot believe that the place is just a mile away from where I live everyday for two years near University of Chicago. Once I confirm the existence of the place, Osaka Garden, through google, it does not take too long for me to go there and see it by myself. 

My first NBA game: The Bulls Game

Michael Jordan Statue in front of The Bulls Stadium

     When you talk about basketball, I always think of  The United States and NBA. Many of my friends back in Thailand followed basketball closely, but I am not one of them. I played basketball with my friends during high school for fun but I have never been good at it. I found this sport is pretty fun.

Green River, Chicago

Green River, Chicago

     Green River is one famous thing in Chicago that I have heard many times since I came to University of Chicago. It was stunting and unbelievable to see the whole section of river turned to green for celebrating Saint's Patrick Day.

Sun set at Sears

On Top of Sear Tower

Being on the top of the most tallest building in Chicago and the United States makes me realized how far I came from three years ago when I was just a senior high school in Thailand and ready to graduate. I remembered when I sat in my four-people dormitory room and looked up some colleges in the United States that I might want to go. I remembered that I did not even dream to come this far: working in a astrophysics labs, taking classes from best professors, having lots of good and great friends, traveling around the US. I'm so excited to see what will happen next. I want to see what I will be able to do and accomplish while I'm in America and what I, as a person, will become once I finish my long journey away from home.

Frozen Lake and skyline Chicago

Skyline Downtown Chicago from the North Side

     Since I live in University of Chicago, which is the south of downtown. Skyline that I often see is not this one. We went up north in order to visit Lincoln Park Zoo for Zoo Light which is the event that happens every winter in Chicago. It was strange for this year winter since I took this photo on Christmas Day but we still did not get any snow, so we missed White Christmas again this year. Too bad : (
    One more cool thing about this photo is a frozen lake. Who would believe me that half of the lake can be frozen and you are technically able to walk on it. I do not think I am stupid enough yet to do that. But maybe when it is more frozen, I might want to walk on the lake some time.

Sunset at Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan and The Point

     This photo was taken at the Point during the summer 2012. One benefit of having a lake only ten minutes away is that we can just walk to the Point on a nice day, take couples photos and walk back. Sometimes it is pretty hard to believe that something beautiful like this is really close to where we live.  

X-Flight

X-Flight: The newest ride in Six Flag Great America

    "X-Flight"is the newest ride at Six Flag Great America in Illinois and also the first Wing Coaster in the United States. It quickly becomes one of the most promising rides in the park.
     $20 for Six Flag trip is one great thing for this summer in Chicago. I really enjoy my first Six Flag trip and look forward to going more. We rode in total 10 rides within 7 hours without any break. I felt little dizzy after riding about 5 rides, but I could not stop riding more. It was really fun. : )

On the Sidewalk

On the Sidewalk

     This photo doesn't have a lot of details in it. It just a photo of some building in downtown Chicago that reflected the water near a sidewalk. It was a cloudy day and rain just left us. I was about to cross the street but then the light turned red and  we have to wait for the light. I looked down and saw some reflection from a little pond in front of me. I took my camera out and quickly snapped this shot before we actually crossed the street. It wasn't that excited moment for this shot, but I still like this one.
     "Sometimes your achievement will come when you do not expect it to come. But if you don't prepare, all those successes will leave you behind and found another person who are prepared. So, be prepared for unexpecting thing to come"

Chicago, IL

Garfield Red Line Station

Red Line Station at Garfield ad 55th

     If you are a UChicago student, you will definitely remember this photo because it is from a 55th bus stop right outside Garfield red line station.Whether coming back from downtown or chinatown, you will have to hang out here for awhile while you are waiting for 55th bus to take you back to campus.

Trump International Hotel and Tower

 Trump International Hotel and Tower

       "Trump International Hotel and Tower" or Trump Tower  is a cool nice-looking building close to Chicago river and Michigan Avenue Bridge. We will see this building every time we went to a movie theater until one day someone told me the name of the building "Trump Tower." I found more cool thing about this building which is that it is the second-tallest building in the United States while the tallest one, Willis Tower, is also in Chicago. It is even taller than Empire States Building in New York City and it was actually planned to be the tallest building in the world. However after 9/11, everyone revised the plan and made it more safety and shorter than it was planned, so that it will be less targeted from terrorists.

Downtown Chicago

Downtown Chicago from the Point

     Downtown Chicago from the Point is one of my favorite view in Hype Park (where UChicago is located). The Promontory Point is a man-made peninsula into Lake Michigan. During the summer, a lot of people will come and make BBQ here while others will enjoy the beach which is nearby the Point.  Downtown from this point is fantastic. You can see (from the left) a Willis (Sears) tower as the tallest building in the United States, Trump Tower as a second-tallest building, John Hancock Center and Lake Point Tower at the furtherest one to the right.

Occupy Chicago

Occupy Chicago in front of Chicago Broad of Trade

     I had a chance to observe the Occupy Chicago which is came from Occupy Wall Street in New York. It seemed not to have any violence or problems in this protest. But at the root of the problem, this is a good demonstration of what problems the United States has nowadays which will ultimately lead to financial crisis.

Firework at Navy Pier

Firework at Navy Pier, Chicago for New Year Eve

      What are you doing on the last day of the year 2011. My friend (Nut) and I went to Navy Pier for the first time to watch a firework. It was really cold outside, so we spent most of the time inside Navy Pier until the firework started. The crowds was crazy. And we have to walk all the way to 6th bus stop to get back to our apartment. It might not be the best way to spend my last day of a year, but it was worth trying for the first time (maybe not for the next time though).

Vincent van Gogh

Self-Portrait, Vincent van Gogh, 1887

This is one of the masterpiece of Vincent van Gogh in the Art Institution of Chicago in Chicago, IL. There are more than you can imagine in this museum. If you have a chance to come to Chicago, don't forget to visit this museum which is right next to the Millennium Park.

The Could Gate in Millennium Park

     The Could Gate in Millennium Park is one of the most important figure in Chicago which is inspired by liquid mercury. Everyone who went to Chicago just had to came here and took some pictures with "the Bean."

John Hancock Observatory

John Hancock Observatory from Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

During Thanksgiving'11, I went to the Nature Museum and Lincoln Zoo for the zoo light. I had a chance to take this photos before it would be dark: the photo of John Hancock Center from the North side view of the city.