During this summer, we organized a trip for our students to the Mall of America, where they enjoyed a day filled with shopping, entertainment, and exploration. Additionally, we visited the State Capitol in Saint Paul, providing a valuable educational experience for the students as they learned about the government and history of our state. It was a memorable and enriching adventure. After the trip, we actively sought their feedback to understand their thoughts and impressions about the experience.
We went to the Minnesota State Capitol and Mall of America. It was so fun. At the Minnesota State Capitol, we were guided, and he explained about the capitol. Before I went there, I learned about capitol’s history. The exterior of the State Capitol is made of white Georgia marble and St. Cloud granite. There is a lot of art in the room. The most memorable for me is the Quadriga called “progress of the Nation” that stands out above the Capitol. They are covered in gold. When I saw them up close, I was surprised because they are so big and very, we took photos in front of them. It is one of my treasured photos. We planned to go to “Kura sushi” but there was not any Sushi, so I bought Takoyaki and sesame balls. And at the Ramen shop, I bought Cha Siu ramen. I was so happy to eat Japanese foods. After having lunch, I went shop with Natsuki and Nanami. – Ozawa, Hikari
We had a guided tour of the capitol including the house of representatives and a brief story was told to us by the guide on when and how the laws are passed and the political history of the state of Minnesota, I learned that it was possible for the public to attend these sessions. Then we visited the reception of the governor in suite. We also visited the Quadriga sculpture in gold on the roof. By visiting the Minnesota State Capitol, the seat of government for the state. We admire the world’s second-largest self-supported marble dome and the restored art and architecture of the 1905 building. Next, we explored the largest mall in the United States, named mall of America. Mall of America is a shopping mall located in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, United States. Mall of America is located just 10 miles from Saint Paul and is the largest retail and entertainment complex in the nation. It features 520 stores, 50 restaurants and attractions. – Nouhou, Hamadou N
On July 20th we went to State Capitol and mall of America. It was very quiet and sparkling inside it. The atmosphere was solemn. We looked at the courthouse and learned about the paintings and people depicted there. We saw the Quadriga up close. It was bigger and more beautiful than I had expected. We went to many other rooms and enjoyed looking at the solemn building. It was bigger and flashier than the Diet Building in Tokyo. – Matsuda, Keiji
I went to the Mall of America. I know it is the biggest mall in North America. Therefore, I researched what shops are there in the mall before the trip. I know there are a lot of restaurants. Especially, I looked forward to eating Japanese food. I can eat American food near the university. But there are no Japanese restaurants around the university. So, I was planning to go to Japanese restaurant at least one. Eventually, I ate Takoyaki and ramen. I also wanted to eat American food, so I ate waffles as a dessert. I enjoyed shopping, too although I couldn’t buy anything. However, it was difficult for me to buy something because there are a lot of shops, and I couldn’t decide to what I want. – Yoshizawa, Natsuki
I visited the court. It was first time too. The guide explained us about capital and court. It was so interesting. My most impressive exploration was about painting of wall in the court. It was beautiful. There was Chinese picture on the wall. I cloud learn that these pictures show many cultures and many kinds of law. I had never gone to court but I cloud enter Supreme Court. I had watched only in drama, so it was so good experience for me. – Matsumoto, Nanami
