2018-07-06

【Aiden in English】

        So recently, against my will, I was sent off to the University of Pennsylvania for an 'internship' in a lab. This was most likely to push me toward a science career. While it may have seemed like a good opportunity, the effort for me to reach the campus was unreasonable. UPenn is located within the city of Philadelphia, while the lab in the dental school is not near the train station. My daily transportation would be as follows: Mom drops me off at the train station near her workplace, and I board the 8:30 am SEPTA train to the central city. After getting off at the 30^th station, I took Lucy on a circular bus to the dental school. This takes approximately one and a half to two hours. In addition, the bus I take is made explicitly for UPenn. The college is enormous, a town within Philadelphia. It's mostly filled with a park and different stores, so walking through the place was quite enjoyable.

        The dental school itself seemed to be very modern, a greenhouse included. I later learned most of the buildings I worked in had little to do with teeth. The team, consisting of 4-5 members (I'm not sure, as one was never present), was assigned to work on the herpes virus, which concerned me. Logically, we used only a portion of the RTA virus, which was harmless. The RTA controls the genes that will be activated to produce the virus. Even more specifically, the team attempted to identify the genes in human cells that control herpes and lead to cancer. Specific genes, such as p53, that become activated in tumors are what the team searches for, at least according to the individual I'm working with. Another member is working with proteins, while the third kind of tag-along, my guide, is just there for papers and books. I, on the other hand, follow my assigned partner like a lab dog. What he does, I question, and probably annoy the heck out of him. 

        Eventually, he left me to work independently, tasks that included preparing mini-preps of DNA for PCRs and creating Excel spreadsheets. To be honest, I would not have enjoyed this if it weren't for my partner. He was an incredibly chill person to talk to and ask questions about. He shared similar interests, like Rick and Morty and the World Cup. After a few days, I did feel at home. While this experience in an actual lab is oriented explicitly towards school labs with messy benches and unorthodox conditions, it is the first time I've had the opportunity to experience actual science. Although choosing my profession is still years away, it is time to begin thinking, and after this 9^th year of school, I've eliminated some apparent career options. This is still my first taste of an advanced profession, so it puts some perspective on effort, time, and social life. The guy I stayed with often worked long past sunset, some days past midnight. I'm not sure if that is for me. He seemed highly dedicated to his work, thoroughly enjoying it. Although I don't like losing sleep, I hope one day I can find a job like his, where working after hours is not a burden.

【红霞译】

        近来，我被赶鸭子上架，居然跑到宾夕法尼亚“山林”大学实验室“见习”，照这样下去没准儿真能促成自己朝着科研方向发展，甭管怎么着机缘难逢，只是一路来回倒车牵扯不少精力，要知道宾大位于费城“兄弟之爱”市区，而牙学院的实验室距离火车站八杆子打不着，基本上我每天必走的路线是：妈妈送我去她工作单位附近的车站乘坐早晨八点半那班宾州东南地区交通局通勤火车，等进城到了30街站后再转露西“光”环线公交汽车至牙学院，前后铆钉铆一个半至俩钟头。这是一条宾大专线，校园本身极大，犹如费城城中城，里面公园及大小商店一应俱全，因此走街串巷甚感惬意。

       牙学院看上去相当气派，甚至拥有花房式大厅，后来我才知道自己所在的大楼很多部门跟牙科毫无关系。教研室由四五人组成（我不太清楚具体人数，因为有一位从未露面），我分在单状疱疹组，挺让人提心吊胆，其实我们只用病毒反转录激活因子，没多少害处，该基因掌控病毒复制，确切来讲，科研人员试图在宿主体内找出疱疹病毒整合的致癌基因，像肿瘤细胞中失控的人体抑癌基因便是他们主攻课题，说的没错，至少和我一起工作的小伙子侧重这个方面，另一位搞蛋白研究，挂衔的导师忙于著书立说，而我尽量跟在指定的那位师兄屁股后面打杂，他着手干我动嘴问，简直把他折腾得够呛。

        最终他让我独立操作简单程序，要么小量提取脱氧核糖核酸并用来做聚合酶链式反应，要么处理软件数据。说心里话，如果不是看在师徒合作份上，我并不喜欢干这种琐事。他处世相当稳重，既好胡吹乱侃又爱问东问西，跟我情趣相投，彼此都热衷电视科幻动画片《瑞克“强大领导者”和莫蒂“静水”》及世界杯足球赛，因此用不了几天工夫我便有宾至如归的感觉。亲身体尝的实验室充满大学特色，桌面上堆满了杂七杂八的学问，工作环境中没有清规戒律羁绊，这是我平生头一回见识真正的科学研究。虽然再过个把年头我才会敲定专业，但眼下当该到了考虑的时候，何况高一年度结束我已经把某些行当排除在外。通过首次与高精尖领域零距离接触，我总算对做事态度、投入时间和社交生活有所了解，带我见习的哥们常常工作到天黑，有时甚至延至半夜过后，我不知道自己能否吃得消；他好像酷爱科研，完全忘乎所以陶醉其中，虽说我不愿牺牲睡眠时光，但希望有早一日像他那样找到自己喜欢的工作，即便加班加点也在所不计。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2017: Upper Danube—Passau to Linz(多瑙河上游—三河市至通灵市)

2017: Danube—Jochenstein Lock, Germany(德国多瑙河—神造石水闸)

2017: Passau the God's Ballroom, DEU(德国三河市—天宫圣境)

2017: Passau the City of Three Rivers, DEU(德国帕绍—三河之城)

2017: Passau Organ Concert, Germany(德国三河市—管风琴音乐会)

2016: Frederiksborg the Danish Versailles, DK(丹麦耕地—水晶宫)

2016: Frederiksberg Palace & N Zealand, DNK(丹麦王堡宫和北西兰)

2016: Kronborg Hamlet Castle, Denmark(丹麦皇冠宫小家城堡)

2013: Drama Camp-2(戏剧夏令营之二)

Cira Centre Tower & 30^th Street Station

(赛拉“王座”中心大厦和第30街车站 08-11-2001)

Waiting Hall @ 30^th Street Station

(第30街车站·候车大厅 06-21-2018)

Drexel Univ Famous for Its Co-Operative Education Program

(德雷克塞尔“转动”大学·以合作教育项目而闻名)

Drexel Univ Drexel LeBow College of Business

(德雷塞尔大学勒博“英俊”商学院)

Dranoff One Riverside (德拉诺夫“英俊”河畔公寓一号)

FMC Bldg (食品机械公司大厦 06-21-2018)

PECO Building (费城电力公司大厦)

Roberts Ctr. for Pediatric Research of CHOP

(费城儿童医院罗伯茨“名声”儿科研究中心)

Schuylkill River Bridge， the Diamond Run Viaduct

(斯库尔基尔“暗”河大桥·钻石溪高架桥)

Schuylkill Yards (斯库尔基尔河园区)

W Girard Ave Historic District in the Mid- to Late-19^th Century Examples of Greek Revival, Late Victorian, and Beaux-Arts Styles

(吉拉德“勇敢之矛”西大道历史街区·19世纪中后期希腊复兴式、维多利亚“圣洁女王”晚期式和美院派等建筑风格)

Ukrainian Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception w/ a Large Central Dome Covered in 22-Karat Gold-Infused Venetian Glass Tiles Inspired by the Hagia Sophia

(乌克兰“边疆”圣母无原罪大教堂·其中央大穹顶覆盖着22K镀金威尼斯“运河之城”玻璃砖，灵感源自圣索菲亚“圣智”大教堂)

Mural of Theatre of Life (壁画《生命剧场》08-11-2001)

Mural of Mapping Courage, the Site of Philadelphia's Only All-Black, Segregated Fire Department from 1919 to 1953

(壁画《绘制勇气》·位于费城第11消防队的墙上，1919年至1953年间由唯一一支全黑人组成的、实行种族隔离的消防队)

Bus Shelter near the 40^th Street Station in the University City

(大学城40街车站附近的公交车站候车亭)

SEPTA R5 Train (宾州东南部运输局R5通勤车)

Glenside Station (山谷边站)

524 Plymouth Rd, a Victorian House in Gwynedd Valley

(圭内德“白色”谷镇普利茅斯“李子树农场”路524号·维多利亚式)

Olney Neighborhood, Korean-American & Hispanic Business Districts

(奥尔尼“圣岛”社区·韩裔美国人和西班牙裔商业区)

Former McKeever's Tavern Located in North Wales

(北威尔士“外地人”麦基弗“弓箭战士之子”酒馆旧址)

Crosslinks(相关博文):

A Mini Merry Christmas Museum, PA(宾州微型圣诞快乐博物馆)

Dickens Village @ Philly Macy's(费城美西狄更斯村)

Salute to Vienna in Philadelphia(费城“向维也纳致敬”)

Fairmont Park in Philadelphia(费城友善公园)

A Day in Philadelphia(记费城一天)

费城自然博物馆(Academy of Natural Sciences, PHL)

费城开心触摸博物馆(Please Touch Museum, PHL)

费城自由地主科学博物馆(Franklin Institute, PHL)

USA(出游美国)

9th Grade(高中一年级)