Maggie’s Weblog

I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I first moved to Pennsylvania to attend Bryn Mawr College, where I studied Spanish Literature. When I lived in Bryn Mawr I traveled to the city very rarely as I didn’t understand how to effectively use public transportation in the city. I moved to Philadelphia two and a half years ago, and I regret the fact that I spent those years in Bryn Mawr without fully taking advantage of the opportunities and experiences that Philadelphia has to offer. I have lived in the same West Philadelphia apartment since I moved to Philadelphia.

Historically Philadelphia fascinates me, especially since I come from a city where history means anything that happened prior to World War II. I love to walk around the city, to explore old buildings and read every sign posted, often to the chagrin of my friends. Some of my personal highlights (to which I always take visitors) include seeing the Liberty Bell and the Arch Street Meetinghouse. Truthfully, I found it more interesting to visit the Liberty Bell before the new display center was built, as I found the park rangers to be more interesting and inviting than the current display, but I did think the work on the President’s House this summer was fascinating.

My experience with art and culture in Philadelphia is somewhat broad in its scope yet limited in its quantity. I have been to the Pennsylvania Museum of Art (both to see parts of the extensive permanent collection and to see limited exhibitions, like the Tesoros exhibit) I have been to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra and have seen the Pennsylvania Ballet perform. I have been to the Rodin Museum on the Parkway and the Atwater Kent Museum. My list of things I would like to experience in Philadelphia is much longer though, and I am excited to have the opportunity in this class to visit some of the places on that list.