Having finished one tough semester of grad school, I have winter break off. So I'm taking that time to catch up on sleep and do things I won't have time for again until next winter break. (I will be in school spring, summer and next fall...bummer.)
So to indulge in my vanity, I've been looking at shoes and listening to new music.
Music
Recently I've been obsessing over Rayito. Not Rayito Columbiano as it shows in every internet or music search online. Just Rayito. I bought his CD and can't wait for it to come through my mail into my little hands. Originally of Spanish and Japanese origin, he grew up in Spain before moving to Miami when he was 14. He's been playing guitar since he was really young. There are super cute videos of him on youtube when he was slightly pudgy but even at that young age, a virtuoso. He combines flamenco with pop along with lyrics he can turn on a dime. He is soooooo talented (really an understatement) and you should listen cause you will not be able to stop. His most recent album came out in 2006, so yeah I'm a little behind, but I can't stop listening to his songs or watching his music videos.
For a taste go here
For the CD haz click aqui
Now onto shoes:
I just saw these heavenly pumps and decided these are hot. I don't like the silver toe but then again I don't like the $600 price tag either. That's life. I'm still looking at shoes for fun, I don't really need any right now.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools
I'm a picky reader. In fact, I'm so picky that I always thought I didn't like to read. Really, I just needed to find some books that were interesting and would captivate me. I only rediscovered reading while I was in China. Of course, that sort of thing happens when you're deprived of English reading materials.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Stones Into Schools by Greg Mortenson
These two books are amazing. Everyone should read them. The first chronicles the life of Greg Mortenson, a man who failed to climb K2 but whose life changed irreversably after he began building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Stones Into Schools continues the journey in 2008 with his attempt to build schools in Afghanistan and onward. It's a little strange to speak of attacks on the Taliban by the US in the past tense considering it's still going on, but I guess that is how history is written. It's also a little strange to hear the other side of the story, how someone over there experienced these things.
Right now I'm listening to the part where he is talking about the devastating earthquake which killed 86,000 people and it's heartbreaking. It's a strong reminder of the Sichuan earthquake in China in May of 2008. I'll never forget that day.
I don't think I even heard of this earthquake in Pakistan. I was in China at the time. Maybe it was censored because of how raw and painful that wound was still in China.
Anyway, these books are amazing. Everyone should read them.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Stones Into Schools by Greg Mortenson
These two books are amazing. Everyone should read them. The first chronicles the life of Greg Mortenson, a man who failed to climb K2 but whose life changed irreversably after he began building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Stones Into Schools continues the journey in 2008 with his attempt to build schools in Afghanistan and onward. It's a little strange to speak of attacks on the Taliban by the US in the past tense considering it's still going on, but I guess that is how history is written. It's also a little strange to hear the other side of the story, how someone over there experienced these things.
Right now I'm listening to the part where he is talking about the devastating earthquake which killed 86,000 people and it's heartbreaking. It's a strong reminder of the Sichuan earthquake in China in May of 2008. I'll never forget that day.
I don't think I even heard of this earthquake in Pakistan. I was in China at the time. Maybe it was censored because of how raw and painful that wound was still in China.
Anyway, these books are amazing. Everyone should read them.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
December in America
Update on my life:
So my term finished on Monday and I'm already quite lost on what to do with myself. It's not like I can just hop on a train to Beijing for a weekend or crash a friend's apartment in another city. December 22nd will mark 5 months since I left Korea and the 24th will mark 5 months since I left China. I miss it a lot. I guess it doesn't help that I still listen to Chinese and Korean music every day. Or talk to people there. Today I got a Christmas email from a friend in Beijing. A couple weeks ago, I got pictures of the snowstorm in Shijiazhuang from students and friends there. I've decided I'm not in the right country.
A few days ago, I had dinner with some friends and all they did (well it was one person more than both of them) was complain about their very comfortable jobs and about shopping for Christmas presents for everyone. First of all, you have a job. Shut up and be grateful. And you are around friends and family. Shut up and be grateful. For the past two years, I received thoughtful gifts and cards from students and friends who really didn't have much to spare but never, ever complained about it at all. I totally checked out of the conversation once I started hearing whining. I miss that about Chinese people. They are so kind and genuine.
So, I don't know if that's a normal reaction or if it's just how I've changed since going abroad but there it is.
So my term finished on Monday and I'm already quite lost on what to do with myself. It's not like I can just hop on a train to Beijing for a weekend or crash a friend's apartment in another city. December 22nd will mark 5 months since I left Korea and the 24th will mark 5 months since I left China. I miss it a lot. I guess it doesn't help that I still listen to Chinese and Korean music every day. Or talk to people there. Today I got a Christmas email from a friend in Beijing. A couple weeks ago, I got pictures of the snowstorm in Shijiazhuang from students and friends there. I've decided I'm not in the right country.
A few days ago, I had dinner with some friends and all they did (well it was one person more than both of them) was complain about their very comfortable jobs and about shopping for Christmas presents for everyone. First of all, you have a job. Shut up and be grateful. And you are around friends and family. Shut up and be grateful. For the past two years, I received thoughtful gifts and cards from students and friends who really didn't have much to spare but never, ever complained about it at all. I totally checked out of the conversation once I started hearing whining. I miss that about Chinese people. They are so kind and genuine.
So, I don't know if that's a normal reaction or if it's just how I've changed since going abroad but there it is.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
America
I am in America again and I guess I've hit boredom since I've been back. Korea was amazing and beautiful even when it was pouring rain (at least it was clean rain!) and Chicago was a lot of fun. I got to see friends I hadn't seen in 2 years.
So now all the fun has subsided and I am waiting for school to start. I really miss Korea and China but I hope I can go back within the next 5 years. So now the goal is school and a job to pay off my loans and then hopefully save enough to go back.
So now all the fun has subsided and I am waiting for school to start. I really miss Korea and China but I hope I can go back within the next 5 years. So now the goal is school and a job to pay off my loans and then hopefully save enough to go back.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Memorable moments in ESL teaching...
So this year, teaching has been much smoother because I kind of know what to expect from my students. I've been pretty successful in getting them to talk, even some of the more shy students in my classes. I teach freshmen right now but I've had sophomores in the past as well. Anyway, some of my students have some incredible stories but you'd never hear it from them unless you asked. One question I asked them was to tell me about a time when they were lost. I got the funniest stories most of the time. I told them about all the times I've been lost and it makes some of them not feel so stupid for getting lost.
One story that was really memorable though was from a student who was almost kidnapped at 2 years of age. She was lured away by a woman in a busy market away from her mother and the only reason why she's here today, still with her family is because she saw an aunty she recognized and started crying really loudly. The aunty recognized her voice, talked to the woman and the woman got frightened and ran away. The aunty brought her back to her mother. Isn't that nuts?
Another student told me about a time when they decided to take a shortcut through a field (why does that always seem like a good idea?) to go home with a friend of his after school one day. They got lost in the field for several hours and the owner of the field saw them and directed them to their houses. They were only about 10 years old at the time. You might think that's pretty old to get lost, but in China most students stay on campus from middle school age and up. So they don't get to go home very much. Which also means they don't go outside of campus very much so they don't know the city as well as American students that age.
Another student (one of my Korean students) got lost on a mountain very close to his back yard. He had never climbed it before and decided he would do it one day, so he climbed it to the top and when he got to the top he noticed there weren't any good paths to go back down because it had started raining. So when he went back down the mountain, he was in a different city. So since he didn't know where he was, he had no choice but to go back up the mountain to get back to his home.
Anyway, it's interesting to hear from them and I'm glad their levels are good enough that I can hear stories like this from them.
One story that was really memorable though was from a student who was almost kidnapped at 2 years of age. She was lured away by a woman in a busy market away from her mother and the only reason why she's here today, still with her family is because she saw an aunty she recognized and started crying really loudly. The aunty recognized her voice, talked to the woman and the woman got frightened and ran away. The aunty brought her back to her mother. Isn't that nuts?
Another student told me about a time when they decided to take a shortcut through a field (why does that always seem like a good idea?) to go home with a friend of his after school one day. They got lost in the field for several hours and the owner of the field saw them and directed them to their houses. They were only about 10 years old at the time. You might think that's pretty old to get lost, but in China most students stay on campus from middle school age and up. So they don't get to go home very much. Which also means they don't go outside of campus very much so they don't know the city as well as American students that age.
Another student (one of my Korean students) got lost on a mountain very close to his back yard. He had never climbed it before and decided he would do it one day, so he climbed it to the top and when he got to the top he noticed there weren't any good paths to go back down because it had started raining. So when he went back down the mountain, he was in a different city. So since he didn't know where he was, he had no choice but to go back up the mountain to get back to his home.
Anyway, it's interesting to hear from them and I'm glad their levels are good enough that I can hear stories like this from them.
Learning Chinese and other lovely skills
So living in China for almost two years, I've learned a lot of things I would not have expected to learn before coming here. Language wise, I've learned a lot of phrases because of the crazy things that have happened here. For example:
Earthquake
Tuberculosis
Appendicitis
Help!
Although "help" in Chinese is really long and if you were really dying, you'd so die before you get the entire expression out.
As of April 28th, I've learned the words for:
swine flu (zhu liu gan)
epidemic (wen yi)
flood (hong shui)
mad cow disease (feng niu bing)
Useless skills I've acquired since being here (mostly food related) that will have no purpose in the states:
-Making toast and garlic bread without an oven or toaster
-Making breadcrumbs
-Cooking entire meals using one pan
-Making ice without an ice tray
-Making pseudo-pancakes using only three ingredients
-Getting around in my place without locking myself in/out of rooms/my apt with my broken doorknobs
-Not electrocuting myself with the faulty extension cords, outlets or water heater in my bathroom
-Fixing doors and drawers myself (I never knew I was so handy)
-Making conversation with taxi drivers and shop owners without really knowing what they're talking about
-And of course, how to get around a new city without a map or English, especially in Beijing, city that I love and hate
Earthquake
Tuberculosis
Appendicitis
Help!
Although "help" in Chinese is really long and if you were really dying, you'd so die before you get the entire expression out.
As of April 28th, I've learned the words for:
swine flu (zhu liu gan)
epidemic (wen yi)
flood (hong shui)
mad cow disease (feng niu bing)
Useless skills I've acquired since being here (mostly food related) that will have no purpose in the states:
-Making toast and garlic bread without an oven or toaster
-Making breadcrumbs
-Cooking entire meals using one pan
-Making ice without an ice tray
-Making pseudo-pancakes using only three ingredients
-Getting around in my place without locking myself in/out of rooms/my apt with my broken doorknobs
-Not electrocuting myself with the faulty extension cords, outlets or water heater in my bathroom
-Fixing doors and drawers myself (I never knew I was so handy)
-Making conversation with taxi drivers and shop owners without really knowing what they're talking about
-And of course, how to get around a new city without a map or English, especially in Beijing, city that I love and hate
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Favorite Bizarre Moments from Spring Fest...
Hangzhou:
So we walked around the plaza and souvenir market and a girl came up to me. I could tell she was working up the courage to talk to me, so finally she said, “You are beautiful!” I said “Oh! Thank you.” She continued walking with Kim and me. Then I stopped and said to her, “Can I help you?” and she said, “Yes!” and skipped away. Then I watched her for a bit thinking that she was trying to pick our pockets or do something. But nope, she just skipped away to lala land.
Also in Hangzhou:
After eating dinner at Pizza Hut, Kim and I went outside and I noticed a crowd of people across the street. I wanted to see what was going on, so we watched for a few minutes. Then they started to run. I thought maybe there was a celebrity or somebody important coming. Nope. It was the bus. They all ran like there was a famous person on it or something but there wasn’t.
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain):
The showering facilities are hilarious at the hostel we stayed in. You assemble it yourself. When the old grandma took it out of the box, I couldn't help but crack up. Are you serious? The shower hose attaches to the sink and it drains into the toilet. And it leaks from the sink where it attaches to the faucet. Oh I wish I had taken a picture of it.
Back in Hangzhou:
We missed the 1:30 bus to the Pudong airport in Shanghai unfortunately by like mere minutes. So we got on a 2 pm regular bus to some other bus station on Shanghai. We ran to the subway and I definitely ran over some woman’s feet with all of my luggage in the subway. I felt a little bad about that. We ended up getting on the Maglev fast train at 6 something and we actually got to the airport at about the time our plane was leaving. We missed our flight. We bought two tickets for the next morning to Guilin and then Kim asked, “Uh excuse me, do you know where the Burger King is?” Yes, we just missed our flight and yes we just paid an extra 390 kuai to get a flight tomorrow and we have nowhere to sleep tonight but we’re more interested in Burger King, the shining jewel of Shanghai’s Pudong airport. That was an interesting night.
In Shenzhen:
We woke up at like 6 am one morning because of the Thai lady who wouldn’t stop burping and snoring next to us. Oh my goodness. I don’t know what was wrong with her GI tract. She was nice but man…those sounds were just not right. She belched loudly for at least an hour in the morning. Kim said she woke up and stared at her like, "Are you really gonna do that?" Yes, she really did that. I tried to sleep through it but it was impossible. It was like an earthquake coming out of her esophagus.
We had breakfast at noon at the hostel and then we went back to the room and the Thai lady prayed with us. She gave us her business card for Bangkok, Thailand which was quite funny cause we actually ended up going to Thailand.
Hong Kong:
We ended up going out with Dani as a last minute thing to Lan Kwai Fang. It was one of the most memorable nights of my life. It ended late and there was a brawl in the street. Kim and I were running away from the fight but they were like rolling down the street and fighting at the same time cause they kept up with us as we were trying to run away. And an ambulance came and the guy jumped out like a superhero and in a dramatic way asked, "Where was the fight?" And took off in the direction. It was crazy.
This spring festival was more memorable than last year's for sure and I managed to keep all my stuff which is good. It makes me a little sad to think that I'll be going back to America and I won't have these adventures anymore.
So we walked around the plaza and souvenir market and a girl came up to me. I could tell she was working up the courage to talk to me, so finally she said, “You are beautiful!” I said “Oh! Thank you.” She continued walking with Kim and me. Then I stopped and said to her, “Can I help you?” and she said, “Yes!” and skipped away. Then I watched her for a bit thinking that she was trying to pick our pockets or do something. But nope, she just skipped away to lala land.
Also in Hangzhou:
After eating dinner at Pizza Hut, Kim and I went outside and I noticed a crowd of people across the street. I wanted to see what was going on, so we watched for a few minutes. Then they started to run. I thought maybe there was a celebrity or somebody important coming. Nope. It was the bus. They all ran like there was a famous person on it or something but there wasn’t.
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain):
The showering facilities are hilarious at the hostel we stayed in. You assemble it yourself. When the old grandma took it out of the box, I couldn't help but crack up. Are you serious? The shower hose attaches to the sink and it drains into the toilet. And it leaks from the sink where it attaches to the faucet. Oh I wish I had taken a picture of it.
Back in Hangzhou:
We missed the 1:30 bus to the Pudong airport in Shanghai unfortunately by like mere minutes. So we got on a 2 pm regular bus to some other bus station on Shanghai. We ran to the subway and I definitely ran over some woman’s feet with all of my luggage in the subway. I felt a little bad about that. We ended up getting on the Maglev fast train at 6 something and we actually got to the airport at about the time our plane was leaving. We missed our flight. We bought two tickets for the next morning to Guilin and then Kim asked, “Uh excuse me, do you know where the Burger King is?” Yes, we just missed our flight and yes we just paid an extra 390 kuai to get a flight tomorrow and we have nowhere to sleep tonight but we’re more interested in Burger King, the shining jewel of Shanghai’s Pudong airport. That was an interesting night.
In Shenzhen:
We woke up at like 6 am one morning because of the Thai lady who wouldn’t stop burping and snoring next to us. Oh my goodness. I don’t know what was wrong with her GI tract. She was nice but man…those sounds were just not right. She belched loudly for at least an hour in the morning. Kim said she woke up and stared at her like, "Are you really gonna do that?" Yes, she really did that. I tried to sleep through it but it was impossible. It was like an earthquake coming out of her esophagus.
We had breakfast at noon at the hostel and then we went back to the room and the Thai lady prayed with us. She gave us her business card for Bangkok, Thailand which was quite funny cause we actually ended up going to Thailand.
Hong Kong:
We ended up going out with Dani as a last minute thing to Lan Kwai Fang. It was one of the most memorable nights of my life. It ended late and there was a brawl in the street. Kim and I were running away from the fight but they were like rolling down the street and fighting at the same time cause they kept up with us as we were trying to run away. And an ambulance came and the guy jumped out like a superhero and in a dramatic way asked, "Where was the fight?" And took off in the direction. It was crazy.
This spring festival was more memorable than last year's for sure and I managed to keep all my stuff which is good. It makes me a little sad to think that I'll be going back to America and I won't have these adventures anymore.
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