It's been along time since i last blogged. I've been really focussed on spending more time and effort with the kids here at the ALbany Boys and Girls club....and doinng more shopping. For gifts and also for clothes, because the deals here are just too good to be true, in comparison to singapore. Oh man, I think i won't shop in singapore for a long time, eveyrthing is sooo expensive! Shopping really takes soo much time here, especially when travelling to and fro already take up 2 hours-since i don't have a car, i have to take the public bus. And that's excluding waiting time!
ALthough I am going to leave in less than 2 weeks (I amd reluctant to count exactly how many days i have left), I still get to know new kids everyday. I get to talk to them, engage them, remember their names, and they remember mine. It's just so sad that there are so many more kids i haven't got to know and I already have to leave. I wasn't sure if i should tell them about me leaving next week, I just dun want them to feel that I didn't really care when i leave. I told some of them today, and they were asking me when i owuld come back. All i can say is, maybe in 1 yrs time when i come back to do my masters. I don't even know if i would be near this place for my masters.
Today I asked Karly, the human resource manager if I could get some form of certificate that I have been here. If i wanna to continue working with children, a certificate of voluntary work here would be really helpful. I dun want any credit, I just want something that could help me continue working with children in the future. And I was really touched when she told me, whenever I'm not here, the kids go to her and ask her for me. They would say " where's Ms Regina? She gotta play with me".
Small little things like the kids remembering my name, asking around for me, asking me to go in to the pool with them, really makes me feel wanted here and reluctant to leave this place and these kids for good. It's like I've grown roots here, formed meaningful relationships and found unconditional friendship that fills my life with joy and contentment.
I've been starting to take photos of the kids and some with me. I'm going to put them into a sketchbook and get them to write something in it, even if it's their names. Photos always bring back good memories, and my time spent here has been one of the happiest so far. I've never been so reluctant to leave somewhere so much. But I know part of me is relieved to go back to my family, to see them again, to do the things we always do again. Doing this really distracts me from thining how sad it is to leave the kids. It's amazing, but it kinda replace the sadness with excitement, excitement to put as many photos and get as many kids to write in my sketchbook.
I really love these kids...and i hope if i do come back i might still be able to see them! Maybe next summer....Perhaps i can find a summer job here!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The kids are amazing!
Hey guys, this entry is more like a self-expression entry, not one that reports what is happening around here. So if you don't wanna waste time hearing me go on and on about the kids at the Boys and Girls club, don't even start reading.
These two weeks have been really packed! Tues to Thurs 9am to 5pm of volunteer work at the albany boys and girls club, with Tues and thurs split between the BGC in Troy and Albany.
I get really exhausted when I get back to the apartment nowadays. I don't even cook dinner anymore, and today, i actually skipped lunch! I NEVER skip my meals, i'll at least get something light to eat. Everyday when i get back to the apartment, I just wanna bath and sleep. But i still have to work on my FYP research....zzz
But you know what? Everytime i get on my way back from the centre, I am already looking forward to going there the next day. Like now, i'm so excited to go back there and be around the kids. the kids are just great, and they have this ability to get you addicted to them!! Be it the sweet ones that come to you and say they like you, or the playful ones and defiant ones that question the rules all the time, they just get to you! I was speaking to one of the counsellor working at the centre, and he says that too! So it's not like i'm super kindhearted or caring, but it's the kids, they are just lovable. I've never liked to be somewhere so much even though it's really exhausting.
I'm so going to miss the kids when i leave....so so going to....If there is any reason for me to stay, it would be these kids, and with abit more irrationality and impulse, I might do that you know. I'm kinda doubting myself if I will NOT do it, but i jsut have too much i have to return to. You know, people sometimes have this impulse to give up everything and just go somewhere to do something in another part of the world? I'm feeling a tinch of it right now, I hope it's just a moment of impulse and that it'll fade away.
I feel so blessed that at least the kids don't shun me because i'm an asian and i'm different from them. They have been showing me so much love and attention which I ought to be giving to them. They'll come to you and say "hi", ask you to play with them, tell you they like you, they like your hair, and they want you to talk to them. The fact that they even come to you and want your company, not everyone gets that you know. I guess I'm a big kid myself, and perhaps they feel that too and can relate to me. I'm feeling really happy today even though i'm feeling really tired on the outside, because a little girl gave me a sticker today! There was this girl, she's really brilliant I tell you! She loves to read and write and is a sweethear tto talk to! It was time for the kids to leave the centre and I was finding a spot to sit down and rest when these two girls ccame to me, McKayla and Lauran. I've been toking and playing with them just for the past two days and they actually remembered me! Adults tend to forget, even though they are supposed to have better memory.
Today, there was this kid called Xavier, pronounced like the X-men professor. I was palying basketball and I beat him, I think i should have cut him some slack. But he was so confident he would win me that I can't help but prove him wrong-see that kid in me overpowering me again? It was quite amusing, because in the midst of getting thrashed, he was saying he never lost to a girl. But I think the next time I'll let him win...I had my turn already...
I could go on and on talking about each kid that I interact with and whom still remembers me two days later...but I'll just stop here. But really, once you get to know them, you'll realize you actually like them more than you think you do. I'm going to make a bet, but I feel that anyone will agree!
I'm really neglecting my FYP research and self-study, but I really can't help it. Who would spend time studying when you have only one month left to hang out every week day with the kids?! Oh God, please bless me with some discipline...I really need to get to work!
Sorry to whoever is reading this entry. I just feel so excited about the kids everyday that I just need to put it down somewhere. This entry is more like a self-expression entry, not one that reports what is happening around here. Ok I think i'll state that at the beginning of this entry so I can spare thosee who don't wanna waste time listening to me going on and on about my self-indulged excitement.
These two weeks have been really packed! Tues to Thurs 9am to 5pm of volunteer work at the albany boys and girls club, with Tues and thurs split between the BGC in Troy and Albany.
I get really exhausted when I get back to the apartment nowadays. I don't even cook dinner anymore, and today, i actually skipped lunch! I NEVER skip my meals, i'll at least get something light to eat. Everyday when i get back to the apartment, I just wanna bath and sleep. But i still have to work on my FYP research....zzz
But you know what? Everytime i get on my way back from the centre, I am already looking forward to going there the next day. Like now, i'm so excited to go back there and be around the kids. the kids are just great, and they have this ability to get you addicted to them!! Be it the sweet ones that come to you and say they like you, or the playful ones and defiant ones that question the rules all the time, they just get to you! I was speaking to one of the counsellor working at the centre, and he says that too! So it's not like i'm super kindhearted or caring, but it's the kids, they are just lovable. I've never liked to be somewhere so much even though it's really exhausting.
I'm so going to miss the kids when i leave....so so going to....If there is any reason for me to stay, it would be these kids, and with abit more irrationality and impulse, I might do that you know. I'm kinda doubting myself if I will NOT do it, but i jsut have too much i have to return to. You know, people sometimes have this impulse to give up everything and just go somewhere to do something in another part of the world? I'm feeling a tinch of it right now, I hope it's just a moment of impulse and that it'll fade away.
I feel so blessed that at least the kids don't shun me because i'm an asian and i'm different from them. They have been showing me so much love and attention which I ought to be giving to them. They'll come to you and say "hi", ask you to play with them, tell you they like you, they like your hair, and they want you to talk to them. The fact that they even come to you and want your company, not everyone gets that you know. I guess I'm a big kid myself, and perhaps they feel that too and can relate to me. I'm feeling really happy today even though i'm feeling really tired on the outside, because a little girl gave me a sticker today! There was this girl, she's really brilliant I tell you! She loves to read and write and is a sweethear tto talk to! It was time for the kids to leave the centre and I was finding a spot to sit down and rest when these two girls ccame to me, McKayla and Lauran. I've been toking and playing with them just for the past two days and they actually remembered me! Adults tend to forget, even though they are supposed to have better memory.
Today, there was this kid called Xavier, pronounced like the X-men professor. I was palying basketball and I beat him, I think i should have cut him some slack. But he was so confident he would win me that I can't help but prove him wrong-see that kid in me overpowering me again? It was quite amusing, because in the midst of getting thrashed, he was saying he never lost to a girl. But I think the next time I'll let him win...I had my turn already...
I could go on and on talking about each kid that I interact with and whom still remembers me two days later...but I'll just stop here. But really, once you get to know them, you'll realize you actually like them more than you think you do. I'm going to make a bet, but I feel that anyone will agree!
I'm really neglecting my FYP research and self-study, but I really can't help it. Who would spend time studying when you have only one month left to hang out every week day with the kids?! Oh God, please bless me with some discipline...I really need to get to work!
Sorry to whoever is reading this entry. I just feel so excited about the kids everyday that I just need to put it down somewhere. This entry is more like a self-expression entry, not one that reports what is happening around here. Ok I think i'll state that at the beginning of this entry so I can spare thosee who don't wanna waste time listening to me going on and on about my self-indulged excitement.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
First day as a volunteer
In Rhode island now, back at my jiejie's house. It's almost like a routine now, coming over on the weekends. Helping her in her garden, cycling along the bike trail in the evenings, walking buddy, and going to URI for day study......Just when I'm starting to get used to life like these, reality checks on me and reminds me that I only have one more month-4 more weekends to do this. I really going to miss everything here.....
Oh i forgot to talk about my first day volunteering at the Boys and Girls club. I really enjoyed the company of the kids, in fact, I hoped to have gone to the club on friday instead of going to rhode island. Although they were black children from needy family, who were supposedly less motivated and of lower academic competence, they actually appear more confident and responsive towards the staff in the centre. I'm sure given more guidance and pointed ot the right direction, these kids can achieve much more! But then again, financial difficulties implicate so much more that makes it harder for these kids to fulfill their potential and dreams. I can only hope that somewhere along the way, they find inspiration to pursue something better!
I realized that kids are so different from each other. Everyone like kids who are agreeable, participative, friendly and responsive, and adults can unconsciously show favoritism towards certain kids. I almost got into that, but realize my mistake when i came across a kid during gym, who didn't seem interested to participate in playing any games with anyone.
He seemed quite lost at what to do at first, and simply sat on the side bench while everyone else, including the staff, were playing some game. I tried talking to him and asked him if there was any game he liked to play, but he just shook his head and kept silent. This kid stood out from the rest, because he was exceptionally reserved and introverted. this is in stark contrast to the other kids because they ALL were funloving and outspoken. I hope to be able to at least able to engage him in gym before I leave this place. It's a challenge that I might not have the means or appropriate knowledge to overcome, but i do hope that at least I can become a friend.
I remember that day when Paul picked me up from the centre to go to rhode island, we drove past a black neighbourhood that people would associate with the word "ghetto". Even though separated by the window screen, I could feel the atmosphere outside, with the loud hiphop music, people shouting to each other, kids playing on the streets, and people hanging around the steps from their apts. I've always wanted to go to brooklyn to feel what the black culture is like, I guess I didn't have to go that far.
It was not fear that i felt. Instead, on one hand I was fascinated about finally seeing such a street for myself, and the other, respect for this special lifestyle that belonged to the african americans. I respect their style, their attitude, and also the hardship they face as "blacks". I believe that many others would have felt the same if they saw what i did. Most of the black people are disadvantaged, especially the innocent children, but they don't need sympathy, they need opportunity. I do hope that life could be kinder towards them. And welfare centres like the boy and girls club, is definietly another step towards a better future for the kids.
I know i've said this before, but I am again very thankful that I came to american, that i decided to go for this internship and also coincidentally, my professor transferred me to my current professor. If all these had not happened, I would not have experienced so much more! Just like what Sandar says, "it's God's grace". I trully believe it is! Because if it were not so, I don't think I would be able to come here in the first place.
Whoever is reading this, do grab any opportunity that brings you to different places that could give you another side of life. It really opens your eyes and help you realize how meaningful it is to just be alive! You're life is not all there is, and believe me, you need to experience it to trully understand and be convinced about that. I remember Michael Jackson's song had this phrase "stop existing and start living". I''m beginning to get what this means.
Oh man, another long entry! But well, these are what I really feel and since I promised to share what's happening here, it only fair i put in enough details right?
I'm really looking forward to Tuesday when I see the kids again......Wish me luck!
Oh i forgot to talk about my first day volunteering at the Boys and Girls club. I really enjoyed the company of the kids, in fact, I hoped to have gone to the club on friday instead of going to rhode island. Although they were black children from needy family, who were supposedly less motivated and of lower academic competence, they actually appear more confident and responsive towards the staff in the centre. I'm sure given more guidance and pointed ot the right direction, these kids can achieve much more! But then again, financial difficulties implicate so much more that makes it harder for these kids to fulfill their potential and dreams. I can only hope that somewhere along the way, they find inspiration to pursue something better!
I realized that kids are so different from each other. Everyone like kids who are agreeable, participative, friendly and responsive, and adults can unconsciously show favoritism towards certain kids. I almost got into that, but realize my mistake when i came across a kid during gym, who didn't seem interested to participate in playing any games with anyone.
He seemed quite lost at what to do at first, and simply sat on the side bench while everyone else, including the staff, were playing some game. I tried talking to him and asked him if there was any game he liked to play, but he just shook his head and kept silent. This kid stood out from the rest, because he was exceptionally reserved and introverted. this is in stark contrast to the other kids because they ALL were funloving and outspoken. I hope to be able to at least able to engage him in gym before I leave this place. It's a challenge that I might not have the means or appropriate knowledge to overcome, but i do hope that at least I can become a friend.
I remember that day when Paul picked me up from the centre to go to rhode island, we drove past a black neighbourhood that people would associate with the word "ghetto". Even though separated by the window screen, I could feel the atmosphere outside, with the loud hiphop music, people shouting to each other, kids playing on the streets, and people hanging around the steps from their apts. I've always wanted to go to brooklyn to feel what the black culture is like, I guess I didn't have to go that far.
It was not fear that i felt. Instead, on one hand I was fascinated about finally seeing such a street for myself, and the other, respect for this special lifestyle that belonged to the african americans. I respect their style, their attitude, and also the hardship they face as "blacks". I believe that many others would have felt the same if they saw what i did. Most of the black people are disadvantaged, especially the innocent children, but they don't need sympathy, they need opportunity. I do hope that life could be kinder towards them. And welfare centres like the boy and girls club, is definietly another step towards a better future for the kids.
I know i've said this before, but I am again very thankful that I came to american, that i decided to go for this internship and also coincidentally, my professor transferred me to my current professor. If all these had not happened, I would not have experienced so much more! Just like what Sandar says, "it's God's grace". I trully believe it is! Because if it were not so, I don't think I would be able to come here in the first place.
Whoever is reading this, do grab any opportunity that brings you to different places that could give you another side of life. It really opens your eyes and help you realize how meaningful it is to just be alive! You're life is not all there is, and believe me, you need to experience it to trully understand and be convinced about that. I remember Michael Jackson's song had this phrase "stop existing and start living". I''m beginning to get what this means.
Oh man, another long entry! But well, these are what I really feel and since I promised to share what's happening here, it only fair i put in enough details right?
I'm really looking forward to Tuesday when I see the kids again......Wish me luck!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
WORKshops finally begins
Finally the workshops for my internship began!
I only found out today that it was us, the group of students who are conducting the workshop. I met the interns who were paid to work for this professor as I was only there to help-the workshop under my professor starts only next week.
I'll be working in the workshops for what they call Boys and Girls club, which functions like a day care centre for needy families in the neighbourhood (mostly blacks). This one that I went today is in Albany while he one under my professor is in Troy. The clubs serve allow parents to leave their children, and off the streets, when they go for work in the day. If you could see for yourself the kinds people on the streets, you would be able to understand why these centres are hope for the children. Like all welfare organizations, this centre on a tight budget and there weren't professionals to conduct classes, only volunteers and voluntarily trained counsellors-who were really just facilitators-cum-discipline masters.
The other interns for the workshop were unprepared in the sense that there really wasn't any lesson plan, apart from and outline that says introduction of program and them exploring the software, or materials to supplement the workshop. Although the software was self-explanatory, given that the students there belonged to needy black families, they were more restless and unmotivated to learn mathematics than normal. The workshop started off with the children looking restless but as Jesse, our leader, started asking them questions and relating what we were doing to everyday life, they children started answering questions and looked more alert.
So it ended of not too badly for the day!
I realized that when it came to mathematics, their foundation was fairly weak, and needed individual attention and guidance. I was able to attend to one of them to teach them about cartesian coordinates, but there were some others who just explored the software aimlessly. And it is really such a pity, because I could see that if they receive more attention, they were willing to think and try. But without guidance, they tend to get restless and eventually not benefit from whatever materials they had in front of them. Still, I see hope for them at the centre, much more than if they are left at home or to wander on the streets.
After the one hour workshop, the rest of the group left while i spoke to the in-charge. I wanted to volunteer to work at the centre on the days that i was free. Since I was there, I felt I should make full use of my time, apart from preparing for FYP. I did think about it previously, but after today, I felt a greater urge to participate more. It's really surprising, because I never felt such a strong need to volunteer. Maybe because it's to do with children, and I see for myself how much potential these kids have if more people could give them attention. Personal, I feel that children are really the ones that deserve all the attention and concern in the world!
After talking to the in-charge, i was about the leave the centre when i saw two boys, about 11 or 12 shooting balls in the centre's indoor basketball court- one of them was in the workshop earlier. I asked if i could join him and i starting shooting too. He was surprisingly welcoming and friendly and we had such a great time even though it's just shooting balls. He even corrected my shooting by asking me to jump more when i made a shot, and i really did better with his advise-he himself proclaimed that he TAUGHT me to get better. He was a great kid, always remembering to take turns, and even gave me extra shots when i almost nailed my 3-pointers. Oh his name is Nicolas, he was an african american, chubby and bubbly!It really brighten my day to know him.
I feel really thankful that I was led to this volunteer experience as i have a feeling that I might have opened a door into the world that belongs to the african americans. It might be only a glimpse to what their life is really like, but it already is a priviledge! Well, I've seen them on the streets and maybe greeted some bus drivers or cashiers, but never engaging them any further. By volunteering here, I may be able to get to know some kids and what difficulties such welfare organizations face, apart from the shortage of volunteers and funds. I know that things might not be all optimistic all the time, but I am prepared to go for this experience and take away as much of it when I leave this place.
I'm really looking forward to the next time i see them! Wish me luck guys!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
e-notebk
Today I just spoke to Bernice and she read my blog! I thought that no one believe that I update my blog anymore. I was just browsing through the previous entries and i realized each time i was rushing through so much that I my sentences seem neverending, and sometimes i didn't know what I was typing! Sorry about that you people who are still staying tuned....I'll slow down and type more coherantly.
Just a short comment....I realize that blogging shouldn't have to be so "wholesome" like there's something interesting to talk about. It can also be like a e-notebook, to "finger down" small thoughts and comments!
Just a short comment....I realize that blogging shouldn't have to be so "wholesome" like there's something interesting to talk about. It can also be like a e-notebook, to "finger down" small thoughts and comments!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Summer in Rhode island
Haha been a while since I blogged....when i get things to do, blogging just becomes something I pretend to forget about doing.
I actually like Buddy better, I' more of a large dog person. Sall dogs just seem to be always looking out for fun and attention and too hyperactive for me. Larger dogs seems to be more affectionate and "friend-like". There's just this air of loyalty to the makes people feel that they can really bond with them, and not just have the for pets.
I'm in Rhode Island now, at my jiejie's place. Since I was only doing computer work for my internship, I decided to spend a few days here and help out with the garden. It's been a new experience for me, helping out with picking the peas, harvesting zuichinni and summer squash under the hot summer sun! I've always wanted to work in an orchard or plantation and this has KIND OF fulfill my little wish. It's not a big garden but we get to harvest and sell some veggies everyday.
Apart from the the different types of veggies, I think I've seen at least 20 types of insects in this small garden. On top of that, Jiejie's obsession with flowers added another flower garden to her yard this year!
This place is bursting with plantlife! It's really calming to start the day waking up to a beautiful flower garden, walk amongst the greens, feel the gentle morning sun. I've been doing that for the past 5 days and every morning, after breakfast, I would cycle to URI (University of Rhode Island), where I go to the public library to do my studying and computer work.
Oh and I have been "running" a dog called maxi for a little part time pay. He's really hyper-active, and I get to do a little extra running when i'm suppose to be walking him around the yard. He's quite mischievous, always trying to incite Buddy (Paul's dog), who is mostly chained since no one's free to walk him. I managed to "run" him too these few days, and I could see how much he liked it!
I actually like Buddy better, I' more of a large dog person. Sall dogs just seem to be always looking out for fun and attention and too hyperactive for me. Larger dogs seems to be more affectionate and "friend-like". There's just this air of loyalty to the makes people feel that they can really bond with them, and not just have the for pets.
Oh and the woods here is full of wildlife too! Jsut the other day when I went jogging, I saw a few squirrels, chipmunks, a fox, a wild rabit and 5 species of birds which I don't now the names of.
There are actually possoms and deers here too, I wonder if i'll get to see them...Ill be trying to get photos of chipmunks and wild rabbits..wish me luck!
I really feel at home here. I have a bike for my use, a room with TV and cable in it, and a storeroom full of food!! Most importantly, I have family here. People that I watch TV with, eat dinner with, and go get bubble tea or buy dinner with! It's just sad that I'm going back to Troy in 5 days. Well, but i can't slack forever, and I'm quite excited about internship too!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
I cannot be praised- not even from myself
I forgot to add in some photos of my new room in the apt.
Just after feeling good that I seem to have some talent in mechanics, I almost burnt the apartment down yesterday morning!
This is the photo of the island we put together on sunday.
I actually left the stove on and went to sleep. The bottom of the pot actually melted and dripped into the stove. Actually it almost looked like a sculpture piece and the metal collected nicely into a pool. Ok, that's still no excuse for that almost grave mistake!
I actually left the stove on and went to sleep. The bottom of the pot actually melted and dripped into the stove. Actually it almost looked like a sculpture piece and the metal collected nicely into a pool. Ok, that's still no excuse for that almost grave mistake!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Why shold it be handyMAN?
I'm beginning to feel good about my decision to stay on in Troy instead of going over to rhode island before the workshop for my internship starts. I think my housemates and I are learning to trust each other and learn about each other.
Yesterday night when Jay came to stay over, we also watch Jurassic Park, but a silly version with people talking at the background mocking the lines by the characters and also about the movie. now I know why America has an irking binge drinking problem among the youth. Even watching a movie and playing games they can leisurely finish a dozen bottles of beer, between 2 guys! And they drink it like it was orange juice or something. they even drink so much soda at one go. I didn't join in, cos I don't like beer and I better not grow the habit.
Oh and today, the landlord brought us a new Island and a sleeping couch that has a foldable bed. The island came in the wooden planks and screws and we had to assemble them. And......I found that I'm quite good with assembling parts. Maybe it has been an interest that I long forgotten. I remember when I was young, I was always interested in watching how my father fixed the household appliance, and how my uncles put the furnitures together. They never let me try out because all the was simply TOO COMPLICATED for a little GIRL. I guess I kinda forgot how I sometimes wanted to breakdown a remote control into it's parts and see if i could fix it again. Haha, another masculine side of me revealed!!
One thing's for sure, the guys would not expect me to know much about fixing things, I could hear it from Matt's tone when he said "don't worry, Jay and I will figure this out". I bet he never would expect to say "I think she's right" when I spotted the mistake and solved their problems a few times. But I did find it weird why they couldn't figure out what I resolved when they are engineering students......hm...i'm sure i'm not that good, I wonder if it's just them...
Tomorrow I am going to start following my study schedule...wish me luck!!!
Yesterday night when Jay came to stay over, we also watch Jurassic Park, but a silly version with people talking at the background mocking the lines by the characters and also about the movie. now I know why America has an irking binge drinking problem among the youth. Even watching a movie and playing games they can leisurely finish a dozen bottles of beer, between 2 guys! And they drink it like it was orange juice or something. they even drink so much soda at one go. I didn't join in, cos I don't like beer and I better not grow the habit.
Oh and today, the landlord brought us a new Island and a sleeping couch that has a foldable bed. The island came in the wooden planks and screws and we had to assemble them. And......I found that I'm quite good with assembling parts. Maybe it has been an interest that I long forgotten. I remember when I was young, I was always interested in watching how my father fixed the household appliance, and how my uncles put the furnitures together. They never let me try out because all the was simply TOO COMPLICATED for a little GIRL. I guess I kinda forgot how I sometimes wanted to breakdown a remote control into it's parts and see if i could fix it again. Haha, another masculine side of me revealed!!
One thing's for sure, the guys would not expect me to know much about fixing things, I could hear it from Matt's tone when he said "don't worry, Jay and I will figure this out". I bet he never would expect to say "I think she's right" when I spotted the mistake and solved their problems a few times. But I did find it weird why they couldn't figure out what I resolved when they are engineering students......hm...i'm sure i'm not that good, I wonder if it's just them...
Tomorrow I am going to start following my study schedule...wish me luck!!!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Getting comfortable here!
Today Jay, my classmate whom I thought was going to stay in this apt came over. He is actually a long-time buddy of Matt's. All of us went to the movies at Colonie Centre (shopping mall) and we watched "A-team". It was quite a cool action movie......quite funny too!
You know at first I was thinking maybe I should just stay in the apt and do my stuff instead of going with them. Then I remembered when I went to NYC myself, if that morning I didn't go travelling with the people I met in the hostel, i wouldn't have made new friends and had that great experience travelling with them and learning from them! Although watching a movie will definitely pale in terms of adventure and learning, it gave me and the guys something to remember and talk about. And I find that I am getting more comfortable around them.
Today I found out that Jeff is really the blur, nerdy kinda guy. I won't be surprised if he's the kind that bullys like to pick on. But that's just the way he is, and he's being himself-which I respect. Too many people in our Singaporean society find the need to wear a sociable, confident mask, even though deep down they feel insecure about who they are. Since I came to the US for GIP, I've seen people of sooo many different personality types that I feel in singapore our personality variation curve is only half or something. But one thing that they all have in common is that, they are jsut themselves, they don't seem to hide it. Even if they are nerdy, they seem to just go with it and heck what people say. This I truly admire, because I recall that sometimes I find it hard to be myself and in the end I don't even know if an opinion or action is really me anymore. In the end, it's the people who really cares that don't care about how perfect you are, and those who don't that picks on your flaws. So why bother about the selfish scrutinizing and superficial judgement of these people? Easier said than done, this I still need to learn.
Today I planned out a schedule for my independent studies since I will be practically only doing computer work until July when the workshop starts. I suddenly realize I have so much time to myself, I really should not waste it. I hope I really bring back something more from this internship period back with me. One of it, I do hope I can bring back a friendship with my housemates, cause I feel that they are really great people in their own way!
You know at first I was thinking maybe I should just stay in the apt and do my stuff instead of going with them. Then I remembered when I went to NYC myself, if that morning I didn't go travelling with the people I met in the hostel, i wouldn't have made new friends and had that great experience travelling with them and learning from them! Although watching a movie will definitely pale in terms of adventure and learning, it gave me and the guys something to remember and talk about. And I find that I am getting more comfortable around them.
Today I found out that Jeff is really the blur, nerdy kinda guy. I won't be surprised if he's the kind that bullys like to pick on. But that's just the way he is, and he's being himself-which I respect. Too many people in our Singaporean society find the need to wear a sociable, confident mask, even though deep down they feel insecure about who they are. Since I came to the US for GIP, I've seen people of sooo many different personality types that I feel in singapore our personality variation curve is only half or something. But one thing that they all have in common is that, they are jsut themselves, they don't seem to hide it. Even if they are nerdy, they seem to just go with it and heck what people say. This I truly admire, because I recall that sometimes I find it hard to be myself and in the end I don't even know if an opinion or action is really me anymore. In the end, it's the people who really cares that don't care about how perfect you are, and those who don't that picks on your flaws. So why bother about the selfish scrutinizing and superficial judgement of these people? Easier said than done, this I still need to learn.
Today I planned out a schedule for my independent studies since I will be practically only doing computer work until July when the workshop starts. I suddenly realize I have so much time to myself, I really should not waste it. I hope I really bring back something more from this internship period back with me. One of it, I do hope I can bring back a friendship with my housemates, cause I feel that they are really great people in their own way!
Friday, June 11, 2010
My housemates
Today's the 3rd day I'm at my new apartment. I'm beginning to feel good about staying here......Perhaps me freaking out on the first day is God's will, so that when I realize how wrong I was, I would feel so much more assured that I was led here in safe hands!
From what i've gathered, both of them are the more studious kinda engineering guys. Maybe Jeff is a bit more nerdy since he comes across a little essentric and inflexible. He's also quite and all-rounded gamer! He has his Xbox, playstation, and Wee outside in the living room, and inside his room he has his desktop equipped with everything he needs for online gaming. But he's not a hardcore gamer, he watch videos too. Yesterday I could hear him laughing out loud from my room and when i walked pass his room, he was watching some comedy on his computer. He's kinda adorable in his innocent way like a child. He's not so much of an initiator when it comes to helping, but he helps out whenever it seemed obvious that his help is needed. I guess he's just not that sensitive a person, but from what i've seen, definitely not a bad one. Although he's an engineer, he didn't seem good with math when we were dividing the cost for grocery shoping yesterday, as there were many stuff we bought that i will not be using, so grocery was a little more complicated.
Matt don't seem like a nerd to me, more like a dilligent and intelligent worker with little words. He does speak with more EQ and doesn't have that essentric aura that nerds have. He's also not the wild guy with the taleban terrorist aura....as what i saw on his facebook before meeting them. His facebook was the one that freaked my out so much I seriously tried to persuade my landlord to let me move out of this apartment. I'm glad I took the chance and stayed on to meet them first. He's the one that people can talk to and not feel awkward, and he offered to give me lift whenever I need to go around since I don't drive here. Surprisingly, Matt is quite a neat person and lives quite a healthy lifestyle. Most of the organic and non-processed groceries are brought by him-granola bars, wheat biscuits, orange juice, chicken breast meat instead of thighs, organic rice etc. Jeff is the typical american student that likes processed frozen food and sodas and ice-creams- but he says he's trying to eat healthy (he bought a box of ice-cream bars yesterday..no comments). And Matt sleeps early, at 11pm his lights go out..for the past 2 nights.
Woo......I realized I've been quite observant to list all these out for the past 2 days! Oh and we had dinner together last night. I prepared something that is more western than chinese even though they told me they do take chinese food- I just didn't know if true healthy chinese food will be to thier liking. They seemed to like the food I prepared since all the mushroom chicken was finished...except that Jeff ate all the chicken and left the mushrooms-apparently he doesn't like mushrooms. Matt doesn't like pork- lucky he said he doesn't LIKE and not he don't EAT, if not my concern about him being a muslim terrorist will arise again. We bought pork chop in the end since Matt said he would give pork a chance again.
After dinner, we went grocery shopping together, and it was Sam's Club!!! My favourite grocery store, cause everything comes in bulk....like a food warehouse. I was glad that I could offer my membership card so they could enjoy the benefit. Now is really the testing time when each of us are trying to check out what kind of a person we each are, and whether we are the contributors or the leechers. I found out that the 2 of them are definitely not leechers, and I am more then willing to contribute as much within my ability to maintain a good housemate relationship.
So far things seem pretty good, and I even chose to stay here to do my independent studies before the workshop for my internship starts, instead of going over to stay at Rose's place.
Thank God my housemates are not weirdos or crazy party people!
From what i've gathered, both of them are the more studious kinda engineering guys. Maybe Jeff is a bit more nerdy since he comes across a little essentric and inflexible. He's also quite and all-rounded gamer! He has his Xbox, playstation, and Wee outside in the living room, and inside his room he has his desktop equipped with everything he needs for online gaming. But he's not a hardcore gamer, he watch videos too. Yesterday I could hear him laughing out loud from my room and when i walked pass his room, he was watching some comedy on his computer. He's kinda adorable in his innocent way like a child. He's not so much of an initiator when it comes to helping, but he helps out whenever it seemed obvious that his help is needed. I guess he's just not that sensitive a person, but from what i've seen, definitely not a bad one. Although he's an engineer, he didn't seem good with math when we were dividing the cost for grocery shoping yesterday, as there were many stuff we bought that i will not be using, so grocery was a little more complicated.
Matt don't seem like a nerd to me, more like a dilligent and intelligent worker with little words. He does speak with more EQ and doesn't have that essentric aura that nerds have. He's also not the wild guy with the taleban terrorist aura....as what i saw on his facebook before meeting them. His facebook was the one that freaked my out so much I seriously tried to persuade my landlord to let me move out of this apartment. I'm glad I took the chance and stayed on to meet them first. He's the one that people can talk to and not feel awkward, and he offered to give me lift whenever I need to go around since I don't drive here. Surprisingly, Matt is quite a neat person and lives quite a healthy lifestyle. Most of the organic and non-processed groceries are brought by him-granola bars, wheat biscuits, orange juice, chicken breast meat instead of thighs, organic rice etc. Jeff is the typical american student that likes processed frozen food and sodas and ice-creams- but he says he's trying to eat healthy (he bought a box of ice-cream bars yesterday..no comments). And Matt sleeps early, at 11pm his lights go out..for the past 2 nights.
Woo......I realized I've been quite observant to list all these out for the past 2 days! Oh and we had dinner together last night. I prepared something that is more western than chinese even though they told me they do take chinese food- I just didn't know if true healthy chinese food will be to thier liking. They seemed to like the food I prepared since all the mushroom chicken was finished...except that Jeff ate all the chicken and left the mushrooms-apparently he doesn't like mushrooms. Matt doesn't like pork- lucky he said he doesn't LIKE and not he don't EAT, if not my concern about him being a muslim terrorist will arise again. We bought pork chop in the end since Matt said he would give pork a chance again.
After dinner, we went grocery shopping together, and it was Sam's Club!!! My favourite grocery store, cause everything comes in bulk....like a food warehouse. I was glad that I could offer my membership card so they could enjoy the benefit. Now is really the testing time when each of us are trying to check out what kind of a person we each are, and whether we are the contributors or the leechers. I found out that the 2 of them are definitely not leechers, and I am more then willing to contribute as much within my ability to maintain a good housemate relationship.
So far things seem pretty good, and I even chose to stay here to do my independent studies before the workshop for my internship starts, instead of going over to stay at Rose's place.
Thank God my housemates are not weirdos or crazy party people!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Post-trip, pre-internship, meet- the-housemates
I am now at the new apartment alone. My 2 housemates are out to work in their internship and I will only see them for the first time tonight when they are back at about 630pm.
I know this entry should be about how wonderful travelling had been, but I just am not in the mood to talk about it yet. Maybe because today marks the first day that I spend in Troy alone, and on top of that, I do not know what to expect from my housemates. This brings me back to the start of GIP, I can't really remember how I felt on the first day, but there wasn't anything so significantly sad that I remember it. But now I really feel fear deep inside and i'm worried that it will slowly grow to such an intensity that I can't avoid it.
After touching down at 930 this morning, I spent the day reactivating my US number (cos I lost it in Vancouver), and coming back to unpack my stuff. I found that I was kind of battling with my own voice inside my head, crying out that I am really alone now, no Singaporeans around me, and it will be like that for 2 months. I have to admit that for the whole day I have been avoiding thinking about it, because I know that coming to terms with it would require some emo-ing and maybe tears again. I guess it's not only that I will be alone here that scares me, but living with 2 American guys. I really don't know if i can get along with them, and I totally do not know what ot expect. If living here would be just living apart as housemates and not even friends, the 2 months will be enduring! Well, ironically, this is something that I have been wanting to experience.
Was chatting with friend online just now, trying to distract myself from my own thoughts, and my housemates came back from work! They seem like nice people. But people usually appear nice at first and time slowly reveals OTHER things. I just hope it's good things.....
I feel much better now after I have met them. We are all back in our own rooms doing our stuff. It's better this way for a first day......too much forced socialization will only make things awkward.
I'll be uploading my photos from the trip soon! Tomorrow starts the internship.....excited and also anxious if I can be of help to the research team....gambatte!
I know this entry should be about how wonderful travelling had been, but I just am not in the mood to talk about it yet. Maybe because today marks the first day that I spend in Troy alone, and on top of that, I do not know what to expect from my housemates. This brings me back to the start of GIP, I can't really remember how I felt on the first day, but there wasn't anything so significantly sad that I remember it. But now I really feel fear deep inside and i'm worried that it will slowly grow to such an intensity that I can't avoid it.
After touching down at 930 this morning, I spent the day reactivating my US number (cos I lost it in Vancouver), and coming back to unpack my stuff. I found that I was kind of battling with my own voice inside my head, crying out that I am really alone now, no Singaporeans around me, and it will be like that for 2 months. I have to admit that for the whole day I have been avoiding thinking about it, because I know that coming to terms with it would require some emo-ing and maybe tears again. I guess it's not only that I will be alone here that scares me, but living with 2 American guys. I really don't know if i can get along with them, and I totally do not know what ot expect. If living here would be just living apart as housemates and not even friends, the 2 months will be enduring! Well, ironically, this is something that I have been wanting to experience.
Was chatting with friend online just now, trying to distract myself from my own thoughts, and my housemates came back from work! They seem like nice people. But people usually appear nice at first and time slowly reveals OTHER things. I just hope it's good things.....
I feel much better now after I have met them. We are all back in our own rooms doing our stuff. It's better this way for a first day......too much forced socialization will only make things awkward.
I'll be uploading my photos from the trip soon! Tomorrow starts the internship.....excited and also anxious if I can be of help to the research team....gambatte!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Lost in New York City part 1
I am actually on the bus back to Albany now after spending 3 days of "independent" travelling in NYC. It has been a EXPERIENCE believe me, especially for my case.
To begin with, I gotta say that NYC is really quite overrated in some areas. In terms of how great it is for a tourist , and also how bad it is on the streets. I stayed near Rockelfeller centre where all the main shopping areas are, Times Square, Fifth Avenue, Sixth Avenue....there were MANY shops but it's really just a collection of shops, and in terms of good deals, there aren't much really. Well it's great for shopping if you have some big bucks prepared, but definitely not for those on a tighter budget. It's also a good place for shopping because the area offers a wide variety of shops, mostly boutiques though. So relatively to other shopping countries like Singapore, Hongkong, NYC is really not much greater, unless it's the American brands you are looking for, then it will definitely be a dream come true.
But what's great I feel, is really the theatre scene, and I'm sure you guys have heard how it is a MUST to watch a play or musical in NYC. I haven't watched any, but all those who have watched only sang praises and not one bad comment....yet. And in almost every streeet around the Times Sqaure area are broadway theatres, big billboards, and definitely people promoting tickets on the streets!
Well for food, there's quite a wide variety of it. There's cheaper "zhap cai beng" (mix vegetable rice), sandwiches and American food like pizza, and there's also most expensive restaurants offering seafood to Italian food. One the interesting things is that for the "zhap cai beng" you pack your own food and choose from a buffet-like spread, and they charge according ot the WEIGHT, yes I mean how heavy that pack is! I was quite amazed at this mode of charging too. It was surprising that you really get some chinese dishes in the spread too. They also have their street-side stalls that sells drinks and snack everywhere, but it's not much cheaper either, I bought a bottle of mineral water this morning for USD$2 (a desparate buy because my bus was leaving in 3 minutes and i didn't have time to go fill my bottle).
Another, I feel, myth about NYC is the security. Well there are definitely many "homeboys" in the area, but most of them jsut keep to the other black people, because they know the "5-0" (police) are everywhere. And they are, i'm not sure if it's due to the recent bomb threat, but the police where everywhere in times square, they also had a police stationed in the middle of the area with glass walls giving them a view of the streets. Moreover, most black people you see in NYC are working, either in stores or selling tickets of all sorts on the streets, so they are not those you see loitering in the streets or gathering together and just laughing and cursing. Well it make sense, cause in NYC, it's not so much about surviving in terms of brute, but BUCKS! In fact, I didn't feel threatened or intimidated in NYC by the blacks, and if they are eliminated of the threat pool, then then sense of security is heightened. So much that I became really comfortable, and lost my wallet in one of the biggest cities in the world!
To be continued......because I'm falling asleep on the bus.....
To begin with, I gotta say that NYC is really quite overrated in some areas. In terms of how great it is for a tourist , and also how bad it is on the streets. I stayed near Rockelfeller centre where all the main shopping areas are, Times Square, Fifth Avenue, Sixth Avenue....there were MANY shops but it's really just a collection of shops, and in terms of good deals, there aren't much really. Well it's great for shopping if you have some big bucks prepared, but definitely not for those on a tighter budget. It's also a good place for shopping because the area offers a wide variety of shops, mostly boutiques though. So relatively to other shopping countries like Singapore, Hongkong, NYC is really not much greater, unless it's the American brands you are looking for, then it will definitely be a dream come true.
But what's great I feel, is really the theatre scene, and I'm sure you guys have heard how it is a MUST to watch a play or musical in NYC. I haven't watched any, but all those who have watched only sang praises and not one bad comment....yet. And in almost every streeet around the Times Sqaure area are broadway theatres, big billboards, and definitely people promoting tickets on the streets!
Well for food, there's quite a wide variety of it. There's cheaper "zhap cai beng" (mix vegetable rice), sandwiches and American food like pizza, and there's also most expensive restaurants offering seafood to Italian food. One the interesting things is that for the "zhap cai beng" you pack your own food and choose from a buffet-like spread, and they charge according ot the WEIGHT, yes I mean how heavy that pack is! I was quite amazed at this mode of charging too. It was surprising that you really get some chinese dishes in the spread too. They also have their street-side stalls that sells drinks and snack everywhere, but it's not much cheaper either, I bought a bottle of mineral water this morning for USD$2 (a desparate buy because my bus was leaving in 3 minutes and i didn't have time to go fill my bottle).
Another, I feel, myth about NYC is the security. Well there are definitely many "homeboys" in the area, but most of them jsut keep to the other black people, because they know the "5-0" (police) are everywhere. And they are, i'm not sure if it's due to the recent bomb threat, but the police where everywhere in times square, they also had a police stationed in the middle of the area with glass walls giving them a view of the streets. Moreover, most black people you see in NYC are working, either in stores or selling tickets of all sorts on the streets, so they are not those you see loitering in the streets or gathering together and just laughing and cursing. Well it make sense, cause in NYC, it's not so much about surviving in terms of brute, but BUCKS! In fact, I didn't feel threatened or intimidated in NYC by the blacks, and if they are eliminated of the threat pool, then then sense of security is heightened. So much that I became really comfortable, and lost my wallet in one of the biggest cities in the world!
To be continued......because I'm falling asleep on the bus.....
Saturday, May 15, 2010
It's almost like a fast forward, and now everyone is leaving Troy and embarking on their last stretch of travelling before heading back to Singapore......After all that mental preparation the past 3 weeks, I doubt any of us will ever be "prepared" to leave our GIP life.
Some of us, like Valerie and Zixuan were ready to go home, and it made me kinda felt like going home too sometimes. If not for the fact that I am quite interest in the nature of my internship research, I think I would just got on a plane and go home. I know for sure I'll dip into a period of depression, realizing that all the familiar people are not beside me, or even somewhere accessible. After Valerie, Zixuan and Pei Pei left for DC today, I'm really beginning to feel it..... I just hope the travelling will help buffer the transition between being a part of a 14 exchange student group to an individual overseas internship student. It's really quite scary.
As the 3 of us left in the apartment were clearing what remains in the apartment, it really feels like we were going back in time to where we first started, when the whole apartment was empty. As the days add on our calender, so did the things we bought, together, for the apartment. What was added to the apartment since we came, were , well ,ALOT of groceries and food stuff, but also new understanding for each other. I realized that you trully learn alot about people when you stay with them for a few months. Without fail, you'll be able to catch each person's flaws, and for the first person you find a major flaw, the first reaction would be "turn off", followed by asking the other housemate if they feel the same way. More often than not, all the other housemates come to agreement, and this will most probably lead to a period of gossips here and there, with the intention of both not wanting to hurt the "person" and also for the kick of talking behind people shortcomings.
But as time passes, you'll realize that this will happen for each person in the house. Then ultimately, it'll go one full circle and back to you, where you'll somehow get feedback on your own major flaw. Only then will you realize that, EVERYONE has a major flaw! Just when you think that the person you are gossiping about belong to the minority in the population that just annoys people, look closer, everyone is in this "group", even yourself! This is a very big lesson I've learned from my housemates, to never be judgmental about others, because our own flaws are equally or even more annoying to others.
At first, when Daphne finally revealed to me today that sometimes I make decisions and assume that everyone is happy with it, my first reaction was to defend myself. Because I felt injustice, I felt that all the "house" decisions I made was more often than not for the good of others and not myself.....and yet I was just seen as being assertive. I felt frustrated, unappreciated and angry. But I realized, that I was generalizing my role back in my family to this "family". At home I made all the decisions, did all the initiation, and "took care" of stuff. But that was for my "little" brothers and sister! And I realized, that I simply cannot do that for a group of adults. No doubt my intention is to serve others, but I realized that if I have made assumptions,thinking that the people I was caring for would agreed and be equally as excited as me about them. It's to my greatest horror, that my way of serving others only "serves" to serve myself- what "I" think is best for people, is not always what they are happy or comfortable with. I am totally humbled, and it's time to do some soul searching......
Now I just feel bad that Daphne and especially Valerie had to put up with that part of me. But they taught me something else about myself, that I would NEVER have realized if they didn't point it out to me. It made me realize that caring is not just about the outcome, but how the people involve "feel" about the process. Not everyone wants to be cared for in the same way, and things just backfire if you make too many assumptions.
Well, although I feel frustrated about my deep mistake, I am still glad that Daphne told me about it. Opening up is always the best, because it bridges understanding instead of brewing resentments! And the 3 of us has been quite open about things , at least ultimately, with each other. I'm really happy that I got to know them better, their flaws and their strengths and they taught me about my own problems too! I guess living together should not be all smooth-flowing and friendly, because that only avoids clashing of differences. It's only when differences clash, will people grow new chemistry and bonds with each other- so science (chemistry) does make sense!
I just hope that whatever time i have left here with the GIP people I will treasure it, because we can never have such an experience again in our lives. When we all go back to our families, our friends, our best friends, we may not ever be so close anymore, but we definitely shared something special during these 5 months here on GIP!
Right now, I definitely have half the mind of wanting to go back. But I'll have to push myself abit more this time, there's more to experience and more to learn. And first up, TRAVELLING ALONE IN NYC!!!!
Some of us, like Valerie and Zixuan were ready to go home, and it made me kinda felt like going home too sometimes. If not for the fact that I am quite interest in the nature of my internship research, I think I would just got on a plane and go home. I know for sure I'll dip into a period of depression, realizing that all the familiar people are not beside me, or even somewhere accessible. After Valerie, Zixuan and Pei Pei left for DC today, I'm really beginning to feel it..... I just hope the travelling will help buffer the transition between being a part of a 14 exchange student group to an individual overseas internship student. It's really quite scary.
As the 3 of us left in the apartment were clearing what remains in the apartment, it really feels like we were going back in time to where we first started, when the whole apartment was empty. As the days add on our calender, so did the things we bought, together, for the apartment. What was added to the apartment since we came, were , well ,ALOT of groceries and food stuff, but also new understanding for each other. I realized that you trully learn alot about people when you stay with them for a few months. Without fail, you'll be able to catch each person's flaws, and for the first person you find a major flaw, the first reaction would be "turn off", followed by asking the other housemate if they feel the same way. More often than not, all the other housemates come to agreement, and this will most probably lead to a period of gossips here and there, with the intention of both not wanting to hurt the "person" and also for the kick of talking behind people shortcomings.
But as time passes, you'll realize that this will happen for each person in the house. Then ultimately, it'll go one full circle and back to you, where you'll somehow get feedback on your own major flaw. Only then will you realize that, EVERYONE has a major flaw! Just when you think that the person you are gossiping about belong to the minority in the population that just annoys people, look closer, everyone is in this "group", even yourself! This is a very big lesson I've learned from my housemates, to never be judgmental about others, because our own flaws are equally or even more annoying to others.
At first, when Daphne finally revealed to me today that sometimes I make decisions and assume that everyone is happy with it, my first reaction was to defend myself. Because I felt injustice, I felt that all the "house" decisions I made was more often than not for the good of others and not myself.....and yet I was just seen as being assertive. I felt frustrated, unappreciated and angry. But I realized, that I was generalizing my role back in my family to this "family". At home I made all the decisions, did all the initiation, and "took care" of stuff. But that was for my "little" brothers and sister! And I realized, that I simply cannot do that for a group of adults. No doubt my intention is to serve others, but I realized that if I have made assumptions,thinking that the people I was caring for would agreed and be equally as excited as me about them. It's to my greatest horror, that my way of serving others only "serves" to serve myself- what "I" think is best for people, is not always what they are happy or comfortable with. I am totally humbled, and it's time to do some soul searching......
Now I just feel bad that Daphne and especially Valerie had to put up with that part of me. But they taught me something else about myself, that I would NEVER have realized if they didn't point it out to me. It made me realize that caring is not just about the outcome, but how the people involve "feel" about the process. Not everyone wants to be cared for in the same way, and things just backfire if you make too many assumptions.
Well, although I feel frustrated about my deep mistake, I am still glad that Daphne told me about it. Opening up is always the best, because it bridges understanding instead of brewing resentments! And the 3 of us has been quite open about things , at least ultimately, with each other. I'm really happy that I got to know them better, their flaws and their strengths and they taught me about my own problems too! I guess living together should not be all smooth-flowing and friendly, because that only avoids clashing of differences. It's only when differences clash, will people grow new chemistry and bonds with each other- so science (chemistry) does make sense!
I just hope that whatever time i have left here with the GIP people I will treasure it, because we can never have such an experience again in our lives. When we all go back to our families, our friends, our best friends, we may not ever be so close anymore, but we definitely shared something special during these 5 months here on GIP!
Right now, I definitely have half the mind of wanting to go back. But I'll have to push myself abit more this time, there's more to experience and more to learn. And first up, TRAVELLING ALONE IN NYC!!!!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
don't jump to conclusions
I don't know if you guys believe in religion or if there is a God. But I feel that sometimes God speaks to me not in words or enlighten me with sudden insights, but instead reveals himself in the little things I come across everyday.
Just after blogging about how I feel that it's so hard to care for everyone, something happened today, and I feel that it's God's reply to me. I was studying at my favourite spot, the slope, when I notice a man walking up this steep winding road to one of the RPI buildings. He was moving very slowly and was using a walking aid. He was in his fifties I would think, and was obesed. He really looked like he was having a hard time, but i didn't know if I could help, or should help- you know how some people who are handicapped in one way or another feel even more prideful about being independent. But i just couldn't sit there and watch him, something was just urging me to go approach him, to at least ask if i could help in any way. Well, I did and at first he was saying he just need to rest, but I KIND OF insisted and said that I didn't have class today so i could help.
He accepted it and said " well i could use some company". I offered to hold his bag for him to lighten his already heavy "load" and while he continued walking, we started chatting. It brought to my attention that, you need to be gracious to help, but sometimes you might need even more grace to accept help, and he definitely did. He told me that he was suffering from Parkinson's and diabetes, and apparently was one of the professors in RPI. What really touched me was him saying "life is good". I was really amazed at how determined he was (he said it's stubborness), in living life to the fullest, and not letting reality bring him down. As much as I would like to think I am strong, I'm not confident that I can face up to his challenge if I were in his shoes! To walk up this hill for 2 days every week ALONE. It's not only hard, it's dangerous! He could just lose his footing and he'll start rolling down the hill, and it could be fatal!
I helped him with some requests along the way and he asked for my email and number, that he wanted to thank me. i gave him my email and contact not because I'm expecting his repayment, but because I would hope to keep in contact with him. You know there are some strangers you meet in your life through genuinely sincere circumstances and you feel that it's something sacred and special? this is one of them for me, and I really didn't want anything materialistic or superficial to spoil this experience. That 20 mins while walking up the hill with him and chatting, was one of the most sincere moments in my life, where I was just being myself and I didn't felt i was being judged. Yah especially after I blogged about being judged and all...... Maybe God is trying to tell me, you CAN care for people other than those close to you. You CAN reach out to those who need a helping hand, and that it is wonderful!
I think I am the one who should thank this professor for letting me help him, for giving me this opportunity to learn from life. He asked me to go back in 20 mins and I didn't know why. But I think i'll go back to take a look. honestly, i couldn't understand what he was saying 1/4 of the time because he was slurring and I felt really bad to have him repeat himself sometimes.
thinking back, it wasn't very much noble on my part, since I think any of my friends I know in GIP, especially the girls, would have done the same thing. but this experience is just really meaningful to me especially when I was starting to doubt myself.
Just after blogging about how I feel that it's so hard to care for everyone, something happened today, and I feel that it's God's reply to me. I was studying at my favourite spot, the slope, when I notice a man walking up this steep winding road to one of the RPI buildings. He was moving very slowly and was using a walking aid. He was in his fifties I would think, and was obesed. He really looked like he was having a hard time, but i didn't know if I could help, or should help- you know how some people who are handicapped in one way or another feel even more prideful about being independent. But i just couldn't sit there and watch him, something was just urging me to go approach him, to at least ask if i could help in any way. Well, I did and at first he was saying he just need to rest, but I KIND OF insisted and said that I didn't have class today so i could help.
He accepted it and said " well i could use some company". I offered to hold his bag for him to lighten his already heavy "load" and while he continued walking, we started chatting. It brought to my attention that, you need to be gracious to help, but sometimes you might need even more grace to accept help, and he definitely did. He told me that he was suffering from Parkinson's and diabetes, and apparently was one of the professors in RPI. What really touched me was him saying "life is good". I was really amazed at how determined he was (he said it's stubborness), in living life to the fullest, and not letting reality bring him down. As much as I would like to think I am strong, I'm not confident that I can face up to his challenge if I were in his shoes! To walk up this hill for 2 days every week ALONE. It's not only hard, it's dangerous! He could just lose his footing and he'll start rolling down the hill, and it could be fatal!
I helped him with some requests along the way and he asked for my email and number, that he wanted to thank me. i gave him my email and contact not because I'm expecting his repayment, but because I would hope to keep in contact with him. You know there are some strangers you meet in your life through genuinely sincere circumstances and you feel that it's something sacred and special? this is one of them for me, and I really didn't want anything materialistic or superficial to spoil this experience. That 20 mins while walking up the hill with him and chatting, was one of the most sincere moments in my life, where I was just being myself and I didn't felt i was being judged. Yah especially after I blogged about being judged and all...... Maybe God is trying to tell me, you CAN care for people other than those close to you. You CAN reach out to those who need a helping hand, and that it is wonderful!
I think I am the one who should thank this professor for letting me help him, for giving me this opportunity to learn from life. He asked me to go back in 20 mins and I didn't know why. But I think i'll go back to take a look. honestly, i couldn't understand what he was saying 1/4 of the time because he was slurring and I felt really bad to have him repeat himself sometimes.
thinking back, it wasn't very much noble on my part, since I think any of my friends I know in GIP, especially the girls, would have done the same thing. but this experience is just really meaningful to me especially when I was starting to doubt myself.
The semester is ending!
I can't believe, or maybe I don't want to believe, that the semester here at RPI is going to end in 3 weeks time! I'm really trying to live whatever is left of the semester to the fullest.
Even though I'll be here for internship, everyone else will be back in Singapore-it will never be the same without them. No familiar people to go grocery shopping with, to cook with, to eat with, to chat for hours and hours with......Oh no it does sound sad. Well, I've always wanted to live alone in some foreign country to see what it's like to have no one u can really rely on and to learn how to fully depend on yourself. Yet, I can't imagine what it's going ot be like right now, time will tell!
It has really been a fulfilling experience here. This 3 months have taught me so much that I would not have learnt within the comfort zone of Singapore. Living with others have taught me not to judge people too quickly, that there is so much more to what presents itself. I have never so clearly udnerstoof that, not everyone lays everything out and only time will tell who they really are. This i would not have learnt if i hadn't live with total strangers.
The time and space that this semester gave me, really gave me the luxury to pay more attention to myself. Something that I thought I did, but I didn't realize that all the school work and family problems actually made me think of mself only in those contexts. Time here has really taught me that there is more joy and freedom to live than I thought I knew.
I learned, somewhat the hard way, that you simply can't cater to everyone and it's just impossible to care and love everyone the same way. The more people I know, the more I care for them, I sometimes inevitably HAVE to hurt someone. It sucks, but life is apparently so. My life so far has put me through many hurts that really instill in me this phobia to hurt others. Because I know how painful and unfair it is for the one being hurt, I just never want to be the one who inflict such pain on others. Unfortunately, I realized that I sometimes become over-sensitive about the feelings of others, that I may overcompensate and make things worse, ending up being misunderstood instead. In the end I not only hurt others, but also myself. Well, I still don't have a solution to this problem of mine, I can only pray for guidance and just be sincere to the people I care for.
Another relational lesson I've learnt, is that you can't expect everyone to understand and trust you. One BIG problem with me is that when I trust someone and care for them, I unconsciously expects that they too will trust me and totally understand who I am and where I am coming from. But that's only the case in my mind. I just couldn't understand that everyone is unique, some trustworthy, some not, some trusting and others not. I can't expect everyone to be as naive as me, and therefore I can't assume that they know the real me. I guess what I am trying to tell myself is that, people will misunderstand me, they will judge me, through whatever lenses they have and I can't help it. If I simply get affected each time they do, I'll never be happy, and I might as a result stop caring and trusting, even those who care and trust in me. Perhaps, we just do not have to capacity or ability to care for everyone we know, so far it just doesn't seem feasible.
On the bright side, I THINK I've also learn to be less mindful of what people think of me-perhaps from the reflection that I can't stop people from judging me. To just live as though no one is looking and judging, to ignore the presence of others sometimes. Like yesterday, I alone went again to the slope and just lied there under the sun, in my shades, listening to music and ignoring the people who walked past, even a class of people on the other end of the slope. Learning to just take a break from the world like no one else exists. This is something I think I have learnt from the US culture, to just not care about what others think of you sometimes, and to REALLY feel and think so!
Ooops another entry on reflection. But i guess its appropriate since the semester is ending soon. I guess for this blog there will be 2 more chapters- After-semester tour and internship. I'll also be ending this blog after the internship ends until the next time I travel or do my masters. Well I guess it makes the blog more meaningful! Whether I might start blogging about my life in Singapore, hm....maybe!
Even though I'll be here for internship, everyone else will be back in Singapore-it will never be the same without them. No familiar people to go grocery shopping with, to cook with, to eat with, to chat for hours and hours with......Oh no it does sound sad. Well, I've always wanted to live alone in some foreign country to see what it's like to have no one u can really rely on and to learn how to fully depend on yourself. Yet, I can't imagine what it's going ot be like right now, time will tell!
It has really been a fulfilling experience here. This 3 months have taught me so much that I would not have learnt within the comfort zone of Singapore. Living with others have taught me not to judge people too quickly, that there is so much more to what presents itself. I have never so clearly udnerstoof that, not everyone lays everything out and only time will tell who they really are. This i would not have learnt if i hadn't live with total strangers.
The time and space that this semester gave me, really gave me the luxury to pay more attention to myself. Something that I thought I did, but I didn't realize that all the school work and family problems actually made me think of mself only in those contexts. Time here has really taught me that there is more joy and freedom to live than I thought I knew.
I learned, somewhat the hard way, that you simply can't cater to everyone and it's just impossible to care and love everyone the same way. The more people I know, the more I care for them, I sometimes inevitably HAVE to hurt someone. It sucks, but life is apparently so. My life so far has put me through many hurts that really instill in me this phobia to hurt others. Because I know how painful and unfair it is for the one being hurt, I just never want to be the one who inflict such pain on others. Unfortunately, I realized that I sometimes become over-sensitive about the feelings of others, that I may overcompensate and make things worse, ending up being misunderstood instead. In the end I not only hurt others, but also myself. Well, I still don't have a solution to this problem of mine, I can only pray for guidance and just be sincere to the people I care for.
Another relational lesson I've learnt, is that you can't expect everyone to understand and trust you. One BIG problem with me is that when I trust someone and care for them, I unconsciously expects that they too will trust me and totally understand who I am and where I am coming from. But that's only the case in my mind. I just couldn't understand that everyone is unique, some trustworthy, some not, some trusting and others not. I can't expect everyone to be as naive as me, and therefore I can't assume that they know the real me. I guess what I am trying to tell myself is that, people will misunderstand me, they will judge me, through whatever lenses they have and I can't help it. If I simply get affected each time they do, I'll never be happy, and I might as a result stop caring and trusting, even those who care and trust in me. Perhaps, we just do not have to capacity or ability to care for everyone we know, so far it just doesn't seem feasible.
On the bright side, I THINK I've also learn to be less mindful of what people think of me-perhaps from the reflection that I can't stop people from judging me. To just live as though no one is looking and judging, to ignore the presence of others sometimes. Like yesterday, I alone went again to the slope and just lied there under the sun, in my shades, listening to music and ignoring the people who walked past, even a class of people on the other end of the slope. Learning to just take a break from the world like no one else exists. This is something I think I have learnt from the US culture, to just not care about what others think of you sometimes, and to REALLY feel and think so!
Ooops another entry on reflection. But i guess its appropriate since the semester is ending soon. I guess for this blog there will be 2 more chapters- After-semester tour and internship. I'll also be ending this blog after the internship ends until the next time I travel or do my masters. Well I guess it makes the blog more meaningful! Whether I might start blogging about my life in Singapore, hm....maybe!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Another beautiful day
It's just another precious clear blue-skied day......
A good weather is really precious during the seasons of winter and spring, and there seem to be no guaranteed "spring" day! So when the sky is clear and the temperature outside if above 60 farenheit, everyone comes out to PLAY!
It was just too beautiful a day to stay in doors, so i decided to go study on a big grass slope in school. There was no one but me, and another woman. It was a little chilly in the morning at 11am, but whenever the clouds bypass the sun, and the sun's rays touched my skin, it was like moments of summer!
Oh and while i was reading my notes on the hill, there was this guy who rolled down the slope, and I mean all the way down! At first I thought it was a group of daredeveils, but no! He was on his own. Well, I thought, ok, another weird guy. Then he rolled down the slope AGAIN! I looked up the slope to see how the women reacted and she packed up and left! Ok, so do i leave too? I decided to just stay, and he left, so everything was back to normal. So there was I, reading on the hill with the beautiful view of downtown troy, lying down on the grass to take breaks once in a while.....
THEN! When I decided to take a snack break, there he was standing about a metre away from me, and he was waving and saying "hi" at me. I forced out a natural smile, and HIed back.
Rolling guy: "What are you reading?"
Me: Showed him the cover of the book instead of replying, and pretend i was busy reading.
Rolling guy: Oh I have never read that book! Is it for class?
Me: erm yah (and then went back to READING my book)
Rolling guy: Ok, nice day! (and he walked ALL THE WAY to the other side of the grass patch)
My goodness! I have never been approached by such a weird person before. And he's expression when he waved at me almost freaked me out on the spot! Honestly, I feel bad for acting quite cold toward him, but at that moment I just felt that it wouldn't have been too wise to engage him in a cconversation. Well, that's the end of this rolling guy......
I read for a little while longer and decided to go cycling (borrowed Steph's bike). It was the first time I seriously cycled since I came to Troy. I decided to cycle to downtown Troy, which was down the slope form RPI. I really over-estimated my cycling fitness. I went DOWNTOWN in a breeze but struggled coming back UPTOWN!
At a traffic light, a black American guy that looked a little sloppy came up to me and said something like "it's not really save to cycle here, some people just can't "see" the road". Judgeing from his appearance and remembering advice to be wary of black people, I nodded with a tinge of nonchalance yet courtesy to his kind gesture. Then he went on the ask "you ok with crossing the road yourself?" I went like "yah" immediately with quick nods because I was really starting to feel suspicious. But he just walked on and said "just be safe ok!" and ran across the road.
That was when I realized that he really meant no harm, and I simply let my stereotypiccal bias towards black people get the better of me. Well, I definitely have to protect myself and remain caution. But I can't help but think that, this man was really just showing some concern. In fact, I think he sensed my apprehension and decided to run across the road instead of waiting for the traffic light. To know that he even showed consideration toward me when he totally could just "heck it" to what I felt, just made me feel worse. I probably judged him the way many white people have judged him. That he look poor and he's black, so he's dangerous.
Being in the normal crowd in Singapore, makes it really hard to understand how it feels to be discriminated. I feel sad even when people misunderstand my intentions, much less if they misunderstand my character! I just hope that this man, if he really is kind at heart, will not be discouraged by how the world judge him. It's really sad how people get so disappointed with being so misunderstood that they give up on anything good in them. If I could talk ot him, I would probably refer him to a quote in Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays with Morrie"- "If your culture don't work for you, don't buy it".
It's so easy for us to judge, but it's so painful for the one who is judged. Maybe if we can really differentiate discerning from being judgemental, we can learn to treat each other with more respect.
Another small life lesson!
Thanks to our friend Steph, who told us about a nice spot to watch the sunset, Valerie, Daphne and I ended our day with a beautiful view of the sun setting on the downtown Troy. It was actually at the same slope I was at and the VERY same SPOT! It was beautiful......we even saw the going out of sight behind the Troy buildings.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Woah....School Lockdown
Today I finally experience a school LOCK DOWN!
There are an armed robber who was sighted within RPI premises. As a result, the school sent all students sms telling us not to leave the school building and to lock the doors and windows. When we received the message, Valerie and I were in our basic drawing class. It was quite interesting to see that the local students here were really quite chill about the whole thing. In fact, they started to talk about other such incidents in the past and complained about being confined to the classroom. In the end, the professor and students left the building before the lockdown was lifted.
It was really hard to even worry about the whole incident when eveyrone around seem to chill, so I just spent the extra 90 mins of lockdown on my drawing. While they were discussing, I was just quietly drawing away, occasionally picking up some jokes and giggling at them. Well the time spent on the drawing paid off since i was able to refine my work!
Apparently, lockdowns have happened before due to many different incidents. One was from a shooting near RPI premiseand apparently implicated a drug deal. One of my classmates from Texas mentioned that there was a school lockdown in middle school because a bull run free from a nearby farm! But well, it's texas! So while the discussions went on, there was sirens ringing form outside the class occacionally, and the PA system announcements that could hardly be deciphered from within the classrooms-since they asked us to lock the window. Well, the PA system runs OUTSIDE classrooms, so you see the problem?
In the end, Valerie and I left the building too because we were so hungry and also because we could see that outside the school building, students were already walking around. Haha, so we kind of hecked it. But thank God we're safe and sound!
There are an armed robber who was sighted within RPI premises. As a result, the school sent all students sms telling us not to leave the school building and to lock the doors and windows. When we received the message, Valerie and I were in our basic drawing class. It was quite interesting to see that the local students here were really quite chill about the whole thing. In fact, they started to talk about other such incidents in the past and complained about being confined to the classroom. In the end, the professor and students left the building before the lockdown was lifted.
It was really hard to even worry about the whole incident when eveyrone around seem to chill, so I just spent the extra 90 mins of lockdown on my drawing. While they were discussing, I was just quietly drawing away, occasionally picking up some jokes and giggling at them. Well the time spent on the drawing paid off since i was able to refine my work!
Apparently, lockdowns have happened before due to many different incidents. One was from a shooting near RPI premiseand apparently implicated a drug deal. One of my classmates from Texas mentioned that there was a school lockdown in middle school because a bull run free from a nearby farm! But well, it's texas! So while the discussions went on, there was sirens ringing form outside the class occacionally, and the PA system announcements that could hardly be deciphered from within the classrooms-since they asked us to lock the window. Well, the PA system runs OUTSIDE classrooms, so you see the problem?
In the end, Valerie and I left the building too because we were so hungry and also because we could see that outside the school building, students were already walking around. Haha, so we kind of hecked it. But thank God we're safe and sound!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Reflections
Hey guys!
This is a self-reflection entry. So if you think you will be bored with me talking about my personal growth and reflection of GIP so far, you can skip this entry. Erm...not that you got something to skip to yet.....so...haha you decide whether you wanna read it or not....Cos it's going to be W-O-R-D-Y!!!!
Issey just reminded us that we only have one month left to the end of our school semester here! My goodness, time don't fly....it flashes!
After composing my previous entry, I kind of got in the blogging mood, so I went back to read my 1st entry to remind me what was going through my mind when I promised to blog!
One of them was to update on what been happening, I realize I have been kinda slipshot, just reporting the events. So I feel that I should have an entry about how LIFE has really been so far here.
Right now, I am really comfortable with life here. I enjoy the feeling of waking up in the morning, reading the bible, doing stretches and then my highlight of the morning......breakfast! In fact, it's usually the first thing that come to mind when I wake up, before I open my eyes! I grew a new appreciation for oatmeal, specifically "QUAKER" brand oats. They have many flavours and it turns into a pudding-like mix when you heat it in the oven. Valerie is totally disgusted with me, because she says the oatmeal looks more like vomit than something edible. She doesn't even want to help me wash my bowl if there are oat particles left in it. But don't be mistaken, she can be abit gu niang sometimes, but she never fail to help with the dishes and dinner!
School's been really great! I must have told most of you already, but I will just repeat it for the benefit of those I haven't mentioned to. Seet and Lua, you don't "harnah" me for repeating myself again hor, this time I KNOW I am repeating. Oh yah, back to my story about school here. I really like the modules I took, moral development, philosophy, learning, basic drawing. In fact I like all of them......ok not so much for fundamental music theory. I simply get so lost every class! It's amazing how I can be in a class as feel like I have been skipping the previous classes! It's really great that they emphasize depth instead of scope here.
I remember on my first entry I mentioned that another reason for coming here was really to understand myself better and correct some bad habits. Guess what? Things are not always as ideal as they are hoped to be! One thing's for sure, going away on GIP really gave me a chance to look at myself and who I am. Instead of correcting bad habits, I really got acquainted with my flaws. Haven't really got down to dealing with it, but it has been a eye-opening, jaw-dropping, hair-rustling experience!
Haha no lah, just exaggerating......but one thing I realized is that I can be really inflexible. Not that I don't already know, but I have really come to see that things don't need to always go the way I imagined or planned for it to be. Sometimes imperfection is a beauty in it own way! And more often than not, it is the process that we should all derive joy from, because in the process, we learn to hope and to work towards that hope. Trying to keep everything down to the nitty gritty is not only self-inflicted stress but it has also allowed fear to get to me. The fear of failing, the fear of not meeting this internal standard. Jac, I remember you telling me, it's ok to be weak sometimes, things don't have to be so perfect all the time. I'm really getting to see that......just....beginning. I realized that my fear of failing has in fact held me back from giving my best because I'm to caught up with be afraid. Courage is not given, not found, but pursued! Sometime u really need to just heck it and go for it! And that's really what I have to learn-”heck it, just do it!”
Another big flaw is that, whatever standard I set for myself, I tend to impose it on the people around me, especially when we are living together. This has caused me to face a lot of disappointment and unnecessary resentment! In the end, it all boils down to my inflexibility......people all have flaws and we are constantly learning, I can't expect people to know what's on my mind and what I prefer or not! Sometimes I have too much expectation of how people should do things that I realize I tend to jump into judging people. Who am I to judge when I am only another human that is flaw-stricken?! More often than not, after jumping into conclusions about a person's personality, I always realize how wrong I was. Then, the guilt comes in......So room number 2 for change.
Hm...for now that's all I can think of. Actually it's cos I'm feeling sleepy already-it's 1030 here and it has been a long day......I'll definitely continue with my self-reflection and you can look into the mirror with me! Get it? Reflection......mirror? (Not bad, so sleepy still can crack a joke!)
Till next time folks!
Success in life consists of going from one mistake to the next without losing your enthusiasm.
~Winston ChurchillWednesday, March 31, 2010
Hey Guys!
Haha.....erm....I know that I haven't been keeping my promise to blog. But it's so hard to blog often.....I really admire people who can blog everyday!
Since my previous entry, which is so long ago, it's been really eventful over here.
Pennsylvania
I went for my spring break in Pennsylvania for a week, and it was a great experience! I've uploaded thefacebook photos. The vast farmlands just creates this serenity in you that really make you forget that you come from such a fast-paced world, like Singapore.
The Armish
But what was really great is the culture over there, and specifically the Armish culture. They are a group of people who stay firm on their christian practices that are more conservative and isolate themselves from the influences of the society. Their practices and beliefs are really amazing i tell you! Here's a shortlist just for your info!
Practices
The Farmhouse
Honestly, the greatest thing about the farm stay was breakfast every morning. Of cos the food is good, it was great EVERY morning! Toast, pies, fresh milk from the cows, scramble eggs, meat.....it was like buffet everyday!
And it's really nice to eat together with the family and the farm helpers at the table, where we would always sing grace before we had breakfast.
We also got to live abit of the FARM life, where we fed the calfs everyday, walks the goats (not the usual activity), learn to make cheese and milked the cows!
Exploring Lancaster
Every corner there is something in Lancaster. Canning factory, pretzel factory, winery, cheese experts, musuems of all sorts. All just within Lancaster and Intercourse county. There can be so much that I would talk about in Pennsylvania....but an advice, never come here without personal transport! I don't think there are any and even fi there are, you won't be able to reach the small areas where there's so much to discover! If there was time, I'd definitely would have stayed longer. It as really a road trip, driving around and exploring on the way. Oh we went to the Hershey chocolate factory, but it wasn't as fantastic compared to our "exploration". It was quite small in fact! But there was chocolate sampling! That's the good part!
Philadelphia
We didn't have enough time to explore philadelphia, but I went to the art museum. For those of you who are in to art, this is a MUST go! You can spend days there just looking at the art pieces. They have carvings and works form the Renaissance period, and alot more. I was lucky that they were holding a Picasso exhibition on the transitions in Picasso's works. And it was the only place in the museum that did not allow any exhibits. So too bad no photos.
Even the streets have murals everywhere on the buildings. It's really a art city. Oh but while i was roaming around the museum, Rose, Paul and Valerie went to McDonalds and saw blackness! The whole restaurant was filled with black people, even the staff! Maybe that's why the Philadelphia 76ers are good, they have so many black players to choose from!
Spring time=time to come out and play!
Hey I finally get to touch a softball glove again!!!!! It was a beuatiful sunny day, and I was on my way back.....AND! I chanced upon a softball recreationalteam and manage to join them!!!!!!! You don't know how much I miss just htrowing and catching a softball man!!! They play in a league called intra-murals here. Iit's like interhall games, just that you can just form a team yourself and play. It's really for the fun, so it's not so structured, the matches usually don't have a referee to umpire.
Oh and we got to know a group of people who plays frisbee. Apparently they know the previous GIP batch and have been trying to locate us (the new batch).
Another nice thing is that I no longer need to wear LONG SLEEVES to jog! I can just go jog whenever I feel like it and the weather's so nice sometimes!
Back to work now, spring time is here, so are the datelines!
Haha.....erm....I know that I haven't been keeping my promise to blog. But it's so hard to blog often.....I really admire people who can blog everyday!
Since my previous entry, which is so long ago, it's been really eventful over here.
Pennsylvania
I went for my spring break in Pennsylvania for a week, and it was a great experience! I've uploaded the
The Armish
But what was really great is the culture over there, and specifically the Armish culture. They are a group of people who stay firm on their christian practices that are more conservative and isolate themselves from the influences of the society. Their practices and beliefs are really amazing i tell you! Here's a shortlist just for your info!
Practices
- They do not want to be associated or "contaminated" by the US society so despite living alongside other Americans, they do not share the electricity and or water supply with the public. They also do not watch TV or listen to the radio.
- Education is only up to 6 grade and do not encourage further.
- At the age of 16, youths are given a chance to "explore" their identity and they can move out of the community and live the American life, and decide for themselves it the Armish lifestyle is what they want. (only 10-15% eventually leave the community!)
- They are not allowed ot own cars, but instead carriages or buggy. They belief that automobiles would bring them too far away from home.
- They do not have phones in their home but in a shack outside because they do not want to engage in unnecessary babble (from the christian bible)
- To avoid vanity, they only wear plain traditional clothes and avoid buttons or laces that are deemed fanciful.
- Oh they do not allow taking of photos because it is an undesirable form or human engraving, so we can't take photos of them and they do not have photos of anyone in their homes.
- there is no divorced, or you will be "ex-communicated" from the community.
- None of them have insurance because they do not belief in it. Instead, whenever someone needs money for medical fees or some other financial difficulty, they will organize a sale where the Armish people sell what they grow or make and give the money to the people who needs it.
The Farmhouse
Honestly, the greatest thing about the farm stay was breakfast every morning. Of cos the food is good, it was great EVERY morning! Toast, pies, fresh milk from the cows, scramble eggs, meat.....it was like buffet everyday!
And it's really nice to eat together with the family and the farm helpers at the table, where we would always sing grace before we had breakfast.
We also got to live abit of the FARM life, where we fed the calfs everyday, walks the goats (not the usual activity), learn to make cheese and milked the cows!
Exploring Lancaster
Every corner there is something in Lancaster. Canning factory, pretzel factory, winery, cheese experts, musuems of all sorts. All just within Lancaster and Intercourse county. There can be so much that I would talk about in Pennsylvania....but an advice, never come here without personal transport! I don't think there are any and even fi there are, you won't be able to reach the small areas where there's so much to discover! If there was time, I'd definitely would have stayed longer. It as really a road trip, driving around and exploring on the way. Oh we went to the Hershey chocolate factory, but it wasn't as fantastic compared to our "exploration". It was quite small in fact! But there was chocolate sampling! That's the good part!
Philadelphia
We didn't have enough time to explore philadelphia, but I went to the art museum. For those of you who are in to art, this is a MUST go! You can spend days there just looking at the art pieces. They have carvings and works form the Renaissance period, and alot more. I was lucky that they were holding a Picasso exhibition on the transitions in Picasso's works. And it was the only place in the museum that did not allow any exhibits. So too bad no photos.
Even the streets have murals everywhere on the buildings. It's really a art city. Oh but while i was roaming around the museum, Rose, Paul and Valerie went to McDonalds and saw blackness! The whole restaurant was filled with black people, even the staff! Maybe that's why the Philadelphia 76ers are good, they have so many black players to choose from!
Spring time=time to come out and play!
Hey I finally get to touch a softball glove again!!!!! It was a beuatiful sunny day, and I was on my way back.....AND! I chanced upon a softball recreational
Oh and we got to know a group of people who plays frisbee. Apparently they know the previous GIP batch and have been trying to locate us (the new batch).
Another nice thing is that I no longer need to wear LONG SLEEVES to jog! I can just go jog whenever I feel like it and the weather's so nice sometimes!
Back to work now, spring time is here, so are the datelines!
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