The school that Regan and I are attending in Guangzhou is a lovely
little university just 15 minutes drive from my Aunt's house. Although
it now seems to be a pretty cool place, initially I was pretty shocked
and a little disapointed at my surroundings.
I guess that the first major discrepancy between my expectations and
reality was the fact that no, I wouldn't be chilling with fellow
highschoolers on summer break, I was entering an ongoing college
course (shocker). The first few days went down from there. I couldn't
really understand everything my teachers were saying, since they spoke
in Chinese all the time (:P), couldn't really identify with my
classmates, and the cafeteria food was packed with all these gristly
carteliage and fatty bits. Ew! After two days, though, I switched to
A3, a higher level course and now I'm loving it. Still don't
understand everything my teachers say (but one guy is really good with
acting out what he says; he does a pretty funny 'hot girl'
impression), and though it's still hard to communicate with my
classmates, it definitely feels more like a community than it
previously did. The cafeteria food still sucks, though, but Regan and
I are trying different dishes every day in hope of finding good ones,
and so far, the breaded spicy chicken is not half bad.
Cons:
The Teachers All Speak in Chinese:
Funny, because you think we're going there to learn Chinese, but
nevertheless all the instructions are in Chinese, so...yeah. I pick up
about 80-90% roughly of what the teachers are saying, but it makes it
difficult to figure out what the homework is, or what exactly we're
doing. Luckily, like I mentioned before, all the teachers make efforts
to get the message across. One is good with talking with his hands,
and the other talks really, really slowly to us.
My Classmates All Speak Chinese (or other languages):
Which kind of makes it hard to make friends, but luckily everyone
speaks a little English, so we usually have stab at Mandarin first and
if it doesn't work out we try English. I'm glad to find that I'm not
the only young 'un there; two of my friends are 16 and 19, though
everyone else looks to be in their early 20s. It was nice to be
welcomed by this class, and as the time goes by, I find that Regan and
I know more and more people on campus.
People Still Stare:
Despite being 'Guandong FOREIGN LANGUAGE University', people still
stare at Regan as we walk to class (more on this later, it's a heated
topic for us both)! It's kind of funny, and also kind of annoying to
get so many stares from the one place you'd think people wouldn't
stare. I mean, come on, there's a whole building and a dorm devoted to
foreign studedents! Get used to it, people!
Cafeteria Food is Pretty Sucky:
Desipite the fact that the Cafeteria food is really cheap Chinese
stuff (which should endear it to anyone), the veggies and rice are
kind of soggy, and the meat is pretty gross as well. Probably because
I'm a picky eater, though, and I've certainly been spoiled with all
the resteraunts we've been taken to so far.
Guandong Foreign Language Universtiy is in Guangzhou:
Which is nothing more than me trying to say that
a) It's really hot. I sweat like a hog here all the time, and forget
running to class or having the teacher call on me. Whenever engaged in
physically strenuous exercise, or nervous, I'm instantly drenched in
sweat.
b) This is mosquito territory. I've been bitten over 22 times, and
they all swell around the size of a quarter. Ever since I've started
applying bug spray, though, they've begun biting my hands!
Pros:
The Teachers All Speak Chinese:
The fact that pretty much all dialogue in the classroom must be in
Chinese really means that your Chinese skills are sharpened pretty
quickly. Although I'm not sure if I've ever learned anything definite
from the constant Chinese, I feel much more confident with the
language and at any rate, it forces me to practice it every day.
My Classmates are People From All Around the World:
There's a guy from France, one from Brazil, one from Japan, two girls
from Thailand, and who else knows where. The classroom is truly a
multicultural place, but it's also super cool to see how well everyone
meshes together, and how welcoming everyone is. The fact that everyone
in the class speaks Chinese, and sparse English means that we each get
practice over the break between classes, speaking to each other.
My Classmates are College Students:
Meaning that while they are certainly more mature, we also spend time
discussing subjects such as how to say 'sexy' or 'hi hot girl' in
Mandarin during class. But it's still a fun time, I like the maturity
level of the classroom.
Guandong Foreign Language University is Located in Guangzhou:
Which means that the campus, though it feels like the inside of a
boiling pot of water, is also pretty darn gorgeous. Guangzhou is a
semi tropical (or so mom says. Heck, I think this place is all the way
darn tropical) climate, so there's all sorts of rainforesty trees and
plants growing here (lots of palms and mangoes), and it's really
beautiful. White cloud mountain is also very close to the campus, and
it's a lovely mountain.
All in all, I found that my veiw on the campus changed drastically
when I switched classes, and started making friends. Though I really
didn't like the campus when I first arrived, as the days pass by and I
become more and more familiar with it, it's starting to seem like a
really good enviornment. The school work is pretty OK, and though I
certainly don't know a third of the stuff that's going on, the good
thing is that I'll be constantly challenged. Even so, I'm not sure how
much I can learn during 4 weeks, though I certainly know that
experience has made me learn much more than just a language.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Guandong Foreign Language Institute
The school that Regan and I are attending in Guangzhou is a lovely
little university just 15 minutes drive from my Aunt's house. Although
it now seems to be a pretty cool place, initially I was pretty shocked
and a little disapointed at my surroundings.
I guess that the first major discrepancy between my expectations and
reality was the fact that no, I wouldn't be chilling with fellow
highschoolers on summer break, I was entering an ongoing college
course (shocker). The first few days went down from there. I couldn't
really understand everything my teachers were saying, since they spoke
in Chinese all the time (:P), couldn't really identify with my
classmates, and the cafeteria food was packed with all these gristly
carteliage and fatty bits. Ew! After two days, though, I switched to
A3, a higher level course and now I'm loving it. Still don't
understand everything my teachers say (but one guy is really good with
acting out what he says; he does a pretty funny 'hot girl'
impression), and though it's still hard to communicate with my
classmates, it definitely feels more like a community than it
previously did. The cafeteria food still sucks, though, but Regan and
I are trying different dishes every day in hope of finding good ones,
and so far, the breaded spicy chicken is not half bad.
Cons:
The Teachers All Speak in Chinese:
Funny, because you think we're going there to learn Chinese, but
nevertheless all the instructions are in Chinese, so...yeah. I pick up
about 80-90% roughly of what the teachers are saying, but it makes it
difficult to figure out what the homework is, or what exactly we're
doing. Luckily, like I mentioned before, all the teachers make efforts
to get the message across. One is good with talking with his hands,
and the other talks really, really slowly to us.
My Classmates All Speak Chinese (or other languages):
Which kind of makes it hard to make friends, but luckily everyone
speaks a little English, so we usually have stab at Mandarin first and
if it doesn't work out we try English. I'm glad to find that I'm not
the only young 'un there; two of my friends are 16 and 19, though
everyone else looks to be in their early 20s. It was nice to be
welcomed by this class, and as the time goes by, I find that Regan and
I know more and more people on campus.
People Still Stare:
Despite being 'Guandong FOREIGN LANGUAGE University', people still
stare at Regan as we walk to class (more on this later, it's a heated
topic for us both)! It's kind of funny, and also kind of annoying to
get so many stares from the one place you'd think people wouldn't
stare. I mean, come on, there's a whole building and a dorm devoted to
foreign studedents! Get used to it, people!
Cafeteria Food is Pretty Sucky:
Desipite the fact that the Cafeteria food is really cheap Chinese
stuff (which should endear it to anyone), the veggies and rice are
kind of soggy, and the meat is pretty gross as well. Probably because
I'm a picky eater, though, and I've certainly been spoiled with all
the resteraunts we've been taken to so far.
Guandong Foreign Language Universtiy is in Guangzhou:
Which is nothing more than me trying to say that
a) It's really hot. I sweat like a hog here all the time, and forget
running to class or having the teacher call on me. Whenever engaged in
physically strenuous exercise, or nervous, I'm instantly drenched in
sweat.
b) This is mosquito territory. I've been bitten over 22 times, and
they all swell around the size of a quarter. Ever since I've started
applying bug spray, though, they've begun biting my hands!
Pros:
The Teachers All Speak Chinese:
The fact that pretty much all dialogue in the classroom must be in
Chinese really means that your Chinese skills are sharpened pretty
quickly. Although I'm not sure if I've ever learned anything definite
from the constant Chinese, I feel much more confident with the
language and at any rate, it forces me to practice it every day.
My Classmates are People From All Around the World:
There's a guy from France, one from Brazil, one from Japan, two girls
from Thailand, and who else knows where. The classroom is truly a
multicultural place, but it's also super cool to see how well everyone
meshes together, and how welcoming everyone is. The fact that everyone
in the class speaks Chinese, and sparse English means that we each get
practice over the break between classes, speaking to each other.
My Classmates are College Students:
Meaning that while they are certainly more mature, we also spend time
discussing subjects such as how to say 'sexy' or 'hi hot girl' in
Mandarin during class. But it's still a fun time, I like the maturity
level of the classroom.
Guandong Foreign Language University is Located in Guangzhou:
Which means that the campus, though it feels like the inside of a
boiling pot of water, is also pretty darn gorgeous. Guangzhou is a
semi tropical (or so mom says. Heck, I think this place is all the way
darn tropical) climate, so there's all sorts of rainforesty trees and
plants growing here (lots of palms and mangoes), and it's really
beautiful. White cloud mountain is also very close to the campus, and
it's a lovely mountain.
All in all, I found that my veiw on the campus changed drastically
when I switched classes, and started making friends. Though I really
didn't like the campus when I first arrived, as the days pass by and I
become more and more familiar with it, it's starting to seem like a
really good enviornment. The school work is pretty OK, and though I
certainly don't know a third of the stuff that's going on, the good
thing is that I'll be constantly challenged. Even so, I'm not sure how
much I can learn during 4 weeks, though I certainly know that
experience has made me learn much more than just a language.
little university just 15 minutes drive from my Aunt's house. Although
it now seems to be a pretty cool place, initially I was pretty shocked
and a little disapointed at my surroundings.
I guess that the first major discrepancy between my expectations and
reality was the fact that no, I wouldn't be chilling with fellow
highschoolers on summer break, I was entering an ongoing college
course (shocker). The first few days went down from there. I couldn't
really understand everything my teachers were saying, since they spoke
in Chinese all the time (:P), couldn't really identify with my
classmates, and the cafeteria food was packed with all these gristly
carteliage and fatty bits. Ew! After two days, though, I switched to
A3, a higher level course and now I'm loving it. Still don't
understand everything my teachers say (but one guy is really good with
acting out what he says; he does a pretty funny 'hot girl'
impression), and though it's still hard to communicate with my
classmates, it definitely feels more like a community than it
previously did. The cafeteria food still sucks, though, but Regan and
I are trying different dishes every day in hope of finding good ones,
and so far, the breaded spicy chicken is not half bad.
Cons:
The Teachers All Speak in Chinese:
Funny, because you think we're going there to learn Chinese, but
nevertheless all the instructions are in Chinese, so...yeah. I pick up
about 80-90% roughly of what the teachers are saying, but it makes it
difficult to figure out what the homework is, or what exactly we're
doing. Luckily, like I mentioned before, all the teachers make efforts
to get the message across. One is good with talking with his hands,
and the other talks really, really slowly to us.
My Classmates All Speak Chinese (or other languages):
Which kind of makes it hard to make friends, but luckily everyone
speaks a little English, so we usually have stab at Mandarin first and
if it doesn't work out we try English. I'm glad to find that I'm not
the only young 'un there; two of my friends are 16 and 19, though
everyone else looks to be in their early 20s. It was nice to be
welcomed by this class, and as the time goes by, I find that Regan and
I know more and more people on campus.
People Still Stare:
Despite being 'Guandong FOREIGN LANGUAGE University', people still
stare at Regan as we walk to class (more on this later, it's a heated
topic for us both)! It's kind of funny, and also kind of annoying to
get so many stares from the one place you'd think people wouldn't
stare. I mean, come on, there's a whole building and a dorm devoted to
foreign studedents! Get used to it, people!
Cafeteria Food is Pretty Sucky:
Desipite the fact that the Cafeteria food is really cheap Chinese
stuff (which should endear it to anyone), the veggies and rice are
kind of soggy, and the meat is pretty gross as well. Probably because
I'm a picky eater, though, and I've certainly been spoiled with all
the resteraunts we've been taken to so far.
Guandong Foreign Language Universtiy is in Guangzhou:
Which is nothing more than me trying to say that
a) It's really hot. I sweat like a hog here all the time, and forget
running to class or having the teacher call on me. Whenever engaged in
physically strenuous exercise, or nervous, I'm instantly drenched in
sweat.
b) This is mosquito territory. I've been bitten over 22 times, and
they all swell around the size of a quarter. Ever since I've started
applying bug spray, though, they've begun biting my hands!
Pros:
The Teachers All Speak Chinese:
The fact that pretty much all dialogue in the classroom must be in
Chinese really means that your Chinese skills are sharpened pretty
quickly. Although I'm not sure if I've ever learned anything definite
from the constant Chinese, I feel much more confident with the
language and at any rate, it forces me to practice it every day.
My Classmates are People From All Around the World:
There's a guy from France, one from Brazil, one from Japan, two girls
from Thailand, and who else knows where. The classroom is truly a
multicultural place, but it's also super cool to see how well everyone
meshes together, and how welcoming everyone is. The fact that everyone
in the class speaks Chinese, and sparse English means that we each get
practice over the break between classes, speaking to each other.
My Classmates are College Students:
Meaning that while they are certainly more mature, we also spend time
discussing subjects such as how to say 'sexy' or 'hi hot girl' in
Mandarin during class. But it's still a fun time, I like the maturity
level of the classroom.
Guandong Foreign Language University is Located in Guangzhou:
Which means that the campus, though it feels like the inside of a
boiling pot of water, is also pretty darn gorgeous. Guangzhou is a
semi tropical (or so mom says. Heck, I think this place is all the way
darn tropical) climate, so there's all sorts of rainforesty trees and
plants growing here (lots of palms and mangoes), and it's really
beautiful. White cloud mountain is also very close to the campus, and
it's a lovely mountain.
All in all, I found that my veiw on the campus changed drastically
when I switched classes, and started making friends. Though I really
didn't like the campus when I first arrived, as the days pass by and I
become more and more familiar with it, it's starting to seem like a
really good enviornment. The school work is pretty OK, and though I
certainly don't know a third of the stuff that's going on, the good
thing is that I'll be constantly challenged. Even so, I'm not sure how
much I can learn during 4 weeks, though I certainly know that
experience has made me learn much more than just a language.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
(yes that was a heart sign <3)
The day approaches...tomorrow my friend arrives, the day after, we head to SF (flight leaves from there), and on Tuesday, we'll be leaving for Guangzhou.
I am actually extremely hyper about this trip--worked up, hyped, excited, nervous, etc.
What I most look forward to:
CHINA. There's something about China--the sounds, the smells, the sight that I missed. Dimly in my mind I see a foggy vision of the red sun rising over craggy mountains, and I'm earnestly looking forward to experiencing the hustle and bustle and feel of China all over again.
What I most don't look forward to:
Last time in China, I stayed with my wonderful aunt who is one of the nicest people I know. Unfortunately I can't say the same about her gigantic dog. One of my memories was seeing her (to my horror) being dragged behind the dog as she went out to walk it, and having it snap at my hands while she fed it bones.
What I'm most nervous about:
The Great Firewall of China. Yes that's right--firewall. Hopefully I'll still be able to blog and stuff, and email too! I know skype works, but I really want to upload pictures and snippets to my blog while in China. Still--I'm not quite sure what's blocked and what is not, so if I go on a 6 week hiatus--well, don't worry. It's not the CIA (yet), it's just this darn censorship.
What I (oddly) will not-not look forward to:
As awkward as this is, I'm actually looking forward to the err...squat toilets in China. They used to be the bane of my existence, last trip but (oh, this isn't getting less awkward), let's just say I am a confident global traveler and the squat toilets are one aspect of Chinese technology that I believe exceed the Western counterpart.
Not looking forward to no toilet paper or proper sanitation though, in rural China. :)
What I (oddly) will not- look forward to:
I have been bombarded by horror stories from one of my Chinese friends at DA about the Chinese food. From re-using axle grease as frying oil, to hormones in the water that change your female hormones to male, and vice versa, to street food that instantly smites innocent passerby's down with horrifying bouts of stomach sickness. I highly doubt that all his information is entirely accurate, though (we kid around a lot), and despite the potential dangers that will lurk on my well-filled plate, his warnings haven't completely killed my salivary glands yet. Though they have taken the edge off my appetite. It's a pity-- Chinese food is the most amazing thing in the world second only to Korean food. And we'll be in green tea ice-cream/ red bean heaven.
ahhh... Nom noms here I come!!
-Shhhh....the day approaches!
The day approaches...tomorrow my friend arrives, the day after, we head to SF (flight leaves from there), and on Tuesday, we'll be leaving for Guangzhou.
I am actually extremely hyper about this trip--worked up, hyped, excited, nervous, etc.
What I most look forward to:
CHINA. There's something about China--the sounds, the smells, the sight that I missed. Dimly in my mind I see a foggy vision of the red sun rising over craggy mountains, and I'm earnestly looking forward to experiencing the hustle and bustle and feel of China all over again.
What I most don't look forward to:
Last time in China, I stayed with my wonderful aunt who is one of the nicest people I know. Unfortunately I can't say the same about her gigantic dog. One of my memories was seeing her (to my horror) being dragged behind the dog as she went out to walk it, and having it snap at my hands while she fed it bones.
 |
| The Great (fire)Wall |
The Great Firewall of China. Yes that's right--firewall. Hopefully I'll still be able to blog and stuff, and email too! I know skype works, but I really want to upload pictures and snippets to my blog while in China. Still--I'm not quite sure what's blocked and what is not, so if I go on a 6 week hiatus--well, don't worry. It's not the CIA (yet), it's just this darn censorship.
As awkward as this is, I'm actually looking forward to the err...squat toilets in China. They used to be the bane of my existence, last trip but (oh, this isn't getting less awkward), let's just say I am a confident global traveler and the squat toilets are one aspect of Chinese technology that I believe exceed the Western counterpart.
Not looking forward to no toilet paper or proper sanitation though, in rural China. :)
What I (oddly) will not- look forward to:
I have been bombarded by horror stories from one of my Chinese friends at DA about the Chinese food. From re-using axle grease as frying oil, to hormones in the water that change your female hormones to male, and vice versa, to street food that instantly smites innocent passerby's down with horrifying bouts of stomach sickness. I highly doubt that all his information is entirely accurate, though (we kid around a lot), and despite the potential dangers that will lurk on my well-filled plate, his warnings haven't completely killed my salivary glands yet. Though they have taken the edge off my appetite. It's a pity-- Chinese food is the most amazing thing in the world second only to Korean food. And we'll be in green tea ice-cream/ red bean heaven.
ahhh... Nom noms here I come!!
-Shhhh....the day approaches!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
10 Things That You Probably Didn't Know (About Yours Truly Because She's Egotistical)
Yes, the title is rather narcissistic, but in all honesty, it's been nearly a year since I have moved from Oklahoma, and it feels like things have changed a lot, for better or worse. But in retrospect, trying to gather inventory of all the numerous changes that have altered this strange thing you call 'identity', it's hard to find exactly where I've diverged from my previous self. Perhaps that's the thing about change--you never notice it happening. So without further ado, here are 10 new things about me, from the weird, to the random, to the plain out mundane.
1) I Like Math:
DA has made me grow in more ways than one, but the most notable one would be my newfound love of mathematics. Yes I am Grace, and no this is not a prank. Also, no, I'm not inebriated.
But in all seriousness (and I know I sound bipolar over here), I not only like math, I've found that I'm good at it. This, I can say with absolute certainty, is all due to my wonderful math teacher, Mr. C. with his great sense of humor (or his horrible sense of humor, they're all the same), his willingness to argue about tangent lines for half an hour with his class*, and his dedication to teaching us about multiple ways to skin a cat without spoon feeding. Math is a new joy in my life (well...geometry at least. Let's see what happens when I go head to head with my ancient nemesis, algebra), and its added a new dimension to my identity as well.
2) I am Now Addicted to Big Bang and SNSD:
Dad has told me several times in the past that technically my nationality is Korean, not Chinese-Korean or Korean-Chinese, etc, due to the obscure rules of tradition. All I can say is that I'm embracing this whole heartedly, because Korea is friggin' cool.
My two favorite bands, Big Bang and SNSD (Girl's Generation) are both Korean (and also interestingly, my favorite fingerstyle guitarist, Sungha Jung is korean as well!)
Not to be racist here or anything--it's just that Korean culture is super cool. Not only are there really addicting dramas (I think I've dedicated an entire blog post to one in the past), but their music is really fun as well. Maybe it's something about the slightly hyper peppy style that attracts me, but K-Pop is becoming my next addition to my fav-music repertoire, and rom the way I've begun to listen to it over and over (and over and over and over and...) again, a considerable factor in the way I identify myself as well. Big Bang and Girl's Generation, fighting! It doesn't matter that I don't understand a word that they say (besides the ocasional interjections of English phrases), K-pop music is just plain cool...
3) My Hair Is Now Brown:
I suppose this is in line with the whole "Grace....you ARE Korean" deal, but now my hair can no longer be called black, it's brown. In the past, Mom has been fond of making me stand next to her and showing friends and relatives just how different our hair color is--and lemme just tell it to you---it's not turning black again. In fact, I've begun to pull out the ocasiona blond hair as well. My goodness. The madness this is descending into. If I start to turn blond, I'm going to call a doctor.
But in all honesty, I like my brown hair. Sure, it's a little weird that there's the ocasional blond strand, but it makes me look unique and I think it looks pretty cool as well. Brown hair is pretty Korean.
4) I Like Having Facials
It's a new trend for me, a sudden emphasis on...being 'girly-girly'? But to my defense, facials make me feel better about not wearing makeup (nothing to cover up), and they also feel really good for my face. Haha, sounding like a total teen girl here, so I'll be quick to not bore you. Most of the 'facials' are really just a bunch of homemade ingredients thrown together. Bubzbeauty (on youtube and bubzbeauty.com) is my favorite source.
5) I Have Started Playing Guitar:
Thanks to Nix, a DA friend of mine who lent me her guitar over the summer (without whom this would not be possible), and Sungha Jung, the super awesome fingerstyle guitarist who 'inspires' me**, I've started trying to pick up guitar. What with Chinese cramming (the trip is less than a week away!!! Ahhhh!!!) and minimalist OCD (to be discussed below), there hasn't been a lot of time to pick up the guitar, but I've been playing for the beginning of summer break, and for the rest of it. Let me just tell you, guitar is a pretty sweet instrument. Though it does chop up your fingers something awful.
6) I Am Now A (Wanna-Be) Minimalist:
You may or may not be acquainted with my family's anti-materialistic move towards 'slimming down', but ever since the U-Box affair, it's been a major priority. Well, maybe not a major priority, but it certainly has been one, though mostly only on Dad's list. Recently, though, he sent us an article (http://zenhabits.net/a-guide-to-creating-a-minimalist-home/) and I realized that he was really serious about this minimalist deal.
Since we've already gotten rid of most of our furniture during the first inquisition (...uh that is, the U-box episode. More and more, I'm starting to feel like this push towards minimalism is a crusade against clutter), now our major target has become clutter. Which, unfortunately, is very abundant. Recently, I've been waging a war against clutter--with my bathroom as the epicenter of cleanliness. Being neat is against my nature--but suprisingly, and happily, it feels more and more natural and more and more relaxed. Minimalism is good for your mental health (:P) and in fact, ever since I've converted to the dark (and very sparse) side, I've started to feel a lot calmer and less frenzied.
7) I Have Started Doing Yoga:
This year, Yoga was my 2nd period elective, and Eastern Philosophy 5th and 6th block, so it's no big surprise that Yoga has become my new big thing. Not only is Yoga a great form of exercise (ok, so you may be thinking, you hold a pose for a long time--how does that work out? But if you've ever tried yin yoga, you'll know what I'm talking about), it also has great philosophical aspects as well. Plus, it's just plain cool. Not only does Yoga work out your muscles, but it increases flexibility as well and gives a great stretch in some hard to reach places.
8) I Am Now Into Jung
On our last day of Neurophilosophy (another Friday elective), our class gave (the coolest teacher ever) Carmen The Red Book, a documentation by the psychologist Jung of his own madness.
As superficial as this sounds, the beautiful handwriting (yes. I'm commenting on a psychologists' handwriting) and the illustrations by Jung, documenting his visions really cemented a growing interest in him that had been sparked by a copy of 'Man and His Symbols' that a Neuro classmate had lent me. Let me just say, Jung is pretty cool. I don't understand half of what he says, or necessarily accept half of the half that I do understand, but as I read more and more about his theories and works, I find that my mind becomes more and more open, and my ideas about well....existence, identity, intelligence, life...become more and more diversified.
9) I Can't Really Speak Chinese:
...Yeah, it's pretty unusual for a (1/2 Chinese) girl who has been studying the language for over 5 years, but it is true, I'm not fluent in Chinese. Not the best thing to lack when you're heading to China in less than a week. There has been a lot of pressure, for me personally, since a) everyone kinda sorta expects me to know Chinese (and don't get me wrong, I can talk some, but no way am I fluent) b) I'm probably going to have to do a bit of translating along the way c) Mom won't be with me, so I'm going to have to tough it out on my own.
Still, despite slight fear concerning communication issues, I am totally looking forward to this trip to Guangzhou. I'll be sure to blog faithfully, and take plenty of pictures. (of the food! and the scenery! and me! and more me!) Wish me luck! This is going to be sooooo cool!
10) I Like Coconut Milk:
Lactose (kinda-sorta-maybe-ishy) intolerant means that I've never drunk milk (well...just me personally. Not like all lactose intolerant people don't drink milk and hate it), although I'd never say no to pizza, or a grilled cheese sandwich, or green tea ice-cream.
No offense to those who like it, but soya milk and almond milk both taste kinda funny. Not like coconut milk doesn't, but it's....less...funny...tasting (?) if you get my drift. Rice milk though. Rice milk is the best.
Anyways, this is the anticlimatic end to my 10 things new about me.
Why mention Coconut Milk? No particular reason. But it's new.
-Shhh....
*there is a good story behind this, by the way. And yours truly led the charge, which mostly consisted of screaming "BUT HOW DOES IT WORK" at Mr. Carter with a bunch of my classmates.
**by which I mean, makes me go "0.o.....so....jealous....must...be...able...to..do...that....too"..
1) I Like Math:
DA has made me grow in more ways than one, but the most notable one would be my newfound love of mathematics. Yes I am Grace, and no this is not a prank. Also, no, I'm not inebriated.
But in all seriousness (and I know I sound bipolar over here), I not only like math, I've found that I'm good at it. This, I can say with absolute certainty, is all due to my wonderful math teacher, Mr. C. with his great sense of humor (or his horrible sense of humor, they're all the same), his willingness to argue about tangent lines for half an hour with his class*, and his dedication to teaching us about multiple ways to skin a cat without spoon feeding. Math is a new joy in my life (well...geometry at least. Let's see what happens when I go head to head with my ancient nemesis, algebra), and its added a new dimension to my identity as well.
2) I am Now Addicted to Big Bang and SNSD:
Dad has told me several times in the past that technically my nationality is Korean, not Chinese-Korean or Korean-Chinese, etc, due to the obscure rules of tradition. All I can say is that I'm embracing this whole heartedly, because Korea is friggin' cool.
My two favorite bands, Big Bang and SNSD (Girl's Generation) are both Korean (and also interestingly, my favorite fingerstyle guitarist, Sungha Jung is korean as well!)
 |
| Girl's Generation, AKA SNSD |
 |
| Big Bang! |
3) My Hair Is Now Brown:
I suppose this is in line with the whole "Grace....you ARE Korean" deal, but now my hair can no longer be called black, it's brown. In the past, Mom has been fond of making me stand next to her and showing friends and relatives just how different our hair color is--and lemme just tell it to you---it's not turning black again. In fact, I've begun to pull out the ocasiona blond hair as well. My goodness. The madness this is descending into. If I start to turn blond, I'm going to call a doctor.
But in all honesty, I like my brown hair. Sure, it's a little weird that there's the ocasional blond strand, but it makes me look unique and I think it looks pretty cool as well. Brown hair is pretty Korean.
4) I Like Having Facials
It's a new trend for me, a sudden emphasis on...being 'girly-girly'? But to my defense, facials make me feel better about not wearing makeup (nothing to cover up), and they also feel really good for my face. Haha, sounding like a total teen girl here, so I'll be quick to not bore you. Most of the 'facials' are really just a bunch of homemade ingredients thrown together. Bubzbeauty (on youtube and bubzbeauty.com) is my favorite source.
5) I Have Started Playing Guitar:
Thanks to Nix, a DA friend of mine who lent me her guitar over the summer (without whom this would not be possible), and Sungha Jung, the super awesome fingerstyle guitarist who 'inspires' me**, I've started trying to pick up guitar. What with Chinese cramming (the trip is less than a week away!!! Ahhhh!!!) and minimalist OCD (to be discussed below), there hasn't been a lot of time to pick up the guitar, but I've been playing for the beginning of summer break, and for the rest of it. Let me just tell you, guitar is a pretty sweet instrument. Though it does chop up your fingers something awful.
6) I Am Now A (Wanna-Be) Minimalist:
You may or may not be acquainted with my family's anti-materialistic move towards 'slimming down', but ever since the U-Box affair, it's been a major priority. Well, maybe not a major priority, but it certainly has been one, though mostly only on Dad's list. Recently, though, he sent us an article (http://zenhabits.net/a-guide-to-creating-a-minimalist-home/) and I realized that he was really serious about this minimalist deal.
Since we've already gotten rid of most of our furniture during the first inquisition (...uh that is, the U-box episode. More and more, I'm starting to feel like this push towards minimalism is a crusade against clutter), now our major target has become clutter. Which, unfortunately, is very abundant. Recently, I've been waging a war against clutter--with my bathroom as the epicenter of cleanliness. Being neat is against my nature--but suprisingly, and happily, it feels more and more natural and more and more relaxed. Minimalism is good for your mental health (:P) and in fact, ever since I've converted to the dark (and very sparse) side, I've started to feel a lot calmer and less frenzied.
7) I Have Started Doing Yoga:
This year, Yoga was my 2nd period elective, and Eastern Philosophy 5th and 6th block, so it's no big surprise that Yoga has become my new big thing. Not only is Yoga a great form of exercise (ok, so you may be thinking, you hold a pose for a long time--how does that work out? But if you've ever tried yin yoga, you'll know what I'm talking about), it also has great philosophical aspects as well. Plus, it's just plain cool. Not only does Yoga work out your muscles, but it increases flexibility as well and gives a great stretch in some hard to reach places.
8) I Am Now Into Jung
On our last day of Neurophilosophy (another Friday elective), our class gave (the coolest teacher ever) Carmen The Red Book, a documentation by the psychologist Jung of his own madness.
 |
| (Illustration from the Red Book) |
9) I Can't Really Speak Chinese:
...Yeah, it's pretty unusual for a (1/2 Chinese) girl who has been studying the language for over 5 years, but it is true, I'm not fluent in Chinese. Not the best thing to lack when you're heading to China in less than a week. There has been a lot of pressure, for me personally, since a) everyone kinda sorta expects me to know Chinese (and don't get me wrong, I can talk some, but no way am I fluent) b) I'm probably going to have to do a bit of translating along the way c) Mom won't be with me, so I'm going to have to tough it out on my own.
Still, despite slight fear concerning communication issues, I am totally looking forward to this trip to Guangzhou. I'll be sure to blog faithfully, and take plenty of pictures. (of the food! and the scenery! and me! and more me!) Wish me luck! This is going to be sooooo cool!
10) I Like Coconut Milk:
Lactose (kinda-sorta-maybe-ishy) intolerant means that I've never drunk milk (well...just me personally. Not like all lactose intolerant people don't drink milk and hate it), although I'd never say no to pizza, or a grilled cheese sandwich, or green tea ice-cream.
No offense to those who like it, but soya milk and almond milk both taste kinda funny. Not like coconut milk doesn't, but it's....less...funny...tasting (?) if you get my drift. Rice milk though. Rice milk is the best.
Anyways, this is the anticlimatic end to my 10 things new about me.
Why mention Coconut Milk? No particular reason. But it's new.
-Shhh....
*there is a good story behind this, by the way. And yours truly led the charge, which mostly consisted of screaming "BUT HOW DOES IT WORK" at Mr. Carter with a bunch of my classmates.
**by which I mean, makes me go "0.o.....so....jealous....must...be...able...to..do...that....too"..
Monday, May 21, 2012
Ramblings: Graduation Day
Graduation Day was today.
And I must confess that the same nostalgia that gripped the graduates is also passing over me as well.
It's exhilarating, and also somewhat tragic as well, because somewhere along the way these graduates crossed the line between high school and college, adolescence and adulthood. I was not as close to these graduates as many of the students there were, I know, but the nature of the Davidson Academy* makes it so that by the end of the year everyone knows everyone, and you can't help feeling a twinge of emotion as the seniors grab their diplomas. It's nice to be in a school where freshies/sophomores** mingle with seniors and middle schoolers, yet at the same time, it makes graduation day really hard. I'll remember my friends that I've discussed books with, talked to about neurophilosophy, and meditated alongside. And I hope, when my graduation day comes in two or three years, my friends will feel the same way as well.
To all those friends there, near or far, graduating or still stuck with me, leaving or here to stay, best wishes!
-Shhhhhh......<sob sob. I'm such a sucker for sentimental moments>
*Ability grouped classes, student body size (aka S.M.A.L.L.!), and supah-cool electives
**Don't know WHAT I am exactly
Friday, May 18, 2012
Ramblings II: The Dead (are dead again, but are now resurrected--or is that re-resurected, or perhaps...)
Ramblings II: The not-quite-so-Dead-but-still-rather-spacey
It has been about two days since school has got out, and I am slowly drinking in the fresh blood that will restore me to my former glory.
You may be wondering-- hey, what's with all this morbid imagery portraying yours truly as a cadaver? The answer mostly lies in the fact that it's a motif I find that I am rather fond of*, and in all sincerity, while this 'resurrection' is not nearly as vivid as my winter break, the beginning of Summer vacation makes me feel like the sun has just set and it's feeding time**.
Instead of launching into a full blown account of my emergence from a first year at the DA, I feel like a brief overview would be more in order (as I slowly regain strength through the lifeblood of you fool mortals)...uh, that is, because the subject of DA and Summer break are exceedingly complex.
Best to everyone, as you all head out on your intrepid boats to the wonderful land of Summerland*****! This is Quiet Girl, off to go eat some more watermelon!
-Shhh.....as dusk falls, you hear the flitter of bat wings...a ghostly wind....and then slowly, inexorably, the long drawn out creak of a coffin, opening.....
*:P This is where you call the psychologist
**Yes, I've ceased to be a corpse in favor of being a vampire. The effects of public school upon one's mental health!!! Actually, this might just be because we watched a really dumb Dracula-Frankenstein mashup on the last day of school, and being (one of) the only horror movie(s) I've ever watched (for a long long time), I'm kinda morbidly fixated upon vampires now. No, really. I can't stand horror movies, and now vampires haunt my sleep.
***NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! He only has 2 inches, though. When I wear higheels, I can still fantasize about my former glory.
****Many thanks to Nix, who is kindly lending me an old guitar of hers over the summer.
*****...I have no idea where all that stuff about intrepid boats came from. Sorry :P
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Book Review I: Slaughterhouse 5
Book Review I: Slaughterhouse-Five
:D I suppose my last post, "Omg Joseph Heller!" was more of a book review than a fruitcake rant, but then again, I felt my labeling justified because it was mostly me gushing about...well...being psychologically...er....manipulated....
....by an inanimate book...
Um, anyways, since I'm planning to do a lot more writing about books in the future, I figured I might as well create a new category: the book reviews. The issue is, often I analyze books from an intellectual perspective. When I write about it, especially in this blog, I would rather prefer to ramble and gush. So, as long as everyone is aware of the fact that, yes, most book reviews will really be book gushes, then I have no qualms about calling this a 'book review'.
Actual Book Review I: Slaughterhouse-Five!
Anyways, Slaughterhouse-Five. I liked it, a ton. It's postmodernist, so there is a limit to how much one can like it. I mean, after a while, the whole cynical apathy begins to wear on you. By the time I got to Catch-22 (by Heller, a contemporary of Vonnegut's) I began to feel a little fed up with these dumb postmodernists. Just my opinion. Still, all things considered, I found Slaughterhouse-Five, with it's time traveling (or rather, perspective traveling) Billy Pilgrim oddly gripping and satisfying.
The perspective shifting format, I believe, really makes this book cool. The sense of disjointedness lends much more to the diaspora (ok, I just misused that word...:P) of Pilgrim, and almost gives a poignancy to his life story that otherwise wouldn't have gotten across. Reading it made me really get that sense of disjointedness and passivity that characterizes Pilgrim.
That's the thing about Pilgrim-- I loved him, but my fellow AmLit-ers were pretty 'meh'. Well, actually, they mostly wanted to punch him. For some reason, I really liked Pilgrim though. His character doesn't seem annoying-- perhaps because I've read characters like him before, notably, Lathe of Heaven's George Orr. I liked Orr, too. :D See a trend? The passivity/apathy seems familiar. It's a pretty cool thing, too. Pilgrim becomes opinions, inactive, almost, he merely exists-- like George Orr! Milquetoast, Jellyfish! Like Orr, this guy was born for his role, the self-less (literally) time traveller, much like Orr was born for his role. Maybe Pilgrim represented the everyman simply because of his absence. Perhaps he was intended to give greater emphasis to the ridiculousness of life. He literally is that bird who witnesses the massacre and can't say anything but 'poo-tee-wheet'. Whatever. I don't have a good reason for why I like him, but I do.
On another note, what I didn't like was the Tralfamadoreans (No! I refuse to spell that correctly! It's a sign of hopeless geekdom if you know how to even pronounce it correctly). They were really random, very disjointed from the rest of the book. Perhaps they were intended to give greater relief on to the absurdity of life. Meh. Still didn't like them. I would postulate that Vonnegut was just throwing them in there to explain the whole 'unstuck in time' deal, but I think he's a much better writer than that. Despite their...well, the only way to describe it is randomness...I still wouldn't re-write the book without them if I could. It's a bit how I couldn't re-write Catch-22 without the intense pain. Somehow, without it, it wouldn't be the same. The book needs it, even though it generally detracts from the reading experience.
All in all, I would give Slaughterhouse-Five a double thumbs up, and definitely recommend reading it (unlike Catch-22. Yes. Read this, it's good). If you do plan on reading it, though, be sure to either pay really close attention to the beginning (where he's all like, "I'm going to write a war story!"), or re-read it when you get close to the end, because it is important, despite your misgivings, and it does get really cool near the end.
This is Quiet Girl, poo-tee-weet!
-Shhhh.....so it goes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)