1) Family
Words that come to me about my family: sacrifice, selflessness, determination, hope, resilience, comfort 2) Friends Shoutout to my roommate and partner-in-crime, Jennifer, for dealing with me 24/7 at Macalester. You are amazing for putting up with my organizational pet peeves, cleanliness, and PMS mood swings. 3) Education I cannot imagine spending my college years anywhere else but Macalester. The professors are genuinely passionate about teaching students, which makes me interested in the subjects that they teach. Plus, I enjoy living in the northern United States for a change. I've never lived this far north (where seeing snow is normal). 4) Food I'm somewhat serious about this one. Aside from comfortably have food and shelter daily, I'm also a super adventurous foodie. I can never imagine settling into a routine and eating the same foods every week. Bibimbap. Sashimi. Dim sum. Hot pot. You name it; I eat it. 5) Music Although I did not come from a musical family, I cannot see myself living without music. I have been in choirs ever since I was five. I'm not planning to make music related to my career, but music has made a huge impact in my life. I rarely express negative emotions through pure anger, and music serves as the gateway for me to vent emotionally. I listen to Cantopop and Mandopop ballads when I'm nostalgic and sad, K-pop when I'm feeling happy, Spanish pop and Bachata when I feel like dancing, and English songs when I want to sing along. 6) Globalization It has made it possible to learn about the world, whether it's through travelling to other places or have the culture of another place come to me. It's through globalization that I have immigrated to the US, learned Spanish, and picked up my interest in Korean entertainment. 7) Internet Not only does the internet allow me to watch my movies and Korean shows, it has also allowed me to go on Wikipedia article marathons, watch YouTubers who speak Cantonese (to increase my interaction with Cantonese and improve my language skills), read Hong Kong newspaper, and, last but not least, keep my Google Calendar updated. 8) Messaging Apps This is probably a sub-category of #7 but it deserves a special acknowledgement. Gone were the days of sending long update emails to my extended family back in Hong Kong. Now, I can use Whatsapp chat rooms on my maternal and paternal side to talk with all of my aunts and uncles, send them photos of my college, and practice reading the messages in Traditional Chinese that my relatives use. I also am thankful for Skype for allowing me to visually talk to my extended family for many years. 9) Google Calendar I cannot emphasize the role of Google Cal enough in my life. I schedule classes, meetings, office hours, work schedules, student orgs, and even meals and laundry on my Google Calendar. Without it, I would stop functioning. Google Calendar is the reason why I'm not drowning in homework and papers; I plan my homework sessions in advance. 10) United States Regardless of the current political situation, I'm still thankful that I was able to immigrate to a country that is able to offer me a better climate for education and socioeconomic opportunity. It's a country that allow protests to occur without horrendous repercussions and a country that strives to be the leader for others (even though we all may disagree on how to get there). Sure, I may joke about immigrate again (I did it once; I can do it again, right?), but I'm also loyal to this country. I CHOSE to live my life in United States and I will remain here through the good and the bad. I refuse to see the world through a jaded lens and am thankful that I have the ability to change the government by voting in the local and national elections.
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I ordered the pulled chicken with gravy sauce along with a side of red beans with brisket and rice. The gravy sauce was amazing and it reminds me of a dish that I ate as a child back in Hong Kong. It was probably a dish that was influenced by the British. Overall, Jennifer and I thought the restaurant exceeded our expectations. Next time, we might order rotisserie chicken on the go.
After the concert, all four of us decided on a whim to go watch Doctor Strange. Surprisingly, I liked it more than I thought (plus, Hong Kong was in the movie!). Jennifer and I are actually getting good at planning things impulsively and being more flexible now. We're finally "normal" college students. Hahahahaha! (Photo cred: Jennifer Arnold) Now, we just need to bring down the suitcases and pack for Montreal! We're leaving Tuesday afternoon!
11.8.2016 - Go and make your voice heard. Vote for you, your family, and your country's future. America needs you.
I am utterly in shock of the hatred that has spread throughout the election season. As an immigrant myself, I voluntarily came to this country for a better future with my family because of the opportunities that are offered. I am able to receive a better education and have social mobility in the country. In turn, I am committed to seeing the betterment of this country. I genuinely hope that my family and I won't regret making one of the biggest decisions in our lives. As part of the "model minority," I am speaking up by standing together with the minorities that do not have my privilege. I will not stand for a candidate who treats me less because of the identities I hold. I want a future where I'm not objectified as a woman or "exoticized" as an Asian female. I do not have the privilege of being part the non-targeted demographic of the hate rhetoric and remain oblivious to the communities around me. This country prides itself on being diverse and inclusive. While political polarization is strong, I hope everyone realizes that we are all Americans, regardless of our backgrounds. My identity as an American is as equal as an American whose ancestors arrived on the Mayflower. There is not one person who is lesser than the other. Above all, we are ALL part of humanity. I do not want to wish bad things upon another human being and neither should you. #ImWithHer Sorry for such a long video! Jennifer and I can talk forever :D If you don't have time to watch everything here are the segments with their time markers below: 0:21- How did we first meet? 4:18 - Story time: MN State Fair (Aug 2015) 9:18 - Mall of America (Sep 2015) 10:50 - Solidifying our friendship 11:35 - Being roommates this school year 16:55 - Studying Abroad junior year 22:20 - Thanksgiving plans (we're going to Montreal!) 30:58 - Rachel's attempts at French 36:48 - Jennifer's Christmas Story 39:45 - Things to know about Jennifer 41:36 - Why are we such good friends? (42:14 - mini-tangent: Park Bo Gum story) My goal for my Thanksgiving and Winter break trips is to do short daily(?) vlogs (video blogs for those new to the vlogging world), so I have decided to try my hand at vlogging before leaving for my two trips. Here are some of my favorite vloggers on YouTube: - superwoman (Lilly Singh) - bubzbeauty (Lindy Tsang) - clothesencounters (Jenn Im) - Rachel & Jun - sunnydahye - joankim |
about mecollege student. junior. international studies major. over-the-top foodie. archives
February 2018
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