The last 8 months (two semesters) have brought many great memories and taught me many valuable lessons. I learned the importance of washing machine pods and how crucial they are to maintaining clean clothes. I realized that metal or foil should not be thrown into the microwave. But the most important lesson I learned over the course of my freshman year is that I'm an adult and I'm responsible for my own actions.
Rewind to last august when I was moving into Clark. My mom and I pulled up in the 'clerking lot' and started unpacking. The campus looked so large and new. There were all of these random students walking around who I had never seen before. I was intimidated greatly. My mom helped my unload all of my clothes and put everything up in my dorm. After about an hour, she wiped her hands and asked if there was anything else I could need. I tried to think about any possible thing I left home or what other supplies I could possibly use before I start the semester. The best I could muster up was "wanna get food?"
We went to BJ's and had our last meal together. I was starting to get a little sad when I realized that it's going to be a long time before I see my family again. We finished our meal and my mom dropped me off back at the dorm. We embraced one last time and parted ways.
The following month consisted of trial and error. I learned how to do laundry but failed to do so without shrinking a shirt or two. Simple chores were becoming second nature and I finally figured out how to iron button downs.
The freedoms that came with being away from parents were great! I could come back at whatever hour I wanted to. My roommate and I became fond of watching Walking Dead until 4 AM every weeknight. While it was fun at first, I soon learned that sleep is kind of a crucial process that college students need. I eventually cut those tv marathons short in favor of more sleep.
Going to the doctor was definitely another shock for me. I never realized how many forms one has to fill out before they can even see their doctor! I was started to realize how much I took my parents for granted.
I am in no way complaining about the new freedoms that I've gained ever since I started attending college, but they brought with them a wake up call. I learned that if I want something accomplished, it is my responsibility to see it out. Maybe the shock wasn't so big to other students. For this mama's boy it sure was!
Monday, May 5, 2014
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Buck Fever?? (Laughter)
I have mentioned before in my conversation partner blog that I recently went hunting for the first time. The experience I had was one I would never forget. Every man has his war story. Mine is slightly unique in the fact that it climaxes with uncontrollable laughter.
I am in most respects probably considered a 'city-slicker'. I was born and raised in Richardson, Texas, a suburb just north of Dallas, Texas. I rarely ever go to country and when I do, it is only for a brief moment to visit friends or family. I drive a tiny little sedan that moans at the slightest incline or ditch and my family's pet dog is a poodle. Like I said, looking at me doesn't make anyone think country.
Last December I got the opportunity to go hunting with my uncle and dad in San Angelo. The five hour drive was pretty bearable and the chilled weather was nothing to worry about. Armed with a Remington hunting rifle (named deer slayer by my uncle) and a clean conscious, I was ready to kill my first deer. We posted up in the deer blinds fairly early in the morning and were to wait patiently until our prey arrived. My uncle and I posted up in the valley bound blind and my dad was by himself just north on the hill. Uncle Willie and I shared stories and a chuckle here or there. The 50 year age difference was no boundary for us. As deer started to show up at around 4:00 P.M. my uncle warned me about buck fever. He had a hard time explaining it to me, only saying that it will turn you into a mad man and you'll sacrifice your shot.
Here is the urban dictionary definition for those who need a better understanding:
'buck fever is a condition hunters get. its symptoms include: jumpy-ness, seeing a buck deer when there is a doe, or no deer at all. Hunters with buck fever need to be extremely careful of their shot and target.'
As I took a deep breath and centered my cross hair on a buck, a weird sensation started to overtake my body. Quick nervous breathes turned into chuckles and chuckles turned into laughing. It was as if some maniacal comedian had possessed me and sent me into a crazy fit of laughs. My crosshairs were shaking due to the excessive laughs and nerves and the deer perched its head up and looked straight at me. I knew it was now or never. I squeezed the trigger and watched as the deer dropped about 5 seconds later. I did it!
The buck fever subsided and my uncle seemed to have caught it. Although I'd say he had buck fever fever. He was laughing at my sudden nervous fit and lost control just as I did. We sat in the blind for a solid 5 minutes just reimagining the whole episode and needless to say, the story was told a handful more times at dinner that night. To this day, my uncle calls me the mad man and makes a hyena noise as he gives me a playful punch to the gut.
This was the only time in my life that I can say that I laughed in an instinctual way. The situation (of killing a deer) was not funny, but the nerves and how I reacted to them was.
I am in most respects probably considered a 'city-slicker'. I was born and raised in Richardson, Texas, a suburb just north of Dallas, Texas. I rarely ever go to country and when I do, it is only for a brief moment to visit friends or family. I drive a tiny little sedan that moans at the slightest incline or ditch and my family's pet dog is a poodle. Like I said, looking at me doesn't make anyone think country.
Last December I got the opportunity to go hunting with my uncle and dad in San Angelo. The five hour drive was pretty bearable and the chilled weather was nothing to worry about. Armed with a Remington hunting rifle (named deer slayer by my uncle) and a clean conscious, I was ready to kill my first deer. We posted up in the deer blinds fairly early in the morning and were to wait patiently until our prey arrived. My uncle and I posted up in the valley bound blind and my dad was by himself just north on the hill. Uncle Willie and I shared stories and a chuckle here or there. The 50 year age difference was no boundary for us. As deer started to show up at around 4:00 P.M. my uncle warned me about buck fever. He had a hard time explaining it to me, only saying that it will turn you into a mad man and you'll sacrifice your shot.
Here is the urban dictionary definition for those who need a better understanding:
'buck fever is a condition hunters get. its symptoms include: jumpy-ness, seeing a buck deer when there is a doe, or no deer at all. Hunters with buck fever need to be extremely careful of their shot and target.'
As I took a deep breath and centered my cross hair on a buck, a weird sensation started to overtake my body. Quick nervous breathes turned into chuckles and chuckles turned into laughing. It was as if some maniacal comedian had possessed me and sent me into a crazy fit of laughs. My crosshairs were shaking due to the excessive laughs and nerves and the deer perched its head up and looked straight at me. I knew it was now or never. I squeezed the trigger and watched as the deer dropped about 5 seconds later. I did it!
The buck fever subsided and my uncle seemed to have caught it. Although I'd say he had buck fever fever. He was laughing at my sudden nervous fit and lost control just as I did. We sat in the blind for a solid 5 minutes just reimagining the whole episode and needless to say, the story was told a handful more times at dinner that night. To this day, my uncle calls me the mad man and makes a hyena noise as he gives me a playful punch to the gut.
This was the only time in my life that I can say that I laughed in an instinctual way. The situation (of killing a deer) was not funny, but the nerves and how I reacted to them was.
Friday, May 2, 2014
A Conversation with Daisy: A dear friend made
Today marks the last official meet up Daisy and I will be having for my Literature and Civilizations class. It seemed really weird to me to be going into the last conversation. Daisy and I had really gotten to know one another and I'd have to say she left a big impression on me. Coming into this project I thought that I'd be helping her speak and understand english, but instead I got a glimpse of a whole new perspective of the world and of a ambitious Chinese girl who will stop at nothing to follow her dream.
As per her request, Daisy and I met at the BLUU. We immediately started our conversation off with little hesitation. I asked Daisy of her progress with the TOFU tests and she informed me that she unfortunately did not meet the required grade that was necessary to move on towards the next step of her goal. Daisy would be taking the next semester off and returning in spring of 2015. We both shared our struggles with the english language. Daisy told me about all of the different versions of predicates she had known and had trouble identifying. I told her how I thought there was only one type of predicate! Daisy has a much more formal and deep understanding of the English language. They even have Daisy studying latin!
Daisy told me about how common chorus rehearsals are in the church. There are many beautiful songs that are sung in Latin and Daisy had to learn how to pronounce and read the language. Daisy believes that her rough understanding of latin helps her with the structure of English sentences and root words. This made me recall all the way back to 8th grade when my dad urged me to take latin so I'd perform better on the vocabulary section on the SAT. German is another language that Daisy got to dive into. She said that the structure is similar to Latin and English but there is one BIG difference: German words are quite long!
When we brought up the church music again, Daisy explained how all of the symbolic lyrics of he church songs were difficult to understand. Apparently her instructor advised her to attend a couple sessions of church to better gain an understanding of what exactly the lyrics are describing. Daisy then asked if I was a christian. I told her about how I went to church a lot as a child and was exposed to a lot of the choral songs that she spoke of. We both contemplated on how deep and meaningful the lyrics were.
I respectful asked Daisy about what religions are popular amongst the Chinese. Daisy said how most Chinese people who come to America adopt christianity but in China there isn't a standard religion adopted. Personally, Daisy believes in Buddhism and enjoys the ideals of it. It was fascinating getting to learn about the culture of Buddhism and how the dynamics of the religion work. Daisy said that Christians focus on being nice and caring. If a christian man does wrong, he prays for forgiveness. The Buddhist man does not act the same way. What happens is with purpose and not as a consequence. She said if someone is suffering, buddhism reminds them that while times may be harsh a positive time will happen soon in the future. It is also interesting to hear that the religion is especially popular amongst Chinese businessmen. Daisy didn't dive much further into the topic but I could tell that she was getting flustered. Religion is a complicated topic and is difficult to describe even by the most eloquent speakers. Daisy already had a new subject in mind to talk about.
For her persuasive speech, Daisy decided to discuss the pros and cons of gun control. Daisy's viewpoint was that guns should be taken out of criminals hands and therefor out of the public hands. She gave me a few pros and cons about each side and then asked for my opinion. I shared my viewpoint, that an American has the right to own a gun IF it is used to protect their PROPERTY and is sold to a licensed owner. I believe that background checks are important in determining that the potential owner is rightful and safe for his/her community in owning such a dangerous piece of equipment. Daisy asked if I had ever shot a gun. I was happy to tell her about my most recent hunting experience.
Last December, I got to go hunting for the first time with my dad and uncle. I didn't know what to expect going into the situation but was pleasantly surprised. I asked daisy if she likes the nature and being in solitude. Daisy replied with a comforting nod. I explained thats what hunting is, it's the epitome of soaking in everything nature has to offer and getting to watch wildlife. When I told her how I shot a couple of dear, Daisy didn't react the way I anticipated. She thought it was pretty interesting and wanted to learn more about it. I made it clear that venison, lean deer meet, was saved from the dear and actually fed my family (really my dad) for about five months. I asked Daisy if she had ever gone fishing and Daisy said she had gone once or twice when she was about six years old. Daisy said that she enjoyed the peace but didn't quite have a attention span to wait the whole time. She said it was boring up until she caught the fish. Then the wait was all worth it. We both agreed about our love for fish. Daisy's favorite type of meet, however, is pork. It was at this moment when Daisy taught me a little lesson about the differences between the American and Chinese cuisine.
Apparently American pork is much more lean than Chinese pork. In China, they favor the much tastier and fatter pork. Daisy made a bold claim, that Chinese people eat fatter and more unhealthy food than Americans. That was one statement that I had a difficult time believing. I said that Americans eat greasy fast food and, outside of the attractive college campus of TCU, are statistically proven to be pretty fat. Daisy believes that the American culture focuses much more on calories and working out. In China, Daisy would work out once a year. In America, Daisy works out once a week. She said that Americans are much more toned that her friends back home. I definitely believe that statement regarding the working out. We laughed about how she thought Chinese ate fatter food yet Americans were the fatter population.
I looked down at my phone and realized that almost an hour and half had passed! I knew I had to go back to studying but didn't want to. Daisy and I had truly developed a bond and it was a sad moment to realize we weren't going to see each other for a long time. We agreed that we should keep in touch and email each other from time to time. I'm interesting to see Daisy's continuing journey to follow her dream to become a choral conductor. Before we left we took a photo.
I truly am blessed that I was given the opportunity to meet Daisy and watch her develop into a more confident and competent student over the semester. She is a bright and spirited woman who is sweet inside. I've learned that there are many great people out there with great stories. You can uncover them as long as you take the time to get to know them. This isn't goodbye but a so long (for now!)
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn so much about you, your culture, and even myself! I can't wait to see what the future unfolds for you Daisy!
As per her request, Daisy and I met at the BLUU. We immediately started our conversation off with little hesitation. I asked Daisy of her progress with the TOFU tests and she informed me that she unfortunately did not meet the required grade that was necessary to move on towards the next step of her goal. Daisy would be taking the next semester off and returning in spring of 2015. We both shared our struggles with the english language. Daisy told me about all of the different versions of predicates she had known and had trouble identifying. I told her how I thought there was only one type of predicate! Daisy has a much more formal and deep understanding of the English language. They even have Daisy studying latin!
Daisy told me about how common chorus rehearsals are in the church. There are many beautiful songs that are sung in Latin and Daisy had to learn how to pronounce and read the language. Daisy believes that her rough understanding of latin helps her with the structure of English sentences and root words. This made me recall all the way back to 8th grade when my dad urged me to take latin so I'd perform better on the vocabulary section on the SAT. German is another language that Daisy got to dive into. She said that the structure is similar to Latin and English but there is one BIG difference: German words are quite long!
When we brought up the church music again, Daisy explained how all of the symbolic lyrics of he church songs were difficult to understand. Apparently her instructor advised her to attend a couple sessions of church to better gain an understanding of what exactly the lyrics are describing. Daisy then asked if I was a christian. I told her about how I went to church a lot as a child and was exposed to a lot of the choral songs that she spoke of. We both contemplated on how deep and meaningful the lyrics were.
I respectful asked Daisy about what religions are popular amongst the Chinese. Daisy said how most Chinese people who come to America adopt christianity but in China there isn't a standard religion adopted. Personally, Daisy believes in Buddhism and enjoys the ideals of it. It was fascinating getting to learn about the culture of Buddhism and how the dynamics of the religion work. Daisy said that Christians focus on being nice and caring. If a christian man does wrong, he prays for forgiveness. The Buddhist man does not act the same way. What happens is with purpose and not as a consequence. She said if someone is suffering, buddhism reminds them that while times may be harsh a positive time will happen soon in the future. It is also interesting to hear that the religion is especially popular amongst Chinese businessmen. Daisy didn't dive much further into the topic but I could tell that she was getting flustered. Religion is a complicated topic and is difficult to describe even by the most eloquent speakers. Daisy already had a new subject in mind to talk about.
For her persuasive speech, Daisy decided to discuss the pros and cons of gun control. Daisy's viewpoint was that guns should be taken out of criminals hands and therefor out of the public hands. She gave me a few pros and cons about each side and then asked for my opinion. I shared my viewpoint, that an American has the right to own a gun IF it is used to protect their PROPERTY and is sold to a licensed owner. I believe that background checks are important in determining that the potential owner is rightful and safe for his/her community in owning such a dangerous piece of equipment. Daisy asked if I had ever shot a gun. I was happy to tell her about my most recent hunting experience.
Last December, I got to go hunting for the first time with my dad and uncle. I didn't know what to expect going into the situation but was pleasantly surprised. I asked daisy if she likes the nature and being in solitude. Daisy replied with a comforting nod. I explained thats what hunting is, it's the epitome of soaking in everything nature has to offer and getting to watch wildlife. When I told her how I shot a couple of dear, Daisy didn't react the way I anticipated. She thought it was pretty interesting and wanted to learn more about it. I made it clear that venison, lean deer meet, was saved from the dear and actually fed my family (really my dad) for about five months. I asked Daisy if she had ever gone fishing and Daisy said she had gone once or twice when she was about six years old. Daisy said that she enjoyed the peace but didn't quite have a attention span to wait the whole time. She said it was boring up until she caught the fish. Then the wait was all worth it. We both agreed about our love for fish. Daisy's favorite type of meet, however, is pork. It was at this moment when Daisy taught me a little lesson about the differences between the American and Chinese cuisine.
Apparently American pork is much more lean than Chinese pork. In China, they favor the much tastier and fatter pork. Daisy made a bold claim, that Chinese people eat fatter and more unhealthy food than Americans. That was one statement that I had a difficult time believing. I said that Americans eat greasy fast food and, outside of the attractive college campus of TCU, are statistically proven to be pretty fat. Daisy believes that the American culture focuses much more on calories and working out. In China, Daisy would work out once a year. In America, Daisy works out once a week. She said that Americans are much more toned that her friends back home. I definitely believe that statement regarding the working out. We laughed about how she thought Chinese ate fatter food yet Americans were the fatter population.
I looked down at my phone and realized that almost an hour and half had passed! I knew I had to go back to studying but didn't want to. Daisy and I had truly developed a bond and it was a sad moment to realize we weren't going to see each other for a long time. We agreed that we should keep in touch and email each other from time to time. I'm interesting to see Daisy's continuing journey to follow her dream to become a choral conductor. Before we left we took a photo.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn so much about you, your culture, and even myself! I can't wait to see what the future unfolds for you Daisy!
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
A Conversation with Daisy: Potbelly.. Again?
Another week, another trip to Potbelly. Daisy is starting to get more comfortable with speaking to me and actually made one of her first jokes about me. She poked fun about how I always request we meet at Potbelly, "You don't like BLUU food do you?" she asked while smiling. This was definitely a true statement, for earlier this semester I suffered from food poisoning and since then I have been weary to eating anything other than breakfast at the BLUU.
We sat down and talked a little bit more about what we do with academics. Daisy told me about the difficulty of the TOFU test and how it compares to the SAT test. Daisy's instructors told her that the TOFU test is quite difficult, so difficult that most American citizens would have a difficult time completing it. The test is long and dull and lasts over four hours. The subject matter she reads about is college level courses such as history and biology. As Daisy puts it "quite boring".
Putting myself in Daisy's shoes I realized how much of a challenge this test must have been for her. Any test that takes four hours is a difficult assessment, let alone one that is in a foreign language. On top of that she has to read about some of the dullest topics I've heard of!
The best equivalent I could come up with to compare is the SAT. But when I brought it up I only realized how much more simple my test was. She told me she was familiar with the SAT and how it only has three sections at a much shorter duration. I remember how only a few years ago I was slaving over that test trying to get good scores for potential colleges. Compared to the TOFU test, the SAT is a walk in the park!
I told Daisy about my courses and about my most challenging one, BIS. When she learned about my 30 page group report I had due at the end of the semester, Daisy flipped! She was shocked that I would be assigned such a difficult task. I had to explain to her the concept of group reports of course and suddenly the challenge was not as scary.
Conversations have become extremely fluid and it is great to see improvement from Daisy every single day!
Monday, April 21, 2014
My first college all-nighter (Learning Experience)
We are all familiar with the concept of pulling an all-nighter. As a college student, we honor such an ambitious activity as a right of passage. Having said that, I had yet to experience the caffeine-fueled adventure that so many brag about. When I hear the phrase "Yeah I'm a little tired, I'll pulled an all-nighter last night", two things run through my mind:
1)You're definitely just bragging about this to sound like a badass.
2)You probably have awful time management skills.
Well, now I finally know what the experience is all about.
This semester in Business Information Systems, we were assigned a group project at the beginning of the year and were given until the last week of class to complete the project. The written report was expected to be over 30 pages in length with perfect grammar and spelling. Our five person group made sure to plan ahead and meet specific deadlines to avoid a build up of work. Procrastination was not a recommended strategy for taking on such a large and challenging project.
We decided it would be fair to trust each other and hold ourselves accountable. We were college students after all! So there was a schedule that mapped out our progress and each member had to cover an equal share of work. The schedule was pretty simple, starting at just basic research, then developing into a rough draft, and finally becoming a polished final deliverable that would be handed in to the teacher. From my personal perspective, this was an awesome idea! No one had to feel the pressure of others policing them and if one member wanted help, they would merely just have to ask.
Fast forward to about a week before the project was due. I had finished my writings and took the liberty of editing everyone else's portion. We figured it would be smart to have one central voice. The task seemed pretty simple and I anticipated maybe one sunday afternoon of work in order to sew these carefully crafted masterpieces together into our A+ worthy project.
Complications began to arise when one of our team members suddenly stopped showing up at meetings and responding to text messages. We were pretty concerned. Things got worse when we realized that this person never submitted their writing portion! We all took turns trying to contact said person and told them they needed to turn in their written portion ASAP!
The moment finally came when the partner submitted their report to me. Sure it seemed a little clunky here and there, but I figured we could work it out. Well it turns out that this 'report' was nothing other than a bunch of copy and pasted articles that filled up about 6 pages. It was 1 AM two nights before the project when I came to this realization. At this moment I faced two choices; to try and track down my partner and hope he sent the wrong document or to start from scratch and finish it all myself. I decided that it was too late to leave the library and go on a journey to find him.
I knew that slumber would be a temptress who would constantly try to lure me away from my quest. I stocked up on Starbucks Double Expresso shots, cliff bars, and just about every energy related product that a college student could buy at the library cafe. With my line up of chemically enhanced supercharged products in front of me, I took on the challenge.
I anticipated a loss of energy but not the loss of sanity. Things that should be menial and boring started becoming really funny. The mundane business report had me in stitches at one point. "Enterprise Resourse Systems are crucial for ensuring synergy within the workplace" - A phrase like this even brought a chuckle. I persevered though and finished the entire 30 page report at about 8:00 A.M.
I left the library and headed back to my dorm. I ran into my roommate who was a seasoned expert when it came to caffeine consumption and sleep deprivation. He told me to make sure that I don't take a nap until I am done with my day. He explained to me that once your body sees what it is missing, it will resist waking up. So I had no choice but to chug another expresso and wait it out until my 11:00 A.M. class.
When BIS came, I felt amazing. I had accomplished so much in 24 hours and was so proud of the fact that I pulled the all-nighter. I even found myself partially bragging about it! I was on point when answering the teacher's questions and felt like I have never been such a engaging student in my whole college career.
This all changed when I walked into my 12:30 religion class. As I walked through the door, I could tell that I hit 'the wall'. Much like marathon runners who make it 23 miles but have a mental breakdown which prevents them from completing their race, my body was telling me that I was done. I plopped down in my seat and tried my hardest to pay attention to what was going on in class. The air felt like blankets and my thick bible had never seemed so comfortable and soft before. I unintentionally started settling myself in like a dog that circles over his sleeping matt. This was when weird stuff started happening. Almost instantly I would dose off and have a realistic dream regarding the topic then wake up. From the outside I'm sure that looked like I was possessed by demons, which is kind of funny because that was what the topic was about that day.
I made it out of class and walked to my dorm. I was beyond thrilled for the slumber that awaited. I tucked myself in my bed and fell asleep. Almost instantly I awoke and looked at my clock. 8 hours had passed! There was another alert on my phone. It was a text message from the partner "Sorry I didn't tell you, I uploaded my reference for my written report instead of the real document!". Apparently the real document was prepared all along...
1)You're definitely just bragging about this to sound like a badass.
2)You probably have awful time management skills.
Well, now I finally know what the experience is all about.
This semester in Business Information Systems, we were assigned a group project at the beginning of the year and were given until the last week of class to complete the project. The written report was expected to be over 30 pages in length with perfect grammar and spelling. Our five person group made sure to plan ahead and meet specific deadlines to avoid a build up of work. Procrastination was not a recommended strategy for taking on such a large and challenging project.
We decided it would be fair to trust each other and hold ourselves accountable. We were college students after all! So there was a schedule that mapped out our progress and each member had to cover an equal share of work. The schedule was pretty simple, starting at just basic research, then developing into a rough draft, and finally becoming a polished final deliverable that would be handed in to the teacher. From my personal perspective, this was an awesome idea! No one had to feel the pressure of others policing them and if one member wanted help, they would merely just have to ask.
Fast forward to about a week before the project was due. I had finished my writings and took the liberty of editing everyone else's portion. We figured it would be smart to have one central voice. The task seemed pretty simple and I anticipated maybe one sunday afternoon of work in order to sew these carefully crafted masterpieces together into our A+ worthy project.
Complications began to arise when one of our team members suddenly stopped showing up at meetings and responding to text messages. We were pretty concerned. Things got worse when we realized that this person never submitted their writing portion! We all took turns trying to contact said person and told them they needed to turn in their written portion ASAP!
The moment finally came when the partner submitted their report to me. Sure it seemed a little clunky here and there, but I figured we could work it out. Well it turns out that this 'report' was nothing other than a bunch of copy and pasted articles that filled up about 6 pages. It was 1 AM two nights before the project when I came to this realization. At this moment I faced two choices; to try and track down my partner and hope he sent the wrong document or to start from scratch and finish it all myself. I decided that it was too late to leave the library and go on a journey to find him.
I knew that slumber would be a temptress who would constantly try to lure me away from my quest. I stocked up on Starbucks Double Expresso shots, cliff bars, and just about every energy related product that a college student could buy at the library cafe. With my line up of chemically enhanced supercharged products in front of me, I took on the challenge.
I anticipated a loss of energy but not the loss of sanity. Things that should be menial and boring started becoming really funny. The mundane business report had me in stitches at one point. "Enterprise Resourse Systems are crucial for ensuring synergy within the workplace" - A phrase like this even brought a chuckle. I persevered though and finished the entire 30 page report at about 8:00 A.M.
I left the library and headed back to my dorm. I ran into my roommate who was a seasoned expert when it came to caffeine consumption and sleep deprivation. He told me to make sure that I don't take a nap until I am done with my day. He explained to me that once your body sees what it is missing, it will resist waking up. So I had no choice but to chug another expresso and wait it out until my 11:00 A.M. class.
When BIS came, I felt amazing. I had accomplished so much in 24 hours and was so proud of the fact that I pulled the all-nighter. I even found myself partially bragging about it! I was on point when answering the teacher's questions and felt like I have never been such a engaging student in my whole college career.
This all changed when I walked into my 12:30 religion class. As I walked through the door, I could tell that I hit 'the wall'. Much like marathon runners who make it 23 miles but have a mental breakdown which prevents them from completing their race, my body was telling me that I was done. I plopped down in my seat and tried my hardest to pay attention to what was going on in class. The air felt like blankets and my thick bible had never seemed so comfortable and soft before. I unintentionally started settling myself in like a dog that circles over his sleeping matt. This was when weird stuff started happening. Almost instantly I would dose off and have a realistic dream regarding the topic then wake up. From the outside I'm sure that looked like I was possessed by demons, which is kind of funny because that was what the topic was about that day.
I made it out of class and walked to my dorm. I was beyond thrilled for the slumber that awaited. I tucked myself in my bed and fell asleep. Almost instantly I awoke and looked at my clock. 8 hours had passed! There was another alert on my phone. It was a text message from the partner "Sorry I didn't tell you, I uploaded my reference for my written report instead of the real document!". Apparently the real document was prepared all along...
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
A Conversation with Daisy: A new challenge
This week's outing took place at potbelly (my personal favorite among the frog bucks accepting restaurants). There, I ran into a slightly less jovial Daisy. Daisy explained to me that she did not get the necessary grade for her to advance among her studies. With optimism in her voice, Daisy explained that she still gets one more chance to retake the test. If, however, Daisy doesn't succeed she may have to look towards a different path. When expressing that those were the possibilities, Daisy seemed optimistic towards both ways. This really made me realize how Daisy consistently faces obstacles every day and, like everyone else, faces the occasional loss. Daisy hardly seemed discouraged by this and instead used this to fuel her ambitious attitude towards following her dream.
I'd like to take a moment and just say that we can all learn from her actions. I sometimes encounter stumbles in life and don't react as positively. I may throw a fit, project blame onto someone other than me, and curse the obstacle that stands in my way. If I accepted the outcome and moved forward like daisy, I would probably save a lot of time and energy from my immature internal quarrels.
The subject changed as we recapped on Spring Break. I talked about the luxurious wonders of feeling the sand in my toes and the friends who shared the beach house with me. Daisy asked about the weather and unfortunately I had to inform Daisy about the cold temperatures. We both grimaced about the unfortunate situation and shared our appreciation for warmer climates and sun rays. I asked Daisy if she would be prepared for the summer temperatures of Texas. Daisy said that she wasn't too nervous and welcomes the warmth.
This was one of the short meets due to a busy schedule on my part. But it was great to see Daisy's optimistic demeanor shine through her regardless of the obstacles that stand in her way. This was definitely a wake up call for myself.
Monday, April 7, 2014
A Conversation with Daisy: Google Maps
This session with Daisy was a little bit less conventional than the rest. It didn't consist of me trying to learn more about her home country or explain the concepts certain American trends or phrases. Instead Daisy needed help on planning for her English test. You see, this was not a typical English test. This was the test to end all tests.
Earlier in our meetings, we discussed the importance of learning English to Daisy's major. Last time Daisy met with her professor, the professor stated that Daisy's conducting talents were ready for the next step but her weakness in understanding spoken English was holding Daisy back. Daisy's new task was to take her advanced English comprehension test at a certified testing facility before a specific date (March 31st I believe). If Daisy scored an 80 or higher she would move one step closer to her dream of becoming a choral conductor.
This is where Daisy explained to me that she had to overcome an unexpected obstacle: transportation to these facilities. As someone who has a car and has grown up in the DFW metroplex my whole life, I didn't see much of a challenge in traveling 45 minutes to Dallas. I'd simply input the location on my phone, drive over, and take the test. This task proved to be much more complicated for Daisy: She had to coordinate with a friend to take her to Hulen Mall, call a taxi to deliver her to the destination, and finally find the actual testing center which was sandwiched in the middle of UNT's campus. The strict timeline for the events to take place (to check in with the test center by 8:00 A.M.) added even more fuel to the fire.
I opened up my laptop and used Google Maps to show daisy which routes were the closest and which would have the least traffic. This is where Daisy made an peculiar observation. Daisy's Chinese computer showed a greatly different version of Google Maps that lacked many of the features that Americans enjoy. I screen shotted maps of different routes Daisy could take and emailed them to her.
While this lunch was different from our typical conversational meet, I still got to gain further insight on the challenges Daisy faces every day. Something that would be simple for me is quite difficult for Daisy.
Earlier in our meetings, we discussed the importance of learning English to Daisy's major. Last time Daisy met with her professor, the professor stated that Daisy's conducting talents were ready for the next step but her weakness in understanding spoken English was holding Daisy back. Daisy's new task was to take her advanced English comprehension test at a certified testing facility before a specific date (March 31st I believe). If Daisy scored an 80 or higher she would move one step closer to her dream of becoming a choral conductor.
This is where Daisy explained to me that she had to overcome an unexpected obstacle: transportation to these facilities. As someone who has a car and has grown up in the DFW metroplex my whole life, I didn't see much of a challenge in traveling 45 minutes to Dallas. I'd simply input the location on my phone, drive over, and take the test. This task proved to be much more complicated for Daisy: She had to coordinate with a friend to take her to Hulen Mall, call a taxi to deliver her to the destination, and finally find the actual testing center which was sandwiched in the middle of UNT's campus. The strict timeline for the events to take place (to check in with the test center by 8:00 A.M.) added even more fuel to the fire.
I opened up my laptop and used Google Maps to show daisy which routes were the closest and which would have the least traffic. This is where Daisy made an peculiar observation. Daisy's Chinese computer showed a greatly different version of Google Maps that lacked many of the features that Americans enjoy. I screen shotted maps of different routes Daisy could take and emailed them to her.
While this lunch was different from our typical conversational meet, I still got to gain further insight on the challenges Daisy faces every day. Something that would be simple for me is quite difficult for Daisy.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Cinnamon and what?! (Laughter)
I think most college students are familiar with the typical way weekend nights play out. Friends usually get together in the dorms and walk over to the bars and end their night with equally unhealthy and delicious meals from Fuzzy's, Toppers, or Whataburger. This process right here is the simple explanation for the freshman 15.
One night, Toppers was extremely packed and it was about impossible to get an order in. The workers determined that there was too many people waiting and decided to close the restaurant early for the night. College students are good at two things, cramming knowledge intensely before an exam and mooching off of other college students. There is no shame in the process as everyone does it. Those who give out have good 'moocher's karma' and those who mooch gain negative 'moocher's karma'.
That night as I walked back empty handed, I saw my good friend, Kiki, walking back with a Toppers pizza box. Kiki looked pretty upset but didn't really explain why. If there is one thing I learned from living in a household of 3 women, it's that sometimes a man shouldn't ask what is wrong. As I followed her back, I asked if I could possibly have a slice of whatever she ordered. Kiki, while still frowning, agreed as long as I didn't laugh at her order. She opened up the box and low and behold there was a cheese pizza with cinnamon and icing. I had no idea why such a combination would be requested but I figured I would take a bite. The pizza was disgusting. It turns out Toppers ruined her order and that was the very reason why Kiki was so upset.
Another friend, Walt, tries to run up and take the pizza from Kiki as a joke. He succeeds and a chase ensues around campus. At this point I could only watch and enjoy what took place. Walt started throwing the pizza slices at Kiki. That was a mistake. Kiki looks into her plastic bag and finds a fig cup of icing. With amazing precision, Kiki catapults the cup of icing across the commons and nails Walt directly in the face. The results may be seen in this picture.
One night, Toppers was extremely packed and it was about impossible to get an order in. The workers determined that there was too many people waiting and decided to close the restaurant early for the night. College students are good at two things, cramming knowledge intensely before an exam and mooching off of other college students. There is no shame in the process as everyone does it. Those who give out have good 'moocher's karma' and those who mooch gain negative 'moocher's karma'.
That night as I walked back empty handed, I saw my good friend, Kiki, walking back with a Toppers pizza box. Kiki looked pretty upset but didn't really explain why. If there is one thing I learned from living in a household of 3 women, it's that sometimes a man shouldn't ask what is wrong. As I followed her back, I asked if I could possibly have a slice of whatever she ordered. Kiki, while still frowning, agreed as long as I didn't laugh at her order. She opened up the box and low and behold there was a cheese pizza with cinnamon and icing. I had no idea why such a combination would be requested but I figured I would take a bite. The pizza was disgusting. It turns out Toppers ruined her order and that was the very reason why Kiki was so upset.
Another friend, Walt, tries to run up and take the pizza from Kiki as a joke. He succeeds and a chase ensues around campus. At this point I could only watch and enjoy what took place. Walt started throwing the pizza slices at Kiki. That was a mistake. Kiki looks into her plastic bag and finds a fig cup of icing. With amazing precision, Kiki catapults the cup of icing across the commons and nails Walt directly in the face. The results may be seen in this picture.
Kiki's feat of athleticism had me rolling on the grass laughing. I completely lost control of my body. I noticed that my other friends around the area started dropping like flies. I couldn't decide if the throw was more impressive or humorous. I think just about everyone involved found the incident funny minus Walt. He had some sticky hair to clean up when he got back to his room that night! If there ever was a time, the Superiority theory was ever present among this situation.
I am a person who loves retelling stories. The fact that we got to snap this picture makes it that much more satisfying.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
A Conversation with Daisy Part 2: Aspirations and shopping malls
Last Tuesday I had the opportunity to meet again with Daisy and catch up on what is going on with our lives. Daisy told me about her progress she has made as an English student and her upcoming assessments to test each respective english skill. This conversation was much more fluid. I could tell that we were becoming more comfortable with each other and topics would flow with little hesitation.
New challenges were presented, however: The frantic noise at the BLUU made listening a bit more difficult for Daisy. At times I could tell she was struggling to keep up and I would have to ask her if she understood what I was saying. Often a smile and courteous 'no' would be the given response. Moments like these really made me respect Daisy for the challenge she was taking on. I tried my best to explain to her that if I had been in the same position as her (as an english speaking student trying to learn her native tongue in her native country surrounded by ample distractions and doubts) I would not be nearly as competent as she was. Unfortunately such a complex idea was hard to express, but I know that Daisy could understand that I was admiring her for her challenge with her given circumstances.
One topic that led most of the discussion was Spring Break. I got to share with Daisy what my plans were for the break and where I was vacating. Instead of just blatantly stating I was going to Gulf Shores, Alabama, I told Daisy of the beach and weather I was anticipating. Daisy expressed the vacations she hoped to go on in the near future. Daisy wants to visit San Francisco as well as New York, two popular tourist sites in America that most foreign visitors are familiar with. Daisy wants to see the beach in California and fashion stores in New York.
After discussing major tourism sites in America, Daisy revealed what major tourism sites were in her home country, China. There was a fashion district with nice architecture very close to where Daisy lived. Daisy explained that this was a major tourism spot for many surrounding nations. I asked if Daisy has ever visited the Great Wall of China. She said she has not but does have interest in visiting eventually.
This conversation was a milestone for me. Gone was the awkward interview style conversation, instead we spoke as friends wanting to learn about each others' lives and countries. Heres to hoping for an even further development in this relationship.
New challenges were presented, however: The frantic noise at the BLUU made listening a bit more difficult for Daisy. At times I could tell she was struggling to keep up and I would have to ask her if she understood what I was saying. Often a smile and courteous 'no' would be the given response. Moments like these really made me respect Daisy for the challenge she was taking on. I tried my best to explain to her that if I had been in the same position as her (as an english speaking student trying to learn her native tongue in her native country surrounded by ample distractions and doubts) I would not be nearly as competent as she was. Unfortunately such a complex idea was hard to express, but I know that Daisy could understand that I was admiring her for her challenge with her given circumstances.
One topic that led most of the discussion was Spring Break. I got to share with Daisy what my plans were for the break and where I was vacating. Instead of just blatantly stating I was going to Gulf Shores, Alabama, I told Daisy of the beach and weather I was anticipating. Daisy expressed the vacations she hoped to go on in the near future. Daisy wants to visit San Francisco as well as New York, two popular tourist sites in America that most foreign visitors are familiar with. Daisy wants to see the beach in California and fashion stores in New York.
After discussing major tourism sites in America, Daisy revealed what major tourism sites were in her home country, China. There was a fashion district with nice architecture very close to where Daisy lived. Daisy explained that this was a major tourism spot for many surrounding nations. I asked if Daisy has ever visited the Great Wall of China. She said she has not but does have interest in visiting eventually.
This conversation was a milestone for me. Gone was the awkward interview style conversation, instead we spoke as friends wanting to learn about each others' lives and countries. Heres to hoping for an even further development in this relationship.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Terminal (the tom hanks kind) (learning experience)
We've all had moments when we swore we did something when in reality we forgot and don't want to accept blame for it. I've left food too long in the oven, forgot my backpack at the library, and even misplaced my cellphone a handful of times in my life. In each of those instances, I was confident that I had placed something in a certain spot or finished out a task and that I had no reason to second check. Last February, I learned the hard way what happens if you forgot to click the confirm button on the American Airlines website.
My parents and I go spring skiing to Vail, Colorado every year for our big family vacation. We love the mountains and the mild climate. This year was a little different because I would be occupied during spring break so we planned a weekend in late february to go skiing as replacement. I took the necessary precautions with my teachers, and my parents made sure to rent the equipment ahead of time and buy the airline tickets really cheep. This trip was planned to the T: We were to arrive on thursday, ski the afternoon, ski friday and saturday and travel back on monday.
We're all packed up and ready to go, with no stress bothering us. It was actually strange, because every year there is at least one meltdown taking place before we board our plane. Perhaps this would be the combo breaker! As we get to the kiosk to check in, my mom pulls out her email to get the confirmation code for out tickets. She finds it and gives it to our helper. The helper explains that this is the itinerary confirmation code which is separate from the ticket confirmation code. My mom brushes off her protest and continues to rustle through her inbox to find the proper credentials. One minute passes and this still feels routine. Three minutes pass and my dad makes a confused face. 5 minutes pass and the helper asks us to go to customer assistance.
In the interest of saving time I'll summarize our little predicament. My mom reserved the tickets but never actually purchased them. That means that as of now we have a condo in vail with pre fitted equipment but no means of getting there. My father has to purchase new tickets last minute for Southwest and we accept the delay. We were originally going to arrive in Denver at 9 and now it'll be more like 3. No big deal.
There is a layover in New Mexico that is scheduled to be about 30 minutes. Due to a malfunction in the plane the delay is for 6 hours. This means we won't arrive in Denver until 9 which means that we won't be in our condo until midnight.
I tried to kill time like any 21st century kid would, using my iPhone and laptop. About half a season of True Detective later, both of my devices are dead. The seats are hard and uncomfortable so I gather a couple of winter jackets (from my parents) and lay out a pallet to sleep. This seemed like a great idea until a man trips on my and nearly kicks me in the face.
This reminded me of the Tom Hanks movie, Terminal. In it a Russian immigrant has no citizenship in America and can't return back to his home country due to a civil war. Tom Hanks is stuck within the NYC airport and is forced to live there for an extended period of time, a couple of months. I obviously and being over dramatic with my 6 hours but the general idea is still there. I was stuck in an airport with nothing to do and no where comfortable to be.
Eventually we persevered and enjoyed the rest of the vacation. But I definitely learned a valuable lesson from this whole ordeal. Always check and recheck to make sure you acted out on your task. There is no one to blame but yourself when you suddenly discover your ignorant mistake. Since the incident I am always sure to make sure I confirm the purchase!
My parents and I go spring skiing to Vail, Colorado every year for our big family vacation. We love the mountains and the mild climate. This year was a little different because I would be occupied during spring break so we planned a weekend in late february to go skiing as replacement. I took the necessary precautions with my teachers, and my parents made sure to rent the equipment ahead of time and buy the airline tickets really cheep. This trip was planned to the T: We were to arrive on thursday, ski the afternoon, ski friday and saturday and travel back on monday.
We're all packed up and ready to go, with no stress bothering us. It was actually strange, because every year there is at least one meltdown taking place before we board our plane. Perhaps this would be the combo breaker! As we get to the kiosk to check in, my mom pulls out her email to get the confirmation code for out tickets. She finds it and gives it to our helper. The helper explains that this is the itinerary confirmation code which is separate from the ticket confirmation code. My mom brushes off her protest and continues to rustle through her inbox to find the proper credentials. One minute passes and this still feels routine. Three minutes pass and my dad makes a confused face. 5 minutes pass and the helper asks us to go to customer assistance.
In the interest of saving time I'll summarize our little predicament. My mom reserved the tickets but never actually purchased them. That means that as of now we have a condo in vail with pre fitted equipment but no means of getting there. My father has to purchase new tickets last minute for Southwest and we accept the delay. We were originally going to arrive in Denver at 9 and now it'll be more like 3. No big deal.
There is a layover in New Mexico that is scheduled to be about 30 minutes. Due to a malfunction in the plane the delay is for 6 hours. This means we won't arrive in Denver until 9 which means that we won't be in our condo until midnight.
I tried to kill time like any 21st century kid would, using my iPhone and laptop. About half a season of True Detective later, both of my devices are dead. The seats are hard and uncomfortable so I gather a couple of winter jackets (from my parents) and lay out a pallet to sleep. This seemed like a great idea until a man trips on my and nearly kicks me in the face.
This reminded me of the Tom Hanks movie, Terminal. In it a Russian immigrant has no citizenship in America and can't return back to his home country due to a civil war. Tom Hanks is stuck within the NYC airport and is forced to live there for an extended period of time, a couple of months. I obviously and being over dramatic with my 6 hours but the general idea is still there. I was stuck in an airport with nothing to do and no where comfortable to be.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Strategic cramming (learning experience)
I think a majority of us can attest to the fact that in high school earning an A was easy. Acing tests involved minimal studying and really only required that you do your homework and complete assignments. In college, that is not the case. An A requires great effort. No one just stumbles into an A.
My first test I ever took, which happened to be in psychology, was a wake up call for me. I studied maybe an hour the night before and put little effort in memorizing vocabulary. When I finally took the test, I was in shock. A majority of what I was reading seemed like it was in a different language! I had no idea what Wernicke's area was and couldn't tell you what Sigmund Freud did. I left the classroom with my tail stuck between my legs.
Over the semester, I discovered that it was important to study for longer periods of time than just one hour. I experimented with my study schedule, some tests I would just cram a lot the night before and others I would divide into two parts. I used quiz let and note cards and wrote out reviews. Eventually I had developed a good method in making sure that I find success in my tests.
Fall semester finals was another challenge for me. I would need to learn how to equally distribute time into studying each course and properly remembering the material. I soon figured out exactly how to do it. I call this the stagger method. For my upcoming test I devote 6 hours in the day, for the next test I devoted 3 hours that day, and for the third next (is that a word) test I devote about two hours. What this means is that, by the day I take the exam, I will have studied around 11 hours for the test and probably be pretty familiar with the course material. While there is a lot of time devoted to studying on those days, I am never too stressed. I view the 3 and 2 hour increments as breaks for the longer 6 hour increment.
I'm really glad that I discovered this method my first semester. School is in no way easy, but I find that my studying strategy aids me in preparing for my exams. Some prefer the all-nighter, some prefer studying throughout the semester, I prefer learning it all over a 3 day period.
My first test I ever took, which happened to be in psychology, was a wake up call for me. I studied maybe an hour the night before and put little effort in memorizing vocabulary. When I finally took the test, I was in shock. A majority of what I was reading seemed like it was in a different language! I had no idea what Wernicke's area was and couldn't tell you what Sigmund Freud did. I left the classroom with my tail stuck between my legs.
Over the semester, I discovered that it was important to study for longer periods of time than just one hour. I experimented with my study schedule, some tests I would just cram a lot the night before and others I would divide into two parts. I used quiz let and note cards and wrote out reviews. Eventually I had developed a good method in making sure that I find success in my tests.
Fall semester finals was another challenge for me. I would need to learn how to equally distribute time into studying each course and properly remembering the material. I soon figured out exactly how to do it. I call this the stagger method. For my upcoming test I devote 6 hours in the day, for the next test I devoted 3 hours that day, and for the third next (is that a word) test I devote about two hours. What this means is that, by the day I take the exam, I will have studied around 11 hours for the test and probably be pretty familiar with the course material. While there is a lot of time devoted to studying on those days, I am never too stressed. I view the 3 and 2 hour increments as breaks for the longer 6 hour increment.
I'm really glad that I discovered this method my first semester. School is in no way easy, but I find that my studying strategy aids me in preparing for my exams. Some prefer the all-nighter, some prefer studying throughout the semester, I prefer learning it all over a 3 day period.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
A Conversation With Daisy: Less People, Less Traffic, and More Clean
Today, I finally got to meet with my IEP (Intensive English Program) partner. Prior to our meeting I was a little nervous. Various thoughts of doubt and anxiety ran through my head, these thoughts would range between "Will our first meeting be awkward" to "Will she understand what I'm trying to say". Needless to say, I definitely wanted to make a proper first impression.
We arranged our first meeting at 1:00 at McCalisters. I'm not the most punctual person but I made sure to arrive a bit early just incase she may have came early too. Sure enough I arrived first. The typical routine unfolded: I entered the restaurant. walked to the server, placed my typical order (the southwest chicken sandwich with mac N cheese), and found my table. About 2 minutes later I received a text from Daisy saying "Michael, i'm in mccalister. where are you? i'm a chinese girl". Sure enough I looked over to my right and there she was.
I greeted daisy with the most universal welcome that I could: a simple wave and a smile. She returned the same gesture and walked over. At first conversation was a little slow and short. I couldn't really think of any proper questions to ask that would evoke further discussion. Outside spectators probably thought I was interviewing her based on our exchange. My questions were the nature of "where are you from?" and "Why did you come to TCU?". It was at this point that I was pretty much realized that I was giving her the same superficial introduction questions that I gave every other person I met throughout my time at TCU. The true conversation started when Daisy told me about her major and her passion that matched it.
Daisy revealed that she was from a city about 10 hours north of Beijing. She moved to Beijing when she was 18 to attend the China Conservatory of Music. There she earned her undergraduate in music (obviously) and hoped to earn a Masters in Choral Conducting at TCU. However, she is not quite pursuing her masters yet. It was revealed that, upon enrolling at TCU, Daisy approached one of the Music professors and proclaimed her desire to earn a degree in Choral Conducting. Daisy explained to me that the professor believed her musical talents were more than adequate but her english skills were not quite good enough. Daisy had to put her mission on pause to refine her English. This is what led to her admission into the IEP (Intensive English Program) and ultimately her desire to become my partner. Daisy hopes to expand her english vocabulary and improve her listening skills.
While it is very apparent that english is Daisy's second language, I couldn't help but admire how ambitious and courageous it was for her to travel to a foreign country and adopt that country's language to learn in. At times we had difficulty translating complex thoughts into simplified speech that was easier to understand. I remember inquiring about Chinese characters and how she learned them but having a hard time actually communicating that question. Her response was instead about how Chinese is an ancient language and how her native name was hard to pronounce for english speaking Americans. This actually misunderstanding actually led to a very interesting conversation about comparing each others' cultures.
This is where my title for today's post came from. When asked whats the biggest difference between America and China, Daisy confidently responded "Less people, less traffic, and more clean". This statement caught my attention. China's ever-expanding population has led to some growing pains. The pollution in China is so bad that they have to wear medical masks to prevent contaminating of what they breathe. Daisy pointed to the Einsteins Bagel's on the opposite side of the street and said "In china you wouldn't see that"
Overall, this conversation got me excited. I'm excited to learn more about her culture. I hope that each of our next five conversations can be as deep as this one got. My goal for our next lunch is to talk a little bit more about my culture and my motivations. Daisy's current weakness is listening and comprehending. I hope that by the end of our little project she sees improvement in that skill. I can tell she's a very hard worker and have high hopes for her.
If you didn't pick up anything from this blog I hope you'll at least take this little piece of advice that Daisy gave me: best Chinese food in our area is Chinese Express. I'd trust her 23 years of experience!
We arranged our first meeting at 1:00 at McCalisters. I'm not the most punctual person but I made sure to arrive a bit early just incase she may have came early too. Sure enough I arrived first. The typical routine unfolded: I entered the restaurant. walked to the server, placed my typical order (the southwest chicken sandwich with mac N cheese), and found my table. About 2 minutes later I received a text from Daisy saying "Michael, i'm in mccalister. where are you? i'm a chinese girl". Sure enough I looked over to my right and there she was.
I greeted daisy with the most universal welcome that I could: a simple wave and a smile. She returned the same gesture and walked over. At first conversation was a little slow and short. I couldn't really think of any proper questions to ask that would evoke further discussion. Outside spectators probably thought I was interviewing her based on our exchange. My questions were the nature of "where are you from?" and "Why did you come to TCU?". It was at this point that I was pretty much realized that I was giving her the same superficial introduction questions that I gave every other person I met throughout my time at TCU. The true conversation started when Daisy told me about her major and her passion that matched it.
Daisy revealed that she was from a city about 10 hours north of Beijing. She moved to Beijing when she was 18 to attend the China Conservatory of Music. There she earned her undergraduate in music (obviously) and hoped to earn a Masters in Choral Conducting at TCU. However, she is not quite pursuing her masters yet. It was revealed that, upon enrolling at TCU, Daisy approached one of the Music professors and proclaimed her desire to earn a degree in Choral Conducting. Daisy explained to me that the professor believed her musical talents were more than adequate but her english skills were not quite good enough. Daisy had to put her mission on pause to refine her English. This is what led to her admission into the IEP (Intensive English Program) and ultimately her desire to become my partner. Daisy hopes to expand her english vocabulary and improve her listening skills.
While it is very apparent that english is Daisy's second language, I couldn't help but admire how ambitious and courageous it was for her to travel to a foreign country and adopt that country's language to learn in. At times we had difficulty translating complex thoughts into simplified speech that was easier to understand. I remember inquiring about Chinese characters and how she learned them but having a hard time actually communicating that question. Her response was instead about how Chinese is an ancient language and how her native name was hard to pronounce for english speaking Americans. This actually misunderstanding actually led to a very interesting conversation about comparing each others' cultures.
This is where my title for today's post came from. When asked whats the biggest difference between America and China, Daisy confidently responded "Less people, less traffic, and more clean". This statement caught my attention. China's ever-expanding population has led to some growing pains. The pollution in China is so bad that they have to wear medical masks to prevent contaminating of what they breathe. Daisy pointed to the Einsteins Bagel's on the opposite side of the street and said "In china you wouldn't see that"
Overall, this conversation got me excited. I'm excited to learn more about her culture. I hope that each of our next five conversations can be as deep as this one got. My goal for our next lunch is to talk a little bit more about my culture and my motivations. Daisy's current weakness is listening and comprehending. I hope that by the end of our little project she sees improvement in that skill. I can tell she's a very hard worker and have high hopes for her.
If you didn't pick up anything from this blog I hope you'll at least take this little piece of advice that Daisy gave me: best Chinese food in our area is Chinese Express. I'd trust her 23 years of experience!
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Some things I find funny...
Lets start off with a classic youtube video that I'm sure many people in this class have seen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y
I find this video just hilarious because its a lighthearted news reporter simply expecting a kid to give a cute answer about his zombie like costume. Sure enough the little boy responds with the classic line "I like turtles". This definitely follows the incongruity theory. This video is solely funny based on the spontaneous response from the little boy. If he answered how we expected, there would be little humor. Sure it would be cute but the video wouldn't merit 43 million views if it were a typical halloween special on the evening news.
This is one of my favorite scenes from the popular TV show The Office.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIakZtDmMgo
This scene always gets me because in a way Michael Scott is a commentary on how everyone just blindly follows their iPhones when driving. I personally have been in the passenger seat when someone drove down a one way road just because Siri told them to. As you can see the comedic idiot Michael had a similar incident that could easily have been avoided with any common sense. I feel that this follows the superiority theory: We can laugh at Michael because we aren't in his situation. If I drove my car into a lake I can assure you I would not be laughing at that moment.
I used this cartoon for a presentation last semester on how technology has physically hindered us in recent years. While this comic doesn't get me in stitches it definitely points fun at modern trends of our devices getting smaller and our bodies getting bigger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y
I find this video just hilarious because its a lighthearted news reporter simply expecting a kid to give a cute answer about his zombie like costume. Sure enough the little boy responds with the classic line "I like turtles". This definitely follows the incongruity theory. This video is solely funny based on the spontaneous response from the little boy. If he answered how we expected, there would be little humor. Sure it would be cute but the video wouldn't merit 43 million views if it were a typical halloween special on the evening news.
This is one of my favorite scenes from the popular TV show The Office.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIakZtDmMgo
This scene always gets me because in a way Michael Scott is a commentary on how everyone just blindly follows their iPhones when driving. I personally have been in the passenger seat when someone drove down a one way road just because Siri told them to. As you can see the comedic idiot Michael had a similar incident that could easily have been avoided with any common sense. I feel that this follows the superiority theory: We can laugh at Michael because we aren't in his situation. If I drove my car into a lake I can assure you I would not be laughing at that moment.
I used this cartoon for a presentation last semester on how technology has physically hindered us in recent years. While this comic doesn't get me in stitches it definitely points fun at modern trends of our devices getting smaller and our bodies getting bigger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHzdsFiBbFc
This one I probably can't present in class but its a scene from the show Louie. The always dry and sometimes depressing Louis CK is the main character of this show. Getting Christmas presents is never an easy task. It is hilarious how much pain and anguish Louis must go through in order to fix his daughters gift.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPHEUb-Q-Aw
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Why do people laugh?
Last thursday, I went around clark hall and asked my fellow residents about humor. I mainly asked them two questions: Why do people laugh and what makes them laugh. While some responses were definitely insightful, some were a little more explicit. Don't worry! I edited them!
My thoughts: I noticed that with this topic, people often tried to make their answers humorous. They kind of unintentionally answered the question even when just goofing around in front of the camera. I believe that people laugh to share a connection about a certain subject or topic. The first interviewee (Ramon) shared this same belief. I also noticed that simply having the camera pointed at someone would make them laugh. I tried to censor the profanity as much as I could. So I apologize in advance to those who are offended!Here are the results!
My thoughts: I noticed that with this topic, people often tried to make their answers humorous. They kind of unintentionally answered the question even when just goofing around in front of the camera. I believe that people laugh to share a connection about a certain subject or topic. The first interviewee (Ramon) shared this same belief. I also noticed that simply having the camera pointed at someone would make them laugh. I tried to censor the profanity as much as I could. So I apologize in advance to those who are offended!Here are the results!
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
What is literature? What is Civilization?
I'm a little later on posting this one. I asked three residents in Clark Hall two questions: How they defined literature, and what is civilization. My three subjects were Ramon (my roommate), Justin (my RA), and Tate. The dialogue of our conversation is below:
Ramon: "Literature is anything that uses words to describe something. This can be something as complicated as a book or something as simple as a line from a poem." "Civilization is a group of people governed by a central force"
Ramon's description is probably the closest to how I would describe literature.
Justin: "Literature is books. Books are fun to read. I read good" "Civilization is when people get together and work towards a common goal"
While Justin's first answer wasn't very insightful, I definitely understand the point he's trying to make about civilization.
Tate: "When you use words, letters, sounds to convey a deeper meaning. This would be similar to using words to create art. Literature can be poems, songs, tales, stories, etc. I think that anything with a shallow meaning that is very simple like a sign or a label is not literature" "Civilization started when man gained the ability to communicate to one another. Through this they formed a common mean of language that led to ideas being shared between one another. When men have similar ideas that become a principle of which they base their life and decisions, civilization is formed."
I believe that Tate is looking at the definition of Literature as too much of a type of written work rather than just a broad idea in itself. I don't necessarily believe something has to be art to be literature rather something has to have a message that is conveyed through words, expressions, and ideas. Tate's definition of civilization is very similar to mine. We both agree that it revolves around a common goal that helps define how we carry out our lives and what motivates us to carry out our actions"
I apologize for this blog coming late, I missed the first day and didn't quite know about the assignment. Hope you enjoyed reading.
Ramon: "Literature is anything that uses words to describe something. This can be something as complicated as a book or something as simple as a line from a poem." "Civilization is a group of people governed by a central force"
Ramon's description is probably the closest to how I would describe literature.
Justin: "Literature is books. Books are fun to read. I read good" "Civilization is when people get together and work towards a common goal"
While Justin's first answer wasn't very insightful, I definitely understand the point he's trying to make about civilization.
Tate: "When you use words, letters, sounds to convey a deeper meaning. This would be similar to using words to create art. Literature can be poems, songs, tales, stories, etc. I think that anything with a shallow meaning that is very simple like a sign or a label is not literature" "Civilization started when man gained the ability to communicate to one another. Through this they formed a common mean of language that led to ideas being shared between one another. When men have similar ideas that become a principle of which they base their life and decisions, civilization is formed."
I believe that Tate is looking at the definition of Literature as too much of a type of written work rather than just a broad idea in itself. I don't necessarily believe something has to be art to be literature rather something has to have a message that is conveyed through words, expressions, and ideas. Tate's definition of civilization is very similar to mine. We both agree that it revolves around a common goal that helps define how we carry out our lives and what motivates us to carry out our actions"
I apologize for this blog coming late, I missed the first day and didn't quite know about the assignment. Hope you enjoyed reading.
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