Quick Trip

I moved back to Wisconsin less than 2 weeks ago. But now I'm heading back to Boston for a quick trip. My boyfriend is getting surgery. Let's not get into the details or else I may have a nervous breakdown. But let's just say it's not just appendicitis. I'm stressed out, scared, worried... you could list just about any other adjective with those same ideas. But anyway that's a slight update. Just send a prayer or a thought tomorrow that everything goes smoothly for him. And my sanity.

Some other thoughts-

I finally got a Kindle. Gift from the boyfriend- he's too sweet. I DO still love the feel of a book. Holding it in my hands. Turning the pages. However, I do understand the logic to the electronic version of a book. I've bought a few books so far and downloaded tons of free books. Let's see how fast I can fill up my Kindle. Tehehe

Moving to Africa again is rather stressful. I wish I had put all my Uganda stuff all together when I got home... turns out I'm not that smart. I have to hunt down my Africa pants again, etc etc etc.

My computer has been getting excessively hot recently. It's kind of annoying. I think there's something wrong with it but I don't really want to take it into Geek Squad. I will have to soon... sigh...

Do the stressed, pouty dance

So... it's another late night here in Boston. I manage to procrastinate just enough on the right things that lead me to stress, panic, and start chewing on my own hair. Last spring, I pulled an all-nighter. This spring, I do late nights, not enough sleep... on a rather regular basis. Healthy? I think not. But now let me do my stressed, pouty dance. (Why it's pouty? Who knows. I just feel like pouting, sulking, what have you. Let's just chalk up the pouting to: I'm tired and shouldn't have procrastinated so long.) Btw my boyfriend is sweet and delivered pretzels, Diet Coke, and Chex Mix to me as I freaked, whined, and pouted. I wonder why he puts up with my insanity, cuz it must be like dating a 4 year old sometimes.

I'm taking this biostatistic computer programming class. Learn biostats while you learn how to speak computer-speak. OMG. The best thing ever. NOT. I am the Asian that is incompetent when it comes to technology. I missed the boat on that gene... Thanks parents.

Oh right, I sprained my ankle last Monday. Now you might ask: how'd you do that? Well, you see, it's a funny story:

• I'm walking home (I made a quick trip home to see my mom- sorry I didn't see any of my Midwest lovers, but I spent my time with the fam) from the airport, pulling my luggage behind me. I'm thinking: I'm hungry, I need to work out this week, I'm REALLY going to start working out regularly. Then BAM. I'm on the ground. Rolled the ankle. I'm in so much pain I can't catch my breath. I sit down on the concrete sidewalk. Whimper. Cry. No one's around to see me. I can see my apartment building door like 20 feet away. Then a guy in a wheelchair rolls up. "Are you okay? Do you need me to get help?" I manage a I'm okay, I'm okay. He goes: I would help you myself... but I can't. I don't know about you but now looking back, I giggle a little. The one person who sees me is the one person who can't physically help me. Anyway, eventually he rolls away and I grit my teeth and hobble to my apartment. I then proceed to 1) call my mom and cry, 2) sit on the floor until my boyfriend arrives to help me, 3) stare at my other leg which is bleeding excessively from the knee. So yes, I'm the most graceful creature out there.
• And if you're concerned about me (which you probably aren't but that's okay, I understand): I'm doing better these days but I still have a bit of a hobble.

I have discovered the wonders of Sephora. It's fun. It's like a playground. I can't afford anything but looking and touching is still wonderful. It's drawing me in. It has put its spell on me. Too bad I'm still disabled and don't know how to put makeup on like all the pretty girls do.

Jobs. I need to find a job after graduation. Sigh. What if I can't find one and become a homeless person? Will you let me live with you?

Baby shoes are the cutest things ever. Teeny! But also the most impractical things. Actually baby socks are probably the most impractical. Shoes are next. Because: a baby is in the stroller. Kicks off sock or shoe. Has now lost one! There is no longer a pair. All that money you just spent on a pair of shoes. Gone. Just a thought.

I have nothing more to say at the moment since it is closing in on 3:30am and I desperately need sleep in order to make words become coherent sentences tomorrow in class. So I will close with this: I want to go back to Uganda because the weather here in New England is just not not not NOT okay.

A New Year

Hellooooooo out there. I know I've been MIA for a while. Blame the adjustment back to the US. Currently it's blizzarding in the good ol' New England area and all I want is to fly back to Uganda. Immediately. Snow is not cool. I'm rocking the hot pink winter boots, but I'm still freezing. What I really want is one of those huge black full body sleeping bag jackets, but something tells me if I got one, I'd be disowned by several people.

This new year brings a new place to live, new roommate with her dog, and new boyfriend. Will write more soon. :)

Why isn't there passionfruit soda in the US?

Passionfruit soda is awesome. Enough said.

I'm moving in with a beauty pageant girl for the spring semester... yup you read that right, beauty. pageant. Well she's gorgeous, and I hear she's incredibly nice which I don't doubt... but all I have to say is: there goes my self-esteem. Glad all I ate for the last 5 months in Uganda was starch, starch, and more starch, and we tried to fry just about anything we could get our hands on.

I have no idea how to exist without the other intern anymore. We've been joined at the hip ever since she got here and now this connection will be severed... What will I do?! Wahhhhh!

I am really, really, REALLY going to miss Uganda. I'm going to miss chapati and rolexes like a missing limb. I wish I could get on a plane, go home for 2 or 3 weeks, and then come back here. I love this place. I really do. I even love the unpleasant, not so fun stuff, because it's an adventure. I can always look back on something and laugh or find something fun to make out of it.

I am looking forward to a few things back in the States:

• Constant and dependable electricity and internet
• Nicely paved roads
• Driving my own car once in a while
• Being able to drink water out of the tap
• Flushable toilets
• Running water and showers with great water pressure
• Seletively bred, steroid-fed, antibiotic-injected chicken that have more meat on their bones (free range Ugandan chickens just doesn't taste the same)
• Chinese food
• Pizza
• Beer (more specifically Spotted Cow, Sam Adams, Miller Lite, Leinenkugel)
• Getting a tad tipsy and having fun with friends
• Snow
• Talking to my family on the phone without racking up a giant phone bill
• The male species...

I cannot believe by Friday night, I'll be back in Wisconsin!!! I'll either be unable to sleep due to jet lag or I'll collapse in exhaustion. If it's the former, those friends who read this and live in Milwaukee, call me and let's hang out! xoxo

Bye Bye Boston

Well guys, I'm officially not a resident of Boston anymore. For now. I moved home today. 17 hours in a vehicle and bang, I'm back in Wisconsin, laying in my twin bunk bed. I do love this bed. I've had it since I was a very small person. I looked back at my posts about moving out to Boston and realized I have the same philosophy as I did when I moved before: Less is More. Obviously I didn't learn that. And obviously I have way too much junk. It's currently all sitting in the garage. I will have to go through it all tomorrow... aka today... I'm definitely dreading that task.

Sad/frustrating news: a bag of mine got crushed in the packing of the van. A bag that should not be crushed. It now has permanent wrinkles and will never be the same. I'm so sad.

I miss the people who touched my life in Boston already. Sigh.

Uganda... 1 week... Lift off will occur Thursday, July 8th. I have so much to do before I leave!!! I feel like I should make an Africa blog. So many people do it. I might as well follow the trend. I'm thinking: travel blog for anyone interested and keeping this one for random brain ramblings.

Okay, my brain is failing right now so I'm signing off.

Moving again...

As I put my life in boxes again, I would just like to state that I hate packing. I think it's one of the hardest things to do. Along with one of the boringest and most difficult. I have so much stuff!!! I'm moving again after less than a year here on the East Coast. 1st stop: Home in Wisconsin. 2nd stop: AFRICA.

If you live in the Midwest, I'll be around from Wednesday to July 8th. I'd love to see you

Klutz, Kids, Etc

Today I managed to walk into a door and a sign hanging on the wall. Not at the same time. Door and doorknob were around noon. Sign was around 4pm. Klutz? Yes. And I have 2 bruises on my right arm to prove it.

Back in Boston... only a few weeks left. It's pretty crazy and intense. I have so much to do. But one thing I can officially cross off the list is buying my plane ticket. Yeeouch, clicking the pay button hurt. But I'm off to the continent of Africa!! I'm really excited, just a little stressed at the level of stuff that needs to get done as a result of me finally making a decision at the very last moment.

By the way, I hate children. A child sat behind me on my flight back to the East Coast. He kept kicking my seat, putting his feet up against the back and pushing. I really wanted to turn around and smack him. I restrained myself... his sister was sitting there wailing, screaming, and crying the entire flight. Awesome children in that family. Remind me never to fly with my own children if I have any, or if I do, I should drug them. 

Sleepy time... will write more again.

Starstruck

I SAW THE MOST AMAZING FIGURE SKATER EVER TODAY; her initials are MK and she's Asian. Come on, I think you can guess who it is. I was in awe, like one of those stupid fans that just stands there and stares. I didn't realize it was her in the beginning. I was just staring out at the people at work and then was like: "Hmm she looks familiar. Oh wait, is that MK? That IS MK! Wow, she looks amazing in person, all decked out in work out clothes with a yoga mat." It was amazing. I was so excited. I SAW HER. I was tempted to run out of the store and get her autograph, but I restrained myself. Maybe someday I'll be able to get it. Maybe we can be friends? Haha probably not.

Running hurts. My legs hurt. It is difficult. I'm trying to get my body to like to run. Watching the Boston Marathon? PHENOMENAL. People are amazing. They run so fast. They run 26.2 miles faster than I would run a half-marathon. Inspired me to want to love running. Thus far, I hate it. It hurts. Any Advice?

Quality Time on My Knees and in My Head

I've spent an interestingly long time on my knees lately. No, don't think dirty. At WORK I kneel and put things away. Restocking and such. I've noticed how much time I spend on my knees and how much that hurts! But it's easier than constantly bending over. The thought was that I wish I had knee pads when I work. Now as for doing other things on my knees... well, I can do that without knee pads.

Spring Break has come and gone. I spent a little time at home and got to enjoy a meal a great friend who I've missed a lot. Also I got to sleep in. Best thing ever. I spent quality time with my mom, which ended up being great fun. We ate a lot of Chinese food and watched movies. I am fully embracing the Chinese food and Chinese pop music side of my Chinese-ness. Not sure about any other side yet. Pretty much ate myself into a delightful Chinese food coma... best feeling EVER. Better than an American food coma. I'm serious. WAY better. Try it some time. But try it with authentic Chinese food and then you will see what I mean.

I can't believe it's March. Time has definitely flown by. The semester is almost OVER. Unbelievable. Two of my favorite people are returning to the USA in April- we're almost there! Can't wait to see them. I'm still searching for my way abroad for 6 months. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

So I've been doing some thinking. It's fascinating how much has changed since I've moved out here. I was so miserable those first few months. I think it takes a few months to adjust to a new place when you don't know a single soul. And I have definitely learned the art of self-soothing. Amazing how you don't really have to do that when you have really great friends around you. But I definitely realized how I need to do that without having someone a few minutes away to talk to, hug, or to cry on their shoulder. I am much better these days. Happy is a good state of mind.

Now if it could just stop RAINING in Boston, I'd be happier!

Dear...

Dear friends who read this and anyone else who is unfortunate enough to stumble upon my blog,
I am debating buying some Uggs... Yes, I know this will go against everything my Midwestern mind has been taught. But it is cold here, on the East coast... and I need boots. So unless you can come up with some other kinds of boots to keep my feetsies warm this winter, I may purchase some Uggs. Dont judge, suggest other options!

Dear Neighbor,
Whoever you are, you wear heels all the time. They may make you look 10 feet tall or give you a boost of confidence or are the only things you have to wear, but they are annoying. I can hear you tap tap tapping across the floor at 7am... at 8pm... How about we walk around the apartment barefoot for a while?

Dear Work,
I do like you. You pay me money. But I do not like the unexpected schedule change. You have officially taken over my weekends. I will see you again soon...

Dear Santa,
All I want for Christmas this year is money. Lots and Lot of money. If you could print like $100,000 for me, I would be grateful. Or at least enough to cover my rent and tuition, I'd be a happy camper. I always believed you were real. I swear. On my family's cat's life... all 9 of them. Please make my wish come true, oh please?!

Dear East Coast City,
It snowed. It looks awesome. Except now why the hell are you so icy? Not only are you icy... the stupid ice covers your stupid brick or cobblestone sidewalks. No, it does not make it any easier to walk on. Seriously, we need to consider laying concrete down... Brick just doesn't do it for my ankles. One of these days, I'm going to break one and then I'll really have something to bitch about.

Annoyances

Psst East Coast Girls: Tights are not pants. If your shirt doesn't cover your butt, you are not allowed to wear only tights. I do not want to see the outline of your underwear. The end.

Hey You, Asian Dudes: If your hair is like 4-5 inches long, how much hair gel does it take to make ALL your hair stand STRAIGHT up? Must be a lot because it's not moving, even with wild gusts of wind. Not okay. If your hair isn't standing straight up, it is still so well styled I want to put you in a hair museum... but it's not moving in the wind either... which means: way. too. much. hair. product.

Squeeks: You are the annoying Asian girl who is in 2 of my classes. I call you Squeeks because your voice is squeeky. You sound like you're 4. Actually you kind of sound like the little Asian girl on the PC commercials. Problem is, she's cute. You are not. You have the most enormous ROCK on your left hand. It blinks like morse code whenever you raise your hand to ask a question in class. And you raise your hand VERY OFTEN. Stop asking stupid questions. Read the slides. The answer to your questions are always already in the slides. SHUT UP.

These are the things that annoy me.

Some Weirdness and A Touch of Home

Yesterday, at one point, I managed to find myself in the presence of about 10 Asians. I was in shock, to say the least. I went out to the bars with a few friends (they're Asian) and they saw some of their Asian friends. It turned out that it was one of their birthdays, so it was a BIG Asian mixer in our area of the bar. And when I say mixer, I mean... 2 other girls and me with a whole bunch of Asian guys with more product in their hair than I had in my hair. CRAZY!!! I immediately thought of all my wonderful Caucasian friends back at home (or wherever in the world they might be) and missed them terribly. Guys, I'm totally white-washed. I don't know how I feel about being in the presence of so many Asians who I'm not related to. When I'm related to them, it's just a family reunion. Last night? That was just weird. There were just so many of them! I bet they're nice (sober or not) but... not for me!! I'm the Midwest-grown, dairy product-fed (no cheese) girl who usually turns out to be the token Asian in a group of friends, not that I mind at all. But I learned a few things (that I already knew but would like to re-emphasize):

- They need LESS hair product, LESS! If your hair doesn't budge at all, no matter what you're doing, how much head shaking there is, how hard you jump on the dance floor, how much you run around, how horribly you're puking on the street, you need to seriously reassess the amount of hair product you're using.
- They need to not try to hit on me. It's never going to work; I'm not attracted to you. No matter how much alcohol you try to give me... which, by the way, if I ask for WATER, don't bring me more alcohol. Doesn't make me want to take off my clothes for you, dance up on you, or go home with you any more than I wanted to 10 minutes ago. No means NO.
- There is no need to be vain. Yes I can see the veins popping out of your buff arms, but hey, white guys have that too... actually lots of guys in general have that.

Movie shooting seems to happen throughout Boston recently. Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz were shooting a few blocks from my place during the week. The movie will be called Wichita, I think. Let me tell you, at some point when Cameron Diaz is in a yellow dress and boots, that's close to my place. And I believe they filmed a car crash scene there too. Today I happened upon the set of the new Ben Affleck movie, something about bank robbers? I was told the film is called The Town. There were cops, FBI, and some gun fire. A girl I talked to said she saw Ben Affleck smoking somewhere and was starstruck. I guess Boston is the place to be to try to get a glimpse of a few new movie shoots.

Today was also a very nice day for a taste of home. I went to watch the Badger game at a bar with the UW alumni association- Boston people. It was fun!! All of us in our Badger get-up in the middle of Boston. But I sure did miss Madison and being in Camp Randall. Pretty cool! I ended up running into a guy who took Biocore with me on the T. Turns out he was also headed toward the bar... crazy small world we live in! I guess he moved to Boston and is working and applying to med schools. I was just so amazed that I ran into him... on the T!

Pretty solid weekend! But tomorrow will have to be a day of studying. I need to be productive BECAUSE my weekend in Madison is coming up!!! I don't want to have work to do that weekend! 19 Days before my feet return to Midwestern soil!!!

Short and Sweet

After going out Friday night, I had 2.5 drinks and woke up with a major hangover. My liver is regressing even more and my tolerance is nil. That's just embarrassing. I should have SOME tolerance. I'm a Badger for goodness sake! But no... I can't hold my liquor at all.

I spent some time yesterday with my roommate in Cambridge and can I just say, it's gorgeous over there. All those Harvard students looking all prepping makes me wrinkle my nose a little in disgust. BUT the area is amazingly beautiful. I'd want to move out there sometime. Maybe. I'm getting used to our semi-scary corner of the city. It's not as intimidating anymore. I usually just throw on my ipod and sunglasses and am out the door.

Today I plan on doing lots of homework. Boo. But it must be done!

Settling In

I am happy to say that I am essentially unpacked (except for a few random boxes I still don't know what to do with). My room is complete and the apartment has furniture. It's starting to look more like a place to live rather than a concrete box.

My only real goal before school starts is to find a job. I desperately need one with tuition payments and rent due soon. I get scared when I know there is no income coming into my bank account; there's only money going out. I've sent out resume after resume, cover letter after cover letter, email after email. We'll see what happens. I hope to find something soon!

I really think I'm going to like it here. The Boston Common and Public Gardens are amazing. The city itself is great; I love just walking around with my iPod on and building/people watching. As scary as I thought my neighborhood was when I first moved here, I don't feel as nervous about it anymore. Now it's just something I'm getting used to. The only annoying part is the honking ouside my bedroom window at all hours of the day and random (drunk or mentally challenged, I can never tell) people screaming outside about something. I like to peek across the street into these amazing loft condos. The people never close their blinds and their lofts look amazingly nice. I wish I had money to live there. I have been making Chinese food for myself and it's really nice to know that once I run out, I'll have the Chinese grocery store right around the corner to shop at. No matter how long I'm here for, I know I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts (and let's hope it's not too long).

A new place not yet called Home

So here I am. On the East Coast. Over 1000 miles from Wisconsin. I am sitting on my new bed (aka another futon) in a pretty empty apartment with all my boxes of stuff lined against the living room wall. There is no other furniture except a table that will serve as my desk and a desk chair. My roommate has not yet arrived; she's supposed to get here sometime tonight. I have been sleeping in the living room since my family left Sunday. Our apartment building allows pets, and I've seen quite a few dogs being walked in and out of the building. They bark sometimes. It hasn't been a huge issue yet... but will it? Who knows?

It's been pretty lonely here, since I don't know anyone. I know that will all change once classes start and if I find a job, but right now life is pretty boring. I take walks around the city during the day and sit at home, watching movies on my computer at night. I watched one complete season of One Tree Hill and discovered problems with a DVD of another season. Other than that, I have nothing unique to say. I am a very silly, extremely stupid girl who has moved to this big city, supposedly to pursue her career. We will see how this goes. We will see.

Moving is oh so NOT fun

I have been in Boston for about 2 days now. My roommate doesn't arrive until next week Wednesday. Thus far everything is still in boxes. The rooms are very different sizes- one is twice as big as the other. My roommate and I had not discussed this possibility, so now I wait for her to arrive before completely unpacking. It'll consist of me sitting on the floor for a while, but that's okay. The apartment itself is pretty good (other than the bedroom issues). I think I'll be able to thoroughly enjoy it after I'm all moved in. Being with my family 24/7 is a little taxing too... Haven't spoken to many of my friends back home and listening to small children playing/complaining/snoring is not very high on my list of things I find socially fun.

Well, I'm sitting in a cafe using the internet because we don't have internet set up in the apartment yet, but when I do, I'll try to post at least one picture of the apartment. And now I should head home. My relatives are driving up from Jersey to meet us and to introduce us to the other side of their family who live in Boston.

Until next time...