Today is Thanksgiving in America. This is my fifth Thanksgiving in this country. When I first moved here, I had no concept of thanksgiving but I had idea of what is family and how to celebrate festivals with families so it wasn't too hard for me to gel in to the festivities of Thanksgiving.
Today is November 25, 2010; today, I am really thankful to so many people who have helped me stay the kind of person I am and who have helped me emotionally to stay afloat in my hard times. But the most, I am very thankful to myself that I am NOT a quitter. If I was a quitter, I would have quit struggling to search for a better life, I would have given up when I was jobless, I would have quit life when I had the risk to be homeless and when I had no passion or emotion to grow...Thank you my god for giving me chances to stay strong, thank you.
It seems like a dream that I have made a life for myself in last few years in this strange country despite the fact that I was going through shittiest issues and struggles. Today, I have an emotional family here who is with me through my thick and thin...I am thankful to them for their love and friendship. I am thankful to my brother who has supported me in my worse of days to my best of days, through emails, phone calls and text messages...without him I would have been like a crippled woman of color in this country. I am thankful to my parents and sister for being there for me...Thank you so much. I am thankful to my friends for showing me the path I am walking on today, and I am thankful for those who came in my life to leave a great impression...Thank you so much everyone. I also would like to include my professors and my new friends/classmates at USC in this feeling of thanksgiving...they have been very helpful to me throughout in this journey...:-)
Hope everyone out there is able to celebrate this festival of thanksgiving with their loved ones. I am missing my parents but lucky to have friends around...Thank you friends and family!
Trojan
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Immersion in India and Immersed in myself...
November 23, 2010 - I watched a small documentary made by those USC School of Social Work students who went to India for the summer immersion program. It was a good movie. I wont say it was an awesome direction, camera work or subject but it hit the spot. I saw it when I am in between deciding which summer immersion program to join, and which one to leave.
Before the documentary started, Dean Soni from Center of Religion spoke for few minutes about the social awareness and social work changes of India, and then Director of APASS, USC spoke and shared her experience of working with South Asian community in the US. She is an amazing person whom I know for few years and I am so glad that I have met her in my life, she is an inspiration.
Anyways, let me try to collect my scattered thoughts and try to write what is needed...
I missed India and felt the need of social change and social justice in India. The movie reminded me that I need to go back there and work, and be there for my country people...I still havent decided what to do and how to do...I spoke with a professor who is South Asian from India and discussed what can we do to bring more cultural competencies and to bring interest of other race people to work with South Asians. Whatever we discussed, I cant put it up here but I hope it works out because once it happens, it is gonna be a great opportunity for many, including USC School of Social Work...
I dont want to sleep even if my body is so ready to sleep and even if I am warm and comfortable in my own place. My roommate is gone for 4/5 days to his parents house for thanksgiving and I am all alone...maybe I am just feeling lonely or maybe I am tired of my routine of sleep.
With these scattered thoughts and these broken image of my own thoughts....I am gonna say bye...Adios!
Trojan
Before the documentary started, Dean Soni from Center of Religion spoke for few minutes about the social awareness and social work changes of India, and then Director of APASS, USC spoke and shared her experience of working with South Asian community in the US. She is an amazing person whom I know for few years and I am so glad that I have met her in my life, she is an inspiration.
Anyways, let me try to collect my scattered thoughts and try to write what is needed...
I missed India and felt the need of social change and social justice in India. The movie reminded me that I need to go back there and work, and be there for my country people...I still havent decided what to do and how to do...I spoke with a professor who is South Asian from India and discussed what can we do to bring more cultural competencies and to bring interest of other race people to work with South Asians. Whatever we discussed, I cant put it up here but I hope it works out because once it happens, it is gonna be a great opportunity for many, including USC School of Social Work...
I dont want to sleep even if my body is so ready to sleep and even if I am warm and comfortable in my own place. My roommate is gone for 4/5 days to his parents house for thanksgiving and I am all alone...maybe I am just feeling lonely or maybe I am tired of my routine of sleep.
With these scattered thoughts and these broken image of my own thoughts....I am gonna say bye...Adios!
Trojan
One more week to go...
Yes, I know it is crazy. Time did fly as fast as it could. I haveno idea what more to write....
I was supposed to write my Policy paper but I was really not in the mood to write so I kinda chilled in front of my heater (finally it is working yay) and watched a movie "Raising Victor Vargas"
Now I am listening to "I love the way you lie"...it is been my favorite song for few months...its the song of that girl who is a Trojan now...I'll talk about it one day, someday...
Trojan
I was supposed to write my Policy paper but I was really not in the mood to write so I kinda chilled in front of my heater (finally it is working yay) and watched a movie "Raising Victor Vargas"
Now I am listening to "I love the way you lie"...it is been my favorite song for few months...its the song of that girl who is a Trojan now...I'll talk about it one day, someday...
Trojan
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
It's Here, It's Here, It's Here...
Finals are here...yes, finals have already started with its pressure!
Okay, for the record I started my finals today. I started on my Policy paper and hoping i get over with it within few days so I can conquer the hard ones, which are Practice and Human Behavior. Oh Policy is very hard too but I know I have collected my material for it so I will be able to get over with first draft soon and then will worry for rest of the issues...
And do you know its ONLY two weeks left to finish the finals as well as finish the semester, its CRAZY!!!
Ah, the journey has become more interesting with a very little time in hand and a lot of work to finish in that much time...yay!
I am so ready to finish my papers and conquer all the hurdles so I can get all A+ grades and move up in my journey :-).
Trojan
Okay, for the record I started my finals today. I started on my Policy paper and hoping i get over with it within few days so I can conquer the hard ones, which are Practice and Human Behavior. Oh Policy is very hard too but I know I have collected my material for it so I will be able to get over with first draft soon and then will worry for rest of the issues...
And do you know its ONLY two weeks left to finish the finals as well as finish the semester, its CRAZY!!!
Ah, the journey has become more interesting with a very little time in hand and a lot of work to finish in that much time...yay!
I am so ready to finish my papers and conquer all the hurdles so I can get all A+ grades and move up in my journey :-).
Trojan
Sunday, November 21, 2010
iFaith Retreat
Today, Sunday morning at 10:00 members of Inter Faith USC met by the leavy library and went to the Malibu Temple. Malibu temple is a Hindu religious place situated in the Malibu Creek State Park area. It was a super fun to visit temple and explain little little nuances of my religion and how we pray to my iFaith buddies...It was a cold weather and a little wet one too...
After the prayer and sitting in front of the temple for few minutes we went to eat yummy south Indian food in the temple kitchen. It was a real treat, so tasty. We all sat, chat and enjoyed the meal... J, professor from my school of social work and assistant Dean at the USC center for religion, took us to a park at Malibu Creek State Park, and we started one of the awesome and beautiful hikes I have ever gone to in LA. We went through muddy trails and grassy area to the rocky and watery side of the hike. We all were stuffed and happy so fun time started, and we went crazy with the cameras and pictures. I am a big documentator so I clicked not less than 200 pictures in this half day of fun. SOme of the guys and girls were dancing, singing and acting crazy and funnily. I have documented most of the moments.
We were three Indian people in the bunch. We also sung few bollywood songs. One of us is very new to the US so he was kept looking for the bollywood film locations, so hilarious. We all, literally everyone, acted as if we were in some photo shoot and took plenty of pictures to use them as our profile pictures, lol.
There is alot to write but I am damn tired and stressed at the same time. I have no idea what am I writing and how is it coming up...no mood for editing or proofreading. I am tired due to the party and fun weekend which started right after classes on Friday and ended today after 5 PM...and I still have to get organized and start my final papers. Finals are already here and I am so tired to think of doing anything but stress lol, so me, isn't it? Anyways, starting today I am in the final mode completely and going to write nothing but papers, and maybe some blog posts and yeah maybe some facebook status messages too lol...Adios Amigo...will post few pictures from the retreat.
Trojan
After the prayer and sitting in front of the temple for few minutes we went to eat yummy south Indian food in the temple kitchen. It was a real treat, so tasty. We all sat, chat and enjoyed the meal... J, professor from my school of social work and assistant Dean at the USC center for religion, took us to a park at Malibu Creek State Park, and we started one of the awesome and beautiful hikes I have ever gone to in LA. We went through muddy trails and grassy area to the rocky and watery side of the hike. We all were stuffed and happy so fun time started, and we went crazy with the cameras and pictures. I am a big documentator so I clicked not less than 200 pictures in this half day of fun. SOme of the guys and girls were dancing, singing and acting crazy and funnily. I have documented most of the moments.
We were three Indian people in the bunch. We also sung few bollywood songs. One of us is very new to the US so he was kept looking for the bollywood film locations, so hilarious. We all, literally everyone, acted as if we were in some photo shoot and took plenty of pictures to use them as our profile pictures, lol.
There is alot to write but I am damn tired and stressed at the same time. I have no idea what am I writing and how is it coming up...no mood for editing or proofreading. I am tired due to the party and fun weekend which started right after classes on Friday and ended today after 5 PM...and I still have to get organized and start my final papers. Finals are already here and I am so tired to think of doing anything but stress lol, so me, isn't it? Anyways, starting today I am in the final mode completely and going to write nothing but papers, and maybe some blog posts and yeah maybe some facebook status messages too lol...Adios Amigo...will post few pictures from the retreat.
Trojan
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