words of wisdom

i did an online tarot reading asking about my work situation.  this is one of the most important lines from the reading:

     Consider what you can do to open doors for yourself and create more                 development and self-exploration opportunitiies.

at the moment, that is very true.  i'm trying to figure out exactly that right now in this bad job market.

today's outcome

went to supermarket to ask if they were still hiring (answer: no).  did not get a job but i did come across something i never would have thought to see at a filipino supermarket:  edam cheese.  what the heck was it doing there.  i know filipinos love to sprinkle cheese on their rolls or brioche but this was a ball of cheese the size of a big orange.  plus it wasnt even refridgerated.  i looked at the label, it's not from the netherlands, its from austria.  it costs $9.99.  i wondered if it tastes the same as the ones from the netherlands.

the story of how edam cheese came into my life was by way of france.  i needed tupperware but did not want to buy any.  while shopping at monoprix, i went to the refridgerated, prepared food aisle and saw a small container of pasta.  i bought it.  when i finally ate it i was surprised at how yummy it was and how simple it was to make.  i looked on the ingredients label and found that the cheese in my pasta salad was edam.  now that i'm back at home i have been thinking about recreating that salad.  so far i have the pasta.  the other ingredients are simple and easy to find it's just the edam cheese that isn't common in american supermarkets.  i can find gouda and goat cheese but not edam.  not even at trader joe's.  that's why it's strange to see it at a filipino supermarket.

after the supermarket i decided to head to another shopping plaza in another nearby city to look for work.  my first stop was a fresh and easy store.  fresh and easy is a uk export.  it was the first time i've been in one.  i asked if they were hiring and the sales person just told me to check online.  i then continued to look around.  it didn't take me long to see how british this store is.  it feels and looks just like the another store that i visited when i was in edinburgh.  it had very clean lines, shelves weren't as tall as their american counterparts.  it's a different feeling.  so i walked around.  saw the alcohol, mostly beer, sitting inside a refridgerated aisle like how ice cream would be.  took a picture. noticed some yummy looking products but didn't buy anything.  then found myself by the cheese fridge/end cap.  guess who i found there?  it was edam.  again.  this time it was just a slice for around $4.  it made me smile.  what a weird coincidence.

i continued to each corner of the intersection to ask for work.  all i got was a scoop of pistachio nut ice cream and application from rite aid (they aren't hiring though) and there was a supermarket who is hiring but i'm going to do that online.

tired

This is exactly what the bottom of that receipt looks like.*

i have applied to a number of places.  a lot of the applications are the same and i'm getting tired of having to do it all over again for another store.  plus all the stupid assessment tests that comes with it.  i also don't like sending out my personal information into the world wide web even if it's been encrypted.

today i was inputting all my receipts from the last two weeks into my database.  i came across one receipt from a nearby supermarket that i had shopped at two weeks ago.  on the bottom of the receipt was a list of all the positions they are hiring for.  i couldn't believe it.  why didn't i see it earlier?  there is a position on there that i could do!  there was meat clerk, fish cleaner, butcher, and grocery stocker.  the only one i can do is the last one.  i am a squirmy kind of person when it comes to raw seafood.  although on that day, i saw a sign on the front of the store for seafood packager.  i wonder if all the other ones on my receipt has already been filled by then.  i hope not.  i seriously would not mind restocking shelves at the supermarket.  i don't want to do anymore applications.

* created with Fake Receipt font.  love this font!

agenda

today, i had a plan.  i was going to fill out an online application to a nearby store, then go to the bank, then go to the mall and along the way to the mall, stop by a fast food restaurant that had posted some positions online. well, i did all but the last one.  as i approached the restaurant, i just wasn't feeling it.  i'm so picky. 

on the way home, i stopped at the library to print out something for my resume.  i would say it is something to add to my "portfolio."  if ever i needed proof of my creative-problem solving skills, this would be it.  the stop at the library took longer then expected.  when i got out, it was already dark outside and it was only 5 pm.

reflection

stumbled across this on youtube.  i didn't know who she was when i clicked on the video but then her music started playing in the background and i instantly recognized it.  i just think it's a beautiful story and one that has some parallels to my own experience in france.  it will be one year this month since i've returned.

mar 7

view of fourviere cathedral with book market in the foreground.  lyon, france.

aug 12

my simple holiday outfit

are you ready for the holidays?

official at work

Today I got a hooded sweater with the club's logo on it and a Christmas bonus ($).  Not bad.

this made me smile.

for the story behind this video, click here.

via Road to the Horizon blog.

things learned while looking for work on the ground.

walking around the city, hopping on and off the bus looking for a job, there are a few things that i've learned.

1.  in this economy, if you come across a store that you think is slow (i.e. floral shop; small, medical offices) and won't need help, you are probably right. however i would check hospital websites for non-medical jobs.

2.  fast food and most restaurants are hiring.  citizen or not.

3.  "are you hiring?" and "do you need help?" are two different questions.  i went into a chinese fast food restaurant and asked if they were hiring.  manager came out from kitchen and said no.  came back following week to just eat and he remembered me.  at that time in the afternoon they were pretty busy and had only one person at the front helping customers.  the manager was called out to help and when he saw me he asked if i was still looking for a job.  he asked me to write my name and number on the back of a receipt.  he may have lost that paper so i might be going in soon to ask for a job.

4.  college grads will have a harder time looking for hourly paying jobs.  it's unfair but that's how it is.

about being unemployed...
it took awhile for me to get over all the emotional abuse from my last job in customer service, if it weren't for that, i wish i had started this job hunt, on the ground, a long time ago.

hard decisions

being naturally an indecisive person (it's a characteristic of my sign), i just don't know what to do.  i still haven't decided where my second job will be yet.  my choices aren't that great and that is the reason why this is such a hard decision to make.  my options, the places that are hiring, are pretty similar.  it's all (asian) fast food right now.  i know this isn't going to be a permanent job but it feels that way. both places are close to home though one is closer.  the pay is probably the same or not much different.  sigh.  right when i thought i've made up my mind something comes up and then i'm not so sure again.

the return.

well, today was my first day of work.  the paying, non-temp kind.  i should be excited and running off to celebrate but it's -- for me, a small victory.  i feel i've been working since the beginning of the year.  i just haven't been paid for it.  maybe because i didn't find myself working in a new environment today, that i feel a bit...eh.  the rain might have something to do with it, too.  it was just raining all day.  now i just need another job to fill in the rest of my week since i'm only working twice a week at the club. 

yesterday, since the bus ran less frequently (every hour), i ended up walking to the mall.  i actually could have made the bus but i let it go.  so with all the stops to different shops asking for work, it took about an hour. i'm glad i went.  there is a bakery by the mall that had signs up that they had a few positions.  between the cashier and the kitchen helper, i went with kitchen helper.  cashier just seems like a boring job.  it's not a busy shop.  in the back at least i'll be busy hopefully with dough.  i hope i hear back from them.  ever since i got back from france i felt like working in a bakery but i just thought, "how?"  i never went to culinary school, have no previous training.  who knows maybe i'm not going to knead dough, if i get the job.  i really hope i get this job.  or the other one, a burger chain.  their food is awesome and pay starts at $10/hr.

O_O

a few posts ago, i said i wished someone came up with a website that is a combination of facebook+linkedin+job postings from people you know.  guess what?  it already exists.  just found it and it's in beta right now.  it's called bright.  they actually post jobs from the companies that people in your network work for.

update:  it doesn't work as well as i thought.  my idea is better.  this one just lets you know which companies (connected to your network) is hiring.  of course, anything that made it to the online job posting isn't the same as the ones that were taken by acquaintances of the people who worked at those companies.  since it links up to your facebook profile, it isn't as great because not all of your friends and contacts on facebook list their company.  you're only getting about a fragment of all listed jobs available through your networks.

grade:  B-

update: job hunt

this past week has been crazy.  tiring, too.  here's the recap:

monday:  while heading to work (volunteering), got a call from one of the places (fast food) i applied to.  i was 5-10 minutes away from work.  interview was for that afternoon. i called work to tell them i couldn't make it; have interview. i headed back home. at the interview, the manager got worried when i told him i would be walking to and from work.  he was thinking of making me open (4:30a) and close (out at 11pm). i tell him i live in walking distance.  it's only 20 minutes.  he is still worried. at the end of the interview, he said to call him back in the evening.  i did so and he told me he was still interviewing people in the next few days and would give me a call back.  i know what that means:  sorry.  that night i set alarm to 430 to see what it looks like outside.  looked out window at 430 and saw darkness.  i don't hear any morning traffic.  it's freezing cold outside, i'm sure.  kinda relieved manager wasn't convinced.

tuesday:   continued job hunt.  uneventful day.  that evening, decided i would go back to a cafe that is hiring the next morning. i saw them last week. they told me to come back with my info (they were out of applications). i have not returned yet.

wednesday:  woke up and was ready to go to cafe.  right before i left, got a phone call from the temp agency that i had recently submitted my resume to.  they have a job that fits my skills and wanted me to come in for interview the next day.  i hesitated.  i was planning on going to the cafe.  do i go to the temp agency for this interview?  i ask my cousin and she says i should just go.  i call back agency and tell them i am coming.  she sends me skills test to do online.  i finish and went to library to print off resume.  no job hunting today.  i call work to tell them i'm not coming.  supervisor thinks i am calling to tell him i got a job.  in admin/clerical.  i sadly tell him, no it was for a restaurant.  he feels bad and tells me there is no part-time or full-time positions at the club but would i be interested in doing project-based work that the club will pay me for.  sure, i tell him.

thursday:  put on suit and small heels and walk to temp agency in the morning.  (they are only 15 min away).  had some wardrobe problems but made it to agency.  did not get job because it needed someone to do some work on a website and i have no experience with that.  how does photoshop translate to working on a website?  those are two different things.  agent tells me she will look for admin work for me.  interview over in 15 minutes.  did not go in to work.  went home and looked at job postings online.  in the evening a supervisor from work calls.  she sounds...frantic?  the club wants to pay me for the work that i am currently doing. i will work pretty much the same schedule:  twice a week, 8hr/wk.  there isn't anything that they needed done but i appreciate that they are trying to help me.  right before she called though, i was looking at a job posting online. it's at a nonprofit, 20hrs/wk, 5 days a week, starting at $13/hr.  only requirement i don't meet is the human resources exp.  i mapped out the commute (by bus):  it's 3 hours.  somehow that didn't sink in.  i was just happy that if i got this job, i would be getting out in the afternoon (meaning i wouldn't have to bug anyone at home for a ride if i got out too late in the evening).

today (friday):  still considering that job with a 3 hour commute.  went to kohls and target to find a shirt to wear to future interviews.  currently don't have proper shirt to wear.  came home with a shirt and trousers that will need hemming.  the job offer from my supervisor does not sit well with me.  if i try to fill in the rest of my week with something from retail or food places, it will get in the way.  everybody wants an open availability 7 days a week.  sigh.  i ask my cousin if the job i just found is worth the 3 hour commute.  she responds, "heck no!"

i have no idea what to do next.  way too much this week and it was all in my horoscopes.  it warned to not make any big decisions this week.  wait till next week.  guess, we'll see what happens at work.

asking for help.

i have never been one to ask for help.  it's just how i am.  i like to think that i can figure things out on my own.  i should have learned from my experience in france when i was looking for work and for people to practice french with.  i would just go online on couchsurfing and different forums looking for help when people i see everyday were a more important resource.  i remember towards the end of my time, i had shared in class that i had been looking for french people to practice my french with. at the end of class, my prof told me that her cousin teaches english to french students and that they would be glad to have someone to practice their english with.  oh, how i wish i had asked my profs for help when i arrived.  now that i'm home and have been looking for work on my own to no avail, i am finally writing those emails to friends asking for help.

i have also submitted my resume to a third temp agency.  i do not have my hopes up for this one.  it may end up like the other two: nothing.  but maybe this one is different.  by far, it is a lot closer to home so if they can't help me, at least i didn't waste my time commuting over there.

mad dash.

unfortunately i'm not talking about shopping for the holidays.  i wish i were.  no, this month i have to secure a job.  any job.  maybe even at the supermarket.  just somewhere.  a year and a half has come and gone. (yes that sounds horrible but most of it was well spent:  taking computer classes and now volunteering at a nonprofit which led to me realizing my career path!)  i don't want to be unemployed for a second birthday in a row.  i guess it's a good thing my birthday is in a few months. it gives me more motivation to go out.  my cousin is on my case.  i can not let anymore time pass.  the things i wish i had done awhile ago.  so for the coming days and weeks, i will be taking the bus all over my neighborhood, its surrounding cities, and look for work.

from all this, i had this idea: i wish someone would create a website where you and the people you know can post of job leads. i wish i was a programmer, IT, whichever profession that designs web pages, programs, apps, etc.  if you were to add facebook + linkedin + all those job search sites (monster.com, indeed.com, etc), you would get what i am talking about except the jobs posted would be from your own circle of friends, family, etc so you would be more likely to land the job.  it would be the coolest thing.  you could link it to facebook and you would get real-time updates.  unfortunately no one has designed this website yet, if you want to know all this you would have to ask everyone you know :(

the shocking truth about the crackdown on Occupy

i had a feeling about this.  i think being american you grow up with this ability.  this is the second time my instincts about what is really going on in government have proven accurate. the first time was actually when i was in france.  when i got to lyon, france, too was going through all the h1n1 flu craziness.  france?  really?  i thought to myself.  while my professors and certain classmates at school got paranoid, i kept my calm while suspiciously eyeing the french government.  months later i read in the newspaper that the french minister of health had ordered millions of vaccines, millions beyond what the country needed.  their solution then was what had gone on when i arrived:  they tried to scare the citizens, through the media, to get vaccinated.  still they weren't able to use it all up so they sold it off to other countries.

back to the story, though.  we should have known. interesting the parallel between what has transpired in the north african countries and what is now happening in u.s. and europe. please read the article and then pass it on.

doh!

this evening i came across this "game."  it's called ribbon hero and it gets installed on microsoft office. the "game" tests your knowledge of either word, excel, or powerpoint so it's like a tutorial, as well.  this is great for someone like me who knows enough just to get by but is not a wizard which i'd like to be.  with each exercise you earn points. when you don't know what to do next in the exercise, it gives you hints. 

also, when you install this, you're also letting microsoft track how you use it and your level, efficiency, etc.

looking back

now that the year is almost over, i haven been thinking about what this year has been like, what i'd like to change.  it's something that i have been trying to change over the past few years but the more each year progresses, the more i forget and i just end up where i started.  what i'm talking about is me trying to be a positive person.  positive as in, thinks positive thoughts, speaks positive thoughts, and is more pro-activ in my own life.  i am a negative nancy, a scrooge.  i try to remind myself about the universal law of attraction.  think and believe in abundance and the universe will give it back to you.  pretty much anything you put out will come back to you.  on my part, i see how that has led me to where my life is today.  there has been times when i did make things happen and other times i just sit and wait, hoping things will happen on its own.  i really need to stop that.

spending too much

this month for some reason, my expenditures for groceries and other necessities have gone up.  it's only half way through the month and i've already spent $60 more than previous months.  and i still have one more thing i have to buy:  a reflective arm band for my walk to the bus stop in the evening. the sun is setting earlier and by 6 pm its already dark out here. plus it's good for two other things: not getting passed by the bus because the driver couldn't see you and not getting nearly run over by drivers who are making a left turn ON RED!  i wish i had thought of this when i was working at ikea and had to walk the last 30 minutes home.  this will be $10.  $5 for the product and another $5 for shipping.

sketching.

a drawing of my roommate. paris, 2005.

sakura koi watercolor sketch box set of 12, $12.99; similar watercolor brushes, $6-9.

after coming across the urban sketchers website, my love for sketching on-location, has come back.  i haven't done it in awhile.  the last time was in lyon and unfortunately the little sketchpad i made the drawing in is currently misplaced.  one of my favorite sketchers from the group is lapin (it means pen in french).  one of his sketches is the header image for the urban sketchers website.  looking through his blog, i now want to go out and get a few more supplies:  some water color pens and a travel watercolor palette.  i can't wait to sketch again.

                      

career map: updated

since september i've been feeling empty.  i thought it was because it was a time that i could have gone back out and applied for retail/hourly work.  then september turned to october.  still the feeling was there and i did nothing about it.  now its november.  a few days ago i just applied to one job near home.  after i received a sign yesterday, i realize i wasn't really or i didn't need to go apply for work but that i should be spending more days at work.  so far i'm only volunteering twice a week.  i also realized yesterday, that i had lost sight of my career plans and had gone into lazy mode--lazy as in letting things just coast along.

so when i return to work monday i will ask to change my schedule and activities around a little bit.  might throw in one other day of work and see how that goes.  for the future though, that too, will change.  i will now have to find and do a couple years of voluntary humanitarian work (hopefully) and then go back to school for a masters degree.  at first i was going to do one or two not-so-long-term volunteer projects, then head back to school, then find a job in the humanitarian field.

there is a lot i can learn at the nonprofit where i am currently volunteering.  hopefully this will all become useful in the future.

craigslist

i posted something for sale on craigslist. on a single page there are 100 postings. i wonder if anyone would notice.

life + circles

This looks chaotic but it was pretty organized and peaceful.

now that i'm 30, i can look back at my life and see how certain events have all come around full circle.  i remember not too long ago, seeing how it was my study of the french language that has taken me further than my university degree or anything else (geographically, anyway).  now that i know i want to work in humanitarian aid, i can see why i've studied that language throughout my life (even beyond university).

when i was in france, i remember looking into the local branch of greenpeace and amnesty international for volunteer positions. unfortunately i never got that far because my french was still limited then. the signs were always there in my actions. if only...

anyhow, when i first arrived there, lyon was having its biennial art festival, i remember one of the venues had a solo exhibition for one artist, laura genz,  followed the plight of the african sans papiers (or illegal immigrants) for over a year. for over a year, a rotating and large group of immigrants did a sit-in at the immigration office in paris.  over a  year! anyhow, for most of those days the artist did an ink drawing of the scenes at the labor office (which can be seen here).  the french labor office reviews each case one by one, and judges who gets their paperwork for legal residency that way but the immigrants wanted it to be a fixed, flat policy. it was a very moving piece.  i ended up buying one of the drawings (the one dated and labeled samedi 4 avril 2009...) that she made into a postcard.  five months later, as i was walking around bastille in paris, i heard a lot of noise down the street.  i followed it and there in front of me was one of the biggest protest/rallies i've ever seen.  in france, it was more like a parade.  there were balloons, confetti thrown everywhere, music blasting.  the french right was present, as well as the left.  there were groups of people who were protesting against the new retirement age, people in education were also protesting (a lot of people are unhappy with their president's new policies), and the last group to be seen were the immigrants.  the same immigrants that i had been exposed to at the art biennale in lyon.  they were there.  a very large group, i might add.  when i saw them, i saw my circle come around.

yet, in one of the days surrounding that manifestation, i was at the palais royal du louvre.  on the way back to the metro station, there was this big public sculpture/demonstration in a nearby plaza.  what looked like a stage was actually this public sculpture that was a rectangular frame with water falling out of the top like a waterfall.  through the water, there was a message that would be projected in it.  the message was about how non-potable water kills more than war, aids, and cancer combined.  this demonstration was sponsored by solidarite international, a french humanitarian nonprofit.

only after my return did i see all these things come together.

a nonprofit in togo

after looking through different programs for volunteering, i had become somewhat disappointed.  all the programs that i have been looking at are organized by western organizations, priced competitively though still pretty expensive and after reading articles by experts in the field, i learned these programs that i have come across might not be doing that much good in the local community where the aid was being carried out.

then it finally donned on me:  i should be looking into the local nonprofits in the country i want to be working in. so i did a google search:  africa+nonprofit+volunteer, or something like that. jackpot. google's search brought a page full of african nonprofits. i clicked on the first one that got my attention, le promotion et developpement humain (PDH) or in english, the human development and promotion center. they are a very small nonprofit situtated in lomé, the capital city of togo.

 their mission:

 PDH has an open-door and non-discriminatory philosophy that strives to help anyone in need, regardless of their status or condition. That means that all sorts of people come to our centre in order to relate their difficulties: those suffering from AIDS, HIV, illnesses or varying degrees of poverty, the unemployed, orphans, children in need and victims of abuse or family problems. Our humanitarian efforts are thus unique because we are able to help those in need on a personal, one-to-one basis.

at first, i was taken by their professionally done website which i learned later was done and maintained by a former volunteer. still i couldn't tell if this was a real organization or a scam. their fees are smaller than their western counterparts so that was a good thing.  i read the testimonials from previous volunteers but i still wasn't assured of their legitimacy. i was hoping to find some reviews from previous volunteers elsewhere on the internet. what i found instead was a facebook page for the organization. i then looked through their photos making sure these were taken by the organization and what i was seeing were actually their volunteers and their daily activity. sure enough, i began to see the truth--this is a real nonprofit.

the nonprofit, as i said earlier, is very small. they have four volunteer staff and only a handful (about 10)  international volunteers a month. togo was a former french colony so the natives there speak french as well as their own dialects. i suddenly became very interested in this nonprofit. if i volunteer there, i can learn about humanitarian aid and hopefully, improve my french at the same time. being such a small organization, i felt i wanted to help them in some way. to spread the word so that they might attract more volunteers and in doing so, help them further their work by being able to help more people. so this is my first step:  sharing it here.

the death of halloween.

it is worth noting that each year there seems to be less and less kids trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. i really did not hear that many people pass by that night.  one of my cousins did not get any kids at all at their house. i attribute this to the fact that shopping centers (or the stores) are giving out candy that night.  that's where parents are taking their kids.  it's just more convenient and safer.  a lot of people who buy candy are either buying it for themselves or for a party.  it's interesting that while halloween may be dying in certain parts of this country, it seems to be growing in europe.

candy

living on a small budget, i've had to make a few sacrifices.  one is having to cut back on candy.  luckily, at least here in the u.s., companies like the mars candy company, make holiday specific packaging which means that once that holiday has passed, stores like walmart have to mark down the prices, usually 50%.  so today i went to walmart in the morning as there is usually nothing left if you go later.  there were only a few things from all the discounted candy that i liked from what was left, one of which is the fun size york peppermint paddies.  they were $1.24 for an 11 ounce bag after the discount.  i wanted to buy 3 bags but decided on two.

one of the things i saw there though were other customers filling their cart halfway with candy.  really?  they can't wait two months for the next holiday sale? 

humanitarian and development aid

i've done a pretty good amount of research on my new career path.  read a lot.  found a lot of useful information.  just like any other career, it is going to be hard to get my foot in the door.  everybody in the field has stressed the importance of getting field experience via volunteering or interning.  only problem is these field experiences need to be done in developing countries.  i can't exactly just pick a country and take off.

i have looked into different programs by different organization that claim to give you just that but each program is a couple thousand dollars.  then i came across an article that says that not all programs do as much or help the host country as much as you'd think.  makes this whole process a lot harder.  how am i supposed to know which programs aren't actually a waste of my time and money and ends up hurting the local economy?  if finding a good program isn't enough, most humanitarian organizations require around 5 years of experience.  its an experience that is not easy to just do...however, some people have gotten a job in the field after doing 2 years in the peace corps.  unfortunately for me, i am not ready to leave for two years nor am i ready to take on the whole peace corps selection process which i've heard takes awhile.  i am up for taking off for a year.  it's one of those investments in your future you have to take.  instead of spending $30,000-60,000 on a graduate degree that may take up to 2 years, i will need to spend 3-5 years in a developing country.  the only program that sounds serious right now will cost about $10,000 for one year (incl. personal expenses, $350/month.  though i could probably survive on less.), not including round trip airfare.  if i do 2 years, that's $20,000.  this is going to be like doing a 2-part grad program.  first part is gaining field experience, and the second part is grad school.  total costs would be $50,000 - $80,000.  woe is me.

however,  there is one way i can gain the field experience without that hefty price tag.  instead of going to africa for two years, i can go to thailand.  i have relatives there.  a few of them having been doing humanitarian work in the villages off and on for many years now.  mostly with material donations.  i can still do this somewhat on my own.  though i've always felt unsafe to walk around by myself over there.  this will be interesting.  i have a lot more thinking to do...

today.

bad news:  i'm growing tired of this blog's layout and design.  i may have to go the paid route to come up with something i like.

good news:  i was about to give up becoming a seller on ebay.  today i received an email from the ebay entrepreneur telling me to take one step everyday, no matter how small it may be.  so now i'm reading up on what i need to know.

tarot & astrology

i don't normally write posts about this topic although i have to say, i have always been interested in it.  a few days ago i came across this website, freomob.mobi, that gives you a one-card tarot reading for that day.  i clicked on it and looked up the card i got.  it was quite accurate.  today, i went back and did another card.  yet, another accurate reading.  the card i got was the three of wands. (you can read it's description and meaning here.)  the site i went to is actually meant to be used as a phone application but you can still go on to get a card reading.  my cousin would say i'm making this up.  that i'm trying to make my life fit the reading.  i can say that i'm not.  i should give this account of what i have been thinking and planning so far regarding my career:


1.  realized over the summer that my true calling is in the nonprofit sector.  specifically international development/humanitarian aid;
2.  realized i needed a master's degree.  otherwise, not sure how to get into field and develop career.  first looked into schools in u.s. alas, they are too expensive and all programs here are two years of study.  then looked into europe.  found more affordable schools.  figured grad school will be a few years from now.  need to work and save up money, again;
3.  last week, found myself in a meeting with a school district personnel and the director from my club.  we were there to talk about doing a report completely unrelated to my career plans when all of a sudden the school district personnel mentions to my director that one of his kids, in his 20s, is in the middle east volunteering with these nonprofit organizations and how he raised money to go on these trips(!); and
4.  recently, looked for ways to gain some experience without a graduate degree.  found a few programs, though they are a few thousand dollars and the program is from a couple of weeks to a few months. from this program, i also decided i want to do some work in africa.

see how my card reading and my life sync up?

aol.

my mom asked me to cancel the paid aol account at her apartment since they don't use the computer anymore.  i looked at the bill which is paid via her phone bill.  my mom pays about $30/month.  when i talked to the representative he was trying to keep us on (of course) by offering lower and lower pricing plans.  I believe before he cancelled the paid service, he offered one that was $4.99 (or was it $6.99?) for basic service which i think came with mcafee virus protection.  i remember not being aware of all these different pricing plans when i set up the paid account many years ago.  it must have changed.   in the course of cancelling, the rep mentioned that we would not be getting x, y, and z services anymore.  apparently, these were all services my mom never used and/or needed.  yeah, i totally feel stupid for making my mom pay the extra $25 when she could have just paid $5 every month.

free unlimited music.

just received an email from pandora radio.  they now have unlimited free music.  yippee!  before you could only listen to 40 hours free every month. (there was only one month where i maxed out my free limit).

cooking.

photo from blogger, cake student.

i have always wanted to learn how to cook.  i can cook simple dishes.  though those dishes don't number that many.  i definitely get deterred by all the ingredients that i need to buy or find.  i would really like to learn how to cook the main dishes, side dishes, and soups.  most of the time, i find myself baking.  maybe it's because the ingredients are few and simple:  butter, flour, eggs, sugar.  the one cookie recipe that i've mastered is the snickerdoodle.  the first few times i made it, i altered the amount of each ingredient until it finally turned out nice, chewy and a little puffy.  i was basically trying to get it like the cookies at diddy riese, a cookie shop in l.a.'s westwood neighborhood.  i actually think mine are better.  yes, i believe they are :) 
my next cookie recipe i want to try is the chocolate chip cookie and i've found an awesome recipe online here.  that recipe i may not have to alter.  it looks perfect in the photo.  after that i may try the soft pretzel.  soft pretzels are one of my favorite snacks.  this recipe is from alton brown's book, good eats 3.

research for ebay.

i went on ebay to see how much the things i want to sell are selling for or rather, have sold for.  there were a few things that didn't sell from other sellers, but a lot of the books i want to sell, have sold.  not including the fees you will have to pay ebay, my items together come out to about $50.

what to do with stuff.

for the past couple of months i've had this urge to clean out my stuff.  my room is small. unfortunately i have a ton of stuff.

i'm a person that has lots of papers and books.  stationary, too.  i don't have a lot of clothes though.  anyhow, i've been donating things to salvation army and the goodwill since college.  somehow, i still have a lot of stuff.  recently i got all my stuff back from my mom's place and all of that stuff is now donated or put away somewhere in my room.  right now, i have some books i want to get rid of.  not having a job right now, i really want to sell them and other things on ebay.  problem is how long will it take to sell, if it sells at all? don't know if i have the patience for that.  i've already donated several books to the library.  even after all the books are taken care of, i still have all that paper stuff to deal with.  i will definitely need a file box to organize my bills, bank statements and other important documents.

i would love to be clutter-free.  it would be nice to have a select few things.  there is one rule that i came up with in regards to personal items but i'm having a hard time implementing, and that is:  decide what you really can't part with, and then part with the rest. it may be too drastic for myself.  then again, it might not be a good rule.

why i'm still unemployed.

as much as relatives of mine would like me to take any job because they think the important thing for me is to be employed, i can not agree with them.  i am stubborn.  i've worked in retail for nearly four years and i hated it.  i don't know anyone that likes working there, though.  i know there is something better out there.  it's just been taking a long time to manifest.  i know where i am volunteering now is where i want to work and if nothing opens up for me there, something else connected to the club will.  things take time. 

just now, i saw an article on msn, "5 reasons accepting a job offer out of fear will backfire."  every single reason they listed describes what i see and have known will happen if i do just that.  the last reason, #5 you may have stopped three feet before gold, particularly struck a chord with me.  i've already spent 3.75 years working in retail.  it was probably 2.9 years too many.  i know i am getting closer to what i want.  i can't give up now.

welcome weather

right now, the temperature in l.a. is warm.  last week was hot but it is cooling down a little bit now.  i can not wait until november comes when the weather will be cooler.  yup, i love winter--though not the european or midwest kind.  i lived through one winter in europe and it was no fun.  i just like it when it's cold and i get to wear my winter jacket, scarf, and gloves.  it is also one of my favorite times to be browsing through store websites or catalogs to see what their winter collection looks like.  this look is from j.crew.

old work.

 once in awhile, i still like to make some drawings.  these i did several months ago.  they are pretty small and were done on blank index cards.  they are what is left of what i learned in art school.  now i have a bunch of art and photo supplies i need to get rid of :P

more money saving ideas.

being unemployed has come with some hidden gifts.  i've learned a few more ways how to stretch the dollar.  i learned a few ways already while living in france but in america i think there are more ways to do that.  lots of things that are just out there for the taking like coupons.  even though the savings aren't big, i've enjoyed clipping coupons and using them.  here are some other ways that i've thought of:

1.  shopping at the farmer's market.
2.  buying public transport passes instead of paying for each boarding, month after month.
3.  making your own frozen foods
4.  water - buying a brita filter or pitcher instead of buying cases of bottled water.
5.  however, for soda, many stores have sales on cases (2 or 3 cases for $10), or on the 2 liter size.  buying a can of soda at work a few days a week adds up.
6.  getting fruit from your friends and/or relatives fruit trees :)

that's all for now.  hopefully i'll figure out some more.

a bit of good news.

on thursday, i got to work and the director came up to me.  she said there is a data entry project that needs to be done and no one at the district office has the time to do it.  she would take me to meet the superintendent on wednesday afternoon where he would explain what needs to be done.  oh, and my director said she would pay me for my time.  it seems to be a short-term project but it's still great news.  yippee!

paris to london

6 years ago, i came back from france and all i could do was think about how to go back.  i did internet research on this for nearly 4 years before i returned to france.  i found myself at a forum for english language assistants in france.  i read each post on just about every topic and became well-versed in every aspect of life in france.

tonight, i find myself doing the same for the u.k.  as impossible as french bureaucracy seems, you eventually get what you came for:  a visa, an o.f.i.i. stamp, something.  they may send you back twice to provide another document you weren't aware about but in the end, there's victory.  with the uk, it seems they are just as tough and impossible-sounding as their french counterpart.  except, people have been denied visas.  the british are super strict (though not as strict as the u.s.)  yep, i'm a little bit worried.  the uk authorities, have very strict guidelines and they are on top of things.

talking about border control, i remember the first time i crossed their borders.  i was going to edinburgh for four days.  i was travelling alone.  i arrived into the city during the evening.  i got to the front of the line and the personnel asked me how many days i was spending in the city.  she then asked what my business in france is and i told her i was studying french.  she then asked me if i came with the other visitors who were in front of me. (nope).  she stamped my passport and that was that.

i don't know why i'm so worried.  this is still not anytime soon and i should feel more confident than anything having all this international traveling experience under my hat.

saving money

 

a few days ago, extreme couponing was on tv.  seeing how much those women saved at the supermarket wanted me to sort through coupons, too.  though i don't plan on going to the extreme, i, too, want to save money and haven't really thought about coupons.  the next day i sorted through all the advertisements and junk mail.  i cut out all the relevant coupons from papers and then proceeded to organize it in excel.  yesterday i checked to see if all the stores in the area have their weekly ads on their website and they did.  it just made bargain shopping a lot easier.  today i decided to go to walmart with a small list of things i wanted to buy.  turns out walmart is the low price leader in a lot of things.  i did find one thing that they were selling a bit higher than one of their competitors so i ended up getting a price match for it at the register.  (walmart and target do price matching).  other things i had coupons for but wal mart did not have the selection i wanted.

after i got home, i decided it would be nice to see my savings in a graphic way so i created the above display on my daytum page.  the numbers in the parentheses indicate the amount of money that was saved.  i can't explain what daytum is that well but a visit to their site will.  daytum is quite addicting :)  i can't wait to see what it will look like after a couple of months.

ouch.

thinking ahead a few years when i will possibly be in grad school, i finally got to doing the math properly for one year of studying and living in london.  it is a lot more than i previously thought but still less expensive than going to a good school in the u.s.
 
  costs for one year:             tuition                                $27000
                                                     cost of living                      12000
                                                     rent in private flat           17000-21000
                                                     total                                    $56000-67000

 hmm... now i need to do the math for paris.

success!

i came across another recipe for madeleines online.  it's from one of dorie greenspan's cookbooks.  not surprisingly, this recipe uses a lot less butter.  surprisingly though this recipe makes enough for one small batch, or 18 regular sized madeleines.  i am quite pleased with the results.  they baked the way they were supposed to.  the bottom picture shows what a real madeleine looks like:  the backside has a bump.  if you try pouring regular cake batter into the mold, the madeleine will form a top mound evenly from the sides like a regular cupcake.  madeleines don't bake like that.  it should have a bump only in the center.

i'm so glad i found this recipe.  my madeleine mold will not go to waste now.  i bought it in france for about 8-9€ ($10).  here, they are about $20.  good grief.  although this recipe came out good and tastes just as good, i have to say the ones my mom bought for me from donsuemor tastes even better.  those are the best i've ever had (though i can't really compare them to the ones sold in patisseries in france.  i always bought madeleines from the supermarket--the mass-produced type.)

wish list, #2

 

the perfect black clutch/shouder bag.  marc jacobs, $328.

southern california cool meets parisian chic

  i googled los angeles fashion week to see what was coming.  instead i ended up reading about a past show.  l.a. fashion week is spread over a few venues.  one of the locations is the soho house in west hollywood.  i had heard about it while interning at an art gallery and through l.a. fashion week, it has come up again.  it truly is a very beautiful venue.  the designer(s) who showed there was of two minds.  one of the designers is from paris.  the esthetic of two minds is, described in the words of the designers,

"[...] the relaxed glamour of Los Angeles is artfully blended with the urban sophistication of Paris.

St. Germain des Pres meets Malibu."

i have to say, that is the first time those two styles have been merged by a designer and the end result is quite gorgeous.  the look above is my favorite from the current collection.  it's beautiful and simple.  unfortunately i can't afford these pieces.  though i'm sure i can re-create it...

wish list item no. 1

when i am employed again, i will buy this.  can't wait :)


devora libin smoky quarts earrings, $90, maxandchloe.com

a year ago...

sitting by the fountain at the luxembourg gardens, paris.

the perfect afternoon.  those iconic chairs.  that garden of all gardens.  together, it's one of the quintessential parisian experiences.

the luxembourg gardens is one of my favorite places in paris.  it is beautiful in the autumn when the leaves turn orange and yellow.  i know how to get there from métro odéon by heart.  i wish i could be there now and i wish for many more trips in the future.  sigh.

when the past and present meet.

on the bus ride home today, two high school girls got on.  they are both on the tennis team.  back in high school 13-14 years ago, my friends and i were also on our high school tennis team.  it was hard not to see myself in one of those girls.  both were carrying their tennis rackets and a few big books, as well as a backpack.  i can't believe it's been more than a decade that i was in high school.  can't believe how all that seems to have happened so fast now.

the two girls were talking to each other about wanting to travel to europe, something that i wasn't even thinking about when i was in high school.  on my mind at the time was just college.  getting into a good college.  i couldn't see beyond that.  when you're still in high school i guess you don't think that much in advance.  you just worry about s.a.t. scores and grades.  the girls were mentioning which countries they wanted to see.  i wanted to tell them to just spend a year studying abroad when they get to university or just spend their entire four years abroad.  i opted not to say anything.  i'm sure they'll find their way there anyhow.

looking back, did i achieve everything that my high school self wanted to do?  yes.  there's definitely some blanks though and those are the parts that i'm trying to fill in now :)

pas de madeleines.

today, i made madeleines.  the recipe came from a madeleine cookbook i got in france.  oh how disappointed i was.  after i put them in the oven, they all melted.  that's when i realized the recipe, for some reason, called for way too much butter:  20 tablespoons of butter!  anyone that has baked enough knows that a lot of butter means melted pastries.  the butter in recipes determines the spread of the batter and with 20 tbsp, it did spread.  not too mention it prevented the madeleines from cooking thoroughly on the inside.  i'm thinking maybe the recipe didn't call for enough milk, either.  two tablespoons is probably not enough.  so disappointing.  i have to adjust the recipe next time.  oh dear.

lessons to live by.

a few years ago, my cousin got into the book, "messages from the masters" by brian weiss m.d.  (you can read the synopsis here.  i can't explain it too well).  i would say it's a good book.  there are insights from the other side that makes life here a lot easier to understand.  one of the lessons that i wrote down is this one, regarding love.

we hear the excuses of the mind all the time:  i'm too young; i need more experience, i'm not ready to settle down yet; you are of a different religion (or race, region, social status, and so on).  these are all excuses, for souls possess none of these attributes.

never worry about meeting soul mates.  such meetings are a matter of destiny.  they will occur.  after the meeting, the free will of both partners reign.  what decisions are made or not made, are a matter of free will, of choice.  the less awakened will make decisions based on the mind and all of its fears and prejudices.  unfortunately this often leads to heartache.  the more awakened the couple is, the more the likelihood of a decision based on love.  when both partners are awakened, ecstasy is within grasp.  (pp. 158)

and this excerpt:

 listen to your heart, to your own intuitive wisdom, when making important decisions, especially when deciding about a gift of destiny, such as a soul mate.  destiny will deposit its gift directly at your feet, but what you subsequently decide to do with that gift is up to you.  if you rely exclusively on the advice of others, you may make terrible mistakes.  your heart knows what you need.  other people have other agendas. (pp. 163)

the last excerpt is dear to me.  while abroad, i did meet someone.  he was pretty much put right in front of me.  i knew he was the one.  however, i wasn't sure if he was single or not.  if he felt the same way about me.  as the months went by we got to know each other well.  he would be comfortable enough to act like a dork around me.  just like me.  we were perfect for each other.  still i didn't know.  before returning to the u.s., i finally asked him out.  in an email.  doing it in person, or trying to, was the hardest thing ever.  i sent the email over the course of the school break.  he wrote back.  he has a gf.  mayebe true, maybe it isn't.  i think it has something to do with me still not having my life figured out yet whereas, he has with his life.

paris

i want to live here.

or maybe just rent it.  after reading about another blogger's family vacation in the pacific northwest, i was compelled to google the location (anacortes,wa)  from her photos, i already knew it would be a place i love.  a place surrounded by nature--trees, skies, water.  just beautiful.

my search led me to look up the properties that were on sale in the area.  glad to say there were a few properties under $500,000.  i couldn't believe it.  a home that has views of the pacific, for that price, is a steal.  just shows how overpriced southern california is.  a home in a nice l.a. suburb is at least $500,000.  if i ever could afford to buy a home, this would be one of them.  this location is more of a summer getaway.  my other home would be in a major european city.

quoi?

i'm looking at some previously bookmarked pages regarding ngos and humanitarian work.  all of a sudden i see a link that i didn't notice before.  i click it and the website in front of me mentions french universities that offer international development, ngo, and humanitarian degrees.

anyhow,  if i want to work for a french organization, i have to go to their schools, first.  at least that's what i think.   however, if i want to work for an international organization with offices in france, i may not need to.  i'm not too sure on this.  however, i would still need to be fluent in french.  if i have a degree from outside of france, i will absolutely need to have the right to live and work in france.  it would be easier to do it through a french education.

well, this does make things more complicated. there are schools in france for humanitarian and international development studies.  if i want to study in france, i would have to go back to a language school and have my french at a high level to get into one of their universities.  darn it.  that's at least another 6 months.

here is my list of preferred schools so far:

• Ecole Superieure de Commerce et Developpement, Lyon France 
• Universite Paris 1, UFR 11, M2 Pro - Coopération Internationale, Action Humanitaire et Politiques de Développement
• London School of Economics

temp agency no. 1: merde

today i had an appointment with the temp agency.  since it was a few cities away, i had to take the bus.  it was an hours ride.  i had to wake up 3 hours before my appointment.  i could have woken up an hour later but i didn't want to be rushing into the building at 9 a.m.  (the bus would have dropped me off at 8:55).  i arrived in the vicinity at 7:55 and decided to hang at a nearby park until it was closer to my appointment time.  it was nice to have that time to contemplate my future at the park.  the name of the park is ironic:  soaring dreams park.  i felt like i was in france again as i spent some time sitting at parks.

at 8:35 i headed for the temp agency.  on the map, the streets and blocks looked a lot bigger so i thought it would take me at least 10 minutes to get there.  it was closer to 5 minutes.  i then sat on one of those cement blockades in front of the building for 10 more minutes before i went in.  at 8:50 i went in.  i sat down and the receptionist asked for my resume and two forms of i.d.  after she sees that i brought my driver's license and my old student i.d  she told me the second one needed to be a birth certificate, social security card, or passport.  gee...she could have told all new applicants this when i called to make my appointment two weeks ago.  then she looked at my resume and asked a few questions.  then she told me that all the companies that hire ask for at least one year's experience in administration.  she asked if i had any past office experience which i do not.  at that she said the temp agency couldn't help me.  merde (shit).

i will attempt a second agency.  i might get the same response.  this might all be a waste of time and i could possibly be offered a position at the club before something outside is offered to me.

a memory.

this is lyon, france.  this is the color of the city:  all shades of peach.  it is what i knew for the five months i lived there.  not to mention all the cool traboules or passageways.  lyon is nothing like paris but it still holds a place in my heart.  i suppose it was a good thing i ended up in lyon.  though it's france's second city (or third or fourth, depending on who you talk to), it is very small.  i felt like it is closer to the size of a los angeles suburb.  for that reason, i was a lot more comfortable there than i was in the one month i lived in paris.  lyon is manageable.  plus its lighter on the tourists.  it's a good place to open up an american/british company there as there isn't much right now.  lyon will surely love for that to happen.

hint, hint.

after making the last post, i've received a few signs regarding my future...

let me fast forward to today, first.  i went to the site for usaid.  usaid employs civil service and foreign service officers at home and abroad to carry out the government's international development missions.  positions are held in the fields of environmental, educational, project development and management, and crisis, stabilization and governance, etc.  awhile ago, when i last visited the site, working for usaid seemed out of reach for me.  i didn't have the credentials or experience to work there.  now that i'm looking into a master's degree in international development, it all seems attainable now.

knowing that working for usaid is still a few years in the future, i somehow redirected my research back to americorps which is basically like the peace corps but all the missions are done on u.s. soil.  that sounded a lot more  like me.  though i'm looking into a degree in international development, what i really want to do is help america first.  though we are a rich country, so many corners of our own country need help.  reading about previous volunteers' experiences, i became more and more interested.  volunteers only need to serve a maximum of one year, unlike the peace corps which is two.  after completion they are given an education award, a small stipend to pay off student loans or to help pay for future studies.

thinking about it, anyone would tell me i should just do it.  as always,  i have doubts and fears.  i recently spent six months living abroad.  almost a year and a half later, i am still unemployed.  taking another year off to do something like this will have to wait.  the more project descriptions i read, the more i realized it is not much different than what i am doing now at the club.  perhaps i should switch tracks and start tutoring kids with their homework or help them learn how to read instead.

confused.

after all this discovery about my new career path, i am having doubts.  i don't know exactly what area i want to work in and in what function.  right now i am volunteering at a small branch of a national non-profit organization doing mostly data entry and some other administrative work.  i'm already getting bored of the work.  the few times i enjoyed what i do is when i get to interact or stop to watch what the kids are doing.

international development...is it really for me?  i have no idea where it will take me and that is what i'm afraid of.  i'm not sure about ngo development work.  some people know which country they want to work in and/or what cause.  for me, i have no clue about the first and as far as causes go, there are a few that are dear to me.  i want to help people whose town has been ravaged by natural disasters.  i want every child to have access to a good education, i want to help the poor, to name a few.  i thought i wanted to work internationally since it would bring more opportunities.  working for an american ngo, you are limited to the few functions (marketing, admin, development).

i guess its a good thing i am not applying for grad school this year.  for now, i'll just concentrate on going back to work.

september

i'm so glad august is over.  it was a difficult month that ended with my sister getting into an accident - she was hit by a car as she was crossing the street.  luckily she didn't break any bones.  now she just has some physical therapy to do.

this month i get back into my job search.  i have an appointment with a temp agency next week and i'm considering seeing a second one just to increase my chances.  at home, i have been throwing away old magazines and giving away what i can.  getting ready for fall and 2012, i  guess.

this coming monday is labor day so the whole country is on a four-day weekend.  while europe gets nice month-long vacations we get mini vacations throughout the year.  sigh.  it's funny how you can feel how relaxed/stressed the city is during a weekend or holiday versus a regular day when you step outside.

the compass changes direction. again.

yesterday i went back to the website for the london school of economics.  i was reading about the master's in international relations and i wanted to see what the diploma program is like.  i looked and looked.  i went to the faq section and there it was:

" if you do not have a first degree in a related field, you will probably have a hard time.  if you want to pursue this degree please include in the personal statement why you feel strongly about this degree and what you intend to do with it." 

oh my goodness.  that  means i have to go study somewhere else.  i really wanted to go to lse.  so i kept looking at all their master's programs.  all of a sudden i came across other programs that i didn't see before on my last visit to the site.  there is a master's in human rights and one in international development & humanitarian emergencies; as well as one in ngo and development.  my future has been saved.  both are more specific to what i want to do.  at least the last two are.  the second one's requirement is that the candidate has at least one year working for an ngo.  hmmm....

oh, job hunt.

it's time.  i have to return to the job hunt.  this time, i finally have enough work experience to ask a temp agency for help.  i made an appointment with adecco.  it will be in a few weeks.  i picked them even though they are an hour bus ride to get to.  i picked them because they seemed more professional than the other places i called and they offer a good benefits package which i need.

at first i was going to make an appointment for next week but when i made that call, the time slot i wanted was already taken.  thus, i didn't want an afternoon appointment and asked for the next morning appointment.  i am glad the appointment is two weeks away.  i wasn't sure yet if i wanted a part-time or full-time job.  a part-time position will allow me to continue volunteering at the club.  i also considered a full-time position at the club since i wanted to work in the non-profit sector.  for some reason, i thought the pay would be reasonable.  that it would be more than retail.  after looking up salaries on glassdoor.com, it confirmed what i was afraid of:  low pay.  i know it's the non-profit sector but still.  it burst my bubble.  what do i do?  what if they offer me a job before i find something with the temp agency?  i surely hope i find a better job with a better pay through the agency before something comes up at the club.  unless of course, i can't find anything better through the agency, then i will take a job with the club.  i wish my choices were easier to make.

...unrelated to the job hunt, one of my supervisors gave me two tickets to the movies today as a token of her appreciation for the work i've been doing there.  it was so nice of her.  i really do like the people at this club.  everyone, the adults at least, really do care about the kids and the mission of the club.  if i do get a job somewhere else, i will surely miss this place.

tasks.

so i really want to leave my bank and move all my money to a credit union.  only problem is i know they are going to give me a hard time.  instead of closing my accounts and asking for a check (which makes it obvious that i'm leaving) i've decided i will slowly withdraw money and deposit those funds into my credit union.  then when i am down to the safe amount that won't get hit with fees, i will go to the bank, withdraw the remainder and ask them to close those accounts.  i think that's the best way.  i will make up a story about my hardships and being unemployed.  tell them that i don't want to keep it open since i don't have any money left and i really am unemployed.  (crossing fingers x).

a different direction.

 now that i know i want to work in the nonprofit sector, i need to get myself a graduate degree.  why?  my bachelors was in art. though i don't plan to do this in the next year or two, my mind is already thinking about it.  why not.  i have a lot of time right now.

looking at all the experience and degrees required for a lot of job functions out there, i'm going to need a graduate degree.  at first i looked into public administration with a concentration in nonprofit management and international nonprofits.  today i realized, managing a nonprofit is not what i was thinking.  i skimmed through a few school's curriculum.  it's not what i had in mind.  i just want to work in one, not manage it.  then i looked into international relations.  one of the girls i met at the club is studying it right now.  she wants to work abroad.  looked at those masters program at the same schools for public administration and that's a lot closer to what i have in mind.  only problem is these programs are so expensive.  nearly $50,000 a year.  i know i don't want to do that though i know it would be an investment in my future.

  i can't believe i'm looking into a master's degree.  in international relations!  i really do want in nonprofit/humanitarian arena.  i've always been one who cares deeply about those issues.  i wanted to volunteer and help the victims of katrina, haiti, any major natural disaster.  i looked into volunteering while i was in france but my french wasn't strong enough yet.  this whole time, my intended career was right before me.

next up, i have to fine tune what i want to do.  what i'm going to study.  what area i want to work in.  do i want to go into this field because i want to travel, go back to europe, work abroad, all of the previous?  am i doing this for the right reasons?  only time will tell.

ancient currency.

somehow my thought drifted to buying a replica of a gold coin.  from ancient rome or greece.  somehow i just find it a beautiful piece of work.  ancient coins were handmade and all the imperfections gave them some character.  modern day coins are too perfect.  i think i just want one for my collection and here, i found a website that does only that:  sell replicas of ancient coins.

habiter en seul/living alone

in the very near future, i will find myself living alone.  almost.  it is time.  i wanted this for awhile.  i just didn't know it would happen like this.  ce marche.  one very important thing i have to do is figure out what i'll be eating for dinner and have that planned a week in advance.  must get to figuring out quick, healthy meals.  must think about versatile ingredients.  it was so much easier in france with picard...  perhaps i could try to recreate that magic here with trader joe's.

awesome!

in the u.s. we have a tv drama called the secret life of the american teenager.  browsing the canal + france website under tv show i find, la vie secrete des jeunes.  the same idea but with real french kids from paris.  it's a reality tv show. though this might be more of an undercover camera operation...it's also interesting that it's categorized under "humor".  there's only four minutes of each episode but that's good enough for me.

 

lucille ball would have turned 100 tomorrow.

defining the future.

my plans for the future are becoming more defined.  career-wise, i mean.  i'm glad to say, my career choice will allow me to find work abroad if i want to.  these organizations are so big, it will be better for me to work for an international company than one state-side.  the salary is better.  i just have to figure out how to squeeze in more french language studies as french is the second language in this sector.

i don't know if i will or if i have to yet but i also did a little research on graduate programs for public administration.  some schools are $20,000 a year, the better programs are about $50,000.  i don't like any of those numbers.

having received my first degree in studio art, this tickles me a little bit.  it is such a long road to where i am now.  sigh.

french tv

ever since returning from france, i have been wondering where to look to find videos of french tv shows.  it's one of the ways i had hoped to maintain my french comprehension.  i know of people who have learned a foreign language by watching tv shows in that language.  in france i listened to the radio every night and sometimes in the morning before class.  the tv at my landlord's apartment was frequently occupied by her son.   the radio only does so much--and it did help my listening comprehension a lot.  however, i knew that a tv show could do more.  to see the words being spoken rather than just hearing it, does a lot more.

today, i finally came across what i've been looking for.  thanks to another blog, flip-flop france, i am now able to watch french programming via canal plus on the internet.  i'm no longer limited to french radio podcasting.

next on my list, to locate and be able to watch french films on the internet.