Last weekend I traveled to NYC where I experienced hot yoga for the first time and ventured through the bar scene of 9th St and 2nd Ave with two old friends from my year in Israel. As always I had a fantastic time and reaffirmed how much I like new york better than DC....
Also, a little bit about hot yoga. DON'T DO IT!!!! But that's just my opinion/findings, if you must do your own research... i would send someone else to do it for you.
Back to DC. While I'm having just a mediocre time in here, things are starting to get, well at least a bit more chaotic, which is better than the alternative. We have a Nigerian delegation composed of members of the Nigerian National Assembly (pretty much the equivalent to our Senators and Represntatives). Well they are all crazy. I mean they are really nice people, but extremely demanding. One actually made me make a call to Macy's to see if they have the Irresistible Givenchy perfume there...seriously!?! To them I am a lowly servant who should be ready and willing to fulfill their wishes, whether it be making a dumb phone call or videoing them while touring the Capitol. Apparently if you are a Senator in Nigeria you take the budget alloted to you and pocket it...so it is an extremely lucrative job. They all have a dozen drivers and hire someone to pick up their dog crap. Hopefully our seminars will change something...but change seems a little constipated in Nigeria...Nevertheless, there is one older man who dresses traditionally and is the cutest thing I've ever seen! Maybe it is because he doesn't say much but he is definitely my favorite.
Side note: I also was able to see the Capitol building and meet the Architect of the Capitol, just thought I'd brag
On top of all of that I found a few perks to this job when we have a delegation in town. FREE FOOD! And yes, I am still in University and poor so I can revel in free food. I got free lunch on Monday and get free candy, fruit, and pastries throughout the day.
Lessons learned. Nigerians make me tired...and so does hot yoga (btw by hot i mean 100+ degrees, not an exaggeration)
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
It's V-day Baby!
So, is it weird that every time I say v-day I feel like i'm referencing vagina day? Don't answer that....
But in a sense Valentine's Day is kinda like a big fucking tribute to vaginas. It's like guys saying, "Hey girl, I really want to take your vagina out to a fancy restaurant and give it some roses, otherwise you won't let me see your vagina any day this week."
Sorry if my thoughts are too crude for you, but here are a few more about Valentine's Day.
1) Valentine's day is the queen of Hallmark Holidays. And yes I'm saying this because I don't have a boyfriend to spend it with! I'm not going to hide it like so many others do. All those girls who say they wouldn't celebrate v-day even if they had a boyfriend are simply just lying to your face. It's a lot easier to pretend to be better than thou when you don't have anyone to be less than with..
2) Truth be told, I'm not actually sad about being boyfriendless on valentine's day. This is actually because I am better than thou! But seriously I am happy to have awesome single friends to spend a nice tuesday night with and drink a lot a lot of....lentil soup ;)
3) Need I say more? I think we've covered the pros and cons of being single on Valentine's Day. I've discussed what Valentine's Day is like for a woman and a man, which are pretty much the essentials.
Some concluding thoughts then. V-day is a holiday that subjects couples to way too much pressure to making the perfect night happen, singles to wallow in their singledom, and those asking their sweet valentine out subject to being way too cliche!! Positives?? An old friend of mine would say, it's an excuse to do something fun so take advantage and don't make too much hype.
Anyways, those are just my thoughts on Valentine's Day. See 1 for more clarification on thoughts 2 and 3.
xoxoxo
Happy v-day *giggles
But in a sense Valentine's Day is kinda like a big fucking tribute to vaginas. It's like guys saying, "Hey girl, I really want to take your vagina out to a fancy restaurant and give it some roses, otherwise you won't let me see your vagina any day this week."
Sorry if my thoughts are too crude for you, but here are a few more about Valentine's Day.
1) Valentine's day is the queen of Hallmark Holidays. And yes I'm saying this because I don't have a boyfriend to spend it with! I'm not going to hide it like so many others do. All those girls who say they wouldn't celebrate v-day even if they had a boyfriend are simply just lying to your face. It's a lot easier to pretend to be better than thou when you don't have anyone to be less than with..
2) Truth be told, I'm not actually sad about being boyfriendless on valentine's day. This is actually because I am better than thou! But seriously I am happy to have awesome single friends to spend a nice tuesday night with and drink a lot a lot of....lentil soup ;)
3) Need I say more? I think we've covered the pros and cons of being single on Valentine's Day. I've discussed what Valentine's Day is like for a woman and a man, which are pretty much the essentials.
Some concluding thoughts then. V-day is a holiday that subjects couples to way too much pressure to making the perfect night happen, singles to wallow in their singledom, and those asking their sweet valentine out subject to being way too cliche!! Positives?? An old friend of mine would say, it's an excuse to do something fun so take advantage and don't make too much hype.
Anyways, those are just my thoughts on Valentine's Day. See 1 for more clarification on thoughts 2 and 3.
xoxoxo
Happy v-day *giggles
Thursday, February 9, 2012
May I Complain?
Well you don't really have a choice so here it goes...
I am currently sitting at my intern desk at the ILI doing a bit of self reflection, which i do all to often. I am 22 years old and realizing that my parents met and got married not far away from the age I am now. How did they have their shit together so early?
Maybe you know, but I myself along with the majority of my generation is working on getting their so called shit together well into their late 20s and early 30s. I am 22 pursuing a graduate degree for god knows what reason and am lost. Yes lost in my career world, lost in my relationship world, and even lost in where I want to end up physically located in life. Whether it be Israel, Manhattan, St. Louis, or Dubai (psht that would be interesting). Who knows where I'll be in 10 years!?! And that is the scariest part. While all those people are finding themselves in Africa or Asia, I am sitting at a desk in DC actively working to find out what I want to do with my life by pursuing a masters in Political Science (yea i know that's where I went wrong!) and interning. And how does all this hard work repay me? Database fucking entry! Ya the life of an unpaid internship isn't as golden as volunteering helping to feed the poor in Africa, or setting up schools in rural China neither is it as noble. Maybe I should've picked the more colorful alternative to "finding myself"...
I was considering law school post-graduation and on the one hand am happy I didn't subject myself to the eternal entrapment of what law school offers (I DO think law is really interesting, but you all know what I'm talking about). On the other hand I would've been spending these next two years usefully pursuing a degree that makes me somewhat marketable and stable. Instead, I'm spending two years of my life getting another useless degree. Yay political science masters!
Well I realize this is a fairly dark and complainy post so I'll get to my brighter point. While I am currently upset with the world and the state that I have come to be in, I realize that there are positives to my situation as well and while enjoying them may be difficult each experience we have makes us a stronger person and helps us better understand ourselves, whether it be the right or wrong choices we make. So maybe all this database entry shit means something bigger hahah jk it defintiely doesn't. But maybe I'm in DC for a reason, to realize this isn't the right path for me...or maybe I'll just bump into it later than expected.
I always say the only way to look is forward, why not up as well?
Peace guys, I promise I'll update you on my happenings soon!
I am currently sitting at my intern desk at the ILI doing a bit of self reflection, which i do all to often. I am 22 years old and realizing that my parents met and got married not far away from the age I am now. How did they have their shit together so early?
Maybe you know, but I myself along with the majority of my generation is working on getting their so called shit together well into their late 20s and early 30s. I am 22 pursuing a graduate degree for god knows what reason and am lost. Yes lost in my career world, lost in my relationship world, and even lost in where I want to end up physically located in life. Whether it be Israel, Manhattan, St. Louis, or Dubai (psht that would be interesting). Who knows where I'll be in 10 years!?! And that is the scariest part. While all those people are finding themselves in Africa or Asia, I am sitting at a desk in DC actively working to find out what I want to do with my life by pursuing a masters in Political Science (yea i know that's where I went wrong!) and interning. And how does all this hard work repay me? Database fucking entry! Ya the life of an unpaid internship isn't as golden as volunteering helping to feed the poor in Africa, or setting up schools in rural China neither is it as noble. Maybe I should've picked the more colorful alternative to "finding myself"...
I was considering law school post-graduation and on the one hand am happy I didn't subject myself to the eternal entrapment of what law school offers (I DO think law is really interesting, but you all know what I'm talking about). On the other hand I would've been spending these next two years usefully pursuing a degree that makes me somewhat marketable and stable. Instead, I'm spending two years of my life getting another useless degree. Yay political science masters!
Well I realize this is a fairly dark and complainy post so I'll get to my brighter point. While I am currently upset with the world and the state that I have come to be in, I realize that there are positives to my situation as well and while enjoying them may be difficult each experience we have makes us a stronger person and helps us better understand ourselves, whether it be the right or wrong choices we make. So maybe all this database entry shit means something bigger hahah jk it defintiely doesn't. But maybe I'm in DC for a reason, to realize this isn't the right path for me...or maybe I'll just bump into it later than expected.
I always say the only way to look is forward, why not up as well?
Peace guys, I promise I'll update you on my happenings soon!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Let the Sun Shine
As I settle into my apartment in DC I’ve come to realize a few things about the working world…when you work a job 9-5 you have so much time! Today was actually the first day that I realized this. I went to pick up a package from someone and got home before 6:30. I proceeded to make a quick dinner and then ate and cleaned up and was done by 8! How could this be 8 o’clock and I was free?
While it seems that the majority of entry level jobs are not 9-5 those of you who are lucky enough to have such a job complain not, you are a lucky man or woman. Yes college is fun, the ability to wake up at noon is awesome, but I myself did not have the luxury of free time this past semester. While I did have an active social life that was reserved for some (most before grad school) Thursday nights and Friday and Saturday nights. There was none of this let’s hang out at 5pm because I have no other obligations. And there was no such thing as a carefree Sunday.
Although there are all these awesome things about the working world there are also a ton of negatives. No flexibility. Barely any daylight. The clothes.
Let’s start with no flexibility. It is so hard for me to adjust to sitting in the same spot for 8 hours with the occasional walk around the office and maybe going outside for some fresh air or a bite to eat, but basically you are sitting at the same chair and desk, staring at the same screen for 8 hours straight. On top of that if you want to make plans with someone you have to wait till after 5 or 6… You can’t run errands or meet up with anyone until that designated time when you are finally a free woman.
Second, there is barely any daylight. For me this is the biggest thing. I work in an office with practically no windows. It makes me feel desperate to break through those walls to get just a glimpse of sunlight, a privilege I never knew I had. Although it’s freezing in Champaign and I wouldn’t trade that for the 70 degree weather I experienced today, in college you are constantly moving from classes, buildings, and apartments. You are always outside which is great and terrible all at the same time depending on the weather. But no matter what, you are guaranteed your dose of fresh air, something that I miss when I’m cooped up in an office with minimal sunlight all day long. Also, when the sun goes down I suddenly feel like I don’t want to go anywhere or do anything.
Lastly the clothes. Yea the clothes can be awesome, but I also miss my jeans, I miss my cute tops, I miss my non-dressy shoes. I like dressing up don’t get me wrong, but at the same time I never dress down anymore…I guess that’s what weekends are for.
So in conclusion, while the working life has many positives it can also be a downer at times. I long for those college days (two months ago) when I could walk or ride my bike back and forth in a pinch. Say hi to friends between classes, or chill out and read a book on the quad. Don’t get me wrong college is not all fun and games, but when the weather is nice, or even when it’s not let the sunshine in, cuz you may not get the chance once you graduate.
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