Miami University Blog Days of Summer

T-minus 10 days till MIAMI!!

2009-08-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the beautiful town of Cambridge. It has been a while since I last stopped by.

I guess, this will perhaps, be my final wrap-up post for this summer blog since summer is almost up.

Well to begin with, it has been the most challenging 8 weeks I have had in one summer. Why, you may ask? Well, try studying natural sciences all your life and then try cramming 120 years worth of European history, War & political issues (globalization, genocide, terrorism, gender, media yadda yadda yadda) and more than 700 years worth of Gothic Architecture History all in 8 weeks. Eh?

On top of that, taking classes with the best of the best is kinda... intimidating, I'd like to say. Especially when you knew nothing going into those classes, and your classmates are like major experts in those area, you know you have to do the extra work.

It has been a challenge for myself for not only did I have to do a ton of readings for seminar discussions, papers and exams (perhaps the most that I've ever done in my life - more than 8 books in 8 weeks...yet, there are more to come), I travelled around England (Derbyshire - Chatsworth House [fans of Pride and Prejudice should be familiar with this], Oxford and will be going to Bath & Stonehenge) on weekends as well. On another hand, I try to absorb all there is in Cambridge every single moment, dealing with all of the above mentioned while coping with some personal issues. An overwhelming 8 weeks of "Blood, toil, tears and sweat", would accurately depict what I am going through, though I may be exaggerating a little. Nonetheless, it has been the most fulfilling 8 weeks I've had. I met a group of very highly motivated, knowledgeable individuals whose conversation revolves around political issues and literature most of the time, sometimes even philosophy and religion. (No kidding!) It made me reflect on myself: What do I know about this world? What have I been doing with my life all this while? Apart from these, having a well-known historian for a professor is most definitely enjoyable but the pressure to do well in his class? Not so much. True story.

Yet, I have learned so much in this process. One take away from this summer that I'd like to share: to be able to think critically, analyze, make good judgement and critique is crucial as part of growing up and stepping into adulthood. Think about it.

On another note, it is amazing how Cambridge is celebrating its 800 years old birthday this year. Can you imagine that? And to think Miami's 200 years is cool enough...

I am so thankful for this wonderful opportunity to be here this summer. While I am excited to be back at Oxford once more, I don't want this to come to an end. To realize that in another one week or so I will be leaving this beautiful town makes me sad. real sad.

There is a well known Chinese poem that reads:

《再别,康桥》

徐志摩

轻轻的我走了，

正如我轻轻的来；

我轻轻的招手，　

作别西天的云彩。

那河畔的金柳　

是夕阳中的新娘

波光里的艳影，　

在我的心头荡漾。

软泥上的青荇，

　油油的在水底招摇；

在康河的柔波里，

　我甘心做一条水草

那榆荫下的一潭，

　不是清泉，是天上虹

揉碎在浮藻间，

　沉淀着彩虹似的梦。

寻梦？撑一支长篙，

　向青草更青处漫溯，

满载一船星辉，

　在星辉斑斓里放歌

但我不能放歌，

　悄悄是别离的笙箫；

夏虫也为我沉默，

　沉默是今晚的康桥！

悄悄的我走了，

　正如我悄悄的来；

我挥一挥衣袖，

　不带走一片云彩。

Translation (found online):

Saying Good-bye to Cambridge Again

Very quietly I take my leave
　As quietly as I came here;
　Quietly I wave good-bye
　To the rosy clouds in the western sky.

　The golden willows by the riverside
　Are young brides in the setting sun;
　Their reflections on the shimmering waves
　Always linger in the depth of my heart.

　The floating heart growing in the sludge
　Sways leisurely under the water;
　In the gentle waves of Cambridge
　I would be a water plant!

　That pool under the shade of elm trees
　Holds not water but the rainbow from the sky;
　Shattered to pieces among the duckweeds
　Is the sediment of a rainbow-like dream?

　To seek a dream? Just to pole a boat 　upstream
　To where the green grass is more verdant;
　Or to have the boat fully loaded with starlight
　And sing aloud in the splendour of starlight.

　But I cannot sing aloud
　Quietness is my farewell music;
　Even summer insects heep silence for me
　Silent is Cambridge tonight!

　Very quietly I take my leave
　As quietly as I came here;
　Gently I flick my sleeves
　Not even a wisp of cloud will I bring away

Can't describe my feelings more accurately. Oh, One more week! I will make the best out of it. For now, back to hitting the books!! Hopefully I will have more time explore and then I shall come back for another (final) round of update in the next week or so! Well, till then!

Hiking, bike rides, and s'mores...Oh my!!!

2009-08-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, my family went on the annual Gaerke family camping trip. My entire dad's side of the family goes to Oubache State Park near Bluffton, IN every year and this is no small ordeal bc my dad has 7 siblings and 5 of them have at least 3 kids--and some of those kids are starting to have kids! However, because all the cousins are growing up, not everyone makes it out and it seems like as the years go by, the group gets smaller. Nevertheless, we have a BLAST and it's great to see everyone who can make it out.

We headed out for a hike after everyone got there on Thurs. night.

Had to visit the buffalo...this is the big daddy! I think it's a brawl: dog vs. buffalo. Any bets on who'd win?!;)

Gorgeous sunset over Kunkle Lake (not so gorgeous name:/lo)

Mom and Gina playing hillbilly Golf the next afternoon--VERY fun game!

Ah, ok. So as soon as I got to the campground I started itching real bad and figured out that I had Jiggers. They're these bugs that (brace yourself) crawl into your skin, lay eggs, and then crawl back out. EWWWWW:0 Anyway, the Benedryl I had wasn't helping the itch so they always say that clear nail polish works well. However, since we were camping, no one had clear nail polish--but my aunt found some purlpe shimmery stuff in her camper! So I was lathered in purple nail poliish--think i could start a new trend?! hehe

Dinner=yum!

All of us getting ready to bike to Bluffton--12 miles!

The classic photo--small group tho:(

Have to stop and get milkshakes at Hardees to re-energize for the ride back!

We headed to the pool to cool off--we got what we asked for bc the water was freezing!!
Gavin, my cousin Sarah's little 9mo-old cutie:), went swimming for the first time....he wasn't to thrilled about the cold water either:P

Nate and I took a paddle boat out on good ol' Kunkle Lake. We got stuck in a bunch of muck tho...the lake is pretty disgusting:/

Nate and I continued our adventures at the fire tower--we climbed all 106 steps!

And made it to the top alive!

It's not camping without a great campfire--this is a Gaerke specialty:)

Still Havin Fun!!!

2009-08-05T18:51:00.001-07:00

Hey there!
Whew, have I been staying busy since I last posted (as you can tell bc I haven't posted in awhile:P)--no more lazying around in PJs the whole day. As the summer winds down, I;m trying to see as many people and do as many things with them as possible since I move back to Miami in less than 2 weeks!

A couple Saturdays ago, I reunited with my old youth group RUSH (Reach out, Unite, Serve, Honor) and took a trip to Young's Jersey Dairy to go put-put golfing, see the cool animals, and of course eat ice cream! It was great to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones:)

Caroline preping for a Whole-in-one!

Gotta love OH.....OH-IO!!!!!!

Caroline, Kim, and I--if you wanna win put-put, you should play with us:P haha

Cow butts!

Then I had a GREAT day at the pool with Sean--or as he introduces himself, "Seany":)

What a ham;)

hahahahahha....o man. He is pure BOY!!!!! :)

That night, after splashin around with Sean, my family finally got to go to the CINCINNATI REDS BASEBALL GAME!!!!!!!!!! I'm a HUGE Reds fan (yes, I know they lose...A LOT) and the only games we get to go to are through the Straight A Ticket program. Luckily my sis is still in high school so we can still get them! We sit in the very top section, but I don't care because I just love being at the park. It was a blast and they actually won!!! We saw 4 home runs and it was the last time they won before going on a big losing streak. Maybe we were the good luck charms:)

Me in front of the stadium

The field....you can see the OH River and the KY skyline in the background.

BFFs UNITE!!!! Kelsey and I FINALLY got to see each other since I've been back form SOUL. I missed her like crazy! Kelsey and I have been BFFs since preschool and this past year was kinda hard bc she's at University of Cincinnati and I"m at MU. After I got back from SOUL, I went on vacation nad then when I got back SHE went on vacation and then she had to work duringthe day nad I had jobs at night. SO, we our paths finally crossed and we caught up--over ice cream of course;)

Ah, so this adventure was one that I had waited for for a LONG time....my childhood is now complete bc I went to camp! haha. Rach asked me to be a camp counselor with her for her church's CHPC 2/3 Overnight for the 2nd and 3rd graders. So us, along with 2 other guys, our friend Annie and the director E (along with some other adults), had a blast at Kings Domain hanging out with 7-and 8-year-olds going creeking, making crafts, eating s'mores by the campfire, going on a hayride, swimming, having a luau, having awesome Bible studies, and jammin with Jesus to some AMAZING camp songs:) To see the faith of these young kids was one of the most inspiring faith moments for me.

Our cabin: Las Chicas!!!
Virginia, Rach, Anna, Becca, Lily, and I were enjoying a visit from our new friend, Mr. Turtle:)

Rach and I having WAY too much fun with dress up clothes;) haha. We had to think like 7 year olds to fit in with them right?!

My family spent our last weekend of the summer (that we'll all be home together) to take a special trip to Kings Island amusement park. If you're from OH, you've probably heard of it...it's a really fun park in Cincinnati that's home to the largest wooden roller coaster. It was pretty crowded when we went so I couldn't ride some of the newer rides I wanted to--like Firehawk and Diamondback--but it was fun anyway. Especialy bc we got to see fireworks at night:)

Gina and I waiting in line for a ride in front of the Vortex (roller coaster in the background).

I had some more baby-sitting adventures as you can see from the pic of Amy and I below:)

Then Caroline, Riley, Gina and I decided to have a picnic lunch at Cox Arboretum Metro Park (right across the street form our church in Dayton!!) The Butterfly House just opened so we had a great time hunting caterpillars and enjoying the colorfulness of everything.

Us in the Butterfly House

Even caterpillars have best friends:)

This little guy was catchin' some rays on a log in one of the ponds in the park.

Then it was time for Girl's Night!!!! Last night the girls in my neighborhood had our annual sleepover at mine and Gina's house. We're all growing up, but we're not growing apart. I feel like I have 5 other younger sisters:) This was the last time we were all going to be together for awhile because Kaila and Amy are moving to AZ...but we're already planning a road trip! lol

Mary Kate, Madi, Gina, Me, Amy, Claire, and Kaila

Playing Sing-It on the Wii!

Making flower pens--gotta be stylin at school:)

Ice cream sundae bar is a MUST!

Playing an intense game of "spoons"

SPARKLERS!!!

Learning the Hoedown Throwdown from the Hannah Montana Movie!!!!! Oh yes, I know it too:)

The next morning (after learning the dance!) we went back to Amy and Kaila's house to continue the party with their little bro Sean. And then our other neighbors Henry and Leo joined us--It seriously was a party! I just love those kids:)

Sean (aka warrior), Leo (aka Spiderman), Henry, Kaila, Amy, Mary Kate, Madi

Nails!!!!!!!!!

Bubbles!!!!!!

I'm leaving to go camping in a couple hours so I'm sure I'll return with some more great adventures to write about!!!!!

Hasta Pronto:)

Catchin' Up!

2009-07-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

O man, sorry it's been awhile since I've last posted. I haven't been busy exactly--just kinda a bum you could say:P Haha--and I've been loving every second of it. I'm sure you've all had those days where you have a million things you could be doing and you don't do any of them! Well, that's been me the past couple of days. However, I've been writing lots of poetry, drawing a lot, and reading the Bible (in Spanish!!!) I just found out a couple days ago that I'm going to be going on a mission trip to Mexico over Spring Break with St. Mary Church (at Miami)--AY, estoy TAN entusiasmada:) One of my goals for college has been to go on a mission trip and now it's coming true! I've realized, however, how necessary it is to just rest and relax--I really don't always have to be doing something all the time. I can just be:)

But, when I haven't been sitting around in my P.J.s, I've still been meeting with lots of people and getting to hang out with my mom a lot. My dad is on a fishing trip so we've had lots of Girl Time including long walks around the neighborhood, lots of movies, and midnight pizza:) My sis just got back a couple days ago and it's really great to have her home now. Hopefully we'll be able to hang out a lot! MY dad comes back tmrw, though and then the family will finally be back together!

Last night I got to spend the night at Rach's in Cincinnati because we're going to be camp counselors for her church camp next week and had to get things ready for all the fun! It was SOOOO great to see her and we ended up staying til 3am (w/o realizing it) talking (in spanish:)).

I know I'm jumping around a lot, but I keep remembering things! Last weekend, we had a SOUL reunion in West Chester, OH at Emily's house. Not all of the SOULs could make it, but it was so great to get a re-dose of SOULove form those who could be there:) We never cease to have fun--no matter where we are!
Oh, and this past week I got to see some of my friends from JOOI (Jr. Optimist Octagon International) in OH--Amanda, Peter, and Leslie. They are the first people who really encouraged me to start the Optimist Club at Miami!!! It was SOOOOO great to see them:)
I'll try to keep up better so I won't be so random next time!!!!!!!!!!

I'm Alive!

2009-07-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

Now that I am almost halfway through the program and with midterms lurking around the corner, I would like to let you know that I am still very much alive despite my hectic schedule. All sorts of interesting activities and sightseeing tours are lined up for us during the week, throughout the weekends and on top of that, we have classes to attend, plus our very own big plans to travel around Europe and all. I think I am spoilt for choice and truth to be told, I find it a little difficult to balance them out! Well, the sad realistic part is: I can't have everything.

Just last night, we had a formal dinner - Harry Potter style...

Everyone was dressed to the nines.

The adorable TAs came dressed up as characters from Harry Potter... amazing not?

So, here's Harry.

I am going to be best friends with Harry, cause he's my favorite! ;)

Even the menu was adapted to suit the Harry Potter theme. Very amusing.

We had a feast. Food and wine was good. It was all fun and definitely a night to remember. It is during times like this, I'd try to remind myself that "THIS, IS NOT A CRUISE".

On another note, I think I am gradually falling in love with this place...

Home Sweet Home

2009-07-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

Whew, so this Wed. will mark my 1st full week that I've spent at home the whole summer. It's been SO great; and while I didn't really have many plans going into it, my calendar is filling up fast!

This past weekend was really eventful. Friday afternoon my mom and I took Gina (little sis) to the airport bc she's spending the next 2 weeks in TX and Mexico with my Aunt Barb and Uncle Ajax (Barb is her godmother so she is SO spoiled:P lol).

Gina and I waiting at the Dayton airport

That night was great bc got to see many relatives. My mom and I went to Smokey Bones with my Uncle Jim, Aunt Vicki, cousins Adam and his wife Erin, and Stefan, my Grams, and my Uncle Rick who is visiting from TX. It was SOOO much fun and really awesome to catch up with everyone who I haven't seen in awhile. On Sat, my mom, dad, and I drove up to Coldwater, OH--where all my family is from (my parents are high school sweethearts and are some of the only ones in their families who moved away!)--to spend some more time with my
Grams and Uncle Rick. My Grandma Lillian (Dad's dad) ended up going to dinner with us, so it was a really nice visit. My dad and his brothers are also getting ready to go to Canada for their yearly fishing trip so he brought his boat up to my Uncle Len's house. It was so great to see my Aunt Lucy and cousins Brian, Michelle, and Nathan too. We also stopped in to see my Aunt Phyllis and Uncle Terry too. This isn't even tho whole family either!!! Haha.

What I've really loved about being home is being able to catch up with friends from high school. It's so funny to see how some things never change despite lots of changes--if that makes any sense! I've been running into people at random places around Centerville, but on Sun. night, we had a planned SUPER reunion at Starbucks. Here are some pics of my lovely amigos:)......

Ben, Collin, Kevin, Me, Gayle, Steph, and Meagan:)
Las chicas
Los chicos
Steph and I:)

I've also been able to hang out with/baby-sit some of my neighbors who are absolutely AMAZING! I feel like their more like my siblings bc I love them so much. It's been really hard to be away from them while at MU, so this was a wonderful reunion. Today we created a hotel in the house and backyard, complete with restaurant and spa. I had a lovely meal of fish crackers and a capri sun and Amy (who is 8) painted my nails whil sean (who is 4) walked on people's backs ro give them back rubs. I was in heaven:) haha...

My girls:)
(Amy, Madi, Kaila, and Mary-Kate)
Me and Sean: Goofy face!
Me and Sean: Mad face
(this was ALL his idea--I swear!!)
The lovely Madi dressed up as the wealthy lady visiting the hotel:)

Oh man, life is good:)

Purple Mt. Majesties

2009-07-09T19:12:00.000-07:00

Hello, Hello!
In my first week after SOUL, I wasn't sure how I was gonna feel or what I was gonna do with myself for that matter! Luckily, my family strategically planned a trip to the Smokey Mts. which proved to be exactly what I needed...

We left at 6am on Fri. and got to Pigeon Forge, TN around 11:30. My first reaction: i hated it. There were stores and restaurants and just gaudiness everywhere--not ANYTHING like the layed-back-no-worry mountain getaway I was imagining. Luckily, the cabin we stayed in wasn't in town...

This is what I mean;/

We stayed on Kero Mt. (pretty far up in the Smokies) in the Sunshine House--the same exact cabin my parents stayed in on their honeymoon 26 years ago. Yes. I know. I was creeped out too! haha. My parents though it was a great idea!:P It really was great, though. It's this little place on the mountain that has an incredible view off the porch...especially for sunsets:)

Feel the love!Still going strong after 26 years:)

There's a pond near it so Gina (my little sis) and I went row boating while my dad fished and my mom relaxed on the deck.
Mom, Gina, and I went and explored some trails around the place and--funny story!!!!!--ended up getting completely lost and the sun was setting and we ended up having to be driven back by this random family that just happened to be driving by on this isolated mountain road and just happened to be from Dayton too...talk about a God moment!!!!! Facebook message me/email me for the whole story!!

You would think we would've realized we were on the wrong trail when we had to climb thru stuff like this!Gina had the map tho and she was on a mission--let's just say it was a GREAT learning experience!

Each day we went to a knew part of the Smokies and found knew trails and even hiked to some waterfalls--ah:) Breathtaking. We saw deer (right on the trail!), wild turkeys, and even a couple of black bear cubs!

Abrham's Falls in Cades Cove (Smoky Mt. Nt'l Park)

We also visited this Indian reservation and I got to do some Indian dancing with them!

The guy behind me speaks Spanish and we talked to each other--it was SO cool!

One of the coolest things we did was go to Cherokee National Park in NC and i got to hike part of the Appalachian Trail!!!!!!!! Omg, it was SOOOOOOO amazing. I felt like such a mountain woman! lol.

On the trail--it was rough, but AWESOME!

We also visited many historic cabins, churches, and other structures through the mountains. I felt like I was Laura Ingles Wilder--right out of Little House on the Prairie!!!!!

It's a good thing i didn't live during these times--I wouldn't have fit!!! One down-fall of being tall:P

Being in nature and especially in the secluded mountains gave me a lot of time to think and reflect and pray...and really just be able to live in the moment. I felt like i was in constant conversation with God and He was guiding me and giving me so much peace.
I did a lot of drawing and wrote some poetry and even sang. It was so strange bc one night I was sitting by myself on the porch watching the sunset and I just started singing. I don't even know why--it was like it wasn't even my voice! The next night i went up to this swing that's on a high part of the mountain that overlooks this incredible valley and just swang and sang again. It was so great to just be still.

At first I thought it was kinda weird that my parents chose this place for their honeymoon, but after being there, I know why. It was so cool to see how happy they still are and how they show their love to each other, especially being back at this place. I guess I had never really noticed it so explicitly before. The mountains are so full of beauty and mystery...

(See my facebook page for MANY more pics!!!)

One Hell of a Hike! (or two?)

2009-07-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

Heya! I am back from Edinburgh (Scotland round 2) and I am sore all over... BUT I am already excited to blog about my experience this past weekend!

One significant part of Scotland is the beauty of its nature and the highlands. A part which I did not get to savor when I visited my friends up North before the start of school. This time round, I took full advantage of it and went hiking twice in one weekend on top of touring the city centre of Edinburgh (the capital of Scotland). Now, my quadriceps are pretty much aching like none other. Yet, words can't describe the gratifying feeling for having accomplished those (almost) impossible missions.

If you think it was an easy breezy walk. You are most probably wrong. I mean, considering the fact that I am not a person who goes hiking on a regular basis, (I can't even recall the last time I went on a hike), both were definitely challenges for myself.

Saturday, 10.01 am; The Trossachs

There was no obvious trekking path for the most part of the hike. We basically had to trudge through tall plants...

...and muddy paths to get to the top...

At one point, we even had to scale up rocks on a steep slope...

The weather was not at its best. In fact, we were anticipating a downpour to make it even more of a challenge. Fortunate enough, that did not happen. Well, not exactly. It did drizzle a little on our way down but the two hour hike was definitely worth it all because the view from the top was spectacular!

Oh, I should probably also mention that we went down the same way we got up... I don't really know how I got home in one piece but I actually did slip a couple of times. Scary, I know.

Sunday, 8.31pm; Arthur's Seat

Yet another hiking adventure. This was a much shorter one but a good amount of effort was needed too. I did not properly equip myself for the hike because we were told that it was only going to be a steep uphill walk... only to realize that I was wrong when we arrived at this.

Apparently, we took a more difficult alternative path by mistake. Having no choice, I had to scale up those rocks in shorts and boat shoes. Not a very clever decision but thank God I got through it. After hiking the Trossachs the day before however, we realized this was actually not as painful. Being on top of the world never felt better and that made up for everything.

View of the city of Edinburgh from the top was breathtaking while it lasted as rain clouds started to gather within minutes... Before long, we had to make our descent.

Both hikes required a good amount of focus and attention. Reflecting on the experiences, I have taken away a few learning points which are applicable to life in general. While facing challenges and obstacles, very so often you will find yourself having to face it alone. In this case specifically, no one was able to help each other throughout the entire hiking journey because everyone had to focus for their own safety. For this, I'd say the phrase "the survival of the fittest" describes it best - If you can't keep up, you are left behind. You are basically on your own. On another hand, following others, you also learn from the people in front of you. You take the steps they took and avoid the paths which caused them a nasty fall... On top of that, determination and willpower are essential to complete the entire journey successfully. Giving up was not quite a possible option.

Along the way, I've asked myself: how many times in your life do you get to do challenging hikes like these with a group of people as energetic as you are? My answer is: probably only once. I could never have imagined myself performing feats like these. This was indeed an eye opening experience for myself. In all honesty, I am very proud that I made it to the peak! Twice.

Taste of Chicago & the Counting Crows

2009-07-05T20:09:00.001-07:00

"Mr. Jones and me," went to the Taste of Chicago... Ok, that was a little cheesy...

So, if any of your from the Chicago area, then you can probably recognize the two pictures above... the Taste! The Taste of Chicago is a large food festival that happens every summer in Grant Park in downtown Chicago. With around 50 vendors present, an estimated 100,000 head to the taste each day for the 10-day festival. The food ranges from African-inspired dishes to empanadas to deep dish pizza.

Despite a few weeks of cold weather, Chicago has finally warmed up. This made this weekend the perfect opportunity to head to Grant Park. Even though the Taste was packed with people, we still managed to weave through the traffic and find food that hit the spot. My first taste portion was rollof Rice and goat from a Nigerian restaurant. The second--and by far my favorite--was the jibarito. Originally from Puerto Rico, a jibarito is a sandwich made with fried plantains (instead of bread) steak, lettuce, tomatoes, and a garlic sauce/mayonnaise. Just look below to see what this sandwich looks like...

What goes nicely with food? I cannot think of anything better than a free concert by one of my favorite bands... the Counting Crows. After eating our fill at the Taste, we walked about 5 minutes across the park to the band shell, where the Crows and Augustana took the stage. Spending a good deal of my time listening to the Crows, I cannot tell you how enjoyable it was to see them in such a great setting. There is nothing like a free concert in the middle of the city, a stone's throw from the lake and from Michigan Avenue. Chicago really has so much to offer.

What a drastic change the last few months have made on the makeup of the city. Just 3 months ago, I was in Chicago interview for internships this summer... the streets were barren and windswept. Now the city feels alive. There are multiple festivals every weekend, free concerts in the Grant/Millennium Park, and farmers' markets around every street corner. Chicago is such a great place in the summer, the city seems to truly thrive on the heat.

Thanks for reading.... I gotta run. I live about 2 block from the beach (its still a beach, even if its on a lake, right?) and the sun is calling my name. Hope this summer is treating you all well. Happy 4th!

Love & Honor,

Matt Hoffman

Another Transition

2009-07-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
I'm sorry it's been awhile since I've written. I've been in reflective mode lately since MU summer orientation is now officially over (as of Mon.) and thus, I am home in Centerville once again. Home is great, but wow, there's just something oddly comforting about working (if you can call it work:) lol) with 19 people 7am-midnight--and still being with those same people when not working--and eating the same dining hall food eveyday (no exaggeration) and bragging about AMAZING small group sessions with 1st Years and making random runs to Bagel and Deli at odd hours of the morning and dancing--ALL the time--and crying and praying and getting an ab workout just from laughing so much and realizing that these 19 people have had a life-changing impact you and that you will never look at the world or yourself the same again.

I don't know if anyone can truly understand the impact of what SOUL can have on a life unless you experience it. But if this description can at all give you the slightest hint, then you can understand what I mean. I mean, I just want to break out in tears (and I do!) throughout the day because I am just so touched and honored by how God has blessed me with this experience. Sure I had goals going into this and certain ways I wanted to do things, but holy guacamole, were those ever exceeded!

I especially want to make a shout-out to all you 1st Years bc YOU are the reason for me being a SOUL in the 1st place. You have inspired me and touched me in ways you will probably never know and I just want you to know that you all hold a special place in my heart. I'm not exaggerating this or trying to be sappy either. I"m telling the truth. Please forgive me in advance if I don't remember your name (there are over 3000 of you!) bc that doesn't mean I don't remember YOU:) Ah, I could go on and on but I know y'all don't want to read a novel.

I'm still in the process of unpacking, and simultaneously, packing again bc tmrw, bright and early, my family is heading to the Smokey Mts. This means no phone or computer for awhile--woot!! I just want to leave you with a poem that I think sums up the way I'm feeling right now. This is written by the lovely Brian J. Hill, my fellow SOUL and incredible friend.
I dedicate this post to my SOULs....

(the formatting is a little funky bc it's a blog, but youget the idea)
Sometimes
I raise my hands to the sapphire sky
and try and pull it down
To hold the beauty close
to hold the sky in my arms like a bird in flight
sometimes
Like a bird
You send my heart into a love affair with the sky
Sometimes
When I'm with you
I feel like I can fly
And I wish time would die so I could stay with you forever
Sometimes
My fingers clutch my heart to hold it down
To keep my hope at bay
but when I'm with you
I can dare to dream
I can dare to soar
Sometimes
I realize that loving you is like streaming through the air
Even though I don't have wings
It is exhilarating
Joyous and frightening
I believe humans are capable of sustained unassisted flight
Sure our thoughts can fly
Our dreams can fly
Our feet can fly as we swiftly race towards the unknown
But sometimes
We can fly
As simple loving souls
beautiful and free

The Blur of Summer

2009-07-02T17:36:00.001-07:00

Summer, has been a fantastic and furious experience over the last month. I can hardly believe it's already July. My month of June was consumed by orientation, working with other Student Orientation Undergraduate Leaders (SOULs) to introduce the class of 2013 to Miami campus and to get them excited about coming to the University. Such a good time.

I have to say this past month was superb. The people I worked with this summer were some of the most dynamic and wonderful people I've had the privilege of being so closely associated. The bonds formed were just one the many benefits of the summer.

I won't dwell to long on each point but to summarize, it was a great leadership experience. A healthy increase in confidence, perception and forethought are among the assets I have consciously noted gaining over the course of the SOUL experience. I feel that it was just a really great growing experience overall.

Grow, grow, growing.
Like a weed.

I hit the ground running this summer and I've just gotten my feet under me, SOUL set the pace and all, but there's still so much to do, there's still August orientation to go but even before that I'm going to be heading out to North Carolina for a family reunion as well as making the attempt to meet up with friends in Maryland all before dinner time/before school starts...Well, we shall see.

Onward and upward.

July 2, 2008 - Fireworks are beautiful when you have great company!

2009-07-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

Nope. No fireworks here... but note the date - I was at Navy Pier this time last year. It was my first time visiting Chicago right when my job as a SOUL ended and 2 amazing friends had brought me around that night. We watched some fireworks, ate strawberry gelato and strolled down the pier... I vividly remember it was kind of a far walk from one end to the other and the weather wasn't too great. Yet, the cold, strong wind was nothing compared to the warmth in our hearts after one month of SOULing. We talked, we laughed and we reminisced our times as SOULs in the past month as we walked side by side... THAT, was 2008.

...who knew I'd be sitting here in a little town of another continent, blogging about this today, a year after? My point is: in retrospect, it amazes me how much things can change drastically within a year and how much a person can grow and learn from all the experiences (be it good or bad) he or she gathered in one year's time.

Pardon me for being sentimental, I'm feeling a little nostalgic today - I miss home. I miss my family. I miss my friends. and I miss the SOULs from last summer.

Don't get me wrong... its not that I am not enjoying myself here but the feeling is just different. You are in a new environment, you make new friends... however, you feel the attachment to the familiar faces you know and somehow wish they were here with you on this adventure... Yes, that's how I feel right now.

Well, on the brighter side, it is the end of our first week today! Classes were great, professors are brilliant! I am taking away so much from my classes and I love them all even though there are piles of readings that I have to catch up on... But, guess what? I met 3 other people from Miami! And...and... did I mention I live just right across the street from the house where Charles Darwin had lived? How exciting is that?!!

By the way, here are some pictures as promised. This is King's College, where classes are held. Do enjoy and have a great weekend!!

I am from Miami University.... OF OHIO!

2009-06-29T06:28:00.000-07:00

Its the official start of school today. We had our orientation session this morning and the TAs (Teaching Assistants) brought us around on a tour of the College. Kings College, which is situated right around the city centre of Cambridge is stunningly, jaw-droppingly awesome. Pembroke College has a very pretty surrounding too! The PKP (Pembroke-Kings Program) students will be having our classes mostly in these two buildings and I just can't wait till I get into the routine of it! I know...its weird to be excited for classes.

I already met a lot of people from around the United States today, who are also in this program with me. Most of them come from the West Coast - University of California (Berkeley, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Diego etc etc etc), to be specific. So, naturally... when I tell people that I am from Miami University, they will respond with the same question or the same statement - "so how's it like in Florida? / I'm sure Florida is amazing". Guess how many times I got this? No reward for guessing it right. Oh yes. At least 30 times today. Not. Even. Exaggerating.

There are quite some rules and regulation in Kings College. One particular that's worth mentioning is that it is a felony to step on the grassy areas of the college grounds. There are only 2 designated places where we're allowed to do so. The dining hall is pretty cool too - imagine Harry Potter - those long dining tables and portraits hanging on the walls... Gothic style...yups, Close. Oh, and did I mention that being a historical town and home to a world renowned university, there are tourists everywhere here in Cambridge? In front of Kings College too. It actually feels kind of privileged to be able to enter the grounds of the college, especially where there's a sign that says - "STOP. RESTRICTED ACCESS. NO ENTRY" and when visitors are mostly shunned away.

The PKP group is heading up to Edinburgh, Scotland this weekend and I am stoked!!

Gothic Architecture class in 10 minutes time. Pictures will be uploaded when I have the time. I'm sorry this is such a short one but I hope I'll be able to blog with full details some time in the near future.

Junior Scholars Move In

2009-06-28T21:11:00.001-07:00

Hello all!

Just wanted to update you all on the progress of the Junior Scholars Program! The staff for the Junior Scholars program moved in on Friday and we prepared the hall all day Saturday. Today (Sunday) we had our move in day for all of our students and everything went smoothly, which is always the goal for a day when so much information is going all different ways. As I mentioned in an earlier post, all of our students are rising high school seniors who come and take two Miami classes in 6 weeks. The staff counsels and programs for them to make their experience one that will help them mature to a new level while enjoying the ride. We started today early with giving of keys and moving of luggage and finished late breaking from corridor meetings. We had a couple meetings for the parents of the students as well as a dinner picnic, followed by an all hall meeting before the corridor meetings. It was an extremely busy day but we accomplished a lot. I wish I was a better photographer and I promise the next post will have pictures.

I want to mention that I am so excited for these students to go through this program. Throughout the day I kept picturing myself as a 17 year old high school student moving into this college residence hall and so many emotions would come to mind. Fear, excitement, anxiety and so many more. I just kept seeing myself go through the program, day by day seeing my mind open to the world around me. Learning so many things about college, but more importantly so many things about myself and how I fit into a community. These six weeks are surely to give students a snap shot or peek at what college will be like but it will provide so much more. It will change the way they experience the last year of high school as well as their 4 years of college. I cannot wait to watch these students grow and learn from their classes, counselors, each other and themselves. I will surely keep you updated as I go with them on this journey. It has been such a privilege to have the opportunity I have had with this program and the leadership experience I have gained so far has been immense. I hope all is going well with your summer, and make sure you come back.

Love and Honor,

Daniel

Totally Summer: The Beginning

2009-06-25T17:15:00.000-07:00

This is Benjamin

When it comes to seasons, they’re all pretty great. Playing late afternoon soccer against Autumn’s backdrop of perpetual sunset colors is classy, no doubt; on the other side of the rotation, Spring is that more-than-welcome breath of fresh air and green life; and almost anyone could make a case for Winter’s carefully planned snow-and-ice ambushes, and then for the ensuing snowball battles, for fireside reading, cold fingers, warm drinks, and holiday cheer. But let’s be honest. When the sun comes knocking early and parties until late, when it’s never a bad time to be outside, and when, for a few glorious months, you get to do basically whatever you want, Summer, my friends, rules them all.

For the first part of my summer (May until mid-June) I opted to spend some quality time in St. Louis, MO (woo woo!) with my family. We celebrated my older brother’s graduation, did lots of yard work, took evening walks around our neighborhood with our dog Samantha, and spent hours talking after dinner. That’s one thing about my family that I love—we never just have dinner, but rather have dinner and then talk for hours sometimes, sitting around the table and laughing while we tell stories or while my dad gripes about me being vegetarian. (He’s practically a carnivore and a bona fide grill master, so the family joke is that I pretty much betrayed him when I decided to adopt a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle.) (He’ll get over it.)

The summer in St. Louis is really fantastic because there’s always so much to do in and around the city. Like a lot of college students, I took a summer course at a community college (4 weeks, microbiology) to save some money while I was home. But I hardly let that dominate my summer; I did tons of great things in my first five weeks! For Example…

St. Louis’ Forest Park (which is a larger and more beautiful version of NY’s Central Park) is home to many of my favorite places, like the art museum and the great basin (every high school prom-goer has a photo there), as well as the courts where I play handball with my grandfather three times a week (he beats me every time).

It’s also home to the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival that my girlfriend, Katie, and I attend every summer—this summer was Merry Wives of Windsor––and we were two of many who came out to enjoy the free outdoor festival. We gave it two thumbs up!

In an excursion toward the east, Katie and I went to Pittsburgh to visit family and were lucky enough to visit Falling Waters, perhaps the most famous Frank Lloyd Wright house in the U.S.

Finally, my best friend, Mushnik, and I decided one morning to go on a bike trip. “Where to?” I asked. “How about west?” “Let’s roll.” We threw some provisions on my BOB trailer and hit the road, winding through vineyard and farm country—and got poured on a few times—as is only too appropriate for a summer bike adventure.

I’ll write again soon, and I think I’ll run with the “Totally Summer” title. Rock on!

One too many Universities in One Summer

2009-06-24T16:44:00.000-07:00

Previously, I have visited a couple of Universities in the U.S, in Texas, to be specific.
For the past 2 weeks, I have been doing more traveling, visiting friends who are studying in the United Kingdom. Some of whom I have not seen in years. I am thankful to have this amazing opportunity to catch up with them once again.

First stop. London:
It was very rushed. I did not get to capture very many pictures of the Universities here but I got a glance at parts of the London School of Economics and Kings College London.
There isn't a real college campus environment for these school. Academic buildings are scattered. Not exactly my kind of ideal college campus I would say.

Second stop. Hull (about 3 hours away from London by Train):
There is the University of Hull, a total different environment from the previous 2 schools because Hull is a much smaller city. Over here, the school buildings are within walking distance, a.k.a closer to one another. In fact, to me, it seems much smaller than Miami. There are not many roads accessible by cars, thus to get from one building to another, one will only get to choose between walking or cycling.

My friend, Chin Yin who is currently studying Law in the University of Hull

Third stop. Dundee (9 hours by bus from Hull...):
I traveled all the way up to Scotland on my own, which took up most of the day. I loved the view on the way though. Dundee is the fourth largest city in Scotland, after Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. And here's the University of Dundee. If you ask me, the buildings' architecture in the University of Dundee do not stand out as much as Hull's. There is no uniformity like Miami's... probably because there're some recently built ones. Even though there is sort of a campus ground, buildings are still pretty spread out from one another. Comparing the both, I would vote for Hull's. However, neither the former nor the latter is my favorite so far. Read on and you will find out why.

Fourth Stop. Glasgow, Scotland (approximately 2 hours by bus from Dundee...):
The University of Glasgow, founded in 1451, the second oldest university in Scotland and the fourth oldest in the United Kingdom...My favorite university grounds so far!! My time in Glasgow was really short. I did not have the time to properly sit down and catch up with my friend, let alone tour around the entire university campus but the parts that I went to is enough to take my breath away. Its architecture is very different from that of Miami's as you can see...To me, it feels like Hogwarts...

Fifth Stop. St. Andrews, Scotland (approximately 45 minutes - 1 hour from Dundee by bus):
Its a historical little town, and of course, home of the University of St. Andrews where Prince Williams of Wales went to school. I did more sight seeing in this town rather than touring its University so, I can't say much about it. It is, however, the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the United Kingdom.
Sixth and Final Stop before I get a glance of my own summer school this weekend. Liverpool (7 hours by bus and then another hour by train):
I will be touring the University of Liverpool later today, else, hopefully tomorrow. My friends are busy working and doing their placement, unfortunately. All I know, its another a city campus...

Phew... This should conclude my university hopping experience here in the United Kingdom. Apart from that, I did manage to do some sightseeing along with my very packed schedule. One thing I've learned though... public transportation is very convenient here. It can be very cheap to travel around yet expensive if you do not get tickets at appropriate times...
I am almost broke. Moral of the story? Do not buy your transportation tickets at the eleventh hour.

Well. Hope that's good enough for now.

Updates from the weekend

2009-06-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

SO I know it's Wed. already but I had such an awesome weekend that I just wante to share it with y'all! After Alumni stuff on Sat, I went back to Centerville (yes, again!) for Father's Day.
My dad is a big fisherman and so he has a boat. So, on Sun, my family spent the day on Ceasar's Creek Lake, which is about 1/2 hour away from Centerville near Waynesville. While I do enjoy fishing, my favorite boating activity is tubing!!!I had a blast (except the next mornign my arms hurt so bad from being in the "tubing position" for so long! ha)! Being on the water is SO relaxing to me and I love zooming around the lake, but then I also love just laying in the boat and feeling the the gentle rock of the water. Sigh:) We packed lunch and ate out there and just had anawesome time. Here are some more pics of the lake and all of our fun inder the sun....

I told you it was relaxing!!! Haha...I was getting apower nap in

Gina and I cooled off in the lake...it was HOT outside!

After a great day on the water, I headed back to MU, but this time my BFF form home, Kelsey, came with me!!!!!! We have been friends since pre-school and this past year (our 1st year at college) was our longest time apart. since she goes to the University of Cincinnati.
We both had such differing schedules that she was never able to visit me, so FINALLY she could make it down. It was SOOOOO much fun hanging

and she got to meet a lot of the SOULs too! We all went on a hike in the woods on the trails down by Yager Stadium. It was so cool bc we stopped and hung out for awhile by this mini waterfall and took some great pictures. We made our way through the woods and ended up emerging at the Formal Gardens--which was BEAUTIFUL as always! Needless to say after all that we were really hungry. So, we made a Bagel and Deli run--Kels's 1st!!!!!--and it was incredible as always too:) Yay Cunch n' Munch!! haha. Kels had to lave after that and the rest of us had to prepare for this coming week. O man, what a great reguvinator for the last full week:)

~mandy:)

Feelin The Love: MU Alumni Weekend

2009-06-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

So orientation (session 11) started back up yesterday after having a 6 day break--it was much needed! I went back to MU on Sat morning for all the Alumni festivities and it was absolutely AMAZING! Wow, I don't think I've ever been so proud to be a Miamian. It was also kinda weird, though, since I just finished my 1st year and am clearly not an alumni, but I still felt like such a part of the group.

My favorite part happened at Upham Arch: the renewal of the vows that set a world record with over 1,000 couples participating. I feel like my words can't do it justice in describing what it was like to be there at the arch surrounded by so much Miami love....Ah, I can only imagine what it must be like to be the revered "Miami Merger." What was so amazing is that I'm pretty sure every generation was represented. OMG, this is incredible...there was a couple there who were married for 67 years! Can you even imagine?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I had
so many goose bumps and even teared up because the ceremony was so moving. Here are some pics to give you an idea of what it was like to be part of such a historic moment....

LOTS of people at Upham Arch for the "Miami Merger Moment" and I was in the middle of it all!
The newest Miami Mergers made it official...this was such a cool procession with all the men in uniform and all. What a beautiful bride too:)

Rachel's parents are Miami Mergers so it was AMAZING to be with them and be right there to hear them renew their vows. What a great couple:)
OMG, this is what started the flow of tears...Melt my heart. Is this not the cutest?! I can only hope to be like this adorable couple someday. They just prove that love really does last forever:)
Jacqueline and I felt a litle out of place so we became a couple for a few minutes;) haha.

After this amazing moment, I went to help out athletics promote the big Miami/UK fotball game and to hand out football schedules. It was AMAZING talking with everyone...I had 2 especially memorable converstions: One was with a man nicknamed Orbie (class of '54) who used to play football at MU, but doens't want to go to any games now bc we're not the "Redskins" anymore. H started off being really bitter, but then the more we talked the more he opened up and it was hard to stop the conversation (I wasn't doing my job! haha). Another was with a woman named Kay (class of '50) who spoke Spanish!!!!! and many other languages and had traveled all over the world. It was fascinating listening to her adventures and she was really excited to learn that I'm studying abroad my junior year.

I was tlaking to so many people that I started losing my voice! So, I went back to Emerson to change and then hung out with the SOULS the rest of the night. We ate great food and
listened to the Remnants and the Cheezies. 2 of the VERY popular a capella groups on campus. It was so awesome bc it was not only the current members, but also the alumni came back. So they did separate songs and then sang together. And at the end they ALL (Remnants AND Cheezies) sang together. Ah, it was so great:) After that, another band came on stage to play for the rest of the night. It was kinda awkward, though, bc a lot of people had already left and it was kinda dead. However, never fear when the SOULs are near! We started dancing and soon people started moving to the dance floor. It was amazing to see how just a small group of us could encourage people to join in the fun. We even got to go up on stage and dance!
haha. I had SO much fun being in such a historic, yet FUN and upbeat environment. I can't even imagine what it's gonna be lie when I actually AM and alumni!!! lol.

Say WHAT?!

2009-06-19T17:21:00.001-07:00

It is when you travel in a foreign land that allows you to learn the most. Sometimes about yourself, sometimes about others.

Today, I learned that some people needs to travel out of their country or if not, at least read widely and be informed... just so they know that the world does not revolve around them; just so they learn about equality and know that they are not superior to others; just so when they realize how big this world is, they will find themselves only appearing to be 2 INCHES TALL!

Story of the day: I met 3 racists on the streets today. I have heard about stories of such from my friends and showed empathy but this is definitely my first encounter of such extreme incident.

They publicly and openly made remarks about my friend and I while we were just walking past...

"Hey Chinks!! Tell Me huh?! Tell me! What are you guys doing in England?"
"Oh!! here are those Chinky people again!"
"it is because of you Chinks that I've voted for BNP..." (British National Party)

Really, kids? REALLY?

Never have I felt this offended in my life... I now understand how it really feels to be discriminated by race. There was this rage urging me to confront them and punch them in their face for acting this way. On the other hand, I knew that there's nothing we could do but to tolerate just in case they have something else up their sleeves. Something like a dagger. You never know what these kids carry with them...

I mean, I only had my camera with me. That is all. So, this was all I could do...

In full honesty, I do feel ashamed for you for being such a disgrace to the young generation, kids.

Hola from the 'Ville!!

2009-06-19T14:37:00.000-07:00

Hey all!!
I'm back at home (Centerville, OH) and having a great time. Last night my family and I went to the Dayton Dragons baseball game. The Dragons are a single A minor league farm team for the Cincinnati Reds. We had Lawn Seats which means we got to sit out in right field on a blanket (and they're cheaper!)--What screams summer more than that?! It was really funny because there were a tone of little kid T-Ball teams there and they were more about running around than the actual game. It was pretty cute:) It was awesome to spend time with my family and it was a plus that the dragons won! I love going to these games because
1) I'm a HUGE baseball fan
2) The stadium is only 20 min form my house in downtown
3) They play great music
4) I get to eat Dip-n-Dots;) haha
5) It's an all-around GREAT family atmosphere

Home of the Dayton Dragons!
Dayton, OH

I felt like such a tourist;) haha
It's cool, though, because these are all over the place!

Jumbo-Tron--It's sweet bc when there is a homerun, smoke comes out of the Dragons' nostrils and their eyes turn red...it's the little things in life:)

Dad, Mom, and me in our seats in the lawn

My little sis, Gina, and I:)

Hahahahaha...this was hilarious. It's "The Famous Chicken" that travels the country and puts on shows for baseball games. He was one of the first baseball mascots and was formerly known as the "San Diego Chicken." He was so popular, however, that he took his show on the road!

Last night was LOTS of fun if you couldn't tell by the pics:) I've also been able to see some friends from high school, so that's been great too. Today, my best friend Kelsey and I went to Free Flip-Flop Day at Tropical Smoothie: We wore flip-flops and got free smoothies and

instead of paying, we were able to donate to a charity. What a genius idea!

I'll be heading back to MU tmrw morning to hang out with the SOULs at some of the Alumni Weekend festivities.

Hope all is well,
mandy:)

2009-06-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

Hola! It's Mandy again and I'm so sorry I haven't written in so long. Being a SOUL is by far (in my opinion!) the best job on campus, but it doesn't leave a lot of free time! When we finally do have free time, we (the SOULs) love to...well, 1st sleep! but then...just spend time with each other hanging out, going to Bagel and Deli, playing goofy games, etc. Here are some examples of what a SOUL does when the red polo comes off;).....

Getting-ready/dance parties parties in the bathroom!

(Rachel, Morgan, and I)

The gang at Cheesecake Factory to celebrate a successful week 1!!!!

Hangin out Uptown listening to Lucas and his friend Luke(together= "The Dukes") play

AMAZING music:)

The Dukes:)

Watching the sunset at Hueston Woods beach and listening to Christine's beautiful guitar playing and all the SOULful voices:)

Anna, Jacqueline, Matthias,

and I on the beach at Hueston Woods

So, needless to say we've been keeping REALLY busy. It's so crazy, though, because there are only 5 more orientation sessions left!!! AH! I feel like I've been training for this forever and now it's about to be over. Well, this part anyway. The best part is about to come...seeing all the 1st Years this fall putting into action everything they've heard about. I can't wait to see them all again! I've been just blown away by the caliber of students Miami has chosen this year. I feel like we're all gonna learn so much from them--I already have:)

I'm home in Centerville (suburb of Dayton) right now because it's Alumni Weekend at MU and we have almost a week off. I'm going back Sat. though to see all the festivities and such...then I'm coming BACK to Centerville on Sunday for Father's Day. Nothing too eventful has happened here in the 'Ville yet, but I am thinking about getting my hair all cut off again (even though it's already pretty short!). I can't decide....what do y'all think?!?!?! Email me at GAERKEAL@muohio.edu if you have any suggestions!

Hasta luego!

Hello all the way from ENGLAND!!

2009-06-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

And that means good news - I got my visa at 3 pm the day I last posted.

Here are 2 virtual postcards for those of you who are reading this. From the 2 places I've been so far: London and the Isle of Wight (Hampshire).
Survived a few days without a phone and a laptop.This is also going to be short because 1 pound per 20 minute internet usage and having only 1 coin with me right now means I am running out of time!

I promise updates as soon as I get a hold of some form of internet connection.

So far...

2009-06-16T05:43:00.000-07:00

Hello all! This time next month, my life should be more interesting. For now, I've been spending my last month at work and in classes...that's about it :(

I guess it is a little more intereting than that. I've been loving my time as a tour guide, however, I never thought I'd know so much about Miami in my life! I'm kinda glad I do know about it though because I enjoy sharing the information with potential students. For some reason, it makes me feel like I have something to do with the interestees of the university. I might be ging myself too much credit, but hey, it helps me sleep at night. My favorite tour so far has been with a large group of sixth graders; granted, I am a Middle-Childhood Education major, so I'm biased.

As far as my internship goes...VERY INFORMATIVE! Just from spending one day a week in a Senator's office for 8 hours, I still am learning so much about Ohio, the US and politics as a whole. Like I said before, I don't feel like I'm learning about randomness, but just topics that every American should know anyway.

Soon enough, I will start a couple of summer programs. After those are complete, I will definitely update you on all the fun.

Chicago visit

2009-06-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

Hope your summers are off to a good start. As you may have read I will be working with the Junior Scholars Program later this summer but that doesn't begin for another 2 weeks. As excited as I am, I have had a great time being able to visit some of my friends to start the summer.

This past week I was in Chicago and it was great to see so many of my friends doing cool things in the Second City. I wish I had more pictures but I'm just not as good of blogger as the likes of Matt Hoffman so we're going to have to get past that. Throughout my time in Chicago I got to spend time with friends who were working downtown for accounting and marketing firms, friends who were a part of the Urban Leadership Program, friends that were working at summer camps as well as friends that are with a faith based group there for the summer.

I just wanted to write and comment on the fact that one of the things I appreciate most about Miami are all of the out of classroom learning experiences that are offered. Not just summer internships or opportunities either but there are trips over winter break as well as spring break. I actually had the opportunity to go on a Habitat for Humanity Spring Break trip through my residence hall and it was an incredible experience. On my way back from Chicago I just thought about my friends who were all involved with different types of things this summer, all of which will help them on their journey to becoming that person they want to be. I had a wonderful time visiting and I hope in years to come they will continue. More about Junior Scholars when it begins, I promise.

Love and Honor,

Daniel MacKenzie

US-Honduras

2009-06-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole! Ole, Ole!

Last Saturday night, around 55,000 fans filed into Soldier Field in Chicago to watch the US National Soccer Team face the Honduran National Team in a World Cup Qualifying match. And me, the avid soccer fan, couldn't miss the opportunity to watch the US National Team in action.

Those of you who follow soccer know that the following in the US is not great. The stadium was overwhelming filled with fans wearing blue and white (the national colors of Honduras). Moreover, the US was coming off a disappointing loss (1-3) to Costa Rica in San Jose just 4 days before. Yet, the atmosphere was magic... there truly is nothing like a packed and enthusiastic crowd at a soccer game.

So, facing a quasi-away game, the possibility of slipping in the standings, and possibly not qualifying for the World Cup (the next game is against Mexico at Azteca Stadium, where the US is 0-22-1), the US team responded in a 2-1 victory over the inspired Hondurans.

Honduras played well in the first 10 minutes of both halves but seemed to slouch towards the end of each half. Yet, there were moments of major concern for the US. After a mistake by a US defender, Honduras scored in the 5th minute of the game. The US tied the game before the half with a PK by Landon Donovan and then broke the tie in the second half with a header (slightly fluke-ish) by captain Carlos Bocanegra.

It was a great experience and I was able to have some interesting conversations with the Hondurans around us. I was able to go with a good friend of mine, a recent Miami graduate, and it was truly an experience that I will never forget. Can't wait until the next home game (in my vicinity)!

I guess this is one of the benefits of living in a big city--important sporting events are located just an "el" ride away. Glad to see the US come away with a victory.

Tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 EST on ESPN, the US will be taking on Italy in the Confederations Cup in South Africa. This will be a good test to see how far the US has come and how much the team still needs to improve before the World Cup in 2010.

That's all for now.

Love & Honor,

Matt Hoffman '10

N-n-now that that won't kill me...

2009-06-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

...Can only make me STRONGER

Realize that I have posted thrice in a row and this is my fourth posting in one day. Why? because I can. Why? because I have all the time in my hands... and WHY?

I have been sitting in front of the computer blogging since 9 a.m. this morning and the time now is 12.05 p.m..

To answer that question above, I am supposed to be in England, getting ready for my summer school adventures at this very moment as I blog but nope, I am sitting in my friend's apartment looking out the window with a view of freezing cold, gloomy and rainy Chicago this morning, eagerly waiting for 3 p.m. to arrive. Nothing much to do.

The United Kingdom Border Agency recently changed their immigration rules. As a Malaysian, I have to apply for a student visa to study in the UK this summer. I submitted my applications to the British Consulate in Chicago with all relevant documents before I left for Texas about 3 weeks ago, waited and waited, praying hard that I will hear from them soon enough. Few days before I left Texas, I received an email telling me that my visa is ready to be collected. Of course I was excited to return to Chicago.

Unfortunately things didn't go that smoothly. I came back to Chi-town to realize that my visa got denied and it doesn't attract a full right to appeal. The reason it got denied was not quite clearly stated in the refusal letter and I was not allowed to question their decision. I was stuck. These past few days have been quite a mess for me. I've booked my air tickets, paid for tuition and accommodation in England and now... I honestly did not quite know what to do. I just wanted to break down and cry. It is during times like this that I felt the importance of having my family with me. Being halfway around the globe from them, alone in this foreign land, I felt absolutely helpless. I talked to my parents over the phone and there is just so much that they can do to help. They were worried but there's nothing they could do. I was left all by myself. Its time to be INDEPENDENT. Good thing my best friends from high school were around. They stuck with me and I couldn't thank them enough for their support and all they have done to help me get through this.

For the past few days I have been running in and out the Wrigley Building - that's where the British Consulate is located, and communicating with my school in England. Apparently, there was nothing wrong with my visa applications according to my school and I am convinced that I did everything right. My visa should not be refused. I was supposed to fly out yesterday evening but because of an erroneous assumption by the entry clearance officer, as found out yesterday morning after an argument with them, I had to cancel my flight and paid an extra $100 flight cancellation fee. Today at 3p.m I will find out if my visa is ready to go. (fingers crossed)

So, yesterday evening, instead of sitting comfortably in my flight to London, I ended up following a friend to her volunteer site in Viet-Town. She works with an after school day care program at the Chinese Mutual Aid Association on a weekly basis. Seeing those little kids, listening to their laughter and cheeriness immediately made my day 5 times better. I had tons of fun in the evening despite realizing the fact that I could be on my way to London then..

It was shocking and unexpected yet a great learning opportunity for myself as I learned who are those friends who truly cared when a crisis like this happens. I learned how to stay strong and not collapse in times of trouble. Most importantly, I learned how to be independent. Its hard being away from home, but at the same time, the lessons learned and the experiences gained are invaluable.

I'm glad I chose to study abroad. If you ever have the chance, don't be afraid to spread your wings and fly... I chose to do it and I have no regrets. I am sure you can do it too.

Check this out: http://www.units.muohio.edu/internationalprograms/index.php

Just Me.

2009-06-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't really introduced myself. My name is Qiao Wen Tan. I am an international student from Malaysia and I will be a third year senior at Miami University next year. I am a Chemical Engineering major, but I am studying this course, not because it is my one and only passion, but only because I knew that I wanted a technical background in science for myself.

In fact, I do not really know what I intend to do in the future. I have a broad scope of interests - I love music. I love performing. I love arts. I love the media and communications studies. I am interested to learn about finance, economics and the stocks market. I love to travel and learn about the world... and of course, I love math and sciences.

Yes, I am not ashamed or afraid to admit that my parents had some form of influence in that decision when I first picked my major and I am sure the same goes for many of you high school seniors out there.

You know what? Sometimes, it is okay to heed advice from your parents, especially if you know that the decisions they helped you make have been shaping you and helping you grow in the right way in the past. After all, parents are the experienced ones. Well, of course, mix and match it up a little - follow your heart, follow your instincts, but at the same time, it is definitely okay to listen to what others have to say and then re-evaluate your decision. Talk to people.

My mother always wanted me to be a doctor, but I knew I can't (not because I do not enjoy biology but because I know that I have a phobia for blood, wounds, dead body, needles and things like that in general - I don't think I'll be able to handle my patients). We sat down and talked about it, weighed the pros and cons, took into consideration what I enjoy studying and what I do not and finally, I've decided that I want to go into the biomedical field, thus Chemical engineering with a concentration in biomedical/biochemical background. I am still keeping my options open this way. I know that in a few years time, when I grow older, if I decide one day that I am not afraid anymore, I can still apply to medical school anytime. Else, I can apply to a business school to earn my MBA or continue my studies as an engineer in a graduate school... law school? mmm not so much, but still a possibility. Otherwise, I can always graduate, get a job as an engineer or if not, continue pursuing my passion in music, as a performer, a music teacher, or an audio engineer.

However there's one thing I know for sure - I want to go to graduate school after Miami because I believe an undergraduate degree is no longer sufficient in today's world. Simply throw a rock at any direction, chances that you hit a person who owns a college degree with that rock is probably very high. So what makes you outstanding and competitive in the future?

I like to explore and to keep my options open. That is why I love the fact that Miami offers the Miami Plan Courses. It allows me to study something outside of my major. It gives me an opportunity to be a well rounded person. In fact, I am extremely excited that I will be studying a couple of liberal arts courses this summer - history, world politics and architecture. They are nothing close to what I am good at, but I am not afraid to attempt and to force myself to do it because I know I will learn a lot.

Whichever field you choose to settle in, whatever major you pick, give it a 110%. I am a firm believer of the power of positive thinking. "If you can't you must, if you must, you can" - Anthony Robbin.

To read widely is my second piece of advice. Do not only focus on your major. I must admit sometimes I struggle to find time for that because I am not a speed reader, but be rest assured that in doing this or making this a habit will only put you at an advantage. Remember: Pop the bubble, think outside the box.

Anyways, that was a really long introduction. Good Luck!

Love and Honor

2009-06-11T07:38:00.000-07:00

Oops. Its me again!

So, visiting friends in Texas means I get to visit other universities in the lone star state. Not many. Only three:

Rice University, Texas A&M in College Station and the University of Texas in Austin.

Picture paints a thousand words... I have more than one. So, you be the judge. These schools are unique in their own ways... but hey, if you ask me I'd tell you, I still love Miami the most! Love and Honor. Nothing can be compared to the beautiful red brick architecture here at Miami. After all, poet Robert Frost once described Miami as "the most beautiful college there ever was". That's a winner right there. ;)

but yeah! Nothing much to say, just a few pictures to sum up my "university-hopping adventures" in Texas...

RICE UNIVERSITY

Lovett Hall

McNair Hall of the Jones Business School

_______________________________________________

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

The Engineering Quad

The Academic Building

George Bush Presidential Library

Unfortunately, I only managed to catch a glimpse of UT Austin because we did not have time to explore. I owe you pictures for that one.

...Peace and until next time.

To Infinity and Beyond...

2009-06-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered how our lives would be in 20 years time? What tremendous changes science and technology would bring to our daily routine?

Perhaps, flying to the moon or even Mars in 2029 will be as easy as traveling to another country in 2009 - Just hop on the space shuttle!

I was in Texas about a week ago, just traveling around and visiting a friend. Well of course, I did not miss the opportunity to visit the NASA space center in Houston.

It was in fact, an eye opening experience. Never have I imagined the hard work behind the missions and space station researches, the training the astronauts have to go through until I got to see it for myself. Its just like the movies!

The mission control room, where astronauts call home from space, the training grounds where the conditions are being set to simulate outer-space and et cetera... As an engineer, I stood in awe looking at those high technology devices and facilities, perhaps, ready to be utilized by any one of us in the near future. Isn't that amazing?

Think about it, 20 to 30 years ago... airplanes and computers ain't that common but in today's world, it is almost close to difficult to survive without them. So, who's to say in another 20 to 30 years, the dream of traveling to outer-space in a space shuttle and living in a space station will not come true, eh?

This reminds me of Buzz Lightyear and his favorite quote "to infinity and beyond..." I believe anything is possible.

Interested? For more exciting stories, don't hesitate to visit NASA's home page at: www.nasa.gov

WHEW!

2009-06-07T13:32:00.000-07:00

WHEW! So us SOULS just finished our first week of orientation and it was...phenomenal!!! I've only only had 4 small groups so far, yet I feel like I've learned so much about myself and others already. Each group is so different and I love it because they're neither better or worse than another--just different. I was definitely running on adrenaline for the week and so it's been awesome to have the weekend to SLEEP!!! (lol), regroup, and reflect. I know all 1st Years go through orientation, so you know what it's like. Therefore, I wanted to give you all a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes of the lives of the people in the red polos;)

SOUL chant: ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh SOUL!!!!!!!!!!

Dancing in the reflective pool:)

Group masages!!!

Christine and I jammin in the basement (well, Christine was at least--I was singing and watching!!)

Steff, Laura, Rachel, Tim, and I on a team cell phone scavenger hunt!

Matthias, this was NOT nap time!!;)

Jacqueline, Sarah, Marissa, and I hangin Uptown

LOTS of planning!

Junior Scholars Program!

2009-06-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

I suppose I should start with what I'm doing this summer. After spending the last two summers with the summer orientation program helping graduated high school students begin to understand what their new home(Miami) would be like, I have moved on to helping rising high school seniors understand what college is all about. This summer I will be serving as the head resident advisor for the Junior Scholar Program, which is a program designed for rising high school seniors who apply to come here for a six week experience in which they take 2 college classes as well as partake in numerous extracurricular activities. In the past we have taken students to the World Piano Competition, the Dayton Air Show as well as this year Bengal's Spring Training camp. We also provide a series of seminars on different aspects of the college admissions process from financial aid to the honors program. If students perform well in classes as well as achieve a certain score on standardized testing they are automatically admitted to Miami, but those details and more information can be found on our website, http://www.units.muohio.edu/jrscholars/. If your are a rising Junior or younger in high school getting a really early start on looking at colleges this is definitely a program worth checking out.

Until I start that program on June 26th I have been back and forth from Oxford preparing as well as checking in on the orientation leaders. I chose to work for the Junior Scholars program this summer because I love working with students. At Miami I have been a tour guide, a member of the student foundation, a member of a fraternity founded at Miami, an orientation leader as well as student coordinator for orientation, a resident assistant and now the head of the Junior Scholar program as well as a blog participant! I point those things out because through my experiences at Miami I learned of what I am truly passionate about, generally working with college/high school students, and more importantly gone after opportunities which have allowed me to really understand what this field is all about. There have been so many learning experiences and I have been blessed by having so many wonderful people help me on my journey to becoming just who I want to become. I look forward to updating more about how the Junior Scholars program is going and feel free to post questions if you have any.

Daniel MacKenzie

Startin' Summer!!!

2009-06-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

Hey all! I first want to say TGIS (Thank Goodness It's Summer)! I kind of made that up, but it sounds nice, right? Well, anyway, I would be happy to share my summer plans with you all including a couple of things that I've already started doing.

First off, I think it is important to know that I'm taking summer classes here in Oxford. Though it has sort of a different atmosphere than it does from August through April, it still is Miami...fun people, cool profs and a beautiful campus; I'm enjoying it the same. Ususally, when I tell people that I'm taking summer classes, the ask, "Are you trying to graduate early?" I'm going to answer that question with a loud, "NO!" I will never want to rush out into that scary economy; I want to stay here as long as I can (despite what my mom's checkbook wants). The following question is, "So, why are you taking summer classes then?" Now, that is a valid question. I've already been at Miami for 2 years now and I've been loving my Marketing major. The whole time, however, I was battling with an ever bigger passion; education. I came to terms with myself over the last month and cahnged my major to Middle Childhood Education (Math and Social Studies) and these few summer classes will bring me where I need to be. I'm taking EDL 204 and MBI 131 this session and I will be in HST 111 in the third session. Classes are going well too. I love summer classes because I don't mind sitting in class for 2 or 3 hours, I just don't like going back for 15 weeks!!

*For the record, I am still involved in business since Economics is my minor.*

Also, I work. I am a campus tour guide for the summer, which is really fun. I love talking to people and you can never look at this campus too much...it really is beautiful. Besides, I like to think that I have a part in helping students decide if Miami is a good fit for them. If you happen to visit Miami this summer, request me! You would have to come for the 11:00 AM tour Monday-Thursday...I'm busy all other times; bummer :(

Moving on, I don't have classes on Fridays or work, so it's WONDERFUL! Well, that is until I realize that I have another obligation on Fridays 9-5. I have an internship with a U.S. Senator in his downtown Cincinnati office. It is giving me really good experience and some exposure to some stuff that all adults should know. I've only been twice, but as fun stuff happens, I'll make sure to share it.

I know of a couple more things that I'll be doing this summer, but I don't want to tell it all on the first blog! I guess this is like my little cliff hanger...that's assuming that I'm at all interesting lol.

Really, keep checking up on me. I hope to tell you some funny stories about touring or something that I found out about government stuff or better yet, any embarassing summer stories like losing my trunks in the pool or anything else that I don't really want to share...I'm sure YOU won't tell anybody :P

A SOULful summer

2009-05-31T16:22:00.000-07:00

¡Hola Amigos!

I'm so pumped to be able to share with you all about my summer and to hear what awesome things you all are doing too. So I've been training for a long time now to be a SOUL (Summer Orientation Undergrad Leader) at MU and after countless hours of preparation, today is the big day the the 1st group of 1st Years come. Ahhhhh--SOOOOO exciting!!!

I felt really prepared and confident last night, but then this morning I wake up to my phone ringing and realize that I didn't wake up on time and have 15 to get ready--ah:0. Luckily I made it on time and the morning prgrm was great (the vignettes were stellar!!!) And then came time to break into small groups. I love leading groups, but all of a sudden I felt so crazed. 1) because we had 20 less minutes(!) 2) because my first activity didn't work out and 3) I felt like I was doing all the talking and wasn't sure if my groupies were getting anything out of it. Oh man.

Lunch was kinda quiet, but there was some great mini conversations going on. I realized that after talking with some other SOULS (on our break right now) that they all had some mishaps. Each group is so unique and I just want MY small group to feel comfortable and know that they can count on me--they are amazing people!

So, if you're faced with an uneasy situation this summer, it's ok. I know that I just have to be myself and that nerves are good--they mean you really care:)

Chi-town for the summer...

2009-05-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken before a Chicago White Sox game. I am the guy on the far left. US Cellular Field is about 5 blocks from where I do why service work at CYC.

Hello all,

I hope that summer is finding you all well and that you are enjoying your time off from school! My name is Matt Hoffman and I am a senior (which is a scary realization) at Miami, majoring in International Studies and Political Science. I am spending this summer in Chicago, Illinois—a place very different from my hometown of Brookville, Ohio. I am hoping to explore the urban environment of the city, to interact with many residents, and to explore the unique aspects that makes Chicago one of the world’s greatest cities.

So, how am I supporting myself in this endeavor? Great question! I am participating in a program at Miami known as the Urban Leadership Internship Program (ULIP) through the University Honors & Scholars Program. This program is made up of around 20 students who spend the summer in Columbus, Cleveland, or Chicago and participate in an internship of their choosing, while doing service work at least one day a week. Miami supports us financially with a large living stipend, which covers housing, food, and has some flex room to cover activities.

My internship is at DePaul University—a large, urban, Vincentian (Catholic) university in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. After graduation, I want to work with student leaders and student leadership development; at DePaul, I am working in their office of student leadership and have the chance to interact with student leaders and to evaluate leadership programs and learning outcomes. Additionally, every Wednesday, I participate in service at a Chicago Youth Center in Bridgeport, on the south side of the city. There, I tutor children in an after-school program and coach a soccer team.

Even though this experience just began, I think that it will be truly transformational. ULIP provides me with the chance to explore a large urban area like Chicago, to gain valuable work experience, and to explore some of the issues associated with urban living through service work. The best part is that Miami helps me foot the bill—and with such dire economic times, this experience is truly a bargain…and an once-in-a-lifetime experience!

This is me as a Chicago-style hot dog at the Chicago History Museum.

Love & Honor,

Matt Hoffman ‘10

HEY NACURH!

2009-05-28T22:21:00.000-07:00

"...HEY WHAT?!"

Mm hmmm...! I just returned from the most amazing conference hosted by the University of Arizona, in Tuscon, AZ (obviously).

The National Association of College and University Residence Halls, better known as NACURH holds an annual conference in different universities each year. Thankfully, I am lucky enough, or should I say honored to be among one of the 11 delegates who had the opportunity to represent Miami University at this conference.

Three whole days with little sleep and nothing else but filled with spirit, cheers and high levels of energy, I was not even a tad close to being worn out the least. We played ice breakers all day, met new people, and most importantly, learned about ourselves in different leadership skills and personal development presentation sessions. A chance to interact and socialize with other schools also allowed us to exchange and share ideas with one another.

At the end of the conference, we proudly brought back with us two pieces of good news. First being Miami University's very own Residence Hall Association (RHA) has won its bid for the National Building Block Award. The second, our advisor, Grant Walters will be undertaking the advisor position in the Central Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (CAACURH) Regional Board of Directors.

Taking a minute to recognize the important people behind these success stories: RHA advisor Grant Walters, RHA president Matt Forrest, RHA Leadership Director-Elect / NACURH Communications Coordinator (NCC) Bailey Box, all RHA Executive Board members and General Assembly. Kudos to these people and their efforts put forth to make this a possibility... and of course, CONGRATULATIONS RHA!

I love happy endings. Good news like these make it all the better. This pretty much sums up all the excitement in one large conference attended by almost 3000 people coming from 300 schools all over the country.

I am roaming around in Texas for now. More updates to come so stay tuned!