12 hour days

I've been having 12 hour days interning and taking a class at De Anza; from 8am-8pm. My internship is with APALI, the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute. So far it's been a great experience. I am really learning a lot about myself, my leadership, and privilege through this program. In fact, I was actually a student in 2007 during the summer before my 1st year at Berkeley. So APALI has been a part of me and my political identity formation for the past 2 years. I really love it

And for the class, I'm taking Astronomy in which I fall asleep whenever the lights go off and the projector turns on. The classroom is in a planetarium with seats that stay reclined for you to gaze up into the spheric ceiling of stars and planets. It feels like the Back to the Future ride at Universal Studios. I am still sad that they got rid of it. I'm taking the class to fullfill my Physical Science breadth requirement. Good thing only the units or credits transfer, not the grade because I do not plan on buying the book or studying for it extensively. I'm basically half-assing the class. hehe

The fact that I am going to be a 3rd year hit me today while I was talking to Huy, one of my good friends from Van Lang who is also going to be a senior in high school. On top of busy days, I've also been guiding and counseling a few friends and family friends on personal statements and college stuff. Everyone's getting older. Back when I was a kid, I never really paid attention to time. I had thought things would stay the same probably because I was sheltered. I didn't move a lot. I had a consistent room. My parents were consistent with each day with the roles they carried out in the household. Wishful thinking indeed.

Summer is great so far! I hope to continue to catch up with old friends and make new ones.

My 7th Grade Journal

While I was cleaning up my room, I found a journal from 7th grade. I cannot believe I wrote this back then. Around 7 years ago...

September 11, 2002

"I feel sorry for hte people on the plane and the two towers. Innocent people killed over religion. It's just not right. When I saw the building collapsed on the news the first time, I felt like I was in a movie, not real. I have never seen a plane hit into a building then collapsing before, and people jumping out of the window, falling to their end. Never in my life have I saw that kind of image, only in the movies.

Before all this happened back when I was 10, I felt I lived in a good place, where no one would get hurt. But I learned that the world not all happy."

October 11, 2002

"I hate it when people hate on each other. People are not supposed to hate people. About the 9/11 thing, other people were prejudice against the hijackers' nationality, which was Muslim. Americans thought that 'Islam' was a very evil religion. They were all wrong. It looks like they did not study that religion. They just hated it because it was clearly 'Muslim.' Hate is a very powerful word. It defines anger and dislike at the same time. Which can cause that person, or group of people to kill, or oblish that certain thing. An example is the KKK, which is a group of people who hate black people. If one of the members had a chance to kill a black man, he would."

October 23, 2002

"The thing I value most are my family and friends. They are more important in my life than all the riches in the world. Nothing can surpass love or friendship. Without friends or family I would not be me today. Or a part of me. Only a part of me would be here. Without people around people, people would not be people."

Back On The Road

SASC SI 2009 was truly inspiring. Despite "shit happening," I thought it went pretty well. The cohort of mentees this year was a unique one. SASC is truly a family. As each year passes, my age hits me more. I can't say the realization of age is only apparent in family, but I can say that perhaps in my mind, I associate the two things together most of the time. I think about it more whenever I am in my own family or at home.

The theme this year was "Re-Mapping Our Geography", which is a little different from past years' as it focuses on drawing, and redrawing your understanding of yourself. How did you become you in the first place? Where did you come from? How did you get there? Why are you here? Where are you on the map? Where are people like you on the map? Is the current master map inclusive of your own history, your stories, your belonging, your home? With this theme, there is a huge emphasis on belonging, space, travel, and advancement. Instead of using roots all the time, we played with maps and geography. If you think about it, geography is a huge part of our lives. It's not just limited to pin pointing where you are on the map or spinning the globe to check out where is where. You have the power to change what has already been set. Things always change. Do you want to change with it? Or do you want to ignite the changing?

I'm back on the road, and I'm moving forward. I'm in control of my direction. Even if I have no direction, I am still in control of myself. I am free to encounter whatever will appear in my lifemap. My past will be my compass. My present will be where I stand. My future will be where I go. I'm back and there is no stopping me from moving on, going to anywhere I want to go, and being where I want to be.