I Love N.Y and finally some Peace Corps info.

 I am in New York, N.Y for now. I have done so much already with my friend. We went to Chinatown, the Brooklyn Bridge, a make-up store Elf, and the Ground Zero Memorial for the World Trade Center. I never got to see any of these ever, and yes I am born and raised in New York. It was a part of my New York bucket list. So now I did it all, and I did not even ask my friend to take me, we just kinda came across it all. Today is St. Patrics Day! Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my fellor Irish friends. :) I will be checking out the St. Patrick's Day Parade in N.Y in about an hour or so. It is a 7 hour parade! 11:00a.m - 5:00p.m and it is live on CNN as well. My friend and I were going to go in the morning but we realize we have plenty of time. Then after we will go out and celebrate.

 

Right now, my friend is trying to brush up on her resume and wants to apply for some jobs, so that is what we are doing. Since I have been here I have been eating a lot with chopsticks, since my friend is Chinese. It is quite hard, and I feel my fingers get a workout. Also I noticed how my friend walks a lot faster than me, and I can never keep up. It is like she is always in a hurry even if we are just casually walking, it can get exhausting. Unless I am running late, I like to take a slower pace. Plus its not everyday that I am in New York and Manhattan. There so many more buildings that have been built and places I have never seen of N.Y so its overwhelming too. One thing I love about N.Y is that it is so convenient. Places are open at all hours. Subway is always running about every 8 minutes. Restaurants are everywhere. My friend and I went to one Chinese Restaurant and it had its entrees all over the walls. The menu was literally on the wall with pictures of the dish. Probably over 100 dishes and it is really cheap. We had this beef cheese rice dish, and I told her it tasted like similar Pakistani dish that I eat called Haleem. Then we had some shrimp rice noodle, which was alright a bit bland. And the other dish was chicken sticky rice, the dish came in a wrapped leaf. So the rice was wrapped in a leaf and in a bowl. I had to open the leaf and there were bits of chicken, a chicken wing piece, a dried egg yolk, and some bits of shrimp. It was really interesting. The leaf really gave a unique taste to the rice, which I really liked. It had a hint of green tea flavor. Oh and that reminds me, my friend had a bag of match green tea mini Kit-Kats just sitting around. I ate plenty of those. We invented a cool new breakfast spread for bagels. We took raisin cinnamon bagels, toasted them, added Philadelphia whipped cream cheese with chives in it, and avocados. So, we put the avocado and cream cheese and spread on the bagel. It actually tastes really good. Odd combination, but tastes amazing. I also got to try some authentic Chinese food, that my friends mother made. I really enjoy how it is really healthy but also so tasty. The night my friends mother steamed an entire fish, with head and fins, eyes and all. It was so tasty! They even told me that it is bad luck to flip the fish, as it means like a sinking ship. My friend also told me about how her mother would put her baby teeth in front of the door when she was little so that her teeth would be straight when she grew up. It is a sort of superstition. I definitely learned a lot of Chinese culture. Its only been 3 days and I have done a lot,. I <3 New York. Tomorrow I will go to Long Island and see my Aunts,Uncles, cousins, everyone else.

 

Now, I will talk about Peace Corp. So I did a bit of research, I also told my friend about and she is into it as well. She might consider doing it too. I recently applied, since I will be graduating in May, I really thought about what I want to do. My first plan was to get my license, get a car, and move to New York, NY. But I don't have my license, or car, and not enough money to move to New York. So, now I will find a job in Buffalo, get my license, save and buy a car. Then apply to jobs, and maybe start my Master's while I am in Buffalo, I guess, that's all. I heard of Peace Corps from a professor. She had gone to Brazil and lived there for 2 years. I was looking for a volunteer program or international jobs program that pays for the flight and living. Peace Corp was the most decent one that I found. I just randomly looked it up. I had no idea about it, that it is even better than the other programs. It is a legit program. First, Peace Corps pays for flight, and 2 bags of luggage not more than 70 lbs each. It pays for your living expenses there, they pay you according to the pay that someone living there and working in the same field would get, and its in the country's currency. But its always enough for your living expenses, but compared to U.S dollar it would be like $10 - $50 a month, depending on the country.

http://brennajourneys.blogspot.com

 I had read a previous volunteer's blog Brenna In Albania. She was a Youth and Development Volunteer, assigned in Albania, in March 2011-2013. She posted regularly every other day, and put pictures which really gave me a feel of what it would be like. I applied in March and it was a fairly simple application, with filling out education, and health information, language fluencies, etc.. I chose 3 locations: Albania, Panama, and Indonesia. I looked up in Peace Corps website what they are looking for currently, and I want to teach English, since my degree is in English. So these countries already are asking for English teachers, that's why I picked these 3. I picked Albania first thinking it would be least of a culture shock. But when I searched Indonesia and Panama, I kinda wish I had picked those first. Indonesia looks the most modern. It is next to Malaysia and Australia, 2 countries I want to see so badly. I also have friends that are from there and that have family in Malaysia. I have a pen pal in Australia, I thought I could visit him, and a college friend that transferred there from UB. So now I feel like; "darn.." .. Ehh, I guess its okay, maybe if I really like Peace Corp I could try it again. I liked Panama too, since it was closer to U.S, and flights are cheaper to come and go. Plus my family lives in Texas so it would be closer for me. Panama has Indigenous Native Americans, and the culture is much more exotic, which is more attracting to me now. Oh well, Albania has its own uniqueness, oh and if you're wondering why I am saying all this, because I got an assigned country which is Albania. I think it will be cool, it is next to Greece, Italy, Hungary, Kosovo, and other tiny countries around it. I can pretty much see all of Europe while I am there.

                                                                      ~ Julie ~

     

Baby Doobie :)

Peace Corps is a 2 year program. I would get 48 days of vacation, but I have to pay for my own flights or travel expenses. 48 days doesn't seem a lot in 2 years but I guess its not so bad. I thought about how I could divide it all. I know 2 weeks would go to coming back to U.S to visit my mom and family, and my cat for sure.. I love my cat too much. I miss her while I am here in New York, its only been 3 days. Sad face. :(  I am trying to figure out if I could bring her, once I have my own place in Albania?? I don't know if I could go without seeing my cat for 2 whole years. A lot happens in 2 years. Ughh.. :/ I know she would be fine with my Mom, but still. My cat is like my daughter. I love her soooooo much! I had her mom as my first cat, Julie. Julie is my Doobie's mother. I saw Julie give birth to Doobie when she was a born. Yup, so hence my love for her is like a grandmothers?? I lost Julie unfortunately in Texas when I used to live there too. I actually had lost Doobie and Julie, my mom put them in a park out of anger, but then she felt guilty and told my siblings and me the truth. My parents lied saying they gave them away to some friend of my Dad's. I don't like talking about it much, Long story short, we put fliers everywhere of Julie only, which I feel guilty of. I guess I knew that I might find Doobie, she is much sweeter and will not be afraid to comet to humans. She loves people. But Julie is tougher, and she likes humans, but only if she knew the people. But also I guess since she is more capable of getting hurt. I know Doobie is more a scared cat, so she wont run on the roads. But anyway after 3 months we found Doobie. :) But not Julie :( I really pray she is okay where ever she may be. I loved her too. She was a beautiful cat.

                                                         Doobie and Me :)

Anyway, back to Peace Corp. So now, after I got my assigned country, it is not exactly confirmed. I will get more information about it in September, and then the real process of giving in my college transcript, immunization records, doctor check ups, and blood tests perhaps, and other background checks, that is when it will all start. But it is a bit of a tight few months, technically since I would have to figure out where to put my stuff, move out of my place I am in currently, my cat, and in the mean time also working and saving money. 6 months doesn't seem like enough time. I am right now in school. I will have my last 2 classes in summer that will be from May to July. I will probably work hopefully by next month, I applied for a job, and I am trying to get the interview scheduled, since I got a call for an interview, hopefully next week. So if I could get that job, it would help me like crazy. I could definitely get my license then, since I am going to take a driving course, costs about $400 for 10 lessons. Yea its a bit expensive but hey I will learn to drive and get a license. One more way to make my life easier. Then I can just save and save for a car, I know my uncle that I will visit tomorrow, he sells used cars. So I can get a car from him. My Dad and sister both bought cars from him. Ughh,.. I just have to do this all. I keep saying it.

In Peace Corps, it can be quite tough, in Albania it is more traditional lifestyle. There are Orthodox Catholics and Muslims that live peacefully together, which is nice. It is strict for women though, to drink, smoke, or go out at night. Even during the day women don't really go out, and if they do it is a separate section in restaurants and cafes. Women cannot drink or smoke in public, or be seen with men, unless its father, brother, husband, or son, cousin, uncle. Or I think maybe not.. it is only in certain parts of Albania. There are more modern cities in Albania where its completely opposite and it is just like U.S. I think the rural areas are the strict areas. That is what I read in Brenna's blog. Hopefully I don't live in such strict area. But again, I do like the experience of a different lifestyle. I know being from Pakistan I can understand the similarities. But in Pakistan women definitely go out during day time, and shop a lot. Shopping is the main thing in Pakistan that women love to do. During night time, no one is really out in Pakistan, most shops and places are closed anyway so there's no one outside. People in Pakistan don't drink, and there is no clubs, or other nightly events. Only maybe a movie theatre and maybe if there is a concert. So it is not much a hype for doing things at night. Plus in Pakistan electricity goes out a lot, so probably not the best thing to be out in the dark. I know that in Albania the toilets are like holes in the ground, similar to Pakistan. So I think I can adjust in Albania. There are beaches in Albania which is the perks and I want to enjoy that. People do come to Albania during summer. The beaches is what Albania is better known for tourism. Hopefully if I get accepted I will enjoy myself a lot.

There is a swearing in at Peace Corps, for volunteers to basically promise they will stay for whole 2 years. Peace Corps also provides dental and medical insurance. You get a water filter jug with you. It is all in Brenna's blog, better explained by her. That is where I got most of my information. She even posted history of Albania, being under communism until 1991. When you go to Peace Corps, you have to stay with a host family for 6-9 weeks. You get a training session, to learn the language and culture. You have to take the session every day, it is real language classes, that you go to. Once that happens you get your assigned site, and then move there with other volunteers.

The Peace Corps application is a long process, and sometimes your assigned country can change if you put that you want to be placed anywhere, which they encourage, and you could even be sent back, and wait more months for a new assigned country. One blog I read that a couple sold their house, car, and said good bye to all their friends, and a lot of people that were going to Albania got sent back, they were lucky they didn't, otherwise they would have nothing to go back to. That is quite scary. :/ I know for me it won't be such a problem, since my mom will hold all my stuff, and I can just live with her while waiting if I got sent back. I haven't told my mom about Peace Corps yet, I won't tell her until its final. I told maybe 3 people so far, my friend, my room mate, and another friend. So I am keeping it on the low for now. I am totally excited and hoping it does happen (crossing my fingers) :D Let's see. Now I must get ready for the parade...

Spring Break, Future, Peace Corps...

       As of tomorrow I will have Spring Break, or technically as of today. What is irritating is today is my ex bf's birthday. It is also Pi day :) and I believe it is also Albert Einstein's birthday. I just finished packing at 3:00 a.m. My cat is upstairs in my upper room mate's room, as he will cat-sit her. I miss her already. I feel cat-less.  I bought some small gifts for my Aunt and cousins, whom I will visit. I will also hang out with a friend from college, she graduated last semester, kinda miss her. :) I will also meet a high school friend and she was also my neighbor. She is probably my oldest friend that I still hang out with, yet I don't talk to her all the time. I barely talk to her online. I do miss her, and last time I saw her was last year in June. So its not so bad. I am so excited, I miss New York so much. I live in Buffalo, NY. When I say I miss New York I usually mean the city as in; New York, NY. Somewhere I read that saying New York City is amateur. You don't have to add "City" to it, since it already is a city. I think it makes sense. If you get caught saying New York City, most New Yorkers will think you aren't from New York.

       Last time I was in New York, was technically in January, but I was only there for maybe an hour? I had gone to visit my mother in Texas for winter break. There were a lot of delays in coming back due to weather. I had been re-routed to N.J, yet the flight got cancelled again. So I was in New York to see if I could take the bus back. But I had my cat with me, so it was definitely odd walking in New York streets with my pet carrier. My cat was scared. Hey, she is a traveling cat at least. It was my first time taking her on a flight. She was too sweet, and too scared to come out of her cage. I ended up staying at a hotel in N.J which was really nice. It had 2 queen beds, a sofa, a coffee table, a huge walk in closet, a bathroom, a fridge, and a desk with office chair only $70.00 in American Inn. I ended up staying one day, since my sister helped me get a flight for the next day instead of two days. My cat peed on one of the beds. I had to flip over the mattress and hide the bed sheet in the empty closet. I managed to walk around outside, went to a dollar store bought some snacks and cat food, then went to a Carribean place and bought some jerk chicken. One of the most oddest and interesting experience in my life. I cried a lot cause of stress, and in so many cancellations. I went from Lubbock, to Dallas, to N.J, to Buffalo. Originally I had it as Houston, to Chicago, to Buffalo. I missed my Houston flight so it was changed to Dallas to Buffalo. I had to stay overnight in a hotel in Dallas, as my flight was at 6:00 a.m. I missed my Buffalo flight so I was sent to N.J. The Buffalo flight was cancelled so hence, my dillema. I was stressed mostly because I had a winter class starting and I really didn't want to miss any class. But it was okay, and I got a B+ in the class. :)

       As for my future, I have been trying to write articles to publish on websites. I want to put my writing out there. So I have gotten 2 articles on thoughtcatalog.com and I had randomly published an article on WikiHow, only because that was the first article I sent to Thought Catalog but I didn't get any feedback. So I posted it on WikiHow. I just found out that my article was so good that it was put on the Rising Star criteria, because it was new, and I only published one article. The editors really liked my article. :) I feel so good and happy. Just when I start feeling down, I look up, and surprise. I never thought I was that good in my writing.

Now Peace Corp, I can go into.. But I am feeling sleepy.

Lubbock, Texas

Doobie :x)

The End and The Beginning.

          I am in my senior year at University at Buffalo. It is my last somewhat semester. I will still be taking 2 summer classes, but those will end by July or August. I am studying English Literature and writing. It was not easy to get to this point in my life. I thought many times that I would never graduate, especially since this is my third major that I changed. I started with architecture, studied it for a year. I changed my major to biology, studied that for a year and a semester. In between I skipped a semester due to a hold in my account for this medical insurance fee. [I started at UB in a dorm and since I was resided in Houston, Texas, I had to get the school's health insurance, since I did not have my own.] I am finally set on English as my major, and I love it. I think it was the best change I made and I am so glad I decided to do it, even though it was risky and I was scared that I would be way over in my head. But English turns out to be the truth of who I am.

           

          Now, I did mention that I lived in Houston. Technically, I am from New York, and I have lived my whole life in New York for the most part. I did move in between to other places, but New York was my birth place and where I went to most of schools. I moved to Houston after I graduated from high school. My parents just wanted to live in a cheaper city. My father had a friend that was also moving there, and so he checked it out, liked it, and so I lived in Houston for about 3-4 years. I did not like Houston that much, but now I look back and it is now my second home. I made plenty new friends. I got my first job, and other jobs there. I went to Houston Community College, and studied art for 2 years and graduated with my Associates in Art.
                       
                                                               

LaSalle Lake at UB 

UB Student Union

          I wanted to go back to New York, so hence I applied and got accepted at UB. I loved architecture but for the wrong reasons. Being an art major, I thought architecture would be the same. But that there were other issues as well, such as teaching assistants or T.A's were the instructors, and the professors were rarely around. The T.A's had their favorites and they graded unfairly, especially my T.A. In architecture programs, there are a set of studio classes that a student has to take. There are overall 8-10 studio courses, which are taken 2 per year. Overall, it takes 4-5 years to get a bachelors in architecture. I already had my associates, and the classes were all accepted, so I had no requirements other than taking architecture courses. I thought I would have only 2 more years and I would graduate. I was struggling in the studio class as well, and I did not like what I was learning. For instance, the assignment for the entire semester was based off an object that we had to choose and we drew and made abstract paper sculptures out of it over and over again. My object was pliers. I tried to follow the assignment, and would not do well. But when I made up my own thing the T.A was impressed. At that point it felt like a sculpture class.

           I researched into architecture online. I found out that only 1 woman has won the architecture award, which is equivilant to the Noble Peace Prize, and that woman's name is Zaha Hadid. She is like the queen of architecture because she is the only woman to win that award. I tried to search for more famous architects and found it quite difficult and managed to get about 9 or 10 more architects. It is a bit depressing being a girl and how it is 2015 yet in this industry men are still the majority. I realize even in my studio class there were about 4 girls in my section including me and there were about 9 or 10 boys. There were more girls in other sections, but yet it was still odd. Then there was the fact that I would still have to get an architecture license and it is a 7 part exam that cost about $1,400! Most architects only did some freelance projects that were of making houses or renovations of a house. Other jobs are working in architecture firms for someone, or having your own firm (requires a lot of money). You can also become a professor which would require a PhD or a T.A which is for students doing their Masters in architecture. According to forbes.com architecture is the #1 hated degree from companies that are hiring, because it is such a narrow field of study.  So after contemplating all of this I finally decided to change my major. I still love architecture, I became interested in it when I was 10 years old, and had lived in Dallas for a few months. I hope to one day see the Falling Water building by Frank Lloyd Wright, my favorite building!
  
  Zaha Hadid : Sunrise Tower, Malaysia

          Frank Lloyd Wright: Falling Water, Pennsylvania. 

          Now I went into Biology primarily because of my parents. I had gone back to Houston to transfer to a university there to study biology. But somehow, my parents decided that they wanted to move back to New York. I worked at my old job at Fiesta Mart in Houston in the summer in the mean time. Then right during Hurricane Sandy we all moved back to New York and resided in Buffalo. That is also why I had to skip the semester in fall. It was definitely an adventure, as we sat in a moving truck (my father, brother, me, mom, and little sister). The van was attached to the U-Haul truck, and in the van were 3 cats. One cat is mine, and the other two were my sisters. My sister was living in Pennsylvania during that time with her husband. So we dropped her cats to her while heading to Buffalo. They persuaded me to do something in the medical field. My best subjects do not fall in science criteria. I may have been alright in biology, but chemistry and physics were hell for me. I struggled in chemistry even when I was in high school. It was my worst subject. In college it is required to have 2 courses in chemistry, 2 courses in physics, and 2 courses in math calculus. I managed to do calculus 1. I ended up struggling so much and retaking courses only to drop them because I was failing, was so stressful. I didn't want to let my parents down. Now my parents moved back to Texas, and my sister also moved to Texas with her husband. I am now by myself in Buffalo. So when I changed my major to English I did not tell my parents until I completed more than half the courses. Although I really want to help people, I just did not have the brains for it. I realized that biology is only the beginning and if a person wants to do anything in medical field a masters is required. I had planned on doing either occupational therapy or health administration. I was afraid of the stress that a person has working in hospitals.
                         

                                                                     Pennsylvania

 U-Haul and the van. 

Chewy :x)

               I had the option of seeing and experiencing that stress in a hospital due to my mother's diagnosis with breast cancer. While my mother was still living with me, she had gone through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation in Buffalo. I would often go with her. What really discouraged me was when my mother had her surgery, and after that the doctor that did the surgery basically ignored us. We would sometimes pass her and she would just never really acknowledge us, or ask how my mom is doing. My mom had to come to that hospital for chemotherapy and radiation, and often we ran into her. But again, nothing. It was such and empty feeling. The other thing that made me sad was seeing children at the hospital. Seeing all these people that had the same problem: cancer. It was a cancer research hospital. I also did not want to go to medical school, it sounds cool and exciting but having to do 4 years in school and then 3 years of residency is way too much. The cost of medical school is insanely expensive and getting accepted is scarce in U.S schools and in schools abroad. As for me being so bad in chemistry and physics I knew this was impossible. I became interested in English after I had taken a library skills class ( was unnecessary, it turns out) which is required (library skills work course was required, I didn't have to take a class). Well, that class I had picked a topic on pesticides. I basically did research on pesticides for the entire semester and wrote about it as well. That is when I thought, that if I am writing about a subject that is in the science field, yet I am not a science major, is awesome! I did not even think of that.

 

                     I have completed one semester in English, and this current semester is my second semester. After that I graduate in June 2015. It is odd, since I just changed my major, but the thing with English major is I can take as many classes as I want (technically 6) without having a prerequisite course. There is no order in the course taking like in biology or architecture. So overall I started at UB in 2011 and now I finish in 2015. In the end it took me 4 years to get my bachelors, including the skipped semester. But then again I learned 3 different subjects. I am excited and nervous all in one. I currently am jobless, I don't have a car either, or my driving license. My plan was to have my license by the time I graduate, but due to the crazy amounts of snow this year, it was impossible to even walk outside at times.
                 I used to feel regret for changing my major so many times, and I felt guilty for wasting money on classes, but now I feel that its okay. It happened for a reason. Later I found out many other students have had similar situations as me. Some students that I started architecture with also changed their majors. Then some students completely dropped out all together. I was happy that I didn't give up. That is what is most important. To just keep going. Life is tough, and I know I faced some serious hardships, but in the end it get better. If anything this is only the beginning. I will be going out into the "real world", as most people call it. In college there is a secure network, where you have advisors, professors, counselors, and this community where everything is available and encouraged. There are workshops, job fairs, career services provided in the colleges.

Dorm Lounge: Where I used to dorm.

                 At this point I am trying to figure out my options. I was planning to apply to some jobs in New York City and move there. But I don't even have a car or my license. I don't have much money to move anywhere especially in the oh so expensive N.Y.C. I thought of getting a masters in business (MBA), but I don't know what I would do with that. I thought of going to NYU, but again is not as solid sounding for me. So now I have decided that I will try to find a job here in Buffalo, and in the mean time take the 2 summer classes. I will most definitely get my license hopefully by June or July or as soon as all the snow has melted. Then I will just work and save. I might start my Masters program in UB as well. I want to become an English teacher. Although, it is not necessary and I could just get a teachers certificate to become a qualified and registered teacher, it is better to have a masters. Most people interested in teaching get their masters in education or equivilant to the subject that they desire to teach, depending on the grade level that they want to teach as well. I want to be a teacher for middle schools and high schools, so that is why I am getting my masters in education (M.Ed). It takes 2 years to get the masters degree. A teachers certification takes about 9 months, which is basically a year. That is why I thought, why not just do an extra year and get my masters?? Since teachers that have a masters degree automatically get paid more, they are more likely to get hired before those that only have a teaching certificate, and there are other departments that a person can work in that is not just in teaching. Plus, I will have my masters degree.
               
   
                               The Winter of Buffalo.. Almost Over.~

UB South Campus, this winter 2015

               Well there is more though, I feel overwhelmed about graduating, but also that a bit sad. I did not get to travel as I have wished, and still want to achieve. I thought of teaching English in other countries. To teach English abroad one must have the TESOL (Teaching English to speakers of other languages) or TEFL (Teaching English as Foreign Language) or ESL (English as a second language) or even TESL (Teaching English as a second language. This takes about from what I searched online 4 weeks?? So I could do this as well, while applying for my masters. I just learned that I passed the deadline for fall submission, which was in February. So now I will apply for the spring semester which the deadline is November 1. So I will have some time from July to November, and even after until spring semester starts, which is maybe January? Not sure how the masters semesters work, or if the semesters start at same time as the undergraduate semesters?? Definitely will have time to save up for a car. So this is one option that I have created.

                   My other option is teaching English abroad for a year or two. I applied to Peace Corps about 3 weeks ago. I was looking for a program that would pay for flight and living expenses, and that did not require the TESOL, or TESL, or TEFL, or any of the other stuff. I hate typing all capital letters. Anyways, so I applied. Now this blog post is crazy long. I think my next post I will discuss Peace Corps.