I am excited to continue writing and learning new ways to share information with the world! Thank you for following and I promise this blog will get a lot more exciting as I move away from Round II: Cameroon to write about next new experiences as a new and improved Asian Polyglot!

Merci à tous et à bientôt !

Last week, I read Sarah’s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay. I only wanted to read it because it’s a book based in Paris, I had no idea what the story is about. I read the books in two days and it was one of the more captivating books I’ve read recently.

The books sets place in Paris, but goes back and forth between 1942 and present day. The story sets on the true historical event of the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup that was a part of the Holocaust. I must be honest that this book is definitely a “chick-lit” and that some of the story plot can be quite predictable. But the important thing is the author tied in an important, and often unmentioned historical event with a story that is easy to digest.

This was certainly not the first book I’ve read regarding this tragic history, but this one for some reason really made me think. Perhaps all the times before, I thought of this event as an unfortunate event in history like so many others. This time, however, it daunt on me just how recent this event actually was. Less than 100 years ago, people in the developed West actually submitted to such horrifying ideology.

The human race can be so vulnerably, and at times extremely frightening.  It perplexes me how people come up with these ideas that certain race or religion are “unworthy”. What’s more bewildering is how these individuals could have enough power to spreading the ideology into a widespread genocide. I am continued to be amazed how easily individual minds and an entire society can be swayed by extremist ideas.

Unfortunately, even today, people are still being killed for their race, religion, culture, or other reasons beyond their control. I wonder if one day human race will finally grow up and realize that no one group of people can be labeled and treated in such inhumane way. I wonder if generations in the future will look back and study these behaviors as one of the steps in evolution. I sure hope so.

Somehow, most of my friends are not big into social media. Facebook is as far as they go, and even with that, they aren’t very active. I often feel out of place talking about my Twitter, blog, or Facebook usage. They don’t really understand it despite my explanation on the benefits of social media, how it has helped me established contacts and widen knowledge via a host of interesting people. They don’t get it, so I don’t talk about it.

To me, social media can almost be seen as a hobby. Some are into it, some are not. Among my close friends, there are always some sort of common interest that links us. But social media is the odd ball out that I can’t seem to figure out. How is it possible that so few of my good friends are into this hobby that I’m so enthusiastic about?!

What is wrong here? This is something that’s been puzzling me for quite some time. I’m not sure how to converge the differences, so I continue to live my offline life entirely separate from my online life. But I must say, I am not a fan of this two-faced lifestyle.

What’s your experience? Are your friends as excited about Twitter and blogs as you are?

Oh boy! This was quite the curve ball and opened up a range of possibilities. I noticed that the Intl Affairs program also has a dual degree option with LSE. Excited by the range of options, I emailed them back immediately to see if LSE is part of the deal, and whether that oodle of money comes with me if I defer. My French isn’t good enough to begin a graduate program this fall, but the idea of taking a year to polish the language was appealing.

While waiting for an answer to my questions, I obsessively began searching all the options for this potential gap year: French classes at La Sorbonne in Paris, or at the university in Poitiers, or Geneva, Montréal or any other French-speaking country/cities. My mind was completely ADD with all sorts of possibilities. In the midst of all these research over the span of 3 days, I realized something:

I love searching alternative ways to live life.

I’ve found myself at various points of my life spending hours upon hours on the Internet, googling every different option for all kinds of things: grad school, career, travel ideas, etc. Sometimes I feel like a crazy person with the way my mind goes from one wild idea to the next. Other times, I feel the searching process is a huge waste of time because they often don’t amount to anything. But I adore the possibilities and the process of picturing myself in various situations.

After 3 days of obsessive searches and discussions with friends about various options, I received my answer from Sciences Po today. Unfortunately, to defer would mean that I would have to reapply for the scholarship next year, and also reapply to be considered for the LSE dual degree. Aaaand… that is way too much work, so we are back to the original decision of attending LSE for MPA.

BUT, this search led me to read an important fine print at the Sciences Po MPA website that states the program is not eligible for the Emile Boutmy scholarship, which now makes me reconsider spending the 2nd year there. Instead, the idea of going to Singapore for the 2nd year is settling in! In the end, the search was not all for nothing and if I ever decide to take a year to go frolic around France and perfect my French, I know where I’d go!

I am slightly disappointed that France does not hold a definite place in my life in the near future as of now. But, I see it like a relationship with a person – if it’s meant to be, it’ll happen. Ahh… it is nice to be young. I think of these obsessive searches as a brainstorming exercise. One of the many crazy ideas eventually takes shape. One must dare to dream, right?

Before Twitter, the extent of social media that I knew was Facebook and the blog that I kept to keep in touch with friends and family during my Peace Corps service. Someone I knew was talking up the benefit of this micro-blogging device and I figured I would give it a shot. It took a while to become accustom to the idea, and I was rather skeptical of this “status portion of Facebook” thing.

After the initial period of adjustment, I became enthralled by this world of never-ending information. 24 hours a day, there are people from all corners of the world expressing their thoughts and sharing new information in various languages. I was hooked!

Meanwhile, people seem to be equally interested in my tweets about life in a village of Cameroon that doesn’t have running water, but have access to the Internet. The National Peace Corps Association approached me to write a piece in the WorldView magazine about my Twitter usage. Via Twitter, I also became connected with other volunteers around the world who are also tweeting about their experiences.

Besides Peace Corps volunteers, I came in touch with interesting people of ALL kinds all across the world. Social media enthusiast, excited Gen Y who shares thoughts on humanitarian issues, an American blogging about her experience at the LSE, a  young yogini who promotes a healthy lifestyle, and so many more. These wonderful individuals have inspired me to incorporate social media into my life and share my own experiences!

Information sharing is wonderful, and I’m so glad to be living in this era in history where the Internet facilitates this process and brings wonderful people in the world closer to one another than ever before!

What are your experiences with Twitter and other social media tools?

1. Butlers Wharf (a nifty map via Google)
This is a gorgeous neighborhood on the Southbank of the Thames. A yuppy neighborhood renovated in recent years from old run down warehouses. I discovered this area when my friend Yuri took me to dinner at a fabulous restaurant in this neighborhood back in 2006. The building is mostly postgrad, divided into flats and has the cheapest rate of just about £110/wk after factoring electricity. However, it is quite far from the LSE campus (30-45 min travel time). Also, not as convenient of a locale in terms of stores and transportation. But I am a cheapskate, so I put this as my first choice.

2. Lilian Knowles (a nifty map via Google)
Another flat-style housing option that is independently run but still consider LSE housing. The building is located in Spitalfield – another lovely area of London that I love! There are great restaurants around, a nice jazz bar just in the neighborhood. This is a all-postgrad flat style building that is supposedly quite nice. The rate is decent at about £150/wk. However, the area is still quite far from LSE (about 30 min travel time). The upside is that the location is much more convenient than Butlers Wharf with many more shops around and good connecting transport.

3. Northumberland (a nifty map via Google)
Very centrally located just south of Holborn. Only 5-10 minute walking time from the LSE campus. Rumor has it this will be a mostly postgrad hall this coming year. Just about everything I would need is within walking distance: LSE, Chinatown, Oxford Street and more. Also not far from the Thames so I can still go for nice runs along the bank. The downside is that it’s quite pricey at £180/wk.

If by some bad luck, I don’t get placed in any of these LSE housings, then I’ve chosen the following UoL intercollegiate halls:

1. International Hall
2. Lillian Penson
3. Cantebury hall

These halls are your typical college dorm rooms filled mostly with undergrads from various University of London institutions. International Hall is the only one that has flat-style that allows self-catering. I haven’t lived in a dorm room since my freshman year of college, and I would really like to not repeat eating cafeteria food again… Not to mention these are all really expensive!

I attended my first yoga class during the summer before my freshman year of college. And for the past 5 years or so, I have dabbled in yoga off and on, but never able to really commit to the practice. I really enjoy yoga classes and it’s a nice escape in the midst of stressful life. But, they do get a bit expensive.

I am not sure why, but somehow it never occurred to me to practice it from videos at home. Hungry Yogini suggested a fabulous site, Yogavibes.com that allows people to stream classes from the comfort of their homes. While the country of Cameroon doesn’t provide Internet fast enough for video streaming, I still was able to download a few videos at 10kb/sec speed over many days…

For the past few days, I have consciously dedicated an hour a day to practicing yoga from the video. And already, I see a significant improvement in my mood and an overall state of being. My muscles are sore, but they are that liberating kind of sore. Not the kind of sore that makes you feel like death after running 5 miles or whatever. My thoughts are calmer and more collected. My muscles feel leaner already, and I feel more in tune with life.

Sounds crazy, right? how can a few days of yoga have such transformation? Well, that is the power of yoga. Mind. Body. Spirit.

I am hoping that by writing about my practice periodically here, that I am also on my way to become a yogini!

It seems silly to make a decision before I have all the admissions results. Yet, I know what I want. All along, I have been after an European perspective for my graduate study. I applied to U.S. schools only to have options in case my mind changed. So far, the mind is where it was, and I don’t think it’s going anywhere regarding this matter.

I was really mulling over the EPP program at Sciences Po for its cheaper price tag. But after a serious pro/con list, there was no doubt that the Dual Degree MPA is the best program. The ultimate decision force came in the email from a girl who’s a current student at the Sciences Po EPP program. I contacted her a few weeks ago after finding her in one of the groups on Facebook. She had asked my background and where else I’ve applied in order to provide objective guidance.

Her reply today indicated that I should choose other programs over EPP for several reasons: the program is pretty new, and not very organized. While Sciences Po is known for international diversity, the program itself has yet encompass that element. Furthermore, the course content for this program is supposedly very PhD driven, and lack coherence between the partner institutions.

Those are the reasons why EPP at ScPo isn’t for me. Now, let’s talk about why MPA from LSE/ScPo IS for me.

• the MPA Intl Deverlopment stream fits my background. The coursework that I would take during the first year at LSE would provide econ-based policy courses that are transferable between private & public sectors, thus opening lots of doors.
• the LSE reputation is hard to compete among the schools I’ve applied to. LSE covers Europe, Asia and the U.S. Sciences Po covers France, Europe and former French colonies. With this dual degree, I’d have most of the world covered.
• 2nd year MPA at Sciences Po offers an interesting capstone project where students act as consultants to real firms instead of a dissertation, which is far more appealing to me. Sciences Po also plans several study-trips that allow students to have a practical experience.

There are also several personal reasons for why LSE/ScPo MPA is better: I have better contacts in London for a steady part-time job; I know London well as a city and it will ease my transition after Peace Corps; living in Paris for a year is something I’ve wanted to do, etc.

Personal insights weigh a great deal and thanks to social media, I was able to make an important decision. I’m excited for this next step! Courses will be challenging but I think I am ready for this stimulus of my mind after two years of intellectual vacation.

Still waiting for a decision from Sciences Po Paris, but I have been seriously considering the possibility of being in London again next year. The MPA program would allow me to pursue a dual degree within the GPPN, which I would choose Sciences Po. This way, I get the best of both worlds, albeit with a heftier price tag.

I’ve been gathering opinions and most people are very aware of the LSE reputation, where as I mention Sciences Po, and fewer people know what I am talking about. While prestige isn’t everything, but if it will help me land a better job in the future to pay the mountain of debt that I may end up having, then, it’s prestige I will choose. At some point, you learn that life simply is shallow and unfair that way.

With this in mind, I allowed myself to begin picturing life in London again and this time as a graduate student. I searched the LSE accommodation and found that there is a hall in Butler’s Wharf – an up-and-coming, old-warehouses-turned-chic neighborhood of London that I absolutely adore. The downside is that the building is quite far removed from the central LSE campus at Holborn. But a chance to live in Butler’s Wharf and walk by the Thames everyday would be swell! Oh, the possibilities! Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with either institution and cities!

My heart has been heavy since I learned the news of the tragic earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th. The next day, I happened to be in the provincial capital of Bafoussam running various errands. While in the supermarket, news coverage on France24 about the tragic event plastered the display of televisions on sale. The images were shocking.

Immediately, my thoughts wandered back to the time when I learned that my family had to sleep in a park due to a similar event. In 1999, a same magnitude of earthquake hit the island of Taiwan. I was already in the U.S. by this time, but my parents and my sister were still on the island. I was reminded of the stories told by my family from that day. It was my sister’s birthday. My parents described the terror of the moment when the quake hit, hiding in the bathroom, holding onto one another while the quake pasts. And the following week of camping out in a park with the community, in case of after waves.

Reports on Haiti reflect the stark difference between these two events due to the level of infrastructure. Certainly, there are many other factors as to how the aftermath of these two earthquake of similar magnitude differs. Yet, it’s not difficult to see how the island of Taiwan, while small in size, was equipped with the infrastructure to quickly recover and mobilize necessary aid. Haiti, a country that had little to begin with, is not so lucky.

With a heavy heart, I wanted to do what little I could to help. So, even with my measly Peace Corps salary, I donated $20 to the Red Cross relief fund. I am stuck in Cameroon helping the people here, so all I can do is give what little money I have. If I can make that bit of contribution, then I am most certain that you can as well. It is unfortunate that there are heartless scammers out there who are exploiting this tragedy. To ensure that your contribution is well-utilized, consider the few reputable organizations below. There are many other well-intended organizations out there, but do take some time to do the research!

]]> http://asianpolyglot.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/same-magnitude-differen-results/feed/ 1 Wendy International Response Fund Support Doctors Without Borders in Haiti