August 1st, 2010
As I’m sitting here in the hotel lobby at the Marriot Washington DC trying to savor what is left of my time here in the United Stated, it means that the SUSI program is coming to an end. So far, I’ve seen small towns to big buildings in the cities. I’ve experience a taste of what some may call as the the American dream and I have tasted the food. It has been an amazing experience to say the least but other than the material things, I believe that the most important (which will also make me sad the most) is the people. I’m so gonna miss everyone.
What makes this experience here in the United States so special is the locals and I believe that in traveling it is the local people that will make the trip a more fulfilling one. Those that I have met should it be either our graduate mentors, our lecturers, our host family or even the local towns people, they have really gave me the opportunity to learn so much about them.
After all that is said and done, I have only one conclusion and it is that the American people are one of the nicest, most honest and strong people I have ever met.
Thank you Dr.Foster, Dr.Jackson, Mrs. Foster, Mrs. Jackson, Drew, Cary, Onur, Joel, Jennifer, Dr.Brown, Emily, Selin, the Wagners and to all those who had work so ahrd to made our experience an unforgettable one.
To the people of the United States, I say this to you for I shall return…one day.
July 31st, 2010
This may be a late update on my part. Been really busy with the program so it is pretty difficult to find time to sit down, edit pictures and write my post. In anycase, on the second weekend in the US, as a part of the program we were then be staying for a night with a local family in Chester, Illinois as part of a homestay activity.
I had the proud pleasure to be staying with the Wagners with Billy from the Phillippines as two participants will be staying with each family. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect before I met them. What would they think of me? Would I mess things up? Would I embarrass myself?
In the end of the day, the answer was no. The Wagners they were great!!!
The Wagners are decended from German immigrants during the 1800s and had settled on the very same land for way over 150 years. Spending most of their life in Chester, our host father Ronnie or Ron Wagner works as a trucker for a local food manufacturing company and travels the entire continental United States distributing food items while Cindy Wagner our host mother works at the courthouse in Chester together with Barb Brown our host for some parts of the program.
The Wagners are what they would call a typical working class American family living in a small town in the heart of the United States. Living with them gave an interesting insight on how a family in live and operate together here.
Individualism is ingrained in the American culture and can be seen as family members usually live far from each other due to work or other reasons. But as a family, they are very close and tight knit. They would always sit together for meal or had intellectual discussions about current events.
Ron Wagner had prepared a few catfish for dinner for us by catching it from his fish pond he had dug a few years ago. It was a wonderful meal eating with them. It was simple but very healthy. In fact, I have now changed my opinion on the American diet. There would always be vegetable at every meal.
It is interesting to also notice on how informed that most Americans are on current issues and world events. They are very opinionated and also very vocal to the happenings around them even though as normal citizens they are mostly powerless to governmental decision making. Apparently, most Americans have no idea on how ex-President Bush could have won another term in office but then…meh…so did everyone else around the world.
Overall, although we did not do anything overly exciting or dramatic, it was relaxing and by talking and interacting with them we both shared our views and got to know each others culture a little better. It was really an unforgetable experience that I would never forget and I would continue to keep in contact with them for as best as I can.
Thank you Wagners.
P/s: That dear head you see in the first picture is REAL. It was shot on a hunting trip earlier this spring. Trying to sleep while having it look at you is not very does not make it any better mind you. XP
July 3rd, 2010
After 20 hours sitting on an airplane I think I have reached my yearly quota for air travel. Sleep was almost impossible for me with the cramp seats and the loud engine noise but I persevered non-the-less. After transiting at Changi Airport in Singapore we had a 6+ hour flight in a Boeing 777 to Narnia Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan. Then it was a 9+ hour flight on a very cramped Boeing 747 to San Francisco plus another almost 4 hours of additional flight time on an Airbus that has seats that are not screwed/attached onto the plane. Lost my confidence on United Airlines by the way. Lastly it was a 2 hour drive from St.Louis Airport to the small town of Carbondale.
Continue reading
June 26th, 2010
After so many months, it is finally clear that I am still not ready nor accepted the fact that I am going to America for Study of the US Institute’s New Media program. I’m starting the journey by having an argument with my sister and this is not what I had expected it to be. *think happy thoughts* This was a bad sign as something was gonna happen…and it did.
Arriving at Changi we checked in at a transit hotel but because we checked in our bags earlier we cannot collect them unless we leave the transit area pass immigration. The problem was if we went out to collect our bags we cannot go back in as our boarding passes was only allowed to be collected before the flight itself. Due to that really incredible rule I’m now left with the same T-shirt I’ve been wearing the entire day without a change of clothes or even my long sleeve shirt for the long duration flight.
Seriously, WTF???!!!! and FML!. On the bright side, the airport offers free Wifi and the inside of the duty free area looks like a mini shopping mall. Damn the liquor and cigarettes are cheap. So gonna get a few bottles on the way home after this.
Looks like football fever does not stop even the busiest of travelers. There’s a few spots in the airport organised by the airport authorities itself that gives guest an opportunity to watch the World Cup live. A great idea if I do say so myself if you’re on the go. Thats actually quite considerate of them.
Looking how I do not have anything/anyone to hug to keep the cold away I hope they would give me a blanket soon. Gonna try to stay awake tonight so I can sleep on the plane. Plane departs at 7am and its gonna be a 20 hour flight to St.Louis’s airport. I predict my butt is gonna die and my entertainment supply will only last me for so long. I think I’m gonna dread this journey…I really think so….
Next stop…Narita Airport.
May 24th, 2010
I’m bored and so I’ve thought up of a wishlist of wants. Gonna save some cash for all of these in a way i guess.
1. A full formal suit.
2. Playstation 3. <—–I foresee this coming sooner then I expect.
3. A wardrobe upgrade. <—-I so need to get better clothes.
4. A new handphone!!! Preferably an Iphone but not likely.
5. A HD pc monitor with a new 1T hard disk.
6. My internets….
Why 6 you might add? Its because I can.
Continue reading
