2017

Hi everyone!

2017 is a year like no other. It's the year that I graduate from high school and college; it's the year that I am granted the freedom of an under 21 aged adult; it's the year I decide where I will continue my journey and I find out how many scholarships I will be awarded; it's the year that I will officially be handling things (mostly) on my own. This is the year.

2016 was full of emotional excitement and definitely had it's sadder moments, but I'm still grateful for it. 2016 taught me to take care of myself and to value myself more. I'm constantly having to relearn that I can't make everybody happy all the time. I need to do things that make me happy first and go from there. I learned that making other people happy can sometimes inconvenience me --which in turn, makes me unhappy--so I should focus on me and help others when I can.

I'm ready for 2017! Are you?

                                         

Christmas and 7,000 Views!!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

I've had a wonderful holiday season between applying for colleges and various scholarships and spending time with my friends and family. I've been fortunate enough to experience the warm feeling of giving as well as the burst of energy that comes with receiving a gifts I didn't know I wanted. I'm so grateful for this time off to just relax and enjoy the people that love me.

In other news, my wonderful viewers have gave me the gift of over 7,000 views! Thank you all soooooo much!!! 7,000 views is amazing!! What a priceless gift from people around the globe who read my posts. Thank you so much.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone ^_^ <3 

Countdown to Christmas: CA Christmas

Personalized mugs ^_^

Hi everyone!

Today is CA Christmas -- a day where I get together with my fellow seniors and we exchange gifts with each other. There are about 10-12 people in our squad and I made everyone a personalized gift on about $22. The key to my gifts is memories. I think about a memory the recipient and I share together and that inspires me to sketch a blueprint of that reminds me of them. I then do my best to produce a card, mug, box, or something that encompasses the memory. For instance, one of my friends really likes Disney, so I made her a Disney logo with Christmas themed bottom and on the back I placed some pictures of us together and a personal message. It's classy, personal, and affordable  ^_^

My friends were really thoughtful and generous in the gifts they gave me. I screamed every time I unwrapped something because I loved every single present I received; everything was a reflection of how my friends view me and I can see that they know I'm going to do something amazing. They made me feel so appreciated! I'm so grateful to have a group of friends that loves me like family. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas <3

Me opening all my gifts d ^_^b

                                  

3 Days Until Christmas : Lunch at Brio

Hi everyone!

It's been a very trying, stressful, and lively senior year. I've journeyed through the college application process. All the fly outs, school projects, volunteer initiatives, and basic human requirements-like eating and socializing-become time consuming. I've been spending so much time trying to do well and take care of other ppl that I've forgot how to take care of myself a little bit (which explains my blogging hiatus). No worries, I'm back and ready to write all my stories.

Today I went out to lunch with one of my friends that I don't usually get to see at this fancy restaurant called Brio. It's a really nice Italian place that's nicely decorated and reasonably priced. There was supposed to be a 20 minute wait, but after catching up with my friend, the attendants called us before we knew it. Just by waiting a few minutes, we got a very nice booth in the middle of restaurant. It was great to take a couple hours to spend time to old friends and update each other on everything that's going on. I definitely suggest calling up a friend you haven't spoke to in a while or just going out to lunch in general. If you need a place to start, I'd suggest Brio.

Delicious flatbread!!!

Fly-in: Tufts University

Hi everyone!

So I'm in Boston visiting Tufts University and everything seems really nice. The town is quiet and they have nice facilities. The people are very relaxed and ready to help whenever need. I am experiencing real cold for the first time and I'm seeing what fall looks like in the movies. I love all the different color leaves; it looks like there are golden trees and fire trees dotted all over campus. I went on a campus tour and listened in on a Q&A with admissions officers. I went to an ice cream social and a "supershow" which actually was spectacular. The performers were all so talented and down to earth.  It definitely added some appeal to Boston ^_^

My first time seeing leaves change :)

College Fly-in: Pomona College

Hi everyone!
Right now, I'm in Claremont, California at the Pomona Diversity Weekend. There are 54 students from around the nation invited to participate in the events of this weekend just to experience the college and get a taste of what it has to offer. After my 5 hour flight followed by a 2 hour SuperShuttle ride from the airport, I finally arrived on campus. It is hot and sunny like my hometown except without the humidity. Palm trees line the roads and the sidewalks are filled with friendly diverse students. There are people from the diversity team waiting to greet me as I exit the shuttle and hand me a folder with my name on it as well as a bag with a water bottle inside. They walk me  through every piece of paper in the folder and hand me over to some other students. I check in at a table of relaxed college kids, the table of which is FULL of snacks. I ask questions about dual enrollment and my host for the weekend. All the people handling check in know my host and seem to assume that we would be a perfect match based on ethnicity and similar hometown. My host isn't available to pick me up and walk me to my dorm so she sends her friend Jasmine to get me instead.

Literally what the quad looks like ^_^

Jasmine is really cool and majors in Linguistics. She tells me about the dorm and the different halls based on focus languages (i.e. Spanish hall, French hall, Chinese hall). I am ecstatic because I love language and I major in International Relations. I drop off my bags, go pick up a piece of pizza from check-in, and follow Jasmine around campus. We walk pass the quad (which looks like it came straight out of a movie) to the Psychology building. The building looks brand new with several places to relax in peace. We go upstairs to what looks like a glass sunroom filled with books, a couch, a big comfy chair, some working tables, and respective decorations. I finally meet my host. We'll call her Nelly. Nelly is really cool too. I am like the younger version of her; we both are of the same ethnic background, come from the same hometown, applied for the same scholarships, and completed high school with an A.A. degree. I meet her other friends at the same time and everyone is very relaxed and comfortable with each other and themselves.

I really like this program because they have organized it so that each student has an individualized experience. I've already got to experience the freedom and spontaneity that comes with the college experience and I really appreciate that.

Little Kids -_- : Ice Cream Day

When I was little, I loved fun days when we got to get all hyped up on sugar and run around. It was fun and I couldn't wait until the next fun day. I actually questioned why we couldn't have fun days everyday. I recently got my answer.

We wanted to give the kids an ice cream party so we got all the scoopers, the cups, toppings, napkins, spoons, and ice cream and laid everything out. I pre-scooped the more popular flavors into cups so that when the kids came I could give them their cup and move on to the next child. This system worked quite well for the first child. The second child tells me she wants mixed ice cream so I hand her a napoleon (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry) and she bursts into tears. I ask her what's wrong and she tells me "it's not mixed right." I tell her to let me help the four other kids behind her and then I'll come back. The other kids take their ice cream with no complaints. I come back to help the crying girl. I ask her if she wants a different one and she says "I want chocolate." I give her chocolate and keep moving. We get through kindergarten through 3rd grade when the ice cream tubs have to be replaced. I take the empty ones and have to maneuver my way through a crowd of excited kids to swap out tubs. The ice cream is frozen rock solid so we have to get hot water to warm the scoopers to scoop the ice cream. The line of kids is endless and becoming more demanding. One kid demanded cookies and cream ice cream, several kids cut the line in an attempt to get seconds, and on top of that, we were running out of ice cream. After rationing ice cream and giving extra toppings, we managed to feed all the kids. After the last kid sat down, I felt like I just completed a 5k. I have never been so happy to clean up in my life.

It was a lot of hard work and a little chaotic, but in the end, I felt closer to the staff and I felt like a better person. Watching the kids laugh and smile while I worked was just so fulfilling. I still can't wait until the next fun day :)

P.S. Thank you so much for reading, commenting on, and sharing my blog posts. I really appreciate it and it really makes me feel good ^_^

Let's Talk About Feelings (._.)

Hi everyone!

This post is going to be about feelings and how to handle them because this last week I have gone through a rollercoaster of emotions. Mind you, I'm typically a very happy person so for my feeling is to deviate in any sort of way is mildly alarming. I started off the week in a contended mood which transformed to sadness and anger when I found out an awful secret. As the week went on, I felt really sad and more so, depressed because I had to suppress my feelings as to not disturb the peace. By Wednesday night, I was crying because I cannot hold in all these unexpressed feelings and unspoken words. It just gets too heavy sometimes. Thursday I had a scholarship interview so I worked really hard to avoid the people involved in the terrible secret, but even they walked into my quiet space. I immediately left knowing that I don't actually have to be anywhere and I don't have to endure discomfort to make someone else comfortable. I went to my interview with confidence and I was already emotionally exhausted so I didn't have the energy to be nervous. Friday I had the day to be quiet and really feel my feelings so by Saturday I was able to articulate how I felt to one of my friends. Talking to him really made the situation better and easier to process. I found out that I made it scholarship semi-finals and now I'm on my way back to emotional homeostasis.

Me last Wednesday night

 Analyze

The first thing I do when I'm feeling stressed or upset is analyze why and check on however else was involved.

  Creative Outlet

I also write poetry when I'm sad or in the middle of crying because I know that beautiful things can be created out of the ugliest feelings; the emotion is raw when I cry so its easier to describe the pain and find the words when I'm in such a distressed state of mind.

   Avoid (do not recommend)

I occasionally use the isolationist technique to avoid the person(s) making me upset, but it's a small world so I'll run into them sooner or later.

  Talk about it (strongly encouraged)

The best thing to do when I'm upset is to talk to the person(s) involved and tell them via phone  call or in person what has been done to upset me or if no one has done anything and I'm just feeling stressed about inevitable things like change, I talk to my friends so that the conversation makes my 'problems' seem a little bit smaller.

P.S. Thank you for reading, commenting on, and sharing my blog posts. I really appreciate it :) The thought of all the international support makes tough days easier <3

Leadership in a Posse?

Hi everyone!

I am going through a very interesting interview process with the Posse Foundation. I expected to go in and review my resumè  with a volunteer. Nope. I put a number on and go into a room with 75 other scholarship hopefuls. Everyone is mingling and I'm interested to see how the foundation leads the process. They have us all work in groups with and do interesting motions like walking in a certain way.  The only hint they give us is that they wanted to see leadership.

Leadership?
What does that mean? Is that code for try to stand out in a room of 75 other amazing kids?
I really question what they meant by show leadership because there a different kinds of leadership. Most times, people assume that the leader is the loudest one telling everyone what to do. If the group is that of more quiet individuals, it may indeed seem that way, but I disagree. In the event that its a group of loud people, nothing would get done because everyone is trying to tell everyone else what to do. I believe that some of the most powerful leaders understand that listening is can be a better strategy than giving blind instructions. Additionally, I think that a good leader should want to help grow other leaders so letting others lead sometimes is a better sign of a quality leader.

First Day of "Senior Year"

Today is technically my first day of senior year since I graduate both college and high school next spring/summer. I have been awake since about 5 am and I don't have to leave the house for my morning bus run until much later on. I'm too pumped and anxious and mildly delirious (due to the lingering jet lag). I already know I'm going to be late for my first class because the first of day of school is like the day after New Years: (in the college world) everyone has all these academic resolutions and the crowd tends to thin out by the third week; as far as the younger students go, parents tend to drive their kids to school on the first day creating an excess of cars and super traffic. I arrive to my lecture 10 minutes before it ENDS. There are no seats and I just sit on the floor. I grab my syllabus and continue about my day. It is so much fun to see my friends and meet the new kids. I attend my literature class and get to spend the rest of the day laughing with my friends.

6,000+ views (☆_☆)(*^^*)^ _ ^

Camy's Corner has broken over 6,000 views!!  That is so amazing! Thank you so much for supporting me through my recent adventures in China. This blog has seen about a year and a half of my dreams, my life, and my fearless adventures. Thank you so much for  everything!!! Thank you to my viewers from.all over the world-specifically : United States, Russia, United Kingdom, Taiwan, Japan, India, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Barbados, Brazil, France, Italy, Turkey, Poland, Mexico, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Venezuela, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Malaysia, Israel, Hong Kong, Argentina, Indonesia, South Korea, Chile, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Tunisia, China, Austria, Cape Verdes,  Kyrgyzstan,  Kuwait, Macedonia, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Norway, Guyana, Paraguay, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, and Armenia. It's so amazing that my viewers managed to break both 5,000 and 6,000 views while I was in China. Thank you so much for reading, sharing, and commenting on my blog. This artistic outlet to the world means everything to me and it means even more that I am able to share it with you <3

Thank you so much!! ^_^

The international love is so surreal and amazing. Definitely something I'll never forget.

Coming Home: Shortest 14 Hours

Today is the day everyone goes back home. Today is the day all 36 participants, teachers, and supporting faculty go back to the United States. The ride starts off with a light layer of sadness. I know that when I wake up tomorrow I won't see signs in Chinese or the amazing people that I've grown to love. With every second, another drop of sadness falls onto the heart. Within minutes, hearts are heavy; some people begin to cry. I refuse to cry because (just as I said when I left my host family) this is just a transition period. Its hard because we will all miss this unbelievable experience and all the relationships we've made along the way, however, we should accept the experience for what it is: unforgettable.

Jane, Nancy, and Carol :P

This group has laughed together, learned together, discussed conspiracy, religion, and all other questions of the world together;parting ways, we even cried together. The beauty lies in the funny memories that I share with my friends such as when we decide to flaunt our rich and famous ego by wearing our hotel robes (both inside and outside) for everyone to see or when we all had to leave our host families (which was super sad).

I have done things that I never would have dreamed of like jumping in front of the Olympics Birds Nest (or on the Great Wall ) or dancing in a show with my friends. These individuals and I have experienced so much together and that's a bond that will never be broken. 

From an objective view, 45 days is a long time to spend with the same group of people and 14 hours is a long time for a plane ride. In actuality, these past 45 days and 14 hours have been the shortest of my life. I can be happy going home knowing I accomplished everything I set out to accomplish and more. I have improved my Chinese language skills primarily in reading and writing. More importantly, I made so many new friends and shared so many memories with these amazing people. Such an experience is something I'll never forget.

Shanghai Bund

Shanghai in 3 Days

Meeting Wang Bin

Day 4: The group watches a movie called Fearless starring Bruce Lee. Afterwards we ask question to the movie's screenwriter, Wang Bin.
We quickly complete our Q/A session, grab some McDonalds and board the train to Shanghai. Of the bat, Shanghai is beautiful and modem. There's this amazing pulsating energy that rests over the city and I love it. I know I will like it here.

Day 5:
Today we go to the oldest city in Shanghai and Nanjing Road. The oldest city is very interesting and primarily focused on the life of one man. That man later became to founder of the republic of China.

Nanjing Road

Nanjing Road is interesting just because there are so many people and shops and everything is very close together and hustle bustle type of vibe. I really want a ring so I walk into a nice looking store and spoke the the saleswoman only in Chinese. I tell her what I wanted and ask her if bargaining is allowed. It turns out that bargaining is not allowed and this store has a ring that I really want. I realize that I don't have enough money for it and apologize to the woman. She asks her boss if I can still purchase the ring even though I'm short about ¥20. Her boss looks at me and says let her have it. I am so pleased with my ring and my shopping experience.

Some of my adoring fans lol

China is beautiful and anything but homogeneous. Even in the nicest places, the ugly effects of poverty seeps through the cracks. For instance, my friends stop walking for 3 minutes and a mutilated man walks up to them-bumping then each with his limb-asking for money. A few seconds later, another man asks us whether my friend am I would like to purchase "a massage or sex". I'm not even insulted by this offer, I more putty the man. This man is so desperate to make money that he is trying to sell his body to strangers. 怎么办？

As always, people stopped to take pictures with me and would practice their English by saying "hello" and calling out to me saying "you are very beautiful". Even more reason for me to come back to live in Shanghai.

Shanghai: Pearl Tower (Day 6)

On top of the world

Today we go to the pearl tower. There are several long lines and elevator rides to reach this amazing  view. One can see a 360 degree view of the Shanghai skyline. It is so amazing and so surreal that I could be standing inside of an iconic building that I see on Google. It's so surreal that I can converse with locals who want to take pictures
with me.

At around 7pm, we go to the Shanghai Acrobatic Show. It's amazing. The people are so talented and beautiful and fearless. They are everything I strive to be and I enjoyed watching them.

It's unbelievable that this NSLIY experience is almost over. A week like this goes by so quickly; the movement becomes a memory.

Shanghai: Arrival and Awakening

Wang Bin and I

Day 4: The group watches a movie called Fearless starring Bruce Lee. Afterwards we ask question to the movie's screenwriter, Wang Bin.

View from my hotel room 

We quickly complete our Q/A session, grab some McDonalds and board the train to Shanghai. Of the bat, Shabghai is beautiful and modem. There's this amazing pulsating energy that rests over the city and I love it. I know I will like it here.

Day 5:
Today we go to the oldest city in Shanghai and Nanjing Road. The oldest city is very interesting and primarily focuses on the life of one man. That man later became to founder of the Republic of China.
Nanjing Road is interesting just because there are so many people and shops and everything is very close together with a layer hustle bustle on top. I really want to purchase a ring so I walk into a nice looking store and speak to the saleswoman only using Chinese. I tell her what I want and ask her if bargaining is allowed. It turns out that bargaining is not allowed and this store has a ring that I really want. I realize that I don't have enough money for it and apologize to the woman. She asks her boss if I can still purchase the ring even though I'm short about ¥20. Her boss looks at me and says let her have it. I am so pleased with my ring and my shopping experience.

Nanjing Road 

China is beautiful and anything but homogenous. Even in the nicest places, the ugly effects of poverty seeps through the cracks. For instance, my friends stop walking for 3 minutes and a mutilated man walks up to them-bumping then each with his limb-asking for money. A few seconds later, another man asks us whether my friend and I would like to purchase "a massage or sex". I'm not even insulted by this offer, I more pitty the man. This man is so desperate to make money that he is trying to sell his body to strangers. 怎么办？I feel like the characters of the world like these two men make life more interesting and allows visitors to recognize the (potentially poor) reality that awaits the people who live outside the city. I almost appreciate the (crude) reminder.

Beijing: Forbidden City and Silk Road (Day 3)

Meeting my new friends <3

Today we make our way to the Forbidden City. It's humongous and well built; it's the equivalent of steeping into an AP World History book. My favorite part is the people I see there. As previously mentioned, I draw a lot of attention and it is because of this that I've learned how to understand the importance of body language.  For instance, it is so sunny and I am wearing my sunglasses. I can see everyone else, but no one knows where I'm looking. I realize that me shielding my eyes makes some of the locals uncomfortable so I remove them and smile. It helps the locals recognize that I am friendly and approachable. I take pictures with so many people-a woman and her baby, some teenagers, and an old woman. It's so amazing to have others display appreciation for my appearance. My favorite were a group of little kids and their chaperones. One little girl was looking at me with friendly curiosity so I smile and wave at her. She walks away from her parent and stands right in front of me. She holds my hand and her mom starts smiling asking to take a picture. We take soooo many pictures that my director asks them to move faster. There's just such a purity and curiosity in little kids and it's something I truly appreciate.

Inside the Forbidden City

Afterwards, we go to "Silk Street" which is actually just an indoor mall where bargaining is allowed. I personally don't like bargaining very much. It feels good when you get a good deal, but I'd rather not get a good deal on the back of another person. My heart is really big and I don't have it in me to low ball someone. I buy some tshirt a for my family and then I see a pair of headphones I like. The lady starts off at ¥880. I tell her ¥100. She tells me ¥680. I tell her ¥130. She says ¥600. I tell her I can look at other headphones. She pleads for me to buy the "newest headphones" at ¥300. I tell her it's still too high and that I can return after I visit other stores. She says fine at ¥130 and asks me what color I want. She also tells me I am beautiful, modest, and noble for bargaining with her in Chinese. She probably wants to get me to buy more stuff, but I appreciate the compliment.

P.S. Thank you so much for reading, sharing, and commenting on all of my posts. I've recently received my first message from an international reader from Suriname and it makes me so happy to see how far my blog extends and to what extent it helps people. Thank you so much <3

Beijing: The Great Wall (Day 2)

Today we go to the Great Wall of China. See, one can't simply start climbing the Great Wall. One has to walk a little ways, ride a bus, and then climb (or ride up) several flights of stairs until reaching an entry point. The stair climb to the Great Wall made me appreciate the wall that much more. Just imagine how many people had to carry heavy materials up the mountain without a staircase to make this world wonder all those years ago. The view from the wall is amazing. All the problems of the world seem to melt away when standing up there. I realize that for me, the greatness didn't lie within the wall; the greatness lied in the journey it took for me to reach the wall and in all the relationships I've made along the way.

Beijing : Day 1

My host parents

At around 4 am our parents and siblings stand with us until the bus comes to take us to the airport. It's a sort of emotional morning because we are sad to leave our host families, but happy to be seeing another part of China. My sister looks like she's going to cry so I give her a hug before I go. In all honesty, I want to cry too. The bus pulls off and my family watches me wave to them from the window. It's a hard feeling, but I know there's so much more to come; no need to be sad about the transition.

The flight lands in Beijing at around 11 am. This is definitely the most diversity that I have seen in 6 weeks. This flight is full of people from different walks of life-Europe, Portugal/Brazil, India, China, etc. I know the lack of diversity has made me become more diversity sensitive. The joyous sensation I feel when seeing other foreigners is really something beyond compare. The minute I step outside the airplane, I  immediately notice the heavy smog. It's thick so I can't really see through it, but I can definitely feel it burning my chest every time I try to inhale. I miss Xiamen already. We go to eat lunch and the food was sooo good. I start to like Beijing a little more.

Inside the Bird's Nest

 We go to the Olympic Park and go inside the "Bird's Nest". It was humongous and so surreal to be standing, sitting, and running in the same facility of that of legendary athletes. We also go to the "Water Cube" and get to see where Michael Phelps officially became the fastest swimmer in the world. It is the greatest feeling when all the history books and former current event assignments suddenly come to life.

The people of Beijing don't stare at me as intensely as the people of Xiamen, but that's because Beijing is used to foreigners. It's no longer shocking or attention worthy, however, I did snap a few pictures with some diversity fans.

Beijing is different. It's faster pace and more business-y than Xiamen. It's a new place with great food...I think I'm going to like it here ^_^

P.S. My friend's sister told my friend that she enjoyed watching me dance because I showed her that people don't have to be skinny to dance. She said that she liked my piece because it was unique and special<3

Last Day: Xiamen University/Host Families

Today is our last day. Our last day in Xiamen, China. Our last day with our host family. Our last day with of college mentors and our teachers. We have a goodbye party in which I and my fellow NSLIY students display our greatest talents. We sing, we dance, and we act for our Chinese family and friends.

My portions of the show consisted of modern Chinese dance and a group performance with my class. The dance piece was quite complex and involved elaborate fans. This is my first choreographed dance. The other three dancers are seasoned dancers. Although we finished learning the routine yesterday, we still did really well on tonight's performance. During my 30 second solo (*see clips on social media*), I dance completely freestyle. It is almost like my mind blacks out and my body takes over. The movements aren't calculated or pre-choreographed. All the movements are what I feel in my heart. The movements are real, emotional, and genuine. In the moment, I feel nothing but pure happiness.

As I have packed up all of my things ready to move on to the next city (Beijing), I know that I can do anything put my mind to. I can speak foreign languages;I can dance well just as I am (no formal training); I can choose to be happy; I can accomplish anything. I came to China to study other people-the language, the culture, the history-only to discover something new about myself.

First Time 妈妈Gave Me a Hug

At home, 妈妈 mama walks in on me writing and she asks me if I've finished my homework. I tell her I've finished my homework but I haven't finished decorating the thank you note I wrote for her. She starts laughing and tells me there's no need to thank her. She says when I get older, I'll buy her stuff too so that makes it fair. And I told her that I appreciate everything and  she gave me a hug. She gave me a real hug and it means a lot because Chinese people don't like to hug. The will hug the people closest to them and to everyone else-maybe a handshake. The first time 妈妈 ever gave me a real hug. I'm sooo happy to finally feel like her real 女儿 daughter. I'm just sooo happy :)

Me and 妈妈

Host Family: Day 10

This is my second and last day off to spend time with my family. I start off the day going to help my mama and baba move things from grandmas house. Then baba stops the car in the middle of the road (a regular occurrence in China), and mom and I jump out. My mom heard I wanted to but some stuff to give to my friends and that I wanted to buy a new suitcase so we went to this small hole in the wall store. We walk in and immediately start touching, inspecting, and playing with all the stuff. I tell my mama I want 5 fans, she picks out 6. We look at a crowded space and there are a bunch of different suitcases. In the middle of them, a brand new Perry Ellis suitcase. I really want it, but I think it was to expensive. My mama, on the other hand, thinks it's nothing saying 没问题 no problem. We go through the store and pick out more things like socks and neck pillows. By the time everything is said and done, my mom spends ¥578 on me. That's about $90. I repetitively thank my mom and then we come back home and my baba has bought me an identical new carryon suitcase.

My sister and I secretly eating McDonalds ^_^

My sister takes me shopping and I see sooooo many people. Or as I should say, soooo many people see me and I buy most of the gifts I want to give my friends. We eat McDonald's, sip bubble tea, and get stared at by the locals...you know, your average Sunday. An old lady came with a bowl that had ¥2 inside. I have not seen homeless people as intensely as I do at home,but when I do see homeless people, they are extremely impoverished. I don't have any ¥1 bills so I give her ¥5. She is elated and then gives me her blessing. In this moment,  I'm just thinking about how I can accomplish one of my goals (help people, travel, and eat amazing food). In this moment, I have the opportunity to help someone and I take it. I'm proud of myself and my understanding of compassion. If I were that old woman, I could only hope that others would be willing to help me.

Host Family: Day 6

Hi everyone!!!

Soldier's tag is white. 

I wake up, eat breakfast, and my 妈妈mama tells me to clean my room because the housekeeper is coming. I assume I misunderstood what she said but I clean my room anyway because that's what she instructs me to do. Afterwards, 爸爸Baba drives me to school  and we talk all the way. I say obvious things like 我们在隧道里面 "we're in a tunnel"。He points out a vehicle with a special military licenses plate saying "巨人的车“ solider's car. I ask him what he liked to do when he was little. He says he likes to play baseball. I tell him that I've never played baseball, but that I play volleyball. We start talking about my sisters 姐姐和妹妹。He says that my youngest sister plays sports at school and that my other sister doesn't play sports at all. I asked him why she's always sweating when she comes home and he says its because she exercises with her personal trainer. When I ask him if he exercises, he says of course. At night I drink beers. He does his lifting motion for me and I start laughing. I tell him his muscles must be big. He laughs and before we know it we've reached our destination.

On the drive home conversation is feeling more forced because we're both tired. I ask if he has any Beatles music. He taught me how to "you got all of my love". 你得到我最好的爱。

Pre-dinner dumplings

I walk home to see the housekeeper cleaning my room and my newly cleaned pairs of converse. They have been had washed, dried, and re-stringed with new strings. I am extremely grateful, but my mother doesn't take too many thanks. She just says  不用谢 which literally translates to "I don't use thanks" (aka the Chinese "you're welcome).  妈妈 的朋友 My mother's friend makes spicy food for me because they know I like it.

There's a special kind of enthusiasm is Chinese hospitality that goes above and beyond that of  American (including southern) hospitality. My favorite part of the day was recognizing the irony of my family cleaning the house before the housekeeper cleans the house. It's as if they are trying to lighten her load or impress her with their cleanliness. Its...different; let's just call it a culture shock ^_^

Host Family: Day 5

I ride home from school with my father for the first time. The ride home is long because of the 5 o'clock 车水马龙（Che shui ma long) "heavy traffic". My baba loves the Eagles and the Beatles. He doesn't really speak English, but he can sing all the words to "Witchy Woman". He asks me about the witchy woman. I tell him that 她很淘气 （ta hen tao qi) "she is very mischievous". He agrees.

Host Family: Day 3 ^_^

Hi everyone! 

Today I have no school because the program wants to give us a chance to get to know our families. My host family is great. They let me sleep in (until 7:30 am). When I wake up there is a freshly made 包子 (meat bun) waiting for me and they promptly make me a cup of 奶茶 （milk tea). Today we have been invited by another host family to go out. Fortunately, I'm good friends with the guest of the other host family so I'm excited. We ride out of the city all the way into the country side. We ride until there are no more roads to be driven on-and even then we get out and walk a dirt path through some open farmland. We get to a bunch of large old fashion buildings with pots, pans, fruits, and chairs outside. The irony of this area is that I would assume that these farmers are poor, but it's quite the opposite. They have an old fashioned 3 story Chinese house equipped with all of their necessities. They also have a 2nd house down the road that they're grandparents built and that they have preserved. The house has people coming in and out so I really can't tell who lives there and who doesn't. There are about 5 children 12-20 adults, and 5 teenagers. They have boiled peanuts, watermelon, and fresh tea  waiting for us. We go out to their farmland and pull the fruits and vegetables straight out of the ground. The fruits and vegetables in China are so large and nutrient filled. Their 桃子 (peaches) are both big and tasty. When we walk back to the house with the fruits of our labor, the cooks take them and immediately start cooking. We take family photos and the food is laid out on the table. Everything is extremely fresh-sometimes too fresh - waiting to be eaten. Our host bring out plate after plate to ensure all their guests are well fed. Afterwards, we start playing with the younger kids and start talking with the elders. My friend shows them a picture of me dancing. We all discuss my hair and how it's done. I show them how to braid. They say I braid quickly. We take more pictures. We visit the second house and get a real life history lesson. The house had been built by the ancestors of the other host mother. The inside was well constructed an consisted of a small courtyard, a memorial, a kitchen, and several other rooms. We take one last walk back to the large farm  house before we go home. We take all of our freshly picked vegetables in the kitchen and immediately start chopping. After about an hour of chopping, folding, and taste testing, our merged families are ready to eat. We eat until we are吃饱了 （full) and then we all sit around the house a relax together.


I love that I can wake up on the opposite side of the world, yet feel just as comfortable as I do at home. I think it's because these people, this land, and this culture-this is my home <3

Host Family: Day 2

I come home to a home cooked meal and talk with my host mom and dad. They ask me if I miss my American home. I tell them I miss it a little bit, but that I really like my Chinese home. They are pleased. I go to my room, do my HW and have the eldest of my younger sisters check it. Most of it is good, but some of it is incorrect. I change the mistakes and go to sleep.

Host Family: Day 1

My host family consists of a mother, a father, and two teenage siblings. They sat in the first row waiting to pick me up right on time. My family is that of an upper middle class. My baba drove us home in a new Lexus. My 17 year old sister is very shy and has the highest vocabulary of English. I do most of the talking on the car ride and utilize some new vocabulary 车水马龙 to the describe the traffic. When we arrive home, we arrive at a complex of tall buildings and walk straight to the back. At this point, I expect my family to have a small apartment and I'm excited to see the interior design. The door opens and the floor plan is suprisingly spacious-consists of an upstairs, a downstairs, and an office space. They have cleared a bedroom and a full bathroom for me. We go visit grandma and grandpa at the nursing home and then we go to a fancy restaurant. We sit at a round table with a spinning glass table atop and everyone shares all the food we ordered. It was just sooo much food. Then I went home, unpacked my bag, and went to sleep.

**China Side Effects

Hi everyone. 

These last weeks I've really enjoyed China and I've had time to do a lot of self-reflection. Here are some of my the side effects of my Chinese experience.

Diversity withdrawal
I'm from a very diverse area so it's kind of weird to only hear one type of language and see one common type of face. I actually felt a little sad last week because I hadn't seen any foreigners since meeting my African friends. To treat this, I started going places where I knew there would be more diversity like the soccer field and more popular tourist areas.

Donde esta el queso?
Cheese is not a common household ingredient as it is in my hometown. I really miss cheese. The only cheese I've had since I landed was on a "pizza" and it was not the same. To treat this, I commonly drink milk tea (奶茶） which is a popular drink here which I can't really get back home.

Chinese pizza

Heighten sensitivity
There's a certain standard for beauty here which includes not being overexposed. The lack of sexual subliminal messages from TV, advertisements, and general fashion really shows me how desensitized I was. There's a general respect for women that I really appreciate.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder
I really miss my family and friends so much more being here. Unconditional love is hard to come by so I miss them so much and I appreciate them that much more.

P.S. Be on the look out for other side effects ^_^

Africans in China ^_^

Hi everyone!

Today we left campus and went to a museum in Quanzhou. When we pulled up to the Maritime Museum, I saw 3 black women and I was both excited and curious to know why there were so many black people in one place. As I walk through the doors of the museum, I see even more black people in traditional African clothing. These aren't African-Americans; these are Africans!! I am feeling so excited to see all of these people who look like me in one place. They are staring and smiling at me. They actually stand on the indoor balcony and smile down at me.  It was so sweet. I look at them and they invite me to come talk to them. They are so sweet and loving and they treat me like family. They give me a hug before they even ask for my name. I ask them when they are from and they say Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Antigua. I'm so elated I forgot to tell them my name and where I'm from. Eventually they figure out that I am from the United States and I am here to study Chinese. They ask me where my parents are from and I have to explain that I am black because I'm
Haitian and African American. They are still just as loving as they were before.  They had to leave quickly after our encounter, but not before snapping a few pictures.

It is so nice to be able to find comfort in strangers. It wasn't because they were black, but more because they were smiling and so welcoming. Their friendliness was just so contagious and comforting. It really helped soothe my homesickness. Just seeing people that I share a similar origin with in a foreign country is an experience beyond compare and is something that I'll never forget.

5,000 Views!!!!!!! (☆_☆)(^o^)*\(^o^)/*

 

Hi everyone! 

I'm excited to announce that Camy's Corner broke 5,000 views. I just want to thank all my viewers for accompanying me on this journey of my crazy beautiful life.  Thank you to my long time international  viewers in  United States, Russia, United Kingdom, Taiwan, Japan, India, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Barbados, Brazil, France, Italy, Turkey, Poland, Mexico, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Venezuela, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Malaysia, Israel, Hong Kong, Argentina, Indonesia, South Korea, Chile, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Tunisia, China, Austria, Cape Verdes,  Kyrgyzstan, and Kuwait. Thank you to my newest viewers from Macedonia, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Norway, Guyana, Paraguay, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, and Armenia. The overwhelming love and support is amazing and always appreciated. As always, please continue to read, share, and comment on my posts.

Black in China

Hi everyone!
In case you didn't know, I am a black person. I am very confident in my skin and proud of my heritage. Before I left for China, I had heard a lot of warnings of the weird things that would happen to me because I am a rare sight. As far as my experience goes, some things were accurate and others were false.

Stares - True/False
People definitely stared at my group but it was mostly because we were disturbing their daily pattern. A group of 30+ is naturally very distracting. In Shanghai, people barely looked my way. Only small children would stare and smile at me. One girl ran to her dad so that he could see the spectacle which is my existence. In Xiamen, I got way more stares and usually I just smile and wave at them. Most people smile and wave back; some break their stare.


Pictures-True!! So true!
As soon as I got off the bus in Xiamen University, a group of girls ran up to me and asked to take pictures with me-just laughing and giggling all the way. I was walking through the park with my group and people ran up to me to pose with me and take pictures every couple seconds. I like that they come and take pictures with me; they are openly expressing their admiration for diversity and exotic people, rather than being afraid of me or avoiding me. When people greet you like that, it makes you want to return; it feels good.


Racism-N/A
I haven't experienced any blatant racism, everyone has been really nice and friendly towards me. They're too curious to be racists; they're just very open and sweet and love to take pictures with foreigners. No has asked me if I'm from Africa yet, but if they do I will simply reply with 我是一个非洲公主 (I'm an African princess).

Countdown to China: The Pre-Departure Orientaion

Hi everyone.

Today I attended my first (of many) Pre-Departure Orientation. It was very interesting, well done, and detail oriented. I could enjoy the time the faculty and administration put into program preparation. At first, we all had breakfast and met all the program administrators; we went over the program expectations (from both the students and the faculty). Although we were in the meeting nearly all day, it wasn’t bothersome just because it was so well balanced with fun bonding activities. They showed us some very inspiring and motivating videos from Foreign Service Officers and past participants. Then, we had lunch and took a language placement test. I was very nervous and I knew I would probably be demoted from the advanced class to the high intermediate because I haven’t had access to a Chinese class in a year and I don’t know how to read and write as well as I can speak. I will definitely be working on that on the plane tomorrow. Afterwards, we went through the guidelines and student code of conduct word for word, but what I most appreciated was how the director was very honest and straightforward about why the rules were written and what the negative consequences were when past participants violated said rules.

My new family <3

 I really appreciated how genuine everyone is being and how the administration is supportive of all our goals. I know they will push me just as hard as I push myself so that I can reach my full potential and that’s something I look forward to.

Funny Airport Stories: Is That Your Hair?

Hi everyone!

So I was in the airport waiting to board my plane to New Jersey to meet my scholarship group and an older lady sits next to me. She drops her pen behind the seat and I pick it up for her. She says thank you and continues to stare at me for a little while. I look up and smile at her and she finally asks me “Is that your real hair? Is all of that yours?” I laugh a little because people have asked me this several times before. I look at her and say “Well if I purchased it, then yes, it all belongs to me”.  Her eyes widen and she laughs with me. She says “Well you can’t even tell” and I reply with a friendly thank you. Then she starts telling me that she loves to play scrabble and how she’s gotten married twice, and had several varying careers from education to law.  I tell her about how I’m on my way to China and that I am really interested in international relations. Then she tells me that she’s going to an IQ convention in San Diego and I should see if I can join the society. Her name was Judy and she was very nice. I would have never known anything about her if her curiosity didn’t get the best of her for her to be bold enough to ask me if my hair is real. 

Curiosity is a beautiful thing and it shouldn’t be stifled. I want to be like Miss Judy-bold enough to ask the world’s most pressing questions.

P.S. Thank you for reading, sharing, and commenting on my post. I really appreciate it and I hope you stay tuned for my China series starting on July 1 or July 2 (depending on when I get there). Thanks for all the support <3333

Countdown to China: Emotional Toll

Hi everyone.

It's gotten more and more real that I will be going to China for 6 weeks. I am not scared, but this morning I was a  little sad thinking about all the people I'd miss like my friends, my family, and my parents. I know that this is whats best for me and my future. I'm also fortunate enough to be born in this age of technology so something tells me communication won't be a problem :)


P.S. I'm starting my journey to China today so make sure you come back and check for updates. ^_^

Countdown to China: Preparation

 

Hello everyone!
I have completed summer semester and I finally have a couple days free before I get on a plane to go to China. Right now, I am taking inventory of everything I want to take, reviewing Chinese vocabulary, and spending time with my friends and family. I also purchased some cute touristy stuff for my host family. I am just really excited to see where this adventure takes me and I will be documenting everything along the way ^_^

P.S. Thank you for continuing to view the blog despite of my lack of posting; summer semester is over so I will definitely be posting more :)

Don't Cheat on Me

大家好！Hello everyone!
In 8th grade, I had this awesome language arts teacher whom we will refer to as Mr.Wood. Moments before our first test in his class, he asks us "Why do men and women get upset when their significant other cheats? " Some responses included "because it hurts their feelings" and "because it makes them feel ugly". I said "People get upset when spouses cheat because it violates an agreed bond of monogamy and trust" (I was a mature 8th grader). He says "Exactly! So guys when you take this test, please don't cheat on me." I'll never forget that.

Today I took the SATs for the second time and there was a girl sitting next to me. During the test, I would catch her sneaking peeks at my paper. In an effort to deter her, I kept sliding my paper under my test book. She gets the message and stops...for a whole 5 minutes before I see her giving herself whiplash trying to look back at my paper. I think to myself 

This is a college entrance exam, why would she try to copy off of a stranger? Maybe she thinks I'm pretty and keeps getting distracted by my face...or maybe there's something on my face...wait, what am I reading again?

And the cycle continued through the first 3 sections of the test. I was trying to be patient and kind and forgiving because this stranger is clearly cheating on me, cheating off me, and doing it poorly at that; however, the last straw was when we were in the middle of testing for section 4 and I see the girl working on section 3 trying to adjust her answers to match my answers and giving herself extra time. That was the moment when I officially broke up with this cheating stranger; that was the moment when I forgot about my test; that was the moment when I looked her dead in the eye to give her one more chance to stop cheating and she looked right back as she erased and rewrote answers from previous sections. I raised my hand and wrote a note saying "Some people are changing their answers in previous sections" and drew an arrow pointing to her. The proctor comes over, looks at me, and says "it's okay, just erase it" and then winks. He starts walking around the classroom and catches her in the act. He takes her outside and asks if she understood the directions given before the test that explicitly stated that alterations of answers were prohibited. She said that she understood exactly what he said and that she didn't care. She said she wanted extra time and didn't care about the consequences. The moral of the story is to be honest and maintain integrity in all aspects of life; lying  is not a good look. I write this story as a request to my viewers; "Please, don't cheat on me".

P.S. As always, thank you for reading, commenting on, and sharing my posts. I really appreciate it. And shoutout to all the viewers of my last post; I've never had a post receive more than 60 views so for my last post to get 140+ views was pretty amazing. Thank you for all the support <3

My First Diplomatic Networking Event

Hi everyone!

As most of you know, in less than a month I will be going to China ^_^ So yesterday I went to my first diplomatic networking event and I got to meet other people who were interested in foreign language and international relations. I ended up really enjoying conversation with this guy who was planning to go to Russia and a girl who was planning to go to Tajikistan. I also met an online friend in person at this event so that was pretty cool. My favorite part of everything was when the Miami resident diplomat came out and informed the group of various opportunities that I would have never thought of. Having such an open discussion with Madame diplomat really eliminated all concerns and more than anything, confirmed that I want to be a Foreign Service Officer (specifically an American Ambassador). I can't wait to see where this adventure takes me.

I'm ready to change the world, helping one person at a time.

Questbridge Scholars and Ambassadors (in training)

P.S. Thank you for reading, commenting, and sharing my posts. I will definitely be updating more in the upcoming weeks with China preparation and all. Thank you for staying loyal to me (even with my lack of recent posting); I am trying to write quality pieces, but I have to prioritize summer semester. I promise soon it will all be worth it :) 加油大家！ <3

加油大家！(Oil, everyone!)

Hello everyone!
I would first like to explain my 2 week  lack of posting. I had finals week and the following week was my only break between summer term and going to China. So I decided to just take the week, but the past is not the topic of today's post.
Today I would like to just encourage all my viewers. 加油大家！ 加油！ 加油 literally means oil. Oil is what powers cars and makes fried food taste so good. I just want to encourage everyone to push forward because the (school) year isn't over yet and there are many more things to accomplish and more tidbits to learn. Whenever I am tired or I am getting burned out from all the work that I'm doing, I just have to remember to add 加油 to get me through the day. So oil, everybody ^_^

Mother's Day Memories: Adrienne Arsht Gala

The Adrienne Arsht Gala was absolutely unbelievable. On a Thursday night, a bunch of amazing, talented, and generous people in one room. The line up they had was absolutely fantastic. From the extremely outgoing host Andy Cohen to  gorgeous dancers of the American Ballet and the Alvin Ailey Dancers and the amazing singers like Estelle and Darren Criss  ^_^ However, the most amazing part was not the voices of opera singers belting out the most beautiful  music I've ever heard or the watching history of an artistic center that shaped my life; the most amazing  part of the night was the fact that I got to share the experience with 

my mom. <3

Happy Mother's Day!!

P.S. Feel free to read, comment on , and share my posts. Don't forget to wish a woman you love a happy Mother's Day.