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.