As the weather gets better so does my mood.
My workload has lightened up (but 5 papers/projects are on the horizon, should get on that soon) as well so I've been taking some more time to sleep in and go out to eat meals.
The other day I was at Garden at the Cellar eating delicious truffle rosemary fries with S when I saw an old lady out of the corner of my eye walking in. Boston is full of characters so when she started yelling loudly I dismissed her as another one of those. However, after a few seconds I realized there was something about that raspy tone that reminded me of.. my grandmother. After listening more attentively to her cries of "pisa! piiisa!" I informed the waitress, who was standing there looking rather flustered and confused, that the old lady most likely wanted pizza.
S and I finished our meals and got up to leave right as the pizza arrived. Since Garden at the Cellar is a rather nice place, its pizzas are of the flatbread small serving variety and the old lady was rather confused.
"Bu yao zhe me xiao de, tai xiao, yao da yi dian de pisa! Da de pisa!" I got up and went over,
"Do you have any larger pizzas?"
"No... this is our only size" the waitress responded. I told the old lady as much and she looked surprise there was a stranger speaking to her in Chinese. The old lady insisted that she needed a larger pizza and asked me to tell the waitress this.
"Is it possible for her to return this? I'll take her to the Dominos down the road"
"Yeah! No problem." She was about ready to get the woman out of her hair.
I walked with the old lady down the block to Dominos, all the while she told me about her family, her life, and her quest for pizza.
The woman was 89 and her husband was in his 90s. Usually on Sundays her grandchildren, who all went to Beijing University, would bring her and her husband food. She never ventured outside. However, today they could not make it and so she thought she might as well go out on her own and get them food for the week. This was the only place they ever went though so she didn't know anything else. She also didn't speak english so that made getting around quite tough. She wanted pizza because, honestly, at this age the palate is so worn out there's no point getting good food! Any food will suffice. But she was thankful she had found a kind spirit in all of this.
Due to my poor Chinese I could only understand 2/3 of what she was saying and communicate 1/3 of what I wanted to say (maybe more like 1/5 since she was pretty hard of hearing), but seeing her gratitude at the end was worth all of the effort.
In the end, I walked away wondering if she would be able to carry the pizza box back with her to her home.
I hope her grand children will visit this weekend or whenever that box of pizza runs out.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
My life from now on
Today we had a final dinner with the 2011 team for WorldMUN.
The founder of the conference was there and she gave super sweet gifts to everyone. Everybody got mugs, a Starbucks gift certificate, and a flashlight/watch. The seniors got a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne and a personalized note. Reihan got this amazing plaque with a glass globe. I got a Swarovski crystal Singapore orchid.
All the gifts aside... another year of WorldMUN draws to a close. Except next year it's on me and an amazing team of 30 to yet again pull off a stellar conference. It's amazing what responsibility will do to a person to make them feel and act more accountable on all fronts. Now that I realize I get to pull the shots, I'm really prioritizing differently. And I was only officially elected Thursday.
4 years later, after running my first conference for 400 people I am now once again running another conference for 2,000+. These 4 years have taught me a lot about how to work in and with a team. How to manage my time. How to live a little more. I would not trade my experiences with WorldMUN, breakers, blockmates, South Africa, Japan, friends, family, etc. etc. with anything.
I can only hope that next year will be not only just as phenomenal, but so much more. And that so much more may not be objective. Clearly conferences take on the personalities of the people who lead them (and I'm curious to see how THAT will turn out!), and so by so much more... I already know that through the work I put in... the conference will be so much more to me. I'm anxious. But excited.
This year's not over yet (and the summer has yet to begin) but I'm already looking forward to the future. Here's to living another day.
The founder of the conference was there and she gave super sweet gifts to everyone. Everybody got mugs, a Starbucks gift certificate, and a flashlight/watch. The seniors got a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne and a personalized note. Reihan got this amazing plaque with a glass globe. I got a Swarovski crystal Singapore orchid.
All the gifts aside... another year of WorldMUN draws to a close. Except next year it's on me and an amazing team of 30 to yet again pull off a stellar conference. It's amazing what responsibility will do to a person to make them feel and act more accountable on all fronts. Now that I realize I get to pull the shots, I'm really prioritizing differently. And I was only officially elected Thursday.
4 years later, after running my first conference for 400 people I am now once again running another conference for 2,000+. These 4 years have taught me a lot about how to work in and with a team. How to manage my time. How to live a little more. I would not trade my experiences with WorldMUN, breakers, blockmates, South Africa, Japan, friends, family, etc. etc. with anything.
I can only hope that next year will be not only just as phenomenal, but so much more. And that so much more may not be objective. Clearly conferences take on the personalities of the people who lead them (and I'm curious to see how THAT will turn out!), and so by so much more... I already know that through the work I put in... the conference will be so much more to me. I'm anxious. But excited.
This year's not over yet (and the summer has yet to begin) but I'm already looking forward to the future. Here's to living another day.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
My week in electronic communication & then some
From Mom:
Hi Kat,
According with your busy schedule I hardly find right time to call you.But as a parent I have couple things like to know what is in your mind.
1st: As a secretary general that will be great experience for you. How do you thought about it? What a long term would effect to you?
2nd: Be a secretary general that mean you will have very busy senior year. What is the impact for your academic performance? For your own future either go law school or graduate school or even looking for job after college. I hope you can keep your GPA. That may be challenge for you. I still remember when you chose junior classes in high school I thought 5 AP classes was too much for you but you said:"some junior can do it I can do it too". I hope you still have that spirit.
Wish can got your response soon. Have nice evening!
Love!
Mom.,
Sent from my iPhone
---- the most impressive thing is definitely that she wrote this all out on her iphone. Must have taken her ages!!!
From Dad:
Kat:
Mom told me this good news. I was looking for a good reason to go to
Black Angus, and this is a pretty good one.
Join us if you can, we will do it some time this week.
Thanks.
Dad
---- cute. Black Angus is a steak house my parents would take me to everytime I did something well in highschool (get straight As, 5s on APs, etc). Haven't been rewarded with that in a long while :p
Random convo quotes:
AJ (She hates that but it works here): why'd you curse yourself for the two weeks leading up to nmun?
me: oh because I had to prepare so much stuff that I hadnt yet.. haha
my AD was like I thought the committee might not happen
and I was like shush u
I haz worldmun stuff to do
AJ: you are going to be saying those last two lines so much for the next 11 months
me: wompwomp
this candidacy statement is going to be like 30 pages... sigh
AJ: right. like a thesis substitute
me: and then no one will read it
AJ: LIKE A STUDY GUIDEEEE
And to top it all off a quote from my awesome best friend who I haven't been able to see as much lately because of WorldMUN/random shiz.
RL: What is this white stuff falling out of the sky?
S: .... snow!??? Where have you been??
(:
Hi Kat,
According with your busy schedule I hardly find right time to call you.But as a parent I have couple things like to know what is in your mind.
1st: As a secretary general that will be great experience for you. How do you thought about it? What a long term would effect to you?
2nd: Be a secretary general that mean you will have very busy senior year. What is the impact for your academic performance? For your own future either go law school or graduate school or even looking for job after college. I hope you can keep your GPA. That may be challenge for you. I still remember when you chose junior classes in high school I thought 5 AP classes was too much for you but you said:"some junior can do it I can do it too". I hope you still have that spirit.
Wish can got your response soon. Have nice evening!
Love!
Mom.,
Sent from my iPhone
---- the most impressive thing is definitely that she wrote this all out on her iphone. Must have taken her ages!!!
From Dad:
Kat:
Mom told me this good news. I was looking for a good reason to go to
Black Angus, and this is a pretty good one.
Join us if you can, we will do it some time this week.
Thanks.
Dad
---- cute. Black Angus is a steak house my parents would take me to everytime I did something well in highschool (get straight As, 5s on APs, etc). Haven't been rewarded with that in a long while :p
Random convo quotes:
AJ (She hates that but it works here): why'd you curse yourself for the two weeks leading up to nmun?
me: oh because I had to prepare so much stuff that I hadnt yet.. haha
my AD was like I thought the committee might not happen
and I was like shush u
I haz worldmun stuff to do
AJ: you are going to be saying those last two lines so much for the next 11 months
me: wompwomp
this candidacy statement is going to be like 30 pages... sigh
AJ: right. like a thesis substitute
me: and then no one will read it
AJ: LIKE A STUDY GUIDEEEE
And to top it all off a quote from my awesome best friend who I haven't been able to see as much lately because of WorldMUN/random shiz.
RL: What is this white stuff falling out of the sky?
S: .... snow!??? Where have you been??
(:
My week has been like
Tuesday: Arrive back from Singapore, meet S, my bff from home who's visiting for the week
Weds/Thurs: Take her around, go out chillax, try to catch up on work
Fri: Wake up to txts about friend puking all over bed. Wash sheets. Go to class. Go to NYC. Arrive in NYC, go to dinner, bar, lounge, club. Lose friend. Eat korean food. Go to sleep in deflating air mattress.
Sat: Wake up at 10. Swimming in deflating air mattress. Terrible nauseating hangover. Go back to sleep while feeling guilty about not doing work. Wake up at 2. Find friend. Go to Times Square. Go to MoMA. Look for friend's lost iPhone. To go Ippudo Ramen. Pack. Wait for bus for 45 minutes in 20 degree weather. Get into bus. Defrost.
Weds/Thurs: Take her around, go out chillax, try to catch up on work
Fri: Wake up to txts about friend puking all over bed. Wash sheets. Go to class. Go to NYC. Arrive in NYC, go to dinner, bar, lounge, club. Lose friend. Eat korean food. Go to sleep in deflating air mattress.
Sat: Wake up at 10. Swimming in deflating air mattress. Terrible nauseating hangover. Go back to sleep while feeling guilty about not doing work. Wake up at 2. Find friend. Go to Times Square. Go to MoMA. Look for friend's lost iPhone. To go Ippudo Ramen. Pack. Wait for bus for 45 minutes in 20 degree weather. Get into bus. Defrost.
Sun: Write SecGen Candidacy Statement for WorldMUN from midnight until 3 am. Sleep from 3-4 am. Wake up. Take cab home. Wash up. Sleep from 5-8 am. Wake up at 8 am and walk to quad. Speak with 5 Quadlings about candidacy. Walk to River at noon. Speak with 10 some odd people from Lowell to Eliot to Lowell to Kirkland back to Eliot. Go to friend's place at 1145. Eat Bonchon chicken. Play 2 rounds of beerpong. Go back to room. Fall asleep at 3 am.
Mon: Wake up with a fever. Spend entire day writing 5000 word/13 page Candidacy Statement.
Tuesday: A normal day.
Friday, March 18, 2011
FWPLove
Why does it always take such situations for us to open up to each other?
Tell me more more often, you know I love you AT (:
Tell me more more often, you know I love you AT (:
Monday, March 14, 2011
Singapour
Singapore is humid! And food is cheap!
I've been sleeping under 5 hours for the past few days and it looks like this trend is going to continue. Unlike last year, my job is not over with the passing of the first day of registration. The pressure is just beginning to set in.
I trust everyone to do a fantastic job this week. I hope everyone has a good time. I'm kind of jealous of those running a committee - committees are so much fun (especially after my awesome NMUN experience). I'm sure being a USG will be rewarding as well. Either way, looking forward to it!
Stop here to avoid sappiness.
Things are pretty busy but still going through the days with a tinge of melancholy. I think this song sums it up pretty well, don't you?
You are the earth beneath my feet.
You are my gravity.
Peace out cub scouts.
I've been sleeping under 5 hours for the past few days and it looks like this trend is going to continue. Unlike last year, my job is not over with the passing of the first day of registration. The pressure is just beginning to set in.
I trust everyone to do a fantastic job this week. I hope everyone has a good time. I'm kind of jealous of those running a committee - committees are so much fun (especially after my awesome NMUN experience). I'm sure being a USG will be rewarding as well. Either way, looking forward to it!
Stop here to avoid sappiness.
Things are pretty busy but still going through the days with a tinge of melancholy. I think this song sums it up pretty well, don't you?
You are the earth beneath my feet.
You are my gravity.
Peace out cub scouts.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
2 Weeks in Singapore
Leaving in under 24 hours for Singapore. This 2 week romp is going to be so epic. The social events sound awesome already:
Night Zero - delegates who arrive early get to party with us in da club, woot.
Global Village - 30 teams bring food, drank, souvenirs from their home countries to share with everyone; ends in a dance party (soo much fun)
Glo - black light party at some swanky club
ASEAN Night - eat in Singapore's famous giant food court & dance after
Cabaret - We need to get our dance down for this... womp. Ends in an outdoor dance party (in 80 degree weather.. ahh)
Farewell party - party on the beach. Cannot wait. Always epic.
Then there's the post conference trip on a beach in Bali. Spring break is going to be so baller. (Work hard during the day, party hard at night, try to wake up at 6 am the next day, repeat)
Also super excited for the WorldMUN Spirit. What does that mean? Well it's different for everyone (and this is something we ask people who interview to be a part of WorldMUN so keep it on the DL) but for me it definitely resides in the interactions you have with people. Last year when I came back from WorldMUN I felt like speaking to everyone who just so happened to be around me; and let's face it, that type of random interaction doesn't happen often at Harvard. But being with people from around the world who want to interact with you makes you open up more than you would normally be comfortable with. There are people that I met from last year who have been messaging me all year telling me how excited they are for WorldMUN.
Conversation and interaction in both serious (read: committee) and relaxed (read: party) settings, being open to people at all times and having fun - That's the WorldMUN spirit.
Sherry's coming to visit after all that. I'll have a ton of work to do but... hopefully will still be able to show her a good time (despite the jet lag).
Night Zero - delegates who arrive early get to party with us in da club, woot.
Global Village - 30 teams bring food, drank, souvenirs from their home countries to share with everyone; ends in a dance party (soo much fun)
Glo - black light party at some swanky club
ASEAN Night - eat in Singapore's famous giant food court & dance after
Cabaret - We need to get our dance down for this... womp. Ends in an outdoor dance party (in 80 degree weather.. ahh)
Farewell party - party on the beach. Cannot wait. Always epic.
Then there's the post conference trip on a beach in Bali. Spring break is going to be so baller. (Work hard during the day, party hard at night, try to wake up at 6 am the next day, repeat)
Also super excited for the WorldMUN Spirit. What does that mean? Well it's different for everyone (and this is something we ask people who interview to be a part of WorldMUN so keep it on the DL) but for me it definitely resides in the interactions you have with people. Last year when I came back from WorldMUN I felt like speaking to everyone who just so happened to be around me; and let's face it, that type of random interaction doesn't happen often at Harvard. But being with people from around the world who want to interact with you makes you open up more than you would normally be comfortable with. There are people that I met from last year who have been messaging me all year telling me how excited they are for WorldMUN.
Conversation and interaction in both serious (read: committee) and relaxed (read: party) settings, being open to people at all times and having fun - That's the WorldMUN spirit.
Sherry's coming to visit after all that. I'll have a ton of work to do but... hopefully will still be able to show her a good time (despite the jet lag).
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