Ahhh…and the last week of my six week long break nears its end.
Not really sure where the time went…but that seems to be the general gist of all of my posts lately.
I think my overall impression of this entire break…is that I’ve been bouncing around a lot. Everywhere. Like, I think when I look back on this break in future years, or in my old age, that will be the primary impression/memory I have of this break. Because I was hopping around Europe for the first three weeks, and then hopping around Boston and its suburbs the last three weeks. Oh and I guess another major impression I’ll take away from these latter three weeks will be gratitude–just major gratitude for the people in my life and the support system they make up. I told you my boyfriend and I broke up on good terms, which is great. It would still be awkward to be staying with him though. Luckily, that was not the only home I had on the East Coast. Little did I know, but friends everywhere stepped up.
I had two places to stay in Lexington and one in Sudbury. A friend at MIT I could crash with. Two friends at Northeastern University. It just made me feel like this –> 🙂 🙂 🙂 :).
I’ve also been working through background check paperwork for my summer internship. It’s insane!! So many things online I have to do, and I even had to go somewhere in Newton for a drug test (where I just peed in a cup), and I need proof of residence, and proof of birth, and tell them my entire employment background (I mean, who remembers all the random summer jobs they had in high school?) and everywhere I’ve lived (that was also difficult to do considering I lived in different places every summer, and between school and home, and now Oxford). But it’s done! Or nearly. Whew. 🙂 I guess that’s why they assign it to students over break. 😉 Also I don’t think there were any drug testing facilities in Oxford (at least any that were approved by my company) so gooood thing I came back to the US this break instead of staying in Europe…
Oh speaking of! Next break (March 12 – April 24) I might go to CHINA!! Wouldn’t that be cool?! I mean, I never used to think it was cool to visit China, because as a kid my family and I would go every other summer. And I also think growing up Asian-American, I was ashamed of being Chinese and embarrassed by my parents’ English and lack of American-culture-finesse. And I would always try to hide the fact that I was Chinese, and never really acknowledge it (or being Asian for that matter) unless directly prompted.
But now I’m realizing…it’s a strangely privileged position we’re in, Chinese-Americans. We straddle a fine line between two vastly different cultures and two rising world powers. Whereas I used to be embarrassed to have been raised speaking Mandarin at home, taking off my shoes when I was indoors, eating with chopsticks, etc….it is now a strange privilege to be so in touch with the culture of a country that is undeniably on the rise.
Anyway, just some little things I’ve been thinking about recently. I’m also planning on graduating Wellesley early (I’ll be done with all my credits and major/distribution requirements by Fall 2016) and I’m thinking about working in China (or Hong Kong) that spring semester before going back in May to graduate…hmmm!
Alright enough for now. Hope everyone’s enjoying the new year!
Cheers,
~em