#33 foreign affairs

Hey hi hello,

I've finally managed to take some time off pretending that I'm always busy and crashing for exams the night before. (Parents, please don't take me seriously, everyone else, carry on.)

So after heavy-duty munching on a bowl of instant Taiwanese pork noodles (that I found when I died and went to Asian Market heaven), I sat down and decided to write about what I've been up to here at San Diego State.

Looking a bit chubby, I must say.

Academics and all that grades

I've been doing fairly well here in school. I'm not about to brag about Dean's List or 4.0s just yet cause I think I'm slipping slightly. The expectations we have about Americans being (not as) smart as Asians and that us Asians would do well is hard to live up to. Clearly I'm the wrong kind of Asian.

I'm doing Anthropology which has elements of my sworn enemy since I was introduced high school, Biology. I must say I'm doing slightly better than I expected but am failing at a subject I knew I was going to do badly in (Introduction to American and California Government and Politics, even the name is a bloody mouthful).

I also have a Social Media class which is fun because I get to legitimately stalk cute classmates for legitimate good grades. I also get to show of my Twitter account and follow weird Americans. The other classes I have are meh, including English Literature which studies a part of the vast genres of literature that I am not fond of. The only saving grace is that the lecturer is actually from England and has that y'know, that sexy Brit accent (he's also young and pretty hot, just saying).

I'm doing a double major in Journalism and English. Yep. Lots of writing and reading. Lets just pray I survive this semester before thinking about the next 3 years.

Work and being all professional

I somehow managed to charm two or more employers in the university to hire me. I am currently tutoring and peer editing term papers and writing for the Equal Opportunity Program for minority students on campus, contributing to the news section of the campus newspaper, writing a weekly blog column for it's online counterpart and an administrative (sort of) intern for the International Student Center (I get to decide if your i-20s get sent to you or not, just kidding). Phew.

The fortunate thing is that I'm only allowed a maximum of twenty hours of work a week. Knowing my tendency to want more money, it's more pay if I work more hours, but it is also at most 4 hours of work per day, besides going for classes and trying to survive life itself. I actually intend on having a life here.

Basically, I would be spending most (if not all) of my time writing, studying or working; not very different from life back in Taylor's.

The fun stuff you want to hear about

Put away those stilettos because they are of no use here. It's all about red solo cups and beer pong, kicking back and practicing your flirting skills. Well, the first few weeks at least. When campus is in full swing, frat parties are on everyone's to-be-at lists. I've only been to three, and most of them constitute of sucking face or trying to suck face. I must say alcohol is definitely way more accessible here, with most parties giving out free alcohol and people drinking beer every other day.

I've also loved going to the beach! I try to spend every weekend there but I have to be realistic and quietly settle for twice a month. My friends and I have taken an adventurous road trip to Los Angeles, but I'm sad to say I haven't been to any raves (yet).

I went for a Passion Pit concert and will be going for Drake on Thanksgiving weekend. I'd like to be going for a whole lot more (I missed out on Disclosure and Arctic Monkeys is performing soon), but money really doesn't grow on trees, not even the United States. I still have time though, and I promise to make it the best three years of my life. (psst, I have Coachella!)

It's honestly been a complete one eighty degrees change in my life. I worry about different things and I'm constantly reminded that I am not from this part of the world. I'm still learning the nooks and crannies of an entirely different culture, while protecting the chinks in my armor.

Till the next post.

(I've got a lot more to write about, so I promise to keep updating regularly. Send in comments and talk to me!)

#32 a dream come true

Hey hi hello,

Yes I finally have the time (and the courage) to start writing on what an amazing experience this has been so far. In less than two months, my life has completely changed. I breathe, eat, sleep, live differently. I think, talk, behave differently. It has been the time of my life in California, and today I take a break from all that goodness to write about it.

I've traveled quite a bit around Los Angeles and San Diego, and I'm already overwhelmed. You'd think you'd want to cover all of SoCal and move on to NoCal before the rest of the United States, but trust me, it's going to take awhile. (Good thing I have 3 years to go!)

Most of the pictures here are of my travels, I promise to write about what I have been up to here at San Diego State, but for now, I just need to rant.

I have the best bunch of international friends on exchange. Here we go. There are two Australians, three Spanish, one French (he's naturally the best looking asshole, love you John), one Dutch, one Turkish, one English (who doesn't watch football!), one from Faroe Islands and us two Malaysians! The best thing about hanging out with a bunch of international students is that they're all BIG into exploring, being touristy and are all excited about everything American. We've also got a couple of Americans in the mix to make sure we don't offend, get killed or end up in Tijuana alone.

I've also been so in love with my housing on campus. The building is literally in the middle of everything. We take the trolley and bus everywhere. The people I meet here make me smile everyday. Every time someone asks me (which is pretty much everyone) how I like it out here, I only have one response, "It feels like I'm living in the movies." It cracks them up every time, but I'm not even kidding. It really does feel like it. 

The beach may be my one true love here, but my housemates are a close second. The bond that was built and escalated exponentially between three of us has been amazing. We'd sit in our living room with nothing but music and food, and on special occasions, one of us teaches the others how to twerk. Slang is my new best friend too. Who'd think American English would be so hard to understand when you have friends from Chicago, Compton, Los Angeles, San Francisco, other parts of NoCal and SoCal and even Mexico. Don't even get me started on online shopping and free shipping (think Urban Outfitters, Karmaloop and all the other goodshit that doesn't deliver to you). Obey Propaganda actually means something to me now. 

My days have been absolutely carefree, I'm up to something different every weekend. Sometimes we're at the beach with a book in hand, other days we're messing around Downtown and all it has to offer (bars, boobies and more bars). Some nights we stay in and sing the nineties, most nights we're out looking for a party. Frat parties are real, guys. Free alcohol and cheap sex exists. I see buttcheeks and boobs all over campus. People suck faces and blast music from their rooms. You can walk into a strangers home on campus and you'll end up with more friends. White boys on different-sized skateboards buzz past my window every evening. People greet you in the morning and you can't sneeze without a blessing in return. Other times people are mostly drunk and/or high (but who's complaining?). People actually care that you're foreign (maybe they just think it's hot) and ask cute things like "Omg you speak English there?!" and "Where is Malaysia?". Shopping in Walmart is an experience America has to offer. You see things there you'll never see any where else.

There's so much this place has opened my eyes to, and I know it has so much more to offer. I am truly grateful and lucky to be here. It has been nothing but a dream come true. 

I'M LIVING IN CALIFORNIA!