International Cultural Connections

Japan's Triple Tragedy: 9.0 Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Disaster

2011-03-20T23:40:00.011+09:00

Japan's triple tragedy of a 9.0 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that started on Friday, March 11, 2011, happened so fast that I didn't have time to process the disaster until a week later. At first it didn't sink in for me because I didn't know much about Miyagi prefecture nor did I have any friends or their families that were affected. Having lived in Japan for two years, I had been used to minor or major earthquakes and/or tsunami warnings, but this was a domino effect of tragedy that went way beyond what I experienced.

The reality of this tragedy kicked in for me a week later when news reports started announcing the numbers of those that were dead or missing. With more than 8,000 people officially dead and 12,000 people missing, it was finally the impact of the death toll that did me in. To think that 20,000 people are missing or presumed were wiped off the face of the earth in one day was mind boggling to me.

The 9/11 Terrorist Attackers killed nearly 3,000 people, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and left nearly 2,000 people dead, and the 2010 Chile earthquake took the lives of over 500. All of these tragedies, including Japan's, happened in developed countries yet the magnitude of devastation, both on the psyche of its citizens and economically, has humbled us all.

To put things into perspective, I looked back in history at two recent earthquakes in lesser developed regions of the world that both killed more than 300,000 people: the 2004 Indian Ocean (9.0 magnitude affecting Thailand and Indonesia) and the 2010 Haiti Earthquakes (7.0 magnitude). While the natural disasters in New Orleans and Chile are no less in scope, they were both in more developed countries and the loss of life never reached into the tens of thousands. Would fewer people have died if Haiti, Thailand and Indonesia were more developed countries? The possibilities are endless and I'm sure that scientists will discuss this for many years to come, but we can't ignore the fact that natural disasters and man-made ones (fires, nuclear and biological) are getting to levels we haven't seen in centuries (the Black Plague in Europe, volcanic eruptions that ruined Pompeii, etc.).

All of the natural disasters and massive loss of life that have occurred in the last five or six years were tragic, but they never directly affected me. Sure, I gave money to the causes and followed the news to see what would happen next, but I didn't know a soul that lost their life. This tragedy touched my heart, because I felt for the people in the country that I called my home for two years and that I claim as my second home.

I had just visited Japan for my first return visit last summer. While I was there, wherever I went, food was in abundance, people enjoyed festivals and school children were playing and laughing. That's quite a contrast to what my Japanese friend reports from Tokyo a week after the earthquake hit when I checked on her:

Gina, I'm scared!! But so far we believe that we are okay. I wear a cap, a mask
and gloves when I go out. We will get out of Tokyo if we see a clear danger.

Toilet paper rolls and rice are sold out at all the stores. So I took one
roll from a hospital. Now we have enough since my stepdad send them from Osaka.
There are several kinds of food we cannot find but we're much much better
than what disaster victims are going through.

This is just one friend's account, but when I checked on other Japanese friends based around the world and in Japan, they seemed confused about why the Western media seemed to sensationalize the tragedy and likened it to Chernobyl. I'm not sure if I should be more worried for my Japanese friends or not, but I'll leave you with that same friend's last email, which should tell you how she feels about the atmosphere in Japan right now:

Thanks for checking on me!
We want to help victims but we can’t even go there.
I wonder how long it will take until we recover.
I’m so worried that this will cause a huge damage on our economy and our lives.
Many stores and restaurants are still closed.
Our lives have been stopped or being very slow. I can’t wait till we’re allowed to laugh with friends, enjoy our meals with beer and wine.

While we worry about how to fix the global recession, handle multiple wars, bicker about how to deal with tyrants and revolutions in the Middle East, it's tragedies like this one that make us all realize that we are just alike when we face tragedies or challenging situations. If tragedies brought on by nature create a space for people across cultures to care for and support each other, then that is just one positive thing that could come out of this situation. Still, my heart hurts for Japan and its people.

Japan Travel Guide by a "Gaijin" (foreigner) for a "Gaijin"

2011-01-01T00:23:00.004+09:00

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine went to Japan for work in Tokyo and then traveled to other parts of the country. I had lived and worked in Nara, Japan as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) for two years and he wanted to travel to my old stomping grounds, the Kansai (or Kinki) region: Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe in Hyogo-ken. I was SO excited to tell him about my favorite places there. There's so much to see in Japan, but I told him that if I wanted to experience real Japan, you have to go to Kansai: Kyoto, Nara, Osaka prefectures, which are the most well-known must-see destinations.

For first-time travelers to Japan, I recommend an online guide: http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1105.html. Here are my personal favorites in Kansai.

A word about temples:

They will all look like temples, but the difference is shrines represent the Shinto religion whose followers believe that the Emperor is a living descendant of god and explains why the Japanese fought to the death during WWII. If you know that history, then you’ll remember that in addition to the atomic bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in order to truly discourage the Japanese from continuing to fight, that Gen. MacArthur forced the Emperor of Japan to do a radio address telling his people that he was not a god. There are still some old Japanese that still practice Shinto, but most younger Japanese (under 50) are not religious at all, however, you’ll most likely catch a beautiful Japanese wedding (in traditional kimonos) at a Shinto shrine than at a temple. Definitely stalk the shrines to see if you can catch a glimpse of a Japanese wedding where the bride and groom will wear beautiful kimonos.

Just remember: “shrines” have orange ‘toris” or gates and have “jinja” somewhere in the name and temples have a variety of names, but they’re usually less decorative and simple, made out of dark wood and might have “terra” or “dera” in the name (depending on the kanji that is used).

Kyoto: Attractions in Kyoto-shi: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2158.html

Kyoto is one of many ancient capitols of Japan (read a little bit of history about Japan), but just so you know: Osaka, Kyoto and Nara were all ancient/old capitols of Japan depending on the age/period and the emperors. Japanese history is simply fascinating! Temples are everywhere, so it will be quite easy to get all templed out. I’ll rank my favorites below:

1. Kiyomizudera (temple) – this temple is absolutely breathtaking. It doesn’t cost much to enter, but when you do, you’ll see that the temple is built on the side of a mountain and since it’s winter, you won’t see the canopy of trees, but you’ll be able to see most of Kyoto from there. There’s also a "love shrine" built right next to it. Perfect for couples to visit.

2. Kinkakuji (temple) – it’s a feat that they built this temple in gold. The beauty around it makes it worth seeing just for the photo opportunities.

3. Ryoanji (temple) – this is where you will see real monks. They actually do make these amazing designs in the rocks as some kind of meditation. When you look at it you wonder how they made such designs in the rocks/sand without making footsteps.

Note: You will likely not have time to see more than 3 temples in a day, simply because of all of the traffic in Kyoto and the fact that the streets are so small. Definitely, when you arrive at Kyoto station, look around for the tourist map and also find the bus terminal at the station and get an all day pass. ALL of the buses can take you to a temple/attraction.

Other attractions in Kyoto, if you have more than one day…

1. Kyoto Tower – I recommend doing this first so that you can see how far most of the attraction you’ll see are through the telescope. Perhaps even have some “udon” noodles while you’re there if the restaurant is open.

2. Arashiyama – if you have time, take a train from Kyoto station up to Arashiyama, but don’t get lost! Follow the crowd when you get off the train and say, “Arashiyama”? There are wild monkeys in the mountains there and it’s kinda cool to see. You can also take a boat ride on the river there. The shopping is quite good too. There’s a $10 store there (1000 yen pronounced “zen yen” and I think that they use omi-se to refer to “store.” I can’t remember anymore). This trip will likely take a whole day (get back to Kyoto city before night falls).

Nara prefecture: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2165.html

Temples, Deer and Shopping! Nara City is one of the ancient capitols of Japan and happens to be the capitol of the prefecture that I lived in for two years. Take a train from Kyoto station to Nara Station on the Kintetsu Railway line. Here are a few highlights:

1. Todaiji Temple – home of one of the largest indoor Buddhas in the country and a World Heritage site, at Todaiji Temple, you can buy treats to feed the all-too-friendly deer that are roaming free across the city. Take pictures in the sitting Buddha’s pose and try to squeeze yourself through the hole in one of the massive columns in one of the oldest wooden structures in all of Japan and perhaps the world.

Stay tuned for more details of other cities of Japan.

I'm Going Back to Japan! Nihon he kaerimasu!

2010-03-24T05:51:00.003+09:00

So, after 5 years of hoping to return back to Japan, I am finally going back. If you kept up with my blog, you'd know that I spent 2 years in Nara, Japan (2003-2005) as an assistant language teacher (ALT) on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. Unfortunately, I will only have one week to stay there to visit my friends in Nara (Heguri-cho), Tokyo and Osaka, but it will be worth it. I hope to see my former students who must now be in junior high, high school or college. I miss them so much and I've been having that old natsukashi feeling lately when I flip through or discover photos and handwritten notes from them. I will see my former co-worker, Yoriko, to reconnect with some students and then my former co-workers. Besides Tokyo, Nara and Osaka, I hope to take some excursions to Hiroshima and various sites on Kyushu Island. Can't wait!

The Resurrection of The Adventures of Bianca Sukiyama

2010-02-13T23:21:00.005+09:00

It's been a while since I've posted to this blog, but I think that it's about time to get back to The Crowd.

What I've Been Doing

I've been going farther and farther down the path of squaredom: working a typical 9 - 5 job since I've lived in Japan. This is great for the income, but a killer on creativity. I am looking into making my life more flexible, by reading The 4-hour Workweek. It's quite inspiring, but halfway through the book, I'm wondering how I can accomplish this to free up some time for me to pursue my more creative activities such as creative writing.

I recently took my manuscript in process, The Adventures of Bianca Sukiyama, to the doctor, the fiction doctor, Cindy Davis, that is. See read through my manuscript, which I found painful to reread and edit myself and gave me all kinds of helpful hints on how to move the story forward. I've been having trouble figuring out the POV (point of view) of the story, since I've always thought of Bianca and Michael both as main characters.

In any case, she had great advice that I intend to follow after I've put the stories to the crowd. I'm thinking about starting an online diary that Bianca would be writing about her daily or weekly adventures. I think that this will give me the opportunity to naturally develop the story and extract the pieces that I like for the book. Ultimately, I'd like to create a graphic novel and not so much a novel, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to find a graphic artist or illustrator that is willing to work with me for peanuts until I turn a profit or created an audience. If you know of someone that is willing to share my vision with them, then let me know.

We'll see what comes of my renewed interest in writing again. Meanwhile, comment away.

Japan Connection

2008-08-31T05:52:00.006+09:00

I originally started this blog because I was tired of sending out the mass emails to my friends about my experiences in Japan. Since being back in the States, it's now turned into something that I hope reflects the international experiences ordinary people have everyday.

Well, one of my co-workers from my days as a teacher in Japan, Yoriko Kawakita, asked me to host her daughter, Yuka, when she came over from Japan for her month-long college vacation. Yuka is a 20-year-old Pharmacy student from Nara, Japan. She started in Philadelphia and then came down to visit me here in DC.

Meanwhile, my friend, Nicole Daley, who also taught English with Yoriko, was visiting Japan for a month following her graduation from grad school. What a small and interconnected world we live in!

New Bianca Sukiyama Art

2008-06-15T04:22:00.002+09:00

I'm finally getting somewhere with Bianca Sukiyama! I'm now working with graphic designer, Ricardo Mavin, to create some art work for The Adventures of Bianca Sukiyama graphic novel that I hope to publish next year. Here's the first rough sketch of the characters. If you'd like a copy of the Bianca stories, please contact me at giabianca@gmail.com. Thanks!

Jero's Rise to Fame in Japan

2008-05-29T07:14:00.005+09:00

Soooo, my friend, Jerome White, was featured in the Style section of the Washington Post as a new up and coming singer in Japan! He is African-American with a Japanese grandmother and sings "enka" music, a traditional style of Japanese music. Read the article for more on "Jero" (his Japanese stage name).

Communications and Journalism Delegation to Australia

2008-05-29T05:58:00.008+09:00

From May 18 - 26, 2008 (minus a day in transit crossing the international date line), I went to Australia as a faculty advisor for the International Scholar Laureate Program's Delegation on Communications and Journalism with my co-FA, Vesna Jaksic. Vesna and I accompanied 72 college students majoring in the aforementioned fields to appointments to meet representatives of major media organizations in Melbourne and Sydney. We were responsible for creating lesson plans relating to journalism and/or communications.
(Photo: Sydney Opera House)
First, we arrived in Melbourne and went to the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) to listen to academics talk about media in Australia. Some differences to note between Australia and the U.S.: Australia has "cross media laws," which prohibits people like Rupert Murdoch (an Australian that owns a large percentage of the media in the U.S. and Australia) from owning more than two types of media (i.e. TV and Radio and no print) at any given time. I also learned that the Australian government completely funds its public broadcasting outlet, ABC (ABC = Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

Some of the highlights of the trip was going to advertising agency, J Walter Thomas, where the students competed to create ads for something called the "buzz box." Also, while in Melbourne, Vesna and I staged a press conference where all of the communications and journalism students stepped into their respective roles as ad agency creative talent (graphic designers, etc.), PR specialists (spin doctors and PR students) and print and television/radio journalists. It was so amazing to see them do their thing. The scenario was that a famous Kangaroo soccer player died from an energy drink that the ad agency folks were advertising for (they didn't know this when they created it), so the PR people had to call a press conference to address the situation. The journalists showed up with their cameras and questions to drill the PR folks. It was so amazing to see how great the students performed under pressure (we only gave them 10 minutes to work).

On a side note, I went to a session on Political Spin where we met with one of the media advisors for a Labor Party politician. It was interesting to hear the same information that I learned from my former boss, who was a former Information Officer for the State Department at various embassies around the world, about managing the media.

In Sydney, we visited the ABC studios. We met with an environmental science reporter, a radio journalist and took a tour of the various areas of the studio. Here, I learned that they have a variety of news outlets similar to our PBS and NPR, but again, it was totally funded by their
government. The guy in this photo was telling us that when Bush came to visit Australia, one of their comedy show performers dressed up in an Osama bin Laden outfit and heckled him. I thought that that was sort of funny.

At the end of that day, we all went to the famous Bondi Beach for a great lunch near the water. It was pretty cold, because it's Fall right now, but we took a few photos. You can find more photos on my Facebook page.

The next day, we had a panel of DJs from various youth-oriented radio stations (Triple J, just to name one) representing Aboriginal, female and ethnic radio stations. Perhaps the most interesting speaker was, Grant Leigh Saunders, who was half Aboriginal and half white. He identified himself as black, but he looked "white." Anyways, he created a short film called, "B.L.A.C.K" which talked about Aboriginal youth and the influence of hip-hop. The students were SO interested in what he had to say. After the panel, he was bombarded with requests to have pictures taken with him. I suspect that it was because our schedule lacked any scheduled visits to learn about Aboriginals and their culture and because these were journalism students, curious by nature. I found out on my own (too late) that we were in Sydney during "Reconciliation Week." Which brings me to my next topic, Sorry Day.

Sorry Day was in February 2008 and it was the day that the new Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, publicly apologized for "The Stolen Generation," when Aboriginal children were taken from their parents and stripped of their culture (watch "Rabbit-Proof Fence"). I watched a documentary about the Stolen Generation and then watched the images of PM Rudd apologizing. He was surrounded by Parliament members in the background. There were also images of Aboriginals and Australians holding hands, hugging and apologizing for the horrors of something that happened only a few decades ago. I think that this would be an amazing thing to happen in the U.S. in order to begin reconcilation on slavery. I think that a simple apology would heal so many wounds. I hope that it happens in my lifetime, but most importantly before those that lived for The Cause die off.

I can write so much more about this amazing trip, but it would take up pages and pages on this blog. For more information, please contact me directly or click on the links above. I highly recommend Australia and I hope to go back and see more of the "Bush" sometime soon.

(Photo: Me on the steps of the Sydney Opera House)

Human Trafficking - Innocence Lost

2008-04-12T10:03:00.005+09:00

The other night, I had a terrible nightmare that was so clear and so real to me that I woke up in a cold sweat. In the dream, my family went on a vacation to Thailand and someone kidnapped my little brother. We were terrified. We stayed there for as long as we could holding out hope that he would come back running to us and saying, "Here I am! I was just hiding." He never came back and the worst case scenario became reality: we might never see him again.

After that, I guess a few years later (in my dream) I went back to Thailand and saw my little brother. I was so happy to see him, but he didn't recognize me. A feeling of hopelessness came over me. I couldn't rescue him. It was too dangerous and the life that he once had in his eyes was gone. Just a shell.

It was just a dream, but it was so real to me that there are children that go through this every day in their lives. Some are sold into sexual slavery at very early ages. Some families "pimp" out their children because it's the only source of income. Whatever the reason, the fact still remains that these children will never have their innocence back again. The cold hard reality of life has hit them as early as age 5 instead of age 22 (when most of us graduate from college, when the biggest decision we have to make is what city to live in).

Human trafficking means a number of different things: organ trafficking (people being kidnapped and having their organs extracted and sold), prostitution, etc. For more examples, please go to: http://www.humantrafficking.org/issues/24. The cause that was closest to my heart though is that of children, because they can't help themselves. The very people that they've trusted, adults, have sold their youth for a price. I urge you to take a few minutes to learn about this horrible crime and see what it is that you can do to help this cause. I have personally boycotted travel to any country that has not taken action to crack down on these crimes or create legislation to correct and enforce human trafficking/child sex trade laws.

With Spring, Comes New Beginnings

2008-03-31T09:36:00.004+09:00

Last weekend, I went to see the Cherry Blossoms of Washington, DC. If you are not familiar with this festival, here's a brief history:

The National Cherry Blossom Festival annually commemorates the 1912 gift to the city of Washington of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and celebrate the continued close relationship between our two peoples.
In a simple ceremony on March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two of these trees on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. By 1915, the United States government had responded with a gift of flowering dogwood trees to the people of Japan. In 1927, a group of American school children reenacted the initial planting; the first festival was held in 1935, sponsored by civic groups in the nation's capital. Visit http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/ for more info.

In other news, I've started my job as a consultant with my first client, America Abroad Media (http://www.americaabroadmedia.org/) . I'm working as the Online Coordinator and I'm responsible for helping to complete the overhaul of their new site. Hopefully the new site will be debuted before my contract is up. I'm really excited! The organization does radio programming for NPR (and other broadcast media) as well as some television work. They're having a Town Hall on American Foreign Policy at AU this Monday, April 7th. The hosts are WAMU's Kojo Nandi and famed journalist, Martin Kalb. The guests will be representatives from the McCain, Clinton and Obama campaigns. VERY cool stuff.

Also, it's official, I'm going to Australia with the International Scholar Laureate program as a Communications and Journalism Faculty Advisor. I'll be gone for 11 days in May. I really don't know what to expect right now, but i'm really excited! This will be my first time to the continent. I met and made friends with quite a few Aussies during my time on the JET program, but unfortunately I won't have enough time to visit them. I'm interested to see what the media is like there and I am excited that we'll get to meet with the media from various ethnics groups and the Aboriginal community. This will be a trip to remember and I HOPE that I can get a new camera so that I can show you all this amazing place!

So, this is the beginning of my freelance lifestyle. I'm giving myself until the summer to at least see if I can survive. Luckily, since starting the freelance lifestyle, it leaves my schedule open for opportunities like Australia. After this trip though, I'm curious to see what kind of next gig I'll get.... Shameless advertising moment coming...

Check out my Web site, also named Cultural Connections, and pass the word on that I'm looking for writing and consulting gigs: http://www.intlculturalconnections.com/ .

Cultural Connections is Official!

2008-03-02T06:19:00.004+09:00

Call me incorporated! ... well, soon I will officially own my SELF. You can find my Web site at http://www.intlculturalconnections.com/ . I am moving into the realm of freelance consulting. I'm going to build up my writing/pr/marketing/web skills. I already retained my first client, a small media organization in Washington, DC for a 3-month contract. I'm really excited and I know that this will give me the opportunity to grow and branch out into new areas. None of this would've happened if I hadn't thought of converting a full-time job opportunity into a consulting gig. The problem with "gigs" is that it is long-term and this means that I'll have to continuously put myself out there. In any case, I'll soon be incorporated and be able to deduct my losses and try my best to create a livelihood in this crazy, mad world.

Shameless sell point: If you know anyone that is looking for a writer or Web site consultant, please let me know!

Martin Luther King Jr. - Are you living up to the Dream?

2008-01-22T02:00:00.001+09:00

I'll start with a story that left me with a lasting memory...
It was almost three years ago now when I was in my last year teaching English conversation in Japan. I decided to do a session on Black History Month. I thought that for the most basic of lessons I should begin with the Civil Rights Movement and have it revolve around Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So, I thought about it: If I were a Japanese kid in junior high school and didn't know anything about American History, let alone Black History Month, what would I want to know about? Long story short, I bought a video documentary on Dr. King and chose a few clips that might fill in those quick points of interest on the Civil Rights Movement. My Japanese Teacher of English was quite helpful and took the time to translate my synopsis of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King's work and then gave out his I Have A Dream speech in translation. The 50-minute package of information was complete: Talk a bit about Black History Month, the climate of the U.S. during a very tense era in race relations in the 60s, throw out a few English language vocab words and then show a few snippets of the video of some of his work, the I Have A Dream speech and then his assassination....

Since I taught a max of 20 students in each class (I taught a total of 520), it took me a two week rotation to see all of the students. By the end of the first week, I saw nearly half of my students and still had a week to go. In any case, I had one class where I had some very good girls who always paid attention in my class and picked up the lessons I taught them. I did the discussion, gave points for the vocab and when I got around to the assassination portion of the video, one of my students (whom I noticed too late was silently crying) burst out in tears and ran to the bathroom. For most Americans, we have been used to seeing the images of Dr. King laying on the balcony in a pool of his own blood and several men pointing in one direction toward the building across from them. For this one Japanese student, the images were simply too overwhelming for her. I was moved that SHE was moved and I told the students that if they wanted to leave earlier (since the class was over) to avoid seeing that scene they could. None of them moved. They were ALL entranced by the video. They wanted to know if anyone had been punished for it. They were inquisitive and wanted to know more.

All this to say, I come full circle since that time in my life where I am seeing the images of Dr. King all over the television today and his name being said by presidential candidates that hope to stir up the spirit of Dr. King himself, and I ask myself: Am I living the dream?

I am now 28 years old and I am still finding my way through my career. I'm still striving to make a difference in my own life and then my family's and then I tell myself I'll go out and help people. Yes, that's the best way for me to make a difference: to help myself. To see my reflection and know that I am living the best life that I can live and taking advantage of EVERY opportunity that Dr. King and the Freedom Fighters fought and died for. By the time Dr. King was 34, he had gone as far as he could in his education and had marched on Washington and spoke to several thousand people. Those people were there with him and they were emboldened to take action. Can we blame them? Can we now blame most of us for having a slight sparkle in our eyes and get that strange chill down our spine when we hear Barack Obama speak? I don't think so. It's an amazing thing to see an African American reach for the White House. It's good to see a woman do that too, but we'll always look back on these days and see Obama and think to ourselves: There is Dr. King's Dream speaking to millions of blacks and whites and begging them to do the very same thing: to Dream, to demand change and to live the dream.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King

2008: A New Year

2008-01-02T03:16:00.001+09:00

(Kwanzaa Ceremony led by Israel's father)

This year, I went to me and Amy's friend, Israel's, house for New Year's Eve. There were a lot of his family and friends there. His father decided to have a Kwanzaa ceremony before the start of the New Year. This is the first of, I'm sure, memorable moments of 2008.

Cultural Connections Moment:

Kwanzaa is a week-long festival celebrated primarily in the United States, honoring African-American heritage. It is observed from December 26 to January 1 each year. Even though I'm African American, I had never celebrated Kwanzaa, nor was I educated on the meaning of each candle, songs, etc. It was very refreshing to hold hands with "folk" and sings songs and pass love and talk about the meaning of each candle/symbol. For more information: www.wikipedia.org .

I thought a serial killer hitched a ride with me moment in 5,4,3, 2.....

Partying Moment:

I started the holidays off with my birthday party with about 10 of my friends on Dec. 28th. I went to this house party and it was amazing. I'm thinking that I'm going to host more house parties instead of always going out and spending money to line someone else's pockets. (I also can't sit down in a restaurant for longer than 2 hours or I'm looking for an exit).

Good Samaritain Moment:

Ok, so I'm going home from the party at 4AM and I see this little guy waving me down. I looked back to see if he was trying to hail a cab, but he wasn't, he was waving at me! Ok, I was at the stop light for an extra minute or two, but I felt SO bad ignoring him. I had a split second decision: so I rolled my window down a crack to see what he wanted.

Turns out the poor thing went to a party that got a little crazier than he thought and then he figured he'd walk back to his hotel. Until he realized it was several miles in the other direction that he was walking.

Ok, I call this my good Samaritan moment, because I totally could've followed my common sensical mind and kept it moving or I could've ignored it and trusted my gut instinct that he was not a serial killer. He was a country boy from North Carolina and he didn't have ANY cash to get him anywhere. Didn't know where the nearest subway was or that it was closed and he didn't even know the address to his hotel. All this to say, I took him to his hotel (a well-known one) and he was SO grateful.

Warning: Kids NEVER do this! I was totally lucky!

Overall, I have a good feeling about the New Year and I hope that you do too! I hear that it's the year of change, which is much needed right now.

Peace and Love,

Gina

Ringing in the New Year

2008-01-02T02:45:00.000+09:00

Amy, Israel and his sister

Me, Ashe and another friend of the family

Amy and Ashe

My 28th Birthday! With Age Comes Great Wisdom

2007-12-30T05:33:00.001+09:00

On December 27, 2007, I turned the big 28! The day of, I went to work as usual and then Fiona (my roommate) took me out to dinner at Hops. We hadn't talked in so long and it was nice for us to catch up. That day, I also decided to have an impromptu birthday dinner gathering at our place.

On Friday, December 28th, I invited some friends over for dinner. I made some Jambalaya, baked a carrot cake, and we had some drinks. It was so nice to be in the company of friends. I spent half the year working hard, but I didn't spend enough time with friends. The new year should bring more reconnecting with friends.

2007 was definitely a growth year for me. I've come to realize that getting older brings new dreams and goals in life and new wisdom. I came across an old verse in the Bible that I think applies to anyone, whether they're spiritual people or not, at a time in their lives that they have realized that the rose-colored glasses are off and the HD vision is switched on. So different when you know what the heck is going on and have some direction in life!

Ending in 2007...

"For in much wisdom is much grief. And in he
that increases knowledge, increases sorrow." - Ecclesiastes 1:18
With greater knowledge, comes hard decisions in life. That can mean letting go of people that weren't positive in your life or finding that you were going down the wrong path in your career. I try to look at every mistake as a new opportunity.

I have also realized that every second, minute, hour, day and month of my time is precious. It's an opportunity to do something good, to make someone laugh, to love myself, and to learn something new. With that said, my message to everyone that reads this is to let everything you do mean something. And with that I close...

Looking forward in 2008...

"It's the possibility of having a dream come
true that makes life interesting." - Paulo Coehlo

Last Day in Hawaii

2007-11-18T02:43:00.001+09:00

(You should probably start reading about Milo the Chocolate Lab for the beginning of my stories about Hawaii.)
(Statue ofDuke, the original Hawaiian surfer, on Waikiki)

My last day in Hawaii I spent running errands while everyone was away. I had damaged the mirror on my rental car, so had tons of stuff to take care of with that and I bought more souvenirs and mailed them off. I saw my cousin, Junior, who lives in Diamond Head for a couple hours and then met up with Jennie, her man, Trevor, Amanda and her friends visiting from Japan at Duke's restaurant. Mahalo guys!

Waimea Falls Park

2007-11-18T02:24:00.001+09:00

Peacock at the Waimea Falls Park in Hali'ewa during our road trip.

While on our road trip, we simply gased up and pointed to some places on the map. We were going to go to the Surfing competition, but time was running out since we left only at 2pm and sunset was at 6pm. One of the main things I wanted to see was a waterfall. Waimea Falls did it. The botancial gardens there were beautiful. It was greenery everywhere. Too bad we only got there one hour before closing. We hiked to the waterfall and got a quick glimpse, but it was too late to swim in it. Oh well :)

Doesn't it look like we were superimposed in this shot? Well, that IS a real waterfall.

Wai'a'nae: Fun Times on the West SIDE!!!

2007-11-18T01:42:00.002+09:00

It was Sunday after a trip to Pearl Harbor, when I decided to head to a less touristy side of the island (and to give Jennie and her roommates a break to study and write papers). I had found a cheap overnight stay on Craig's List with some guy named Thunder, a Native American guy, and his partner, Tina, over in Wai'a'nae. My plans to go to the island of Kauai never came to fruition as the task of planning it seemed daunting to me, especially since the cost of a helicopter ride, a second rental car and overnight stay, might send my budget for this trip through the roof. When I first got to Thunder and Tina's I was a bit taken aback since the place was in transition and was being renovated. I quickly met Stacey, who was now a New Orleans/Californian transplant and was staying with Thunder and Tina in the hopes of finding a place to stay in Hawaii. The same night that I arrived, our hosts made us delicious burgers.

Sea Turtle Siting!
The same day that I arrived, Thunder drove Stacey and I to a spot where we could see a sea turtle beaching himself on the shore. This was such a rare sighting on the island, but the West is mostly underdeveloped and it's where most Hawaiians live, so a beaching on this side of the island must've been much nicer than some touristy place like Waikiki for this sea turtle.
That same night, Stacey and I went to the beach at night. Yes, we did go at night and ended up meeting a local Hawaiian nicknamed "G." He rode his little moped into the beach right behind us and immediately was curious as to where we came from. He also told us about his desires to leave the island for Las Vegas (a place many Hawaiians seem to want to go to because of the gambling). He was a young buck, I'd say about 21 or so, hustling on the streets and probably needed to hear some stories from the mainland. I had read that this side of the island is where the native Hawaiians are and that many of them face all kinds of economic hardships. Sad for an island that brings in so much money from tourism, yet doesn't share the wealth with the people that are native to the place. Gentrification at work as usual.

Bright and early the next morning, Stacey and I headed for the Mahaka beach (still on the Wai'a'nae coast). It was sooo peaceful and so nice to be the only soul on the beach until a few straglers came around. We saw a lone surfer paddling along the shore and dangerously close to some rocks, but he never stood up to surf.

Hello Stacey, Morning Glory. Stacey and I later went on a road trip along the middle of the island where we visited the Dole plantation and got stuck in traffic after a surfing competition. Thunder and his friends suggested we try eating at Hali'ewa Joe's, a famous restaurant in the Surfing Capital.

Road Trip! Road Rules Hawaii

2007-11-18T01:30:00.001+09:00

Jennie Major (left) and Amanda Gomes (right) are both studying at the University of Hawaii. Jennie, I met while studying abroad in Moscow and Amanda I met while on the JET program in Japan.

Soon after this picture was taken, Amanda and I decided to take a road trip down the east coast of the island of O'ahu on the Kamehameha Hwy where we stopped at a Macadamia Nut farm for fresh coffee and tons of Macadamia Nut products. We also happened upon a shrimp shack for some food and rolled through Hali'ewa, the "Surfing Capital of the World."

Polynesian Cultural Center

2007-11-18T00:57:00.003+09:00

That pig was dead before I got there, I swear!

After the show, it's the after party! (read below)

Hot! Hot! Hot! Many of you have already heard about my regrets for growing up on the wrong side of the world. I would like to document proof of why Polynesian men are the hottest on the planet, but first, I guess I should tell you about my experience at the Polynesian Cultural Center sans the pictures.

Friday morning, Diane and I Thelma and Louised it down the Kamehameha Hwy and made a few stops along the way to take some photo ops, particularly of the Chinaman's hat. When we finally arrived at the Polynesian Cultural Center, it was around noon and the place was crowded with tourists, mostly Japanese of course. We bought an $80 ticket for the full luau and Polynesian dancing experience.

There were "villages" set up around the center (which we learned was attached to Brigham Young University - a Morman institution). Each village described the life of a different Polynesian island: Fiji, the Maori of New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, Somoa and a few other smaller islands. It was all very educational, but we didn't REALLY see what Polynesia was made of until we saw the Parade of dancers floating on the boats down a canal that showcased each island's dancing.

(Dancers from Somoa) (Tahitian Dancers, the stars of the show)

The Luau

Usually, the best thing about any culture is their food. After a long day of oggling beautiful island men and watching dance shows and seeing performances, it was time to eat. Diance and I finally got our ceremonial "leis" and took pictures with, you guessed it, more beautiful people representing the Polynesian islands. We settled down to a less-than-entertaining host and ate buffet style after they presented the pig. (see picture above)

Up with the sunrise in Kailua

2007-11-18T00:38:00.002+09:00

After arriving at Honolulu airport, nearly 4 hours late, Jennie Major, one of my good friends from study abroad in Moscow, came to pick me up with her boyfriend, Trevor. I was extremely tired after being on several different airlines/planes before finally arriving at my destination. My bags were misplaced in the airline shuffle, so all I had was one pair of clothing, a bathing suit (the one you see to the right) and some toiletries in my carry on. That was good enough for me. When I got to Jennie and Trevor's place, I met one of her roommates and her other roommate's mom, Diane. Jennie was really nice and allowed me to sleep in her bed while I was there.
I was clothless the following day, since my luggage had yet to arrive. I was told that if that happens, then the airline will pay you back up to $100 (keep your receipts!), so Diane and I went shopping at the local Island Wear shop in Kailua (the sleepy beach town Jennie lived in). I got a really cute white sun dress, some nice shoes and tons of toiletries totaling $100. After that shopping bonanza, Diane and I were hung out while I waited for Jennie to get home to take me to pick up my rental car. The rental car people forced a sweet Honda Accord with a sunroof down my throat, but after some maneuvering, I got used to it.
Early the next morning, Diane (who had just arrived 1 night earlier) woke up early, as did I at 5:30AM. We both decided that since jetlag got the best of us, we might as well make the most of it and watch the sunrise. You can see me bikini clad above, but it was the most perfect temperature I'd ever experienced. The water was warm and there was a breeze. After a few moments on the beach, Milo, the chocolate lab arrived and started playing with coconuts. Read below...

Milo the Coconut-eating Chocolate Lab

2007-11-10T05:00:00.001+09:00

Five Minute Blog Entry:
I got here just a day after the heavy rains, so it's still a bit cool and there are some sunshine showers every once in a while. I thought that I might miss out on photo ops, since my camera equipment is on my luggage. So for today, we do a Luau at the Polynesian Center.

Anyways, got up to watch the sunrise this morning with Diane, my friend's mom, and we met little Milo, the coconut eating chocolate lab. Here's a YouTube video of him: http://youtube.com/results?search_query=milo+and+the+coconut

Enjoy!

Miami 2007 (Includes Pix of My Tattoos)

2007-10-16T09:49:00.001+09:00

Going to Miami this weekend was the first of two vacations I'm taking this Fall. One was to Miami (this past weekend) to see my mom graduate from Le Cordon Bleu, a culinary arts school in Miami and the second will be to Hawaii in November.

2007-10-16T09:46:00.000+09:00

While in Miami, I hung out with my friend, Michelle, on South Beach. I've known Michelle since the 9th grade. We did a whole spa day: got a spa pedicure, manicures, and uh, oh yeah, I got a tattoo while on South Beach....

Tattoos

2007-10-16T09:00:00.001+09:00

That's "Jina" in Japanese, created by my friend, Sachi. The bottom character is the same character used in "Na" or "Nara" which is the prefecture where I lived in Japan. It's sooo unlike me to get something like a tattoo, but 2008 will definitely be a different year for me: A year of change.

Hawaii Here I come!

2007-09-29T11:29:00.001+09:00

Me, in Japan, dressed up as a Hawaiian girl for the Halloween party.

Well, I had orginally planned to visit Japan in November, but my best friend, Michelle, couldn't come with me because she just started a new job. Sooo, those plans will be put on ice until next Spring. Perhaps for the REAL Sakura season?

Well, I had thought about going to Hawaii in the Spring of this year, but I could never get it together and once again I was hoping for a friend to join me. This time around, I just said that I was going to do it! I have friends there and it's an English-speaking destination (to me a REAL vacation doesn't include having to think to hard to buy a glass of water in another language -- Japanese ok, but any other, ummm now). Sooo, the most exotic English-speaking beach destination was Hawaii! Found a SUPER cheap plane ticket and planning to go in November!

I guess it's back on the gym for me.

Promoted!

2007-08-25T22:31:00.001+09:00

Jemelyn, Dara (the deputy director that had faith enough in me to get me this job) me and her friend, Beth outside of the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington, DC this Spring.

As of today, September 3rd, 2007, I am now the Training Specialist of the Public Diplomacy Training Division at the State Department's Foreign Service Institute (a mouthful, right?).

What's changed? Before that, I was the program assistant supporting the Public Affairs Officer and Information Officer courses. Now, as the Training Specialist, I'll be developing workshops on the use of Public Diplomacy and technology, coordinating regional media training overseas, coordinating the migration of all online writing courses and continuing to work on the division newsletter. I'm really excited about it because I get to work on a variety of projects and pace myself on getting the job done. I'll keep you updated on how I'm doing.

Dara, the deputy director, was really sweet and gave me a bouquet of flowers to celebrate my promotion. She has really been mentoring me over the last year and I truly appreciate her believing in my potential within the Department.

Bianca Sukiyama in Color

2007-08-18T20:54:00.002+09:00

What do you think? Cover art for The Adventures of Bianca Sukiyama by the Amazing Amanda Gomes. My partner in crime. Please pray that we'll get picked up by a comic book publisher after I publish my own book!

Life Happens

2007-08-17T11:13:00.000+09:00

Angelina Jolie is doing what I hope to do one day: Save the World! Photo Courtesy of http://www.tattoo-house.ru/

Now that I'm 27, I have a whole new set of things to worry about. It's still, "What college am I going to?" I am finding that not only am I concerned about what college I will go to for grad school, but I am worrying about what career path I'll take.

I've often described myself as a jack of all trades, but the ace of none. In the past, this has allowed me to do anything, but now I find that it simply makes it harder for me to choose my future career and life path. I still love all things international, but I'm finding that I have a talent for communications such as newsletters, writing web content and other PR related things. Then there's my favorite genre of writing: fiction.

I won't know where I'll end up until the end of next year. I guess I'm just going to put things out there like grad apps and take adult ed classes and whatever comes back, I'll pick up and go in that direction. Life happens. Long gone are the days when I control my own destiny, now I am waiting for life to happen to me. It's much easier to "flow like water" as my friend, Carlos, would say. That way I won't get in my own way and I can adapt in whatever environment I end up in....

I have spent most of my summer contemplating my next move in life. Some of the things I'm planning for 2008 are:

- to enter grad school and get my master's in Communications, International Development or Creative Writing.

- start my REAL career

- get my personal life in order

- Help save the world!

... by voting for Obama!

- Release my book, "The Adventures of Bianca Sukiyama"

Lately, I've been asked where I want to be in a few years. I've been encouraged to join the Foreign Service (I plan to take the test in December). I can think of a few people who are doing the things that I would hope to be my legacy. Here's a few people that are doing exactly what I'd like to do:

- Angelina Jolie (see photo above) - Ok, so Angelina didn't exactly start her career as a very responsible person, but I am amazed at how passionate she is about everything she does. That's something to be admired. She works with the UN. She adopts children. She has an idea about how SHE might be able to change the world and she's doing it. Who cares about her personal life! This woman is doing things that only she can do with her celebrity. I respect that.

- Oprah Winfrey - Oprah for President is all I have to say. I can't think of anyone that is more positive than Oprah. I can't even imagine America or the world without benefiting from Oprah in some way, shape or form. I just can't say anymore except go to www.oprah.com .

- Mothers Like My Mom - Of course, I aspire to be a mother one day and all I can think of is my mother and how balanced of a mother she's been. I love my dad too and without him, I wouldn't have that balance. But when I have my first child, I want my mother to be there every step of the way. She's an amazing woman and it's no wonder my friends all love her and respect her. I want to be a mother just like her. Classy, classy woman!

Sightseeing in San Antonio

2007-07-01T01:24:00.002+09:00

Gina, Violeta and Amanda.

Outside of the Alamo. Gorgeous flowers were everywhere in San Antonio!

The Alamo

Letter from the Alamo. They really thought that they were going to make it out of there alive. The story goes that these people held themselves up in the Alamo to stave off the Mexican army. During that time in the 1800s, the Mexicans owned much of Texas. While this multinational group of soldiers were killed in the end, a messenger got to allied forces elsewhere in Texas for a call to action. "Remember the Alamo" is what those allied soliders thought of as they crushed the Mexican army and made the Mexican general sign a treaty to hand over all of Texas. For 10 years, Texas was it's own Republic, until they joined the Confederacy at the beginnings of the Civil War.

The entrance to Mi Tiera, a restaurant we ate at for brunch on the way to the Mercado. Sort of unique, right?

Me waiting for my cake in a LONG line of people at Mi Tiera. I LOVE those flowers. Everytime I saw them, I thought of Rivera's (famous Mexican painter) paintings.

We had some guys come up and sing Guantamera for us (for a small fee of $6). It was so beautiful. We had some really good brunch there for a very good price. I'd definitely recommend going to that restaurant. The pastries were fabulous. I'm still savoring my big slice of tres leches cake.

Mi Tiera pastry shop. I LOVED the decorations. After leaving the restaurant we went to the Mercado which was right behind the restaurant. Amanda and I kept seeing these paper streamers in the restaurants in there and we loved it! I also saw some other cute things, like these little color ceramic cats and lots of Rivera-inspired prints. I ended up buying some souvenirs for my roommates and a beautiful colorful blanket. I REALLY enjoyed my last day there. It was so relaxing.

Wedding Year Continues... in San Antonio

2007-06-27T09:56:00.001+09:00

Near River Center as we listened to this Peruvian band.

So, as you all know, I have been invited to and/or went to so many weddings in the last year. At any given time, I had 3-4 wedding invites sitting on my desk. This time, it was Arsema and Teddy (Dominican Republic) and Violeta and Michael (San Antonio) on the same day, June 23rd. Violeta's wedding won out, because I've known her longer, the trip was affordable and it's in a place I had never been before.

I arrived in San Antonio on Friday morning and met up with Violeta (the bride), Erin (Noxon) and Amanda (Gomes) to some pretty mild weather. It was unusually rainy that weekend and cooled it off. We rented a car with GPS, because none of us were familiar with the city and we didn't want to waste too much time trying to figure things out with a map.

First pix at the airport.

Later Friday night, we went to dinner with Vio's new family to this nice restaurant that had female Mariachi singers, apparently the only All-female Mariachi band in the city. Of COURSE, I totally forgot my camera.

After that, I finally got settled into the motel to wait for Cheryan to come in from Canada at around midnight. Apparently, when there's lots of rain, the crickets come out. Ooooh, they came out all right and they came out into my room! I was terrified. The weird thing was that NO ONE else in the motel had that experience, so it was like I brought the plague with me or something, because the motel manager switched me into another room and I had the same problem, but not as bad. Weird!

Anyways, Saturday was the big wedding day, but us girls went to breakfast with her family at this very nice and very cheap Mexican restaurant for breakfast. After that, we went to the Famous RiverWalk for some good old sightseeing and some lunch. See pix...

River Walk in San Antonio

Cheryan, Amanda (Center), Mommy-to-be, Erin (far right) waiting to take the River Walk boat tour.

Saint Antonio

After doing a little sightseeing, we were ready to get down to the business of helping Violeta get her wedding on! The wedding started at 7PM and it was held at the Koehler House. It was a very beautiful house with beautiful chandeliers, a winding staircase and beautiful landscaping.

Violeta with her father.

The blushing bride, Violeta Garza, with her new husband. Cultural Connections factoid: Violeta is Mexican American and Michael is Dutch American. If you'll remember Celia and Ken's wedding, she is 1/2 Indian and Spanish and Ken is Japanese.

The Return of Bianca Sukiyama

2007-06-15T07:48:00.000+09:00

Ok, so Bianca Sukiyama is coming back. I am VERY excited to announce that I am working on my final draft for a collection of short stories most of which will revolve around the character Bianca Sukiyama of the "The Adventures of Bianca Sukiyama" series. I had originally written this story back in my freshman year of college as one short story, but when I moved to Japan, I decided to fill in the blank with a series of stories. The stories were illustrated by my friend, Amanda Gomes, and I hope to continue to use her illustrations in the new book.

I am planning to self-publish the latest in these "Adventures" and hope to put it out there mostly at online book sellers. My collection of poems, "The Internal Music Series" will be published at a later date. I figured that this was just the time to make all of this happen.

I hope to have good news about the progress of my manuscript sometime in August. In the meantime, continue to read my blog!

The 48 Hour Film Project

2007-05-16T12:10:00.000+09:00

The 48 Hour Film Project is a film festival that comes to various cities around the world. Teams have 48 hours to produce a film from scratch to submit in a film festival in the host city. I joined a team in the 48 Hour Film Project. I wanted to join the team as a scriptwriter, however, the producer had already found a writer. Instead I joined the crew in various ways. The experience was amazing and I'm totally inspired to write more.

On the set of "The Reposed."

2007-05-16T12:05:00.000+09:00

The producer, Marianna Lafollete, fixing the mic to actress.

2007-05-16T11:59:00.000+09:00

All of the leaders of the films premiering at AFI theater in our group.

The Fam

2007-05-16T11:45:00.000+09:00

I love my boys, Ty and Devin! My dad and stepmom went to Germany to pick them up for the summer. I went to South Carolina to see them the first weekend they got back. We went to Chuck E. Cheese for Devin's birthday.

Our First BBQ Together

2007-05-16T11:24:00.000+09:00

The roommates and I decided to have our first BBQ of the year.

Lindsay's brother, Shane, at the BBQ.

Fiona and Jemelyn.

2007-05-16T11:21:00.000+09:00

J.P. and Lindsay cooking up a storm at our first Avalon BBQ together.

Spring is Here!!!

2007-05-16T11:17:00.000+09:00

Jemelyn, Dara, Gina and Beth going "Embassy Hopping." All of the European Union embassie opened their doors on May 12th. We went to the Bulgarian, Cypriot and Finnish embassies.

Here in the Washington, DC area, we usually have strange weather: sunshine when it's 30 degrees outside or snow in April, but you know, we deal with it. It's May and Spring weather is finally here! I'm starting to feel energized with the new weather: I'm writing more material and actually trying to submit it into contests, the pool at our apartment complex just opened and I'm busying myself with all kinds out outdoors activity (if I can just get to the gym!)

Anyways, enjoy the photos and as usual, feel free to comment.

Where I've Been...

2007-04-12T07:46:00.001+09:00

(Cynthia and Marita in NYC at a Thai place)
Well, as you can see, my last posting was back in October. That is VERY sad, but this winter has been very slow on the Cultural Connections side and lots has happened in my life since then. I've basically isolated myself, but I regret to say that it's gotten me nowhere special. I'll give you the run down since October.

November 2006: This month, I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I had a friend, Marita, come and visit me from Holland AND my friend, Sachi (Japan), towards the end of the month. I was also busying myself with moving. I had found a place out in Arlington, BUT there was a gap in between my move out date in the beginning of December and my move in date at the end of December so I had to live like a hobo for the month of....

December 2006: Homeless Days. Week 1: of homelessness was pretty good. My boss, Marcia, had offered to put me up in one of the rooms in her home. Her kiddies were simply adorable and I was so happy to be there in their happy home. Also, she already lived in Arlington where I worked, so it wasn't so bad of a commute. Week 2: I stayed with my friend, Amy, in Hyattsville, MD. Now this commute wasn't as bad as I thought and I actually ended up driving her to work at the Pentagon every morning. Not to mention, Amy and I have the same taste in food and movies, so it was like a week-long slumber party. Week 3: I stayed with my friend from Women for Women International in Silver Spring, now this was a commute. It was over an hour and a half each way. I swear I almost pulled my hair out, but I did like being back in Silver Spring. However, I wouldn't like to travel that far for work ever again!

January 2006: I went to Main State for the Global PAO Conference and debuted a newsletter that I started at work called, "PD Training News." It's a small step in merging the writing-and-work thing. In the meantime, all of my roommates, Fiona and Lindsay, moved into the place (I was there alone for about a week at the end of December) and we all got to know each other. Fiona works with me at FSI and Lindsay I met while doing an apartment search. The second part of January was marked by my meeting someone special, of whom I have yet to name on a public venue...

February 2006: Came and went. There were a few good moments here and there, but I was basically waiting for it to get warmer. Learned the chiropractors are all quacks, but that I actually need them.

March 2006: Trip to Warm Springs, VA with that special someone... I became the Newsletter Chair of the JET Alumni Association and created the "Sakura Times." I became an auntie again. My brother, Wade, and my sister-in-law, Dellena, welcomed ANOTHER baby boy into the world. This is their third boy together. He was born in Baumholder (their base), Germany.

April 2007: Wedding Season began....

Wedding Season!!!

2007-04-12T07:05:00.000+09:00

Ok, so the next few posts you'll see on my blog will be ALL about weddings, because I'm now officially at that age where the wedding invitations are pouring in and I can't keep up!!! Ok, let's review:

Abraham Zuniga, a friend from high school, kicked it in September 2006, in Miami
Celia Bhattacharya and Ken Aragaki, friends from work, April 7, 2007, in NYC
Simon (my cousin) and Aisha, May 11, 2007, in NYC
Arsema (friend from Women for Women Int'l) and Teddy, June 23, in Punta Cana, Dom. Rep.
Violeta (friend from JET) and Michael, June 23, San Antonio and August 4, Holland
Michelle White and Shin (of Japan), August 13, Central VA area and Osaka, Japan
My friend, Valencia just got engaged, Wedding Date, TBA

I can't keep up with all these wedding dates and gifts and presents. I might as well start an emergency wedding gift fund. I'm very happy for my friends though, that they are finding love and are taking the plunge. I hope to one day (soon!) go there myself. I fantasize about that special day, but going to these weddings make me fantasize even more (especially when I go with friends to try on wedding dresses). I told a co-worker the other day that in the next 2-3 years I'll be invited to baby showers. Now, I hope by then that I'm at least engaged!

Celia and Ken's Wedding

2007-04-12T07:00:00.000+09:00

The lovely couple cut their cake. Of the more than 6 years that I've known both of them as co-workers and then friends (we all started working at the International Center for Journalists at the same time), I have really come to connect with them as very special people in my life. I know that when I am around them, I can go back to being me and I can relax. No matter where I go in the world, I'll always remember these two.

ICFJ Connection

2007-04-12T06:58:00.000+09:00

Mario and Jennifer Scherhoffer. Mario, Ken, Celia and I all worked at the International Center for Journalists over 5 years ago, so we've seen their love blossom over the years. Brings back memories...awww...

The Friends

2007-04-12T06:56:00.000+09:00

Yasu "The Dentist," Jose "Valentino," and Andrew (Celia's brother) a.k.a. "The Bad Boys of Japan, Spain and America (by way of India and Spain).

2007-04-12T06:48:00.000+09:00

Young-Jin (Korea), Marina (Celia's former roommate) and her husband, Dmitry (Russia). Quite the international crowd.

2007-04-12T06:45:00.000+09:00

Other Esteemed Guests included a prominent Indian couple (don't ask me their names), Fred? (I'm told he does product placement in movies), the judge (and former neighbor of her parents) that married them, and to the far right is the Spanish Ambassador to the United Nations.

Celia's Family (Mostly from Spain)

2007-04-12T06:40:00.000+09:00

The table of honor included the Bride and Groom and Celia's aunts and uncles (her mother, Pilar, is on the far right).

2007-04-12T06:38:00.000+09:00

Celia and Gina. I miss that girl, now that she's in NYC.

2007-04-12T06:36:00.000+09:00

Celia, Ken, her cute little cousin from Spain (doesn't she look like Celia's daughter) and me.

2007-04-12T06:30:00.000+09:00

The wedding planner cuts the cake for Celia and Ken.

Abraham's Wedding on the Beach

2006-10-09T05:55:00.001+09:00

My friend, Abraham Zuniga, from high school in Miami, got married on September 29th. I came down from DC to see the wedding and my old friends (whom most I haven't seen since high school) and my mom. The last time I visited, it was over a year ago to Miami on my way to go to the Dominican Republic.

The wedding was Friday morning at the Eden Roc hotel and resort, but Michelle, Robert and I were 1/2 an hour late. We had to go against Michelle's heel breaking (so she had to borrow my flip-flops), rush hour traffic, and a bad accident on I-95. By the time we got there, all we saw was the bride, Sarah Chasser, and groom sign the marriage license. We weren't the only ones late though.

The reception was nice and the food was delicious. It was a buffet breakfast with all kinds of desserts and fruits. The DJ was pretty good. The bride's grandfather was this 80+ year old man who got up and danced everytime he got the chance. I danced a bit and caught up with some old friends. Abraham is a Miami Police Officer, so most of his guests were his fellow cop friends and their significant others.

After the reception, he invited the remaining guests up to the Lucille Ball and Dezi Arnez penthouse where he and his wife stayed until they went on their vacation. It was good getting to know some of his other friends, but ultimately it was time for me and my friends to party later that night... in Las Olas...

2006-10-09T05:53:00.001+09:00

Abraham and Sarah Zuniga walking back down the aisle after saying their vows. Their daughter is the little girl in the pretty dress.

2006-10-09T05:52:00.000+09:00

More glamor shots of us as we were late for the wedding anyway. Michelle's shoe broke. There was a major accident on I-95 and we got stuck in traffic, so getting there on time would've never have happened.

2006-10-09T05:49:00.000+09:00

The wedding cake. The food at the buffet was awesome! It was breakfast food.

2006-10-09T05:48:00.000+09:00

Abraham had invited quite a few of us from high school. Here's some of us.

2006-10-09T05:47:00.001+09:00

Me and Michelle.

2006-10-09T05:47:00.000+09:00

Me and Robert (another high school friend).

2006-10-09T05:45:00.000+09:00

Michelle and Herman.

2006-10-09T05:43:00.001+09:00

The view from Abraham and Sarah's honeymoon penthouse at the Eden Roc hotel.

South Beach

2006-10-09T05:37:00.000+09:00

On my last day in Miami, Michelle and I went to South Beach, just so that I could spend my last day on the beach. We ended up meeting up with our old friend from high school, Valencia Castro.

Michelle and I went to the beach so that as soon as we finished, I could just head straight to the airport and come back home. It was a great idea, because it was a Monday and there weren't too many people on the beach. The weather was absolutely beautiful during this time of year. Please enjoy the pics.

2006-10-09T05:32:00.000+09:00

Lario's Restaurant...

2006-10-09T05:30:00.000+09:00

I love this pic of Michelle. This is us goofing off at Lario's (Gloria Estefan's Cuban restaurant on South Beach) before hitting the water.

2006-10-09T05:29:00.000+09:00

Me and my high school friend, Valencia Castro, on South Beach. I haven't seen her in years!

2006-10-09T05:28:00.000+09:00

I love South Beach's lifeguard houses, they're so colorful. The weather was SO perfect on this day, not too hot and not too windy.

2006-10-09T05:26:00.000+09:00

Me at the beach. Bathing suit shot is a bit more private.

My Opinion Piece Was e-Published!

2006-10-06T10:06:00.000+09:00

College Bound? (www.smartremarx.com)
Posted 09/25/06
by Gina Anderson
Guest Columnist

Lately, I've been hearing my friends, who are all college graduates with excellent experience, tell that they are searching for a second and third job just to pay the bills. We've all heard about how this new generation of college graduates are in debt up to their eyeballs before they even graduate from college and now they're graduating and having to work doubly as hard only to make as much or less than someone working at a fast food restaurant or janitor (even they have unions!). I have other friends who are doing hiring and they are telling me about how people with master's degrees are applying, in droves, to administrative assistant positions. Isn't there something wrong here when we, college graduates, particularly those of us working in international development and non-profit and trying to give back, must sacrifice our true dreams and goals to "earn a decent living" just to pay half of the rent. How many of us have roommates?I graduated from a respectable institution of learning in the Washington, DC area with a very respectable bachelor's degree. I got a scholarship that paid 80% of my tuition, however, at $30,000 a year, the remaining 20% percent in loans have since added up. That was three years ago. Since then I've lived abroad in Japan for two years where I was paid fairly well (in foreign currency) for a fresh-out-of-college graduate and have been back in the States for a year.

In the past year, I've worked at two different jobs. I've worked since I was 16 and at each job, I never stayed less than two years. Lately, my loyalty to jobs has slowly faltered in the search of jobs that pay me more now so that I can survive living (sometimes below my means) in the DC-metro area. I started out working at an excellent NGO (non-governmental organization) where I thoroughly enjoyed my work and learned so much, but the pay just didn't cut it. I think that I hit rock bottom when I ran out of my savings from my last posh position as an English language teacher in Japan, my laptop (that had served me for three long years) and car broke down within one month. You can only guess what my next move was.Yes, I sacrificed at this NGO for nine long months -- for what felt like true labor pains – on a less than $30,000 salary (equal to one year's tuition, go figure) and prayed that things would get better. Things didn't get better. I tried everything to stay and do what I loved: catering for $13 an hour, selling my writing, more catering, but it just wasn't enough. I finally made the big decision to put myself out there and job search. I got tons of bites from recruiters because of my international experience and oh how the bigger salary offers were so enticing. I bit the bullet and went on interviews. I felt terrible because I was so tied to the mission of my NGO and the people all across the world that, I felt, I was helping and that I was in some way (by sacrificing and accepting poor wages) connected to through the struggle of everyday living (by no means am I saying that my struggles were equal to the women we helped in foreign countries). There I was now searching for another job and I was VERY close to accepting a position with one of the largest defense contracting companies in the world. I didn't accept that position and chose the middle ground – the government and so far I'm happy with my position and making more money, but I constantly look back on whether I "sold out" because of my "college bound" status. I have problem with the way things are going. The promise of a better tomorrow if we go to college is looking more like a "possibility" to a model American lifestyle. I'm thoroughly convinced that it's a disappointing future for many 2008 graduates.
Category: College and Career
Posted 09/25/06 by: Gina Anderson

Your Smart RemarxSteve Lee wrote:
It's sad to see the result of all your hard hard work resulting in your post-college bondage. Many grads are now consolidating their Federal college student loans but it is still a heavy load.
09/25/06 16:11:38

Sachi and Boo do Washington, DC!

2006-09-17T08:59:00.000+09:00

Sachi Imai is my friend from Japan whom I met at a body building competition through mutual friends. Yes, we have a friend named Fiona who is a competitive female body builder. Anyways, that was two years ago and we're still great friends. I haven't been back to Japan in a year, so I was SO happy that she would come back to visit and bring my beloved little Kotono aka "BooBoo" with her. Little BooBoo is bilingual in English and Japanese. She also just happens to be cute as a button.

Well, anyways, Sachi and BooBoo came here on September 5th and stayed for week. They flew back to Japan on September 11th. Chotto Kowai! They made it back safely. Sachi's friend, Rui, also came on September 5th, but she left a few days earlier to visit some other cities.

I had a BBQ in their honor on Sunday, September 10th and quite a few people showed up with their own special dishes. Unfortunately, I didn't take very many pictures, because I was busy trying to start the fire on the grill.

The weekend before they left, my friend, Michelle Oney, from high school came up to visit me and also to meet Sachi. It was great. They all got along so well.

Enjoy the pictures!

2006-09-17T08:58:00.000+09:00

Sachi and BooBoo on the train to DC from Pittsburg.

2006-09-17T08:57:00.000+09:00

Sachi and Mel on the subway.

2006-09-17T08:56:00.000+09:00

Lisa, BooBoo and I on the subway.

2006-09-17T08:55:00.000+09:00

Sachi, Rui and BooBoo.

2006-09-17T08:54:00.000+09:00

Michelle, BooBoo, me, and Lisa in Chinatown. Don't we look like one big happy family?

2006-09-17T08:51:00.000+09:00

Sachi and I on the Mall in DC. There was the Black Family Reunion going on down there, so we enjoyed the music.

2006-09-17T08:49:00.000+09:00

Sachi, BooBoo, Michelle and I at the IMAX theater going to see "Ant Bully." Kiddie movies in 3D are so cool!

2006-09-17T08:48:00.000+09:00

Here is a pot of "nikujaga." I was so happy that Sachi came AND that she made one of my favorite Japanese dishes for the BBQ!

2006-09-17T08:46:00.000+09:00

BooBoo and her new friend after getting out of the pool. Cultural Connections at work!

Tennessee

2006-09-17T08:37:00.000+09:00

Yet again, my family took a caravan of 6 cars (including mine) to the Knoxville area of Tennessee for a family vacation. I have always been in school or out of the country when they've gone there. It's quite beautiful and there seems to be SO much to do! I can't believe how much stuff there is to see and do there. The shopping was a amazing!

Below are some pictures of my sister-in-law and my nephews as we took a roadtrip from southern Virginia (where I picked her and my nephews up). We went through these mountains and stopped at this overlook called "Lover's Leap" along the way. I can't remember if we were in North Carolina, Virginia or Tennessee, but it certainly was beautiful. There was this nice couple that were so nice to take pictures of us. We also drove through this Country Fair in this town in southern Virginia. We totally sat in traffic along the rows and rows of stands selling anything from teriyaki chicken to funnel cake. It was kinda cool because the traffic was going so slow that I got out of the car and bought some food along the way. The journey took 10 hours for me total, because I was coming from Washington, DC. NEVER AGAIN! All for my nephews though.

2006-09-17T08:26:00.000+09:00

Me, my sis-in-law, Dellena, and my nephews Ty and Devin. Devin looks like a clone of my brother.

2006-09-17T08:25:00.000+09:00

My sis-in-law and my nephews Ty (left) and Devin (right) at Lover's Leap on the way to TN.

2006-08-31T09:09:00.000+09:00

This is my friend, Eva, and her boyfriend, Ian. They're so cute together. They were living in Japan together and then they came back and spent the summer in Vermont and then took a trip cross country to move into their new place in Oregan. How cool! I wish that I could do that. See you soon guys!

Long Time, No Hear

2006-08-31T09:07:00.000+09:00

Well, I've been gone for a while now. My computer crashed back in May and I had to get a new laptop. It was fate that I got a new one because I would've never been able to get a new one at any other time on my crappy budget.

Since my last entry, I left Women for Women International (www.womenforwomen.org ), but I remain a donor. I am now sponsoring a sister in Rwanda and her name is Vestine Mukangwije. I wrote my first letter to her and I hope that she gets it soon. I will sponsor her for one year, where she will take job skills training classes and learn about her rights as a woman and a citizen. After one year, she'll graduate and hopefully start her own income-generating enterprise. I'm so excited about being her sister. She had 9 kids, but one of them is not alive. I hope that she'll feel comfortable enough to tell me more about this in her letter.

As for the women of Women for Women Int'l, they're still my friends. I really loved my time working there and I still keep in contact with many of the women there. Now I work at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington as a program assistant. This is where the State Dept. trains it's diplomats/foreign service officers. It's a great environment to work in, but I know that I won't be there forever. #1, because I'm a contractor and #2, because I am looking for a government job. I have my plans though. It's the perfect place for me to transition. I hope to spend this Fall applying to grads schools that offer MFAs in Creative Writing and possibly taking the Foreign Service Exam. So far, I've made some great contacts at this place and I know that I'll have some great recommendations.

Writing. Yes, everyone's been asking me about this. I had planned to take at least two weeks off between jobs, but FSI came and I got offered the job the same day that I interviewed, so I couldn't turn it down. So now, my dream of having a chunk of time dedicated to writing is gone now, BUT it's no matter, I'm trying to make more time to write everyday. Since I last wrote, I took a class on screenplay writing and I've made very small progress on writing my screenplay, "Brenda." I keep in contact with my instructor, Daniel Christian. He says that if you can make it to page two, then you'll stick to it. So, I've made it to page 3 and realized that I needed some writing software. The formatting for a screenplay is TOO difficult to worry about throughout the writing of 90-120 pages. So, I bought "Writer's Dreamkit." The cool thing about this software is that it was only $40 after a discount and I can use it to write a screenplay, a novel OR short stories. I'm excited about writing right now. Because my Microsoft Word docs weren't salvaged from my last computer (because I was an idiot and I didn't back up my files), I am now having to retype all of the stories into this computer. This is good because now it's like I'm looking at The Adventures of Bianca Sukiyama with a fresh perspective, so look for more on that later... My biggest concern is creating a portfolio of work for my application to the schools for MFA in Creative Writing programs. Wish me luck!

Oh, there's so much to catch up on. Next, I'll write more about my plans to return to the Dominican Republic (by popular demand according to my friend and journalist, William Estevez, and Chicha and Manolo, my adopted parents from back there). I'll also write about my friend, Sachi Imai, and her visit to the States AND hopefully, if I make it to Tennessee this weekend, I'll have some pictures from that.

Europe 2006

2006-05-14T06:20:00.001+09:00

This is what I had been saving up my vacation days for, what I had attempted to do while living in Japan (but thought it too expensive) and had saved up my money for: The Big Trip to Europe. It all started when I met Marita, from Amsterdam, while on vacation in Thailand last year. We had both promised that we'd visit each other, so I guess I was first (Marita will come to the U.S. in Nov.). I didn't want to plan too early in advance, because I've found that when you freestyle your trip a little bit, then you're not stuck with one plan, but you can do a little extra. Anyways, Mel and I flew on Iceland Air and the tickets were a great price. Of course, this meant that we had a layover in Rekjavik, Iceland, but the food was great and so was the service.

Amsterdam
Marita came to pick us up from the airport after a night of partying in celebration of Queen's Day in Amsterdam. We were wondering why there were orange decorations and such around the city.

I found Amsterdam to be quite a good city to start out with because just about everyone spoke English. I was really concerned about running into situations where I was really hungry and couldn't even order food in the local language (like in China). One observation that I made about Amsterdam was the fact that it was SO diverse. Don't get me wrong, America is diverse, but this was diversity on a different level. People from all different races and cultures hanging out with each other. I experience that in my own life, but it was nice to see that in Europe as well. Well, there are tons of stories for Amsterdam, but I'll just let you see the pictures and read the captions.

2006-05-14T06:18:00.000+09:00

Marita, Mel and I on a bridge (crossing over into the Red Light district) over a canal.

2006-05-14T06:17:00.001+09:00

Cheeseland -- Marita telling Melissa about all the varieties of cheese that is available in Amsterdam. Mel was really excited about the cheese w/ cumin in it. I was impressed that there was an entirely section of the famous grocery store, Albert Heijn, dedicated to cheese. I LOVE it!

Madame Tussauds

2006-05-14T06:16:00.000+09:00

This famous wax museum was so much fun.

2006-05-14T06:15:00.000+09:00

I LOVE Prince. Can't you tell?

2006-05-14T06:14:00.000+09:00

Me and Bob Marley are just "Jammin'."

2006-05-14T06:12:00.000+09:00

"Skinny" Oprah interviewing me.

Rijksmuseum

2006-05-14T06:10:00.000+09:00

This was a cute statue of cupid. I think that this one was the copy and the one in the Louvre was the original. I had also seen the copy of "The Kiss" by Rodin in St. Petersburg's Hermitage museum 6 years ago. I assume this is common among famous museums.

2006-05-14T06:06:00.000+09:00

Grazyna and Stefan - we met Grazyna when she offered to take our picture while standing in line at the Rijksmuseum. Later, we met Stefan when he came to join us at this Thai restaurant, called "Bird."

2006-05-14T06:04:00.000+09:00

Mel and Grazyna on the canal cruise boat.

2006-05-14T06:01:00.000+09:00

Mel and I on a canal cruise in Amsterdam.

2006-05-14T06:00:00.000+09:00

This strictly-beer shop had imported beer from all across Europe.

2006-05-14T05:59:00.000+09:00

Look at all that beer.

2006-05-14T05:57:00.000+09:00

This is the famous flower market in Amsterdam. This particular stand had the aroma of all kinds of beautiful flowers. I bought some tulip bulbs from here.

2006-05-14T05:55:00.000+09:00

Umm...uh... I don't think that this pic needs much of a description, but the small print reads: Includes: Cannibus seeds, compost, user manual with growing instructions.

Brussels

2006-05-14T05:52:00.001+09:00

I absolutely LOVED this city. It was clean, the layout of the city was totally walkable and it felt so quaint. It was unfortunate that we only stayed for 1 night. We stayed in an amazing hostel that was right in the center of everything. I am definitely adding this city to the list of places to go back to.

Atonium - I think that from the tour I heard that this giant model of an atom was built for the World Fair, but don't take my word for it.

2006-05-14T05:52:00.000+09:00

Windmills - On the way to Brussels from Amsterdam.

2006-05-14T05:50:00.000+09:00

The European Union headquarters are in Brussels, this is apart of it.

2006-05-14T05:49:00.000+09:00

The Royal Palace in Brussels.