Agora

Having finished my last exam, I can finally breathe in some free and unburdened air. I must also now face the upcoming challenge of moving into my new apartment in Brooklyn, and this will be an entirely new experience for me, especially when it comes to furnishing or decorating my living space. More on that after the move. I will be away from home during the holidays for the first time, partly because of some commitments here in the city, and because airfare to Vancouver is not as affordable as I'd thought. I've only been away for 4 months, but I've only begun to realize how much I miss Vancouver and my parents. My mother's birthday was two days ago, December 13th. I dedicate this post to her because not being able to be with her reminds me not to take her for granted, and my experiences here have taught me to cherish my previously strained relationship with her. One morning about a week ago, I boarded the A express train as usual from Penn Station down to West 4t...

Three months in New York. I have not been away from home for a longer period of time. Much has happened this past month of November - the hurricane, power outages, the usual grind at school. I wrote a long post on post-Sandy blues but I have yet to retrieve it from my phone (penned it on a plane), will unveil it once I transfer it over, which is as simple as emailing it to myself, then copying and pasting it onto this box here. Maybe a short and light post to revive this blog is much preferred over a rather heavy reflection on post-hurricane devastation. As I enter my first law school finals period, much of the stress and workload has necessitated the need for me to step back from my books occasionally and just explore the city. Usually the biproduct of said explorations involve delightful conversations or interactions with strangers. Often, strangers would approach me when I'm sketching at a particularly scenic vantage point, overlooking the gleaming parapets of lofty skyscrap...

Having been here a month, I'd say that I've acculturated to the pace of life and have gotten into a comfortable routine. On weekdays, this involves catching the trains to school, sticking around after class to get some studying done and then hopping on the evening train back home. Sometimes, I'd opt to eat in the city instead of home, but this usually involves the company of friends or classmates. Otherwise, I'd much rather go home to rest, relax and read. Weekends are fun here in New York. One never runs out of things to do here especially on a Friday or Saturday night, the highlights so far are the bars in Williamsburg or Brooklyn, gallery hopping in Chelsea, eating out in Chinatown or just chillin' and having a meal or drink in the Village. Admittedly, I'm trying to cut down one expenditure so that means less alcohol and eating out. I've also been making full use of my membership at L.A. fitness, since the NYU recreation centre is a little too overcrowd...

It has been such a frantic week or so here. I'm writing this as I take a break from the copious amount of readings assigned in law school. A quick summary of what I've learnt so far (in general chronological occurence during a typical day) 1. Setting 3 alarms to wake up is efficient and effective 2. Showering the night before and laying out clothes for next morning allows me to reach the train station in 12-14 minutes, 15 minutes is cutting it. 3. The 7:52 am train is also a good option if you miss the 7:34 train in New Hyde Park. 4. When Penn Station-bound, sit in the last 2 cars of the LIRR so I'm closer to the 8th avenue ACE trains to West 4th Station. 5. Food portions are extremely large, so anything within $6.99 is very very adequate expenditure for my individual consumption. 6. Haggling has saved me upwards of $40 when riding cabs who don't charge by meter (outside of Manhattan). 7. Sit in the middle back rows of the class so I won't be called on ver...

The Team Triumphant UBC Team with our 'Outstanding Delegation' in the United Nations Headquarters, Manhattan, New York. We represented the Republic of Madagascar in the National Model United Nations conference. (April 1st-5th 2012) This is Part 2 of my reflections. Before I dive into what it was like to live in New York, I would like to say a few things about the people I spent a week with. Needless to say, we performed very well and our awards are the fruits of our labour. What impressed me the most was that everyone recognized the importance of this trip and prepared accordingly through research, speech preps etc. Most importantly, all of them realized their potential and took their individual skill sets to new heights. As the team's academic 'trainer' and one of its members, I viewed our achievement as an unequivocal success. It makes me smile to think that this victory will serve as a cornerstone or stepping stone (call it whatever stone you desire), to...

"Things always seem fairer when we look back at them, and it is out of that inaccessible tower of that past that Longing leans and beckons." -James Russell Lowell New York - the capital of capitals. The city of cities. Call it what you will, its influence and glamour is unparalleled. This past week I had the opportunity of visiting this gleaming metropolis, alongside the camaraderie of 11 very passionate and pleasant friends. My visit had a three-fold purpose: attending the National Model United Nations conference and attending two scholarship interviews while familiarizing myself with my (hopefully) future home, since I have been accepted to NYU school of law. I'll try to break up my reflections into three posts to render justice to the immensity of each purpose - never have I had so much meaning and conviction tightly packaged in a week composed of erratic sleep cycles, deadlines, stress and laughter. I enjoyed every moment of this cacophonous adventure; rather, I e...