Agora

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...

I write this to proclaim my love for my beloved grandfather who has passed from this realm not two days ago. My grandfather and I enjoyed a close relationship since I lived not far from him when I was in Malaysia. Grandpa lived a very healthy life well into his twilight years. Since I was little, he would take me to the city park almost every other morning just for a morning stroll, and I was always treated to a good breakfast with soy bean milk with grandmother after. Grandpa's house was large- my family and I would visit everyday to eat lunch with them. For many years, it was the hub for festive occasions, be it Chinese New Year, Christmas, relatives visiting, funerals and so forth. I have chosen the house as a setting for countless essays during my primary school years, when I had to describe happy memories or celebrations. Indeed, Grandpa's home was such a collection of merriment and was very much an integral part of my childhood. Grandpa was always there a...

So after submitting those performance reports I felt at ease, and yesterday I went into work with a rejuvenated sense of purpose; knowing that I've done everything I could and that I would have no regrets working as a fundraiser. Following the workday, assessments were held and my report was perhaps the strongest @ the workplace. I only have God to thank for. I do not believe that my will to carry on stemmed from my natural capacities. I honestly think that there was a 'prime mover' that edged me on ever so gently and resolutely.

So work begins in 2 minutes and here I am blogging through my phone. I am to submit my report consisting of my fundraising activities and efforts for the past month. I am quite nervous since the last one I submitted was comparatively sub-par. My colleagues are stellar employees and somehow I feel that I am on a lower level. They seem a lot more motivated, much more energized and all the credit goes to them. Now I can go on and make excuses about my unsatisfactory performance but I take all the blame because at times I felt like giving up. I am not going to lie because the job is hard and I felt like I was not cut out for front-line cold-calling. I was not prepared for humble pie most of the work week. I was/am arrogant and I have to fix it. Therefore, as I enter today's work and submit my report I will treat this as a fresh start, even though my time with this company is limited and coming to a close. I will prove to myself that I can be a good team player; that I can look ba...