Many (not all) students in KIMEP are very rich. You can deduce that just by looking at their clothes and bags. So, this means that they have the money to do all kinds of things with their presentations.. Something us poor exchange students are not able to do.

Sigh.

Like for example. Jingzhong is taking Introduction to Films. The final project is to film a movie. He is grouped with three other girls. They rented an apartment for the sole purpose of filming the movie there. They wanted to take the raw video clips and pay a professional to put the movie together for them but Jingzhong wanted to do it on their own.

And as you can see from the picture above, they bought quite a lot of balloons filled with Helium for their presentation. My roommate So Hyun is taking Advanced Marketing, and she says that having balloons and food in presentations has become the norm.

So what happens when we poor exchange students present? We cannot afford helium-filled balloons or food to give out to the whole class.

If I had that money, I’d buy clothes, food and more souvenirs!

Oh and just fyi. Wordart.

La côte de La Turballe en Loire Atlantique

18mm, 1/20s, f/11, ISO 3200

here’s a photo from our last group trip.  Maisa, Prixie, and Chris are enjoying their first (of many) evil Ilocano breakfasts.  heheh!

Welcome to historic Logansport, Indiana! It’s so old, it’s overpasses have cave paintings.

This town is forward-thinking though. Their buildings step up in height just like cell phone signal bars.

And convenience stores made even more convenient because you can drive through them!

I really liked the font on the City Building.

It looks like pacman.

The reason we chose to visit Logansport out of the many other small towns in Indiana is because Erica’s boyfriend, Kevin (or BK as he’s affectionately known) used to work for the Pharos Tribune, before he was deported back to England. Here’s his old place of work.

The other reason to visit Logansport? They have an awesome carousel!

Too bad some kid was having her birthday party there so it was closed to the public. Logansport has some beautiful historic homes.

And some historic homes that need a little work.

I’m not sure how I feel about the restoration efforts here, though.

I feel like those colors work well in New Orleans, but I’d like something more conservative in the Midwest. I think the next house was my favorite.

It could use some fixing up and some tall trees, but I love the basic shape of the house. Speaking of houses, they are apparently pretty cheap in Indiana. Here’s one for less than $50,000!!

And you know, Logansport wouldn’t be that bad to live in. They have a Mr. Happy Burger.

Along with this lovely little park near the confluence of the Wabash and Eel Rivers.

It was the perfect spot for some self-timer photos.

Ooops… too close. Let’s try that again.

Much better.

We wandered around town some more. I saw a cemetery in the distance and naturally headed that direction.

On our way out of Logansport, we ate more of the cookies we bought at the Stone House Bakery and thought how much better they would be with some milk, but we didn’t want to stop at a store. And then we remembered – the Zip Thru!

We briefly stopped in Monticello on our way home. Erica humored me by pausing at this abandoned warehouse that caught my fancy.

I love that Erica is perfectly fine stopping on the side of the road on our way home just because I really wanted a picture of the sun setting over the cornfields.

That seems like a pleasant way to end my entries from my trip to Indiana.

Thanksgiving neigt sich regenfrei seinem Ende zu. Tag des großen (Fr-)Essens wär wohl die beste Be- und Umschreibung für das Spektakel des heutigen Tages.

Klar, dass es den traditionellen Truthahn geben muss. Dazu eine Reihe von köstlichen Beilagen, die mein Vegetarierherz höher schlagen ließen: Fisolen (yeah!), selbstgemachtes Kartoffelpüree, Semmelbröselfüllung mit Kräutern, Rostgemüse (Kartoffeln, Karotten, Rüben, Schwarzwurzeln).

Das war ja alles schon köstlich und ausreichend, aber die Desserts waren jenseints von Gut und Böse. Pumpkin-Pecan-Pie, Apple-Pie, alle mögliche Arten von kleinen Naschereien (mit Schoko überzogende pretzels, Schokorosinen, Kekse), selbstgemachtes Pfefferminz-mit-Schokostückchen- sowie Zimt-Kardamon-Koriander-Ingwer-Eis, noch mindestens zwei weitere Kuchen. Es war einfach unglaublich. Ich bin so voll und es war so lecker.

Bei Nancy und ihrer Familie gemeinsam mit Familienfreunden zu feiern, war eine schöne Erfahrung, weil ich dadurch diesen Feiertag sehr authentisch amerikanisch kennen lernen konnte und es war wirklich wunderbar. Ich glaube, das war heute irgendwie meine amerikanischsten Momente.

Viel essen macht müde. Ich werde ausgezeichnet schlafen.

Mahlzeit!

Impression des nächtlichen South Orange, NJ

In the spirit of my travels these coming weeks (Beijing to Inner Mongolia, San Francisco, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico), I’m reminded of this Discovery Channel promo. The lyrics are below, just in case you’d like to sing along. Happy holidays!

Astronaut 1: It never gets old, huh?
Astronaut 2: Nope.
Astronaut 1: It kinda makes you wanna…
Astronaut 2: Break into song?
Astronaut 1: Yep.

I love the mountains.
I love the clear blue skies.
I love big bridges.
I love when great whites fly.
I love the whole world,
And all its sights and sounds.

Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da!

I love the ocean .
I love real dirty things.
I love to go fast.
I love Egyptian kings.
I love the whole world
And all its craziness

Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da!

I love tornadoes.
I love arachnids.
I love hot magma.
I love the giant squids.
I love the whole world.
It’s such a brilliant place.

Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da,
Boom-de-ah-da…

We are ready to set sail!!!!!

The Taleban and Al’Qaeda: What’s the Difference and What Do We Do Know?

We are pleased to announce that we are co-hosting a lecture with the Afghanistan Development Society.  Professor Fawaz Gerges will be speaking on the complexities of the current situation in the New Theatre at 18.30 on the 1st December.

Coffee Morning with Howard Davies

The LSE Director will be discussing – “Britain in Europe under the Conservatives: The Coming Crisis”. Places are strictly limited so please turn up early so as not to miss out!

Howard Davies is a former chairman of the FSA, as well as having worked as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  We’ll be holding this event in NAB2.09 at 11.00 on the 2nd December.

Read more about it here!

International Winter Camp

Our Polish partner organisation, The Young Diplomat’s Centre, is pleased to open applications to their International Winter Camp called “The Borderlands”. It gathers over 100 participants from all over the Europe and is based on non-formal education and intercultural learning. This winter (7-13 February 2010) we would like to challenge the theme of borderlands what a melting pot of different nationalities and cultures means in practice.

For more information, please either contact us or have a look at www.zabinki.pl.

Reminders!

Our Christmas Dinner Tickets are almost all sold out, so act fast to get one of the few remaining!

# Dollars Richard spent on groceries for our 4 day trip – 236

# Pounds gained by Richard, Rhonda & Alex – ?? (Why ruin the memories of a great vacation?)

# Miles hiked – 13

# Miles Rhonda, still recovering from a broken ankle, struggled to keep up with 6’2” Alex – 13

# Times I fell while hiking – 1 ½ (I’m beginning to understand why my parents didn’t  name me Grace.)

# Times Alex fell while trying to get into his hammock – 1 (Richard & I never considered naming him Grace either.)

# Phobias we discovered about Alex on the trip – 1 (stinging insects)

# Times above mentioned phobias got after Alex – 3

# Times Richard and I laughed at how fast Alex can move when he has to – 3

# RV projects Richard worked on – 4 (exhaust fan, operation night light, magnet

            replacement & poop pump)

# Important parts left at home – 1

# Really small, critical parts lost in our campsite by Richard – 1

# Auto parts / home improvement stores visited looking for above parts – 3

# Really small, critical parts found over 24 hours later by Richard – 1

# Times I smelled sewage, but was afraid to ask any questions – 1

# Kinds of ice cream carried by the Park Store – 6

# Days the Park Store was open after we made this discovery – 0

# Books read by Alex – 2

# Books read by Rhonda – 1

# Pages read by Richard – 15

# Times we visited the site where I broke my ankle – 1

# Evenings spent watching Tennessee beat Vanderbilt by the campfire – 1

# Evenings spent eating Smores & enjoying good conversation around the campfire – 4

El impresionante Pico de Orizaba, la cima más alta de México y la tercera más alta del continente. Lejos de la arrogancia de estas posiciones, esta montaña ofrece una alucinante e inolvidable experiencia poco usual por cierto, en especial para todos aquellos que nos preciamos de ser citadinos. Para los que son expertos es un reto más, pero para los inexpertos como yo, es un paseo reconfortante, siempre que no nos dé mal de montaña claro, la increíble tranquilidad y libertad que se respira en sus faldas a más de 3000 metros de altura, nos muestra lo pequeños que somos en este mundo y lo grande que es la naturaleza misma que nos dio la vida.

The impressive Orizaba’s Peak, the highest top of Mexico and the third highest one of the continent. Far from the arrogance of these positions, this mountain offers a hallucinating and unforgettable unusual experience by the way, especially for all those that we boasted of being citizens. For that is expert is another challenge only, but for inexpert like me, it is a comforting stroll, whenever don’t give us mountain sickness, the incredible tranquillity and freedom that is breathed in its base to more than 3000 meters of height, shows what smaller we are than this world and bigger thing to us that is the same nature that gave the life us.

Heute ist also Thanksgiving, der große Feiertag, der den Amerikanern viel bedeutet und der lang und intensiv geplant sein will. Ich hab meine Einladung zu einem großen Thanksgiving-Dinner bereits Mitte September erhalten. Ich freue mich schon sehr darauf. Mache mich in Kürze auf nach South Orange, New Jersey (ca. 40-minütige Zugsfahrt von der Penn Station in New York).

Die Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ist im vollen Gange. Ich habe mich nicht in die Menschenmassen geworfen, sondern das Spektakel gemütlich im Pyjama auf der Couch sitzend und frühstückend live im Fernsehen verfolgt. Eigentlich war für heute Regen angesagt, aber der Wettergott ist mit den Paradeteilnehmern und -zusehern gnädig. Es ist bewölkt,aber sieht noch nicht nach großen Schauer aus.

Gestern Nachmittag und Abend wurden die übergroßen Ballons für die Parade aufgeblasen und in der Gegend von Central Park West, Columbus Avenue, W 77th und W 81st Street war trotz Nieselregens unglaublich viel los. Ich war mittendrin und war kurz vor einer klaustrophobischen Panikattacke.

Santa-Ballon

Ein Riesenschlumpf

Ich freu mich über mein erstes Thanksgiving.

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We spent part of the day at Heritage Park in Santa Fe Springs this afternoon with Flint’s family.  They arrived on Tuesday ahead of Fawn’s family who arrived today.  Isaac, Flint’s 2 year old, is a big fan of trains and getting to climb on one made his day.

Paige mentioned to me that Heritage Park is one of Fawn’s favorite parks and I will have to concur that the city does an outstanding job maintaining this beautiful facility.  It is very much a teaching/museum park with exhibits and historical information everywhere. The park reminds us that not long ago that the places we traverse on a daily basis looked a whole lot different.  It is neat to see old photographs of what life was like then.

The park simultaneously tells the story of the railroad, the ranchers, and the native Americans that lived or operated in the area.  The place is first rate and if you live around here and have never been to it I recommend it.

Noah was his usual little boy self and managed to skin both his knees and lay his hands on some cactus in the space of 2 hours, but other than that we had a nice visit.

I’m so excited. Wait, that’s an understatement. Halfway to Tel Aviv, we passed over Alma-Ata. I saw a sunset like I’ve never seen before (this is, after all, my first trip outside my country). I cried for joy. Six more hours and I would actually be in Israel! The first one in the Acebron clan to actually set foot on the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The Golden Gate

If you are planning a trip to the Back Hills of South Dakota, take the time to see the Crazy Horse Memorial. On our latest excursion, we became a member of the Driller’s Club, which entitled us to a trip to the top of the mountain. It was an unforgettable experience. As we stood on the arm of the sculpture, we were able to look directly into the eyes of the Crazy Horse.

Dear all,

We are pleased to open applications for this Easter’s trip to Lebanon.

April 2010 marks the fifth anniversary of the full pullout of the Syrian Army from Lebanon, and the success of the “Cedar” Revolution. After thirty years of occupation and decades of civil war, a new optimism spread over Lebanon that a new era was beginning.

Five years on, Lebanon is still struggling to find that new promise. The success of the Cedar Revolution came into question only one year later, as the war between Hizbollah and Israel shattered the calm and brought back the specter of conflict.  Since then, Lebanon has been threatened by fighting between the army and Palestinian refugees, and the potential for another civil war. Yet, Beirut has witnessed a cultural flourishing, being named the top city to visit this year by the New York Times, and the state of Lebanese development and progress seems strong. The question then becomes, what is the state of Lebanon five years later? Has the promise of the cedar revolution been fulfilled, or is the next conflict unavoidable?

This trip will explore the realities of Lebanon, five years after the revolution.  We will be exploring the origins of the conflict in Lebanon, as well as tracing the events that culminated in the Cedar Revolution. We will also focus on the progress of the post-conflict reconstruction in Lebanon, and evaluate the ongoing difficulties in moving forward, as well as the domestic and international impact of the newly formed Special Tribunal for Lebanon.  Finally, we will focus on the unique system of rights and politics enshrined by the confessionalist system, and examine the potential future for the state as a whole.

Ideal for:

Those who have interests in conflict studies, development, international law, international relations, human rights, political science, governance.

Details:

Dates: Tentatively, April 14-21, 2010 (These dates are subject to change based on airfare, accommodation and speakers’ availability. Those who signal interest in joining the trip will be given exact dates as soon as possible.)

Cost: ₤650 (approximate), incl. Airfare, Accommodation, Visas, and Transit during trip. NOT inclusive of transfers to and from UK airports,  food, drink, and other incidental costs.

Locations: Beirut
Dependent on Scheduling: Daytrip to UNIFIL, South Lebanon.
Dependent on Airfare: Damascus (Syria) or Nicosia (Cyprus) (Those who signal interest will be informed once the exact route is selected, based on airfare.)

We ask that those who are interested in this trip please complete the following questions by 20.00 Sunday 29th November and email it to d.kacinski1@lse.ac.uk.  Successful applicants will be notified as soon as possible.

APPLICATION
LEBANON TRIP APRIL 2010
Please send to d.kacinski1@lse.ac.uk once completed

SURNAME:

GIVEN NAME:

EMAIL:

TELEPHONE:

HOME COUNTRY:

IF NOT UK/EU, Does your visa allow you to enter and exit the UK freely?   YES   /   NO

DEGREE PROGRAM:

YEAR:   1st   2nd   3rd   Masters   PhD

Questions:
1. In one or two paragraphs, briefly state your interest for applying to come on this trip.

2. We manage to schedule a meeting with Saad Hariri. You have the chance to ask him any question, what would it be?

3. In one or two paragraphs, who would you like to meet during this trip, and why?

4. Do you read or speak French and/or Arabic? If so, to what level: Basic, Conversational, Fluent?

Look out for more Grimshaw events and trips soon!

Many thanks,

Grimshaw committee

If you’re in the Calgary area, we’d love it if you could join us at the Engineering Ministries International Dessert Evening tomorrow (that’s Thursday) night.   There will be displays about various projects eMi has done, as well as a few presentations – the interns will be talking about our recent El Salvador trip.  Click on the image below for more details . . .

For those of you who are too far away to come, please pray for a good turn out, and that we’d be able to share our excitement about what God is doing around the world.  Pray that people would be led to be involved in whatever way God is calling them.

I’m going to Blue Mountains in a few hours. Blog and post will resume once I get back on Friday.

For now, find something to entertain yourself, okay?

Edit: The trip has been extended for another day, so I will be back in Sydney on Saturday morning.

Visiting an arcade we were told to report on an exhibit and discuss its draw, useability and worth etc

I chose this Virtual Reality simulator:

In comparison to Techniquest, which we visited earlier, the Arcades were somewhat more commercial.  Everything about the place was designed to take your money. The exhibits in Techniquest gave information freely, encouraged visitors to think and solve problems, and the atmosphere was one of enlightenment. Excitement was the feel in the Arcade, with lights everywhere and music playing, making you want to find out about the exhibits; of course once you selected an exhibit you were required to pay to unlock the mysteries it promised.

And what better to draw someone in than the promise of Virtual Reality?

VR is what this exhibit claimed to simulate…

On top of the promise of VR, the simulator was a sit-in hydraulic contraption, which made its appeal even greater; the £3.00 fare was of little consequence at this point.

Inside, things were a tad confusing.  I expected a touch screen interface, and an on-screen tutorial of how to start it, but it was not very helpful.  For example, it failed to mention that both seatbelts needed to be fastened when only one person was inside, but once I realised how it worked, the mapping was very simple and efficient; the four buttons on the dashboard correlated to the options on screen for choosing the environment etc.

I chose an Ice environment from the on-sceen selection, of which there were four in total, each represented by a still image.  As soon as I made the selection, it started slowly, with your vehicle moving forward in a first-person perspective through some large and impressive ice blocks.  Then it plummets you down an ice slope, narrowly avoiding oncoming objects, the hydraulics tipping you roughly from side to side and creating the illusion of speed. It does actually manage, at times, to convince you that you’re in the created realitythat it’s showing you. Once it has finished and you step out and realise the world is no longer tipping and moving, I at least, became very dizzy and it took me a moment to regain my equilibrium.

On the whole I’d say that this VR simulator is an experience far beyond most arcade machines,  However that is all it is –  there’s no high scores to tempt you back; only the different environments tempt further experience. I have a suspicion that they’ll be very similar to one another, seeing as the different runs were represented by stills on the selection screen, rather than videos; the reason for this is clearly to hold back from revealing  too much about each experience to the user. The magic of the whole thing was slightly damaged by a brief glimpse of Windows XP apon reset.