For the Mothers,

Today’s post is not about being from different places or different cultures, on the contrary. Today is about what we all have in common. None of us would be here if it was not for our mothers. They are the women in our lives who read us goodnight stories and took care of us when we were sick, they make our beds and feed us breakfast. Being a mother is a job that that we don’t always appreciate openly, but many of us are who we are because we had that person who cared for us and taught us right from wrong. I just wanted to write this short post for the mothers out there on this Mother’s Day. We love and appreciate you everyday, this just happens to be the one day where we make sure you know it more than ever. Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

-Sons and Daughters Everywhere

Welcome to my project.

This week was a lot of fun. We had a meeting at our organization at UCLA. I had invited a few of my good friends who have been coming to our meetings for coffee, and they ended up inviting more friends! During our meetings we get together in groups and have basic conversation with each other just like you would have with your normal group of friends. It is nothing complicated. We just want to make friends, learn about different cultures, practice English, and of course, have fun doing it!

This week I met a few friends as well. I normally walk around the room and talk to whomever I can, but this time I had a conversation with my friend Victor and his friend Shenshen, who are both from China. They are both studying to be Engineers of some kind, and it is very interesting to me…especially since I prefer to stay away from math… I’ll pass…. Also, I spoke with my good friend Carlos who has helped me run the UCLA organization. We were talking about what we would do for our next event and decided that we would explain some “slang” words that our friends are not familiar with, but that we use on a daily basis.

The rest of the meeting went well, and then we had a large group of new friends come in from Brazil, Tunasia, and Japan. I am American, but my heritage is part Japanese, so I immediately went to say “Konichiwa”, or hello in English, to our new friends. I spoke with everyone in the group for a while and welcomed them into our community. They are a lively, and fun group to be around. One of them in specific was Brahim. This man was full of energy, and so enthusiastic to be a part of WSEP, which makes me really happy. I loved it! We continued with the meetings, and eventually had to leave so we could study for exams. What a week!

Ended up: In the end, or eventually.

Basic Conversation: To talk to someone as friends.

Complicated: Difficult, or confusing.

“I’ll pass” : I would rather not do that, or have that.

[Used as a polite phrase to refuse something that is offered to you. It is also used as a light phrase for joking about not wanting something if you do not say it seriously. When I say: “I’ll pass” in the blog, it basically means “I would rather not do math, because it is too difficult for me…]

Slang: words that are not used professionally, only with friends or in an informal environment.

Immediately: Right now.

Enthusiastic: Excited!

Exploring the wonders of California

So here I am, dear WSEPers, on a sunny and beautiful afternoon in a train (really old-school[1]!) from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles about to write about travelling! After two awesome days spent in Carmel and Monterey, all I can say is that the stunning California offers wonders beyond our imagination! It’s just a sight for sore eyes[2] all the breathtaking places around this state. From San Francisco to San Luis Obispo, from Monument Valley to Yosemite Lakes, this is hands down[3] the most gee-whizz[4] destination I’ve ever visited!

And have I travelled around in my life! I can safely say I’m acquainted with most of what the western hemisphere of the world has to offer, or at least the best parts. South America, North America, Europe: I have a little chunk of everything saved amidst[5] my memories, even the oldest ones… just there, somewhere.

Riding a bike along the beach, checking out the statewide-famous Monterey Aquarium, trying out the local typical dishes, going to the Point Lobos Reserve (“Punta de Los Lobos Marinos”, in the original Spanish name) and seeing wild animals you don’t see every day, like seals and hawks. So many things to do in that spellbinding[6] place! But above all the fun, I’m a believer that every trip changes you a bit. You see things differently every time you realize how many truly beautiful places there are to explore and to appreciate out there. It’s like you leave a part of you there, and the place gives you something in return.

What about you, dear readers? What is the most astonishing place you’ve ever been to?

We have all had the yearning to travel to exotic places and indulge ourselves with exquisite cuisines.  This phenomenon is referred to as wanderlust.  Wanderlust is defined as a strong or irresistible desire to travel.  I have experienced this urge to travel on numerous occasions.  Whether I am lying on the beach indulging myself in thought, or on a plane to my new destination.  The desire to travel is an innate part of our existence.  It also allows us to let go of our daily problems, and view life through a broadened lens.

Traveling lets us view humanity and life in a relaxed atmosphere.  These experiences are typically filtered out of our lives due to obligations and time constraints.  However, being exposed to different societies by traveling enables us to see the true new things that make our existence more meaningful.  The former Prime Minister of India, Jewaharial Nehru states: “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure.  There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”

Our lives are ephemeral.  The nature of life is one immense adventure that is epitomized by what we make of it.  Traveling exposes us to the finer things in life.  Experiencing different cultures and seeing how other people live is truly exhilarating and a profound experience of life.  The notion of “wanderlust,” is part of our very existence and is something that we should all embrace.  Let go, live, and dream.

-CG

Wanderlust: is word derived from German that describes the desire to travel and explore.

Exquisite cuisine: food that is foreign and very good or fancy.

Nostalgia: is a longing for an event, place, or person that you is away from and carries some sentimental value

View life through a broadened lens: an expression used to describe the ability to see the bigger picture/meaning of life (yourself, others, etc.) and have a better understanding of it.

Time constraints: are things preventing you from completing other desired tasks.

Ephemeral: lasting for a very short time.

Immense: very large.

Epitomized: a perfect example of something.

Finer things in life: the things that interest you in life (i.e. food, fashion, cars, etc.).

Exhilarating: causing strong feelings of joy or happiness.  To be very excited.

Feet to the Fire

Feet to the fire is an idiom that originated during the 12th century Crusades in Asian Minor and the Levant.

Hold feet to the fire: apply pressure to evoke a confession, hold someone accountable for his or her actions

e.g. My soccer coach says losing today is not an option. He’s really holding my team’s feet to the fire!

e.g. Newspapers tend to hold presidential candidates’ feet to the fire after he wins an election and must follow through with campaign promises.

This is my journey through the project.  I will document the story of who I meet, the culture they perspire, and the language we share.

Welcome to my project.

For the project, I have been building our community at UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) so we can help our friends practice the English language as a second language. I have already met a ton of new friends that I never would have met before, and it has made me a very happy person.

For instance, my good friend Felipe is here studying from Santiago, Chile. His English is great but he is still learning. Felipe is a man of many words, but he rarely gets to use them because he hasn’t connected with many native English speakers in the area. When I met Felipe at a bar two months ago, he was nothing but smiles when I mentioned to him I speak Spanish fluently. We spoke for a majority of the night in Spanish and then English. He had a great time practicing English in this social environment rather than doing homework for English class. Felipe told me that if you only practice in the classroom, it gets boring because you do not get to speak the language with native speakers.

We agreed to get coffee within the next few days to practice English conversation, and in turn I would get to practice Spanish. This swap, or trade off of language, was awesome.  We were laughing, learning, and talking about certain American slangs that he was unfamiliar with. More importantly, we discovered that we were going to be friends and that we would know each other for a long time. Felipe and I talked for many hours, and we still hangout all the time. He is a great guy and I am proud that we were able to become friends because we were able to break a couple language barriers.

-MW

A ton- A lot, a large amount. (Think about the unit of measurement; a ton is a lot of weight.)

For instance- As an example; for example. (Idiom)

Connected- To join together.

Swap- To trade/make a trade-off.

In turn- Now.  [Because of that decision, we now have this current situation.]

Language barriers- a force that does not allow ones to communicate because they do not share a common language.

Jimmy Fallon formerly of Saturday Night Live and Zach Galifanakis made famous for his break out roll in The Hangover are two of the funnier comedians around. They recently combined forces the other night when Zach was a guest on Jimmy’s show. The end result was this bit which was extremely funny and very entertaining called True Facts of Truth.

If James Harden hasn’t already made Oklahoma City and Sam Presti (OKC GM) think twice about trading him before the season started then he has a golden opportunity tonight to really make them rue that decision. The series between OKC and the Houston Rockets seemed to be over after Kevin Durant and the Thunder controlled the first three games and took a 3-0 lead on Houston. But since then the youngest team in the NBA, the Houston Rockets has taken advantage of a serious miscue in the Thunder’s season. Every since the collision with Patrick Beverley that took Russell Westbrook out of the series the Rockets have played superior defense in critical parts of games and have avoided elimination for two straight games. Omar Asik who has been a force down low and Chandler Parsons whose three point shooting and aggressive shot taking off the dribble has taken OKC by surprise and truly lifted Houston to another level. These young rockets and James Harden are full of confidence, and going back to Houston for a game six seems like the perfect setting for Harden to have himself a night and solidify himself as a franchise player, and one that if they hadn’t traded him early on Oklahoma City could really use tonight.

OKC – Oklahoma City

HOU – Houston

GM – General Manager

Rue – To Regret