Leftovers

My favorite thing ever is doing stuff at the last minute. no really, i love the panicy feeling of potential plans going down the drain becuase someone forgot to tell you that inorder to go aborad you have to withdraw from your current institution. Thanks emerson. You're a peach. But this is my plan, seeing that Emerson has no idea how to send people abroad when it isnt LA or their castle program, I am going to be the "Abroad Coordinator for Outside Thinkers". Those students who dont want to choose from Emersons 2 programs could come to me and I will help them, the right way, the organized way, the normal college way. So when I get back I am going to have a meeting with the dean or whoever will talk to me and convince them to hire me as such.
So the other day I get am Email from CIS (the center for international studies) telling me i have to take this predeparture orientation online. It should only take 2 hours. So i sit down with a cup of tea (as suggested by the website) and was oriented as to what to expect when traveling abroad. I was told about culture shock, finances, safty, american ethnocentrism, good and bad ways to deal with home sickness, emergency situatins and important numbers. The best part though, was the section about how other countries preceive Americans and what we can do to not be seen as the "ugly american". Some of the things it told me to do were; avoid temptations to tell people that america does things better, be aware of the volume at which you speak, dont talk comstantly about your posessions, dont demand special treatment because you're american, dont tell people in the host country how behind America they are, dont drink too much and a whole bunch more. It was hilarious because this list was compiled by people in other countries. I love that America thinks its so great but to all other cuntries we just look like assholes. HA!
So what have I been doing during my last days in LA? I dont know, packing, and hanging out really. Im sorry its not more entertaining, but hey, what can I do. I did go to the Oakwoods for a BBQ the other night, it was fun, Krista and i made dinner for a bunch of people, steak and chicken kabobs, rice pilaf (to which i totaly guessed the recipe and it turned out pretty well) cupcakes and chips and homemade guac. It was nice to see all my emerson friends before i left.
Yesterday I fixed the pictures on my Blog so you dont need a password, Ofoto.com, i hate you...Shutterfly.com, i love you. I talked to my friend Laura from high school who has been abroad since september in Barcelona, she reassured me of some things which made me feel a bit better about going so far away. But i did freak out a little last night cause i looked at a map of the world and saw how far away i was going to be in a mere 2 weeks time. its so far away, like the other side of the planet! its kinda science fiction-y, like I'm a planet traveler. The pictures here are just some left over pictures, one of Krista and her mom when we went to Canters last weekend, 2 of the coffee shop in Little Armenia that has the best Mexican mochas ever, Ben , julie and I sat there for a while and hung out, then there is one of me incase you forgot what i looked like. Also i needed one for my international student card.
Well thats it folks, Im signing off from LA, My flight is at 11:30 tomorrow morning en route to Hawaii to visit my friend Alissa for 10 days. Ill talk to you all then.

Leftovers