So, not to sound like a wimp, but due to intense dislike, mental exhaustion, and frustration with the moral ethics of the job and quite unreasonable deadline (though I guess 20hrs for a plagerized copy of lonely planet guide, though definitely with more facts and figures, is probably about the right idea if it is all copy and paste), I finally cracked when I called my parents up about how I'm not enjoying my work. I'm sure many people find themselves in positions where they loathe their jobs but continue to do it for the money. Or supporting their family.
So, when I told them how I was really unhappy in what I'm doing more because I have to go to work everyday, then deal with a boss who is just some woman who is stressed due to 4hrs of sleep every night, and at her age should learn her body should not take that type of abuse, as it affects the way she interacts with everyone at the office. I've come to terms with the fact that she can be labelled as quite egotistical. To be verbally abusive to an employee whose 1 year contract is up and does not wish to renew is unprofessional. As she would imagine that most people would stay in their jobs for more than a year, as back in her day. However, it is common to switch jobs early in the career to gain experiences from various companies, rather than limit themselves to one. Actually long term employment with one company can seriously affect the other jobs as well, as potential employers question "you've been there long, so why quit now??"
Anywho back to me. Perhaps I'm exaggerating and making this a full blown up drama that doesn't need to be. I mean, by now everyone has heard my "bitching". It's actually quite embarrassing to be using that terminology, especially for a job and that seems to be all they hear as of lately. Is that all my life is worth? Words full of complaints?
My parents hit the soft spot on me when I told them I really don't like the job. I tend to be quite equal, not cheat the system to get more out of it, but of course I'm not going to be used either. My goodness, the Chinese do overtime, and don't get overtime pay. Boss claims even she doesn't, the chinese workers don't either, but it is expected there may be overtime involved. Sorry, but when I am already working way below minimum wage, I don't feel like throwing in extra hours for free is the way to go. Especially when my pay is still deducted if I take some time off half the day and there is no such thing as making up my hours. Just pure subtraction.
In the end, I was broken down into work and numbers. Nothing is me. I do things because I want to live out loud.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
How to Put It Into Words
I have been extremely busy lately that rather than blogging here, I just put them on facebook. My work has kept me numbed and stressed due to the environment I am working with. Though I was hired to revamp the website for this study abroad program and write about cities, I feel like my job goes through unethical means that question how I was brought up, and taugh in school. Since I already ranted about that elsewhere, and I really don't want my boss snooping around one day on the blog and hearing her name slighted, I'll keep it to that point only. She really is a good person, just her personality is unnecessarily rude to her employees and her ethics very warped for my ethics level. I'm not a business woman, nor will I ever want to be, as I will not stoop so low for the benefit of a company.
After working there for 3 weeks, I feel like she sucks all hope out of human society, in which I almost would consider having a religion just to balance out the lack of hope in her world. It makes me want to have faith that human society is not so inane. I truly feel bad for her, and her employees who have to put up with her insults.
My time in China has been so busy that I rarely have time to do my laundry and truly spend time doing what I want during my spare time. So today I finally have a semi-chance to rest, and all I want to do is sit down and do absolutely nothing. Just think about life.
I've noticed how we strive for our goals, yet along the way we slip on a tiny pebble that prevents us from that goal oh so near. It's a little disheartening knowing that we are close, yet so far away. But things like that happen, and I wonder when and if I will be slipping on that tiny pebble someday.
Anyways, my goal is to make the world a better place, and I do wonder if my job does that. I think not...
After working there for 3 weeks, I feel like she sucks all hope out of human society, in which I almost would consider having a religion just to balance out the lack of hope in her world. It makes me want to have faith that human society is not so inane. I truly feel bad for her, and her employees who have to put up with her insults.
My time in China has been so busy that I rarely have time to do my laundry and truly spend time doing what I want during my spare time. So today I finally have a semi-chance to rest, and all I want to do is sit down and do absolutely nothing. Just think about life.
I've noticed how we strive for our goals, yet along the way we slip on a tiny pebble that prevents us from that goal oh so near. It's a little disheartening knowing that we are close, yet so far away. But things like that happen, and I wonder when and if I will be slipping on that tiny pebble someday.
Anyways, my goal is to make the world a better place, and I do wonder if my job does that. I think not...
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
You Push Until They No Longer Can Give
It is amusing to continue writing despite not being able to view what I write on the main page. Apparently I must have offended the Chinese government in some shape or form...maybe with the mushroom on Mr. mop story.
After working at where I do for the past 1 1/2 weeks, I have quickly observed the way of the workforce under a Chinese setting with a semi-western minded boss who has overstayed her time in the country. I say overstayed because it only seems that everyday day there has been reference to her dislike of the people and culture, especially their "disloyalty" to the company. As someone who tries to look at all aspects of her situation, yes, Chinese people (or well Beijingers) have been said to be quite lazy. The overall organization of the country tends to be lacking, especially in the area of office management. The country does not know it's left hand from its right, nor where the left foot is going while the right foot isn't moving. Then again, it's also a rising country, and with its size and population, I'm sure that has to be part of the reason. Heck our own US DMV system is still quite ponderous, as is Canada's socialist system in emergency healthcare, so who are we to criticize?
There are days when I personally feel frustrated with its system. Example: waiting to get crammed into one of the 3 elevators that take me up to the 19th floor of where I work...and spending 15minutes to finally get to my turn- which is longer than the commute to the buildin from where I live. Honestly that's quite a safety hazard; with the people pressing both the up and down button on the elevator wait when only needing to go down, and the narrow staircase, I hope one day I will not need to swan dive out of the office window as the quickest way out of the burning building.
Ah yes, back to the story of my boss. To vent out her frustration she has blatantly displayed all the wrongs of a Chinese person's way of thinking to her employees. These employees, as most of them only nodd or claim to understand, further frustrate her due to their lack of aid or skill. By having such a stressed out personality who constantly shows her disaffection to the country and its people, how can there be cross cultural communication within the office? Of course thre would be a strong resentment and goals to escape such a high stress environment for most of these poor employees. As for I, it felt like this is the lifestyle I should be suffering only if I ever decided to go to law school and end up working at a law firm. I show a large sense of impartiality to the situation during the entire multiple sessions she has spoken to me about it all. I understand where she is coming from; she used to be well paid, worked with a bunch of knowledgable colleagues, and has that drive to improve. However, she is also a workaholic due to the lack of family life, driving this energy into her employees to also do overtime without pay.
The only reason why I bring up this blog rant now is because the past week I have worked beyond my hours for now particular reason, and as tomorrow I ask for a few hours off and have that possibility of being taken out of my RMB 30/hr pay (note, it ends up being less than minimum wage in the US), the total number of hours I work, in terms of extended time, is meaningless even when taking a bit off in order run a personal errand may highly potentially be taken out of the pay. Point: there is only subtraction in the pay, never an addition nor a way to balance out the numbers.
All I want is an equal pay, balanced numbers which I feel I earn my keep. However, now I see a larger undertsanding in what the Chinese workers are facing against. Everything they do is seen as negative, and never a positive environment. If it were me (and I am basically there), I would be another disgruntled Chinese worker who just works without passion. Perhaps I'm not the right person to give this critique, as I tend to give harsh criticisms to my friend's papers to the point he took his laptop away from me, but for every negative criticism, there should be a positive one in return. Or heck, I'd be quite depressed working there and have no motivation to strive harder.
After working at where I do for the past 1 1/2 weeks, I have quickly observed the way of the workforce under a Chinese setting with a semi-western minded boss who has overstayed her time in the country. I say overstayed because it only seems that everyday day there has been reference to her dislike of the people and culture, especially their "disloyalty" to the company. As someone who tries to look at all aspects of her situation, yes, Chinese people (or well Beijingers) have been said to be quite lazy. The overall organization of the country tends to be lacking, especially in the area of office management. The country does not know it's left hand from its right, nor where the left foot is going while the right foot isn't moving. Then again, it's also a rising country, and with its size and population, I'm sure that has to be part of the reason. Heck our own US DMV system is still quite ponderous, as is Canada's socialist system in emergency healthcare, so who are we to criticize?
There are days when I personally feel frustrated with its system. Example: waiting to get crammed into one of the 3 elevators that take me up to the 19th floor of where I work...and spending 15minutes to finally get to my turn- which is longer than the commute to the buildin from where I live. Honestly that's quite a safety hazard; with the people pressing both the up and down button on the elevator wait when only needing to go down, and the narrow staircase, I hope one day I will not need to swan dive out of the office window as the quickest way out of the burning building.
Ah yes, back to the story of my boss. To vent out her frustration she has blatantly displayed all the wrongs of a Chinese person's way of thinking to her employees. These employees, as most of them only nodd or claim to understand, further frustrate her due to their lack of aid or skill. By having such a stressed out personality who constantly shows her disaffection to the country and its people, how can there be cross cultural communication within the office? Of course thre would be a strong resentment and goals to escape such a high stress environment for most of these poor employees. As for I, it felt like this is the lifestyle I should be suffering only if I ever decided to go to law school and end up working at a law firm. I show a large sense of impartiality to the situation during the entire multiple sessions she has spoken to me about it all. I understand where she is coming from; she used to be well paid, worked with a bunch of knowledgable colleagues, and has that drive to improve. However, she is also a workaholic due to the lack of family life, driving this energy into her employees to also do overtime without pay.
The only reason why I bring up this blog rant now is because the past week I have worked beyond my hours for now particular reason, and as tomorrow I ask for a few hours off and have that possibility of being taken out of my RMB 30/hr pay (note, it ends up being less than minimum wage in the US), the total number of hours I work, in terms of extended time, is meaningless even when taking a bit off in order run a personal errand may highly potentially be taken out of the pay. Point: there is only subtraction in the pay, never an addition nor a way to balance out the numbers.
All I want is an equal pay, balanced numbers which I feel I earn my keep. However, now I see a larger undertsanding in what the Chinese workers are facing against. Everything they do is seen as negative, and never a positive environment. If it were me (and I am basically there), I would be another disgruntled Chinese worker who just works without passion. Perhaps I'm not the right person to give this critique, as I tend to give harsh criticisms to my friend's papers to the point he took his laptop away from me, but for every negative criticism, there should be a positive one in return. Or heck, I'd be quite depressed working there and have no motivation to strive harder.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
I write, but I cannot even read my own blog
My good karma deed for my roommate has turned into a slightly mental nightmare for myself. Sorry if below becomes an epic story.
So I got this full time 2month contract writing/editing job across the street where I live, helping them revamp their content. The boss is a little high strung, stressed, a bit of a workaholic, and semi single(which sort of explains it all) in her late 30's, early 40's probably. After day 2 or 3 being there, she asked me (as she was placing an ad for a long term position) if I knew of any other foreigners looking for a job, and as roommate whined of needing a job and asked me if they were looking for anyone else at my place, I felt this haunting conscience looming over me and thus I gave my boss her name. By wednesday, resume is sent and boss nitpicking at it and all and I just told her I don't like to be affiliated with the position picking process, Thursday there was an interview, roommate was hired as also a full timer (at first I thought the position my boss had in mind was a part time), and Friday I realized as roommate has her first day of work, I not only lose my personal online life as my boss has me on her msn and skype, but I also have to see roommate for more the the typical 1-2hrs of my life each day before I go to sleep. (I basically am out after work till 10:30 or 11 so I can prevent having to spent 3-4hrs talking to her after work).
So yesterday (Friday) after our first day of work today and she rehashes about my boss's insanity (she pretty much is but I like to keep the term for her diplomatic) I realized how if I had to deal with thinking about my boss during work, and then hearing more about her after work, I will go insane. Oh yes, and the fact since roommate is "easily influenced" well, my boss's hostile or irritated attitude has quickly rubbed upon her within a day, while I still try to keep a level head and not contract the crazy personality.
And I asked roommate if I could have one of her reliable teaching contacts to see if they were hiring and so I can make a bit more of side money to sustain myself. And she goes "Oh I can't give you james since he rarely gives me any (aka I have the potential threat of one less job for her)." But she's more than willing to give me the sketchy contacts where there is a potential I may not get paid in the end. It was then I realized how I was nice enough to get her a stable 5,000rmb/month job, and I don't get the same "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" type of help in return. And I wasn't even really thinking of calling the guy except it was nice to have that option.
In a way, that was the same way she treated the city weekend job when I asked her if she could find me an opening there. Oh yes, there's more. So after I realized I did not think I could stay sane with seeing roommate at work and dealing with hearing/thinking of my boss for more than my 9-5work hours, I basically told her that if I get offered the other 8 day teaching job in July, I will do that instead and tell the boss that I personally feel uncomfortable or something like that with dealing with my roommate for more than necessary at home and it is my own issue. Sort of like having to work together with your husband and then seeing him at home? The fact where work and personal life have fine lines. And after I said that she completely went ballistic and was like "STEPHANIE YOU CANNOT SAY THAT!!!" and just went off about how that would reflect on her blah blah.
And I'm just silent thinking whatever since I really don't have to deal with her when it comes down to my decisions. Usually it takes about 3 months before I get sick of a roommate, but honestly by now I'm quite irritated with her on the inside, while keeping a pretty indifferent outlook on the outside. Her money comes and goes like a gambler somehow, and yesterday she was completely broke. I have run out of places in the area to wander to, since I frequent sculpting in time way too much. It feels like I am constantly trying to escape from my surroundings and find a brighter place to hide. Oh yes, my roommate doesn't like the sunlight so the living room curtains are always shut when she's around and it adds to the depression of the shithole I live in. This girl is testing my patience and this is the second time within a 3 week period that she has definitely ticked me off for someone who doesn't generally get irritated about such issues.
So I got this full time 2month contract writing/editing job across the street where I live, helping them revamp their content. The boss is a little high strung, stressed, a bit of a workaholic, and semi single(which sort of explains it all) in her late 30's, early 40's probably. After day 2 or 3 being there, she asked me (as she was placing an ad for a long term position) if I knew of any other foreigners looking for a job, and as roommate whined of needing a job and asked me if they were looking for anyone else at my place, I felt this haunting conscience looming over me and thus I gave my boss her name. By wednesday, resume is sent and boss nitpicking at it and all and I just told her I don't like to be affiliated with the position picking process, Thursday there was an interview, roommate was hired as also a full timer (at first I thought the position my boss had in mind was a part time), and Friday I realized as roommate has her first day of work, I not only lose my personal online life as my boss has me on her msn and skype, but I also have to see roommate for more the the typical 1-2hrs of my life each day before I go to sleep. (I basically am out after work till 10:30 or 11 so I can prevent having to spent 3-4hrs talking to her after work).
So yesterday (Friday) after our first day of work today and she rehashes about my boss's insanity (she pretty much is but I like to keep the term for her diplomatic) I realized how if I had to deal with thinking about my boss during work, and then hearing more about her after work, I will go insane. Oh yes, and the fact since roommate is "easily influenced" well, my boss's hostile or irritated attitude has quickly rubbed upon her within a day, while I still try to keep a level head and not contract the crazy personality.
And I asked roommate if I could have one of her reliable teaching contacts to see if they were hiring and so I can make a bit more of side money to sustain myself. And she goes "Oh I can't give you james since he rarely gives me any (aka I have the potential threat of one less job for her)." But she's more than willing to give me the sketchy contacts where there is a potential I may not get paid in the end. It was then I realized how I was nice enough to get her a stable 5,000rmb/month job, and I don't get the same "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" type of help in return. And I wasn't even really thinking of calling the guy except it was nice to have that option.
In a way, that was the same way she treated the city weekend job when I asked her if she could find me an opening there. Oh yes, there's more. So after I realized I did not think I could stay sane with seeing roommate at work and dealing with hearing/thinking of my boss for more than my 9-5work hours, I basically told her that if I get offered the other 8 day teaching job in July, I will do that instead and tell the boss that I personally feel uncomfortable or something like that with dealing with my roommate for more than necessary at home and it is my own issue. Sort of like having to work together with your husband and then seeing him at home? The fact where work and personal life have fine lines. And after I said that she completely went ballistic and was like "STEPHANIE YOU CANNOT SAY THAT!!!" and just went off about how that would reflect on her blah blah.
And I'm just silent thinking whatever since I really don't have to deal with her when it comes down to my decisions. Usually it takes about 3 months before I get sick of a roommate, but honestly by now I'm quite irritated with her on the inside, while keeping a pretty indifferent outlook on the outside. Her money comes and goes like a gambler somehow, and yesterday she was completely broke. I have run out of places in the area to wander to, since I frequent sculpting in time way too much. It feels like I am constantly trying to escape from my surroundings and find a brighter place to hide. Oh yes, my roommate doesn't like the sunlight so the living room curtains are always shut when she's around and it adds to the depression of the shithole I live in. This girl is testing my patience and this is the second time within a 3 week period that she has definitely ticked me off for someone who doesn't generally get irritated about such issues.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
WTF MATE, Who Slapped You With CHINA?!
China. When in doubt, it's China. Though that can easily be a motto for anyone during the time spent in this land, sometimes one still needs to raise a brow to the insanity that ensues in the country. You wonder, is it alright for the Olympics to be in this country in a year? I'm sure China is preparing and its locals are smiling greedily with yen symbols lit up in their eyes, but are we ready to enter into this world of disorganized crazy?For those who have been wondering what I have been up to when I write out those oh so brief emails due to sheer tiredness, I have been job searching. I counted the number of days I actually have been interviewing while in China, and it actually was less than 2 weeks even though it did feel that tragically long. I started my online job search on Tuesday May 22, then 13 interviews (3-4 callbacks after first interview), and 1 meeting in the span of Friday May 25 to Friday June 1. Finally amidst all that muck, I have 4 jobs: a full time writing/editing position at PRC China Study, private tutoring to a Japanese businessman basic English every Saturday morning, a 8 day summer camp teaching Chinese kids English in mid-July, and my not so well paid servitude job at CCTF leading a bunch of volunteers in revamping the entire organization. Mind you, this was all within a 2 week time span since I have landed.
Besides job searching, I have gone a day as a pseudo-lawyer, trying to fix all the issues with our apartment before signing the contract. FYI, make sure everything in the apartment works and don’t settle for less because one does not deserve less than what they have paid. Our kitchen light didn’t work. Our BATHROOM light switch was broken. The windows did not open in the living room, the hallway light did not work. And the landlord was an f*ing arse. For those who know me, I don't generally call people names, but he was that bad. Sooo freaking BLATANTLY rude. It’s like, uh hullo, you’re not exactly speaking below your breath, and we may be Americans, but we can hear just the same. If it weren't for roommate’s visa renewal that depended upon a foreign residency card, I would've kicked the guy several inches below the belt, given him the finger, and walked off with my stuff. The only way I made his life miserable was to elongate the entire contract signing process until it was under pretty much our terms. Even after signing it, he tried to take our money in any other ways possible by saying we were duped and really not paying the water bill (since someone comes to the door to read the meter monthly and that's when we pay, and he claimed he paid it at the bank) and asked for the receipts to prove we “paid” for it. Anyways, it was a good lesson to be learned overall and one should always have a handy Chinese friend to call for help as that's what friends are for, but man, seriously that landlord was the worst of the worst. Greed can devour all.
Yet wait, my apartment story is not finished yet. Oh yes, the grossness. So I was sitting on the toilet this morning in our dirty bathroom thinking about how it was a shithole and should get a cleaning lady to come since they only cost about $1/hr but you provide them the supplies. But of course, us being broke and roommate Kari ever so content with a dark bathroom back in the day before I came along(can't believe people showered in that place in the dark for a few months) we have come to conclude we did not want to spend money for the cleaning supplies. And lo and behold, I glanced over at the washing machine while still on the chair (yes the bathroom consists of a shower, sink, toilet, and washing machine all in one area) and next to it is where we place this raggy mop that came with the apt. I squint my eyes a bit as I was in disbelief, but I freaking saw a mushroom (YES, a MUSHROOM, FUNGUS) growing quite tall and lean on Mr. Mop. I was just like OMG. That's how dirty our bathroom is. Last week while I was in the shower, I tried mopping the floor a bit since it's pretty linty and gross at times and it was just so ugghh...It will take some time before I look at my favorite veggie with the same shroom love again now that I see one growing on that disgusting mop. I'm thinking how poisonous it must be ughhhhh.. The cost of living in that apartment: 6 years off my life. For everything else, there’s Mastercard. Haha yeah right, people here like it in cash, not credit.
So just as I was about to also assume I fixed most of my problems minus the fact I have not received my new credit card yet (as my travel agency charged my plane ticket twice and Citibank did not take it off in time for my billing cycle so they cancelled the old one and issued a new one for me- yet now today I got it and it turns out they have NOT REMOVED the extra charge from my other billing), I get smacked with another problem: I am homeless for fall semester as my fall roommate wants to stay in her summer housing since it’s cheaper, and didn’t tell me soon enough that I could have stayed with my old room with my old roommate since she offered to keep the place for me!! I'm sure humans are quite flaky but when I tend to give someone my word, and claim I'd do something, I generally tend to do it (Ie. Me going to Japan, going to Belgium, backpacking Europe and going to the countries I've wanted, etc.). Her only condolence to me was her Japanese friend who was in search of a roommate herself. But honestly, for the price to pay to live in the same room with someone, I could've had my own room and paid $100 less. Can I just mildly scream frustration??
Anyways, after talking to some people about grad school and how to pay for it, and with the comfort of Pat's suggestions, at least what I got out of it all was that I am probably going to stay in DC for some more time rather than just finishing up the semester, packing up, and going to some random place. I mean, I already know I'm going to apply for GWU for grad school, might as well stay in the area and get settled for once, as Pat calls it. Which for those who know me, and are the only ones glancing at this, I've only noticed I've been on the move for the past 2 years nonstop. I haven't stayed in any place for more than 3 ½ months before I pack up and go again. Though chucking away crap will always be a tad more difficult once you're settled eh?
Besides job searching, I have gone a day as a pseudo-lawyer, trying to fix all the issues with our apartment before signing the contract. FYI, make sure everything in the apartment works and don’t settle for less because one does not deserve less than what they have paid. Our kitchen light didn’t work. Our BATHROOM light switch was broken. The windows did not open in the living room, the hallway light did not work. And the landlord was an f*ing arse. For those who know me, I don't generally call people names, but he was that bad. Sooo freaking BLATANTLY rude. It’s like, uh hullo, you’re not exactly speaking below your breath, and we may be Americans, but we can hear just the same. If it weren't for roommate’s visa renewal that depended upon a foreign residency card, I would've kicked the guy several inches below the belt, given him the finger, and walked off with my stuff. The only way I made his life miserable was to elongate the entire contract signing process until it was under pretty much our terms. Even after signing it, he tried to take our money in any other ways possible by saying we were duped and really not paying the water bill (since someone comes to the door to read the meter monthly and that's when we pay, and he claimed he paid it at the bank) and asked for the receipts to prove we “paid” for it. Anyways, it was a good lesson to be learned overall and one should always have a handy Chinese friend to call for help as that's what friends are for, but man, seriously that landlord was the worst of the worst. Greed can devour all.
Yet wait, my apartment story is not finished yet. Oh yes, the grossness. So I was sitting on the toilet this morning in our dirty bathroom thinking about how it was a shithole and should get a cleaning lady to come since they only cost about $1/hr but you provide them the supplies. But of course, us being broke and roommate Kari ever so content with a dark bathroom back in the day before I came along(can't believe people showered in that place in the dark for a few months) we have come to conclude we did not want to spend money for the cleaning supplies. And lo and behold, I glanced over at the washing machine while still on the chair (yes the bathroom consists of a shower, sink, toilet, and washing machine all in one area) and next to it is where we place this raggy mop that came with the apt. I squint my eyes a bit as I was in disbelief, but I freaking saw a mushroom (YES, a MUSHROOM, FUNGUS) growing quite tall and lean on Mr. Mop. I was just like OMG. That's how dirty our bathroom is. Last week while I was in the shower, I tried mopping the floor a bit since it's pretty linty and gross at times and it was just so ugghh...It will take some time before I look at my favorite veggie with the same shroom love again now that I see one growing on that disgusting mop. I'm thinking how poisonous it must be ughhhhh.. The cost of living in that apartment: 6 years off my life. For everything else, there’s Mastercard. Haha yeah right, people here like it in cash, not credit.
So just as I was about to also assume I fixed most of my problems minus the fact I have not received my new credit card yet (as my travel agency charged my plane ticket twice and Citibank did not take it off in time for my billing cycle so they cancelled the old one and issued a new one for me- yet now today I got it and it turns out they have NOT REMOVED the extra charge from my other billing), I get smacked with another problem: I am homeless for fall semester as my fall roommate wants to stay in her summer housing since it’s cheaper, and didn’t tell me soon enough that I could have stayed with my old room with my old roommate since she offered to keep the place for me!! I'm sure humans are quite flaky but when I tend to give someone my word, and claim I'd do something, I generally tend to do it (Ie. Me going to Japan, going to Belgium, backpacking Europe and going to the countries I've wanted, etc.). Her only condolence to me was her Japanese friend who was in search of a roommate herself. But honestly, for the price to pay to live in the same room with someone, I could've had my own room and paid $100 less. Can I just mildly scream frustration??
Anyways, after talking to some people about grad school and how to pay for it, and with the comfort of Pat's suggestions, at least what I got out of it all was that I am probably going to stay in DC for some more time rather than just finishing up the semester, packing up, and going to some random place. I mean, I already know I'm going to apply for GWU for grad school, might as well stay in the area and get settled for once, as Pat calls it. Which for those who know me, and are the only ones glancing at this, I've only noticed I've been on the move for the past 2 years nonstop. I haven't stayed in any place for more than 3 ½ months before I pack up and go again. Though chucking away crap will always be a tad more difficult once you're settled eh?
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