Besides celebrating president-elect Barack Obama's victory, not much has happened this week.
Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì!!
Back to the point. I am so so so thankful I am a Phillips Ambassador. Even though I was miserable all Saturday, the returning Ambassadors really made the day worth it. They were all very intimidating because of their intellect and humorously eloquent advice about studying abroad. I think all of us out-bounders were so in awe by their amazingness that we just wanted to sit back and absorb as much as we could from them. The best part of the day was lunch when I got to visit with three returners and Julia W. from NHS. Second best was the presentations where I learned more than I thought possible about China, Thailand, India, Bhutan, and Japan in just 3 hours.
I peed too much. I blame it on the excellent facilities at the Rizzo Center. Damn those slaving house elves with their never ending supply of cranberry juice, coffee, disappearing water bottles, and magic refrigerator full of ice cream!!
O soave fanciulla!!
Sunday was less insane mainly because I got more sleep (but not much). I did my presentation on Ethnic Nationalism in Korea: Genealogy, Politics, and Legacy by Gi Wook Shin. It was a good read (skim). I was especially interested in Korean-Japanese relations, the great divide, and discrimination against minorities in modern Korea. How pleasant. Sorry to be so unforgiving, but Koreans need to do SOMETHING to makeover their attitudes about minorities and women! I know I'm generalizing about a large group of people...but for the purpose of being all ranty, I refuse to be more sensitive.
The history of Korean-Japanese relations never ceases to amaze me. According to Shin, Korean nationalists (like most of East Asia, I'm sure) were very (rightfully) skeptical of Japan's proposal for Pan-Asianism. In this case I would definitely side with the crazy nationalist Koreans...Japan was very dangerous back in the day (look at what they ended up doing to Asia!). I don't want to sound anti-Japanese (because I love Japan), but I am highly critical of some of the country's foreign and domestic policies then and now.
I did a presentation in Japanese last semester about the Japanese textbook controversy (日本の教科書問題）. I'm sure I horrified everyone when I gave them the translations and kanjis for comfort women (従軍慰安婦), mass suicide （集合視察）, and commie book (赤い教科書). I think I remember getting some nervous laughter with mass suicide and commie book. I am glad that Aratake Sensei allowed me to do the presentation; I'm sure not many students venture outside anime and "how to make sushi" when picking a topic to study about good old Nihon. If you're going to study Japanese and Japan, you might as well learn about the ugly side too. Same goes for any sort of studies...American and abroad.
Duuude I miss Japanese--this semester doesn't feel right without it. I fail at life without Japanese 5 days a week to keep me in line. Witness my atrocious 75 on a fucking gendered communication test!!!!! I am so burnt out I couldn't really care more than a few minutes. I earned that grade by not going to class and making a half-assed attempt to study the night before.
Since Japan and Korea have this awkward truce where both sides are still crusin' for a subdued brusin' at the first chance, I am curious to know why the Koreans protest outside the Japanese embassy still. I understand and support their purpose to have the Japanese government make a REAL apology and admit to everything, but is this because they are still stuck in the Korea vs. Japan mindset? Or have they progressed enough to consider those terrible wrongs to be violations of human rights? Very confusing, because I'm sure it's a mixture of the two.
Well, both sides try. Myself and many others appreciate it.
I liked the book, but it didn't address adoption! WTF. According to the author's definition of Korea's ethnic nationalism, myself and other adoptees are direct violations/abominations of the sacred Korean bloodline. Sorry, assholes.
Already into Act III...
Donde lieta uscì...
What else...
I feel so inadequate lately...mainly because I really don't care too much about my classes this semester. That usually happens anyway, but this time it's for real!! And my classes are very interesting! I am working to pull myself out of this cloud of apathy because I want to maintain my beautiful GPA and I actually like my classes and professors.
O and thank you president-elect Obama for selecting Rahm Emanuel for chief o' staff. I am still a newbie to American politics, but from what I gather, Mr. Emanuel is a bad ass. This sicko article made me giggle...or at least the part about Mr. Emanuel.
Halloween weekend was CRAAAZY.
Mainly because I think I got maybe...7-9 hours of sleep to hold me over Friday through Sunday. I know that Prof. Botswan apologized for having the retreat that weekend and we had plenty notice, but STILL. I didn't think I was getting the scholarship anyway, so I didn't think I'd have to worry. I got about 3 hours of sleep Friday night/morning AND I was hung over. Not very classy.
I was Peaches, the crazy cowgirl again this year. Except this time Peaches was preggo with a little bebe named Starr. That's right, Starr with 2 r's. Is Peaches pro-choice or pro-life? You will have to decide that for yourself. Sarah the cat maid and I met up with othas at St. Anthony's Hall, an artsy fartsy coed fraternity that was chock full of drag queens, fag hags, and lesbians, so no one hit on me because I don't think I look like a male in drag, I don't swing the other way, and people thought I was pregnant for real.
Please observe:
Yeah...so there it be
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