Brooke Evans

Thank you in every language!

2011-08-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

LANGUE	TRADUCTION
AFRIKAANS	dankie
ALBANAIS	faleminderit
ALLEMAND	danke
ALSACIEN	merci
ANGLAIS	thank you / thanks
ARABE	chokrane
ARABE ALGÉRIEN	saha
ARABE TUNISIEN	barak allahu fiik
ARMÉNIEN	chnorakaloutioun
AZERI	çox sag olun / tesekkur edirem
BAMBARA	a ni kié
BAS-SAXON	bedankt / dank ju wel
BASQUE	eskerrik asko (basque du sud) / milesker (basque du nord)
BENGALI	dhanyabaad
BIÉLORUSSE	Дзякую (dziakuju)
BIRMAN	(thint ko) kyay tzu tin pa te
BISHLAMAR	tangio tumas
BOBO	a ni kié
BOSNIAQUE	hvala
BRETON	trugéré / trugaré / trugarez
BULGARE	merci / blagodaria
CATALAN	gràcies
CEBUANO	salamat
CHEROKEE	wado
CHICHEWA	zikomo
CHINOIS	xièxie
CORÉEN	kam sah hamnida
CORSE	grazie
CRÉOLE GUADELOUPÉEN	mèsi
CRÉOLE GUYANAIS	grémési
CRÉOLE HAITIEN	mèsi
CRÉOLE MARTINIQUAIS	mèsi
CRÉOLE MAURICIEN	merci
CROATE	hvala (merci) hvala ti (je te remercie) / hvala vam (je vous remercie)
DANOIS	tak
DARI	tashakor
DARI	tashakor
DOGON	gha-ana / birepo
DOUALA	na som
ESPAGNOL	gracias
ESPÉRANTO	dankon
ESTONIEN	merci : tänan / merci beaucoup : tänan väga
EWÉ	akpé
FANG	akiba
FÉROÏEN	takk fyri
FIDJIEN	vinaka
FINNOIS	kiitos
FRANÇAIS	merci
FRANCIQUE LORRAIN	märsi
FRISON	dankewol
FRIOULAN	gracie
GAÉLIQUE D'ÉCOSSE	tapadh leat (singulier, familier) tapadh leibh (pluriel, respectueux)
GAÉLIQUE D'IRLANDE	go raibh maith agat (à 1 pers.) / go raibh maith agaibh (à plusieurs pers.)
GALICIEN	gracias / graciñas
GALLO	merkzi
GALLOIS	diolch
GÉORGIEN	დიდი მადლობა (didi madloba)
GREC	ευχαριστώ (efharisto)
GUARANÍ	aguyjé
GUJARATI	aabhar
HAWAÏEN	mahalo
HÉBREU	toda
HINDI	dhanyavad
HONGROIS	köszönöm
INDONÉSIEN	terima kasih
INUPIAT	taiku
ISLANDAIS	takk
ITALIEN	grazie
JAPONAIS	arigatô
KABYLE	tanemirt
KANNADA	dhanyavadagalu
KAZAKH	rahmet
KHMER	akun
KIKONGO	matondo
KINYARWANDA	murakoze
KIRUNDI	murakoze
KOTOKOLI	sobodi
KRIO	tenki
KURDE	spas
LANGUEDOCIEN (OCCITAN)	mercé
LAO	khob chai (deu)
LATIN	gratias ago (de la part d'une personne) gratias agimus (de la part de plusieurs)
LETTON	paldies
LIGURE	gràçie
LINGALA	matondi
LITUANIEN	ačiū
LUXEMBOURGEOIS	merci
MACÉDONIEN	blagodaram
MALAIS	terima kasih
MALAYALAM	nanni
MALGACHE	misaotra
MALTAIS	niżżik ħajr / grazzi / nirringrazzjak
MARATHI	aabhari aahe / aabhar / dhanyavaad
MICMAC	welalin
MONGOL	bayarlalaa (Баярлалаа)
NÉERLANDAIS	dank u wel (poli) / dank je wel (je te remercie)
NORVÉGIEN	takk
OCCITAN	mercé / grandmercé
OJIBWE	miigwetch
OSSÈTE	бузныг [buznyg]
OURDOU	shukriya
PACHTO	manana
PAPIAMENTO	danki
PASCUAN	mauruuru
PERSAN	motashakkeram, mamnun (formel) / mochchakkeram, mamnun, mersi (courant)
POLONAIS	dziękuję
PORTUGAIS	obrigado (locuteur M) / obrigada (locuteur F)
PROVENÇAL	mercé, grandmercé
PUNJABI	sukriya
QUECHUA	sulpáy
ROMANI	najis tuke
ROUMAIN	mulţumesc
RUSSE	спасибо (spacibo)
SAINTONGEAIS	marci
SAMOAN	faafetai lava
SARDE	gratzias
SERBE	хвала (hvala)
SESOTHO	ke ya leboha
SHIMAORE	marahaba
SHONA	waita (pluriel : maita)
SINDHI	meharbani
SINHALA	stuutiyi
SLOVAQUE	dakujem
SLOVÈNE	hvala (merci) hvala ti (je te remercie) / hvala vam (je vous remercie)
SOBOTA	hvala ("h" aspiré)
SOMALI	waad mahadsantahay
SONINKÉ	nouari
SUÉDOIS	tack
SWAHILI	asante / asante sana
TADJIK	rahmat
TAGALOG	salamat (po)
TAHITIEN	mauruuru
TAMAZIGHT	tanmirt
TAMOUL	nandri
TATAR	rahmat
TCHÈQUE	děkuji / díky
TCHÉTCHÈNE	Баркал (barkal)
TELUGU	dhanyavadalu
THAI	ขอบคุณค่ะ (kop khun kha) - locuteur F ขอบคุณครับ (kop khun krap) - locuteur M
TIGRINYA	yekeniele
TOHONO O'ODHAM	m-sapo
TORAJA	kurre sumanga
TURC	teşekkür ederim / sagolun
UDMURT	tau
UKRAINIEN	дякую (diakuiu)
UYGHUR	rahmat
UZBEK	rahmat
VIETNAMIEN	cám ơn
WALLISIEN	malo te ofa
WALLON (orthographe à betchfessîs)	gråces / merci merci beaucoup : gråces (merci) traze côps, gråces (merci) beacôp
WOLOF	djiere dieuf
XHOSA	enkosi
YAQUI	kettu'i
YIDDISH	a dank
YORUBA	o sheun
ZOULOU	ngiyabonga (je remercie) siyabonga (nous remercions) ngiyabonga kakhulu (merci beaucoup)

decisions decisions..reflections reflections

2010-10-11T20:59:00.001-07:00

In my experience studying and traveling abroad, I've found that I am able to adapt to very different circumstances. From adjusting to climatic differences to public transportation systems, new foods, or unfamiliar "bathrooms", from sleeping on a mat in the Sahara desert to a sleeping in tiny french dorm room, I've found it adventurous to adapt and interact with people of all different religious and cultural backgrounds.
I lived in France for seven months, the first two of which were with a host family where I lived with students from Sweden to Peru to Japan, attending an intensive language institute 40 hours a week. I spent a month traveling in Switzerland and Italy before moving to a new city for a semester intensive language study. I had to readjust to a new city, find my way around, make new friends etc. I met many international students (most of them Korean), and many french students as well. I got involved with the community and groups on campus to help me learn the language and be immersed in the culture.
The next semester I lived in Ghana, West Africa for five months. It seemed that absolutely everything was different there, but not in a bad way, just different. I decided that it was a new adventure to figure out how things work in Africa: how to get around in tro tro "busses", bartering at market, eating local foods and learning local languages. I volunteered teaching orphans in a neighboring village, learned african dance and drumming, and most importantly made friends with Ghanaian people rather than just staying with obronis (foreigners) the whole time and not getting to know the culture.
At the end of my semester in Ghana, I gave away everything that couldn't fit on my back and backpacked through West Africa, going through northern Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco. I met so many different people and experienced first hand the different lifestyles and customs in each country, all along the way learning rudimentary Twi, Ewe, Bambara, Wolof, and Arabic, as I spent time in markets and with local people. My living conditions ranged from living in a tent, sleeping on rooftops, on a mat in the Sahara desert, in a Berber village in the Atlas Mountains, and sometimes on a couch in someone's home.
I got used taking bucket showers and forgot that proper toilets existed. In all of these situations I learned above all things how to be adaptable and optimistic. Rather than choosing to be annoyed or frustrated, I learned to laugh and find the adventure in the journey.
After living in a village in Ghana or making my way through the Sahara desert, adapting to another kind of living arrangement will be another adventure that will just take minor adjustments in every day living. It won't be a piece of cake to adjust, but because I enjoy the adventure of learning new things and habituating myself to different ways of life, learning to live in South Korea will be a wonderful part of the adventure of acclimating to a new culture.

HONEYYY I'M HOME!! (Friday the 13th! ooo la la)

2010-08-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

(As I said before, when every entry of a person's blog starts with "sorry it's been 2 months, but here's the latest..." isn't the best blogger.)
That said, here is the update of the past 2 months haha!
So it is now Friday, August 13th and I have been home in Salt Lake City for two weeks now. I thought it would be a lot weirder being home than it really is. It isn't that bad to be back in Utah. (And why would it be, Utah is great! What was I thinking?) Although I did have like 3 wedding receptions to attend in one evening. There was also a meteor shower last night! Some friends and I went up Millcreek Canyon to watch it.
So that last time I wrote was from Dakar, Senegal (wow that seems like SO long ago!) I stayed with my friend's family just outside of Dakar. They were soo wonderful and welcoming to me. I'm pretty sure after just 2 or 3 days of being treated like a king (and that includes, as the honored guest, being pretty much being forced to eat like king for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!) Don't get me wrong the food there is delicious and I do like to eat, but after two days of eating like a king (and sometimes I would have to eat TWO kingly lunches or dinners in a day because neighbors and friends would invite me to eat, I would come home and they would expect me to eat again. Saying you have already eaten is no excuse. You say "J'ai deja mange" and they say "mange" EAT!) so after 2 days of that I was already noticing a little bit of chubbiness creeping into midsection. After 10 days chez eux (or at their home) I was so ready to be able to eat like a poor student traveler again!
Senegal was so wonderful though, one of my favorite places was a small beach village called
Toubab Dialao where we made friends with the very generous Bifals. (Bifal is the equivalent of the rasta men in Ghana but they have a different religious leader.) They taught us drumming and fed us delicious grilled fish (right from the sea) and were pretty much awesome!
After Dakar, Senegal I had to say goodbye to my travel companion and then after my "home stay" I had to say goodbye (or rather see you next time) to my newly acquired family and friends, to brave the road to Mauritania and eventually to Morocco by myself.

I took the route from Dakar to St. Louis then to Rosso to cross the border (which was terrible by the way....least favorite border in the whole wide world!!!!) where I got really really ripped off by some money changer butt-head at the border. Anyway, that aside getting to Mauritania by myself was nothing but an adventure to say the least. We had to stop at probably 10 million patrol stations to check our passports, just from the border to Nouakchott--from Nouakchott to Nouadhibou is another 10 million, then Nouadhibou through Western Sahara and Morocco another 10 million. But I guess it was for our safety to make sure we didn't hit any landmines or get kidnapped in between any of them. I shared a bushtaxi with a nice Spanish lady, old Dutch dude, and a Mauritanian tour guide (who was married to the Spanish lady who spoke great English.)
All I can say is how happy I was to be through Mauritania and into Morocco (granted there are some really nice people there, but ever since my negative experience at the border it just wasn't my favorite of places, and I was in a hurry to get to Essaouira in time for the music festival.) I had to hitch-hike to get to Dahkla which was super fun.
The truck driver man only spoke Arabic but was apparently saying how he wanted to marry me and that I would not go to Dahkla but stay and marry him haha. But alas, I did go to Dahkla to get a bus to Boujdour where I stayed until I fought my way onto a bus to Agadir, where I could finally arrive in Essaouira for the Gnaoua Music Festival. June 25th-27th 3 days of free music

As I inched my way from Ghana back to the westernized world, I saw a strong European influence in Dakar, but an overwhelming one in Morocco. It was a big slap in the face when they told me I couldn't get on the next bus it was full (buses are never full in Africa...never) and I couldn't just sit in the isle or just strap my bag on the top of the bus, but that I had to PAY for it and I couldn't have it sit with me because of LAWS....what? laws? in Africa? I said this is AFRrica!! and he was very indignant that Nooo it was like Europe. And there you have it, my first slap in the face of the white man's world with laws and regulations and price tags on everything. From that moment onward there were rules and price tags and even garbage cans everywhere...it was crazy to me.
After crossing the Sahara desert, taking numerous ridiculous "european" (aka flippin expensive) buses with RULES and such, I finally arrived in Essaouira for this Gnaoua (a type of traditional Moroccan music) festival that would last 3 days. I saw the house of Jimi Hendrix that is still left there from the late 60s, saw Julian Marley (son of Bob Marley), drank moroccan mint tea too

many times, hung out in spice shops, made amazing moroccan (and other) friends, ate amazing food (couscous, bread, tajine, fruit, fresh squeezed juice...pastries! etc) and chilled on the beach. All in all it was amazing. I could never live there, but I definitely have to go back. I only got to see a tiny bit of Dahkla, Boujdour, I saw a ton of Essaouria--I pretty much lived there, a little bit of Marrakech, stayed in a Berber village in the Atlas Mountains, saw reggae legends and met tons of awesome people, ate amazing food, and had great times.

Marrakech--->London--->Scotland--->Ireland--->Liverpool--->London...--->Salt Lake City!

From Marrakech I flew to London to meet up with a close friend that I made in St. Etienne when I was in France for fall semester. From London we went to Edinburgh (the castle and Arthur's seat as well as an amazing picnic in the hills), Aberdeen (jam sessions are awesome!), Stonehaven (amazinnng castle there!), and Inverness (where we visited the Loch Ness and heard awesome traditional music) in Scotland, before going to Dublin Ireland. There we met up with good friends (again) from St. Etienne, then went to Belfast in Northern Ireland. We visited Armaugh and saw an amazing "Earth from the Air" exhibit by Yann Arthus-Bertrand ( http://earth.google.com/intl/en/earthfromabove/ ) and learned about St. Patrick and all of that stuff. We saw the Giant's Causeway and saw the northern coast. Headed back to England to visit another closer friend from St. Etienne.

Visited The Cavern where the Beatles first got big and just hung out with my friend. Headed back to London and did all of that stuff
(London bridge, the London eye, Westminster evensong, Big Ben, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Tower Bridge, the Globe theater, Portobello Market, Trafalgar square.....allllll that jazz) before saying "see you next time" to my dear dear friends, and finally heading back to good ol' Salt Lake City, Utah!

So at the end of this I say that traveling is like a drug, it is so addictive! I have learned so much in just a year and a few months of traveling and studying abroad than I have in all my years of university so far. I've learned a lot about myself and especially about the world around me. I miss learning so many languages--french, Twi (Ghana), Ewe (Ghana Togo and a little bit in Benin), Bambara (Burkina, Mali), Wolof (Senegal), and Arabic (Morocco) and seeing so many different cultures and beautiful people!

West African adventures (Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco)

2010-06-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

You can tell a really bad blogger when every entry starts with "Sorry I suck at blogging, but here's the update from the last 2 months."
So now it is 15th of June. I've been travelling since the end of the semester in Ghana "on the way home." Getting everything together before leaving Ghana was of course a mess and I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to balance studying for my last exams, getting gifts and souvenirs, sending off packages and rushed goodbyes.
I've been travelling for 27 days now, I am currently in Dakar, Senegal.
I left Accra, Ghana May 19th headed northward to Burkina Faso where I met my two friends and travel companions. There we saw the beautiful rock formations in the southeastern area near Banfora.
http://www.facebook.com/l/e5a8c;s23.photobucket.com/albums/b388/ElmosNanaland/Sindou%20Peaks%2010/

from there we moved through Ougadougou to Mali to see Dogon country, where there are villages along cliffs in the Sahel.

We then went to Timbuktu and rode camels in the desert and slept in the desert in the Touareg campment. We couchsurfed with wonderful friends, Timbuktu natives that showed us all around and were so hospital and helpful.
From Timbuktu we spent time in the bustling captial of Bamako to recharge our batteries (between 30 hours bus rides) before coming to Dakar, Senegal. We explored la Petite Cote (or little coast) where we stayed in a small beach village, swimming with rasta men, of Toubab Dialao, before spending time in the glitzy capital Dakar.
I am now staying with a host family (one of my senegalese friends) just outside of Dakar. They are soo nice and feed me TOO well and too much. mange mange! (eat! eat!) they tell me.
I've learned some Wolof, the language here in Senegal and it is fun to surprise people with my random vocabulary words :)
the typical greeting asalaam alikoum? yagui si diam? nangadef? mangifi.
did you sleep well? i want water please. i'll see you later. fun things like that!
i'll be heading out on the 19th or 20th to go to Mauritania and Morocco.
From there I will try to keep you posted on my U.K. and Ireland trip!
(I fly from Morocco to London, then from there to York, Edinburg, Aberdeenshire, Iverness, maybe the Isle of Skye, Loch Ness etc before flying to Dublin and exploring Ireland. head back to England through Liverpool to visit a dear dear friend, then to London for my flight back to Utah!!)
I'll see you this fall semester back on campus! :D
here is the link for my pictures so far
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=180444&id=545028558&l=2452c5aff1

the West African Breezes

2010-03-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!
Time goes by so quickly, but as the same time soo slowly. The days, weeks and months roll by at a running pace but the minutes and moments of each day stroll along, taking their time, making sure not to rush (for it is far too hot here in Ghana to rush anywhere).
My time seems to get shorter and shorter as I realize how many months have already flew by. Final exams will be coming before I know it and in lieu of travelling and volunteering every chance I get, I might actually have to do some hardcore studying. (I know, who actually studies at school right?) But 2 weekends ago I visited Togo. It was SO nice to speak French again. Life was getting so boring speaking English everyday. It was definitely an adventure being everyone's interpreter, though a bit exhausting at times I must admit. (I can only explain so many times that my friend is "married" and isn't interested in marrying her persistant african suitors and that her "husband" in the US wouldn't like it too much if she married one of them haha)
Anytime I don't have class (and even sometimes when I do) I've been going to teach in a village about 10 minutes away from campus called Kisseman. One of the ISEP exchange students from last semester that stayed for this semester started an outreach program/make-shift school for the children in the village who do not go to school either because their parents can't pay their school fees to send them to school or their parents are not their or otherwise. We basically meet on someone's back porch and use donated materials and student volunteers to teach them. The children are of all ages and learning levels from 2-13 (which obviously makes it difficult to teach them all at the same time on a back porch with volunteer teachers...) but it is so nice to help them. We try to have a nice variety in subject matter...a lil science, a lil reading, math, art and music. But most of the time we just try and keep them under control long enough to teach them something haha.

here is the link of my latest photo updates

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3634829&l=8065ab5f36&id=545028558

and here are all of my pictures before coming to Ghana
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=120286&id=724808512&l=48ec597184

Ahhh the Volta Region

2010-03-03T04:24:00.000-08:00

I must apologize for my lack of blogging skills, and also for the lack of internet in Ghana.
Things here are just slow paced, including any sort of internet connection that one would want to benefit from to connect to the outside world :)
It is nice though to have things slow down a little bit.
It is funny though because this weekend, a friend (my old roomie, before we both switched so that we could have Ghanaain roommates) and I traveled to the Volta Region this weekend where we climbed the highest mountain in West Africa Mount Afedzeto. And although Ghanaians like to really slowly while going to class or any other destination, when they happen to be climbing up a very steep mountain they pretty much just run up it. And by the way, the trails in the U.S. meander and zig zag a little bit to get to the eventual destination at the top, but not in Ghana, no no. Its just straight up, "get 'er done" style right up the mountain....THE WHOLE TIME. Haha
That same day, in the afternoon, we climbed what was I swear the second tallest mountain in West Africa, to get to the upper Wli Falls, the highest waterfall in West Africa. Both of which were SO worth the climb. We pretty much had a magestic waterfall all to ourselves. And it sounds cheesy, but it really was magical!
(me on top of the mountain...very sweaty)
We were going to go to Togo but realized it would be better to plan more in advance and get our visas., switch our money etc. before leaving, so I will need to go either next weekend (which is Independance Day for Ghana) or the next weekend to renew my visa.
We started in Keta where we stayed the night right next to the beach, with a great view of the full moon on the ocean. I really love just putting my feet in the sand and having the waves wash over them, and then digging my feet even deeper into the sand the next time the wave comes. We sat and talked in a little fishing boat/canoe that was just on the sand next to the water for awhile and ate dinner before leaving at 5:30 in the morning to head up on our waterfall chasing adventure. Unfortunately when we got there, because it is the dry season, that particular waterfall had dried up and is only active during the rainy season, but we went on a little hike in the rain forest anyway (and by little hike of course I mean super steep crazy trail that had to have a rope to hold on to because it is too steep to walk normally..)
We then moved on to Hohoe where we stayed with a very kind reverend and his family and headed off to climb mountains and search for waterfalls. It was quite the enchanting weekend full of tender mercies and sweet adventures. We ate tons of bread and groundnut paste (peanut butter with no sugar..) and we found some honey in the first town we went to, so that was nice to mix it up a lil'.
On the way home we went to the mall and splurged on some cheese and french bread for dinner. (which was delicious!)

(a few weekends before this I went to the Volta region but didn't go to Keta (the beach place), the Mountain or the Upper Falls, so I had to come back. But the first time I saw other awesome things too. I stayed with my friend in his family's village and got to go his cousin's wedding and meet his family, see how village life is like etc. I fed the monkeys bananas at the monkey sanctuary and swam in the Volta river, rode on a motorcycle up to the waterfalls..pretty much took lots of tro-tro rides :D but it was fun)

settling in in Ghana..

2010-02-02T03:47:00.001-08:00

I am meeting so many wonderful people. All of my students are so so so sweet, I'm working at this school..well it isn't really a school, we meet on someone's porch and we have a whiteboard, a few notebooks and pencils, and some math flashcards...and so many beautiful children! Normally in Africa children have to pay their school fees to go to school, but the thing is that these kids can't even afford that (for uniforms, paying for teachers etc.) so we volunteer to teach them and the children just come on their own. Sometime it is very chaotic because there isn't very much structure because none of us have really ever been teachers before but we're trying to help them at least get the basics down of the alphabet, how to read, and at least basic math. We have the building materials for a real school building, but we're struggling to find a plot where we can build it. I'll keep you posted!
I am also going to the Liberian refugee camp on Fridays to volunteer there with a womens empowerment NGO that has a sustainable system scholarship program, where the women make beautiful purses and sell them. So instead of depending on donations all of the time, the invest what they have to make things to pay for their own scholarship program.
I don't have classes on mondays or fridays so I go to volunteer on mondays at the "school" in a village 10 minutes away from campus by tro-tro (the exciting means of "public transportion" here in Ghana). They basically just put as many people as possible in these van type things and you pay 30, 40, or 50 peswas (like cents) depending on how far away your destination is. Getting to the refugee camp by tro tro truly is an adventure haha.

Other than that, classes are a bit different here. They are mostly just lectures where the lecturer talks at you and you write down what they say. The entire grade is based on one exam at the end of the semester. (Which I'm a little scared about...) But I'm loving my classes, they are mostly about geography and development. Population and development, Rural development experiences, Tourism in the developing world, Industrialization in the developing world, Sustainable agricultural land use systens in the developing world. I'm excited to learn all about the African perspective on these issues and how they differ from our western perspective.

Ghana, Africa!

2010-01-16T06:27:00.000-08:00

So Ghana is an awesome place. The people here are so kind and friendly. The weather is HOT hot HOT (but I like it a lot) (and I kind of rhymed on purpose there...).
The food is DELICIOUS. Lots of rice and fish or chicken, mangoes, bananas, plantains. Just wonderful!
I'm making lots of fun friends from all over the U.S. and little by little I'm making more Ghanaian friends.
I will have a Ghanaian roommate. I'm a little nervous, but really excited to meet her and to live with her.
In the morning where we live there are little colorful lizards running around. The showers are so cold, but it's not like I would a hot shower either.
We've been to the local markets where we try to barter for beautiful African cloth and jewelry (and so many other cool hand made crafts).

Today walking past the Night Market to go to orientation I stopped to talk to a tiny little girl who was with her brother and sister. She held my hand and looked at me with her huge brown eyes and said "Icecream" and I was so sad because I had no money with me. I told her we could get some next time, but her cute little hands and little brown eyes just wouldn't let me go. So I borrowed a cédi (like a dollar) from my friend and bought them an icecream. The lady at the desk look at my and said in her fun accent "Don't be givin them yo' money." I guess I can be a sucker for those little brown eyes every once in a while. I didn't learn her name unfortunately, but I hope I see her again soon. :D
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=138208&id=545028558&l=ed59e52e70

New Years January 1st= best birthday every!

2010-01-16T06:26:00.001-08:00

I spent my birthday, and the New Year in the southern part of France. I already told you guys about the stay with the bee keeper family on their farm. So for the New Year's weekend, me and Mari (an awesome Aggie also on exchange in France) went to Nice, Marseille, and Monaco to celebrate. We met up with a group of other young adults in Marseille for a "bal" or dance (as we would call it) that went until at least 4 in the morning. There was a theme "Les détails qui tue" or the details that kill. So we had to think of a detail that would "make" the outfit. I wore my awesome roller skates that I found in a thrift shop in France for 3 euros. I won a prize for my sweet detail that killed my feet by the end of the night.
On the way there (and back) to Marseille, we stopped in Nice to look at the beautiful beaches and monuments. The people there are very friendly, as is apparently the tendancy for the people of the south of France to be more warm and friendly.
After Nice we went to Monaco, famous for its casino's in the French Riviera. Mari had the goal to run across an entire country, so I watched our enourmous backpack while she accomplished her way cool goal of running across Monaco.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=130032&id=724808512&l=019bf9c275

Noel. December 25, 2009

2010-01-07T05:04:00.000-08:00

Bonjour tout le monde!
Hey everyone, its Brooke from France wishing you all a Merry Christmas (or "Happy Holidays") and sending you my love and best wishes for the new year! Love you all!
Here is just a lil' update. I'm leaving the 10th of January for my semester in Ghana where I will be until the end of June beginning of July where I will study geography and work in an orphanage. I have had a wonderful semester in France and I've been able to meet lots of friends from all over, and of course, learn a lil bit of french. I made this video to send to my family for Christmas and you can "meet" my friends from all over and hear them wish you a Merry Christmas for me in their native languages. Its I tried to put it on youtube so I hope it works...(sorry if it sucks..) I've try to post it like 10 million times but I had to cut it all up so it isn't that great, but oh well. I've been having some technical difficulties ;)
Anyway I hope you are all doing well tell me how things are going with you guys too!
Much love!
Brooke :D
here is the youtube link if that doesn't work http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z5k_RFu0Z0

Thanksgiving! November 26, 2009

2010-01-07T05:02:00.001-08:00

So like I was telling you, all of the Americans decided to do Thanksgiving all together and invite all of our friends that are here from other countries; we made the traditional turkey mashed potatoes etc meal and everyone brought a dish from their country. It turned out so well! All of our french friends brought french things, our finnish, korean, japanese, canadian, african and other friends came too. It was really so great. Of course it was a little stressful throwing everything together and having to cook and have class etc, but Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving with out a little bit of craziness here and there. I helped with pumpkin and apple pies I made the salad and helped with rolls. So finally it all worked out and we had a great thanksgiving. We all sorts of pies and cakes and even crepes, sweet potatoes/yams, green beans, ...the works! It was a really great thanksgiving even if I was far away from home, it was a really cool cultural experience that we shared all together through food....like with the Pilgrims and the Indians :)

November 16, 2009

2010-01-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Me and my friends are organizing a Thanksgiving dinner here in France with all of the Americans and we are inviting all of our Korean, French, African, Finnish etc friends to come and bring something from their countries (so we can have a nice little cultural exchange...)
I am just getting to the point in school though when you realize how close the exams are, but at the same time that I only have so much time left with my friends that I have made here before I leave for Ghana. The time is just going really fast. I have an address but I will be moving out the 20th or 21st of December.

October 6, 2009

2010-01-07T04:57:00.000-08:00

For fall break I'm going to Sweden and I'm staying with my friend from Annecy. She lives in Stockholm so she is going to show us around and we will probably go to Oslo Norway for a day or something. So I am in class with all of the french people and it is a little bit difficult sometimes but by the end of the semester I should be a lot better at french (obviously) but I gets kind of overwhelming with all of the work. So there is "faire du sport" and you pay 20 euros and you can do all of the sports you want to. like aikido tai kwon do, karate, swimming, handball, volleyball, rockclimbing lots and lots and lots there is too much to choose from. but anyway so i spend lots of time at school and then I try to faire du sport everyday that I can and then leave time to just hang out and make friends with the frenchies who live in my dorm.
so that is about all for now but i LOVE LOVE LOVE Utah State..and France, they're wonderful!!!!!!!

September 9th, 2009

2010-01-07T04:56:00.000-08:00

So yes I moved from Annecy to St. Etienne and I started my first week of school. I went to Paris and Lille this weekend (in the north of France to visit some friends) I was in Paris Thursday night and Friday and Lille Friday night and Saturday-Sunday. and it is Sunday night and after 4 hrs on the train I'm back in St. Etienne and not exactly ready for school tomorrow but its ok :)
I'm liking the city alot more now because most of the stressful parts of moving in to a new place are over and I have started making some friends and getting into the rhythm of things. I keep going on weekend adventures to Geneva or Paris but that was more just for the "last hurrah"s of summer before I have serious school stuff to do. so we'll see more in the next weeks what normal life and weekends etc will be like.

But as for me luckily I don't have roommmates but it is just me in a really small room and I have my own bathroom and everyone on the floor shares the kitchen (and it can be kind of annoying sometimes when everyone needs the stove or the oven etc...but its not that bad). France has a grand variety of smells...it can smell delicious like pain au chocolate and fresh baguettes when you pass le boulangerie (the bakery) or it can smell like pee and dog poop (because french people are crazy about their dogs but they just poop on the street and it is really gross haha...sorry for the yucky image but France isn't always glorious eiffel tower wine and cheese and berets haha). But the best thing is just being on this learning adventure. Everyday I learn new words and I meet new people (and not all french people are nice and not all french people are mean...) but the thing is just that this experience is something is uniquely mine and that it is something that I am making my own. So the thing that has made it the hardest and the best is kind of the same thing, but it is the fact that it is just me in this country trying to learn as much as I can is the best and the hardest at the same time, it is just that if I take this opportunity to make it my own, something that I never had and something that no on else can have (the exact same experience that is).

August 30th New City Saint Etienne!

2010-01-07T04:54:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I move to my new city I'm nervous and excited at the same time! I can't believe summer is already over. well practically over. Oh man it is sad but its always like that. Summer has flown by and tomorrow I'm moving in and hopefully I can make new friends and all that. It is nice to hear your update. My new apartment. (9 square meters.....not so big, but if works) :)

Greece

2009-08-19T09:36:00.001-07:00

the boat we took to go to the island
the Acropolis
the Olympian Temple of Zeus
The Parthenon, the crowning achievement of Greek architecture was built between 447 and 432 B.C.the Theatre of Herodes Atticus (it has been restored and is now used for performances of drama)

Bastille Day...Le Tour de France...le Tour du Lac

2009-08-05T18:20:00.001-07:00

livestrong..why not?

yay our camerades for America
this is Lance Armstrong at the end of the speed course in Annecy
warmin up
Lance warming up
la championne

les vélos!

Le Tour de France

watching the fireworks on Bastille day
mes rolleurs. (I bought these patriotic roller skates for 3 euros at a thrift store :) hehe)

Some personal thoughts. Kind of like a journal entry

2009-08-05T18:17:00.001-07:00

Oh la la. Who could have imagined that after piles and piles of paperwork, hours of meetings, orientations, reading packets, pamphlets, appointments and applications that the day would actually come that I had been planning for for so long? After doing all of my demarches to get my French visa (remuer ciel et terre), applying for all 3 or my study abroad programs, getting my passport and 4 kinds of insurance (‘cause France is just like that...) and finally after making 10,000 copies of everything, I was ready to go (except for packing all of my stuff for 1 year, 2 climates, and 4 seasons in 2 bags, and of course, I did that at 5 in the morning on the day I was leaving for Paris...2 days after my sister's wedding haha)

Of course, my mother was a wreck and my little sister probably thought we were going to Disneyland or something, but finally I said goodbye to my family for a year and got on a plane begin my adventure. It is like magic or something. Sometimes I forget I'm in France, but then I look around at the lake and the Alps, all the crazy awesome Frenchies everywhere and I have to think to myself, pause for a minute and say “Oh my heck, I'm in France. The blessed land of cheese and wine, the home of the Eiffel tower, the Louvre, a bunch of awesome people (who all speak French, imagine that!) who really are nice, despite the snobby stereotype, the Alps, l'amour, art, bakeries, and cafés.”

If you ever want to feel fat, just come to France. Everything is smaller here, seriously. And I'm not saying it is a bad thing, but the rooms are smaller, passage ways, parking spaces, the people. I swear French girls are so skinny because they smoke all of their calories and only drink coffee and burn all of their calories shopping or something...but whatever their secret is, it works. Even on the French old ladies, they definitely still have got it going on. If I were going to rewrite the famous sound of music song it would be "These are a Few of my Favorite Frenchy things" and it would go like this:

Fromage (cheese) and vélos (bikes) and bakeries on every corner.

Smart cars, and Paris and no public bathrooms (joke...I really hate that one)

Walking all over and taking the metro,

These are few of my Frenchie favorite things.

No air conditioning, people smoking everywhere,

people who treat their dogs like they are their children,

eating nutella with a spoon, bread with every meal,

markets, bisous, and musées (museums) and stinky European B.O.

and pique niques au parc.

(And just today..listening to Debussy in the rain)

Being in France for the D-Day Commemoration, the fete de la Musique, the French Open, Bastille Day (the 14 Juillet), the Tour de France, and of course the funeral of Michael Jackson, has been so awesome. (That is a joke. But it is surprising what a big deal it was here...and of course in the U.S. it was a ridiculously big deal.)

Study abroad is the best thing anyone could do. I'm learning a beautiful language, getting to know this beautiful country and making fun friends from all over the world already!

Mes voyages (my voyages :D hehe)

2009-07-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

the view from our crazy mountain hostel
yay I love sunflowers! I took this out of the train window so it didn't turn out so well
look how blue the water is!

mmmm Pesto Mozzarella and tomato pizza
seafood spaghetti

the lemons from this region are AMAZING and really famous

Riomaggiore
the boats
the first village or earth (Cinque Terre is five earths or lands)
pretty market
yay for the Mediterranean
a nice little waterfallish thing
cute gardens
old houses on the way to our hostel

the beach

the beach that we slept on instead of paying for a hostel
(much cheaper than a hostel :) hehe)
In Monterosso in Cinque Terre we slept on the beach. It was quite the adventure!
a man carved out of the mountain
mmmmm bruschetta with pesto, fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, and mozzarella!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yummmm

the chacos and the Mediterranean sea
il duomo
cool rasta bike.
cool graffiti art on the train
beautiful flowers in Monterosso

the leaning tower of Pisa

Pisa

beautiful house in Pisa
la bella casa that we stayed in
trying to sleep on the 4 hour train ride to Pisa from Rome
the Colosseum in Rome
a little town in Switzerland
the Red Cross Museum in Geneva

the happy land of banks and chocolate (Switzerland that is..) oh yes, and knives

in Geneva
So right now I live in France in a town called Annecy. I've been here for a month and it has flown by so fast, but I am very glad that my french has improved a lot. Annecy is really close to Switzerland and not too far from Italy, there is a beautiful lake and the Alps are really near by. There are lots of fun things to do here like go to the lake, go hiking, bike everywhere, eat delicious food, and go to music festivals and things like that.
There is a thing called La Fete de Musique and in all of France there is music all day long, all sorts and in every major town or city. It is the 21st of June and it is really cool!
My host family here is so nice I really love them. The house is beautiful and the people are really nice. Whoever said French people are mean was wrong hehe.
But Geneva is really close so I went there and saw the big fountain they have in the lake and last week for my break from school I went to Italy. My friend lives in Pisa so we started there and then went to Cinque Terre, then Rome. All of it was amazing. Brushcetta, piazza, gelati, panini, focaccia, mmmmm italian food!!!

Paris Photos

2009-06-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Marie Antoinette's garden
Versailles garden
good ol' Louis
(clearly I am the Hunchback ringing the bell)
bell tower of Notre Dame
buns of steel...umm gold :) haha

if there is one thing in this world that I love...it is jumping pictures. I really do love them....ALOT!
the view from the top of Notre Dame
Saint Chapel
Monet
Jardin de Marie Antoinette

let them eat cake...bah
what? he had a booger..
the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles
Versailles (everything was gold and there a 10 million portraits of Louis XIV...It kind of made me mad since the people of France were starving at this time)
random accordion band on the metro
we're excited for the Eiffel Tower clearly...

at the Louvre

our little friends who helped us find Sacre Coeur
he loved scarlett's forever long hair
the pyramid at the louvre
cheap(for paris) lunch nutella brie and pain...

the Fountain of St. Michel
a little church just hidden on the corner
Notre Dame (there are more on top of this amazing building later) I LOVE how old all of the buildings are in France, they are simply beautiful. The architecture blows my mind!
the first view of St. Michel

Annecy

2009-05-31T23:46:00.000-07:00

We pretty much did all of Paris this week. I will put pics up later today probably when I can get wireless. We just got to Annecy yesterday, it is a cute town right by a beautiful lake and the Alps. I live with a host family and 6 other exchange students from Tufts and Northeastern Univ from Massachusettes, and a girl from Miami who I have yet to meet. I haven't met my host mom and dad yet because they were at a wedding this weekend, so their daughter showed me the house and all that jazz. Yesterday I went to the beach with some other students and read by le lac d'Annecy. It is a very new experience and i am still trying to figure things out. I live pretty close to a really beautiful lake that i am going again today and doing some homework.
Tomorrow will be my first day of school and I'm a bit nervous. There is a group of about 15 from USU and tons of other students from all around, so it should be fun!!

Summer semester.....abroad :D

2009-05-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

Bonjour mes amis! Hello my friends...I am in Paris this very moment. This is the beginning of my year abroad. Starting in Paris, then going to Annecy, then St. Etienne, then Ghana. In between I will be doing a lot of travelling and fun things like that. I plan on visiting my family and friends of my family in Switerzerland, Greece, and some friends that are studying abroad in other countries like Spain and London.
Utah State has an amazing study abroad office that offers so many opportunities for studying abroad. I am double majoring in Geography and French and am studying French for about 6 months in France, and Geography for a semester in Ghana. Whatever your major is, the study abroad office is so helpful in finding just the right thing for you. Finally after all of the paper work and planning for this voyage, I am here in Paris.
Paris is an amazing city, and grand mix of different kinds of people of all different backgrounds (the people who live here and the tourists too!)
There is so much to see in Paris and I have only scratched the surface by going to the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triumph, the Champs Elysees, Versailles, the Luxembourg Gardens, the catacombs, Sacre Coeur, Montmartre, the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, the Pompidou, Notre Dame, Saint Chapelle, Luxembourg Gardens, eating crepes, sitting in cafes and talking, having a picnics everywhere and hanging out next to the Seine, watching street performers, eating baguettes and cheese, going to the market, going to the discotheque, taking the metro, and walking everywhere!
I love Paris so much, I HAVE to come back here. One week is not enough for me! :)

The Robins Awards :)

2009-04-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

This week is one of the last weeks before it gets SUPER crazy with final projects, papers, presentations, and exams. Last night was the Robins Awards.

The Robins Awards are the most coveted of all Utah State honors. They reward students and faculty for hard work and dedication to their individual goals, as well as the goals of USU. The awards memorialize William E. Robins, a campus hero who had a rare quality to turn his vision into Utah State's vision. Robins was a Sigma Nu at Utah State who served as USU's student body president in 1949. He was the primary and initial visionary of today's Taggart Student Center. Each year, the gallant event is held in the evening, and several awards are presented. The ceremony is followed by the Spring Formal dance. Throughout the years, the name of Bill Robins has stood as a symbol of the best efforts students can offer. As a memorial to him, the night's feature award is called the Bill Robins Memorial Award. Other awards include: Achievement of the Year, Woman of the Year, Man of the Year, Organization of the Year, and the Val R. Christensen Service of the Year.

I was nominated for Woman of the Year and to my surprise was named a finalist, and to my even greater surprise (which I still can't believe) I was awarded Woman of the Year! I really did not think that I would win so I didn't really thing of what to say so my speech thingy kind of sucked, but I feel so honored and humbled. Wow, I still can't believe it!

Service Week

2009-04-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

So last week was Service Week. I was really busy with Aggies for Africa doing all sorts of things to raise money for a non profit organization called Mali Rising. It is based out of Salt Lake City and raises money to build schools in Mali (a country in Africa) through community efforts. After we raise the money, and provide the building materials the villagers and community members in Africa build the school themselves. This is a better way of helping build community and aid at the same time by having them be invested and work as hard as we did to raise the money to build the school that their children will enjoy (a much better alternative than just dropping a school that we build and leave there.) Aggies for Africa worked with the Val R. Christensen Service Center and various class project groups to raise money. Kalai, a popular guitarist and vocalist came to do a benefit concert and it was really successful. We sold our newly designed t-shirts, had luncheons and dinners to also raise funds, as well as accepting donations. We are closer to our goal but have not raised all of the money yet, but we are optimistic and proud of how much we have raised so far.
http://malirisingfoundation.org/index.html
check out the website :)

April fools!

2009-04-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

So last week was April fools day and I woke up to quite a funny surprise. Our door was duct taped shut....it was pretty funny, except for the fact that I had to leave to get to class. My big group project was due on April Fools Day and I wished that it was just a joke and my professor would say "Just kidding, you don't have to turn in your 20 page papers!" (but don't worry, it was a group project with 4 people and we each had to write 5 pages...no big deal!) So it was kind of a relief to get that over with. I am officially going to study abroad in France this summer and next fall semester; I am so excited! After that I am going to spend a semester in Africa at the University of Ghana studying geography. It sounds really expensive but the study abroad program I am doing is set up so that I pay USU tuition at a foreign school and any financial aid or scholarships that I have go toward paying for it. It is really awesome. It has been a bit stressful doing all of the paper work and figuring out passports, visas, etc., but it will all be worth it when I'm at the top of the Eiffel Tower overlooking all of Paris! woo hoooo!!! I really need to get ready for my final exams, projects, and presentations, so next week is going to be intense. Have a good week and GO AGGIES! :)

Quintessential college....

2009-03-29T22:18:00.000-07:00

This has been a pretty average week, with a few exceptions. It was pretty exciting, we made bran muffins on tuesday night at like 1 am, it was a nice little adventure. I have a few big research projects that I have been putting off....but I'm going to get a really good start on them tomorrow :) no worries. My roommates and I had a series of random adventures last night. I was going to go to a dance party at my friend's house but we decided to get food and then go to first dam to eat it. But of course, Amy had to go the ATM at good ol' wally world. While we waited in the car we had a dance party in the parking lot. And then we had another dance party in the Wendy's drive thru while we waited for our order. Then we went to First Dam and went on the dock to eat it and saw some crazy awesome people canoeing in the middle of the night!

Saturday I woke up early to go to an Turbo Kick work shop at the Logan Rec Center. It was super fun, you can watch the video!

I went to a scholarship dinner for the College of Natural Resources and I got to meet my scholarship donors and have my mom and grandma come to see it. It's really nice to be in a smaller college because there is a lot of scholarship money. I got one scholarship, the Timothy Leary Memorial Scholarship for $450 and another, called the Quinney Undergraduate Scholarship for $3,600 for 3 years and there is an opportunity to apply for $2,000 in support of an academically meaningful experience in my junior or senior year. It is so so wonderful now that my original scholarship that runs out this year, I can still pay for school. Yay! :D

LUAU!

2009-03-22T21:40:00.001-07:00

Aloha my friends! This weekend was the PSU (Polynesian Student Union) Luau. It was so much fun preparing and practicing in order to put on such a great event we started practicing in February for the luau in March. I was in the Hawaii implement, Fiji, New Zealand Poi, and New Zealand stick dances. There were dances from the islands of Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga, and Samoa. Before the show there was delicious food It was so much fun to learn the dances and learn about Polynesian culturre. Something really fun about luaus is when people in the audience (usually family members or family friends) come up while you are dancing and give you money :) it's pretty awesome! Some people make paper necklaces out of dollar bills and give them to the dancers or just throw money or tuck it into their costume. I love the multicultural student services at Utah State. It is so great to be able to have a great education academically, but also be able to experience other cultures and have a good time while you're at it! Cheeeehoo!!!!
check it out on youtube! search for PSU LUAU 2009 :D (or username pahscuzeme)

Final Elections traditions week and midterms :/

2009-03-16T00:38:00.000-07:00

Wow so the final elections finished up right before Spring Break! And a well deserved and needed break it was. The week right up to spring break and elections was indeed crazy. Traditions week had a bunch of fun events tied to the elections. Monday through Friday there was always something exciting like the presidential debate with free Aggie Ice Cream (YUM!), two free showings of Twilight, a sweatshirt swap, free Scotsman dogs while meeting the ASUSU candidates, the elections announcement, a comedian, free candy on the Hello Walk, and of course Founders Day. There was a SWEET (and free :D we like free things in college...) Love You Long Time concert in the TSC Sunburst Lounge where people could also meet the candidates.
This same week I had two mid terms to study for, which luckily went well. And finally Spring Break came! woo hoo!

Primary Elections

2009-03-07T13:45:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! ASUSU Elections were last week and it was pretty exciting. All of the candidates campaign and have a fun time with that. I live in Honors House in the LLC (Living Learning Center) and it is really nice there. I planned a study abroad program to let people know about the great opportunities available through the USU Study Abroad Office. My friend who has studied abroad in Chile, Uganda, and Nicaragua came and told us about her experience and answered some questions for us. (This picture is of a little town called Annecy in France where I will be for 2 months this summer before my semester at the University of Saint-Etienne in France.) After studying in France for 7 months, I'm going to study for a semester at the University of Ghana :) I can't wait!
(this is from the study abroad photo contest)

We're still practicing for the luau and it's going to be great!!! Multicultural student services is sponsoring a Polynesian showcase of music and dance featuring the cultures of Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tahiti. We're going to have amazing food catered by the Pauni Family. I'm dancing in Hawaii, New Zealand, and Fiji! It's going to be on March 20th and it is going to be so great!

Mardi Gras! Africa Night! RecycleMania!

2009-02-22T16:01:00.000-08:00

(I did my Mardi Gras glitter mask all by myself)

Hey hey friends! Time flies by so fast when you're busy, working hard and having fun. I got quite a bit of studying done this week, as well as some fun extra adventures. Last night was Mardi Gras, and I am on the Student Traditions and Activities Board (STAB) so I was volunteering to help make the event happen. It was so much fun and we had a really good turn out. On Bourbon Street there were dancers, contortionists, psychics, musicians, and face painting, there were bands from LA and Phoenix on the next floor, a DJ and dance, and an illusionist. On the third floor in the Skyroom we had a casino with chips and everything. Our highest roller got 121,650 in chips and won an ipod touch, the second and third place winners got an ipod nano and a digital camera.

The Aggie Recyclers and the USU Sustainability council kicked off Recyclemania this week. We are competing with 5 other colleges around to see who can recycle the most. We had information tables set up, and documentary going, fun recycling games, and free Aggie Ice Cream in exchange for a recycling pledge. We had a good turn out and got the word out to encourage people to engage in the competition and recycle.

But my favorite event this week was definitely Africa Night! The African Students Association put on a really great night of traditional food, dancing, clothing, and music. It was so great and I met so many new friends. I met a friend from Ghana and told him how I was going to Ghana for a study abroad and he told me all about it and taught me some useful phrases in Twi, like εtε sεn? (how are you). It was great and I really enjoyed it!

Long weekend baby!

2009-02-16T22:03:00.000-08:00

The week of love has passed and gone, and I spent Valentine's Day babysitting (which I am totally fine with...) I live in Salt Lake, so for this long weekend (President's Day) I decided to catch a ride home with one of my friends to spend some time with my family. This week was also BSU (Black Student Union) week and some of the events included a Gumbo Cookout, Black Out Loud, and a the Black Student Union also hosted its annual “Black and White Affair” soul food dinner Friday. The dinner included a variety of soul food and entertainment. The New York-based slam poetry group Words with a Pulse was SO amazing! Two guys kind of rapped/sang poetry and it was really powerful and moving. Wow!

Black Student Union is an organization established to promote a higher level of Black consciousness, advancement and mutual understanding among all cultures and people. BSU serves to provide information to its members and raise cultural awareness within the community at large.

'In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. - Martin Luther King, Jr.'

Aggies 23-0 woo!

2009-02-08T16:15:00.000-08:00

Hey friends! Can you believe it? Yet another week has passed and the Aggies are still 23-0 in basketball. Phenomenal! But last night after the game, there was an after party at the Fun Park. There was a free dance, laser tagging, bowling and fun all over the place! After we got our groove on, my friends and I went to Village Inn for some sustenance. This week went by really quickly, from test to quiz to papers, dance practices, eating, and maybe even a little bit of sleeping ;) but it was great.

It was also really cool this week academically. In my college, the college of natural resources, when we are looking to hire a new professor the students are invited to meet the candidates, hear about their research, and even have lunch or dinner with them along with some other faculty or grad students. This week there were two candidates that came and presented their research. I had to opportunity to meet and have lunch with Dr. Brian Fisher and attend both of his presentations about climate change and social justice issues in Tuvalu. It was really awesome! I think it is great how the students are able to be a part of that and that the college cares what we think of the people that will be our professors. I love Utah State! :)

Rallying at the State Capitol

2009-02-01T22:01:00.000-08:00

Hey friends! So I was definitely on the news like 5 times on Friday. There was a huge rally at the capitol for students around the state in support of higher education. Some state senators and representatives spoke to us on the front steps (there was tons of media coverage.) After, we went into the House and Senate chambers and wrote notes to the wonderful people who represent us as students and told them how we feel about the quality of our education at Utah State and how much it matters to us. There was a really good turn out of students from Utah State. We had two tour buses that went down for the rally and we had a really good time. The entire week was a week of activism. We had a rally in the Hub (where everyone eats lunch), after the basketball game we had a party where we made posters and signs and wrote our senators to prepare for the big day at the capitol. But I feel that students of higher education are the future of this state. we are the future leaders, voters, and taxpayers here. Higher education is one of the most valuable investments the state can make. For every $1 invested into higher education, the state sees $7 in return. It is beautiful! I love this school so much and my education here means so much to me. You will most certainly get an awesome education when you come here :)

CRAZY.....

2009-01-22T15:52:00.000-08:00

This has been a bit of a crazy week, but that's ok, crazy is exciting right? But I finally got my laptop back from the shop. My hard drive crashed and of course I didn't back all of my files up, but at least it didn't happen in the middle of the semester or something. So NOW that I have my computer I am just grateful to have it back. The computer labs on campus saved my life! Each semester we get free print outs and you can get into any of the computer labs that are all around campus with just your student ID card. I was still able to all of my homework done and it wasn't too much of a hassle not having my laptop.

I'm working on my study abroad applications and meeting with my study abroad advisor. The Study Abroad Office has been such a great resource to me as I have been deciding my plans for studying abroad. I'm getting super psyched for the Study Abroad Fair. (I'll tell you more about that later...)
This week I also got my Aggie Blue Bike! What is that? Aggie Blue Bikes is a resource on campus from which any student can simply borrow a bike for free for the semester. All you need is your ID and a bike lock and they provide you with earth friendly t
ransportation to get you around campus. Not only does it save you the trouble of buying a bike or transporting yours from home, it saves the environment when you bike instead of drive. ABB is associated with Americorps and they are dedicated to helping the environment by promoting biking rather than driving. Once you check out your bike, Aggie Blue Bikes will fix it and teach you how to do do it yoursel for F R E E. Few people know about this awesome resource though, so make sure when you come to Utah State you get a free bike for a semester! Mine is a really cute cruiser and I love it :D

Epic!

2009-01-22T15:35:00.000-08:00

As you all know this has been an important week. It was so exciting to have the new president inaugurated. During the day all throughout the TSC (Taggart Student Center) in the main lounge and in the ballroom the Inauguration proceedings were broadcast. Students and faculty, random passersby, whoever, we all watched the new president be inaugurated. It was really cool.
Not only that, but it was a long weekend because of Human Rights day (Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday), what could make this week better? The Arts and Lectures Committee had guest lecturer Kirk Bloodswirth, who was sentenced to death row for a rape and a murder he didn't commit. In 1993, he was exonerated by DNA evidence. His case was the first capital conviction to be overturned in the United States. Now at the helm of The Justice Project in Washington, DC, Kirk is now an advocate and a leader in criminal justice reform. And everyone at USU was able hear him speak and share his story at the TSC Ballroom. We had the opportunity to ask him questions and even shake his hand. It was definitely cool.
The Polynesian Student Union is just starting up dance practices for our big luau coming up in the spring. It sure is exciting!

Spring 2009 Here I Come!

2009-01-12T19:47:00.000-08:00

So my friends, it is the beginning of a new year and a new semester and I am determined to work hard to meet my goals for the coming year. Not only is it a new year, but I am now a year older (cause I am really cool and my birthday is New Years...yep January first!) There is always a party, and everyone remembers it is my birthday, so it's pretty sweet. But now that the long needed winter break is over (which was very fun) it is time to get to work.
It is the beginning of a new semester and I really like my classes. I'm so excited to learn new things and meet new people. This year I am going to get up a little bit earlier, be more balanced, and make the most out of each day by using my time wisely.
The other night I went skiing at "The Beav" (or Beaver Mountain) and it was so much fun! Just about 45 minutes and you're there! There was sweet powder and lots of fun people. Regardless of if you board or ski, it's a fun place to be.
Right now I am working on my study abroad applications so I'll let you know how that goes.
Welcome back Aggies to the Spring semester!

woohoooooooo! finals week is done!

2008-12-14T21:39:00.000-08:00

Yay! Finals week is now over, what a relief! I was lucky this semester and I only had 2 final exams, but instead I had a lot of final papers, group projects, and presentations. But I’ll take those over a final any time. So, as you could imagine, this week was a bit stressful and I am very glad to be free of homework, studying, and the library. I do love school, but finals week is always crazy (in a good way of course) it wouldn’t be finals week without a little stress right?

It is pretty funny actually. Someone started this tradition during finals week called “the howl.” And Wednesday of finals week at 10pm on the dot, everyone in the library breaks the silence, the monotonous pencil tapping, or the keyboard clatter and just starts howling like wolves. It is quite an invigorating experience. It definitely helps to get through the rest of a crazy cram night. And of course, its fun!

there's a video of it on youtube...take a look, it's pretty great

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtE4BjkoQ9A

Tis the season to be jolly...

2008-12-07T21:19:00.000-08:00

The week before finals has been as jolly as I could allow. I most certainly enjoyed attending the 2nd Annual Christmas Sweater Party hosted by some friends just down the street from me. It was quite a joyous and hilarious occasion. There was a $50 prize for the best sweater, $25 and $15 for second and third. and 4 $10 Firehouse cards that will be handed out to the fourth and fifth place winners. I just so happened to win 1st prize! Not only did I get a the $50 dollars, but the great honor of having the best sweater. Aside from the sweater contest, there was also a mistletoe "kissing zone", dancing, and of course a station for dance photos! Everyone had really great sweaters and it was just a blast, but I was clearly the champion. I even wore sweater pants and christmas tree socks, a wreath, mistletoe, and ornaments.

This week there was "Holiday Lane" where the student clubs buy a tree and decorate it so that it can be donated to families in need through the Cache Valley Head Start program.
There was also a little Festivus celebration (Seinfeld fans...) which included airing of grievances, feats of strength, and the Festivus pole. I was declared the victor (all of these victories for me..yay!) of leg wrestling. I definitely beat a boy and it was in the newspaper :)

Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving Break :)

2008-12-01T06:49:00.001-08:00

Happy Turkey day! We had a long weekend for the Thanksgiving holiday and it has been lovely! Utah State has an awesome location; it is the perfect distance away from home. I live in Salt Lake so it is far away enough that I have some independence and freedom, yet close enough that I can come home when I need to for special occasions, holidays, sweet concerts, or when I’m just a little homesick and want to see my family and friends. I spent Thanksgiving with my family and I really enjoyed my break, I really needed one. Over the break I saw Twilight, went dancing with my friends, did a little bit of homework, and of course, feasted on delicious food. Now I am refreshed and recharged for a crazy week getting ready for finals and such. It will definitely be an adventure!

(This is my Xia xia and Pa pou (grandma and grandpa in Greek) and my sisters boyfriend at Thanksgiving dinner...it's kind of a terrible picture of me and I think i was saying something to the affect of "Why are you taking a picture right at this very moment when we are feasting for this day of giving thanks?" just maybe)

Diversity Week

2008-11-23T16:43:00.000-08:00

This has been an amazing week full of diversity, dancing, and deliciousness! Diversity is such a big part of Utah State, so much that campus diversity is even a position in our student government here (ASUSU). It was created in 2002 to continue the tradition of Diversity Week, to promote inclusiveness and to give diverse students a voice and the opportunity to be represented.

Chase Skidmore, the Diversity VP this year said that he wants students to know that “While issues such as ethnicity and skin color are a large part of diversity, it is not just our skin color or our cultural background that defines who we are. This year, Diversity Week will focus on race, ethnicity, culture, education, sexual orientation and diverse interests. I think the overall hope I have for the week is a better understanding that we are all different and yet we collectively make up what it is to be USU.”

If you didn’t know Utah State has a VERY diverse campus. We have students from so many backgrounds and walks of life. We also have many international students, anywhere from China, Venezuela, Armenia, Saudi Arabia, or Tanzania, to Lebanon, Korea, Italy, or India. Anywhere you can think of really.

Having so many friends from all over has really enriched my experience here at Utah State, because as I have spent time with them I have learned about their countries and culture. It is such a beautiful thing to meet people from all over the world. I love it!

Some fun events for this week included “The World Sampler” cookout with food from all over (I loved the Indian food), the Unity Through Diversity Dance Show (featuring dances from all over), the cultural showcase and Mr. and Mrs. International Pageant.

We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same.” –Anne Frank

crazy-ish

2008-11-16T18:04:00.000-08:00

This week has been a fun adventure! I made a goal this week to be super healthy and it feels great. I love being really active and eating my fruits and veggies haha. On monday night I did yoga, then hip-hop, then kick boxing (needless to say the next day i was sore...) Tuesday I did Piyo (which is yoga and pilates mixed), and wednesday was really stressful with projects and exams, so I did some relaxing yoga. Thursdays are my favorite because at 11:00 a bunch of friends get together and play dodgeball all night (it is so much more intense than gym dodgeball in fourth grade...it is legit! haha) On friday I did stairs, and then Saturday went on a jog/walk with my sister. It really feels great to be balanced with physically, mentally, and socially etc. It really enhances the whole college experience and life in general. It really is not that hard either, I love being well! Have a well week and a swell day :) here is me doing yoga..definitely a good stretch (it is kinda crazy but I like it)

Dance Battle and Poetry and a Beverage

2008-11-09T15:47:00.000-08:00

So this weekend was so much fun! On friday night there was a university dance battle and there were dance crews from BYU Idaho, Utah State, BYU, Boise State, and some other people from Salt Lake and all around that came. It was put on by Best Buddies to raise money for the club that we have through the service center here at USU that pairs college students with handicapped/special needs people in our community. We stayed after and had a dance party and then after I met some of the dancers, it was cool! The dancing was amazing and it inspired me (and my awesome roommate) to make a lil music video. It was hilarious and I'm going to post it for your viewing pleasure.

Saturday night was Poetry and Beverage, where people can come and read poetry or play songs they wrote, or basically say whatever is on their minds if they want, all while enjoying free and delicious beverages (this time it was italian sodas). It is basically an open mic night. I read a pretty poem about sunflowers and then did a ridiculous song with my friends. It was fun as always. Thats all for now :)

its on facebook here's the link

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=33548908558&subj=545028558

Halloween/the Howl

2008-11-02T21:36:00.000-08:00

Hey hey! This weekend was Halloween yay! At Utah State we have an absolutely HUGE Halloween party everay year called The Howl. It’s the biggest party in the state of Utah and it is crazy fun! It went ffrom 8:30 p.m.–1:30 a.m. This year we had a haunted maze, movies and AWESOME dance performances by USU’s dance company Full Circle (they were dressed up all creepy and did some really cool dances and it was really impressive.) Some awesome bands came: Code Hero, Rock Bandits, Recycled Percussion and Love You Long Time. I was really excited about Love You Long Time cause I’m a big fan.
I volunteered at the Howl and I helped in the ballroom so I got to meet the band Recycled Percussion. They were so amazing and the guys were really nice. My friend Erika and I worked at the merchandise table during their two shows. The band dressed up for the second show and here is a sweet pic we got with them. I had to wear my volunteer shirt but I still dressed up like a cat and then I dressed up like a boy scout for a dance/costume party that was the night after. Hope you had a happy HOWL-aween cause I sure did :) see ya at the Howl next year!

homecoming week!

2008-10-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

Homecoming week is one of my favorite weeks of the year because it is so full of USU traditions. There is something fun going on every day. Monday is street painting, where all the clubs/groups on campus get a spot on the street and they have until midnight to paint something to represent their club. There is a contest

but the best part is just participating in the tradition. There is also a really fun paint dance where everyone dances and gets covered in paint! Tuesday is free Aggie Ice cream and Moonlight and Music (a free concert that is really fun). Wednesday is the hilari

ous Mr. USU pageant, where selected guys compete for the title of Mr. USU. Thursday is a free movie (this year it was Kung Fu Panda), and finally on Friday is the homecoming pep rally, dance, and True Aggie Night. Saturday there is a 5K, the homecoming parade, tailgate party, football game, and dance party. It is such a blast!

I actually got a date (haha) and we went to the dance and had a fun fun time. Here are some pics :)

street painting (left) Mr. USU contestants (above)

all dressed up for the homecoming dance...

Fall Break!

2008-10-19T23:35:00.001-07:00

so this week was fall break..yay! i went hiking with my friend and it was BEAUTIFUL! the trees in the canyon in fall are just gorgeous i love them :). we did the "crimson trail" which is known for the deep red color that the leaves turn along the trail, it is a really great hike. and then i went on a bike ride to great harvest and a sweet thrift store on a beautiful sunny day. i got sweet shades for 50 cents awesome blue spandex for 1.50 and my friend jess and i bought a dress and each paid 1.50 it was so great!

i also went to the Utah Bioneers Conference and had a really great experience there. We learned alot about sustainability, and living green in all aspects of life. i really enjoyed learning how to make a difference on this amazing planet with how i live and the choices i make. (and the food was so great, lots of organic, local produce and local companies..awesome!)

p.s. i can't wait, next week is homecoming week........woohoo (even though i don't have a date haha)

random!

2008-10-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

so right now this very instant it is snowing! it is the kind the is fluffy and falls lightly and fluttery! i love it :) there isn't snow on the ground..it melts basically right when it falls, but watching it is peaceful. anyway this week Aggies for Africa counted most of the shoes that have been donated and so far we have 1,754 with more to come!! french club played german club in an epic soccer game on the hper field and it was so fun! i definitely got dirty slide tackling and such (although french club did lose, we demand a rematch haha). last night we had a sweet dance party (that pic is me dancing..) at my friends' house and had a date auction and a kissing booth to raise money for Aggies for Africa, it was so much fun!

those are the highlights, so i hope you guys have an awesome week!

Aggies for Africa shoe drive

2008-10-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

so this week has been AMAZING! I have been so busy organizing and doing stuff for the shoe drive that has been this week for Aggies for Africa (which is a club here on campus that i am really involved in.) My co-chair and I have been really invested in getting everything ready for this week. our goal for the shoe drive is 1500 pairs of shoes to send to Cameroon in Africa. we put boxes all around campus and had barefoot days where "we go barefoot so they don't have to." i have been barefoot for 3 days in a row and it is so fun! we probably have close to one thousand pairs of shoes right now and we really hope to meet our goal. i'll keep you posted though! :)

hello!!

2008-09-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

hey guys! so this week has been really fun. it started out with a little trip to crystal hot springs. it was a great little adventure; we drove just 40ish minutes away and had a fun time at these natural hot springs. (it was way sweet cause we got in for just a dollar cause they were going to close soon) and then my friends and went up the canyon and roasted smores and talked around the fire. and THEN we had a sweet glow stick dance party in our building and one of my neighbors was the DJ it was saawweeettt! :D