I AM STILL ALIVE!

Oh Hello WORLD!

Yes, I am still alive. It has been a crazy few months and here is a bit of a recap:

1. I went to UGANDA over Christmas break on an NYU study abroad. In a nutshell, we learned Traditional Ugandan dance for the first week and then taught Ugandan children modern dance the second week.

2. I am working at the Joffrey Ballet School, Jumpstart, and the Children's Aid Society. YIKES! Filling out so many time sheets is so annoying, but I need to work!

3. NYU 2nd semester.......oh lord. We are physically in class more and I wish we were not. We talk a lot this semester and it kind be VERY boring. I really want to get more hands on but at least I am on SPRING BREAK NOW! I have never felt so overwhelmed though and I will be doing homework for spring break.

4. I have an ADORABLE niece named Vienna that I really cannot get enough of. I Facetime all the time and I go to Connecticut to visit once a month.

5. Last week I went to Penn state to represent NYU at the American College Dance. It was a lot of fun and it was very inspiring to see what other colleges are doing.

6. I am thoroughly enjoying the new classroom I am in for Jumpstart. The kids are so cute, they love me, and they are so happy to be there. One of them talks like Elmo and randomly cries but as soon as you distract him he forgets about his tears.

7. I love my roomies.....but we are going to have to move if our landlord does not renew our lease.

8. LINsanity- love it! Pintrest- LOVE IT MORE!

9. I start student teaching in July!

10. I miss dancing. I love taking class and I wish I could enjoy all the classes NYC has to offer.

Despite all my complaining, I really do love living in this city. I enjoy the fast pace, packed days, and the many things to do here. I am making great friends and I have trouble keeping up with everyone. I miss California a LOT especially since it is cold here but it looks like it is heating up soon!

What is going on in your life?

-Chrissie

1st month of Grad School!

WOW! So much has happened since I last wrote! Here is the lowdown:

1. I overall love living in NYC! It really is a dream come true! My mom was here earlier this month and she commented that when I first visited NYC to college visit NYU, I stayed at a hotel that is currently 3 blocks from my now apartment.

2. School is good. Sometimes it feels like undergrad and some days are better than others. Some of my professors are incredibly prepared and engaging, while others could use some work. I really like seeing the same people every day though and exploring dance education.

3. I have made great group of friends in my program! They are from the South and we are getting closer and closer.

4. My apartment is great, I love it! My roomies (ami and jess) are really fun and I love getting to know them.

5. I am working at three jobs again. I work at the Children's Aid Society, Joffrey Ballet School, and Jumpstart! Jumpstart is an Americorps program where we go into preschools and work on reading with the kids. Yes, I am too busy.

6. I still go to the gym 5 times a week!

I feel like I have more to say but I really need to do my reading! Sorry this is so boring. More to come!

-Chrissie

China- Part 2- Shanghai

After Beijing, we flew to Shanghai.

Our itinerary in Shanghai was a bit different since there was less to see and more free time. Our car and guide picked us up and drove us to our hotel. We were far away from downtown but our hotel was amazing. We were put in a suite and it had a gym!

The first night my mom and I decided to explore our hotel area. We ate simple noodles and dumplings which were SO cheap and then headed back to our hotel for rest. The next morning our tour guide picked us up and we went to the Jade Buddha Temple, walked around the French concession, and went to a Silk Factory. The tour also allowed us to go shopping in one of the shopping plazas but it was just as if I was in Irvine. Prices were not any cheaper than America and that really bothered me. There was a huge thunderstorm that night so we just stayed around our hotel area again that night.

The following day was our only "free day" and my mom and I had a blast walking around Shanghai. The city is easy to navigate, subway is easy to use, and we kept finding things to eat, like 85 degrees- my FAVORITE bakery! Boba is super good there too.

We went shopping, a museum, an amazing bookstore, and saw the sights at night. It was really great and chill.

So after Shanghai we went to Hong Kong. Our flight was delayed (of course) so we were not sure what would happen with our tour guide since we knew we would not have a private guide anymore. Eventually we found her and we went to this hotel that seemed to have a MILLION guests. The man who made it was the founder of the Cub Scouts.

Our first night in HK my grand aunt and my auntie met us up and we ate some delicious seafood. We were actually on the Kowloon so we walked across the millions of shops and saw HK at night. I LOVE cities so HK was definitely right up my ally.

The next day we had a group tour and we saw a market and Victoria's Peak. I did not really like the group tour because we spent most of our time in the bus listening to our driver make bad jokes. We drove by a bunch of beaches and I wish I could have gone out to them. That night my mom and I went shopping and bargained for our items. Thanks mom for the fake Toms!

The next morning we went to Macau. Macau has 28 casinos and is a rival to Vegas. Well, I did not see any of that. After the boat from HK to Macau we were shuttled along to a bus where we did random touristy things. We only had 20 min in a hotel so I am sad I did not get to see more of it. Macau had nice fresh air and really good pastries.

That night we met up with an old friend from church and tried to see the Symphony of Lights. We thought the Symphony of Lights would be sort of "disney" because our tour mates raved about it. It was more like a search party but hey, that's cool HK.

Our trip was then over! Thanks Mom for a fabulous taste of the motherland!

China- Part 1

Hey Chrissie, how was China?

Where do I begin!

We will start with the basics. I went to China with my mom and we spent 3 days in Beijing, 3 in Shanghai, and 3 in Hong Kong. In Beijing we climbed the Great Wall, walked through the Forbidden City, saw the Ming Tombs (it's a mound of dirt- I wish I was kidding), grazed through the Summer Palace, strolled through the Temple of Heaven, rickshawed through the Hu Tong, and went to numerous tourist traps. By tourist traps I mean a jade factory, pearl factory, traditional Chinese pharmacy, porcelain factoy, and acrobatic show. We had a private car and tour guide which was wonderful and the only reason we were able to have such productive days.

The Great Wall was way steeper than I expected. Those steps are a beast! I had no traction on my shoes and I was focused on not falling down the Great Wall like humpty dumpty meanwhile I had the voice of my mother counting every step she took. 622 steps, in case you were wondering. What fascinated me about the Great Wall was the attire. I came in an old t-shirt, tattered jeans, and shoes that ended up breaking. The other tourists came in wedges, dresses, suits, while THEY HELD THEIR BABIES. I am not kidding.

My favorite place we visited was the Temple of Heaven. This place was in my guide book as a must-see but was not on our tour. My mom and I woke up at 5am to take the subway and see the Temple of Heaven and its park before we left for Shanghai. When we entered the park we saw a vast amount of trees and even more elderly Chinese people doing various forms of exercise. If you know me, I love being outside and I love exercise even more. The Temple of Heaven was a perfect combination for me!

Beijing was a lot cleaner than I expected. Even though the air quality was horrible (apparently you can rarely see the sun even though we saw a lot if it) the place was CLEAN. I felt like I was in a suburb, traffic included!

The food in Beijing was not what I expected. I thought it would be better! The one exception was the Peking Duck. I don't even like duck that much, but this duck was phenomenal. I gobbled it up and my mother and I could not believe what amazing flavor it had. Out of everything I ate in China, this duck was the most fantastic.

Next post- Shanghai!

Summer 2011

Hi!

I think me getting sick in SF is God telling me to slow down. And also to write in my blog.

I am sorry I have not updated in so long. It has been a crazy summer and here is the recap:

1. I moved out of the SERC (I miss you Sarah and Rosa!) and went to see my sister in Hartford.

2. From there I went to St. Louis to see my brother and cousins where I ate delicious food, drove my aunt's minivan, and took a day trip to Chicago. I had never been to Chi-town before and my brother drove me there just so I could eat the MOST AMAZING PIZZA! I also fell in love with Nancy's dog.

3. I came back to Hartford for one day and then moved to NYC to work for the Joffrey Ballet School summer intensive. After a very stressful 8 weeks as an RA I am happy to say I made new friends and got used to the city.

4. While working as an RA I also worked at the JBS Dance Camp for 3-6 year olds.

5. In addition to that job, I also became a the dance teacher at the Children's Aid Society in Harlem where I taught modern/creative movement classes This was an INCREDIBLE experience and I feel that it really challenged me and my patience as a teacher. The kids were pretty rowdy but I managed to get some great results and Justin Bieber Dance Parties out of them.

6. After I finished at JBS, I came home for one day for a family reunion! My grand-aunt turned 80 and so all of my extended family on my Dad's side came out for a few days of eating. We also threw Tracie a baby shower! My first ever!

7. The next day my mom and I headed out to Beijing! We spent 3 days in Beijing, 3 in Shanghai, and 3 in Hong Kong. I really liked China and I promise I will write more about the trip and post photos.

8. From HK my mom went back home and I spent 2 days in SF celebrating a friend's birthday. It was great seeing old friends but it was so cold there. Which is why I am now sitting in bed with a stuffy nose.

9. I am currently in Garden Grove spending time with my family and friends before school starts. Let me know if you want to hang out!

So that was my summer!

-Chrissie

Reasons Why I love teaching little kids

1. While stretching and making a "rainbow"

Me: Girls, what colors are in your rainbows?

The girls: Blue, green, yellow, red
Me: Well, mine has sparkles
Girl: Well mine has a Unicorn leaping over the rainbow!
Another Girl: Mine is a regular rainbow with a pot of gold at the end

2. While pretending to be fairies:

Girl: Miss Chrissie, I know where fairies come from.
Me: Where?
Girl: A baby's first laugh

3.After my last class:

Girl: Bye Miss Chrissie!
Me: Bye! Have a great summer!
Girl: I love you!
Me: (started to cry)

4. In the beginning of class:

Me: Please say your name and how old you are
Girl: CatRabbit!

5. While getting ready for the Airplane Song:

Me: Girls, what flies in the sky and carries people?
Girl: tomatoes, raspberries, and strawberries

6: While stretching:

Me: Girls, what comes after the rain? (the answer is always a rainbow)
Girl that clings to me like a cat and never smiles: A puddle (then pouts lips)

7: Before class

Me: Hi! Look how big you have gotten!
Mom: Tell Miss Chrissie what you wear now
Boy: UNDERWEAR!

8: Before class
Me: Hi! I am Miss Chrissie
Boy: todayireachedupandtheniputmyhandoutandthesoapcameoutandicouldreachit!!!!!
(I have never seen someone so excited to receive soap)

9: While asking what the kids did this week:
Girl: MY FISH DIED AND WE HAD A FUNERAL AND IT WAS SO SO SAD
Me: ohhh sweetie, I am so sorry

Later I tried to give me condolences to her mom
Mom: What fish? Oh, you mean Pablo? That fish died 3 years ago

The break up letter

Dear DC,

This is really hard for me to say. You know I like you a lot, but I think its time that we break things off. I know things have been going really well, with MYB, NDEO, and Contradiction, but I think something just doesn't sit right with me. I have grown so much with you in the past year and its been fun seeing you grow too. H street has never been so crowded and there are so many new restaurants to go too. I mean, I tried to stay but I don't see how this is going to work. To be honest, I am just not attracted to you anymore.

You will be great without me, you don't even need me! There will be plenty of other young, Asian, professionals coming to the city and you won't even miss me at all. In fact, there will be someone better for you, someone who doesn't work on Saturdays and lives in Maryland.

I know what you might be thinking. Did I find someone else? To be honest, I did. Its New York. I am sure this is not a surprise for you. I am so sorry.

I want us to stay friends though. I can't imagine my life without you. It might be hard at first but it will get better. Take as much time as you need and I will visit. Its only a 4 hour bus ride away. Please take care, I will be thinking of you often and I wish you the best.

I love you.

-Chrissie