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1/5/2019 0 Comments Cool places I'd like to visit Got any travel plans? The first three Saturday posts for January will be about traveling. This post is all about where I'd like to go and why! I'm not a travel enthusiast and don't desire to travel the world or a bunch of countries, but here are a few places I've set my mind on to visit. Many times I hear people want to visit Paris because it's the city of love and the Eiffel tower is there. I want to go because I would love to tour the catacombs of Paris. The catacombs hold six million people who have died. The bones are fit together like puzzle pieces along the walls like the picture above. I learned about this place from a book I read, Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. It's about a high school girl who found a diary belonging to a girl that lived during the French Revolution. I have read the book twice and loved it more the second time. Being able to visit this place would make the story come alive to me. I love mountains! It's what I love the most about California. I can see the outline of the mountains in the distance. Absolutely beautiful. I want to take a trip to Coroico, Bolivia and stay in a cabin there to enjoy the mountains, wildlife, and culture. The prices are affordable considering all you can see and do like hiking, cycling, touring rivers and waterfalls, and seeing the sights! The picture above is not from Bolivia, I couldn't find one free to use, so enjoy a picture of the French Mountains! Or is this in Germany? Last, but certainly not least, is Morocco! I have heard great things about Morocco, specifically Marrakech. I've seen videos and pictures so it's on my travel list. Stay tuned for next week's post about travel ideas. *2nd Photo by Travis Grossen on unsplash.com *3rd Photo by Chris Holgersson on unspash.com *4th Photo by Dominik Stotter on unsplash.com
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This is part two of interviewing Gilman scholarship recipients. Today, Martha will share her experience with the Gilman scholarship and studying abroad. Where did you go for the study abroad trip/what did you study?
I went to Scotland and studied the history of punk. The cities we stayed at for the program were Glasgow and Edinburgh. I was part of the Faculty Led Education Abroad Program, so we were a group of UCR students led by a UCR professor. The official name of the media and cultural studies class is Subcultural Affiliations: Transatlantic Popular Culture. What is your major? My major is creative writing, and my minor is in media and cultural studies. How did the ability to receive the Gilman Scholarship impact you? The ability to receive the Gilman Scholarship helped me to pay off the loans for my study abroad program. It helped me find ways to fund my study abroad trip. It also has given me the opportunity to connect with other professionals in order to help other first-generation students get the opportunity to study abroad. What personal or financial challenges might have prevented you from going abroad? Financially, I may not have been able to go abroad if I had not received aid. One of my loans did not arrive into my account in time and I owed $1000 that I had to pay out of my own pocket. Personally, I was terrified of traveling internationally by myself, so I almost thought of not going because I was scared that I would get lost or something. However, my fears were eased after finding other peers who have traveled international and being able to receive tips and guidance on how to navigate that. Would you have been able to finance the study abroad trip without the scholarship? I was awarded the Gilman scholarship when I returned from my trip. Without the Gilman, I planned to use loans and my refund check from spring quarter. While I would have been able to get the loans to study abroad, I would have been in more debt than I would have liked had I not received the scholarship especially as I’m going into fall quarter. Had I not received the scholarship at all, then I would be completely broke right now. What is something you know now, that you wish you knew before the trip? I wish I knew not to bring a towel, since the place I was staying at provided towels. I also wished I knew that I did not need all the stuff recommended to purchase for traveling abroad. I think the majority of my money went into buying stuff to prepare myself for an emergency, but now I have all these things like two charger adapters that I won’t use ever again. So, while it’s good to plan for an emergency, chances are that I won’t need ALL the items. Instead, I could have bought smaller quantities of the items and not stressed out so much on what to pack for the program. I also wish I knew to be more adventurous. I was scared of interacting with Scottish people because I was scared of not understanding their accents and looking like a fool. In reality, Scottish people are very nice. Throughout my study abroad program, I saw some of my classmates talking to locals and they learned so much more about their culture. I wished I would have taken that chance to not be afraid to look silly. Why is the opportunity to study abroad important to you as an individual and to students in general? The opportunity to study abroad is important to me because I would not have the opportunity to travel outside of the state again. I am a first-generation college student, and the only other person in my family who has gone to college was my cousin. She kept encouraging me to study abroad because she did not take that opportunity when she was a student. I also have other mentors and professional staff members who kept encouraging me to study abroad because they never did it and it was their biggest regret. As a student, I think the opportunity to study abroad is important because it allows us to get out of our comfort zones to experience a new culture. We are at this point of our lives were we are still learning and growing, so going abroad to meet new people, new cultures, new experiences is something that has shaped how I view the rest of my career. Many of us, students, believe that we cannot afford to study abroad. I used to think that too, but it is important for us to know that there is aid available. If you've been following my blog for sometime, you may know I went on a study abroad trip this past summer to Brazil. What you may not know is, I received the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to help finance my trip. I would not have gone on the trip without it. What is this scholarship? Well, straight from the Gilman scholarship website it says, "The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness." I am grateful for this scholarship that allowed me to expand my horizons and learn about another culture while living and studying there. As a recipient of the scholarship, I had to create a Follow-up Service Project that promoted and informed others about the scholarship opportunity. I want students to be encouraged to study abroad. My project was to interview students and create a blog post about their experience. Today, you will read about Nick's experience with the Gilman Scholarship and his trip to England. Where and what did you study?
I went abroad summer of 2018 to study math in England. How did the ability to receive the Gilman Scholarship impact you? I was relieved to have received the Gilman Scholarship, covering more than half of the trip, because I knew I could afford the rest out of pocket. Even if I had not received the scholarship, I had already made up my mind to go abroad, even if it meant I would have taken out loans to finance the trip. Nothing would have prevented me from studying abroad. This scholarship made me comfortable to experience a different culture without so many financial limitations. Would you have been able to finance the study abroad trip without the scholarship? There are many cost that I didn’t think of as I went abroad, the groceries and transportation, but I still wanted to experience all the fun. I visited different cities and attractions, London Eye, Big Ben, the London Tower, and so much more. The scholarship made the whole trip even better than it would have been without it, I was humbled to completely open my mind to a whole new world. What is something you know now, that you wish you knew before the trip? The only thing I would change about my trip is how prepared I was to travel to England. I had briefly looked online for some fun attractions, but there is so much to England I didn’t know about. I wish I knew about the little holes in the wall and some of the less known, more local, places to visit. Why is the opportunity to study abroad important to you as an individual and to students in general? To fully enjoy a new culture, it is important to know what locals’ lives are like, the stores they visit, the restaurants they eat at, and their daily routines. I truly believe everyone should experience a different culture to expand their world knowledge. Its humbling experiencing life in a world you’re unfamiliar with. In the society we live in today its necessary for all students to experience this. We must become a global citizen to grow our understanding of the situations we are in today and to improve the conditions of our life. There is a history to all knowledge and we should expand what we know wherever that history may be. *Photo by Amy Humphries * 11/17/2018 0 Comments Nanowrimo 2018! It's that time of year to write a novel in a month!
I'm actually not starting a new story, instead I am continuing a story I have had since high school. It's getting revamped. Last summer I created an outline, this past summer I resumed writing, and now during this month of November, I am participating in Nanowrimo. If you don't know what that is, I explained in this post last July when this blog was born. The story for this month is called "Her War". Here is the temporary summery until I come up with something better: It's the year 2110 and WW3 is here, but no one know how or why it started. Andrei was a photojournalist covering the beginning of the war and a Romanian diplomat and spy. Because of this, he realized the world governments were hiding something. The war didn't seem to be about nuclear weapons. A group of government officials and civilians band together to stop the war, but first, they must find Andrei. He left them a treasure hunt to find him and stop the war once and for all. However, when the group finds out the real reason for the war has less to do with nuclear weapons and more to do with people as weapons, their perspective changes. The objective transforms into a human rights fight. But can the team prove they're human? It's been difficult trying to write while in school. I have so many things to do and sometimes I forget about Nanowrimo. However, I am getting some words down and that's the important thing. This is all about challenge and fun. I'll try to post more about my progress too! I will be working on a cover soon so stay tuned for that! 10/6/2018 1 Comment Don't Burn Yourself Out Too Quickly There are times when we are bombarded with a multitude of opportunities and responsibilities. Sometimes it's hard to manage these things and incorporate them into our lives without running ourselves into the ground. We don't NEED to do everything or say yes to every opportunity that comes by, but sometimes it is difficult to say no. It's difficult to discern which things are most important and which can be done at a later date or not necessary at all.
Take a step back and look at what you have on your plate. In fact, write down everything you have to do. You will find that some things are necessary and probably not up for debate (work (unless you're quitting), class, family time). You will also find that there are things you can eliminate or move around if you can. If there is a event or workshop done on multiple days, switch the day(s) you go to accommodate another thing. Focus on your goals and how the opportunities and responsibilities can help you reach them. Focus on the quality of life you want. Always running around and not enjoying life? Or. Understanding your values and finding a balance. Don't forget about rest. Rest is very important to keep us energized and functioning properly. In my last post, I discussed my goals for my last quarter at college. I wanted to have fun and focus on writing. Those were the biggest things. So far, I haven't had time to write! I have a lot of readings for class, meetings for my clubs, and an internship! This "relaxing" last quarter turned hectic in less than a week and it already reminds me of junior year. However, I had a lot of fun junior year. The point is, I'm going to have to cut some things out and/or manage my time in a more meticulous manner than I have before. My studying/note-taking habits are also adapting as well. I am a flexible person so it's possible, but that doesn't make it less difficult. All of these things are easier said than done, but not impossible. * Photo by Andres F. Uran on Unsplash 9/22/2018 0 Comments Senior year goals! It's my last year in college!
I don't have any specific goals in mind, I just want to enjoy the last few months I have in school. I'm only taking three classes classes this quarter which I haven't done in five quarters (almost two years ago)! Because of this, I have more time to focus on writing projects and joining new clubs like fencing or trying out for a dance team. It's important not to be overwhelmed in any area of your life if you can help it. Coming form summer, I want to shift more focus onto my writing and finishing up projects that have sat on the back burner for years. One book in particular, Her War, looks like it will be the next completed book. Last summer I managed to create an outline for the story so writing has been breezy. Of course, I expect myself pay attention in class and take helpful notes for my readings so I can ace my classes again. Junior year was amazing and I ended it with almost straight A's. This quarter, I'm going to relax, do academically well while learning awesome topics, and do fun things I couldn't in earlier years. Before we dive into the pros of a beta-reader, let's define this term first.
Bookwritingbusiness.com describes it as, "Beta readers are non-professionals who read a manuscript prior to publishing or read a pre-release of a book. If a beta reader is provided a manuscript they’re often asked to read for spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. They may comment on parts of a story that are confusing or things that don’t make sense." In July 2017 I completed my novel, Our Father and since then I have edited it myself about four times. In the first week of September, I reached out to some people on Goodreads to become Beta-readers for Our Father. It's exciting to know someone else is going to read your story, but also nerve-racking because it special to me and I don't want them to think it sucks. We have the agreement of weekly updates so they will send me notes on the chapters they read. Right now I have two beta-readers, and two other ones that have fit me into their schedule for December. My first book, Illuminate my World was self-published with Createspace, but this time around I am going the traditional route. So why use beta-readers?
I am also a Beta-reader for another writer, so that experience is very interesting. I try to say as much as I can so I can help the writer. Being honest even if it sounds a little harsh (but I try not to be harsh) is necessary. This is an important project for the writer, so taking it seriously is a must. I will give an update next month some of my betas get back to me. *Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash 9/8/2018 0 Comments Tips for Public Speaking Many people have a fear of public speaking whether it's in front of a crowd, or a classroom. I actually enjoy public speaking, but I do get nervous. Here are some tips to help you stay calm, cool, and collected while you are speaking in front of a lot of people.
1. Find some enjoyment in your topic: If you're excited about something you want to share it so others can feel that excitement too. Your mood about the project, presentation, or speech will change. Even if you are just excited to show off the cool designs on the PowerPoint slides, it will help put that pep in your voice and give you something to focus on as you speak and present. For example, let's say you are presenting about the extinction of a certain type of animal. You might feel strongly about this subject after doing hours of research and you will want to convey that same energy during the presentation. So instead of feeling nervous, you feel determined to educate the audience on that topic and make sure they really understand why it's a problem. On the other hand, maybe you drew diagrams and pictures of the animal and they are the best pieces of art you have ever done. Showing those off will make you feel proud of the project and excited to share it with the audience. 2. Note card with important points: Writing every single line you have to say on a note card can hurt more than help. Try to memorize the details of your topic so you're not stuck staring at the note card the whole time. In high school I believe most teachers will allow you to read off the note card or your slides, but in college if you have a presentation it's less likely. Make bullet points of the important points, then while you are speaking elaborate those points with more details. 3. Scan the crowd or look above their heads/ spaces in between people: Making eye contact is tough for a lot of people whether during conversation, interviews, or a presentation. I suggest for class presentation or speeches, look over their heads or the spaces in between people's heads so it seems like you are making eye contact with various people. You can also scan through the crowd so your gaze doesn't have to settle on one person. I had a professor that would look at the wall behind us when he was speaking. It was weird but it worked for him. 4. Remember why you are doing it and what you are getting from it: If this is for a grade, remember that! You need to do well enough to get that A+. This is motivation while you are up there presenting. If this is a work project, well it makes you look like a competent employee that really cares about that job. Educating the public is important too. Not everything needs an incentive and the mere fact that you are able to inform a group of people about a topic they may have no knowledge on is great. Their minds will be enriched... as long as your information is credible. 5. It's only a few minutes of your live. Once it's over, you move on... until the next one: Sometimes when you're up there it feels like a lifetime. Those five minutes, ten minutes, or twenty minutes, feel like FOREVER. But I'm here to tell you, it's not. In fact, you may never remember those few minutes. *Poof* Gone like the wind. Hope you enjoyed these five tips to keep you relaxed and focused while presenting in front of an audience. *Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash Today is September 1st! Last month (aka yesterday :D) I laid out goals for each week. Some were for editing, writing for my books, setting up appointments, an assignment, etc. It helped me keep track of the things I needed to get done. It also held me accountable for completing each task by the end of the week. With my weekly goals, I had daily tasks from Sunday to Saturday except for the first week, because I started on August 1st, a Wednesday. Each week I also worked on a specific book of mine, and read books I had been harboring for months!. August 1st to August 4th: This week the book I was read was Wraith by Phaedra Weldon. I edited my completed story Our Father. It's about a young woman named Robyn being stalked by her childhood best friend who ends up kidnapping and taking Robyn to her estranged father. I finalized a dance choreography that was inspired by another dance video. I wrote a blog post for the next week, submitted to literary magazines, did an outline for my assignment, and memorized two bible verses. August 5th to August 11th: This week the book I was read was Nzingha: Warrior Queen of Angola 1595 by Patricia McKissack. I wrote for Being a Model, a story about Mai aspiring to be a model and struggling in the fashion industry. Working on this story has always been difficult for me. There are many avenues I could take this, I'm just not sure which one is the best one. I can't seem to get inside my main character's head and really understand her as an individual person. There are a lot of ideas in my head, but typing them out and being satisfied with how it fits with the story is what I struggled. I outlined page two of my essay and filled it in, worked on music composition, took creative photos, submitted to a few literary magazines, and memorized two more bible verses. August 12th to August 18th: This week the book I was read was The Sound of Butterflies by Rachael King. This week was fun in terms of writing for The Other Side of the Mirror. This story is about a young woman dealing with alopecia and discovering she is adopted. She then travels to Madagascar to find her biological parents, but instead finds love, and becomes Queen of Fleur Fanjakana. Rather than Volana feeling happy and free, she feels stuck and lost after not finding her parents, and gaining new responsibilities as a Queen. Whew, that was long. World building was necessary for this story because even though it takes place in real countries, the way things are set up are not the same. It's a modern setting with some futuristic elements. The politics and landscape are different too. It was a bit of a headache, but my connection with this main character is much stronger than with Mai from Being a Model. I planned a video for Skillshare (a platform for watching online classes on various subjects you may be interested in like writing, technology, business, etc) about making a writing schedule. Recording wasn't difficult but finding a video editor was. The ones I found were terrible. I also submited to another literary magazine and made a dentist appointment. August 19th to August 25th: I wasn't done reading the book from last week so it rolled into this week. I did another round of editing for Our Father which went by quicker. This week's story was Her War. It's set during the future during a third world war. No one know what it's really about. A group of people trying to figure out what the war is about band together to search for a photojournalist who was also looking for a reason for the war before he disappeared. This story was fun and easier to write for because last summer I created a complete outline. It's not detailed, just important scenes that need to happen. I hung up two posters on my wall, submitted to another literary magazine, went to my dentist appointment, walked around downtown taking pictures and wrote at a coffee shop. August 26th to August 31st: Last week of August! No reading this week, still trying to get over The Sound of Butterflies before diving into another novel. I made another outline for 16 years ago, the story I wrote for Nanowrimo. This one is about a man who believes his sister that died 16 years has reincarnated into 16 year old Christy due to some resemblances in appearance and personality. I also worked on my posters, this blog post, and found a couple books on reincarnation at the library. Some days I woke up before eleven, other days I didn't. For me, it doesn't matter what time I wake up, I can still be very productive throughout the day because I don't sleep as early as most people so it gives me a few extra hours. Though, I try to wake up earlier because for some reason I'm not an afternoon person. I'm a night owl and a bit of a morning person, but afternoons really kill the mood. I feel like the day is just dragging on. Once the sky begins to dim, I get a surge of energy. Anyways, my point is, it was possible to get everything or almost everything crossed off on my list regardless of what time I woke up. It was fun trying new things like making music or coming up with a dance or taking photos. Every morning I was encouraged to get working because it was fun and I learned something. I took charge of this summer and made it what I wanted it to be.
*Photo by Daniil Silantev on Unsplash 8/18/2018 0 Comments Try Something New “How do you know it’s impossible, if you don’t try?”
Sometimes we get really stuck in the same box, the same comfort zone for a long time. The habits we've created have grown and matured. It's important to keep learning new skills. You can start by watching tutorials on YouTube, taking classes, or just trying it without help. Stop being afraid to take a different track than the one you go on every single day.
You may think, "I'm good here." No! Do not get comfortable, because life will hit you with a flaming fast ball out of nowhere. I encourage you, yes YOU to try something new and discover another fun thing. The world is too vast to stay in a four by four. Continue to expand, even by little measures. Maybe one day someone will need help decorating their living room and because you've been watching interior design videos on YouTube, you have insight (maybe). Say your friend is having a party and wants to bake a really cool cake, but doesn't know how. Thankfully, you've been taking baking classes and can help her. These examples sound far-fetched, but I hope the message still got through. I'm not saying do it for others, you could be in those predicaments. Doing something you haven't done brings a new kind of excitement because it's not what you're used to. So please try something new and encourage others to do so as well! *Photo by Patrick Boucher on Unsplash |
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