GOING TO PERU

So, for anyone that hasn't spoken to me in the last 48 hours, you've missed some serious shit. Mainly, that I'm not going to do the Summer Exchange position in Michigan after all, and am heading to a CEED in Arequipa, Peru, starting May 2nd. I know, it's insane. But, the good thing is I haven't let it sink in yet, or I would be flipping out right now. No, I'm pretty calm. But I will have panic attacks starting about, oh, tomorrow, concerning MONEY, SAFETY, SPANISH SKILLS, LIVING ABROAD IN GENERAL (never done it!), THE PPL THERE, CULTURE SHOCK, NOT BEING A GOOD CEEDER, you get the drift. Really, WTF? I don't know how I change my life in f*ing 48 hours, but that's AIESEC. A HUGE BIG thank-you to my EB and LC, who really supported me and didn't make me feel like shit for going back on my word and not doing summer position. Ya'll are true AIESECers, and I'm glad you realized even sooner than I did, that this is really the best thing (I hope?) to do.

Debo hablar en español, porque yo lo utilizará mucho....
Hasta luego,
ABRIL

Why don't you steal candy from little kids, too?

Yeah, you might as well, April. Everyone, I am a horrible person. I totally just dominated an Easter Egg hunt. It was sick and wrong, really. So, this Easter Egg hunt in my building was supposed to start at 9:00. When I remembered at 10:00, I was ready to go and catch up with my competition. Only, there were tons of eggs, and I don't think anyone had really actively searched for them. So I took them all. It was sick. I mean, come on, you're 18, take a few eggs and go. No, I was filled with the energy of competition. I wanted to find every egg, and find it for myself. After my arms were full, I made a make-shift basket out of newspaper. Then when that was full I ran to my room, emptied it in a drawer, and went out to fill it again. All in all, the total so far is over 50 colored plastic eggs. They probably only hid 100. I'm partly writing right now to stop myself from the gluttony, but I picked up two on the way to the computer. I am a SICK SICK person. Seriously, who does that?? Fucking hoarding Easter Eggs in my room. Lord. My excuse is my sister didn't come home for Easter, and we usually have an all-out Easter Egg hunt. Seriously, we have 248 plastic eggs we hide. Sometimes we hide them more than once. I know every good hiding place around my house in a two-mile radius. I'm a SICK SICK person, and I need to be cured of the Easter Egg hunt disease.

It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!

Happy Easter, if you celebrate it, or whatever. I found my basket this morning, which was damn hard by the way, it was under my sister's bed. I got a book and tons of candy, of course.

Hey, if you are reading this, read MAZZY'S BLOG and see if you can do anything or know anyone to help her out. She's had some lost-passport/money/airplane ticket problems, and I know we've all done something of the sort. we need to get it worked out for her, b/c we all know how insanely awesome she is!! Come on, AIESEC, we can fix this...

The Ring 2...

Whaddup all. I am at home, making a kick-ass filing system out of colored folders and bank boxes, chillin' with my family, and eagerly anticipating dying Easter eggs tonight (I rock at that shit). = )

However, last night I met up with another friend from high school, also home for the weekend, and we chose to see THE RING 2 at like 11:00. Now, what the hell? First of all, it's a scary mofo movie, let me tell you. I watched half of it through my hands. BUT it makes no sense whatsoever. That's right. If you go, don't look for a plotline, just wait for that water-soaked, hair-covered-face girl to pop out of somewhere and scare the shit out of you.

I'll admit, although the first RING was a stretch, in the end it sort of made sense. Ok, this girl got killed by her mom, for some reason there's a tape, this tape has to be passed on to not kill other people, baisically this girl wants to wreck vengeance on everyone. BUT NOW (SPOILER AHEAD!!)

First you find out she wants Aidan. Then you find out what she really wants is a mother. Then, that's not true either, because apparently the reason she keeps coming back is because the well is still open. So, after saying, "I'll be your mom", and main-character chick goes down in the well, she promptly turns around and kicks Samara in the face, forcing her back to the bottom. Don't know if that was planned or not. OH YEAH. And there's that whole thing that Samara's mother tried to kill Samara b/c really, her baby told her to. Thus prompting her to tell main-character woman Rachel she must kill her son in order to get Samara out of him. So, she does, but then Samara is still alive, taking us to the "I need a Mommy" scene. Sorry if my ordering is fucked up, but honestly, the movie is the same way. You won't understand either of us.

Don't even get me started on some of the random shit in this movie. Like every so often a mother goes to see Samara's mother (real mom, alive and in a mental institution) about their child. Or the song that everyone knows. Or the horrible scene where Rachel kills her own son (couldn't watch it, not even knowing he'd be alive later), or why she has to jump off the cliff like the adoption mother did, or why the well is always open and must be closed (didn't we close it in the first one after Rachel falls down it?) Oh yeah, and then there's still the whole unexplained thing about the deer. Like, a bunch of deer attack them on the road, then she goes back to the old house and the basement's full of deer antlers. End of story. No explanation, I'm just assuming the deer are as pissed as Samara about getting killed in a past life. Really, really fucked up movie, apparently only to be solved by the third. My favorite instance was at the end of the movie, when my friend said, "When the hell is she gonna get married?". Yes, exactly. Because ultimately, relationship-driven America only wants the girl to get the guy, or vice versa, even when she's overcoming the slight trial of a possessed son and being pursued by an exorcist-worthy ghost of a drowned girl.

FAVORITE QUOTES FROM THE MOVIE:

"Don't Stop"
"You let the dead in"
"All she wants is a mother"
"I'm not your fucking mommy"

Damn the GSIs...

WOOT! Today was a beautiful, tank-top wearin', frisbee-throwing 50 degrees here in Michigan, and I LOVED IT. I'm in a pretty good mood. One because I totally pulled a paper out of my ass in less than 2 hours, and two because an old friend called last night that I hadn't talked to in FOREVER. = )

I've got a new favorite quote, which is "Dude, I'm sotally tober". That was Kylie after "Wacky Wednesday".

HEY ALL YOU---COME TO CASINO NIGHT!! THATS RIGHT, APRIL 2ND, FORMAL DRESS, $15 DOLLARS, WITH AIESEC MICHIGAN KICKIN' YO ASS AT POKER = ) = ) Yeah, that's right. It's gonna be totally HOTT, so come up, down, over, and out to the snazziest club in the world....AIESEC MICHIGAN DOES CASINO NIGHT.

Procrastinating Again...

So I'm sitting here at work, and I"m pretty sure my co-workers think I crawl out from under a rock every morning. Seriously. Because I always roll out of bed just to run to class in order to take the attendance quiz, then run to work. And I unfailingly always manage to look like someone kicked my ass while I was running down South U.

Also, I'm a little upset that this woman that just came in the front door won't let me sign the paperwork. Typical US Postal whatever, but apparently I'm too young and incompetent looking to be trusted with a package. Great. Also, I'm a little mystified as to where the hell all my time goes. I know most of the time I'm making up lists of things to do, but then I promptly lose them and need to make more. Man, I'm becoming more of a failure each day.

BUT I've decided to spice up my usually bitchy blogs with some controversial questions, so here's the one for today---is it more important to focus on cultural differences (what are they, where do they exist, how do we deal with them), or the fact that we are all the same?? This was posed at an intercultural conference I went to, and it was a good question. Should we focus on our differences and how to support them? Or focus on our commonalities? Is this different in the real world vs. AIESEC?? Ready....your thoughts....GO!

Jesus Didn't Like Jellybeans

I'm trapped in a blog world where the only way to live is incessantly type meaningless phrases into the wee hours of the night. No, not really. What I really need is someone to tell me how to post pictures when I can't get Hello to run.

I also need someone to tell me why the hell my best friend is in Bolivia and I'm in Michigan. And where the hell the last three hours have gone. And how did I justify just not going to 4/5 classes today? Seriously, four. "Sounds like you've been missing alot of work lately", "I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob"--Office Space "So, you quit? No, I'm just not gonna go". EGGS-ACTLY. Happy Almost Easter. If you celebrate Easter. If not, I hope you get candy from some random person anyway, because really, what the fuck does candy have to do with Easter? For a day celebrating the un-death of a savior, I don't think Mary was exactly thinking, "Cadbury...yes, this is just the occasion."

PROPS TO CONNIE!!

Yeah, you heard me. Props to Connie, who not only updates her blog religiously, but endeavors to read and comment on everyone else's. Seriously, it rocks. Every time I read Burb's or Naub's or Mazz's blog, who's the first comment? Connie, that's who. And I think it's great. Con, it makes me smile to know you're out there, babe, can't wait to see you at SSC!

She Hits One Over the Fence...!

No, not really, that's just something really positive to cover up the sinking mess of my life. Honestly, April, you suck. I hate the fact that I have no clue what I'm doing with my life, yet have a million ideas. I know, "you're a freshman", but I'm getting sick of hearing that. My life is decided in the next semester, folks, and we'll see where it takes me.

For instance, since I've definitely got a C in Econ, I've decided Business School is not the best option to look into. So I've decided I'll double major in Organizational Studies and International Relations. I know, it's hott. = ) But then, I discover that Org. Studies not only would require me to take the pre-reqs (way to think ahead, Smith), but it admits in February. Conundrum? B-School admits in March. Yeah, that's what I thought. Further problem...Org is actually more competitive than the B-school, if that's possible. So, what do I do?

Scramble to get the Org pre-reqs, enroll in the program if I get in, possibly drop it if I get into the B-school? Who says I'll get into either? Then I'll get the International Relations, but will that really get me a job? I mean, I'm kind of countin' on AIESEC here, but that's only for so long. I hope after AIESEC I'll be qualified to get an MBA somewhere, but who knows? What if everyone sees my random class choice as a horrible indecision when it's really forethought? What if I single-handedly screw up my entire life just by one choice made in a 30-day period? Life sucks alot, and I'm convinced I've failed already.

I really am amazed by some of the fellow AIESECers I can talk to and hear their life plans. Some of these people (Mazz, Naub, Trent, Bost, Shirley, millions more) plan to take/create jobs that I didn't know you could hold, let alone make a living off of. Where do they get that direction and self-assurance? Maybe I worry too much. Maybe I seriously do need to give it time. How depressing. I am too spur of the moment to wait for my life to unfold.

APRIL'S NEW YORK ADVENTURE

Ok, so here'i'goes. The CRAZIEST BEST days I've ever had, and the weirdest, saddest story you'll ever hear. We'll call it April's Adventure, and not a vacation, b/c it was very unique in that sense of the word....prepare yourselves.
***DISCLAIMER—I apologize to any native NYers who may be offended, and to any Michiganders who feel they are unfairly represented…***
THE PREP
So, my plane leaves at 6:35 in the morning, and I haven't slept in 48 hours b/c two nights ago I was studying for a midterm and the last night I was drinking off the midterm and watching Eurotrip. Once I manage to get to the shuttle, to the airport, to Queens, to Manhattan, and to another shuttle to Grand Central Station, I walk to 44th and 5th, in order to watch the St. Patty’s Day parade, which is largely why I’ve come, and the beginning of my story.
THE GROUND RULES
I’ve decided that after $200 on a ticket and $100 on lodging (hostel), I can’t afford money for transportation, food, or entertainment, so I’m going to walk, see buildings but not go in them, and eat whatever I brought, which, since I didn’t have money to BUY food before, was instant oatmeal and pretzels. Oh, it gets better. On top of that, I can’t take luggage, one because I don’t have any and two because I can’t walk with it to the parade. So, that leaves me bringing what will fit (and what I can carry everywhere) in a backpack. Oatmeal, water bottle, maps of New York, shampoo, no money, and a list of emergency numbers. Yup, it’s begun.
“LIVING LIKE A BUM”
This is what Thea says, but I object. It’s more like Swiss Family Robinson, except, you know, stranded on the island of Manhattan. Sure I ate cold gruel from my water bottle in Central Park. And I ducked into the public library for a bathroom. I walked over 100 city blocks my first day, and I lived in the cheapest place on the West Side. But you don’t always need money….right?
DAY ONE
The first day I see the parade, which is fun b/c not only is it the biggest SPDP out of Ireland, but I have an old man behind me yelling, “HEY ZAMBONI!! YOU’RE A BUM!! AND A LOUSY ONE AT THAT!!” the whole time, except the name changes. Apparently this guy knows every police man and fire man in New York, and thinks it’s hilarious to try to make them mess up. Every single one of them. After the parade I try to find a way to the hostel, hoping I could walk from 44th to 106th, but I soon become convinced I’m going to die when I discover it’s on the West Side. Everything important (phone, driver’s license, credit card for emergencies) is in my inside coat pocket. I decide if someone slits my bag open and steals my shampoo I won’t be too upset. But I look behind me obsessively just in case. After finding the shit hole I call home, it’s time to fall asleep for 10 hours (at four pm).
DAY TWO
The second day I decide to hit attractions #9-49. I do splurge to buy a Metrocard, and call my friends triumphantly once I live through my first subway ride. I saw Grant’s Tomb, Trump Tower, the UN building, Rockefeller Center, tons and tons more, and ate breakfast at Tiffany’s. Just like Audrey, except I was eating pretzels. This is Friday, and I don’t really want to talk about getting lost in Little India. Or getting shooed off the steps of Madison Square Garden. Or desperately trying to find the Empire State Building (how hard is it to find?) before realizing the map is wrong. Seriously, it was wrong. I cross-referenced. But I will tell you about getting trapped in an abandoned building downtown looking for the AIESEC office….oh, yes. So, in my drunken state on Thursday morning before my plane leaves I google AIESEC US to find the address. What I come up with is 127 W. 26th Street. Which is where I go. At first, I’m thinking, hmmm, does Rickesh really go to work between an abandoned Mexican bar and a stand-while-you-wait barber shop? Does he really walk into this garage-like building with an elevator open to the street? But…it’s New York, and they’re only gettin’ paid like $35,000, so they might. Anyway, I’m not totally stupid. I wouldn’t have gone in. Except ANOTHER GIRL books it past me toward the elevator, talking on her cell phone w/ shopping bags. And I think, ok, it looks shady on the outside is all. So I jump in the elevator. (way to support crowd mentality, April). She gets off on the 5th floor, which as far as I can see, has blue carpet, white walls, and apartments. I’m like, sweet, the upper floors are offices. Oh, no. So I get to the 10th floor, and it’s a scene from Freddy Krueger. Metal walls, broken floorboards, narrow hallway with 3 doors, two with padlocks, and the other one propped open. My elevator is gone (lotta demand, apparently). Does she go in the open door? By now I was not only convinced Rickesh did NOT work in the building, I was convinced I was going to die. Yet, I go to the door anyway (maybe a death wish, I don’t know). Have you guys seen the building in Bruce Almighty? Huge, blank, white room with wood boards? It was the same exact thing, really. Exactly, but with no file cabinets, lots of old paint cans, and possibly a few deranged builders who had their minds set on drinking Michigander blood. So I booked it out of there….
p.s—I called the office and left a message, which promptly cut off just as I was giving my number. I didn’t want to sound like MORE of an ass (possible, anyone?) and call again, so needless to say I haven’t found the office yet.
DAY THREE
The third day was THE COOLEST! You have to get a “greeter” if you go to a big city. They’re free, they’re native, and they take you all over. We went to China Town, Little Italy, SoHo, NoHo, Little Italy, NoLita, Ground Zero, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Wall Street, crazy crazy!!! She showed me all the cool, out-of-the-way places and de-sanctified some churches. We worshiped in a Buddhist temple, saw transvestites in the meat-packing district, and figured out the O! Oxygen channel broadcasts right out of the Chelsea flower market. Crazy, huh?
DAY FOUR
Today I rode the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. It was raining, you have to get off the boat to get on the boat, and I wasn’t all that impressed. Same with the Empire State Building, which I finally found today. I couldn’t even tell. I literally ran into a sign (like, *ouch* ran into) and that’s how I found that, and took a picture out of obligation. Then, I walked to 106th IN THE POURING RAIN, and decided I was ready to go home. Not really, though.
CONCLUSION
New York is definitely where I will live. As impulsive as I am, I need someplace where I can be entertained (and get lost) continually. I’m pretty impressed with how I’ve learned the subway and bus system (local, express, free transfers, bwahahaha!) And I seriously feel safe going anywhere in Manhattan. Gulliani is a God. Seriously, they’ve got pictures up in subways, New York pre- and post-. He walked in the parade, and he walked AHEAD OF THE CURRENT MAYOR. People practically threw themselves on the street to talk to him. Apparently he’s the modern-day Jesus. Of Manhattan. Like Joan of Arcadia but catchier. Seriously, crime and drugs are way down, the subways are clean, anyone can say “that was before Gulliani”, and everyone knows exactly the reference. Crazy. So, PROPS TO NEW YORKERS…I couldn’t get over the fact that people live there. Kids can GROW UP in a city that cool. Crazy. When people leave New York City, where do they go???

Even my vacations are hectic...

Man, I'm gonna bomb this midterm. Which is why I'm blogging like it's my job, and wondering why the hell I scheduled a meeting for 6-7:30 when my midterm's at 8:00. Not to mention while trying to throw together meeting shit and study (sort of), I'm desperately trying to get ready for my flight that leaves at dawn tomorrow morning. Crazy. Sounds like Mazz and Trent will be in NYC...they'll probably get there Monday. I may have to stay over a few days...sounds like quite the AIESEC party. Ketvirt's in town (Ann Arbor) tonight...crazy!! We need a single mode of transportation between Ann Arbor and New York City, cause man, we'd pick up exchange miles. I don't really think that made sense. But anyway...took the summer position job for Michigan. Pretty sweet, in the words of Napoleon Dynamite. Exchange Co-ordinator. I like the sound of that. Uber-excited, although my punctuation begs to differ. That's just because it's too hard to reach the exclamation mark. !!!!!!!!! There. Effusiveness.

SO PUMPED!!

AAAAAHHHH!!! EVER GET THAT CRAZY AIESEC FEELING THAT YOU CAN DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING AS LONG AS YOU STICK TO YOUR CONVICTIONS AND BELIEVE IN CHANGE??? Of course you have, and let me tell you friends, it KICKS ASS. Yes, and the great thing is---it's totally reciprocal!! I mean, I read a random blog or hear a great AIESECer's life plan, or even read monthly updates on the nation and realize WE'RE DOING IT. Then, my motivation hopefully spurs on someone else. The great thing about moments of elation and clarity is they come with overpowering motivation and re-affirmation. These are my deep words of wisdom for the night...they may be cliche, but damn it, I know I mean it, and somewhere along the line, you've thought the exact same thing.......

My incompetency astounds even me...

HELP! Explain how to open the "Hello" thing to post pictures...my computer won't do it. And you know I can't do anything manually. What is a computer-illiterate girl to do?!?! I should have a batman-like signal for people like Greg Dunkleberger who can save our fair city from the perils of technology. Help me, IS techies!! You're my only hope!! (ok, waxing a little Princess Lea there, but I honestly am desperate...)

Quote of the Night:

Burns: I suggest you leave immediately
Homer: Or what? You'll release the dogs or the bees? Or the dogs with bees in their mouths and when they bark they shoot bees at you?

Wow! This needs to stop...

April, get a life, seriously. Ya'll, I don't know where my time goes, but I'm pretty sure I'm just pissing it away. For instance, I couldn't tell you the last time I did ANYTHING that even remotely RESEMBLED homework, but then, what else am I doing? AIESEC stuff, sure, but it's not a crazy busy time...just OGX and SN impact and mentorship. What the hell? I know I'm not sleeping, that's for sure, so it must be that I'm netting like it's my job. True, true! I check my e-mail obsessively, for one. I also spend quite alot of time reading random news articles. Speaking of which, more seriously, what do we think about the Bolivian riots? Hats off to Yoel from Arequipa, Peru, who is not only trying to find a way through Bolivia to Brazil by bus to AXLDS with all the roads shutting down, but is also transporting (we hope) an entire delegation from Ecuador. Crazy!! Glad the rest of you are flying in--sounds like hard shit getting there. Have a rocking time, it's gonna be hott!! What is it, T-8 days? 9? Pretty close!! Anyway, now I'm rambling, so I'll go, but seriously, don't procrastinate, because it's ruining my life...

Quote of the Day:
"Don: Hey, Napoleon. What did you do last summer again?
Napoleon Dynamite: I told you! I spent it with my uncle in Alaska hunting wolverines!
Don: Did you shoot any?
Napoleon Dynamite: Yes, like 50 of 'em! They kept trying to attack my cousins, what the heck would you do in a situation like that?
Don: What kind of gun did you use?
Napoleon Dynamite: A freakin' 12-gauge, what do you think? "---Napoleon Dynamite

Quiero ir a Perú!!! = ) jejeje

Crazy!!! Ok, so I'm back from ILS (sweet, sweet conference!) and after speaking w/ Stacey and Bostwick for like, nine hours, (seriously, I took OVER their spring break...) I decided to go for the CEED in Peru! HOTT! CRAZY! The only thing was convincing mis padres, I know, impossible!! Youngest of four girls, only 18 to South America? You bet. I'm applying!! Insanity! They said yes (barring terrorist attacks, political movements, etc. happening between then and now)!! Insane. I should be in sales. ; ) But seriously, wtf! You better believe I'm calling on the forces that be (Bost, Amber, Shirley)to help w/ this application, kids, 'cause I've pretty much packed my bags for Arequipa...