Hopeful

Girls, ladies, and women - this one goes out to you! 

ヘ(^_^ヘ)(ノ^_^)ノ

In every culture and every nation, women are still considered the weaker sex. Even in today's society, 
where women are visible and active in the workforce, politics and government, combat, information 
technology, engineering, science, business, and in religious roles like pastors; the world right now 
specifically the media continues to categorize women as sexual objects, housewives, overly 
emotional beings that causes drama. I ask,

Is it that funny?
Is it that entertaining to watch a person, particularly a female getting humiliated? 
Just because our bodies are different, is it right for you to abuse us, use us, and ruin us? 
Are we not allowed to keep our pride?

I don't know about the rest of the females in this world, but I for one not only find this disturbing, 
it's sickening, it makes me feel ashame to be a woman! 

A few weeks ago, I saw a video that inspired me and brought me hope. From ted.com, 
"Our Century's Greatest Injustice" by Sheryl WuDunn documents the extraordinary testimonies and 
messages from women around the world that has stepped up against injustice towards women.

Sheryl tells the story of a young girl in Dabian Mountains, Central China-

Dai Manju is 13 years old at the time the story starts.She lives with her parents, her two brothers and her great-aunt. They have a hut that has no electricity, no running water, no wristwatch, no bicycle. And they share this great splendor with a very large pig. Dai Manju was in sixth grade when her parents said, "We're going to pull you out of school because the 13-dollar school fees are too much for us. You're going to be spending the rest of your life in the rice paddies. Why would we waste this money on you?" We wrote about her in The New York Times. We got a flood of donations - We turned the money over to the principal of the school. He was delighted. He thought, "Oh, I can renovate the school. I can give scholarships to all the girls, you know, if they work hard and stay in school. So Dai Manju basically finished out middle school. She went to high school. She went to vocational school for accounting. She scouted for jobs down in Guangdong province in the south. She found a job, she scouted for jobs for her classmates and her friends. She sent money back to her family. They built a new house, this time with running water, electricity, a bicycle, no pig. And over the years, as we followed Dai Manju, we were able to see that she was able to move out of a vicious cycle and into a virtuous cycle. She not only changed her own dynamic, she changed her household, she changed her family, her village.

After watching this video, Sheryl really inspired me to be apart of a social change. We've all heard it before, everyone can make a difference; it's the will to follow through in which the difference and change can occur. YOU, yourself have the power to do great things, to see beyond yourself in an act of selflessness and care for others. This video also made me think about education and how it really does open doors and opportunities. When I hear this, it makes my heart flutter. There's so much to learn, so much to experience, so much we can do. 

On Christmas day, I went to a local theater to watch, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I'm not going to write a review about it, I just want to say a couple things... this movie shows both sides of the argument when it comes to the Media's image of women. One, it tells a story of a young woman that is "different", thus highlighting women's individualism. You can say it sort of has a feminist edge to it. On the other hand, it shows the same women being raped, using her sexuality to get what she wants/needs, and voluntarily giving up her body out of physical desire and emotional release. 
And it pisses me the fuck off! 
I am all for the strong independent unique modern day woman, but why does this woman use the reason for her oppression, humility and shame as a weapon, power? Does she not realize she's adding fuel to the fire that's burning her alive? It makes me question, what has society come to now that women are accepting defeat and injustice, and basically screaming to the world, yes i'm a slutty whore, but you can't touch me unless i let you; the world has become an exotic stage, a strip show if you wanna call it. Sex is a natural desire, seduction is enticing, but please don't sell yourself to the devil and complain about being mistreated!!! 


I want to close with my own story. I grew up with wonderful teachers, mentors, advisers and friends who inspire me to learn and go after higher education. I also grew up in a traditional family that didn't support those aspirations. Instead, working and helping out with bills was more important than obtaining a degree. I have to deal with the generation gap, language barrier, and cultural difference that kept me and my family from seeing eye to eye. I never felt like anyone ever understood me, but I never stopped believing that education will save me one day. I'm going to be the first in my family to graduate from a University and I'm so thankful for every person that I have crossed path with, I'm truly blessed with amazing individuals in my life that encourages me to dream big. Impossible doesn't exist, your personality draws people to you, your passion makes people believe, your accomplishments makes it okay to keep dreaming.

To my readers,

Stand up for what you believe in & keep the hope alive!

Dream on Little Dreamer

Documenting my life story is something I did as a kid ever since I learned how to write. My story was told through diaries and art. Now I guess I've become too lazy to record my everyday happenings. Instead I try to update this blog on topics or themes I ponder on. 

The idea of sharing my childhood dreams came from a Financial Management extra credit assignment, to watch Randy Pausch's Last Lecture and write an essay on it. I always wondered how a dying person must feel, and I always imagined it to be painful. Randy Pausch's vibrant energy and outlook on life inspired me to embrace my life, the memories I share with people, the good and bad experiences, and the present moment I have to live by doing what I love and by spreading goodness, lending a hand to others, and making a difference, a statement that lets the world knows who I am and what I'm all about. There are so many dreams I want to fulfill, and hearing how Professor Pausch’s dreams came true, my hope is now restored. His speech also spoke to me and I learn that even though I’m not sure which area of Business I am talented in, I want to be involved in something that reaches out to thousands of people and make an impact in their lives.

Life happens, and something like this is not in anyone’s control.

“You can’t change the cards you’re dealt with, just how you play the hand.” 

Whatever circumstance you’re in, you can’t choose which family you are born into, what you look like, where you were born, when you were born; those are given and you just have to live to surpass all of those stereotypes that aims to categorize and group you and overcome those obstacles and hardship that always seem to build up and bring you down and build bridges along the way by creating your own path.

Professor Pausch’s lecture made me thought about my own life. At the age of three I was an enthusiastic reader and singer. I recall vague memories of singing Amazing Grace to my mom one night. I grew up with music. I sang in youth choirs and worship choirs while my sister played the piano. When she got married, my mom nudged me to take the vacant role and I started playing hymns for the worship choir at 11 years old. Throughout my elementary years I've always wanted to be a singer. Halfway in middle school I began picking up on drawing portraits of people and painting. Another silly dream was being an artist. My dream sort of came true at  the end of sixth grade when one of the stools I painted was featured in a children's art studio. During junior year in High School, my biology teacher, Mrs. Garcia took me and 10 other students to Europe. We visited France, England, and Italy. The most memorable site was the Vatican and walking through the ruin monuments in Rome. I want to go backpacking and hiking in the Alps. I want to design and build my own home and build homes and communities in the villages of Laos and Thailand. I even had a crazy dream of having a pet tiger once. 

No matter how unrealistic or silly you think your dreams are, I strongly urge you to follow your heart because at the end of the day, you are more yourself when you're doing something you love. 

To my readers,

Lets build our own worlds. Until then, dream a little dream. 

True Colors

As I get older and experience different social events, I've learned to pay attention to the less noticeable behaviors such as body language and tone of voice. A year ago, I would have avoided associating with people who I call "fake" and "two-faced". These are the kind of people who act one way towards one person and flips a 180 on another person. Marketable people who seemed to be robotic in their reactions, prepped for every single possible conversation, and basically people who sell themselves for fame or to expand their social network. There's always a hidden agenda.

I admire a genuine heart and personally struggle with expressing my exact thought or feeling because I want the person I'm talking to, to truly understand me. Now, I've come to realized that "understanding" a person is more then just getting a message across. The way you approach it also says a great deal about the message.

Just recently, I find myself adapting a foreign role that I don't completely understand. I'm in an environment whose language, habits, ethics, culture differs from my own. I try to be cooperative, be professional, but I feel like I have to constantly check myself so that I don't appear to be rude or offensive in my attitude, persona, and appearance. In this specific situation, when both parties are unsatisfied with each other and are persistent with their own traditions, how can you find common ground? How can you connect when both are trying to change each other? It becomes a mad house, and whoever gives up their pride first, is the loser; or do we both simply lose no matter the outcome?

People don't change. Old habits die hard. But I still have faith that people can get along, things will work out if you stop trying to change others or yourself. Instead, accept and be open to differences and simply treat others the way you want to be treated. Don't pretend or think you know everything about a person. Stop judging others based on your own perception or past experiences. Try listening.
And let people express themselves freely in the present.

To my readers,
Be yourself & love yourself because you deserve to be recognized in your true colors.