I've seen it on the cover of times, in the local newspapers and even in the Cavalier Daily. Hilary and Obama, the female and the black male. Such a wonderful time to be alive to see the first female or black male run and win the US presidential election. Maybe it's the fact that I'm Bahamian or the fact that I come from a majority black nation. But I believe these are things that shouldn't be out of the ordinary, instead they should have been blase at this point. The american people should have a "been there done that" attitude about this election. I know america still has a few prejudice attitudes to attend with. I hope after this election more Americans see that the blacks of this nation can contribute greatly and have. I honestly as happy to see a black man as presidential candidate, and I hope he's the democrat on the ballot. He seems to want the best for the country but only time will truly tell. These thoughts of course are my own I don't know if I'm right or wrong but they are how I feel. I don't usually follow politics, other than reviewing the beliefs and ideals of who I should vote for. Unfortunately I wasn't in my country at the time of elections, but Bahamian politics is another kettle of worms.
That being said our politics isn't any better than America's but we've been lead by white and black we have seen what they have and haven't done. I do not feel that America has experienced what a woman or a black man can do obviously since none of which has been in the white house as president. And no we have not been lead by a women as yet... I hope I am alive for that day. I hope that either one of the democrats get a chance to lead. I won't even mention the barely mentioned Republicans... Mcwho?
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Job Hunting
Why doesn't career services tell you that a degree is great but with it you truly need experience. :S Especially in C'ville or is it that I haven't been looking the right place, in any event I found a job! I'm the kinda a person that likes instant gratification, some people my call it impatience those people are wrong. So in this situation I was going out of my mind. I had posted my resume on monster, hotjobs, and careerbuilder, I was ready to stand in the street with a sign! I had been on quite a few interviews, 3 to be exact. Everything else I saw required years of experience. Even on what would be considered "entry level" ...don't get me wrong I have experience but its University work. I wanted to work for Bank of America... I guess I wasn't qualified enough for that. This certainly prepares me for what I have in store when I get back home. My boyfriend kept telling me that finding a good job takes time, I just didn't think it would take almost 2 months.
So after a roller coaster ride of emotions, going through moments of self discovery (idle time...), crying, laughing and eating (food is so your friend when there is nothing to do) . I have a job, it's temp...but I've never been more happy to be a temp in my life. I love being a temp and I hate being a temp. I hate knowing that I'm equivalent to anything variable, changeable, expendable. But I work for UVA...it's what I wanted since I moved here, I wanted to continue doing what I did in FL as a student worker...I want to help students. College can be a struggle without other parts of life getting in the way, I want to be a part of a team that makes difference that (and I know this may sound melodramatic but...) changes the world even if it's only their small section of it. Or at least I'm trying to train myself for when I move back home, I truly want to make a difference in my small part of the globe. You have start with the students.
Working for UVA will help me learn the ins and outs of an established, large, (from what I've seen) well run University. Though learning how UVA runs has been a bit of a challenge, I love it. I believe I should be progressing futher but I need to be more focused. My boss is in and out of the office on business and the like therefore we don't have must time to sit down and train. There is just a few other things...
I only have a few flaws, I'm a bit reserved when I'm getting to know people and this job puts me in the forefront. I think this is an opportunity for me to get out of my comfort zone and step up my game...I just don't know how. I was told to introduce myself so I can be approachable to the students... that terrifies me...I just don't know how to approach people. I get nervous and a bit tongue-tied, my mind goes blank and then I'm lost. I'm sure they all think I'm ditsy as hell but I'm really not, and I'm really a friendly amiable person...anyone have ideas on how to approach this situation (OK that was my last "approach").
OH OH totally unrelated...I just received my eyeglasses from online. They cost me $50...which would usually cost 500 or more. I got them from http://www.zennioptical.com/ , which I learned about from http://www.glassyeyes.com/ it is totally an awesome concept. Buying eyeglasses online, I got my eye on a few more and some sunglasses and contacts...they have created a monster! :D You can get reviews, tips and even online coupons from glassyeyes. I'm trying to get everyone I know onto it, my mother, boyfriend, cousins, even my boss...I love my glasses by the way they are just awesome (my word is awesome you will hear it often)!
So after a roller coaster ride of emotions, going through moments of self discovery (idle time...), crying, laughing and eating (food is so your friend when there is nothing to do) . I have a job, it's temp...but I've never been more happy to be a temp in my life. I love being a temp and I hate being a temp. I hate knowing that I'm equivalent to anything variable, changeable, expendable. But I work for UVA...it's what I wanted since I moved here, I wanted to continue doing what I did in FL as a student worker...I want to help students. College can be a struggle without other parts of life getting in the way, I want to be a part of a team that makes difference that (and I know this may sound melodramatic but...) changes the world even if it's only their small section of it. Or at least I'm trying to train myself for when I move back home, I truly want to make a difference in my small part of the globe. You have start with the students.
Working for UVA will help me learn the ins and outs of an established, large, (from what I've seen) well run University. Though learning how UVA runs has been a bit of a challenge, I love it. I believe I should be progressing futher but I need to be more focused. My boss is in and out of the office on business and the like therefore we don't have must time to sit down and train. There is just a few other things...
I only have a few flaws, I'm a bit reserved when I'm getting to know people and this job puts me in the forefront. I think this is an opportunity for me to get out of my comfort zone and step up my game...I just don't know how. I was told to introduce myself so I can be approachable to the students... that terrifies me...I just don't know how to approach people. I get nervous and a bit tongue-tied, my mind goes blank and then I'm lost. I'm sure they all think I'm ditsy as hell but I'm really not, and I'm really a friendly amiable person...anyone have ideas on how to approach this situation (OK that was my last "approach").
OH OH totally unrelated...I just received my eyeglasses from online. They cost me $50...which would usually cost 500 or more. I got them from http://www.zennioptical.com/ , which I learned about from http://www.glassyeyes.com/ it is totally an awesome concept. Buying eyeglasses online, I got my eye on a few more and some sunglasses and contacts...they have created a monster! :D You can get reviews, tips and even online coupons from glassyeyes. I'm trying to get everyone I know onto it, my mother, boyfriend, cousins, even my boss...I love my glasses by the way they are just awesome (my word is awesome you will hear it often)!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
How I got to Cville
Well, how do I begin...I'm orginally from the Bahamas. The most beautiful place you could ever be :D, shameless plug I know. I moved to the states to go to school leaving my one yr old relationship to a great guy I love, (we decided to try long distance), and the rest of my family, particularly my mother, sister and grandmother (deceased in 2005). I did have family that lived futher up north (In Charlottesville, VA) but I decided to settle for FL because it was easier to go from the Bahamas and FL, and more inexpensive.
Never being away from my family for any stretch of time I was a bit apprehensive. But I made it through horrible roommates, rough classes, culture shock, and missing my family and friends something awful! I graduated October 2007, and even before that I decided to spend the rest of the time I had in the US with my family who lived in Cville. I had an Aunt (Aunt J), cousin (Meka) and my cousin's daugther (Ms. P) to spend my time with. Because of how far they are we see them only once or twice a year, so I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity. If I only had an idea of how big an undertaking moving from FL to VA would be!
After finishing school I went home for a few weeks, then proceeded to move. Meka offered to come down to FL to give me a hand, I was more an grateful for the help... it was also the start of what went wrong that day. And that day started from about 4:30 in the morning in the Bahamas. Seems greyhound isn't that reliable at least with keeping schedule, I learned this after I was almost dragged out of bed by a frantic call from Aunt J. Meka was stuck at a bus station and they wouldn't be leaving until 7 this morning where she should have been on the road already, so we could meet in S. FL at 6. Well I now had to make it to Orlando by about 8pm... So I had about 9 hours to pack minus of course the 3 or 4 hours it would take to get to Orlando which I didn't even know how to get to.
I arrived in FL at 11am and then everything else went wrong. It took me hours just to get to packing, my friends well only two of them decided to hijack me for lunch (Nami's) since they wouldn't not be seeing me for several months at least (didn't finish until 1pm). Finally I got packed after rearranging my car several times with the help of my roommate at one time, I also realized I had too much stuff and abandoned what just wouldn't fit, or Meka and Ms. P would have to sit on the roof.
At this point, I would like to point out how much I hate the gas prices, I traved about 1000 miles, stop at the least 8 gas stations, and spent way too much money. I get here after travelling with Meka and her 3 yr old diva, the day before thanksgiving and am all too happy to be on "solid", non moving ground and not needing to stare at long stretches of endless road. I'm so happy my baby made it, my car did great, most people were skeptical of it getting here and even making it in the cold. It did and has. Now my next feat was finding a job.
Of course it being in the middle of the holiday season I shouldn't expect much. But I did, I had so many ups and downs I was starting to think I was Bipolar...and boredom was a real living breathing thing in those days. "Those days" I say that as if it had ended long ago.
Never being away from my family for any stretch of time I was a bit apprehensive. But I made it through horrible roommates, rough classes, culture shock, and missing my family and friends something awful! I graduated October 2007, and even before that I decided to spend the rest of the time I had in the US with my family who lived in Cville. I had an Aunt (Aunt J), cousin (Meka) and my cousin's daugther (Ms. P) to spend my time with. Because of how far they are we see them only once or twice a year, so I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity. If I only had an idea of how big an undertaking moving from FL to VA would be!
After finishing school I went home for a few weeks, then proceeded to move. Meka offered to come down to FL to give me a hand, I was more an grateful for the help... it was also the start of what went wrong that day. And that day started from about 4:30 in the morning in the Bahamas. Seems greyhound isn't that reliable at least with keeping schedule, I learned this after I was almost dragged out of bed by a frantic call from Aunt J. Meka was stuck at a bus station and they wouldn't be leaving until 7 this morning where she should have been on the road already, so we could meet in S. FL at 6. Well I now had to make it to Orlando by about 8pm... So I had about 9 hours to pack minus of course the 3 or 4 hours it would take to get to Orlando which I didn't even know how to get to.
I arrived in FL at 11am and then everything else went wrong. It took me hours just to get to packing, my friends well only two of them decided to hijack me for lunch (Nami's) since they wouldn't not be seeing me for several months at least (didn't finish until 1pm). Finally I got packed after rearranging my car several times with the help of my roommate at one time, I also realized I had too much stuff and abandoned what just wouldn't fit, or Meka and Ms. P would have to sit on the roof.
At this point, I would like to point out how much I hate the gas prices, I traved about 1000 miles, stop at the least 8 gas stations, and spent way too much money. I get here after travelling with Meka and her 3 yr old diva, the day before thanksgiving and am all too happy to be on "solid", non moving ground and not needing to stare at long stretches of endless road. I'm so happy my baby made it, my car did great, most people were skeptical of it getting here and even making it in the cold. It did and has. Now my next feat was finding a job.
Of course it being in the middle of the holiday season I shouldn't expect much. But I did, I had so many ups and downs I was starting to think I was Bipolar...and boredom was a real living breathing thing in those days. "Those days" I say that as if it had ended long ago.
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