ilakes2015 – Page 2 – Postcards from GW

Newyorkila

AdminFebruary 19, 2015

By ilakes2015

A rough week of exams and papers had come to the perfect end when I traveled to New York for the long weekend. Not being the perfect weather, minus 15 degrees is a bit cold even if you love wintertime, my first weekend trip turn to be the most peaceful and warmest of them all.

It was said this particular weekend was the coldest of the season and even if NY is colder than DC, my 4 days there weren’t as bad as it sounds. I arrived on Friday morning with the bus and I went directly to Google to meet my friend Lucas who works there. We hadn’t seen each other for 7 months so I was really looking forward to see him again. At Google we had lunch together and he showed me his office and the cool things in the building. Yes, everything you’ve ever heard about the different and original stuffs that Google provides is less attractive than what they really have. Is not only the floor that is design according to the 4 seasons of the year, or the playroom with Pool and massage chairs, or the Lego area where anyone can play while having a snack or the acoustic room full of instruments, or that every employee can go from one side of the building to the other side with a scooter what makes you understand that any lucky person that worked hard enough to get there, receives amazing things in return. It’s the comfortable environment at Google, where they take care of every detail, what would definitely make a person work with energy and passion and the desire of doing his best for the spectacular company he is working in.

After really cold walks, my friend and I visited every store in Times Square, we did some shopping, ate some traditional Argentine Empanadas, visited some neighborhoods, almost got Broadway tickets for 25 dollars and we ate at Katz’s Delicatessen, the best Pastrami place in the world. Most people know it because of the famous movie scene in “When Harry met Sally” but most of us know it as the famous Jewish pastrami place that is top one in your Must Do list and is even more important than going to Central Park. So if you are trying to be a vegetarian, well, I strongly suggest you never go to this place! fame

This weekend I also spent time with my family that lives in Manhattan. My cousins and their kids gave me the hugs and kisses that my body needed to warm up. On Friday night we had Shabbat Dinner together and it made me feel at home. We took pictures; we played games and watched a movie while we ate homemade cupcakes with the shape of a heart (my five years old cousin was the fantastic cook). On Sunday I had brunch with one of my cousins and I finally met his beautiful baby. We spent a few hours together catching up and after that I walked around until I met my other cousins for teatime. My weekend was surrounded of babies and kids full of energy to play, run and be amazed of small things. That’s what young children remain us; even moving shiny color lights reflected on the floor are good enough to make us smile and have fun in a freezing weather.

It was Valentine’s Day and everyone was really happy, cold and in love. There were flowers, chocolates, balloons and red things everywhere you looked. That night Lucas, his roommate,his French friend and I had dinner together in an Asian place. I had an exquisite Ramen soup and after that we travelled to Brooklyn for the pregame at one of his Argentine friend’s place where I met grad students. The food, the decoration of the house and even the napkins were red. I must say that is a really strange thing for an Argentinian because we don’t really care about this particular day. Some couples do receive and buy gifts for their partners but is not something as relevant as it is for the Americans or the New Yorkers in particular. The nightclub was also a special place because one of my friends took the balloon with the shape of a heart with her and every time she moved we could find her just looking up. It was a bit funny and as I called it, Love was in the Air!

On Sunday night we watched the NBA All-star game at a bar. Of course it was not the same to watch the game in the TV than being there but we had a great time together with the rest of the fans there, my Chinese friend Andy included, who is also an exchange student and we met in NY. It was really nice to find new friends, to get to know them and spend time with people that I really liked. valentines

But it was not all about family and friends; I also got the chance to do a few touristic things. I lived two blocks from Times Square so I definitely went to every gigantic store there, I took the classic picture on the stairs and finally I did the “15 seconds of fame” on the big screen. Believe it or not, this was my third time in the big city but I never tried to take those pictures before. One thing I can definitely thank about that freezing weather is that not too many people wanted to be outside so all the touristic places were not as crowded as those use to be.

Also, I went to the Natural History Museum with my little cousins that run all the time but still enjoyed the petrified animals. After the Museum we got back to their house uptown so we walk by the frozen Central Park, which is marvelous.

When I started thinking about my long weekend and the places I wanted to go, I only knew that the World Trade Center, the memorial of 9/11, was the only place I was definitely going. The last time I’ve been in NY, the monument was still being constructed so I only had an idea of how it was going to be. Next to the new building that replaced the twin towers there are two gigantic square fonts with all the names of the victims written to the side and once you get there you can feel the majesty of the place; you can feel the cold. The memories about that day, some people crying and the breeze in your face reminds you that is not only a touristic place in the city, is not another monument or funny attraction where you can loose money and most important, is not a place you could easily forget. I didn’t have the chance to visit the twin towers when I was younger but if only one building made me feel small, I can’t imagine the symbolism and power that represented the original ones. Now there is only one. Now we are here. We are alive and is our obligation to never forget, to stand against terrorism. Not only for us but also for them. nyc

Family, old friends, new friends, touristic places, Google, nightclubs, reflections, warm homes, delicious food and the freezing weather in only 4 days. Definitely, New York is the City that never sleeps.

Change a life changed my life

AdminFebruary 10, 2015

By ilakes2015

What is life without love? What is life without people that care and take care of you? What is life without fighting for what you want? What is life without hope? What is life without planning and looking for your future?

How would your life be if every morning you had to fight to survive?

The last weekend I got the chance to see love with my own eyes. I got the chance to learn about real fights. I got the chance to learn about hope. Last Sunday I participated in The GW Dance Marathon where I had to stay on my feet for twelve hours with the goal of raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. At this big event, more than 300 people decided to dance for twelve hours to support kids that can’t do it. More than 300 people decided to accept the challenge. More than 300 people decided that the cause was worth the pain. WE decided that there was no better thing to do on a Saturday that stand for those who can’t. DO IT FOR THE KIDS. That is what we did.

Even if the marathon was intended to help the children at the hospital, I believe it also helped me. I had no idea of what I was doing when I raised my money for the Dance Marathon. I was said that I was changing a life but I didn’t realize it was changing MY life. During that day, not only I danced, ate and had fun with my friends but also I met some of the kids and families that I was indirectly helping. Each family had their moment to share with us the hell they have been living in since they found out their kids had Cancer, leukemia, or even mental disorders. They still wake up every morning wondering if that day is going to be the day that the nightmare ends. But they also wake up with hope and gratitude because their kids are alive. Have you ever been glad just for waking up? Have you ever realized how lucky you are? When I was younger, my mother used to say that she was grateful for the things she had but also for the things she didn’t have. At that time I didn’t realize what she meant. I do now. I do understand that we don’t choose the life we receive and that just the way we could be richer or prettier, we could also be less healthy. We don’t choose the life we receive but we do decide HOW to live. This is something I learned from the kids I met last Saturday. One of the girls has bone cancer and because of that one of her legs had been amputated. That didn’t stop her. That didn’t make her stay in bed. On the contrary, she told us that by the time she was on the hospital, she used to sing to feel better so she decided to perform for us and sang two amazing songs about being stronger. When I finally met her, I discovered she practiced football and was also a great basketball player who won every game we played!! I really didn't let her win!

Tess and Alexander, two fantastic tweens, also taught me about kindness and hope. This little brothers were diagnostic cerebral palsy by the age of two. After several treatments they increased their mobility and now a days they swim, they have Karate lessons and they also love music. He stayed with the DJ for a few hours and she spoke with everyone just to tell us how grateful she was for what we were doing because we were helping her and her friends. When you do a special thing for others but you don’t expect to receive anything in return and then a ten years old girl approaches, introduces herself and just says “Thank you” when your body is screaming to stop moving, it simply leaves you speechless, happier and stronger.

Everyone deserves a healthy and happy childhood, yes. But those kids made me understand that life is not what you get but what you do with your life. Is not only what life gives you, is what you give to the world. All of them have different diseases but the only thing that took my attention was that they never stopped SMILING. And what could be better than a child’s smile?

At the end of the night we raised $77,402.38!!! It was more than what we expected, more than the goal for that night. Of course, this was my first marathon at GW and I thought that most people had years participating on it so it came to my surprise when one of the leaders of this project told me that its only the second year that this fantastic event is held at GW. I wondered why it took so long for the university to incorporate this type of events but at the same time I’m glad this project would take place every year from now on. Second year, double the dancers, double the money, and double the miracles? Let us hope and believe so.

But I just can’t get enough

AdminFebruary 2, 2015

By ilakes2015

It’s been a month since I arrive in the U.S. A MONTH. If someone told me that, I wouldn’t believe it. 31 days already? Where did my days go? Everything seems to have happened yesterday, not weeks ago! Looking back, I know I did a million things but still do not seem so long ago. Some people believe that the time runs faster when you are having a good time and runs slower when you are not, even though they now that is not possible. In this case, I’ll believe it too, because everything I did until now has been great and I enjoyed each minute of my life here in DC.

As a hyperactive person, I need to do something almost all the time. It doesn’t mean that I don’t like to rest and watch TV, but in general, I love having my schedule as complete as possible. Because of that, I’m attending 4 business classes and other 3 relaxing classes. One of those is meditation and this week I attended the class for the first time. It was definitely not what I expected. The professor made us relax the body while trying to do some abs and even if it was a bit confusing and complicated at first, it turned to be really amazing. At the end of the class we had to do some exercises in groups and because I didn’t know anyone and because the games were really weird (like staring at the other person and sticking our tongues out or just laugh without reason) everything became awkward and super fun at the same time. I’m really glad I add that course to my weekly obligations 🙂

On Tuesday, my friends and I went to The Kennedy Center to attend a concert of The GWU department of music Camerata. Artist playing Piano, drums, viola, violin and cello plus the singers, gave us a beautiful performance that left us wanting to hear more. Also, it was my first time at the center and it is marvelous! It is a beautiful theatre with mirrors in the wall, red carpets in the floor and some huge chandelier lamps that makes you admire the luxury of the place.

This week I also had a nostalgic moment when all my friends back in Argentina got together and call me by Skype. They were having dinner there and I was having dinner here so we kind of made us company. We spoke more than 2 hours and those were definitely the best two hours of my week. I realized I miss them a lot and that I wont see them for a long time so I got really sad but at the same time Skype reunite us and made me feel closer to them than I really am.

The next day I also spoke with one of my best friends and he told me he is coming to visit me in March!!! I’m so so so so happy and I can’t wait until he comes!! It’s going to be his first time in DC and I’ll be the tour guide so I should go to more museums before he comes 🙂

Sunday was a really long day. I woke up early in the morning to finish a paper I had to write and around 10am my friend Vicky (the other Argentinian that came here with me) and I went to Mount Vernon to have pancakes with the provost. After having a great conversation about culture differences, politics, weather and trying to help a deer that was lost, we got back to Foggy Bottom. An hour later we walked to Wal-Mart to buy some food and after that we went back to watch the Super bowl! Back home the Super bowl is not as important as here. Not only because any of the teams is our team, but also because Football (or how we call it: American football) is not a popular sport. I think we only practice Rugby, which is similar, but not the same game. I watched the game with my roommate and her friends. She also cooked a great meal for all of us and then it was all screams, drinks and joy because “we” won! #GoPats? After that we went to a bar to celebrate the victory!!! We had a fantastic time together until we got really tired and run back home to conclude our week with a delicious ice cream.

Again, this exchange is exceeding my expectations.

Ready, steady.. go?

AdminJanuary 28, 2015

By ilakes2015

Second week of classes. The week where you still feel like you are on holiday but need to studying at the same time. The week where you remember what getting up early feels like. My second week of classes started perfectly fine. I organized my schedule the best way possible until I realized I wasn’t registered in one of my mandatory courses. I had the professors’ signature, I had the time to take it, I had the email confirmation but I didn’t know the registration system at GW was so different from the one I have back home. I had to wait the whole week not knowing if I was going to be able to attend this particular class. Consumer Behavior. My favorite course so far and I wasn’t sure if I was going to get what I wanted. Worries, an email that never came, and bad sleep. After that week, on Monday at 8:39am I breathed again. I was the first in line and with some help of my advisors; I got the chance to register myself into the class. Now I have my 12 credits and what is more important, I'm register in 4 classes that I like. So we can say I also ended the week perfectly fine.

But the worries about my course did not stop me. This week I spent a lot of time enjoying the city and walking by new neighborhoods. One of my favorites days was Friday because I met my relatives for brunch in an amazing place call Farmers Fishers Bakers. The food was spectacular and the place was really nice too. I reunite with my family that I haven’t seen in 5 years and luckily we had a fantastic time, just like the first day we met. After brunch we walk next to the river and we ended up next to the bridge enjoying the beautiful warm sunset.

The next day was also a great day. In the morning my friends and I went to the brunch at GW. All of the different types of food that we tasted were fantastic: Tater tots, falafel, chicken, pork, donuts and muffins. Also the games we played made us spent a great time together sharing laughs and excitement. After a few hours of hearing good music and feeding ourselves, it was game time. The GW basketball team and the rivals. At this moment everyone was raising their voices and clapping their hands cheering for buff and blue colors, for our colors, for our team! The game, the team, the band, the cheerleaders and of course, George were fabulous! it’s always a pleasure to be part.

"You are gifted in many ways." That’s what was written in my fortune cookie. Looking back into my life and mostly the recent events, I can guarantee that it is true. After 3 weeks in the country I have made great friends, I have spent time with my relatives, and I achieved my short-term goals. Now I have so many reasons to smile. I’m gifted because I have people around me with whom I share my experiences, moments and all of my adventures. I’m gifted because I always try to keep the good part of the stories. I’m blessed because there are people here and back home that I can rely on. I’m blessed because life brought me to DC and I never want to go.

KEEP CALM we are back to class

AdminJanuary 20, 2015

By ilakes2015

The first week of classes just began and I’ve done as many things as the first week in DC. I’m taking 4 business courses that I like and I have 4 different and interesting professors from all over the world: A Chinese professor, an Indian professor, an American man, and the sweetest American lady. Since it is my first week, there is not much to say (the classes were mostly introductory) but I don’t have to get up really early in the morning and I don’t finish late so I think I may have a lot of time to travel around, visit, and of course, study. But most important, I'll have plenty of time to be with my family and friends just the way I did this week..

On Tuesday night, my brother (who lives here) took me to the basketball game where The Wizards played against The San Antonio Spurs. If you are an Argentinian or a basketball fan, you may know that Manu Ginobili is one of the best players of the NBA and I GOT THE CHANCE TO MEET HIM!! It was unbelievable, we were like one hundred people trying to meet him and I was right next to him for the picture and talking moment! That night was incredible, not only because I met him but also because neither my brother nor I know a lot about basketball but just for the game, we decided that each of us was going to cheer for one of the teams and the loser had to pay for dinner. We enjoyed the game until the last minute. We laughed a lot, we won two shirts and after the game, we went to Shake Shack for some veggie hamburgers that he paid for although my team lost. Everything about that night would stay on my mind forever.

This week was also a special week because my roommate and me started our cooking lessons so we prepared chocolate cookies and sweet bread. Well, she cooked and I watched her (I’m a great fan of the food but not a great cooker) but I know that by the end of the semester i'll be able to prepare different recipes. Speaking about food, this week I also went to some friends’ places to have dinner. They prepared woks, pasta and chicken and rice that we ate with a glass of wine and many different funny stories that made us laugh and share a special moment for all of us. As a song says, were our first midnight memories and there are many more to come!

Just like in the movies I like, dancing auditions at GW are super special. Even thought I haven’t practiced in 5 years, I decided to participate on Capital Funk auditions. This group is extraordinary, they perform hip-hop routines and participate each year in national competitions where they’ve been winning first and second place for the last 7 years. Of course, I didn’t make it to the team but only the idea of sharing the dance floor with such an amazing dancers was enough to enjoy the moment. Apart from that, I decided to participate in other dance lessons such as Zumba and Ballroom that were also special and different to what I’m used to dance. I'm glad I went to the student orgs fair at Marvin Center, I wouldn't have known that there are like 300 groups you can join at GWU!!

My spectacular week ended with a 3 days weekend because of Martin Luther King Day. While for some people that means sleeping the whole day, neither working nor studying or doing nothing at all, for a lot of us it meant volunteering day. My friends and me participated in different activities to contribute and serve in the community. We created nice blankets, greeting cards and bracelets to donate to kids that are in hospitals or for those that just need it. It was a special day. I also got the chance to meet The President of our University (YES, in the first week!) and heard 3 different cheerful and interesting speeches about this particular day. Even though it was Monday, was the perfect ending for my first week of involvement in this community and university life.

We are just getting started

AdminJanuary 12, 2015

By ilakes2015

One week, 393 pictures, 57 exchange students, 13 leaders, Shawna and Hilary. What else do I have to say? If anyone had ask me about my expectations for my first week at GWU, I would have mentioned all the places, people, moments and experiences I just lived.

As an exchange student, fear is the first feeling you have when you arrive at your new home. Am I going to like my roommates? Am I going to make new friends? Am I going to like my classes? What am I doing here?!? That feeling automatically disappeared when 10 strangers in blue received me at the Marvin Center giving me the kindest welcome ever. Instantaneously my smile appeared. After months of planning this trip, I was finally here. The place I’ve been dreaming for so long was better than I expected. Not only because of the spectacular view I have from my window (the amazing Washington monument, or the American Obelisk) but also for the terrific freezing weather..

On my first night on Washington, standing in the Lincoln Memorial under a full moon reading Lincoln’s speech inscribed on the wall I knew I had arrived. I had arrived not so much to a place, not even a dream but to a collection of adventures yet to come. But most adventures need someone to be shared with. And what is better than people from the five continents to share those with? When I met the Australians (everyone is from Australia), the Asians, the South Americans, the French, the London, the Italians and of course, the Americans, I was reminded that I was not alone here in DC, at GWU. They reminded me why I participated in the exchange program in the first place: to explore the diversities the world has to offer and to be exposed and part of such diversity was a delight, as it is always interesting to find out more about other countries.

The first week of orientation has been the world. The museums, the Capitol, the traditional Ben’s Chili Bowl, the metro, the bars and nightclubs, the fantastic buildings and gym that belong to GWU (almost every building of the city) and the famous scavenger hunt game, made me think that my decision to come to Washington DC was the best choice I could have made.

But orientation week wouldn’t have been the same without our amazing Leaders. They did a fantastic job showing us around, giving us helpful tips, advice and guiding us. They brought us all together in an atmosphere of laughter and joy that allowed us to become friends.

Those laughs and adventures already lived and the many more to come have been blessed by those people who brought me directly and indirectly here.The group we’ve become, the peace and rhythm of Washington, DC, and GWU settles into something familiar and everything just feels that little bit more comfortable. Like if they had known me forever, always so cheerful and friendly, I can not wait for the Spring semester to start.

Meant to be!

AdminJanuary 5, 2015

By ilakes2015

Hi readers! I’m ilanit, a student from University of Di Tella in Buenos Aires, Argentina and I’ll be attending GWU in the spring semester of 2015. I'm currently getting a Bachelor of Business Economics and I’ll be starting my senior year in beautiful Washington, DC. I’ve had been dreaming of this opportunity since I visited the United States four years ago. I’m happy to share my experience with you so you can, somehow, become part of my dream.

By the time I expected to receive GW’s acceptance letter I began to worry and to feel that everything I wanted was slowly slipping through my fingers. This was actually my second time applying to GW; while I had been accepted the first time, personal issues had not allowed me to travel. As a result, this was my second and final chance to live my own version of the American dream, but all of a sudden, it looked unlikely. I have always believed that things happen for a reason, for better or for worse, and this belief gave me a general resignation for the capriciousness of life (a helpful philosophy, I would add, when coming from a country with a major financial crises every decade). But then, one day, the email arrived. The sensation I felt was indescribable: a mix of joy and fear while tears rolled down my cheeks. I wanted to scream and laugh and tell everyone the good news. This time I would not let the opportunity go.
But then I still had to convince GW. I had to send essays with the reasons I wanted to attend, but I didn’t really know where to start. I was of course drawn to the idea of living on campus, making new friends, sharing my own culture and learn from new ones. It was not only because I would explore the diversity of people and ideas that the world has to offer, but moreover, because I wanted to become part of this house, of this community, of this family: our own Buff and Blue House.

Learning in the museums, reliving the history of this nation in your memorials, and exploring America’s society in Georgetown (with a necessary stop for cupcakes) represent what I have been dreaming for so long. GW is my a reminder that second chances exist; that opportunities depend on how much you fight for something as much as how much you want it. Clearly 2015 will be a spectacular year: I can’t wait to walk the GW halls and call this place, home.