Last Day of Co-Op

Time to say sayonara to my wonderful 4-month working experience at PJM.

At first, I felt indifferent about being paired with this position. However, I grew to love this workplace after just a couple weeks. There were so many things to learn, and it was just so encouraging to see full time employees here enjoy what they’re doing. Saying goodbye to the lovely workplace and people in my department now is kinda sad. They’ve been so supportive and patient in helping me develop professionally. Btw, thanks to them for taking me out to lunch today at Primo’s. Last Philly hoagie until 2013 couldn’t be better.

Clearing up my desk, I realized that work post the cubicle life has gotten better exponentially. For those who don’t know, I moved to a room with 3 other System Planning co-ops for a couple months now. Never crossed my mind about all of us getting along hilariously well, until the co-op team building luncheon where the HR told us to get to know our team. “But we’ve gotten to know each other all too well that now we wish we un-know ourselves from one another!” we replied proudly. I will definitely miss my fellow super hilarious, criminal-minded, power fool colleagues who would still have 1.5 months of brain-storming to take over the world and a presentation to do. Now I’d never know whether the Visual Sharp Sharp Pythetica Lab Plus Plus .Net language will be developed, whether they ever find the 5th person who is a dinosaur, and whether all of them are surviving the projects or killing the Python since “The last co-op who did this, DIED!” :)

Boarding the bus for the last time from this Valley Forge site, I got a little teary. I realized that even though my daily commute was annoying, I witnessed plenty of lives that are so different than mine. I saw their struggles and their joy, their good days and bad days. Such an eye-opener to the creative ways the Lord works through people’s lives.

Here’s to a successful, joyful, and valuable 4-month at PJM! I thank my Boss up above for this wonderful opportunity.

(Unexpected) Study Abroad Scholarship

An e-mail from Ahaji came to me today while I was working and laughing with other System Planing co-ops at the "1-2-3-4-R" joke (if you're curious, ask me about it!). Anyhow, here is the screen shot of the e-mail:

Praise the Lord for that! And thanks to the team at the cool office for the financial help. I'm not sure what kind of project they are expecting from me. It can be anything ranging from travel-blogging for the cool office, writing a guidebook, serving as Dragon Buddy, etc. Whatever it is, I'm UP for it! :)

My Study Abroad 10 Commandments

I've just thought of some rules of thumbs to maximize my experience in this journey :)

I am embarking on this journey, trying to uphold these:

1. I shalt have nothing from American fast food chains, for I have travelleth for million cubits not to consume those junks
2. I shalt not spend more than 3 hours/week on social media includeth Facebook, Twitter, GChat, Skype, and this blog for constant updates on those are signs of homesickness and unsavory experience
3. I shalt inform my on-site coordinator, roommate, parents, and the cool office shall there ever be any transportation delay, emergency, trouble with authorities, or shall I travel beyond the border of my host land
4. I shall get involved and invest my time in developing friendships with new local friends, yet I shall not spreadeth myself too thin across too many circles
5. Remember to take half as many clothes as I thinkest, twice the snacks, three times the money, four times the courage, and infinite amount of energy
6. I shalt manage my resources wisely: much for unrepeatable experiences and very few for tangible goods
7. I shalt not confuse the locals by speaking American (or Philadelphian)
8. I shall not covet what whomsoever(s) back in the States are experiencing while I’m away, for the experience that I am having is far more priceless
9. I shall not nap, nor sleep before 10 pm, while I shall not sleep in after 9 am
10. I shalt not judge the people of the country by the person who hath given me trouble

22 MORE DAYS!!!

Watch Out, Dragons are Taking Over the World!

I can’t believe my journey is starting in 3 weeks. The cool office that has been handling all the nitty gritty businesses of studying abroad presented a Pre-Departure Meeting last night. Sounds formal, eh? Trust me, it was a very fun and informative night for us Dragons who will be dispersed all over the world this upcoming Fall term. These are the places where we’re ready to blow some fire (kinda looks like a World Cup group brackets lol):

You can also think of it as a see-you-later pizza party for us. Being famous for treating us international dishes, they took a spin this time by serving us the Drexel staple: Ed’s Pizza. What can be more American and (Drexel-spirited) than that? Kudos to the cool office again!

Some key take-away from this meeting:

*Don’t get arrested, or plan on getting arrested

*Don't try to be the next Eduardo Saverin

*Contemplate once, twice, three times before calling Dani’s cellphone for emergency (She’s the awesome cool office coordinator)

*YOLO! Be adventurous! Get pumped!