The Good Mintentions: 2nd Place!

On Sunday, I returned from an awesome weekend at God's Mountain (apt name, right?) in the Poconos. Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday morning were spent with a group of fantastic college students that together make up Cru, a Christian organization on campus. I was excited to embark on this getaway from the usual university weekend--I definitely needed a break from it. God's Mountain was the perfect escape; it was indeed an oasis that only God could create!

Riding in Sam's car from Philadelphia was quite interesting. His heater never stops running, so to balance the intense heat he has to roll down his window. An evening in May is usually on the cooler side, especially when zipping down a highway. Thea and I were dying in the back. We decided to take a nap. Thea decided that the most comfortable position would be sitting on the floor and leaning her head on the seat. When I looked over mid-nap, I was so befuddled; where did Thea go?!

Reaching the retreat center made the arduous journey worth it. The giant house we stayed in was absolutely heartwarming. The living room (or moose room) had two mini-levels, which I thought was interesting. It was filled with deeps reds and wooden tones. The kitchen was huge, and housed all the ingredients that would contribute to our lovely meals. Then, there was an open meeting space. Lastly, there was a gigantic green room that was partitioned into two spaces. The first space was where we would worship and hear our speaker talk. The last spot was a pool, that seemed larger than any other pool I've seen! My friends, Allegra and Priscilla, and I, decided that we would have a secret midnight swim. After hearing that one of the rules was that the pool closed at 11, we felt defeated!

My favorite night had to be Friday night, because everyone was full of energy. Some of us were strangers to one another but we bonded through games of Ninja and Around the World ping pong. I was happy to win a game of ping pong against Cory, an older male. He was dubbed referee for the weekend, so after I proved victorious, he told me to watch out. It was a price I was willing to pay! Our midnight snack was pizza, of which I think we all consumed about 7 pieces!! Also, we initiated the CruOlympics with a torch ceremony. I admired the planning committees efforts to go all out in regards to the theme!

Saturday was certainly taxing, both physically and mentally. We started the day at 8 am, which is an hour that doesn't exist during my usual Saturdays. Most of us did not get adequate sleep the night before. Priscilla and I must have downed three cups of coffee. We had a morning session with Pastor Straugn, who spoke about taking up our crosses. This meant praying consistently, looking out for our brothers and sisters, and appreciating the opportunities God gives us to affect other individuals. He also suggested that we do two things when reading any passage in the Bible: 1. What did God do for me in my broken state? 2. How has He given me grace? The worship sessions that proceeded were so beautiful. We sang songs such as How He Loves, It is Well with My Soul, Everlasting God, Amazing Grace. I started balling during Amazing Grace, because everyone around me was so humbled by God's generous love. I, too, was amazed by his grace. Who else would sacrifice His life for a world, filled with self-seeking sin?


After the morning, the CruOlympics began! We played tanks and drivers, which is a different version of dodgeball. Members of a team must be blindfolded and go down on their knees, while another team member, "the driver," must direct the blind "tank" to shoot at opponents with acquired balls on the ground. Strategy is important and rolling will save you for a fatal ball wound. Other games included kickball, water polo, belly flop contest (who would willingly do that?), and jeopardy. We ended up earning 2nd place, which in my opinion is pretty solid. And I think that the old rhyme rings true: First is the worst, second is the best...

Dinner on Saturday deserves a paragraph of its own. The cooks decided to recreate a Thanksgiving meal, which was fitting since we all felt like family by the day's end. We had mouthwatering turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. This was all accompanied by pumpkin pie. I think I died and went to heaven after that!

I also have to dedicate a paragraph to Andy Young's kids, Hudson and Avery. They were so adorable, and of course, I had to volunteer my babysitting services! They had a lot of fun with the green face paint, and were spreading our team spirit to everyone, including the formerly unbiased referees!

Saturday evening, we held a bonfire and sang some of my favorites songs, including You are my All in All. I really want to start learning the guitar, despite failed attempts freshman year. Part of the reason is that I want to be Taylor Swift, I can't lie (even though one of Swift's songs is I'd Lie!). After that, we held an encouragement session. This meant that we were to go around and give people our encouragement as a brother or sister in Christ. This was great. I learned a lot about myself and about other people. The backyard was lit with candles as we moved about; this was a truly meaningful part of the retreat.

All in all, I had an incredible retreat, growing closer to God and realizing his immense power, love, and grace. It is easy to forget God's presence in your life. This reminded me of how much He cares for me.

 I hope that I pray more often, sing more heartily, and act more selflessly!

In Him,
Arlene

Dancing with the Bachelorette: Monday Funday!

Monday's are shaping up to be quite exciting. First, I don't have classes; this means that Sunday nights are not so stressful thinking about the start of another academic week. I usually sleep in and then figure out a grocery list. For the common college student, this is mundane. However, I absolutely love to cook! Each week, I search for new recipes to try out. Recently, I have tried out tortilla soup, Shepard's pie, Chicken Florentine, beef and lamb stew, Greek orzo, and ceviche. Every trip to the grocery store is an exhilarating adventure, full of new aromas, rich colors, and differing textures.

After buying groceries, I go back to my apartment to choreograph or work on Zumba songs. I usually teach 3-5 songs every Monday and Wednesday night. This is so much fun for me; an added advantage is that I get quite the work out while I plan specific moves and combinations. Next, is Zumba itself. This is a complete thrill for me. I cannot wait for the day that I start teaching my own class. It will also force me to stay in shape, as it takes loads of energy to direct a group of people.

Next, I try to get in a little bit of Dancing with the Stars. This period is accompanied by the lukewarm dish that has been waiting for me when I return from the gym. Lastly, I am part of an intramural soccer team this spring. This is a blast! While I am running up and down the fields in my bright red pinny, I feel nostalgic as I inhale the raw odor of unwashed mesh material. I've gotten compliments on my soccer skills, which instills the lost faith I had in myself during high school.

Once I am finished with soccer, I usually watch an episode of The Client List. My main reason for watching this show is that I am waiting anxiously to see Jennifer Love Hewitt and Colin Egglesfield get together. They are too cute and are perfect for one another.

Now that I have discussed my Monday routine, I'd like to dive deeper into the topics of DWTS and The Bachelorette, which premiered tonight. I absolutely love the four remaining couples on this dancing hit. Although I miss seeing Tristan MacManus and Maks Chmeriosky shake their tail feathers, the four couples left make up in charm and drive.

Peta and Donald Driver make a great duo. It is hilarious to watch Donald fall and slide on the floor anytime he exudes emotion. They have convincing chemistry. I find Katherine Jenkins to be the most adorable woman ever! She is so sweet and innocent, yet she really brings "sexy back" on the dance floor. To add to it all, she is a talented opera singer. A part of me really wants her to win. She has been the most consistent from week to week and has dared to do dance moves that are outside her comfort zone.

Next, Maria Menounos and Mark have proven that they deserve to be there. Maria unleashed her amazing dance skills after several weeks and earned the first 30 points of the season. I am super impressed by her determination to nail every dance and to overcome painful injuries. Their Bollywood-inspired Samba last week was a.m.a.z.i.n.g!

Lastly, William Levy and Cheryl are too hot to handle! At first, I thought William was too pretty to be attractive (if that makes any sense at all!). However, he definitely grew on me as he displayed an admirable work ethic each week. His story of childhood poverty moved me and makes me feel proud at how far he has come. I can honestly say that it doesn't matter who wins in the end. They all deserve the mirror ball trophy!! I hope I can "mirror" some of their slick moves in the Zumba classroom!  (P.S. Rumor has it that Maks and Peta are dating.....dayummmmm)

Now on to the highly anticipated The Bachelorette. I am one of those die hard fans of the franchise. I have literally watched the show from the very beginning. I actually saw Alex, the first bachelor, at Penn Station but was too embarrassed to admit I remember him. Emily Maynard is a Southern sweetheart. And like most of America, I am saddened and moved by her tragic love story. Thankfully, remnants of her charmed life still remain today in the form of her adorable daughter, Ricki.

This season seems like it is going to be great. I like how the location has moved to Charlotte. A change in scene was needed. I was starting to get sick of the fake rained-upon-look of the stone floor outside of the California mansion. After watching tonight's episode, I have a few favorites. I think Ryan, the fitness guy, has got to be the most gorgeous contestant. ever. I hope he makes it to the end. I also think Arie is cute. It helps that his name is cool. I also find the biology teacher and the Colombian to be potential winners. As I write this, I realize that I have forgotten the rest of the men I wanted to mention. It seems like they didn't leave a lasting impression on me!

As I end this post, I want to list who I think could be future DWTS contestants. The fun thing about the show is that the group is always random and picks stars from every category of stardom. Also, it feels like the stars are always B-listers, which I find to be quite comical! So, here are celebrities that I think will show up in upcoming seasons:

Larry King

Regis Philbin

Luke Perry

Aretha Franklin

Charlotte Church

Brooklyn Decker

Judd Apatow

Meghan McCain

Mark Consuelos

Nick Jonas

Paula Abdul

Wilmer Valderamma

Bruce or Brody Jenner

Gabriel Aubry

America Ferrara

Kimberly Williams Paisley

Corbin Bleu

Gisele Bundchen

Meredith Viera

Heidi Montag

Hayley Duff

Clay Aiken

Kevin Federline

Mischa Barton

Eddie Cibrian

Rachael Ray

Rumer Willis

Freddie Prinze Jr.

That's all for now folks! Until next time, have a great week!
Arlene

My So-Called Life

So, of late, I have been watching Felicity, which is a coming-of-age drama that graced its presence on the WB during the late 90's. I often watched reruns on the WE channel in middle school, but never watched the episodes or seasons in order. It is interesting to see how college life was depicted during that time. Of course, as most shows have the habit of this, the actors are much older than the ages their characters are supposed to play. Once Felicity (and her short do') and Ben hit sophomore year, they seem more like 25-year-old newlyweds than college kids.
As I watched an episode last night, I was really intrigued by the introduction and ending narrations. These are voiced by Felicity and her French tutor Sally, who are active pen pals. Listening to Sally's response, via tape, always moves me. Her choice of words along with her mature and sagacious-sounding voice gets to me. For some reason, I feel like writing a novel whenever I hear her speech. Sounds silly, but the combination of phrases is so poetic and reminds me just how beautiful language can be.
The instrumental music that plays during every episode is so similar to that of My So-Called Life, which is undoubtedly the best show on earth. If you have Netflix or are a frequent visitor to your library's dvd section, I would highly suggest watching this show. Claire Danes made her debut at age 13 in this truthful story of a high-school girl's triumphs and tribulations. It doesn't hurt that Jared Leto was also in the series. He is pretty easy on the eyes! I also oddly had a crush on the dad. I think it was the fact that he cooked that got to me.
Last summer, I spent my breaks from studying watching this series. I was first exposed to this gem of a television series in my teen drama class. The way my professor explained the birth of the show and the hopes and dreams of the writer truly captivated me. I had to see how the show would progress and what would happen to the jaded and confused young girl that was Angela Chase (Dane's character).
Unfortunately, the show only lasted a season. This devastated me, as the last episode presents a total cliffhanger. I mean, I go crazy thinking,"Who does Angela end up with?!"
There was something about tapping into the world of the early 90's that excited me. I was pretty young when this show first aired. I find the early 90's to represent a gap in my memory. This makes sense as we all have childhood amnesia (something I learned in cognitive psychology). So watching the show was kind of like a cultural lesson, full of flannel and long hair. The music of Smashing Pumpkins was definitely my cup of tea.
Angela reminded me of myself at times. Her proclivity to pine after someone who was probably out of her league is so similar to my unrealistic crushes (yes, you will never marry a celebrity). However, the fact that she gets the guy in the end, kind of provides some inspiration. There's hope for the rest of us.

A unique aspect of My So-Called Life is that they provide voiceover narration. Voiceover narration gives viewers a chance to hear Angela’s inner thoughts.  To the viewer’s knowledge, Angela defines her climate through thought, conversation and actions. Audience members can understand Angela’s use of language with greater depth; this depth is attributed to the function of voiceover narration.Teens across the nation relished every episode because they got a glimpse of what Angela was really thinking. This novelty was refreshing and honest. 

Anyways, as I fastforward to 2012, I wonder what a TV show would be like if I was the main character and the series chronicled my life. I don't think it would be such a success, because I feel like I experience waves of excitement. These are amalgamated with quite boring times. Even I would fall asleep! 

Here's to hoping that there is a little more drama (the positive, exciting kind!) embedded in my last two years at Drexel!

Greetings!
I have taken quite a long break from this blog. This is mostly due to the hectic summer I had and the busy fall and winter that followed. After you have 3 months of excitement in another country, it is also hard to create blogs about your experiences. Philadelphia suddenly got a bit boring for me!

I am a little sad that I stopped blogging when I was abroad. I missed out on recounting the fantastic and exhilarating times in Barcelona. I can't tell you how much fun I had! Barcelona has got to be the most fun week I've ever had. Also, London got even more exciting. I had the chance to celebrate my 20th birthday which was a blast! I visited intriguing museums and saw Shakespeare plays at the globe. I cannot forget the tasty food (from all corners of the world) that I relished.

The summer at Drexel was filled with 9 am classes. The warm weather made it all bearable as I often walked into Center City to get lemonade at Love Park or go window shopping. I also started training to be a Zumba instructor; this was part of my plan to start eating healthy and lose some weight.

Between returning from London and going back to Drexel, I had the opportunity to surprise my cousin, Meera, for her high school graduation. California is always a thrill for me, so I was ecstatic that I was able to attend! Meera looked beautiful in her ivory gown. She truly graduated in style as she donned black shades. She's that type of gal! Her graduation party was a blast. I sang a parody with Maya, her older sister, attempted to do the "cat daddy," and sang "Bring It All Back" (yes, S Club 7!). I had so much fun catching up with cousins.

Anyways, I hope to continue posting every now and then. Most posts will revolve around entertainment and food, two of my favorite things. I am praying that I find the material to make this blog both informative and fun to read!

For now....cheers and warm regards! Sincerely, Arlene

P.O.A. (Plan of Action)

Hey everyone!
       I genuinely apologize for the month-long hiatus! This last month was inundated with loads of school work; also, there was much anxiety that stemmed from the desire to experience EVERYTHING in London--on a student budget.
      I myself am a bit sad that I didn't get a chance to update my accounts. This travel blog has really given me a sense of purpose. In retrospect, these accounts allowed me to express myself through a creative outlet...this was quite therapeutic and a healthy break from the stress of academics and organizing trips. Additionally, this blog kind of motivated me to make the most of every day. I did not ever want to post about a lackluster occurrence. I tried to ensure that my experiences were a healthy balance of academics, cultural exposure, and social fun.
  
     With that said, I propose some sort of plan. Here are the topics that I hope to cover and "publish post" in due time:
a) Barcelona
b) Paris
c) Academic visits (including the Globe, the London 2012 Olympic Stadium, and St.Christopher's Hospice)
d) The Exploration of London
e) Oxford, Oxfordshire
f) The Musical Episode
g) Misc. (the aforementioned topics will not include everything I need to say!)

Then, I hope to present a summative guide to London: Study Abroad. I will cover everything from quirkiest things to do abroad to best pickup lines (British style)!

Cheers and Kind Regards!
Arlene

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

      Something that you readers at home might not know is that the majority of the UK was reluctant about the whole celebration. To begin with, many citizens find the monarchy to be anachronistic. Englishmen do not like that Prince Charles has never worked a day in his life. Prince Charles has also been caught saying some rather vulgar statements, tainting his qualification for the throne. Although Prince William is well respected, people don’t understand why there is so much attention given to the family who has virtually no political power. As a matter of fact, their only power exists because it stems from the remnants of (sorry for the blunt delivery) dead ancestors who never showered and sported black teeth because they were rich enough to afford Caribbean sugar.  All my professors either left the country on Friday or promised to stay inside their homes. One demographic who definitely relished in the wedding fun was the young children of Britain. Many primary aged students put on make-believe weddings, complete with Burger King hats and Disney Princess Halloween costumes. Despite the hostility towards the whole “she-bang,” a select-few of my mates and I were stoked for the historic event.

            I am obsessed with both Will and Kate and their wedding! I have been influenced by my oldest sister’s middle school crush on the teen heartthrob, Wills. While bad boys (AKA Harry!) have their own charm, Wills seems like a mature, responsible, kind man and a great future King.  I find Kate to be equally classy and so beautiful, both in facial features and physique. Also, her hair is beautiful. Oh, and the Burberry trench coat doesn’t hurt! I would be remiss to not state the obvious—Will’s boyishly wonderful looks are disappearing at a fast rate. Surprisingly, a chiseled face is not a good look for William. And balding never has a positive connotation—even if you are royalty.

            Although I never had any intentions of being smashed between an 89-year-old clad in unfairly priced t-shirts and hats and (frustrated) bachelorettes from Boston at Westminster Abbey, I did have plans to head to Leeds Castle. There, I hoped to watch the live streaming of the wedding with not-so-fanatical viewers. They would provide tea and then show a screening of Mamma Mia (my all-time favorite show…next to Hairspray of course!). I soon realized that this fairytale situation would also require a 200-pound booking for a hotel room and preferably a spouse. Plan A went out the window.

            My next plan was to do a pseudo bar and park- hop, so that I could get a real taste for all the mad(hatter)ness.  This seemed perfect. Plan B in effect. And then my worst enemy came creeping the night before the BIG DAY: the SLEEP monster. And thus, I woke up at 12 noon the next day, approximately an hour after the wedding started. I am seriously disappointed in myself. I have made many mistakes in my life. But this trumps them all. I do though contribute some of the blame to faulty British electronic alarm clocks. And also, the military time threw me off.

            I can proudly say I redeemed myself by sacrificing golden gym time to sit on my comfy bed and watch the Lifetime movie dedicated to the famous duo. I have to say that the fake Wills was so adorable and I almost think he should negotiate with the Queen and become appointed to some royal role (the most apt would be one that stands in front of the camera). I was really impressed with the film. Then again, I am a huge hopeless rom(-com)antic.

            I also followed up with the viewing by stalking People.com (which is already one of my top 3 visited websites) and watching Good Morning America clips. All I have to say is that Prince Harry is mine, Chelsea. And Pippa, you are gorgeous! Lastly, little flower girls and page boys: I will babysit in London anytime!

            In the end, I think I did the wedding some justice. With any public affair, there are bound to be “hate-ahs”. Regardless, I think that most of my fellow Londoners wish the couple well, as they—like any other (commoner) bride and groom—deserve all the happiness and good wishes that life can provide!

OH HOT (Amster)DAM, THIS IS MY JAM.

Greetings!
     I apologize for the hiatus. Then again, I am no Julie Powell from Julie and Julia and I am sure I have approximately 6 readers. Regardless, I actually miss writing as it is quite therapeutic. Hopefully, you are equally entertained!

     I was fortunate to be able to go on a 4 day journey to Belgium (Brussels and Bruges) and the Netherlands (Amsterdam)! This was a great way to see SO much in so little time; however, it was also kind of a tease. We spent only a few hours in Brussels and Bruges, and they were both BEAUTIFUL cities. The facades in the squares had gorgeous architecture with rich hues of maroon and emerald. We dedicated our time to eating Belgium waffles and drinking refreshing fruit "bier"! I made a HUMONGOUS sacrifice: I decided to skip the rich cream, ruby strawberries, and drizzled Belgium dark chocolate so that I could get the real taste of the caramelized waffle. It was worth it! I am usually not a beer person, especially after my friend equated a beer to a sandwich (calorie-wise). Prior to this comparison, I simply did not like the bitter taste. This peach beer was so fruity that it masked the bitterness. A Belgium visit would not be complete without some croquettes. FYI: If you go to Belgium anytime soon, keep in mind that shrimp is more expensive than lobster at the moment. I will keep that in mind (now that I've left!). I couldn't resist an oozing croquette filled with baby crevettes. Before leaving, our tour guide told us to rub a statue of a lady lying down. Obediently, we rubbed the famous figure. He then informed us that we would get pregnant within the next year. Fabulous.
      
       Amsterdam, oh Amsterdam. What a sight. I apologize for my blunt delivery...I felt like I was in the land of the hedonists. I don't mean to disrespect the people who live there and proudly call it home. It is rich in history and culture and I would never downplay that. Yet, coming from such a conservative background and growing up in a Catholic grammar school and high school, it is difficult to adjust to such a lax environment. I must commend Amsterdam for it's audacity and spirit. AND the people there were extremely kind and warm! I can definitely say it was a city to remember! In regards to the architecture, it was a little mismatched...but the juxtaposition gave the sin city much charm. It was comical when I was in search of a church (preferably English-speaking) on Easter morning. I had to go through the Red Light District to find one. Does the end justify the means? :) I had the opportunity to see the NEMO Science and Innovation Museum. I am SO happy that I went....it was certainly a day of exploration and discovery! The best thing about the museum is it catered to all ages (although it was mainly geared for children). This place brought back memories of the Franklin Institute in Philly, which I have yet to revisit since the Girl Scout sleepover (circa 2001)! I found out what I will look like when I am a senior citizen (I am pretty sure my hubby will ditch me for some young gal when I'm 85)....because I don't look good in the future! I also found out how many molecules I consist of and how many genes I have. I powered an elevator solely with the strength of my muscles! I also saw Siamese monkeys conjoined, a deer fetus, and a human fetus from 3 months to 9 months. I was content by the end of the day, as I FOUND NEMO! Due to the long lines and the diminishing amount of muh-lah in my pockets, I had to miss out on Anne Frank, the Heineken museum, the Van Gogh museum, and Keukenhof (fields and fields of flowers!). Thankfully, I did not miss out on the (included) day trip to Zaanse Schaan, which is a windmill village in Holland. I got so nostalgic because it reminded me of a puzzle from my childhood, with the beautiful greenery, picture-perfect windmills, and bright yellow flowers!

    Food-wise, Amsterdam offers a plethora of international cuisine. We decided to have Argentine steak...great choice! I absolutely relished my rib-eye with Chimichurri sauce! I couldn't help but think of my father, who is the KING of steak. No one can make a meaner steak than he. I would have to edit this post if my daddy found out I revealed his secret ingredients, but I will give you a hint: Guyuanan and British blend...with some fish sauce. I digress; what I meant to say is that I asked the waiter for some sour cream and tabasco in memory of my dad. HEAVEN ON EARTH. Amsterdam is most notably known for its Indonesian food. Indian food is to England as Indonesian food is to Amsterdam. I am sad to say that I never got the chance to taste that cuisine. I guess that I will have to trek back to the 'Dam...NOT on a Easter Sunday, though! The last night I ate "poffertjes," which are literally mini Dutch pancakes with real Dutch butter and powdered sugar. YUMMY IN MY TUMMY.

    Just to add in, throughout the journey, I quickly became notorious for SNORING the loudest. Thanks, tonsils and adenoids (or lack thereof)! You con artists did nothing for me! Our last stop was Bruges...which was less tourist-y than Brussels. Bruges became more significant after seeing In Bruges, with Colin Farrell and Ralph Fiennes (I met him in the NYC's Meatpacking District!)....this was on the bus ride BACK from Bruges, unfortunately.

As this is quite the lengthy post....I will discuss the Royal Wedding at a later time! Off to Barcelona tomorrow for Spring Break! ("we we we so excited"- Rebecca Black)


Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Windsor! I wish you all the happiness in the world!