Three weeks ago, I counted my book list to see how many books I had read up to that point. I was at 47 and in the midst of reading David Copperfield. I thought it would be a nice goal to reach 52 books for the… Read More »52 books, 52 weeks
My first semester of graduate school is officially finished. It finished on Saturday when we pinned up our semester’s work. At first, it seemed like a useless exercise because throughout the semester we regularly pinned up and discussed them. We’re also able to see what… Read More »First Semester of Graduate School
One of the best things about living in Blacksburg is its place within nature. The town, a hilly paradise of slopes, has an abundance of trees and a wealth of hiking trails nearby. During my shoulder surgery recovery last April, my parents gifted me a… Read More »Hiking around Blacksburg
This year, after eights years of celebrating Thanksgiving outside of the U.S, I’ve finally celebrated one within it. I continued the tradition of being away from my family. When I came back to the U.S. I was looking forward to finally spending a Thanksgiving with… Read More »Back in the USA for Thanksgiving
What is the difference between a building and architecture? According to my sister, “Ummmm I don’t know, building seems just more straightforward, but architecture is more artful?” My other sister thinks that, “a building is of physical structure whereas architecture is more of an abstract… Read More »What is the difference between a building and architecture?
Arriving to my apartment I was nervous. I had signed my lease without seeing it; I did, however, see a video walkthrough of a second-floor apartment. On the drive down, my sister planted seeds of doubt, asking, “how do you know it is not a… Read More »Arriving to My Apartment
There’s no other way to describe my trip back to Blacksburg other than a nightmare. It was as if I was a character in a Lemony Snicket novel. Somewhere, some god was looking down upon me, laughing at enacting his/her karmic revenge. After this experience,… Read More »A Nightmare Trip: Courtesy of American Airlines
Blacksburg Bound. It’s the first time in eight years that leaving doesn’t mean going to live/return in/to another country. This time, I’m moving within the United States, to a small town in Virginia called Blacksburg to study a master’s degree in architecture. I’ve moved many… Read More »Moving Time: Blacksburg Bound
I’m not sure when it happens, but at a certain age/point in your life you reflect on the choices you’ve made, where you’ve ended up and how you’ve gotten there. I imagine I can’t be alone where there is a single choice, a yes or… Read More »A Defining Moment
More than a year ago I had shoulder surgery to repair my left rotator cuff. Six weeks ago, I had the same operation on my right. The first question people always ask is, “why, what did you do to it?” or “what, happened?” I didn’t… Read More »Shoulder Surgery, Again