Spilling the Beans

OK, so awhile back I told you I had a few more things to tell you about what's going in my life. I was waiting for everything to get planned out and all set, so here it is:

I am happy to announce that I was accepted into the direct entry masters in nursing program that I applied for this summer. I am really excited and have been running around trying to get all the requirements done in time-- buying my scrub uniform, taking a cpr class, and so forth. It starts at the end of January, and it will be a two year program.

So in two years, I will finally have a career for myself. I am also really excited about the Clinical Nurse Leader aspect of the program, as I will be able to utilize my MA in cultural anthropology to help improve care in the U.S. I am also really looking forward to using this expertise in India as well, and I do certainly plan on going back to India and I can combine my studies of child rights, education, etc with the field of medicine.

Another exciting piece of news-- I have planned a 20 day trip to go visit Vivek in Delhi before the program starts. Right after Christmas I'll be headed out. I really can't wait. Not only will I get to see and spend some more good quality time with Vivek before my academic program becomes crazy busy (the first semester will be 19 credits!) but I will also get to see my friends that I have not seen in over a year.

Anyways, that's all for now. I'm pretty excited for both of these events!

Saba's Tutor Update!

I finally got the update on what was purchased for Saba in addition to her tutor, through the generous donations of many of you... :)

Here is what she and her family received:

8 8 months Pvt.Tuitions for the child(grade-II)
1 School Uniform for the child
1 School Shoes for the child
1 School Bag for the child
32 24 Exercise Copies,7 Pens,1 candy for the child
1 Emergency Light
1 Pedestal Fan
2 2.5 kgs of Rice
1 Transport Cost

I will get a letter from Saba soon in the mail, but the Children International people were nice enough to forward me the photos and information electronically beforehand.

LinZi Update: Life and Stuff

Hello hello,

I know, I know. Again it has been forever since I wrote anything. But I have been a very busy lady!

Some updates on my life: So in the past year, I have worked five jobs... first (desperate and unemployed) I got a job as a hostess at a very unfriendly-styled managed Mexican restaurant. This being a stressful, low paying, and underemployed option, I decided to add in an internship at Barakat, a non-profit working out of Cambridge. That was pretty cool, but since it didn't pay and the other job didn't really give me work, I had to give it up. THEN I starting working at a local day care, which was enjoyable, but tiring. I have recently gotten hired for a much better paying job with full-time hours. Yay! I applied for this job last December, and was on the waiting list for a loooong time. Now, of course, that I have this job, I have already applied for the Masters Nursing program that I have been dreaming out... hooray. (More on that soon).

SO right now, I am quite busy. Working my full time jobby job, taking my last nursing requirement course, and also working part time at a library... so if any of you wonder why you haven't seen or heard from me lately... well, there it is.. business abound.

I am not complaining though. Time is going by fast, and soon enough, I will be able to visit my lovely Vivek again soon. He has plans of his own in motion.

In other news, my lovely dog Murray is trying some new meds. He has had urinary incontinence since I adopted him and has to wear a specially (hand)made doggy wrap in doors, but recently the vet suggested some meds to try, which could help. Now, I have only had them on the meds for one day, so we will see how it goes. I am excited to see, as I am sure Murray would love to run free and naked indoors and out, as a dog should be.


Let's see? What else for today. Still waiting for an news from my sponsored child Saba, so when I get an update on her, I will be sure to add the details for all you people who graciously donated to her tutor fund! :)

I guess my post was very list-y today, but hopefully there will be more posts soon with news about nursing!

A Tutor for Saba: UPDATE

Thanks to many generous donations, the amount needed was earned for Saba. $50 will go towards her tutor and any other education needs, and the remaining $50 will be for anything her family needs.

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed. The money will reach CI at the end of the month, and when I get pictures and a letter I will make sure to post updates.

A tutor for Saba

Saba is a little 10 year old girl I sponsor through Children International who lives near Kolkatta, India. I have been sponsoring her since 2006. She enjoys studying languages at school, drawing and playing outside.

Saba started school late and therefore is in need of a tutor. She is currently in 2nd grade and needs some extra help with her writing skills especially, as she is behind compared to other children her age. She dreams of being a doctor someday.

A tutor for the year costs $26 in India, but since it is a special needs gift, a minimum of $100 is required. The rest of that money will be used for other things the family needs.

Due to the economic issues in the U.S. I have been struggling to pay for my two sponsored children's monthly sponsorship costs. While I could afford $26 for her tutor, I cannot currently make a $100 contribution on my own to help her with her education. If anyone would be willing to contribute to this fund, it will give Saba a chance for a tutor as well as other benefits for her family so she can be closer to her goal of becoming a doctor. :)

If you would like to contribute, please follow the link here: Help Saba get a Tutor

Any amount will help!

I Miss India

I miss India
The swoosh of cars, honk honking
dogs barking,
birds tweeting in the flutter leaves of the tree outside my window
it's big orange blossoming blooming in the sunshine
while the kawa hops down on my porch banister hoping I'll give him a scrap.

I miss India
The smell of dinner, spicy and hot dripping like oil from the windows of flats I pass
Mixed with earth, rain,
and a compost heap on the side of the road

I miss India
the laughter of friends sipping milky-sweet chai at a dabbha,
slapping at the macchar biting my ankles
sweat making my kurta cling to my back, as we laugh and enjoy the simplicity of eating with friends

I miss India
the breeze in my face taking an auto-rickshaw
the icy blast of air from an air conditioned music store, music so loud my head is buzzing
I always complained but it is nice to get TOO cold while watching a three hour Bollywood movie.

I miss India
The smile on your face as you hand me a reused Bisleri bottle filled with cold water from the cooler by the mess, beads of condensation dripping as I pour it into my mouth, India style, splashing down my chin, making you laugh, like always.

I miss India
the big white cows with the hump on their backs
glaring at me with their innocent eyes as I wait for you to buy the cigarette I am trying to encourage you not to smoke, and saying I don't like the smell, i miss that smell

I miss India,
The buses trundling past, with all their destinations in Hindi. I can never read them fast enough to know... is this the right bus? so I only get on when I am with you

I miss India,
staying up late watching movies with the philosopher and a strong woman, the air cooler blowing a humid but relieving breeze,
Enjoying the cooking at your family home.. such good daal, followed by a night time walk in the damp grass with two mischievous dogs,
riding three people on your new bike, laughing at the stares of people, seeing us crammed together, backpacks in all directions,and being driven by a girl, no less ;)


I miss India
How the merchants in the bazaar were fooled by my salwar suit (for once!) and for you we had a normal day shopping, unless I opened my mouth, my Hindi infused with an obvious American accent

I miss India
laying there, watching the fan revolve lazily, turned down so we can hear the parallel cinema film we are watching together, thinking of our plans for tomorrow, next week, next year... our world.

Striving for Positivity

Awhile ago I read this Buddhist philosophy that one must accept suffering. Not in that we need to be resigned to the suffering and give up, (especially of others)but rather just accept that no matter what we do, living involves some suffering... No matter how hard we try, we might get sick, or lose a job, or have a hard time financially... it is bound to happen as part of life. Once you can accept that suffering is going to happen at some time, then you don't need to dwell on it.

I really like this idea, especially as someone who is going through a hard time. I have found that the more I remind myself of that, the easier it is to see through the difficulties, and be able to concentrate on the positives that are happening in life. I have been working really hard to try to incorporate this mind-set into my life.

But seeing as how there is a lot of stuff in my life that is difficult right now, it's really quite a challenge. I think the most challenging thing is living with my parents again. At age 27, it's hard enough to live with your parents. But coming back here, I have noticed how hard it is to strive for positivity when you are surrounded by family who is often dwelling on the negative.

I wonder if anyone else has an ideas of how to deal with this? It is already a struggle for me to strive for positivity while being unemployed, very poor, living at home, and half way around the world from the person I want most to be with. So now, how do I deal living with my parents and sister, who are often prone to dwelling on the tiniest things.

I wonder the right way (if there is a way)to try an encourage family members to strive for positivity too... I think my methods of a.) pointing out how negative they are being doesn't work (since now you are complaining!) or b.) pointing out that most people in the world, for example, don't have a dish washer to complain about don't seem to work.

I don't want to come off haughty, or to be complaining about complaining... so how DOES one encourage others not to (ahem) drag me down into negativity land?

Murray

I thought I would share this hilarious video of my dog Murray howling along with an ambulance noise (siren sound courtesy of youtube). This is the only way we can get him to howl and it is just too funny and cute to watch him get all into the howling.

Long Time, No Blog

Hi all,

Sorry it has been a super long time since I blogged anything... it has been a mixture of new (tiny) part time job, interviewing for more jobs (no luck yet), and pondering my career future.

I am just about finished with my MA in anthropology (I will hopefully be officially graduating in May this year) and I am realizing that, well, having an MA in anthro isn't going to help me get a job right now. Honestly, anthro wasn't exactly what I had imagined it as... I had this bold idea of applied anthropology (i.e. using anthro and research to help people) but the grad school I went to wasn't too applied friendly, and then to top it off, the economy is so bad that most non-profits have been scaling back their projects, not looking for fresh-from-grad-school researchers.

Looking back at my education, I see a great deal of confusion and poor planning. I kind of just went with things I liked and that I thought were interesting, which would be fine, except I didn't really consider the grander scheme of things until recently.. At 27, I am finally in a place in my life where I want to (ahem) 'settle down' to some degree. Vivek and I are trying to work out a plan so we can both be gainfully employed and happy here in the ole' USA, and his job is pretty straight forward. (He is lucky that he knows exactly what he wants to do!) I, on the other hand, have been merrily strolling through my education, trying this and that, and ending up with lots of knowledge and passion, but with few practical skills*.

(*that I can be EMPLOYED to use, that is)

Lately, I have been pondering my options and taking a look at myself and deciding what exactly it is I really want to do. One of the things I have been thinking about for a long time now is Nursing. As a nurse I can
a.) help people
b.) work with kids
c.) get a steady, well paying job anywhere in the country
d.) use my skills as a volunteer/work with a non-profit at some time
e.) Use my Hindi language/Indian cultural knowledge in many communities in the US
f.) a flexible schedule so I can also pursue some of my other interests as well.



I found this really great nursing program that is designed for people who already have a undergraduate and/or graduate degree in another field. It is designed to train highly educated nurses, and I would be an RN after the first year, and have a chance to get a CNL certificate and my MSN after the second year. and VOILA! I could be a nurse. Earning the monies. Helping the people.

Plus, I think I look pretty awesome in scrubs. ;)

What do you guys think?

Depressed.

Sigh.

OK, okay. I know. But, it is so hard to be away from the one you love. I miss him so.

And this weather... it seems to be a never-ending snowstorm. I could do for a little sunshine.

And jobs? Don't even start. I have been applying for you jobs since September. You do the math... well you don't have to.. that's SIX months of job applications, without fruitful result. I went from applying for jobs that have to do with my (almost received) masters degree, to applying for jobs that pay decently, to applying for any and ALL jobs I can find. And I still don't have a job. Not even a quickie-mart job or anything. And, I have all this education and training and experience. I just want to put it to use.

I am doing a really great internship during this time. Which is nice, and experience. But, the thing that I really need at the moment is money. If I just had some kind of paying job, I could at least work on paying off my bills.

Lack of money is keeping me from Vivek. I feel like I want to start my 'grown-up' life, with my love, with my degree, and instead I am just in kid-land, penniless in my parents house.



So sigh. Yes, I am depressed. But, I'm still not just going to sit here!

Belief-O-Matic

hehe.. so I found this website that asks about your beliefs and tells you the best religion(s)would be according to your beliefs.. this is the list they generated for me.. no surprised there, I guess... I'd be interested to see if anyone else got anything interesting.

1. Secular Humanism (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (99%)
3. Liberal Quakers (86%)
4. Neo-Pagan (81%)
5. Theravada Buddhism (81%)
6. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (71%)
7. Mahayana Buddhism (70%)
8. New Age (68%)
9. Nontheist (67%)
10. Taoism (63%)
11. Orthodox Quaker (57%)
12. Reform Judaism (56%)
13. Jainism (50%)
14. Sikhism (49%)
15. Scientology (44%)
16. Baha'i Faith (42%)
17. New Thought (42%)
18. Hinduism (37%)
19. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (35%)
20. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (30%)
21. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (25%)
22. Orthodox Judaism (25%)
23. Seventh Day Adventist (25%)
24. Islam (24%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (19%)
26. Roman Catholic (19%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (15%)

The Truth! Discovered!

I think I have finally determined the true mixture of my darling mutt Murray the Sato(de Puerto Rico). I always assumed he was part Chihuahua, since he has a lot of very Chihuahua looking parts, though he is bigger (15 lbs.). He also has relatively short legs and a long body. Today I looked up Chihuahua-miniature Dachshund mixes and found that people have been breeding them as a new "designer" (also known as a mix of two different kinds of pure breeds) dog called a "Chi Weenie" which is nicknamed the Mexican Hot Dog. Ha. Ha. Anyways, I looked at all these Chi Weenies and it looks like Murray could definitely be such a mix, or at least something close. What do you think?

ChiWeenie Photos 1
ChiWeenie Photos 2