My First Published Article!

I have some exciting news! Recently, my article was published on BizCEOs.com. I did a little segment on travel and tourism marketing, and I’m very happy to report that it got picked up.

I was inspired to write an article about travel marketing for my Integrated Marketing Communications course after visiting some of my AFS friends’ hometowns after our exchange year in Norway. During these trips, I realized,
1. What different worlds and lives we come from (and yet we all came together and got along for a year), and
2. They lived in beautiful places!

It was truly an incredible experience to see their original lives–who they hang out with, where they go, what they do for fun. I can call myself privileged to have seen so much with a local (and more importantly–a friend) by my side. I saw these cities in ways normal tourists could never see.

I guess perhaps my favorite thing about these visits was getting to see their “home life.” For some reason it makes me really excited, like when I realized that Jessica used gas burners in her house which she had to ignite with a match…or learning all the different names of Italian crackers and biscuits from Francesco’s mother. (I’ve forgotten all of them, unfortunately…) Or getting to meet Xenia’s dog (which I am convinced is a toddler trapped in a dog’s body). Or even something as simple as going to get morning bread with Balázs in Hungary. Isn’t it strange how these little insignificant moments are often the ones you remember the most?

So I guess I’m starting to realize the sense behind the saying, “once an exchange student, always an exchange student.” Odd to think that my decision to study abroad a one year would still be relevant to my life two years later. None of this wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been an exchange student. I wonder what kind of an article I would’ve written then…

Budapest!

Sorry! I have been busy! So busy that I haven’t had time to write about R and my trip to Budapest! I don’t think any words I write now will do our trip any justice, so let me try to paint you a picture from my personal daily log and pictures! Enjoy!

Friday, 11 February 2011
1. Flying to Budapest and seeing Balázs again! Meeting his sister Csilla and her friend Balázs. We got along with them amazingly during our trip and they were great hosts!
2. Their place is so awesome. The walls and music made both of us feel very comfortable…I felt very at home.
3. The breakfast Balázs bought was amazing: soft white ciabatta with butter and sausage paste…it was so delicious.
4. Going on top of Gellért Hill and visiting Hero’s Square at night. Oh yes, and we went to a café called Tranzit that used to be a bus stop.
5. Drinking Tatra tea and having some great dinner (pea soup).

Saturday, 12 February 2011
1. Discovering more of Budapest by metro, tram, and bus. The city sure has a great transportation system.
2. Bázsi took us to a great fancy café above a bookstore! It’s like he read René’s mind and found the café afterwards…I think he made a Swiss guy very very happy today.
3. We went to the castle and then took the funicolare down the hill. Then, we crossed the bridge from Buda to Pest and walked along Agassi (I know I spelled that wrong) street.
4. René gave in and listened to my stupid idea of bathing in Szechenyi Baths. It was cold and we didn’t have sandals, but I am glad we did it!
5. We went home and the other Balázs made what I would call goulash and spätzli…but they have Hungarian names. It was delicious!
6. Afterwards, Balázs brought out five pieces of cake with a candle in the number 4. He also brought out champagne to celebrate my birthday. It was very unexpected and I was very touched–I will truly remember that moment forever.
7. I proceeded to get drunk off of wine, wine & coke (on Csilla’s advice), and spumanti. We joked and talked into the night about stuff I don’t really remember, but everyone was laughing.
8. I was exhausted when I got into bed…

Sunday, 13 February 2011
1. More amazing breakfast. This day I also got to try Hungarian salami!
2. We got to the airport with some extra time to kill. Bought some postcards and wrote to Mom, Thranes, Kjersti, and Emma & Pauli. It was sad to say goodbye to Bázsi, but hopefully either they will come in August or we will go visit them and perhaps Lake Balaton.

Expat Woes

Okay, I’ve been really terrible at updating these days, and well–it’s partially due to my busy schedule, and partially due to a fever.

But some exciting news: I’ll be celebrating a romantic 21st in Budapest! We don’t have class next Friday, so we’ve taken advantage of this opportunity to travel. Also, I’ll be seeing my friend Balázs, who I haven’t seen in a year and a half. (We were AFS Norge students together.) I’m excited to experience Budapest from an insider’s point of view.

Also, I’ve booked tickets to see Maroon 5 and Sara Bareilles in March! It’s bizarre to think that I’ll be seeing them in Zürich: for me they were the epitome of good Californian pop when I was in junior high and high school. Talk about a blast from the past! I think they even played “She Will Be Loved” at one of our school dances…

So that’s the good news: and the bad news? Well, I’ve been thinking (for some reason thinking always seems to lead to worrying) about my slow adjustment to life here in Europe. I feel that as time go on, I become more and more certain that here is where I want to live: I want to live in Europe. I used to dream about traveling around, speaking different languages, enjoying the calmness that life offers here. And now that I do, I feel no regrets about leaving California whatsoever. What used to be a pipe dream is slowing becoming a reality: with the exception of one slight problem–working.

You see, as a student here, I’m living on borrowed time. And it won’t be long until I graduate…and then what will be the chances of finding a job here? There’s just so many restrictions against non-EU job-seekers that it’s disheartening. I know it’s a naïve thought, but I wonder, “How can a place that I love so much…not love me back?” René keeps telling me to be patient, and that it will come in time. I really want to believe him: perhaps the silver lining will come only once I obtain my diploma…but for now, there seems to be no end to this unsettledness of my stomach.

My father came from China to the US…I wonder if he felt this feeling.