Six Hours, Three Different Temples

Stardate 64498.5

23:13 - The vast presence of different religions in India surprises me. Growing up in a country that prides itself on being a place to worship as you please, I have always felt that the U.S. could accept any religion and respect its followers. Yet in India, differences in religion are facts of life, not just a small characteristic. Today, we visited jest three of the major religious sites in Delhi: The Lotus Temple, Akshardham Temple, Gurdwara Shri Bangla Sahib.

The Lotus Temple created by the Baha'i faith rises up as a large marble lotus surrounded by nine pools.  We entered the temple in silence and immediately felt the meditating mood wash over us. Encircling the cold marble floors of the temple with my bare feet, I stopped by a window to see another temple rising out of the Delhi fog, the Hare Rama Hare Krishna Temple (Hindu).  I reflected on the idea of sitting inside a religious site in the U.S. and seeing another church/temple/mosque through a window. In College Station, we have Church Street, which has multiple Christian Churches; but Church Street only contains different sects within Christianity not other faiths. As I put on my shoes, I couldn't help realize that I have never really come across a truly diverse religious society.

Our next destination was the magnificent Akshardham Temple built to honor a deceased guru. The Akshardham Temple compares to the many of the cathedrals of Europe with every inch of marble carved and its towering domes. Again shoe-less, I traveled around admiring the carved lotuses and elephants and came upon a side ceremony. A priest of the temple took me in and explained the ceremony. He told me about his Hindu faith and how they have expanded around the world.  He told me about the temple they built in Houston. Upon further clarification, he showed me the address in Sugar Land, Tx. I have been to this temple; in fact, it was the first way I was exposed to Hinduism. Thousands of miles away and we found a connection despite being a part of a ceremony totally foreign to me.

The Sikh Gurdwara Shri Bangla Sahib was our final destination and last occasion to take off our shoes. Different from the shininess of the other two sites, the Sikh Gurdwara had a unique feel to it.  We sat on the side as they sang. I watched as the local Sikhs traveled clockwise around the temple. This temple seemed used. All of the business men, housewives, toddlers with little turbans and children following behind gave the impression that the public used this space as more than just a symbol of their religion, but the working part of their faith.  As part of their complex, the Sikhs had a small tent set up to serve food to any one passing by, especially the multitude of homeless people living near by. This temple reminded me of my own Catholic Church at home with its dim lights and passion for social services. We were told that even the Sikh Prime Minister works a shift at the temple.

In the U.S., we have all three of these religions present, but not vocal. Despite our freedom of religion, I would argue that we do not have religious diversity. We have one major religion with other religions operating on the parameter. In India, many religions exist and almost balance each other. Even though Hinduism has the most followers, it does not hold the majority. As we in the U.S. move towards accepting more immigrants with different religions, we should take India's example into account and not fear the decentralization of our 'culture' or national 'identity'.  We should celebrate this decentralization and trust in our faith that freedom of religion will take us forward.

Financing a Dream

Stardate 64495.6 

20:08 IST - As our first outing in India, we visited the workshop and home of a recipient of microfinance services. The purpose of microfinace services is to offer the poorest a way to borrow and save money.  In normal situations, banks make clients offer up collateral for a loan or have a minimums balance to open a savings account.  However, the poor do not have the collateral or the minimum amount in order to do business with the banks. Over 60% of Indians do not have a bank account; therefore, they cannot obtain these financial services.  Companies and NGOs, such as Basix, help deliver these services.  In many cases, the poor only need loans of a few hundred dollars to make their goals a reality.  These small investments in their futures make huge returns in the form of more income and better, more sustainable livelihoods.
Our small, tired from jet-lag and famished group traveled about an hour to another part of New Dehli where we came to a place where our small complaints were not warranted.  Roughly 20 Americans huddled into a small workshop in a smaller neighborhood in New Dehli.  We watched and listened as 5 women told us about their experiences with their loans and businesses. The owner of this particular workshop space served as an informal leader of the group to explain her whole process.  Rinky is a 26 year-old women of New Dehli who had taken out a loan to buy sewing machines. With a 10,000 Rupee loan (roughly $250), Rinky could buy four sewing machines to start her business of re-purposing old jeans from the US into pants worn by Indians.  At a profit margin of 2 rupee per jeans, she began growing her business and now employs four people.  Rinky expanded her business to now have roughly 6 sewing machines and a machine to put elastic in the waist band.  Her new plans to expand include moving into a new living space in a nicer neighborhood to separate her workshop from her home for which she has already taken out a small home loan for.  Besides microloans, Rinky and her husband have been able to purchase small forms of health insurance to cover their hospital visits.  Also, Rinky pays into two pension plans: one for her and another for her husband. This 400 rupee contribution makes 10% interest and will be delivered to them when they are 58 years old.  Orphaned at a young age, started working at the age of eight, and finished the 10th year of school, Rinky never imagined that her and her husband would be able to obtain this type of success. With a thriving sewing business and her husband's cd business, she can support her younger siblings and help support her husband's family.

Although microfinance allows recipients to pursue their dreams on their own, it is not a cure for the rampant amounts of poverty in India and across the globe.  Basix attempts to provide other services such as pension and savings plans, education, and insurance.  The idea behind this multilateral approach focuses on the need to continually help the recipients to continually reinvest in themselves and grow out of poverty.

Not Running on Gas

Stardate 64280.1
15:18 - The first time I ran out of gas happened in June of 2009; my then boyfriend, Gabe, rescued me from the infernal grips of the Texas heat. Camped in lot 61 on campus, I cursed the fact that I forgot to fill up my tank and my cheap idea of not filling up my tank the whole way the last time.  For those of you not familiar with the state of lot 61 at this time, lot 61 was equated many a time to the infrastructure of Baghdad with its incredibly large potholes and its sharp, rusted metal objects thrown about. In all seriousness, I trembled as my car would traverse over the pothole craters in fear of an improvised explosive device (IED) detonating in that sorry excuse of a parking lot.

This incident caused me to invest in a two gallon gas can to remain in my trunk for all of eternity 'just in case'. I say investment, but I am not so sure on the returns to this 'investment'. Since purchasing the can, I have been stuck in parking lots and at the corner of Harvey and Texas Ave more times than I care to count, and I wonder: did this gas tank pay for itself by me being prepared or was it a self-fulfilling prophecy? Because if I gambled, I would say that this scourge of a gas tank created perverse incentives for me to run out of gas by giving me the independence to do so without going through the embarrassment of calling upon my friends for help. This past night was no exception, with the gage at 'E', I swung by my sister Kim's dorm (or a location near her dorm to save on gas). Being warned of the precarious situation we found ourselves in, she knew the drill of a rolling stop and executed it with style. I made it home safely, only by not going over 2 on the r/min and rolling through stops to prevent from idling out. However, later that night (around midnight), I had to use my blasted gas tank to refill my tank in order to bring my friend ice cream. To which, I admit was bad form on multiple levels and more proof of the gas tank's incentive perverting nature. At least, I did not have to contend with the embarrassment of not having enough gas in my tank when I left my friend's place.

How I was Raised...Country Music

Stardate 64277.1

20:10 - A few weeks ago, a fellow Bushwacker asked me to contribute to our list of Music Monday selections to be sent out to the whole Bush School. At this time, my love for outlaw country was being rekindled. I reacquainted myself with this genre of country music by spending one lazy Sunday afternoon with a Cuban, couple pitchers of beer at the Chicken, and the Great Gonzos album by Jerry Jeff Walker. I submitted Jerry Jeff Walker's “London Homesick Blues”, “LA Freeway”, “Gettin’ By”, and “Sangria Wine” to the Music Monday list. Now because of the nature of the genre and the highfalutin ways of the Bush School, I truly did not expect my list to make the cut. So you can imagine my surprise when I opened my email and saw my suggestions under a Brazilian freedom fighter muscian(Caetano Veloso), classic 80s( Heart), and some new age indie folk rock(The Decemberists).


Focus Foxies, I was outed as a country fan. I have worn many hats in my life: protesting liberal, radical feminist, footloose party animal, and a nasty piece of work. None of which would cause even my closest of friends to assume that I listened to Waylon and Willie and the boys. Mainly because I have never told anyone that I listen to country music; in fact, I spent a good deal of time concealing it from the world because the crowds I rolled with just didn't care to listen to it. While I'm being this honest, I have no idea who Kurt Cobain, Pearl Jam, Green Day or any 90s hip-hop stars until the later part of my high school career. I have tried listening to other types of music. I had a phase of Opera and Classical music, but I don't speak Italian and get bored easily. I wandered in the Classic Rock direction, but as soon as I opened my mouth about that genre, people listed off tons of artist that I was supposed to know. I had no idea and hated being judged for not knowing by similar know-nothing 16 year-olds. If Classic Rock represented a high start-up cost, Indie/Alternative Rock habit seemed impossibly expensive. For every band that Classic Rocker needed to know in the past, the Indie/Alternative Rock fans had to know a current underground band about to make it big that no one else knew about.  I can't keep up with that nor do I want to.

So while you were making your memories to your selected music type, I was enjoying George Strait,Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Joe Dee Messina, Faith Hill, Tim Mcgraw, Kenny Chesney, Dixie Chicks, Toby Kieth, Jimmy Buffett, Reba McEntire, Alabama, and countless more. The first country song that I knew all the words to was "Carrying Your Love with Me" by George Strait. The first album my Mom and I got into a fight about was "Come On Over" by Shania Twain.  I can remember my Mom putting on 'Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother" on the radio for the first time. At 13, I could sing karaoke to "Friends in Low Places." I sing "Wear My Ring" off key every time it plays in O'Bannons.  And if you were to ask me what I picture love to be, I would say my parents two-steppin' in Garner State Park to "You Had me at Hello" by Kenny Chesney. Every morning, I wake up to country music videos because I can't start my day any other way. Most of my memories of music center around country music so I guess its good that I stopped living a double life. So judge on if you can, but I will just turn up Merle's "Fightin' Side."

Islamic Community of Bryan/College Station

Stardate 64254.4

15:22 - Entering the Islamic Community Center of Bryan/College Station, I left my shoes at the entrance and walked towards the greeter. Before this Saturday, I have never been inside a Mosque but took the opportunity to visit when a friend invited me to an Open House. I had no preconceived notions of what to expect about the Mosque or (truth be told) about the religion of Islam. I entered the center eager to learn, starting with a run down of Mosque etiquette by the greeter.

The large prayer area held tables and booths with bundles of information about the basics, prophets and culture of Islam. I had no idea where to start; interestingly enough, not knowing anything beforehand hindered my ability to ask questions. I understand that the point of the Open House was to teach individuals about Islam, but I have never been comfortable with blatantly asking someone about their religion. When I am asked, I simply reply Catholic and let my audience fill in the blanks. Never have I been asked to give an explanation on what it means to be Catholic. I felt most comfortable asking women about their faith, partly because I could only shake hands with women within the Mosque. I do not know why that affected my decision, but it made the transition from 'Hi' to 'What is your belief on God' easier.

At one o'clock, I attended a lecture that briefly explained the principle beliefs of Islam and how those translated into the practices of Islam. The six articles of faith are the belief in Allah (p.b.u.h) as the one true God, in the creation of Angels, in the authenticity of the Revealed Scriptures, in the Messengers explaining Allah's (p.b.u.h) message, in the certainty of the Next Life and in idea in Divine Decree. The five pillars of Islam adopt these articles of faith and transform them into practices. The five pillars of Islam are the Declaration of Faith, the 5 Daily Prescribed Prayers, fasting durring Ramadan, giving of alms, and the Pilgrimage to Mecca.

Another aspect of the Open House included an small introduction into the culture of Muslims around the world. As you can see above, Focus Foxies, I got a henna tattoo, which has stayed with me until the next Thursday. Accompanying the henna station was the 'write your name in Arabic' station. I have tried to recreate my name in Arabic calligraphy and failed miserably.  However, the food proved to be amazing; I was able to try food from all over. I ate beef Egyptian treats, Saudi Arabian appetizers, Palestinian falafel, Sudanese cheese pastry, Libyan desserts of Baklava, and Jordanian coffee ball.  I relished the new tastes of soft cheese infused with spices covered in fluffy pastry, crispy outsides of falafel with a softer inside, and the deep, rich flavor of coffee cover in coconut flakes.

Before I left the Mosque, I witnessed the call to prayer and wondered if I could ever open myself up in this manner to having people watch me as I worship.  I have at times brought my friends to mass with me (all of them Christian), and even that felt like a production of sorts. I have never imagined opening my place of worship up to someone of a completely different faith, a stranger or even someone who could be hostile towards my faith.  But the members of the Islamic Community of Bryan/College Station did, and for that, I am truly grateful.

Thunderhawks Unite

Stardate 64245
14:37 - Last night was the first night that I played a full game of softball in over a decade. Yes, I am old enough to say that I haven't done something in a decade.  I joined the co-rec softball team, named the Thunderhawks. Educational opportunity, Focus Foxies: a Thunderhawk is an ancient bird friend of the Greek God, Rock Stareous, who was once his son, Thunderus, but Zeus turned him into an awesome hawk just as he was about to die from being critically injured by a Hydra. Zeus equipped this hawk with the ability to produce loud booming noises every time he flapped his wing. In exchange for giving him new life, Zeus demanded that the Thunderus Hawk flap around during every lighting storm Zeus created. The God Rock Stareous

was so happy that sometimes he would play music to go along with the storm. Thunderhawk and Rock Stareous were sad that they couldn't be both human anymore, but they stopped being sad. Instead, they decided to be awesome. True Story.  Anyways, our team laid a hurting on some unsuspecting team called the Cremasters. What is a Cremaster? I have no idea. Well, I do have an idea; it is a team that gets beat 17-4. Well, Focus Foxies, I didn't do half bad; I did worse than half bad. I did terrible. I struck out twice, walked once (then scored), and then was gotten out before I hit first base.  MVP for that game was Weston who dropped bombs on those Cremasters like the coalition forces on Saddam in March 2003. A Whoop!

Conversations with Ambassador Sheel Kant Sharma

Stardate 64251.6
12:20 - The Bush School hosted the honorable Ambassador Sheel Kant Sharma as a part of India Day at Texas A&M. Amb. Sharma currently resides as the Secretary General of the South Asia Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since March 2008.  Amb. Sharma has a PhD in High Energy Physics and has concentrated his diplomatic efforts in nuclear issues, but now deals with a variety of issues facing South Asia. He presented on the current issues facing SAARC and their accomplishments thus far.

Two topics that caught my attention during Amb. Sharma's speech were the issues of the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) and the transportation barriers within the region that prevent trade. So, Focus Foxies, I actually asked a question during the Q&A period. I know I may seem like a fairly confident person, but I have been extremely scared to ask a question. This time was no exception. With my hands shaking, I asked about the role of agriculture in SAFTA and any lessons learned and take-aways for the international community.  His response was that agriculture poses a huge barrier in creating a Free Trade Agreement within this region. Each country has the ability to have a list of goods/services that they wish to continue to protect, and many of the countries within this region choose to protect agriculture goods.  Amb. Sharma explained that reasoning behind this was each country's wish to protect farmers from external competition because many farmers' ability to make a living has diminished. However, two years ago during the Global Food Crisis, India banned the export of rice and other food sources causing backlash in Bangladesh and Nepal who depend on Indian food exports. After this question, I got really bold. I mean truly bold; I asked a second question about how the region planned on restoring their transportation connections between countries and on financing the endeavor.  To which he responded, the countries within SAARC are attempting to improve the economic situation through penning agreements on motor vehicle transportation to decrease transportation prices.  Funding would come from the individual countries.

After the presentation, we were able to have a sit down lunch with Ambassador Sharma to have a personal discussion. He explained that he started his Foreign Service career at 21 while he was finishing his PhD. In India, one must take an excruciating exam in order to be accepted into the Foreign Service. Amb. Sharma admitted he only took the exam because his family teased him enough that he could not pass the exam and he wanted to prove them wrong. He disclosed that in the end, the joke was really on him because of the toughness of the exam and the fact that his family was right. He excelled in the Foreign Service by combining his technical background and his knowledge of the world. Also, he complimented the Disaster City located by the airport, saying he wanted to combine forces with TEEX to help SAARC advance their emergency management technique. Upon asking him a third question, he elaborated that SAARC is currently ratifying an agreement that would focus on emergency response and recovery in disasters occurring within the region. He admitted that if the agreement was working at this time, the floods in Pakistan would have received aid. Also, he sited US help in running earthquake scenarios with the help of Hawaii Disaster Response teams.

Being able to get answers and discuss my three favorite topics in economic development was a fantastic experience. I encourage all of you, Focus Foxies, to stop by the Brown Bag lectures, and I will let you know when and where they are (for the non-bushwackers).

Czech-Tex Restaurant

Stardate 64233.7
12:24 - When a Texan fancies she'll take her chances, chances will be taken that's for sure.  We were eyein' the prize some call kolaches (Czech pastries). So Mark, Bethany and I took our chances (after a night of reveling on the gates of North), and we trekked to Snook, Texas to find what has been described to me as exquisite kolaches.  Deep in the heart of Snook lies the Czech-Tex Restaurant, a Texas inspired Czech restaurant. Head north ten miles from College Station to the Czech-Tex restaurant which specializes in steaks and kolaches.  We arrived at the crack of 9.30 am to find the smell of kolaches greeting us at the door. We were told to help ourselves to whatever we pleased. Our choices seemed limitless, but we settled on getting sausage, apple, pineapple, cream cheese, and jalapeño and cheese sausage kolaches.  

My favorite one was the apple kolache, which consisted of a sweet apple filling cradled in some delectable and soft dough. Many people mistakenly believe that sausage and/or ham are the only types of kolaches, but the sweet kolaches are the original type of kolaches. Bethany favored the jalapeño sausage kolaches to the regular sausage because of the extra kick to them. Mark went back for seconds on the cream cheese kolaches, so it may be safe to assume, Focus Foxies, he fancied them. At 92 cents a piece, feel free to go back for seconds or thirds; they are that good.
So why wake up and go to Snook, Texas for kolaches, when we have donut shops in College Station? For me the answer is simple: I have an obsession for great kolaches. Being part Czech myself, I love finding good home cooked kolaches and people with the same love for these tasty treats. Czech-Tex delivered on both accounts. The second reason lies in the misconception that the Brazos Valley does not have authentically good food. We might not be Houston, but what we do (Czech, German, and Tex-Mex), we do it well. I am making it my mission to correct this misconception starting in Snook. So, take your chances while you reside in the Brazos County, and go grab a real kolache.

"Muffin?" - Bethany

"What?" - Me

"Waffle?" - Bethany

"Adorable." - Mark

Stand Up Comedy in College Station

Stardate 64230.8
10:32 - As I caravan around the greater Bryan College Station area looking for adventures, I caught wind of my friend doing stand up comedy on open mic night.  Wednesdays, Schotzi's hosts amateur comedians, so Kyle and others put themselves up to this challenge of producing laughs. With a $5 Ziegenbock pitcher special, how hard success be?

"Now who are the engineering majors here?"--Rich

(Krishna is the only one who raises his hand)

"Yea, they are the ones that never get any"--Rich

"So who are the Liberal Arts majors here? Yea, that guy is gay. Drama major"--Rich

(He was pointing at Mark)

They did have a 'professional' comedian come to town, and he made short work of the Family.  After this, Mark became the target of some heavy duty (but hilarious) accusations throughout this guy's routine. Charlotte and I just sat back and could not keep from laughing our tails off.

"You can't keep a fat man at that temperature." -- The First Comedian

And yes, there were some struggles. Focus Foxies, I will dispense some advice for you about what I learned from these stand-up comedians. First, I will start with what not to do. Do not lie. As you can see above, we see through your lies, even if they are funny lies. I have heard stories of one fat man being able to live in College Station Summers without A/C, and the only time I have ever heard him complain is when his skinny Mexican friend leaves the A/C on at 60 degrees. True Story. Even more heinous of a lie (made by many a comedian that night) was the one where they are trying to scare girls away or taking one home the other night.  You never want to start out a scenario and have no one believe you. It ruins the punchline.   So if I have to hear about how some skinny nerd 'was taking another girl home who was you know 'Crazy'' or how some fat guy wants to 'scare away his girlfriend because she is showing him attention', I am going on the heckling spree, and the comedian's routine and reputation will be shot.

"Drive-by Haikus" -- Ginger Kid with soul

What does work? Going with your own style. The Ginger Kid served as a paragon of doing it your own way.  This comedian literally pulled out a Haiku to back up his point that the pen indeed is not mightier than the sword/gun. Likewise, Kyle was helped by applying his technique. He did not try to imitate other comedians or come up with jokes that are not his own. He did come up with new material for once, and we were all eternally grateful. 

"My girlfriend likes that joke." -- Kyle (fake British accent employed)

"Its true; I like that joke"-- Charlotte (real British accent used)

Brazos Bingo

Stardate 64210.3
23:09 - While the masses sojourned to the Hall this Thursday night, I found myself at Brazos Bingo (near Hwy 6 and Briarcrest).  I might have been born to ramble, but never really to gamble, even in small doses. However, when Meaghan tells you to "Venga!"  you go. Now for those of you who have never been to bingo, it is a big deal to those who go.  Thursday nights are half price nights; for $5 you can get 12 boards a round and two beers (about the price of a movies in Aggieland).  This investment can lead you to win about $100-$375; not half bad. But what you really are paying for is the people.

Oh the people you will see... you already know that I went with Meaghan. Her roommate joined us in our gambling adventure; both of them supplied crazy stories about winning bingo, how bingo can be addicting after one try, and why they should never do drugs.  However, the star of the show was sitting in a wheel chair at the end of our row.  We first recognize her when she was trying to get the attention of another table because "[she was] tired of them fighting all them time and wanted to tell them to stop." It was obvious she had no idea who these people were. As she began to roll towards them, I took my camera out in preparation for something to happen.  She interpreted my camera as a pack of cigarettes; "Crazy Lauren, can I bum a cigarette from you. You know that my son went to go buy me a pack." That was the second time that day that I wished I had a pack on me, but no dice. She scooted by me to the other table to bum one there. She then rolled back to her spot to pull out her pack of cigarettes and her Tupperware of prescription drugs.  We were having a good time as the Bingo numbers were being drawn, when she asked, "Do you know why I am so happy?" Focus Foxies, I hadn't a clue. "It's because I died last year. I spent 6 months in a hospital and I died. In 2005, I spent 5 weeks in the hospital and I died then too. The Lord told me that if I wanted to live, all I needed to do was smile. So I'm smilin' now." Easy bargain to keep to keep on living. She went back to her game, and we refocused on our game. When the final card was passed out worth $600 to the victor, she came gliding up to us and instructed us to hold hands because we were going to pray the Bingo Prayer:

"Now I sit me down to play,

Dabbers up, and I'll pray. 

We got here Mary, Bob, and Jamie and Joe.

The Caller is up, we are ready to go.

The colors are bright, lets do it just right.

I hope to holler bingo tonight

                                     :), Amen"

At the end of the night, she told us if she was still alive, she would see us next Thursday. She is currently living in Caldwell and getting dialysis in College Station.  For as much fun as we had at her expense, I felt as if she had more considering all her time in the hospital.  Many people get in their own ways when it comes to doing what makes them truly happy. The excuses tend to pile up and the pursuit of happiness tends to stop in its tracks. But if she can come to a place that makes her happy despite her hospital time, how do our excuses compare? So if you are alive next Thursday, I hope you join us for some Bingo. 

Doce Margarita Madness

Stardate 64207.4
21:43 - Put yourself in my unique situation. On Monday (stardate 64182.8), a friend of mine challenged me to drink ten (diez) margaritas on one of the Ozonas $1 margarita nights because the next few are free until you pass out.  Well, I never go looking for trouble from anyone or anything, but it finds its way to my doorstep easily enough. This 'challenge' was going to be nothing but trouble for me. As you well know, Focus Foxies, I sure as hell never back down from a challenge. Without a moments hesitation, I accepted this challenge. How hard could it be? I spent the next week mentally prepping myself and advertising the event to anyone I could. It was going to be a spectacle. Also, half of the deal was that if I did not finish the drinks then I would have to pay for them myself, and I'm broke. Once I started down this path of margaritas, forever would it control that night's destiny.

The strategy for achieving this feat consisted of drinking margaritas really fast. This strategy received two criticisms.  The first being that I would be sloppy in a matter of minutes if I decided to chug, and the second being I might get brain freeze. Truth be told, I preoccupied myself with preventing the latter from happening. Besides, who worries about getting sloppy when they embark on a mission to drink 10 margaritas? Its like worrying if you are going to be chilly on the planet Hoth because all you ever have known are the warm sands of Tatooine. Its inevitable. Of course, there is always the pesky problem of heart burn to worry about as well. I would have modified my strategy, but we arrived at 21.42 only to find that $1 margaritas end at 23.00. Do or do not; there is no try.

To add a scientific research aspect to this project, we calculated the utility of each of the first ten margaritas.  I personally defined utility as how the margarita tasted and how I felt at that point. I assigned each value out of ten, and then a tally was marked on my right hand. We started this journey pretty low, but things started picking up intensity when the tequila started sinking in. I'm not sure why we did this experiment, but I think my friend and investor gets a tax ride-off for sponsoring research or donating to charity cases such as myself.

I finished 11 margaritas and was able to start on my 12th one for the twelfth man.  I was victorious in my challenge with only rubbing salt in my eye once, giving up one crazy story about Costa Rica, and explaining my Mom's views on President Obama.  The real story happened after I stopped drinking and the tequila had its chance to wreck havoc on my mental capabilities. So warning, if you choose to enter this challenge, you might experience one or more of the following. First, I told an inordinate amount of details about my past boyfriends and my past in general. The last time I told that much information about how I tick, I was watching the sun rise over the Caribe with a man from Cameroon (see Stardate 64051.5). I mean I blabbed about why I chose to go into economic development and how possessive my ex was. Craziness. Secondly, because we were getting so deep into my life, I decided to tell people that my life's theme song was "Gettin' By" by Jerry Jeff Walker. After, my friends dropped me off, I started listening to the entirety of the Great Gonzos album, and I thought (and said out loud to myself) that if the world really wanted to make a connection with me, you would have to sing the words to "Redneck Mother" with me. So, apparently drunk Michele has a connection to Layne (because we have sung this song randomly together in CR) and eight ninths of the redneck world.  There is no explaining this one. Next, you might think that the fact that you conquered the challenge is equivalent to graduating from college, winning a gold medal or finishing an IronMan competition. In turn, this may cause you to do the following: start crying to Kyle about how sad you are to not have your college family by your side, write a guilt trip on your good friend Bethany's wall about her lack of attendance, and write an incoherent message to James about how it meant a ton for him to show up. All of this was deemed unnecessary drama in the morning. Do not get me wrong; awesomeness was achieved. The tears, guilt trips, and exaggerations were not necessary.  But thanks guys for the support, except for you, Bethany. Lastly, you might start thinking a ton about your family. You might write a message to your sister telling her about how awesome she is and then, write a poem about your family. That seriously occurred.  That pretty much wraps up the struggles that I went through on Monday. After all it was just another Monday night, and I'm just carryin' on an ol' family tradition.

Special shout-out to: Bush School peeps (who wont be named because of their impending job search), Alex LaBelle (You doubted, son. Never again.), James (Thanks for giving up engineering to witness all 10 margaritas), Kyle ( you were there, but you just drinking beer), Greg (who bought the 11th) and Crew, and the random engineers that knew both James and Alex.

Wanted: One Electric Kettle

Stardate 64184.1
08:45 - Focus Foxies, I have discovered a grave lost amongst the Bush School community. As I woke up early today and trotted to the Bush School to achieve something meaningful before class today, I found that the one object that would enable me to do so had vanished. What I am talking about is the 'electric kettle'.  I am avid drinker of tea, and I need that kettle. How am I to read about the array of issues of poverty, hunger, crime, and unresolved social issues left over from colonial times facing the developing world if I do not have my hand packed in Sri Lanka, organic, English Breakfast tea inside of me? Well, I haven't a clue either. I searched all of the cabinets and drawers and the refrigerator to find my beloved, but the search proved to be in vain. Forced to take matter in my own hands. I jimmy-rigged the broken coffee maker into giving me fresh hot water, not old coffee tasting water that would ruin my tea. I understand that you have many issues facing you today. However, I have tagged enough people on facebook to this post to build a team of people to find it. Anyways, expect me to make a big deal about it in the Bush School SGA meeting today.  Perhaps, a task force would be appropriate, but I am just spit-balling here.  I hope y'all help me find the kettle, and then, we can all return to normal. Thanks and Gig'em!

the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Mexican Food

Stardate 64181.7
09:13 - Now, I am not an expert on Mexicans, but I have certainly gotten my heart broken by a few too many. But along the way, I learned a bit about Mexican food that I will share with you, Focus Foxies. Specifically, over the past couple of weeks I had the (mis)fortune of eating both good mexican food, bad 'Mexican' food, and some straight-up UGLY Mexican food.

Good Mexican Food:

My friends cooked authentic Mexican food for me for a couple of dinners. I have to say it was pretty good, and dare I say, better than comida tica. Lo siento pero es la verdad. Dinner one included Chilaquiles, Mexican Rice, and soup. Chilaquiles consists of a really hot (by gringo standards) blended salsa with chips in the salsa. The best way to describe it would be that it is a 'casarole' of sorts with really good, fresh tomatoes and jalapeño salsa. Mexican rice is different from all other types of rice by the fact that the first part of the preparation consists of heating the rice up in a skillet and then afterwards adding a can of tomato sauce. The soup was pretty much pasta. Dinner two was made up of a dish called Tinga. Personally, I like 'Tinga' better, but I have no idea how to spell it. You layer a huge ship (I think its called a tostado), then beans, and then a mixture of a different salsa and shredded chicken. Very tasty, Focus Foxies. So complete these meals with a tecate, and you are doing awesome.

Bad Mexican Food:
Bad Mexican Food is what I cook. No joke. I mastered the art of cooking 'migas' which I learned from an ex-boyfriend, but I an not sure if it is authentic. I also add chorizo into the deal to make it better. Very simple dish. But where I really fail lies in my inability to cook rice. I burnt the Mexican rice that I cooked. Not only was it crunchy because of the burntness, the inside was not cooked all the way through, allowing for an extra bit of crunch. See Stardate 641689.

Ugly Mexican Food:
Taco Cabana is ugly Mexican food. Although it cannot be considered Mexican food by most people, and a few claim that it is 'Tex-Mex', but in all reality, it is failure. Thinly disguised as being more 'authentic' than Taco Bell fails to out preform its chosen benchmark of TB. At Taco Bell do you find people struggling like Kyle here>>
No, you do not. You find people who are eating cheap, cheap food at 3 in the morning. You find them not having to trek all of the BCS area to find their location because they are adjacent to the gates of North. So next time you are famished after your nightly activities take your $2 to Taco Bell, and save $2010 and get the same amount of food as Taco C or what ever the cool kids call it these days.

What I Miss About Costa Rica

Stardate 64170.5

10:11 - Last night one of my friends texted me:

"Yall are all prob asleep but do you hate being back in America?"

I did not get this text until the morning because I probably was asleep.  But even this morning, I had no idea how to answer her question. Although Costa Rica is not a world apart from the US, the small, subtle differences between the two countries alter so much in my life. So to answer your question (the best I can), Meaghan...

I miss seeing mountains on my way to school. I miss getting cat calls on my way to class. Here, I could dress extremely hot and not turn a head. I miss being surrounded by flowers and hummingbirds when I step out the door. I miss Fofo's on Monday night and having a care free attitude and a crowd that I knew there. I miss Miraflores both mi barrio y la discoteca. I can't stand not going to a beach on the weekends. I can't stand living in a country in which Puerto Viejo is not in. I can't stand not hearing Ziggi when I walk down the streets. I can't stand not being able to go dancing when I want to. I hate not feeling as independent as I was in Costa Rica. I felt invincible when I walked through Heredia or San Jose. I never felt in danger. I hate not feeling like everyday I was learning something either about Spanish, myself or the world around me. 

I feel trapped here in College Station. There has been many times that I felt like dropping school in the middle of the year and joining the Peace Corps. Looking around at the people next to me in class, I have no experience compared to them and shit for grades. I spent my last year "serving" and now, I have no direction. In the future, my options will be better. If not, I am off to the Peace Corps for a few years until I get it sorted out. But Meaghan, hang in there. Life may never return to normal, but it doesn't mean the life in the States has to be rough. Picture it as another foreign country that you are visiting and power through it. 

I aint got no job, I aint got no money, I aint got shit to do

Stardate 64168.9
08:16 - My student loans have not come through. Why? I have a few things missing, but I know I have taken care of them last week. Entonces, I called financial aid for the third time this week. The lady on the other side was talking me through the system, which I already know, but I patiently listen. She informs me that it will take two days. I ask that if Friday it does not show up, should I follow up...?

"You really want your money don't you?"- Lady

"Nah, Trick, I just want call into different offices around campus to see if they are efficient or not." - Me

"Really?" - Lady

"Puta, Porfa. SHOW ME THE MONEY!" - Me

That isn't how it went, but it is what I thought. She said that they would request the documents by Friday, but they might not show up until Monday. I understand that this is my fault, but I could use a bit of help. I am down to less than a hundred dollars to my name with no credit card to back up on.  This makes me a bit nervous. Once my loans come through and my sister repays me my $50.

13:02 - I apply for a job at Atkinson Toyota. I think that I am pretty much in, if they can find the hours. Here is hoping. While this is happy, this event struggles because I told my good friend that I got a lead on this job. He said that "Surely you can get a cooler job than that." Really? I am applying to every job I can. I mean every job. It sucks because this is the only lead I have had. So, I will stand out in 100 degree weather in rain or shine for minimum wage. 

19:09 - Well, I decide to cook up some food. I have really nothing left in my kitchen, but a few things. I am not to the point of being really hungry. However, I am saving an ounce of tomato sauce. I reheated my mom's porkchop and made a pork fajita. I made mexican rice, but I burnt it. What sucks is that no matter what....I have to eat it for lunch tomorrow. 

20:39 - As I have a whole post complaining about my issues. No one feel sorry for me. I will be fine. Being poor will do me good. Less drinking, loosing weight and a general appreciation for what I used to have. But seriously, I have turned off the AC for now and I am donating plasma tomorrow. They don't want you to have piercings in the past twelve months.... I might lie about that....

Hungover Michele

Stardate 64134
12:22 - I have told many people that drunk Michele is the best version of myself because I am just more fun and will get into more trouble. But today, I found out that hungover Michele is a pretty cool cat.  Many people just chill and moan when they have a hangover, but not many. Usually, I can get around extremely early and start being productive. For example, I put together my blue lamp today and commenced playing with it. I mean it looks like a staff and as you can see, I clearly began acting out lines from my favorite wizard. Sorry, Focus Foxies more obsessed with Potter than LOTR, Gandalf wins. Please note that I even put on a grey robe for the occasion as was appropriate due to Gandalf being Gandalf the Grey when such lines were uttered. I also hung up pictures, painted trim around the walls and vacuumed. This all occurring before my friend picked me up to find my forgotten car.

Making Cookies and Earrings

Stardate 64124
21:22 - My adventures in cooking are entertaining and often not as tasty as one could hope. My Dad tasked me to make cookies for some charity thing. How hard could cookies be to make? Answer: hard. My flat too chocolaty experiments tasted alright but looked like a struggle. One day I will be able to cook something. But today was not that day.

So, I do not think that I told you, Focus Foxies, that I had my ears pierced several times while in Costa Rica. I got the cartilage piercing first, then the rook, and the industrial last. I know people who are getting their master's degrees are supposed to be professional, but screw it. I love them. Besides, I want to work in the field, not in an office.  Therefore, I will not continue to display the same sort of stuffiness found all around the Bush School. Lo siento, Bush School Focus Foxies, but it is kinda true. For the record, the did not hurt at all. Although the rook piercing did bleed a ton. So far they are not infected, and I did loose my cartilage earring, but replaced with a light blue earring. I am glad I got them and stopped worrying what people might think in the future. My Mom did no see the piercing, even though I had my hair up. She saw them in church. She told me to pray because even, God might not be able to save me. She wasn't too pleased to say the least.

Graduating to What?

Stardate 64119.9

10: 03 - It has been roughly a year since I graduated with my bachelor's degree.  Although, time-wise, it seems short; it feels the past 1/22 part of my life has been the longest and probably the roughest part. For nine months, I balanced the two worlds of being a grad student and a full time student politician. Sometimes, I felt as if I succeeded and in others, I knew I came short of meeting my goals. I have always been an extremely goal oriented person who got what they want just by putting the effort into it.  But last May, I watched as three years of hard work went up in flames and feeling helpless to to do anything about it.  As summer began, I knew I was too young to feel this washed up and bitter. I had so much anger and hate for so many things; it was hard to eat or sleep because of the disgust that I felt. There was no one I could explain this feeling to. I just wanted to put it behind me. So flying to Costa Rica, I left all of it behind.

I was so determined to leave everything in College Station behind for three months that I never once talked about home or who I missed because the truth was that I did not miss home. Everything that was deemed necessary in life was transported to Costa Rica, and the nonessential was left. I spent three months trying to heal myself. Heal my optimism, my spirit, my drive and my will to keep going.  Removed from my usual surroundings, I could see how toxic of a person I had become. I cannot say that over night I started feeling better, but it took a slow process of reworking the way I thought about my life. Everyday as I walked to school, I had reinforce that it was my choice to live a full and happy life, and I will not let myself settle for anything less. As a part of this process, I cut people out of my life temporarily and permanently that took part in making me this way. I have never regretted this decision to drop people out of my life. Once, I made the choice to let all this hate out of my heart; I could not step back into that path. With the hate in retreat, I first regained my sensory feelings again. For the first time in my life, I ate a meal with all five of my senses. It is an odd thing to explain, but truly sitting down for a long period of time and appreciating the food, the area around you and the time you have can do wonders. Then I went on to find what used to make me happy that I gave up on long ago. My passion for soccer and dance came back and helped me drive out everything else. Having the ability to feel again and then reigniting my passion for life allowed me to start rebuilding who I wanted to be.

Today, I know that I have another rough year coming up, but I know what it feels like to be free and appreciate the life I have. Because I know I have been blessed, I just cannot allow myself to stray far from being who I choose to be.

Adoption

Stardate 64109
09:13 - Today, it was finalized!!!!! My two youngest sisters were legally adopted today at 9.13 in the morning.We are so proud to have the as a part of our family. On the right is Chelsea Lynn Breaux, and she is 12 years old and in 7th grade. On the left is Hannah Marie Breaux, and she is 10 years old and in 5th grade. They are biological sisters from Louisianna.  Chelsea plays the flute and soccer. Hannah likes animals and also plays soccer. Both of them will be starting dance this year. We met them a year ago in Lake Charles after going through the adoption process for about a year and a half. In December, they came to live with us for good. It has been an absolute joy and a blessing to see all of us grow, both individually and as a family throughout this time. I can't imagine life without them now. It is an amazing feeling to tell people that I have 4 sisters and to see the look of disbelief on their face.

Flight Home

Stardate 64101.4
14:47 - Ahora, estoy volando desde San Jose para Estados Unidos. Despues de tres meses, estoy yendome  Costa Rica. Estoy muy triste porque a mi me gusta Costa Rica. He aprendido mucho acerca de mi vida, otras culturas y que quiero hacer con mi vida. Lo mas importante es el significado de Pura Vida. Entonces, Chao, Costa Rica! Voy a extrañarte. Pero, este es solo el comienzo. Voy a continuar a viajar alrededor del mundo. No tengo dingue pero tengo el insecto de viaje (travel bug).

Mientras mi vuelo, mire los nubes y el Caribe debajo de mi avion. Maraville con los nubes y sus reflexiónes en el mar. Termine mi diado para Costa Rica. Necesite escribir acerca de mi ultimo viaje a Puerto Viejo y mi ultima noche en Heredia.

Drinking Games en Puerto Viejo

Stardate 64088.1
18:00 -This past weekend, I took my final trip to Puerto Viejo. This time I traveled to and from with the group, but soon lost the group upon arriving. To be extremely frank, the reason for this is because I have alcoholic tendencies mixed in with need to be away from people who need to be entertained constantly. Luckily, I found interesting people to entertain me, and they taught me many a drinking game.

First game that I randomly crashed into was The Game of Slaps.  Literally, I tripped, both hands landed on table full of strangers, and they invited me to play. So I was already in position because you need your hands like such

Starting with green hand number 1 on the left, you slap the table, then the red handed person slaps the table and then keep going down the line. Let's say that green hand number two does three slaps on the table, then purple is skipped and yellow 2 slaps. Lets say that yellow 2 slaps twice, then the order is reversed and purple slaps. If you screw up, you drink and take the offending hand off the table. Easy enough. During this time I met Barry or the Red Barron. He is a shaggy man from England who was a little far past gone at the moment because he kept staring at me even after I said Hello several times. Fun fact: he plays with baby sloths.

Second game is for people getting bored of the first one and because an adorable, red-headed Aussie man starts barking out orders to "Stand Up! We are playing Whiz-Ball." Whiz Ball is a very interesting game, I say that because I do not know what type of substance you would have had to take in order to invent this game. Well, the group has this imaginary ball and you throw it to your neighbor and and do the same,  but you have to d it with the correct hand. For example, if the 'ball' is going to the right, you move the ball with the left hand. To reverse the order, you need to 'Boink' the ball by the fist bumping.  So as in the previous example, you boink the ball with your left hand, and the ball goes to the left. Now, to add more complications to this game, the push is inserted. So if you have the ball, you push it with both hands to someone else in the circle. This person has to whiz the ball in the same direction at it previously was going.  Important: You cannot boink a push. It just does not happen.  Soon, I will figure out how to add a force push into the game.

Third game is called 21. We played this game with a bunch of different people who spoke a bunch of different languages. The object of this game is to count to 21 by each person listing off a number. When you get to 21, that person makes a rule to replace the other numbers. 7 and 14 are already taken. You say 14 for 7, and 7 for 14. Also, just as in The Game of Slaps, two numbers reverses the direction and three skips one.

Tipico Latino y Futbol 5

Stardate 64075.1

10:25 - Anoche, fuimos a la discoteca: se llama Tipico Latino. Es una discoteca para viejos pero nos gusta esta discoteca. Mira!



Stardate 64079.1
20:45 -  Tambien, jugamos futbol 5.

No Luz en Heredia

Stardate 64057.2
23:21 - Esta noche, tenemos una tormenta. En inverno (ahora es inverno para Costa Rica), Costa Rica tiene mucha lluvia, pero hoy, tuvimos una tormenta grande. Durante la tormenta, la luz rompió y era desactivado. Mi familia tica y yo jugamos Jenga y yo construí un edifica. Mira!

Sunrise con Roberto

Stardate 64051.5
20:33 - Being as far East as you can get in Puerto Viejo, Roberto de Camaroon y yo watched the sunrise over el Caribe. We both spent the previous night drinking after a new aquintance (Robert) introduced us. Roberto was born 'Robert' in California, lived in Camaroon with his family for years, and went to Hawaii for college. Standing at 6ft 3in, this blonde surfer had a unique sense of humor and a killer smile to go with it.  Our conversations drifted from microbiology, volleyball in Hawaii, growing up Catholic, my inspiration to help, him being chase by machetes in Camaroon, and el Mundial. As the sun began to rise, our conversations dribbled into unintelligible Spanish. Both talking, but neither understanding. I had to excuse myself for a minute, but when i came back, my friends who woke up for the sunrise were sitting in the place that Roberto was in. They politely told me that "my friend was in the ocean." When I looked out, I saw a speck that was Roberto.  Much to their surprise and even more to Roberto's. I took off my jeans and followed him out there.  I transversed the dead coral and urchin beds to meet Roberto out in the middle of the Caribe. Here we floated in the emerald water admiring the Sun's ascent. We then started diving down to the bottom to get a closer look at the dead coral and fish. Underwater surrounded by vivid green's, blues and browns, I was memorized by the dazzling beauty of the Caribe as we glided over the floor. We floated as far in as we could on our stomachs to avoid what my feet had previously ached over. We returned to our log with my other friends long gone. As the minutes washed out with the tide, we could no longer ignore that the night was down and the sun had risen. We said our good-byes and went two separate ways. By the time I head back to Viejo, he will be well on his way to surfing the waves in Panama.

Puerto Viejo 2

Stardate 64045.9
19:00- La primera cosa que me dijeron cuando llegue en Costa Rica fue "Nunca Viaja Sólo!" Pues, rompí esa regala. Lo siento, Janiva....pero sólo viaje a Puerto Viejo donde encontré mis amigos. El cuento: alrededor de 8 o 9 pm a las viernes, decidí ir a Puerto Viejo con Meaghan y Layne, pero no tuve reservas o un billete de bus.  Pero estaba bien! En la mañana, me levante y empaque mis cosas por Puerto Viejo. No necesite mucho pero era muy difícil a empacar porque estaba de goma. Tome el bus por Tibas para San José pero olvidé mi parada y  necesité tomar un taxi para llegar al Gran Terminal de Caribe. A las 12.30 pm, pude comprar un billete para 2pm. Por todo el viajo a Puerto Viejo, me sentí enferma porque estaba de goma y tenía dolor de mi cabeza.  Yo encontré Robert en la parada en Limón. Robert era muy simpático, un guía para paseos, y de San José.  Cuando llegue en Puerto Viejo, Robert y yo fuimos a Rocking Js para obtener una hamaca. Durante mi viajo a Puerto Viejo, no tuve que responder a preguntas estúpidas o preocuparme acerca de gringos locos. Mi paseo era muy bien y tranquilo. Actualmente, prefiero viajar solo y entonces, encontrar personas en mi camino.

Mundial

Stardate 64029.8
22:10 - (a whoop!) Hoy fue el día de la final del Mundial. Por supuesto, el Mundial y fútbol son muy importante para ticos y yo. España y Holanda jugaron en la final y ESPAÑA GANO!!! VIVA ESPAÑA!! Quise España a ganar porque España tiene Torres (o El Niño). Usted necesito saber que Liverpool FC es mi equipo favorito. Yo se que Holanda tiene dos jugadores de Liverpool pero me gusta la vía que España juega fútbol. Yo fui a la casa de Billy para ver el partido. El invitó mucho personas a ver el partido. Para el partido, yo compre una blusa roja y nuevos aretes oros porque los colores de España son rojo, azul oscuro, y oro/amarillo. También, me disgusta el color de naranja; entonces, no me gusta Holanda.

Today was the day of the World Cup final. Of course, the World Cup and soccer are very important for Costa Ricans and myself. Spain and Holand played in the final and Spain won!! Yay Spain! I wanted Spain to win because Spain has Torres. You need to know that Liverpool FC is my favorite team. I know that Holland has two Liverpool players, but I like the way that Spain plays soccer. I went to Billy's house to watch the game, and he invited a ton of people. For the game, I bought a red shirt and new gold earrings because the Spainish colors are red, dark blue, and gold/yellow. Also, I hate the color orange; so I do not like Holand.

Chepe

Stardate 64027.1
El Sábado, 10 de julio de 2010, yo fui a San José. Tomé un bus que fue por Heredia. Yo quise ir al museo de Arte Costarricense. Deje el bus en la Iglesia Merced porque Google Maps me dijo que el Museo estaba cerca de la iglesia. Pero, no fue la verdad, yo estaba perdida. Entonces, yo tomé un taxi para el museo. Cuando yo llegue, yo camine alrededor el museo. El museo tenia un porque muy linda con mucho gente jugaba deportes. Busque la entrada y supe que el museo estaba cerrado. Que triste! Entonces, tome otro taxi a la Iglesia Merced otra vez. Decidí caminar para visitar el Museo del Oro. En el camino, yo viste el Teatro Nacional. El Teatro Nacional era muy viejo y bonito. Esta construido en el estilo clásico. Después, yo crucé la Plaza de Cultura y entre El Museo de Oro. El Museo de Oro tiene la mejor colección de oro de América antiguo en el Mundo. Me gusto el Museo mucho porque tenia mucha información acerca de la historia de Costa Rica. Por ejemplo, el museo tenia oro, arte y moneda costarricense. Después del museo, yo fui a Pollo Companero para comer pollo frito. Ordene en Español y vi el partido de fútbol entre Almenia y Uruguay. Yo era la única gringa en la restaurante y era divertido hablar solamente en Español acerca del partido. Entonces, yo fui al mercado para comprar regalos para mi familia. Yo quise buscar regalos excelentes para mi familia y este mercado tenia muchas tiendas. Pero, esas tiendas no tenían excelente regalos hasta que descubrí una caja para joyería. Esta caja era de madera y tenia un tucán, un loro y las palabras 'Costa Rica' en la tapa. Después del mercado, yo estaba cansada y fui a Heredia.