Re: 7 Updates from the 7th Month

Hi Mare,

it is great to hear life updates from you. I am glad that you are working at Yogurtland and will be working at your school's administration department. I am excited for you! Even more, it seems like you are continuously seeking to do something; either spending time with your friends, training, reading, or leading in worship. Despite you are having an emotional time period, I think it is something to be grateful for to have friends around who are patient and understanding; and, it is okay to show a rambling side of you to people whom you have as true friends. True friends do not just like "bubbly, positive, and light Marian," but Marian Ledesma as a single human.

Even though my trip with my dad was a part of my July, here are more July Recaps of mine as a response to yours :)

1. One thing I have mentioned from the last post is that I started driving! After the trip with my dad, I have started to drive alone to coffee shops and gym in my hometown. Along caution, I enjoy driving alone because the car becomes my own space (playing my own music makes it even better:)) I definitely take a bit of time to park since parking spaces in Korea are not spacious as ones in wide America but I would say that I am not bad at it! My parents also begin to feel comfortable being driven by me. They often ask me to drive or pick them up from train stations on days that they do not bring cars. On first few days of me driving them, they could not let their hands go from handles attached to the top of the car while they were telling me, "you're doing great job, Joanne!" which was hilarious. I am planning on issuing an international driver license so I can apply to take driving tests at DMV and hopefully drive in the U.S.!

2. I have taken a free version of Enneagram test during college with my friends. Even though I have done it, I tried it again this month when I saw the illustration of 9 Enneagram types drawn by illustrator I found in Instagram Audrey Bailey(@brushandbarley). For two times in a row, the test showed that I am a type 2, which is defined as the Helper. When I saw the result and read descriptions, I feel like there are some potential bias (ha! AP Statistics!) in this test because each description seems to be more accurate in describing myself since I already know that this test defined me as the type 2. Anyway, type 2 describes me pretty well: I love and look for something to help around me. It energizes me when I can help someone but I disagree or deny to call myself as conscious or dependent on people for approval/ love/ acknowledgement. I might be dependent or conscious from others' views but at least I do not want to be too dependent or conscious. However, it has been hard to be okay from being alone this summer, Mare. Based on Enneagram's description, people energize me. The lack of people to hang out and go adventures with has dragged me. I have learned that people tend to focus on people who are present in front of them physically, which is a great example of being in a moment. This fact has slowly helped me to swallow a reality and remember to respect and understand others when they cannot afford their time to spend with me because they have other important events and people to manage in front of them. One thing I can do to overcome loneliness is giving thanks to God for everything: giving me everyday to do something and time with my family.

3. Another downside of being alone for this whole summer is that I do not have anyone to train with. This summer, I have been going to a gym consistently but it has not been intense enough. I have been using a treadmill, indoor bike, erg machine, and other utilities but I cannot last longer than 1 1/2 hours. It is too hot and humid to go out for runs (in fact, it has been like 95% humidity with 80-90 F for every 24 hours). It will be definitely challenging to go back and take fitness tests like 1 mile and 4 mile run, 5k erging test, and some strengthening tests. One bright side is that I get to row on the water soon! I am planning on going back to school little early and it will allow me to go on runs in the morning before I take the running tests!

4. One of my 2019 goals was also reading books. Unlike you, I have set a goal of 6 books since I see myself as a slow reader. This summer, I have read three books. Two books were recommended and given by my dad. He has given me books he read before. The first book I read was the Outlier by Malcom Gladwell. It is about success but in an innovative perspective. Most books about success tell readers how to be successful. The content can be sometimes chessy and over-repeated over books. However, this book shows several environmental factors that succeeded people have been with an assistance of experiments and statistics. The book opens readers' views over success: along with one's effort, good timing is a part of his success. Another book my dad gave me is Physics for Future Presidents written by Richard Muller. It pinpoints some scientific topics that future "presidents" should know: Connection between terrorism and energy, radioactive/nuclear energy, depletion of natural resources, climate change, Satellites, and etc. The book summarizes such main scientific current issues that leaders should know in order to make intelligent decisions and discussions. It was great to review things I have learned through classes at high school and college and get to know new things from this book. A little fun fact is that I read them in Korean. I found it interesting that I read books faster when they are written in Korean. I think it is because I know which part to skim easier in Korean than in English. The third book I read this summer is Traveling the Light by Max Lucado. This book was easier and faster to read but most comforting among the three books. Lucado remind us, light travelers, that we do not need to carry all the luggage on our hands on this journey of the Light because God has multiple hands to help to hold them. Probably you will be able to read the book in 1-2 days, Mare. I recommend it for an easy, comforting read.

5. In 9 days, I am moving back to my college. I am going back way earlier than my friends because I will be a first-year fellow this year! First-year fellows are residential life positions in first-year dorms and they help and guide first-year students in academic perspectives. That is why I will be moving in before First-year orientation starts so other fellows and I can get trained. Other residential life people (RAs and D'Lions who are social peer advisers) will be there early as well. I am ready to go back to daily routine and see my friends but nervous for a new adventure. I will be responsible and expected to be intentional to reach out to new students. I hope that I am "likable" and easily reachable to them throughout the year. To add more, I will be one of team captains for my crew this year. This is my first time being a team captain. I am worried whether I will be well-represented of the team or not. I am not the fastest rower in the team but one of the smallest and newest to rowing. I hope to be a great example and leader to people I will interact in the campus this year!

6. This summer has been a time period for me to consider and research on careers I want to pursue into. Several months ago, I found out that I want to work at hospitals but it has been difficult to figure out if it is a doctor or a nurse. I have looking through academic requirements, time commitment, and specific duties and responsibilities they need to fulfill. Since I am pretty confident with setting (hospitals) I want to work in, I have been calculating in my head if it is worth of a shot to apply for medical schools, which is extremely competitive among many intelligent people, based on my academic performances. So far, Emergency Nurse Practitioner is something I want to pursue into but I have so much time to figure it out and decide! I also have changed my major from Earth and Environmental Science (EES) to Environmental Health. The names seem very similar but they are quite different. While EES is geological and physical studies of the Earth and its environment, Environmental Health is more like Public Health with scientific knowledge. Environmental Health studies how environmental factors like pollution and nutrition can affect humans' bodies. I decided to change my major to Environmental Health because it is more related to careers I may have in the future. I believe that such connection between my major and potential careers will help me to focus and be motivated on classes I will be taking for upcoming semesters.

7. I guess I can say that I have been working this summer too. I am not officially employed but I have been helping my good old friend at her small clothing store. I work during weekdays from 3 to 6 pm. She does not need me everyday but it has been consistent from 3 to 5 days. I open the shop at 3 pm, vacuum and clean the floor, water plants, help organizing clothes, and others. I am glad that she is willing to "hire" me even though I could only help for three months of summer. But I guess a con (that I do not care much) is that I get about less than $10 per hour. I do not care much about how much I get paid because income is income! It is more than $0 income. And it is pretty low-key, and I am thankful for works I can help and feel productive afterward. I am so happy to have this income and save it for college. It is definitely not enough to survive another year of college but it is better than nothing :)

mini-update: Because it has been really hot, I have been going to coffee shops where have air conditioners and, of course, cups of coffee! I probably go to them almost everyday. At the coffee shops, I usually read books, write blog posts, and check or write emails.

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These are my 7 updates from July! I hope your eighth month of 2019 fulfills with great new starts, Mare. Thank you for always keeping up with me no matter how far we are from each other.

Love,

Joanne

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This is a part of blog challenge with Marian Ledesma.

Click here to check out her recent blog posts about her July Recap through lists and pictures!