My MBA Countdown Has Begun!

July 14th, 2011 | 17 comments



If you don’t know already, I’m starting my MBA this fall at Georgetown University. Today marks T-3 weeks until the start of my graduate school program, beginning with MBA Boot Camp. I didn’t expect to be breaking a sweat this early on but I guess I was wrong.

I’ve been back and forth between NYC and DC this past month looking for a place to call home for the next two years. I’ve got my heart set on Dupont Circle. Georgetown offers a free shuttle bus to campus so my broke behind can save on transportation fees. And also because I’m a 24-year old New Yorker who can’t drive. That’s actually not an anomaly.

  • Aside from apartment hunting, there are a few loose ends to tie up before I start this new chapter of my life.
  • Purchase short term health insurance since my insurance as dependent under my dad doesn’t kick in until January 2013. (Thanks, Obama!)
  • Order the required textbooks for the fall semester, which adds up to about, oh, $600.
  • Harass the financial aid office to ensure all my loan applications and approvals are in order.
  • Rent a U-Haul pickup truck to lug all my things down to DC. (I’m a little skeptical about it since I’ve read so many reviews about how terrible the pick-up, drop-off and customer service is at U-Haul facilities in DC.)



         


Apartment Hunting In DC

June 13th, 2011 | 25 comments



I took a one day trip to DC this weekend with my parents to go apartment hunting. Driving down the I-95 (or was it the I-295?) my parents blabbed on and on about how beautiful the scenery was with the acres of farm land. As we approached the center of town, my parents said,

Mom: A Kohl’s!
Dad: Home Depot

I chuckled at their comment and then proceeded to wonder what life would be like for me if I had to drive a mile to buy a gallon of milk instead of walking a block. For some reason, I pictured life in Smallville. Maybe it’s because I recently finished watching the entire series for a few moments, I felt like I was there – small town, acres upon acres of land, little red barns. All that was missing were just a few cows.

Six hours later, we finally reached DC. All of the places we looked at were in Dupont Circle. It’s the most ideal location for me since it’s only two blocks away from the free shuttle bus to Georgetown University. It’s also close to the metro, restaurants and supermarkets. That’s pretty much all I need to survive – easy access to transportation and food.

We saw 8 different units and I really hope I don’t have to make another trip down there again. That 10+ hour round trip drive exhausts my parents and trying to give directions to my father can almost be as stressful as driving. There are at least one or two with some potential. Here are some pictures of my favorite apartment.

The rent was pretty painful in Dupont Circle. It hurt so much that I didn’t even realize the 17 mosquito bites that suddenly appeared. Good news is that at least I’m scratching my ass in the privacy of my own home.




         


Book Review: Sisters of the Sari

June 6th, 2011 | 6 comments



Sisters of the Sari is a light and entertaining read that reveals the strength of women, regardless of socioeconomic backgrounds. Kiria Langdon is a high-powered and driven American CEO of a major gaming company and Santoshi is a poor working woman in Chennai, India.

Together these two women explore one another’s idiosyncracies and cultural differences, bond over language barrier by learning one another’s mothers tongue and free each other from the invisible chains of who they thought they were suppose to be.

Each chapter in Sisters of the Sari are written in alternative perspectives – one of the narrator and the other of Kiria Langdon. The bond between Kiria and Santoshi isn’t merely a bond of friendship but of admirable respect for one another over the struggles the both of them have endured and overcome.

Sisters of the Sari makes the reader feel that potential can be hidden in anywhere and in anyone. Strength can be found in the weakest link. Courage can be ignited and surprise the one it came from.

The book is humorous (thanks to Kiria’s witty and sometimes unfiltered words), charming, real and touching. The stories of every supporting character is just as interesting, although short-lived, as the main characters. Any book that can make me chuckle out loud in public and not care is definitely worth a read.

A free copy of Sisters of the Sari was provided to me for this review.




         


Happily Unemployed

April 27th, 2011 | 25 comments



All rights reserved by G.M.B

There were 5 things I accomplished in the past 3 years.

  1. Studied for my GMAT.
  2. Took my GMAT. Twice.
  3. Got accepted in to business school.
  4. Traveled to Istanbul, Honduras and Madrid.
  5. Magically managed to maintain this travel blog.

It’s not bad list considering I had 50 hour work weeks and was commuting almost 13 hours every week. But it’s not great either, especially since being happy didn’t make it on the list.

Here are 5 things I’ve accomplished while being unemployed for the past month and a half.

  1. Saw my family, whom I live with under the same roof, on a week day.
  2. Found time to volunteer.
  3. Slept more than 6 hours a night.
  4. Learned how to cook. (Sort of. It’s a work in progress. I make a mean bowl of oatmeal. Seriously.)
  5. Be happy.

So what am I doing now that I am no longer a slave to a monotonous 9-7?

I’m currently volunteering for Support For International Change (SIC). I haven’t been so gung-ho about a project since I graduated. Why you ask? Because it’s stuff that actually matters. At least to me it does. No offense but designer dresses and vapid TV shows just doesn’t cut it.

I rather spend my time convincing you to buy a Tuko Pamoja Bag to support Tanzanian women living with HIV/AIDS than telling you to tune into another mindless reality TV show.

What’s to come in the next few months?

I’m going to be getting my first apartment!!! I’ve been hunting for a place I can call home for the next two years. I’ll be moving down to DC for graduate school by mid-July (ideally). Kelsey aka Drifting Focus has given me some of the inside scoop on places to live in and around DC. She even showed me her HUGE apartment for a ridiculously low price (compared to NYC standards) via Skype.

What’s to come in the next two years?

Getting my MBA at Georgetown University. Woot! School is the one place I know where I will always be challenged and I haven’t been mentally challenged in a very long time so I’m definitely looking forward to packing my noodle with knowledge.

Cheers to a new path!




         


My Life Update: Unemployed, Cancer, High Blood Pressure, Scoliosis & an MBA

March 13th, 2011 | 65 comments



All rights reserved by jdcow

Well, the title pretty much sums up my life right now. Things are a little off track. I’ll start with the most alarming one: cancer

Cancer

I don’t have it so you can all exhale now. My grandmother does. She was admitted to the hospital shortly after Chinese New Year. The doctor diagnosed her with stomach cancer and advised not to have her go under the knife. She’s 87 years old and there’s a high chance she won’t make. Last weekend, she was admitted to the hospital again.

Most of the time, I feel helpless because I’m so far away. My grandmother lives in Shenzhen, China with my grandfather. The only thing I can do is send money to pay the medical bills but it never feels like it’s enough. My grandfather and my dad have accepted that this is the beginning of the end for her. I haven’t.

Unemployed

I was laid off on Monday. It took a few days for me to fully digest everything but now I think about it, maybe it’s a blessing in disguise. Without my 50 hour work week and 10+ hour commutes, I have more time for family in light of current events.

High Blood Pressure

I visited the doctor the day after and found out I had high blood pressure at age 23. Scary, isn’t it? I guess you can call it an occupational hazard. Due to my long work hours at a tiny desk and small computer screen, I’ve forgotten to take care of my mental and physical health. That’s never happening again. Since I’ve been laid off, I’m more conscious about eating my fruits and veggies and I definitely make sure I exercise at least 30 minutes every day. Any ideas on how to lower high blood pressure?

Scoliosis

Another occupation hazard – back pains. I was diagnosed with scoliosis, a curve or curves in the spine, when I was in the 5th grade. Sitting at a small desk for 10 hours a day only exacerbated it. There were many mornings where I woke up feeling like I’m 50. Now that I have 60 hours of my week back, yoga has become a part of my daily routine.

MBA

I’ve been looking forward to this for a very, very long time. This fall I will be starting graduate school at Georgetown University! I can’t wait to meet all the travel bloggers in DC.

So what’s next?

I’m currently looking to be employed again. If you or anyone you know is hiring a social media community manager please contact me! I’m available for short-term projects as well. Anything that will help me pay for my massive MBA tuition bill will be greatly appreciated.

I’m also looking for guest bloggers. I have a lot of things to figure out in the next few months and it would be great if I could get a little help keeping this blog of mine running and alive. If you’re interested in guest blogging for me, please email me at monica@apairofpantiesandboxers.com




         


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