Kiah

One of my favorite things about working places like All Fired Up or KB Toy store are the children's whose lives we touch. Children like Kiah.


Kiah comes into All Fired Up with her grandmother about once a week or once every other week after school. They are two of the nicest people ever! Kiah is 6 years old and so highly intelligent!! She speaks 3 languages and has such high opinions of things. She is not afraid to come and ask me for help and always tells me about how her day was and what she learned in school. She is so cute-she always says she wants me to work at her school. She also told me that she likes me the same as she likes her family! I will miss her so much when I start my new job and wont be able to see her at all Fired Up anymore. She has forever made an impact on my life.

Kiah and her drawing of her and I together

New best friends!

PA: Amish or Hmong?

This past weekend Ger invited me to PA to visit her family and new born niece. Her oldest sister Jen still lives in the town that they grew up in with her husband and 3 week old baby girl Laura. Ger's Parents and other older sister Pau also visited. It was a family reunion... plus me.

I had never been to PA before and was totally excited to go and meet Ger's family, but must admit I was a little nervous and hoped that they'd like me. Of course her family was so nice! They all greeted and hugged me and were more than accommodating. Their house had a very homey lived in feeling which I love!

Ger had always told me that her community was primarily white and there were a lot of Amish people, but around Ger's sisters house I was the only non-Asian around. Its so interesting how cultures stick together. Every time they spoke Hmong I wanted to break in speaking Japanese... I even found myself thinking in Japanese... I guess its my default language now...lol.

I was so excited to see my first horse and carriage pulling the Amish peeps. I laughed when I saw that they really do wear those hats! It was an incredibly educational experience for me.

Essentially all we did all weekend was cook, eat and shop with Ger's sisters and niece! It was perfect!!

So Id like to give a shout out to the Moua family and say thank you for making me feel so welcome in your home and it was great to meet you all!!

Huckleberry Cheesecake

Its official I will be working at Huckleberry Cheesecake Child Care starting the first week of March as one of three teachers in the 3-5 year olds class! I am super excited!!!

http://www.huckleberrycheesecake.com/

I will keep you all posted as to how it goes!!

I got a raise!

Finally!!! AND VERY WELL DESERVED I MIGHT ADD!! I got a $1 an hour raise! YAY!

A new start?

Well after weeks of sitting around Ger's apartment depressed and unmotivated to actually go out and get a new job, apartment, etc. I finally one day got up and started. It wasn't any special day and there really wasn't any special reason. My motivation just came flying back!

So I did a 2 round interview for a preschool whom I am still waiting to hear from because they havent made a final decision.

I also did some apartment shopping. I found that there was no way I could afford my own place making $8 an hour, but I could possibly get my own room in someone else's home. I ended up finding a girl who was looking for someone to take the second room in her two bedroom apartment. When I met up with her I learned that she is much younger that someone I ideally wanted to live with, but I LOVED the apartment! I really like the layout and its so white and clean. I learned more about her and decided to take the apartment. So I moved in last Sunday (with the help of Ger and Dave because they are great!)!

I realized that I had wayyyy more stuff than I thought I did. I think it looked like more because it was in 100 small boxes instead of large boxes because they had been transported from California and put into small nooks and crannies of Gers apartment. I have been spending the past few days slowly unpacking. I need some furniture, but am learning that what I want is a bit pricey and have decided that I am not going to settle, but instead save money and live out of boxes until I can afford what I want.

So I now live in Bethesda (Chevy Chase MD). Its a great neighborhood. A little more upper class than I can afford when it comes to shopping and what not, but provides a lot of window shopping. I found a great small Japanese Grocery store and the lady seems to love speaking Japanese with me and is very kind.

The new roomie is nice. She is 19 years old, but seems to have a good head on her shoulders. I think she has a lot to learn about life, but seems to be approaching things well. She bought a cat who is also getting used to the new digs and is totally cute! I dont think we will be best friends, but so far the roommate thing is working just fine.

So I guess one might say I am settling in nicely. Hopefully a fresh start.

PS- will keep you posted on the job thing.

The Metro-life

One of my favorite parts about taking transportation like the DC metro is people watching.

I love watching people on the metro. I stare. I sometimes notice that I make people uncomfortable because its obvious that I am staring at them. I love the ethnic, cultural, physical diversity of people that I see. I LOVE to sit on a train and be able to see the whole car and just on that one car see the stereotypical business guy in a suit, older man with a backpack, college kid with headphones, couple engrossed in one another, 20something girl all dolled up, 60 year old woman in fur coat...etc. I sometimes find myself laughing or giggling out loud at people. They are so fascinating to watch. I cant read or play a game on the metro because I am too busy people watching.

Next time you are on any form of public transportation... look up and watch. People are incredibly fascinating!

Obama- a late ode to inauguration

I kept meaning to blog about my inauguration adventure, but kept forgetting (or putting it off). Today I was flipping through my pictures and found my videos and photos from Jan 20Th, 2009 and it reminded me that I haven't posted or blogged yet.

So here I am.

It was insane to be in DC not only for the election proved how far this country has come, but the inauguration of Obama. Its amazing how much political pride and intelligence this city has to offer. Every one I meet has an opinion and something fascinating to add. I learn more here in a day than I have in a long time! And I LOVE IT!

The days leading up to Inauguration were insane. There was a law passed that bars could be open until 5am, ticket prices to get into the city were astronomical, tourism increased ten fold, Craigslist consisted of people renting out apartments, rooms and couches for the big day! Stores had large posters and trinkets with Obama's face plastered on the front. Bars had special drinks called Obama. Street vender's carried everything from the traditional t-shirts to lighters to mugs with American pride. The city was ALIVE and intoxicating! You couldn't help but talk about it and get into the inauguration spirit. Even my boss was giving 15% off anything painted with Obama! It was exhilarating! If ever there was a time to live in DC it was January of 2009!!

Ger and I had decided that we were too old and it was too cold to go and sit on the mall all night just to see him being sworn in at 12 the next day, so we decided to wake up at a somewhat normal hour and head down there to see what we could see. I was pretty sure we weren't going to be able to see much, but it didn't hurt to go and check it out. Who knows, maybe we get lucky.

We woke up at 8am and headed towards down town. It was the eeriest feeling ever... there were NO CARS on the streets. Most the traffic if any in our neighborhood was on foot. You could have walked down the center of the street and not had to worry about a single cab running you over or DCer honking their horn for you to get out of the middle of the road! We ended up having good timing and caught a bus down town. Have you ever seen a downtown with no cars?! Its spooky! There were masses of people everywhere!! It was like time square on New Years or New Orleans on Mardi Gras! People shouting and yelling! Cops, military, firemen, ambulances, NYPD, LAPD.....you name it they were on the streets trying to keep people orderly! People were decked out in Red, White and Blue! Street people were selling hand and feet warmers in patriotic colors! It was crazy~!

I was so excited by the whole thing (and the cute military guys). Taking it all in was breathtaking. Not only at the masses of people, but at the thought behind the masses of people. These people were taking pride in their country and who they elected to be the president of the United States. People know his name, his issues, they relate and are truly moved by this man. The thought even now a month later leaves me speechless.

Well we ended up on the other side of the parade route and unable to cross to get to the side where the swearing in was taking place. One guy told us to go to 11th street and when we got there that guy told us to go to 19th street (where we had just come from). We decided it would be best to find somewhere that had a TV so we wouldn't miss this historical event live. We first tried to go into the ESPN Zone, but they were stupid and closed for an hour for some strange reason, but we did find a little diner like place across the street and got a table right away in the over crowded restaurant 30 minutes before the festivities were beginning. As the time drew nearer and nearer to noon people were getting desperate looking into windows to catch what they could on TVs inside restaurants, pushing and shoving and demanding tables! It was crazy, but we were happy because we were inside with food and drink and most importantly TVs!!

We watched the festivities live on the TV with a crowed full of people in the restaurant. It was a magical moment. People sat in silence as Obama spoke and hooted and hollered when was appropriate. They laughed at his jokes they stood in applause when it was over!

Even though I didn't make it to the mall or get to see it up close and personal, I wouldn't have had it any other way.

"Yes we can!"

Ger and I ready to go out into the freezing cold to catch a glimpse of anything

YAY warmth and yummy food!

And TVs with CNNs live coverage!!

President Obama

The crowd who didnt get seats watching the TV