Trinity University

I just had two tests last week. Japanese and Vertebrate Physiology. I had a much easier time with Japanese but Vertebrate physiology completely exhausted my brain. So, what is the best thing to do after a week of tests? Go shopping of course! I love to shop. Bianca loves to shop. Shopping is fun. Lucky for us, San Antonio has a lot of great places to shop. There is the Quarry, which is right next to Trinity. The Quarry is your standard shopping center. There is a string of clothing shops, Gap, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, The Loft, etc. There is also a cool movie theater (it has an escalator…). Next door to the theater is Borders and then there is a toy shop, the Learning Express. There is nothing better than a good old-fashioned toy shop. This is no Toys-R-Us. Nothing extremely popular, the kind you see on TV. It has toys that are extremely well crafted, thoughtfully designed, and exceptionally entertaining. Don’t believe me? I go there at least twice a month and there is ALWAYS something fun peeping out from their mounds of toys or staring at you in the display window. If you can pull yourself from the toy store, you can go get a bite to eat at Piatti’s (a personal favorite of Bianca and mine). What could be better than mints imported from Italy and hot bread with olive oil? If Italian is not your thing, try EZ’s. Excellent burgers and shakes. There is just too much at the Quarry to talk about. But since it is so close to Trinity, you can keep coming back to explore new shops. But if you really want to shop, like REALLY shop. Twenty minutes from Trinity (depending on traffic) is the fabulously glamorous Shops at LaCantera. Exactly what kind of “shops�? Tiffany’s, Neiman Marcus, Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Juicy Couture, Brooks Brothers, just to name a few. Right across from LaCantera, the Palladium. The Palladium shops may not be as upscale but they definitely have dibbs on the nicest IMAX theater. On the way there from Trinity, you may pass Huebner Oaks Shopping Center and on the other side of town, The Forum. If you are looking for something a bit closer, North Star Mall has everything you need. River Center Mall located in downtown San Antonio is always popular . It too has an IMAX. You can tour the popular tourist destination, the Riverwalk or visit the Hello Kitty store (every mall needs one of these).

So you see, there are A LOT of shops in San Antonio. Even after something like Vertebrate Physiology, a girl (and a guy) can be cheered up by something as simple as socks. I bought some last night. They have arch support and come in many different colors. I was looking for running shoes (because I keep getting blisters on my feet from running) and I did not find any one shoe that I was completely in love with, so I bought nice socks that could potentially stop the blisters from forming. I will try them tomorrow and see if they can support my “heavy� athletic regimen. I recently discovered that I like to run and my feet are not used to the torture. Apart from knowing where all the good shops are, a college student should also be healthy. Too many students gain the Freshman 15 or… 20. My suitemate from Korea tells me they have the Freshman minus 15. What is that?? Either way, losing too much weight or gaining too much weight is a downward slope. Trinity does have healthy alternatives. We have a nice salad bar, wraps (Bianca loves this), and low-fat parfaits, fruits (maybe not the best quality…and nothing too exotic but you can always count on an apple to provide plenty of fiber for your hard-working body). If you don’t like any of the food at Trinity, you can make your own meals. Everybody has access to kitchens. My dorm has one on our floor. You want organic food? Central Market (about 5 minutes away) and Whole Foods (at the Quarry) are definitely worth a visit. Central Market is the best grocery store in San Antonio. It has the most wonderful tasting food and the kindest employees. They also have a large section of gourmet chocolates. If that does not excite your taste buds I don’t know what will. I have seen people walk from Trinity to Central Market. It is 5 minutes driving but walking…with heavy groceries… well, let me tell you I would not make it. Thank goodness I have a good roommate. Bianca would carry me back (right??). I just need to keep exercising. Remember this prospective students (and current students), exercise, eat well, study hard and above all…SHOP!!

Posted by Nancy at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I have somehow managed to become a fan of a television show I have never seen. I guess you could really only call me a fan of a certain performer, because I only ever watch his segments on YouTube. I can hardly get over the judges’ comments in the snippets of America’s Got Talent that I do see, so I believe it’s a good thing we don’t have a TV. I will refrain from naming the wonderful, talented musician I admire only because the last time I publicly announced support for a candidate it didn’t turn out so well. Who can forget DeAnna picking Jesse the snowboarder over Jeremy the handsome lawyer? I’m regretting her decision for her and I only hope there will be some terribly outrageous scandal that calls off her wedding to Jesse so that she can elope with Jeremy, but who am I to meddle in their lives?

Otherwise, I’m pretty much mired in schoolwork, with the exception of the fun events of cultural awareness week. One thing that did take a considerable amount of my time was my Spanish homework, which was surprising, but they expect a lot at this level. One of my assignments was to write a (very) short science fiction story. (Science fiction of all things!) So, I came up with this fabulously morbid tale that I now have become obsessed with – I feel like I just have to develop it into a real story, but we’ll see if time permits.

I don’t believe I have mentioned it, but I have decided not to study abroad in the spring semester, (I was previously planning on going to Spain) due to scheduling conflicts. You see, as much as I love Trinity, I don’t want to stay on for five years and become what we call a super-senior. My mother is much relieved and even called to report that there had been a plane crash in Madrid recently and, according to her, it was full of study-abroad students (it wasn’t). At least phone conversations with my mother make sense; talking to father is something else altogether. He’s convinced that my laptop is some kind of technological marvel that can stream live TV from El Paso and calls to tell me when to turn it on to watch whatever show intrigues him at the moment. The other day it was some crazy program announcing the discovery of Martians in an RV. I’m still not sure that wasn’t one of his dreams.

So anyways, life here is going well.

Poetry by Xavier Villarrutia, trans. by Dana Stangel
"You are the companion I talk with
suddenly, alone.
You are formed by words
that emerge from silence
and from the reservoir of dreams where I drown,
at large, till waking..."

Posted by Bianca at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I am very disappointed. Why? Because Hurricane Ike completely missed San Antonio. I wanted some rain. I wanted the windows in McLean (my new dorm) to get completely pelted! Bianca and I even took special trouble to go and park her car all the way in the Prassel garage to protect it from what we thought would be an onslaught. I wake up this morning and… the sun is shining quite brightly. The cicadas are busy humming, the birds chirping, and the grass is completely dry! When I checked the news yesterday, the weatherman said there would be 100% chance of precipitation. Ike was massive! How could it have completely missed us?!? I even went through the trouble of rereading the disaster plan, going through the motions and even checking all the exits in the library (you know there are at least 4 on every floor). I imagined I would be like a hero, leading the patrons of the library to the first floor and encourage them while we listen to a tornado pass over. I would single-handedly save the 1 million + volumes in our collection when the torrential rains would come. Unfortunately not. I guess I should feel lucky that we did not get so much as a drop of rain. My friend Ima was busy calling her family in Sugarland because someone told her her hometown got hit pretty hard and she was very worried. Her family is safe. Some of their property is destroyed but they are ok. I am just very disappointed that I got worked up for nothing. I suppose that the weather in San Antonio is too unpredicatable. After living here for so long, I should have known better.

As there is no rain, I must continue reading through my art history books. Speaking of which, I don’t think I told you about my classes. I am taking a Vertebrate Physiology class (it is my favorite one so far). It is definitely the hardest biology class I have had to take but the material is engaging. My two art history classes for the semester are Impressionism and Post-Impression and Renaissance Art in Italy. I am also taking Japanese, in preparation for my study abroad. It is official, I will be going to Japan in Spring 2009. I am so excited! My Japanese class only has three people in it. We are currently debating about which Japanese names would work for us. I like Momo but Bianca doesn't like it. Isn't it cute? Momo means Peach. I could be Momo-chan. Peach-chan. Too cute.

Anyway, I also forgot to tell you about my suitemate, Meerin. She is very cute. Meerin is from Korea (Ewha woman's university). It is nice to have an international student in the suite because I like seeing how she reacts to everything at Trinity. She seems to be adjusting well. Since I am very into Korean things at the moment, I feel so lucky to have her next to me. She can tell me more about Korea and I can show her more about America (though being from Vietnam...I am not great at showing her "American" things). Bianca can help (though being from El Paso, she is from another world). I guess we will just discover a lot of new things together. I think this semester is off to a really good start. I hope I can say the same after my vertebrate physiology test in two weeks. :)

Posted by Nancy at 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I know, I’m supposed to be doing my homework right now and I’d like to tell you that I’ve already fallen into the swing of things, but that would only be about half right. You see, they tricked me. I was lulled into this false college life. I had days to settle in and go shopping. I was off to the gym at any unarranged hour, and oh! Classes? Not much to worry about right? Labor Day came along to rescue me way before I had time to stress – an extra day to read a chapter, “take it slow� I was told. And now it hits me: I have seven chapters to read (and I’m just talking about the reading part of the homework here) and it is Saturday already. I don’t know why I think I can complete an entire week’s worth of readings in a weekend, but it’s always the ideal goal because then there would be five days with minimal work! We’ll see how it goes; I’ve still got a few left…

Other things to mention:
I started my job again at ITS. They make me feel like I do something important there and I know they’re just being kind because I am still baffled by the crimping tool. I believe fiber-optics and telecommunications are, by far, the most esoteric subjects on campus, but hey, I’ve got two more years to get around outlet termination. Aside from my lack of technical skill, there is one other slight problem. Tony, my supervisor, got a new golf cart. Since one of my principal duties as an assistant is to drive it, one would only hope the machine would be agreeable. This is not the case. The thing is inoperable if you are used to a car. Well, I should say if you drive within the speed limit. With this cart there is no braking. You must drive pedal to the metal because once you lift your foot off you come to a screeching halt. I guess someone was trying to be economical and clever in the design department. Humph. At least I only gave poor Tony whiplash twice on my first test drive.

Speaking of saving things, Trinity is quite a bit greener than last year. I love all the recycling containers and now even Mabee has these bamboo-paper-type take out boxes instead of the Styrofoam. Makes me feel a lot less guilty about to-go orders. Also, I am personally making it a project to save paper, well actually, just money. Start up room decoration does hit your wallet pretty hard. Still, it is worth it to make your room someplace welcoming, a place to relax when classes and studying are temporarily suspended.

Nancy and I are trying something new this year: cooking. I know I mentioned some minor breakfast making and dessert items in earlier blogs, but this is serious stuff. We’re making dinner. Whoa. I know, but it was really good. Central Market, the worldliest of grocery stores, had a chili pepper festival and we got some recipes. We made “Hatched-up Mango Quesadillas� and a corn and chili side item and best of all, flan. I don’t know what to do with the leftover flan and corn; maybe next time we’ll tone it down a bit now that we realize that it’s a meal for two and not twenty.

Okay, I have digressed from the Han dynasty a sufficient amount. I should go back to reading. Wait! I forgot to rave about my classes. Honestly, the professors are just too smart. I’ll never take them for granted again now that I have had some summer school experience. Anyways, I am taking two History classes, Early Modern Europe and History of China. I’m also in Advanced Spanish Conversation/Composition, Microeconomics, and a PoliSci class, Comparing Countries. I think it’s too soon to tell, but I’m liking Early Modern Europe the most. How could I not? It seems like all the good romance novels were set in that era. If nothing else, that class will give me a better background for reading Everlasting.

Favorite Quote This Week:
“If you can look into yourself and find no cause for dissatisfaction, how can you worry and how can you fear?�
Confucius, the Analects

Posted by Bianca at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)