Spongebob Pudding lesson from Consuelo

At 3 p.m. Saturday, my daughter and I went to Consuelo's house for the lesson for making Spongebob pudding. She invited us to her house. We met her family, we greeted them, and she let us tour her house.

She was really talented in many ways. She painted her walls. In one room, she painted with the theme of outer planet, and one of the other room's theme was aquarium. She even decorated and painted her bathroom. It was amazing!

I learned in detail how to make a jelly pudding. It was not so difficult as much as I thought. Thanks to her kind explaination, my work was well-done. It was almost a piece of work, not food.

While we were waiting for the pudding to be complited in refrigerator,
she and I talked about a lot of things such as therapy, insomnia and relationship among family member. And she showed me her daughter's picture album, it was a big party to celebrate her 16th birthday, and I apprehended a little Colombian culture that I have never seen in my culture.

There was a very cute(?) dog named Keelo. He was white and clever. She said he was mixed breed. I think that's why he is that smart. My daughter gave her daughter a little pouch with Korean traditional decoration magnet and a accessory. I also invited her to South Korea some day.

Happiness that Thanksgiving brought me

What a gorgeous holiday it is!
My daughter and I were very excited about American Thanksgiving Day because we had a great plan to trip to somewhere. We were going to travel to Boston & Rhode Island, but We had to change the plan because the sightseeing places in Rhode Island was closed during this holiday.

We got out of home early morning, arrived at Princeton University in NJ after 2 hours. My daughter always wanted to go Princeton University. Although most of stores was closed, there were lots of people including us at campus which has antique buildings, so we took pictures and had a lunch time comfortably in Starbucks. Maybe it seemed that she plans her wonderful future seriously.

And then, we started to West Point which the Military Academy is located, point of a beautiful view. On our way, the sun had set behind the Bear Mountain, it was a very beautiful scenery. After that, we drove to Woodbury Commons Premium Outlet because there were Midnight Madness Sales that almost popular brands offer. It was very interesting for us, we prefered participating and looking at Black Friday to buying something.

we passed all night shopping.

My daughter was delighted to see with her own eyes from sunset to sunrise.

We were back home about 9 o'clock a.m.
We fell fast asleep as soon as taking a shower.
It was a special trip, but too tired for me.

Anyway, it was a wonderful trip and a sucessful independent life in the US.

Two days in my vacation still remain and smile to see me.

How to live beautifully ^.^

Are you satisfied with your current life? How much, if you are?

My senior friend visited me with some Korean food after school.
She has been in the US for about 30 years, and she has always helped me like a daughter or a sister when I am faced with a difficult trouble.

Whenever she visits me, she used to inspire me with a passage from somewhere.
Although she is a busy career woman, she devotes in public welfare works as well as her own job. They're the reasons why I love her.

Today also, she informed me about 4 things to do to live so prettily.
1. Do 1 good thing a day
2. Write 10 words a day
3. Read 100 words a day
4. Walk 1000 steps a day

If you can do it everyday, I'm sure that your life may be healthy and beautiful.

Culture Shock IV

My daughter and I came here at the same time. I still have a trouble in everything such as American food, culture and language, but she became to feel American lifestyle comfortable. Sometimes, she says that she prefers English to Korean in reading, writing as well as a general conversation.

Prabably she is going to move in the last, home stage. For example, I went to a theater to see up-to-date movie that named 'twilight' with her two friends. It was so boring and never interesting for me, but she and her friends who were born in the US were interested in the movie. I felt lonely for a while. It'll take long time for me to go upto the home stage.

Here's the fourth Culture Shock.


Newcomers are now able to enter and prosper in the mainstream culture. They accept both cultures and combine them into their lives. Some people will adopt the mainstream culture at school and follow the values of the home culture outside of school. During this stage many immigrant parents make it clear to their children that they do not want them to adopt the mainstream culture. This is because many immigrant children forget their native language and reject their culture. People called them '1.5 generation'.



In my opinion I lie between supprting parents and parents who never want to adopt the mainstream culiture, because times are changing rapidly. Contrary to past, today's world is a global village. It's obviouse to everybody that everything has been changed fast.


Today's real winner is a person who can adopt whatever he/she face up to.


Of course, he/she should be able to control both mainstream and native culture.

Culture Shock III

I'm in the stage between horror and humor.
Of course, it's thanks to ESL instructor and LINCC system.
However, I'm still afraid of native American, new places and stores.

In this humor stage, people start to deal with the differences between the old culture and new culture. They learn to integrate their own beliefs with those of the new culture. Some people replace the old values with new ones. Others begin to find ways to exist with both cultures. Many immigrant parents become alarmed at this stage because they never want their children to lose their language and culture.

Sometimes I find out myself who mixes well with my neghbors, classmates and co-workers.
And then, I used to be relaxed for a while and also feel happy. Now and again I gain confidence in myself in the US.
However, just at that time I discover myself who doesn't understand at all in the course of conversation. And then, I absolutely feel sad and get depressed of spirits.

Well, people says, "You can hardly expect to be perfect from outset."
'Yes, right!'
"many a little pickle makes a mikcle.", somebody is saying close to my ears.

'La vie en Rose', What a wonderful song it is!

I did an interesting experience in NYC yesterday evening.

There was an award ceremony for a contest celebrating Quebec's 400 anniversary.
The contest named the Great Explorers was held in website, all tri-state students(NY, NJ, CT) from grade K-8 were eligible to participate, and the French Embassy in the US and the Quebec Government Office in NY hosted a series of school contests to celebrate it and to honor the famous French explorers of Northern America areas as Jacques Cartier, Samuel de Champlain and Robert LaSalle. I went to Manhatan because my daughter won a prize on the contest.

It was a particular ceremony which promotes the French Culture.
It was like a play, a concert and an opera. I'd never forget songs(Carmen, La vie en rose) that Maria Christina sang yesterday. Especially, 'La Vie en Rose'(the rose-colored life) has been still very French popular song. How fantastic it was!

We also ate out in a graceful restaurant there were a live music.
It was delicious as much as expensive, so my daughter and I was happy in the early weekend.

Culture Shock II

These days I am at the second stage-horror stage.

During the first three months, everything was curious and wonderful for me.

After that, I suffered from another culture shock such as irritable, disinterested or depressed. Because it was very difficult for me to get my driver license.
The differences between the new and the native cultures becomes more apparent. There is so much I do not understand about my new surroundings. Sometimes I am frustrated because I can't communicate and am bombarded with unfamiliar surroundings, unreadable social signals and an unrelenting barrage of new sounds.
Maybe, newcomers including me in this stage of culture shock need much more time and patience.

Fortunately, I got a social security number after the lapse of 1 year 6 months on this September because I started to work on campus. So I effected an life insurance contract, opened an saving account with a bank, applied my own credit card and department cards.

Now I feel better, more comfortable than early horror stage.
However, I am still afraid of meeting somebody.

Madagascar, Escape 2 Africa

I'm very happy because I exercised to the full on golfing with my visitors, ate sushi kebab and took a enough rest.

And I saw a interesting movie. It was an animation called Madagascar, Escape 2 Africa. Its story was about Central Park Zoo animals. Especially the graphic design was almost marvelous, the scenery of Africa was the same as the real. Here're the story.
After a brief flashback prologue where we see how the young lion Alex is separated from his father Zuba....instead of landing in NYC, the aircraft sputters and crash lands right in the middle of Africa....after undergoing lots of troubles they meet again, and escape from Africa. At the final scene, I was impessed as Alex and his father danced together to earn the pride's respect from human being who gonna kill them.

I'm still listening, "I like to move it, move it~. She likes to move it, move it~. We like to move it, move it~~."

Culture Shock I

Have you ever heard 'Culture Shock'?
I'll talk about Culture Shock that I've experienced.
Maybe It 'll be continued in the next issue.

'Culture Shock' means the feeling people have when they move to an unfamiliar culture and place.

There are 4 stages in the culture shock.
First, honeymoon stage
Second, horror stage
Third, humor stage
Last, home stage

During the first (honeymoon) stage, you are excited about your new life.
Everything is wonderful and you are having a great time learning about your environment.
That's right!
I never forget the first few weeks after I came here.
I was really excited at the USA because everything was new, fresh, curious, interesting and surprising.
There were a different language, different skin colors, various cars, numerious and tall trees, beautiful houses, huge shopping mall and endless roads & streets etc.

It looks like an earthly paradise.
perhaps it was honeymoon stage for me.

However, how is it now? Well......(to be continued)

What happened, today?

Today is the election day that the 44th president is determined by electoral college.
My daughter told me very interesting episode. The story said, "It was so curious that all of the students in her school cast a straw vote for the next president yesterday. And then the result was announced at the last period, Barack Obama won by a score of 3(about 640) to 1(about 200). I like Mr.obama."

It sounds funny and I was suprised at the episode.
Of course, it was secret ballot and all of the students studied 2 candidates for a while. I thought that the U.S. must be a real democratic nation. Even though she is 11 years old, she already experienced the Bill of Rights. I become to love American education system that builds up good judgement.

Anyway, Gabi and I have a big problem. She is studying in a Math Honor Class, she generally did well at the first Quarter, but she looked like feeling difficult after exam every week. I don't want to be pressed by exam stress, but my friend advised me to ask for a tutor. What can I do, How can....?

Gabi and I went to lakeshore learning store and Barnes Noble Bookstore, bought several Math books. She said, "I am happy and thank you for thoughtful consideration, so I'll study harder." Fortunately she handled matters nicely by herself.

However, what happened? I left my credit card at the bookstore! The casher called me...Oh my God^@^

In the middle of the autumn ^_^

Yesterday I enjoyed hiking to the full in the middle of this autumn.

When I started from my house, I worried a little because it was quite windy.
However, when I arrived at the destination(a hiking trail in the Cold Spring Harbor), it was obvious that my fear was utterly groundless. It was sunny and bright.

The mountain was wonderful, but on my way, it was much better than inside Mt. that the hills got tinged with red, yellow and scarlet colour. Driving on the road between hillside with autumn tints stired up me feelings hard.

It seemed like a heroine of a picture colored beautifully by rainbow color. How romantic, how fantastic it was! Probably I'll become to love a fall extremly in the 4 seasons.

I've been happy all the day after climbing for 2 hours.For this reason I had to complete my homework till late at night.

Anyway I'll try to speak first much more than before at work.