US Life Preparation Update

• About DC
• Arrival
• Booking done: CX+AA, Jul 27 22:25 @ Dulles Int'l Airport
  ticket not yet paid- NT26,800 (before Jun 18?)
  
• Pick-up: reserve with WanJung's brother, but how about Super-Shuttle?=>Dino
  
• Language Course- Kaplan Washington DC
• deposit paid,
• registration done,
• waiting for I-20 (before Jun 22?)+ AIT VISA interview(when @@)
• not yet paid
  
• Housing: Thomas&Dino's apartment (near Pentagon City Mall)
• Address:
  **** Army Navy Dr, Apt 3**
  Arlington, VA 22202
• TEL: (571) 278 ****
• Fee: appx. USD 600
• Fly away (DC->Chicago)
• Booking done: AA, Aug 27, 17:30 BWI-18:55 ORD
• paid(CreC), USD 59.4, billing info to Thomas&Dino's
• where to find cheap domestic tickets
  

• About Chicago
• Arrival
• 18:55 @ O'Hare Airport, how about pick up?
  
• Health form
• health check done(2 injections, NT 646...), REFERENCE INFO
  
• form sent Jun 12(check Jun 17?)
• health insurance form faxed
  
• Housing
• Engelhart Hall twin studio booked,
• Roommate search form faxed, roommate? unknown
  
• deposit sent Jun 12(check Jun 17?),
• waiting for contract(before Jun 21)+ NetID needed (Jason~~~~~)
• contract duration: Aug 27, 2007- Jun 15, 2008
  
• IDs
• Student ID: 2471250
• NetID- requesting.... (Come on! I need it to sign the Housing contract + to find/buy my textbook beforehand!)
• Packing (Oh...it's too long a story.....)
• Laptop updated, done,
• one huge suitcase purchased, NT 3,800,
• one old suitcase almost packed, 70% (Ingrid will transport it for me to Chicago Jun 27, but where's the destination XD)

Sigh.... Torturous process.....

People Keep Saying I Look Young

The bank lady asked me,
　　"What's your purpose to have this check?"
　　"It's my US study deposit."
　　"For university?"
　　"No, for graduate school."
　　"You mean, you're going for Master's degree? I thought you just graduated from high school."

Mandy(who I've known for 5+years) didn't recognize me in the bank when she was just standing behind me,

　　"You look so young, especially when you dress like this!!"

In the hospital for NU immunization check and injection, another patient asked me questions about registration, and later asked about what was the kind of health check I was there for,

　　"Come on! You looked so young, like 17 years old.
　　　You must be very brilliant, otherwise you can't be the one go for further study overseas!"
　　"Uh....I'm already 24."
　　"Really?"

ＨＡＨＡ！Thanks Mom! You gave me a lovely look that people easily think I'm a baby :)

從「再見吧！我的男孩」發現最深情的律師歌手

這是個律師的BLOG，
這是個歌手的BLOG。

他是個成功、認真的律師，為了他的案子投注心力；
閑暇時間，他是個把日間的案例與感想轉化創作音樂、演唱歌曲的感性歌手。

「再見吧！我的男孩」是個讓我看了、聽了就落淚的故事。
文中的爸爸養了他（以為）與前妻生下的孩子十二年，沒想到卻在最近被前妻通知他的寶貝原來是離婚前前妻偷情生下的骨肉，與他沒有任何血緣關係，而且前妻與「生父」要來爭回撫養權....

這個爸爸最後決定放手讓孩子「回家」。
於是律師寫下了「再見吧！我的男孩」

這個「爸爸」很偉大。

他說他想清楚了，他決定放棄那個男孩，他說為了孩子好，男孩還是應該回到自己親生父母的身邊，趁孩子還小，告訴他真相或許是傷害最低的時機。.....

那天下午，小孩穿的很體面，全身都是新的。A先生用兩個大行李箱裝了男孩的東西，裡頭有他最愛的玩具，故事書……….男孩要被帶走之前他拿出一本像簿，裡 面有十二張照片，從第一張到第十二張，先是小嬰兒被A先生抱著在蛋糕旁邊，後面的照片是小男孩倚在蛋糕旁邊吹蠟燭，蛋糕上面蠟燭的數字從一到十二，一個數 字都沒少。男孩接過了照片，走向他親生父母前，不斷的哭著對A先生喊著：「爸爸再見」。

我不忍心揣測那個孩子的心情，要離開「爸爸」的心情。
這則訴訟，留給我的感受真的很沉重......

我不只推薦大家去聽這首歌、讀這個故事，我也推薦大家多逛逛這個律師歌手的BLOG。
這種歌曲這種真情，是這個時代少見的，他，非常幸運的可以代替許許多多的人寫下他們的故事、見證他們的過去.......

Housing Application Update

Q:Dear Bridger,
I heard about a news about Engelhart Hall as follows:

Engelhart Hall will be undergoing major construction this summer to install a sprinkler system throughout the entire building. Therefore, we are not accepting new residents until September 1, 2007 or later.

Is this true? If so, how is it possible for my contract to start from August 27th?

A: Yes, there will be construction in Engelhart Hall this summer. You may start your contract August 27, 2007 because you were assigned to a room on a higher floor, where the construction will be completed first. Please note that the construction will still be going on in the building as of August 27, 2007 so it may be loud at times and there may be times when tradesmen will need to enter your room. Let me know if you have questions.

Bridger

我的中醫師

為了我的身體，雖然沒有大痛大病，我還是乖乖定時回診，去給陳醫師調養。
做完熱敷、拔完罐、推拿亦畢，陳醫師吩咐我還要挨針，指了個床位要我平躺等他來頭上用針。
我很認份的躺著，也靜靜的聽著他回桌旁幫別的病人診斷、建議，靜靜的等了十幾分鐘......
陳醫師終於想到我，掀開了布帘進來皺了下眉頭問我：「怎麼不呼喚我？」
他眼底的那種責怪我看到了，他淡淡的歉疚我也讀懂了。
「我有聽到你在忙，所以就靜靜的等.......」我回答。
身為一個體貼的病人，我實在不忍催促陳醫師，因為他認真花在照顧每一個病人身上的努力，實在太多太多了。怎麼可以有這麼一位具醫德、醫術又宅心仁厚的醫生啊！

這次下五針。三針在頭頂，兩針在臉頰，臉頰上的一度讓人不舒服，於是我就隔著簾子呼喚了「陳醫師～陳醫師～」用我盡可能溫柔的語氣。（腦中飛過的畫面是Jessica在柬埔寨按摩院裡柔聲呼喚的「小周～小周～」，還好我功力差很遠:P）後來離去的時候，我再一次對他的治療深深感激。

陳醫師，如果台灣這片土地有什麼讓我懷念的，不誇張，你和整間中醫診所絕對是其中之一。

雨中，晃晃悠悠的台北

今天晚上看完中醫，我決定不麻煩爸/媽出門接我，自己乖乖的在大雨滂沱中的台北等公車，硬是等了我半個多小時車子才來.....

等車的空檔裡，我堅持不躲進騎樓，在自己的傘底下獨處，歌曲一首哼過一首，從熟悉的「1900」配樂到范瑋琪的「啟程」，當然，也配上天然的滴滴答答、滴滴答答、停也停不住的雨聲。

當車終於到站，卸下了一身的濕，我反而在溫暖、乾燥的車內，眼眶如同車外的世界一般濕潤......是啊，再過沒多少個日子，我即將啟程。這次不是三個月，不是去玩耍，而是要去紮紮實實的接受一連串的挑戰與訓練，要去證明自己、考驗自己。地球的那端沒有爸媽，也沒有平常隨傳隨到、可以恣意聽我傾吐情緒的一幫好朋友，當然，當我軟弱硬想要賴皮的時候，也就沒有什麼人有義務給我靠，譬如這種大雨滂沱的深夜10點半，再冷再委屈再孤單，我都得要自己挺過－－也只能自己挺過。

傳了封簡訊出去，給最想分享這種莫名情緒的人。
望著窗外因雨而糊成一團迷迷濛濛的政大山區，我已經分不清到底是因為讀了席慕蓉的詩而讓我多愁，還是真正的傷感了......

果真，還是想要他懂。

席慕蓉-劫後之歌

把親愛的名字放進心中
用風來測試　用淚來測試
這悲傷的刻度　到最深處
能不能　轉換成一首詩？

把親愛的名字放進心中
用風來測試　用淚來測試
在黎明之前　我們
該從哪一個音符輕輕地開始？

還是得好好地活下去吧
如一首劫後之歌　平靜宛轉
在暗黑的夜裡
等待眾人的唱和

把親愛的名字放進心中
用風來測試　用淚來測試
在茫茫的人海裡
用一首又一首的詩......


--
我醉了......
每一首席慕蓉的詩，都會勾起我朗詩的渴望
太美！太純粹！

BRAVO! I got my room in DC~~~~~~

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Thanks to my lovely friend Tzu-Hsien and Thomas!
I love you two~~~~ I love you two~~~~~

Here I come! Kaplan Washington DC~~~~~~

Housing Application

I've applied for the NU Engelhart Hall twin studio apartment days ago, and they sent me email regarding my status.

1. There's room for me so far

• contract would start on Aug. 27, 2007- Jun. 15, 2008
• If I'd like to book for a shorter term room (like for only a quarter), I could do so. But I could not request to extend the contract directly after the end day of it.
  
• I got one bedroom in the studio, with a roommate in the other bedroom (don't know who's she yet~)
• Other things in the studio: a shared kitchen(with microwave), a shared bathroom, new furniture including a twin sized bed, desk, bookshelf
• I should prepare linens for them if I want
• I should prepare bath accessories
• What I also have: Internet! Telephone wire! dorm security :)
• Let's talk about shortage as well: the room, according to elders, is VERY TINY. Whatever, I just need a place to bed & to cook! As for Party? Go to others' place then~
  

2. How-to got this room

• pay deposit USD 300 before June 21, 2007
• sign the contract online=>done

3. The address & something more

• (my name)
  1915 Maple Ave. Apt. (my room~ don't know yet)
  Evanston, IL. 60201
  USA
• They can only hold my early-arrived items for up to one week prior to my arrival. The items will be held in the office and I'll need to retrieve them when I arrive.
  

Where Exactly Am I Going?

People asked me this question many many many times, including my Mom & Dad. I could understand why. So, here's the info of the places I will go later.

1. my language course: Kaplan Washington DC (right hand side arrow point)
for General Intensive English 密集英語課程(30 hrs per week, 4 weeks)
Located in Washington DC, the capital of USA.
Stay from Jul.27- Aug.27? (courses duration: Jul.30- Aug.24)

2. my M.S. school: Northwestern University 西北大學(up side arrow)
for Integrated Marketing Communication 整合行銷傳播
Located in Evanston (northern Chicago), the 3rd biggest city by the Lake Michigan密西根湖
Stay from Aug.27? to 15 months later (sometime around December 2008?)

And this is my Evanston campus map.
You see, it's by the lake :)

Save Earth, Save Taiwan 救救地球、救救台灣

小小台灣對全球經濟每人平均並不定貢獻很多，但對二氧化碳的個人平均排放量卻貢獻不少。
Taiwan doesn't contribute much to the global economy, but we do contribute MUCH on the CO2 emission per person.....

小小市民，並不一定能阻止政府開放高二氧化碳排放工業的設立；但是我們可以稍稍注意一下、改變一下我們的對電器／能源的使用方式，聚沙成塔，我們對阻止地球暖化，也能有所貢獻...
Normal people like you and me may not stop our government from establishing the intensive-CO2-emitting industries, however, we can change our ways of consuming energy. By practicing the following steps, many a little makes a mickle, we can stop the earth from warming.

小小改變，大大不同
Slightly change makes Huge difference.

• 不只隨手關燈，更隨手關掉／拔掉充電器、銀幕、甚至電源延長線上紅色的小燈
• Turn off the light. Turn off/plug off the recharger, screen, even the red little light on the extension.
  

Check point: 什麼能源在消耗?
Check point: Where's the waste?

• 晚上關燈後若有看到電器的任何一個部分在亮，都有可能是能源在消耗
  電器一段時間不用仍有溫度，都有可能是能源在消耗（舉凡手機充電器...）
• After you turn off the light to bed, if
  　　any part of your electronic equipments is "on" (with a red/blue/green light),
  　　OR, if the devices are still "warm" while you're not using it,　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　there must be some energy wasting.
  

• 騎機車時，準備好再啟動（暖車時間不用太長），到目的地先熄火再（牽車）停好車。
• When riding a motorcycle, only start when you're ready. (Warm up time should not be too long); turn it off first and then park your bike when arrive.
  

• 出門自備杯、筷、袋
• Always take Cups, Chopsticks, Handbags with you
  

星巴克自備杯子咖啡有折價十元喔！
部分的摩斯漢堡，外帶咖啡是根據您杯子的大小來決定容量
（但是您提大水壺去，相信櫃員不會幫您裝滿。一笑！）
Take your own cups to Starbucks, you can get NT10 discount for coffee.
Some MOS burger fill your take-out cups depending on the capacity of it.
(But as you can imagine, if you take a HUGE pitcher with you, they'll refuse to fill your "cup" :P)

• 其它像走樓梯（不坐電梯）、走路／騎腳踏車（不腳機車）都是利人利己的動作。
• Take the stairs (but not elevator), walk/ride a bike (but not motorcycle) both help a lot!
  

歡迎大家彼此分享／提醒節省能源的方式。
Please remind and share the ways to save energy with one another.

因為有您，地球將會更好！
Thanks to you, we'll have a healthier earth!

DC->Chicago Inland Transportation Info

FLIGHT?: JetBlue (total fee USD102.30)

Adult Fare $84.00 USD		Mon, 27 Aug 07 Flight 1300 Flight 907 6:00 AM Depart Washington, DC/Dulles (IAD) 7:17 AM 9:45 AM Connect New York, NY (JFK) 11:30 AM Arrive Chicago, IL/O’Hare (ORD)
Adult Fare $84.00 USD		Mon, 27 Aug 07 Flight 1302 Flight 915 8:25 AM Depart Washington, DC/Dulles (IAD) 9:40 AM 1:15 PM Connect New York, NY (JFK) 2:53 PM Arrive Chicago, IL/O’Hare (ORD)
Adult Fare $84.00 USD		Mon, 27 Aug 07 Flight 1306 Flight 917 12:45 PM Depart Washington, DC/Dulles (IAD) 1:57 PM 4:25 PM Connect New York, NY (JFK) 6:14 PM Arrive Chicago, IL/O’Hare (ORD)
Adult Fare $84.00 USD		Mon, 27 Aug 07 Flight 1308 Flight 919 5:25 PM Depart Washington, DC/Dulles (IAD) 6:53 PM 8:00 PM Connect New York, NY (JFK) 10:03 PM Arrive Chicago, IL/O’Hare (ORD)

Checked item

• Free Bag Allowance
• 2 bags per person, free of charge
• each bag must not exceed 62 inches(157.48 cm) in overall dimensions,
  cannot exceed 50 pounds(22.7 KG)

• Overweight Bags
• 51-70 pounds(-32KG): USD 20 per bag
• 71-90 pounds(-41KG): USD 50 per bag
• 91+ pounds: NOT ACCEPTED

• Oversize Bags
• 63-80 inches(-203 cm): USD 50 per bag
• 80+ inches: NOT ACCEPTED

~search results to be continued~