Reaching out to the community

Its that time of year again where ever week is jam packed with events to keep you occupied!

This weekend is the Asian Pacific Islander Leadership Retreat (APILR), an annual get-together for for all students to participate and learn about the issues in the Asian Pacific Islander community. Not only do you learn about this community, but you also network with other students from various backgrounds, you experience leadership development workshops and gain exposure to student activism in several contexts.

This retreat is really a great opportunity that benefits all participants. The planning committee has been working meticulously for a well organized event; in other words the retreat caters to those who attend. Spaces are limited!!!

The event will take place on January 29 – 31st. For more information check out the facebook event page:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=408493760306&index=1

Today, January 11, is the last day to submit your APILR participant application to the Cross Cultural Center (located near Dutton Hall and South Hall) by no later than 5 PM.

There’s still plenty of time today to fill it out if you are interested in attending!!!

Here’s the application! Again, this is due at 5pm today, so if you’re even a tiny bit interested, ACT NOW!!!!!! =D

APILR 2009-2010 Application

Stay warm and toasty!

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Domo-Kun
AAA Mascot 09′-10′

Weddings! Education! And Hart!

Hello folks, Bruce here! This winter break is my last one as a college undergrad at UCD. I’m sure after I graduate that I will have more or less holiday breaks, but it won’t be the same. Every winter break for the last three years, I would isolate myself in my room and read ahead for my classes.Though faculty, staff and students were on break, I would stalk my professors for their course syllabus and order my books early on Amazon. Let’s just say that reading ahead did not make me the best student for Winter quarter; I actually got more lazy and apathetic to read. Lesson learned, don’t take your breaks for granted.

What did I do this winter break? Did I study? Did I save the world? Long story short, I spent time with my family, my girlfriend and her siblings, and few friends in San Jose. Furthermore, I registered for California Subject Examination for Teachers English Subtests I-IV and the California Basic Educational Skill Tests which are two tests to show my qualifications of becoming a teacher when I apply to School of Education. Yes, to answer my own question I saved the world by becoming an English Teacher.

Now onward to more interesting matters. This past weekend, my girlfriend and I went to an Iu Mien wedding reception and it was off the hook! As we walk into the restaurant, people greeted us with shots of Hennessy Cognac, cigarettes, more cognac, tea and party favors. After the initial shot of Hennessy, I picked up a cup of dark tea, or what I thought was tea turned out to be Hennessy. We sat down at a table with friends and the bride and groom’s relative offered beer and water to us. It was like a dim-sum of beverage to us to compensate for the lack of an open-bar at the restaurant. Each time you finish your beverage, someone’s walking around with more drinks for you. Plus, they recycled the bottles(!) too.

When the greeters gave me cigarettes, I accepted them. In some Southeast Asian cultures, the party hosts gives you cigarettes. It would be disrespectful to not accept it even if you don’t smoke. I guess you can connect the cigarettes back to the tradition of adults chewing on areca-nuts and betel leaves. The custom promotes social affability, similar to how Westerners offer coffee or tea when guests arrive. In other words, I accepted the cigarettes to show the hosts that I am thankful for their hospitality. Interesting fact, when Europeans visited Southeast Asia, they looked down up people who chew betel leaves and areca-nuts because the practice stains the teeth and ruins hygiene. However, the natives believed the nuts and leaves brings people together across all age, gender and background.

I mention earlier that I am becoming an English teacher. You know how in high school, you told yourself that you would never become the teachers you dislike the most. Somehow I end up contradicting myself. In high school, I hated English with a passion. I read a lot of European canonical works, American writers, and a few ethnic literature, but my teachers could never really made me connect with the stories. I am currently applying for Teach for America’s teaching program and grad schools too. Part of the application process requires me to take the said examinations to measure my understanding of skills appropriate for teaching. My purpose of becoming a teacher is to work with students from disadvantage background such as low-income families, recent immigrants, or students who are at risks of gangs, drugs, and other issues. Students from advantage background have, well, advantages over others; particularly they have more resources and access due to their backgrounds. I believe that I can help students from disadvantage backgrounds understand themselves in relation to society as well as understand society through literature. If you ever seen movies like Freedom Writers, Stand and Deliver, Coach Carter, or even Dead Poets Society, you see the wonders of what dedicated educators can do beyond the call of duty. More importantly, the next generation of college students should be given several options to choose from in this competitive global economy. In high school, you think that the only successful jobs to become are in the medical, health, law, science and technology fields. However, there are several fields beyond those mainstream ones that allow you to feel productive and conducive to growth such as arts, social sciences, business, and education too.

I finally am caught up on Heroes one of my favorite television shows. I think the show’s storyline gets more complicated each season after the first one. This recent season broke some barriers in my opinion. SPOILER ALERT for people who have not watched the show yet so read at your own discretion! The writers took a shot at LGBTQ themes with Clare’s female roommate falling for Clare. Ando and Hiro’s sister making out as they announce their marriage to Hiro. Hiro revisits Charlie from season 1. So yea, go Heroes! Watch the new season in January 2010!

Ok now some AAA related stuff. Our winter quarter general meetings will be on Thursdays, 7 – 8 pm at Hart Hall 1150! That’s right, we’ve moved to a new location with more space and access. Winter brings a lot of potential for more social gatherings, events, and change too. AAA has a lot of plans in store for you to get involved. I can honestly say, I will work my hardest to bring AAA up to that next level this quarter that I always aspire for us. Bring you and your friends out to our general meetings! We would love to see you all there!

That’s it for my blog. Stay warm and toasty (mmmm…) AAAers =].

Heeeeeeeeeeeeello! Before I say anything else, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mr. PRESIDENT BRUCE, SIR!

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With the Winter holidays rapidly approaching, I find myself thinking less and less about finals and more about what I’m going to do this Winterbreak. Everyone seems to be traveling or spending time with friends and family. As for me, I’m going to be busy staying in Davis! Whooooooooo!!!! ….. not really. Why am I staying in Davis you might ask? Well, it’s because I have to work during the holiday season! What better time is there to scrap together a couple bucks then during the busiest time of the year? Being away from family and friends is going to suck, but on the top-side, I’ll be able to save up for fun events coming up in the Winter quarter … such as the annual AAA Snow Trip!!!!!! I am soooo stoked! Imagine sleeping in a warm, cozy cabin surrounded by none other then your fellow AAA-mates! Well, maybe not so much about the sleeping, but I just know that this trip is going to be the highlight of my year. What could beat spending some quality time with the AAA family in front of the fireplace while playing mahjong (we actually did this last year) or Taboo? Don’t forget the epic snowball assassin fight we’ll have throughout the trip (this is still in the works, but who knows? You just might wake up to a fresh snowcone on your face XD). Just thinking about getting to know each other better over mugs and mugs of hot chocolate and warm apple cider gives me warm fuzzies inside.

So many exciting things are coming up but let’s not forget about the good times we had thus far into the school year either! For those of you who attended the Noodle Bar or our Thanksgiving Dinner, you might have realized that Primero Grove Lounge is our second home. On that note, thanks to our President, Bruce for hooking us up with sweet place to invade during our events! Because he is a resident there, we are able to reserve the Common Area for our very own AAA gatherings.

And guess what? For our last event of the quarter, the annual AAA White Elephant game is going to be hosted by none other than our lovely President, Bruce, at his lovely second residence, Primero Grove Lounge!!!! (No surprises there, right?)

So please join us this coming Monday for some hot refreshments as well as a holiday surprise from all of us at AAA.

Follow the link for the Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187657358918&ref=ts

Happy Holidays from AAA,
And Good Luck on Finals!

Like a boss,
Tommy Lam
AAA Designer/Webmaster 09′-10′

1. Download the B Here Flyer below and set it as your Facebook profile picture.
2. Tag “Ucd Asian-American Assoc” (befriend us too http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/davisaaa?ref=profile)
3. Type a message for your profile picture status that will convince all your friends/families/peers that they should go to the FREE Art Exhbit and FREE Benefit Concert (remember, if you attend the art exhibit, you will receive a free concert ticket)
4. Get your online friends to “Like” and/or “Comment” on your profile picture
5. On Wednesday, October 28th at 5 PM, the top 3 people with the MOST number of “Likes” and/or “comments” will win a free gift card to Jamba Juice and other prizes, courtesy of AAA =].

Here are some information to help you out.

Oct 27th, 2009
B Here Art Exhibit
Freeborn Hall, 10 am – 5 PM
***This is the only place anyone can get a free ticket to the benefit concert***

October 28th, 2009
B Here Benefit Concert
Freeborn Hall, 6 – 9 PM

The contest lasts for 5 days (starting right now), so good luck to everyone!!! Invite your friends/families/peers to join the contest too!

P.S. : Come check out AAA’s 5th General Meeting on Oct 29th at Olson 206, 7 – 8 PM. We’ll be doing more fun activities to help you all de-stress during these midterms and paper writing times.

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