Category: travel

World of Ice and Snow.

eternity10301 Comment

I used to dream about a world of ice and snow, everything in there is made of shiny ice and snowflakes. I thought it would never be true, until I saw the beauty of Harbin.

Harbin is a city located in Northeastern China, it is the capital of Heilongjiang Province. Harbin is most famous of its view of ice and snow, and it is called “the Ice City Harbin” by the world.

Due to the geological location of the city, Harbin gets really cold in the winters. The temperature is usually around -30ºC(about -22ºF), but this year is especially cold, and the temperature went all the way to -35ºC(about -31ºF). With this freezing weather, ice and snow is able to get on the stage.

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Finals-Honestly, kill me now

backinphillyLeave a comment

So now the end is near huh? The semester is ending and people are cramming like some hung over college kid for the bar exam. It’s chaos on the hill, and really it all begs the question, “Who are we kidding?”

There’s no way in hell that this weekend is enough to prepare a student for an exam based on an entire semester’s information. People think that studying this hard for an exam is going to help them.

I’ve got news for all of you. You’re better off not studying at all at this point rather than try and cram. You’re just going to confuse yourself with facts. There IS such a thing as too much studying.

Some guys have been holed up in their rooms this weekend in order to study, only coming out to use the bathroom. They even bring their books in the bathroom to study some more.

Dude, seriously you’re not gonna learn anymore by taking your textbook into the bathroom. Give yourself a minute and a half to use the toilet and go back if u wanna.

I just don’t get the obsession to study like a maniac.

My roommate just told me a saying that his region of China lives by.

“If you have a small test, have a little fun. If you have a big test, have a lot of fun.”

Words of Wisdom from OVS.

Everyone just needs some time off.

Look Ugly and Be Happy.

eternity1030Leave a comment

The ugly Christmas sweater has become a unique feature of the Christmas holiday season, along with the Christmas trees and shiny Christmas lights. All of these holiday elements together can give a warm atmosphere of Christmas.

Although the sweater as a garment has already existed in the U.S. since the late 19th century, “ugly” holiday versions of those sweaters only began to come up in the last several decades. Bill Cosby was a modern-day pioneer of the trend and is revered as an ugly sweater icon. Thanks to Cosby, as well as Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the sweaters they wore experienced a resurgence until their popularity faded as the ‘90s began.

Later in the last decade, the trend has picked up the fashion once again. In the book Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book: The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Ugly On,there was a noticeable mention of the ugly sweaters which the tradition had snowballed from there. There was a parody of MTV’s teen documentary series entitled “True Life: I Love Ugly Christmas Sweaters”.

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Quanza in Africa

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r456

Dashing through the plains

With a zebra on my back.

Over the dirt I go

Its Quanza in Africa.

Humanitarian aid

Making spirits right.

What fun it is to hunt and ride

On my barefoot feet tonight.

O hunting bells, hunting bells

Hunting all the way.

What fun it is to hunt and ride

On my barefoot feet tonight.

The Happiest Place on Earth

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

So, much like a fellow writer, I too took a trip to Disneyland this past weekend.

It has been about a year since I had been to Disneyland, and I was glad I got the chance to go.

We left Ojai early in the morning in the pouring rain.

When we got to Disneyland it was cloudy, but not quite cold enough to wear a jacket around so I ended up carrying mine most of the day.

I spent the whole day hoping it would get cold so that I could put on my jacket and stop holding it.

So when we got the park I was with two very close friends of mine, Sarah and Cameron.

We took this trip to celebrate Sarah’s mother’s birthday.

When we got the the park her parents split off from us and another friend met us at the park.

We walked around for a bit and then Gavin, Sarah’s brother, met us to surprise his mom for her birthday.

The surprise ended up working perfectly.

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Random Disney Trip

backinphillyLeave a comment

As I write this, we are about to leave for a day long trip to Disney. These past couple days away from school have been filled with excitement, heartbreak but most of all, FOOD!

Yesterday we found a place in La Jolla that advertises the sale of a cheesesteak. Before yesterday, the only place I was getting cheesesteaks from in this town was Jersey Mike’s and Philly station. Both of which are somewhat subpar.

Yesterday, the restaurant had the ingredients that we were waiting for.

Amoroso’s rolls? Check!

Provolone and Cheez Whiz? Check!

Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer? Check!

Every thing was falling into place. That was until we found out that the cheesesteaks were made with roast beef.

Now I’m not going to sit here and pretend to have any idea what kind of meat goes into a classic Philly cheesesteak, but it ain’t roast beef. Something about the taste just wasn’t right. We quickly recognized that the meat ruined the sandwich.

But I wanna mention one massive heartbreak from today. The Eagles, once again, lost.

At this point, I’m not surprised. I’m just annoyed and pissed off. I’m disappointed. It was hard to watch my team fall so pathetically. But I digress. We move on. That’s the Philly way.

Well, hopefully Mickey Mouse and all that crap will help me feel better. I’m going to spend tomorrow in Disneyland with my family and my girlfriend.

I hope nothing goes wrong. What could possibly, right?

Thanksgiving Break

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

Tomorrow is the final day before Thanksgiving Break, and the school is riddled with anticipation. A suitcase sitting in the hallway of the dorm, flight plans being turned in… The school is packing up.

For me, Thanksgiving break is the first time I get to see my brothers, after three months of eery calmness from not having them around.

Thanksgiving break is also a time for me to see my dad, and for us to spend time as a family.

This Thanksgiving, our plans our secret. My dad has sorted out one of his “Papa Adventures,” and according to him it will be the biggest one yet. I’m excited, but you know. It’ll either be really good or really bad. Hopefully it’s the former.

Last Thanksgiving break was a bit of a nightmare. My mom took me and my brothers down to Denver for my brother’s hockey tournament. Spending a week in a hotel room with two little brothers is NOT fun. Emphasis on the not.

For one, they don’t feel the need to have any sort of manners, whatsoever, when around me. It’s just lovely. The hotel room did not smell good by the end of the week.

I’m excited about this Thanksgiving because even though we will all be in a hotel room, we won’t be at a hockey tournament. Which is a huge improvement.

And as soon as I know what the “Papa Adventure” is, I’ll let you know.

Choices Follow Up

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

So I was thinking again yesterday, occasionally it can be dangerous when I do that, but it wasn’t, it rather was quite productive.

I went home and turned on the TV and was looking for some sport to watch being as the NHL is STILL locked out… cough* cough* Bettman (still waiting).

Any who, I saw something called “A Football Life” and turned it on.

It is a series who follows a different player every week, but it shows their life through the season.

Yesterday’s episode was featuring Ray Lewis, “the Ravens 16 year defensive soul,” as the show called him.

He is actually someone I can admire and look up to.

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Visualizing the Venture

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

This past week I have completed my 3rd time working with a film crew producing a fashion show for a major shoe company based in Santa Barbara, CA.

My father works for a local Carpinteria company called Venture Visuals. It is a small company in Carpinteria, CA, specializing in branded entertainment.

They do work for Specialized Bicycles, local musician Dominic Balli, and many other local and non local people and companies.

I have worked for VV many times, usually just as a Production Assistant, but I have been given the opportunity at a young age to operate cameras on a few of the shoots.

This is a career I have looked into, but I do not think it will be the one for me.

I really do enjoy working in the filming industry, but it isn’t a stable career for the most part, and I have first hand experience of this.

My Dad, when I was younger worked in what most people would call “Hollywood,” but it wasn’t really in Hollywood.

He worked on many movies such as Welcome to Collinwood, The Contender, Mimic, and Cherry Falls.

He also worked on TV shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as the line producer, and on CSI:Miami as the head producer.

While he worked life was great, we lived large, and had enough money that we didn’t have to worry, but when the jobs were over, there was often a dry spell, and it was always up and down.

My mother tells me a story of a day when she didn’t have money to buy a coke at the gas station, but the next day we had more money than we knew what to do with.

So while I won’t be pursuing it as my life career it is something I can work on through college for money, and right now.

I have started early and am learning quickly.

This past week I worked at the Bacara Resort in Goleta, CA at the fashion show as a PA.

Here is a video of last year’s fall show.

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OVS you’ll be with me wherever I go

equestri vitam1 Comment

You never really realize how big of an impact a place has on you until you leave that place.

OVS has stuck with me ever since I left. I first realized it the first day I got to Italy and read our host family booklet, which said that 95% of the students coming here had never had to make their own bed before. And I sat there saying to myself “YES! Thank you, OVS!”

To give you more insight I’ll make a list of the things that OVS has taught me and have stuck with me even though I’m across the atlantic in a completely new culture.

I eat milk and crackers all the time and have gotten my host family into it too!

During our orientation retreat to the sea I was able to keep everyone interested with cool fun facts that I learned from Ms. Davis.

I still do my homework during what would be study hall hour.

I think I’ve formed permanent calf muscles from climbing up the hill therefore the hills in Viterbo are a piece of cake!

I managed to tack up my horse within ten minutes at the barn I’m riding at here. Thanks to Ms. Gustafson and Ms. Wilson always rushing me to get in the arena!

We’re reading BEloved by Toni Morrison in my English class which requires intense annotating to understand and I can’t thank Mr. Weidlich enough for the endless annotating you made us do.

And more than anything, I have a nice reminder of you everywhere I go, due to this awesome Italian clothing store that happens to be called OVS.

I miss you all dearly ❤ I’m excited to eventually be back with you all on the beautiful campus of the Ojai Valley School.