Lessons from Geese

Just thought this was interesting ^_^ :

Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of each other.

Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

Fact 3: When the lead bird tires, it rotates back into the formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities, and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, or resources.

Fact 4: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and to encourage the heart and core values of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
Lesson: If we have as much sense of geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we're strong.

"Lessons From Geese was transcribed from a speech given by Angeles Arrien at the 1991 Organizational Development Network and was based on the work of Milton Olson. It circulated to Outward Bound staff throughout the United States. It's interesting what we can learn from nature."

Happy 3rd Anniversary!

I have found the man who calls me beautiful instead of hot (unless it is appropriate ~wink), who calls me back when I hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to my heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch me sleep... I have waited for the man who kisses my forehead, who wants to show me off to the world when I am in sweats, who holds my hand in front of his friends, who thinks I'm just as pretty without makeup on. He is constantly reminding me of how much he cares and how lucky he is to have me....He is the one who turns to his friends and says, 'that's her.' He is my Davey.

I LOVE YOU A LOT, Mi Davey ^_^ I really don't care who reads this and knows because you are a big part of my life, without you my life is incomplete. Thank you for making my life complete and giving me sunshine everyday. Happy 3rd Anniversary. Looking forward to next year, in which we can celebrate it together. I love you. DaiSuki. XXX

My Birthday Month ^_^

Lots of time has gone by since I last wrote on this complaining on how much I want to be with my boyfriend, but you know what??????...I still do T_T I miss him sooo much. Last year on my birthday, I was celebrating it with him. We went to see the musical "Lion King" in London and it was a perfect night. I just wanted to say Thank You to all my friends who showed up to the birthday party and those who sent me birthday wishes, it really means a lot to me. I had so much fun on my birthday as you can tell by my pictures. Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you again.

On a side note, I am having a hard time focusing on school. It is just that, I rather be somewhere else not focusing on financial management or spending 12 hours on Tuesdays in a classroom, but rather be doing something fun like playing soccer (in which I injured my ankle the other day, ooopppies!!!). I like school because of my classmates, my friends, and the occasional teacher, but I don't know if it is because it is the Spring or it will soon be Summer, but I feel like time is better used outside instead of inside the College of Management buildings. Don't think that I am goofing off because I am still studying, making the presentations, and going to class, it is just I have felt the same ever since I got here. There is somewhere I want to be with a certain someone and I just wish school was over with. I get to see my handsome and my mommy this summer, I can't wait!!! It will almost be a year since I have seen my family. 頑張ります。

A Semester Gone!!!

It is hard to believe that I have successfully passed one semester of school, but at the same time it seems like it would never end. Constant case studies, lots of group review sessions, and other school activities that has made my life pretty much all school. People ask me, "How long have you been in Taiwan?" and I reply, "since September, so about 5 months now." They ask me all sorts of questions like,"Where have you been?" "What do you like the best?" etc. and all I can say is, "I have seen NTU and the area around NTU, I basically live on NTU campus." My social life doesn't really exist, but that is okay because most of my classmates are in the same boat, but whenever we do find time for ourselves we all appreciate it.

Recently, I went on vacation with my classmates to Malaysia and the Philippines. It was soooo nice, but I am very excited to get back to school, so I can finish it. Get my degree and then be with the man I love. It is very tiring knowing that true happiness is on the other side of the world and the only thing that is separating you from that happiness is qualifications to get a good job. I am hopefully going to finish this degree in a year and a half. Then I will get my happiness and I will never be separated from him again.

For Mi Bubba!!!:

“A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we’re pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we’re safe in our own paradise. Our soulmate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction. When we’re two balloons, and together our direction is up, chances are we’ve found the right person. Our soulmate is the one who makes life come to life.” Richard Bach

“I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out.” Roy Croft

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." Anatole France

Cheers ^_^ x

Student Life Begins

I am officially a NTU GMBA student now!!!

I have enrolled, registered for classes, went through two orientations and am now going to classes. It is very exhausting on Tuesdays because I have 4 classes and I am going to be at school for at least 12 hours!!!! @_@ Oh, the life of a student again.
Right now, My schedule is this:

Mondays: Leadership Practice, Social Entrepreneurship, Chinese
Tuesdays: International Marketing Management, Managerial Economics, Managerial Accounting, Marketing Management
Wednesday: Chinese
Thursday: China Financial Industry
Friday: Chinese

I have a total of 13 credits, but I am not sure if I should take another class on Saturday, in which would make my credits to a total of 16. That is probably toooo much since my Tuesday classes are very demanding, but I can change my classes until the 26th, so we will see what happens.

I met a lot of wonderful people here and I am excited to be a part of this class, program, and school. I just wish I was more business orientated, but I will learn. ^_^ Also, I wish I had a kitchen, so I could eat healthier, but that is a whole another story!

Bridge Building

In 16 days, I will be in Taiwan. I will be super jet-lagged and probably super stressed out because of the upcoming enrollment into mi new school, National Taiwan University. I have been accepted into their GMBA program and will remain in Taiwan for 2 years until mi completion in June of 2011. It is really weird to think that I am going back to Asia. I am super excited, but really hate the idea of leaving mi family and friends again. I must look towards the brighter-side of these experiences that I am going to be facing because I know in the end there will be a positive outcome. Once I have completed mi degree then I can be with the one I love. Mi future will have goals and purposes, it is actually a weird concept, but a good one to have. I went to university so I could go to Japan. I went to Japan and lived there for 2 years. Then, it took me a whole year to figure out what I was going to do and in 16 days mi life will start a new chapter. In 16 days, I will start building the half of mi life bridge and hopefully in 2 years it will connect with mi other half.

El Cinco De Mayo

First of all, Happy Birthday to Annieちゃん!!!!

Secondly,
FELIZ EL CINCO DE MAYO
NON-Happy Mexican Independence Day!!!

"While Cinco de Mayo has limited significance nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed in the United States and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. However, a common misconception in the United States is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day, which actually is September 16 (dieciséis de septiembre in Spanish), the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico."

"The holiday commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín."
Good Job General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín!!!!

In celebration, I took a picture of mi little pepper plant!!! YAY!!!

I just felt like writing and putting up pictures of things that I have done last month and the beginning of this one.

Birthday Dinners:

The Fam took mi to Carlos O'Kelly's in St. Joe, MO...which is the closest to us. Unfortunately, the food wasn't good and the worst part was the service. Let us say that we aren't ever going to go there and suggest that no one ever goes there. The other restaurants in Lawrence, KS or even Wichita, KS are WONDERFUL...just don't ever go to ST. JOE!!! ES MUY MAL!!!
Other than that I really liked going on the little road trip with mi family and celebrating mi quarter of a century b-day!!! After coming home I got some lovely presents!!! ^_^ HRS!!!

Cam took mi to Lawrence because I wanted Montana Mikes for mi dinner birthday!!! The only one that is close is in Lawrence. I haven't been there in 3.5 years and I still loooooove that town. Things have changed, but it is still a town that is filled with happiness!!! I ate mi bacon swiss mushroom burger with lovely fries and THE RANCH!!! YUMS!!! Afterwards, we walked down Mass Str. and looked at the stores we liked when we were in Uni. Then went to our favorite ice cream place....they had mi favorite flavor...TURTLE ice cream. We both got double scoops on a waffle cone. Cam got Cookie Monster and Birthday Cake flavors while I got Turtle and Birthday Cake. DELICIOUS. It was an awesome time.
Good Company!!!! Good Food!!!! Good Memories!!!

Playing in the PARKville:

One day mommy suggested that we should go to the park....and so we did. ^_^