My favorite enrichment workshop was the Rubin Museum. It was so interesting to see the background of other religions and what they preach. The art was beautiful and always held a message behind it that was religious. The main reasons I found this museum interesting is firstly, because I enjoy learning about other cultures and religions, and secondly, it made me realize that in the end all the religions preach the same things which are love and peace. A Baruch student took as on a short tour and presented the art to us and the history behind it- I learned about Buddhism and the cornerstones of the religion. We were introduced to the figure of Buddha and how he became the base of Buddhism. I found the story very interesting: He was a prince that had never been out of the palace’s gates to see how the world is around him. One day, he went to the outside world and realized the massive poverty and sadness that was in the world so he decided to no longer be a prince, and dedicate his life to humbleness.  I also was surprised that the art at the museum started as a private collection of somebody that gave it to them for the public to see; we saw the room where Buddhists pray and it had that feeling of absolute serenity surrounding it.  Additionally, seeing the process of how the Buddhist statues are made was amazing as every step was presented by what the statues looked like at each stage and it was very interesting.

I love the water…. I grew up by the beach and the first time I swam in the ocean I must have been a couple months old…The ocean is my paradise. Now, what does that have to do with my experience here in Baruch? Here in  this big city where, as far as I know, there’s no sight of a beach around here?

Well…look at this as an analogy.

I remember when I was a little kid and I would get excited when big waves started coming…but this is how I remember the whole experience: I would stand in the shallow water and as I waited for the wave to hit, I would feel butterflies in my stomach and get anxious, but once the wave was close enough I would gather all my courage and jump in it, like a warrior, before it could hit me…so just like a warrior, I would feel victory!

Now I am almost 18, and I made the decision to move to a different continent away from family and friends and come here to go to school. I was anxious, I got those butterflies, and just like when I was a little kid, i had faith in myself and I had the courage to jump in this wave. Coming here, and facing so many unexpected difficulties alone, and overcoming them, does make me feel like a warrior that just won a fight. And after you hit that wave, that amazing feeling of the water on your skin is that great realization that life is simply wonderful….

July 24th 2012, MOVE #1

After 24 hours of traveling, the only thing I want to do is go to bed and wake up a week from now. I shouldn’t really unpack, I will be moving into my new apartment in 2 weeks or so. I just can’t wait to finally be by myself, no parents no siblings, independence!

August 20th 2012, MOVE #2

This place is awesome, I got everything I needed for my new place. When can I finally start living here? Can I move in now? What do you mean not yet, I start school in 7 days.- Turns out, the building doesn’t have a COV yet, means that I cannot legally live there. Well, when are they getting the COV? What do you mean you don’t know? Wow, thats just good parenting, you drop me off in  another continent and you tell me that you don’t know wether I have a place to stay or not and then leave. Impressive! Dad said it might take 2 weeks the most and then I can move into my apartment

August 25th 2012, MOVE #3

Hello NJ! I moved to my new place…but this time I have a roommate…my 85 year old godfather. I love that old man, he’s offering me a place to stay until my apartment is ready, I appreciate that. Oh this isn’t too bad, I should stop complaining, it’s only for about 2 weeks and then I will be in my apartment.

October 1st 2012

Ok, now this is getting annoying. 2 weeks turned into 4 and 4 turned into 8…is this freaking apartment ever getting a COV? Who knows…I might end up staying here for the rest of my college years…it’s definetely a good deal for my parents. I mean, it’s not like a have an issue with privacy or with my godfather but this whole situation is messed up. I can’t di anything without having to depend on my godfather; I don’t drive and it makes things harder. The reason I came to NY to study was to be in the city and I feel like I didn’t get a chance top enjoy it yet. I have to tell my parents how I feel and see how they respond.

October 11th 2012, MOVE #4

This place is creepy…It’s a basement but it’s an apartment, but it’s really just a basement…and you have to go through these secret allies and the heating and boiler ro9om and on your way you usually encounter some wildlife (oh let’s say, mice and cocrotches-however you spell the name of these disgusting creatures) and if you make it alive through all that, you arrive at the front door. First thing I did once I got here, ordered a keychain pepper spray from amazon.com! You know why…I’m not used to all this…in Cyprus you could live in the streets fro the whole of your life and you wouldn’t get a scratch. But here, you might be walking in the streets and it’s not even dark yet, and there’s always this creepy guy with the hood, and you don’t know if he’s gonna kill you or not, depends on his mood, if he’s in a good mood you are fine, if he’s in a bad mood then he kills you, not your lucky day, thats it. And what about all those crazy strangers trying to make conversation with you but obviously yuou don’t want to talk to them, they are crazy!! Yesterday I went to the laudrymat for the first time, and between me trying to read the retarded instructions on the machine and the asian guy trying to explain everythin to me in Chinese and the spanish lady with the cute kid trying to help me IN SPANISH, you understand that it took me a while to do my laundry. Do you know what keeps me going in this place, there is a starbucks a block away!

October 18th 2012, Today

Not in a million years I imagined to be in this situation in my first year of college…I thought I would be in the perfect school, in the perfect place and my life would simply be…perfect! 4 major moves in 4 months…and more to come…I don’t know how I did it…but that’s life…life is a ‘witch’…and you know what they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. But you know what, I’m still here, an ocean away from home, and I still managed to make every place I’ve moved into feel somewhat like home.