Texts from Mom

I have moved thousands of miles away from my home town of Hayward, California. The distance as well as the latest technology advances have really changed the way in which I communicate with my friends and family from back home. Here is a google map to represent my move. A picture really does represent 100 words.

3, 175 miles from Hayward,Ca to Cambridge, Ma

Despite the distance, my family and I have taken to communicate through the use of technology, specifically FaceTime (Apple Plug here). My brother and I both have the latest iPhones and my father, who is pretty tech-savy, knows how to skype and email with us. But the real star of this trans national family love story is my mother.

One major benefit that has come out of this distance is my mother's interest in technology. She has never used a computer. She is a dental assistant and spends her days conversing and aiding patients or using dental instruments. It's safe to say that technology is a pretty recent phenomenon for her. So, this post is dedicated to my mom, with love and respect to her growing interest around technology as it is growing her communication with her kids. My mom is now writing emails, has her very own iPad and has learned to text (hilarious mom texts to come at the end of the this post).

This is how I found out my mother had an Ipad:

Hi mija how can I che

Your blog.? I like my new I pod,,

Sent from my iPad

*Note her signature states "sent from my iPad"

My mom has even begun to text me while I am in class. Most of the texts say hello or good morning. One challenge about this latest burst in technology use is that when I get out of class, I now have two missed calls, a voice mail, an email and a text message. With so many outlets, my first response is to think there must be an emergency. No, they are all to say hello. She is incredibly persistent.

Another challenge is the cell phone/email auto-correct function. It's definitely having fun in our conversations as well. Another layer is that fact that my mother and I are bilingual and often speak Spanglish to one another. So texts often get misinterpreted...And by often, I mean OFTEN.

Here is me asking my mother if she will be attending my cousin Isaac's birthday party:

Here is a text conversation about what we are having for dinner: "Begged" means veggies.

 I too fall victim to cell phone's autocorrect:

 Here is my mother sending me information about my student health insurance coverage that was sent to Hayward instead of Cambridge the week school started.

And yes, I understand exactly what she means despite the grammar and auto-corrects. We now have a new way of communicating and it makes the distance feel not as distant.

My favorite conversations take place Saturday mornings. My parents wake up and FaceTime with me from their bedroom as I converse back over breakfast or lunch from my living room couch. Yesterday, I was FaceTiming with them and Edgar, my younger brother who is also away for college, called my parents home telephone and joined our conversation over speaker. His FaceTime appointment was after mine.

We are becoming a 21st century family. And the distance doesn't really seem that far. Here is to hoping you get to connect with a loved one today.

Happy December!

Food for thought today

My friend has the image below posted on her facebook profile picture. I saved the poster to my desktop some time ago and open it from time to time... I am much more aware of myself and the privileges I have after reading this. This poster below has me thinking about the power of words. The power words have to bring us into awareness. The shift of perspective we held just moments ago... to what we feel/think/believe after seeing or reading something.

Words are powerful... And its a gift that we have found a way to communicate with one another despite distance, language and time. Like the last saying states, "If you can read this...you are more fortunate that 3 billion people in the world who cannot read at all."

Fall Is Here

I know that its been awhile since I last wrote, so this entry will be a bit longer to make up for the past couple of weeks that I haven't posted. I'll talk about my chilly walks to school, how I love getting care packages and the incredible housewarming party I threw myself the same week my apt was broken into... Fall is here and I am experiencing the abundance of Harvest time that comes with it!

I dont think I have ever experienced a FALL season before. In California, the tempature pretty much stays above 50 degrees and it is either gloomy or sunny and what I really mean is that it is mostly sunny. The leaves stay green and sometimes you see variations of yellow or brown leaves, but nothing like the trees I am seeing here: Bright RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, PURPLE...

The images here are breathtaking-- and come at a chilly price. I walk or ride my bike to school in 30 degree weather. By the time I enter a classroom I recognize that I have lost feeling in my face, hands and feet...

I think I am really enjoying the Fall season around here because its nice enough to go for walks outside, but is chilly enough to appreciate being indoors. Speaking about indoors-- my parents sent me an awesome care package with rugs, WINE, desserts, candles...etc.  THANKS mom and dad!

I used some of the goodies to host a housewarming party in my new apt. So now a housing update. I recently moved into a new apartment in October. My old place didnt work out and with optimistic energy and prayer, I found a new place that is a better fit for me. Now I have two new housemates who work full time and are around my age.We all really like each other and have similar interests: like traveling, research, love of dessert and wine. So we move in and decide to sign a year lease within 24 hours of meeting one another (are we crazy? impulsive? desperate? Probably all of the above, which makes us all the better match for one another!)

Within a week of living together we get broken into. The door was literally ripped off the hinges. We are all okay. Some things were taken, like laptops, jewelry and video cameras, but no one was home and no one was harmed. Our landlord has since added more locks.


I have really grown to love my new roomates and am so grateful they are in my life. Here are some pictures of us with our friends at our Housewarming party from last weekend.

Roomate #1 Gabby is the tall blond on the left.

Roomate #2 Shivani is the one on the right leaning against the door.

My and some of my friends from school. The running joke here is that the Harvard Ed School ratio is 8 women to 1 man.

So, grateful for the friendships, encounters and laughs I've shared thus far with new friends. I am also grateful for the friendships that have come before and  the ones that will come along someday in the near future. What are you grateful for?