Remembering Why I Came...

Homesickness hit HARD this week. I know this is where I'm supposed to be at this time in my life, but why is it so much harder to adjust than I thought it would be?

Maybe because my family is across the country - the other Washington (state) - and they're leaving for China next week without me. Maybe it's because so many of my close friends are in Utah and I have no idea when I'll be able to go back. Maybe it's because I'm not able to express 3 of the most essential parts of me (dancer, pianist, singer) as fully as I was before (no ballroom team or partner, no piano in the house, no privacy to sing my heart out). Maybe it's because I'm missing the opportunities I had last summer to mentor youth through camps/classes...

I made this list 2 months ago to remind myself of all the reasons I wanted to move to DC (my short answer: "To chase my dreams!")

1) God's will
2) Career opportunities
3) Education opportunities
4) Big LDS Community
5) Cultural richness
6) Historical richness
7) Waterfront
8) Greenery
9) Diversity
10) East Coast city life

Still, the adjustment period is not over. I've been trying to mitigate the home-sickness/BYU-/Provo-sickness by talking to loved ones more, playing piano & singing in a music room @ GW, eating familiar foods, embracing my multiculturalism, going salsa dancing (twice!), and finding strength among all the lovely YSA's (young single adults).

Monday - We had an egg drop contest for FHE (Mormons don't drink alcohol, so we can get really creative with our social activities). Back in junior high, I cut a hole out of a big block of cheese, wrapped it in duct tape, and put my egg in it; dropped it from the roof of the gym and it survived intact! This was the contraption I made with Michael (FHE dad)...

There was a supportive crowd below

It survived! I took the victory egg home and cooked it in my fried rice (see further below)

Wednesday - Got some more GW Hospital cafeteria food - an interesting but tasty mix of southern buttery yams, steamed broccoli, jerk chicken, and pineapple rice.

My coworkers made fun of me for liking hospital/cafeteria food. Pssh whatever, they're the ones missing out!

Thursday - indulged in the Whole Foods buffet (must indulge the foodie within) - a delightful mix of Korean sweet potato noodles, baked fish, garlic green beans, Greek salad, cabbage slaw, Chinese broccoli, and lemon carrots. Mmm

Thursday night - got an email asking for a short bio of myself to go along with my essay that will be compiled in a book by BYU's Women's Services! I entered the "Recapturing Beauty Essay Contest" last year and didn't win, but I'm gonna get published!! You can read the essay on my other blog.

Friday - after 6 weeks of worsening foot pain on my left arch, I finally went to see the podiatrist. Being a dancer and a very active person, I was scared to death that something was seriously wrong with my foot. My health and mobility means everything to me! Basically, the podiatrist just said I was walking alot more than I'm used to (in Utah) and need to wear more supportive footwear, especially when I'm most active. Right after work, I went out to get the Superfeet insoles he prescribed and my 1st pair of Dr. Scholl's shoes, both with serious arch support.

If investing in the health of my feet means wearing "old lady" footwear, I'll take it.

Friday night - not gonna stop dancing tho! Finally got to check out this salsa dancing place -Habana Village- in Adams Morgan, with Michael

Somehow we didn't have to pay to get in (sweet!) at this 3 story place. I thought the ID options were funny...

The music was super loud, the space extremely narrow, and the environment was not as wholesome as I'm used to (or would like). Celeste, Chris, and Jeff joined us later :)

It felt cool to be dancing in one of the many historic house-turned-restaurant/club places in Adams Morgan, but I don't think I'll be going back. Afterwards, we walked around the colorful nightlife on the streets - it was wild!

I loved all the fun ethnic restaurants (and their witty names), but hated the cigarette smoke everywhere

I kept telling my friends - I'm so grateful I'm a Mormon. If I weren't, I'd probably be doing all this partying while being miserable inside, or I'd be a hermit bookworm. I'm so grateful that I can have wholesome fun and be true to myself.

Saturday - checked another thing off my list - went canoeing! With Britt!

The clouds threatened rain but...I think they saved me from another episode of heat exhaustion

Went around and under the Key Bridge - unique view

Made it back to shore before the storm and heat swept in!

Then we picked up Britt's friend, Chelsea, and went to Eden Center - this huge Asian Strip Mall in Falls Church (aw reminds me of the ones back home). But I don't understand how the Biblical name came about...

Haven't seen one of these Chinese lions in a while

There were so many restaurants, it was hard to pick! I was on the search for good Pho like I had growing up in Seattle, but we were starving and hot so we picked the one with the best air conditioning.

We shared the quintessential appetizer - spring rolls (rice noodles, lettuce, & shrimp in rice wrapper). I enjoyed the peanut sauce more than the rolls...

I got Pho with shrimp and Britt & Chelsea shared the spicy orange chicken.

I flavored mine with all the necessary ingredients - mint leaves, bean sprouts, lime juice & hoisin sauce - but the broth was still sub-par. Afterwards, we walked around the halls of the mini-mall; it was depressingly empty

My search for the best Pho continues...

Then we drove through beautiful Alexandria to the Multi-Stake YSA Luau! I didn't really take pictures because I was too busy meeting people with Melanie. I couldn't resist dressing up just a little bit, it helped me get in touch with my Guam heritage (through my Step Dad's side)

It was fun to see so many LDS YSA come together, some from 2 hours away! The catered pulled pork burgers (from a Southern - not Hawaiian - place haha) were delicious. It made me miss the authentic Luau/Family Reunion back home last summer (my uncle is Hawaiian/Puerto Rican). Some pics just for nostalgia's sake...

My brother, Chris, and I greeted guests at the table

Aren't they cute? Miss them like crazy...

There was a dance at the Luau but I left early with Michael and Carlos for more salsa dancing at our favorite spot, The Salsa Room!

Had a great time, hence the sweatiness

Sunday - Church was lovely, as usual :) Thought you might be interested to know what I do every Sunday - a huge production to prepare my lunches & dinner for the week. This week, it's fried rice for dinner (eggs, celery, onions, carrots, peas, garlic, & soy sauce). All the other stuff is lunch/snacks

Jillian was so sweet to invite me to dinner at her cheery green apartment w/ other girls from our Relief Society. I thought this was a funny combination of foods, but very delicious.

Took a couple "family pics" afterwards...this is our awkward one haha

Swung over to Darcy's house for a farewell party for 2 girls in our ward - Ruth and Sam. The socializing was intense! Heat and humidity leads to a bad case of what I call the "DC glow"...

but the conversations were worth it.

After all, it's reason #4 why I moved here...