This Is Weird.. Or Maybe It Is Just Lucidity!

This weekend I had one of the weirdest but at the same time one of the most enlightening and eyeopening experiences of my life. Well… maybe saying “enlightening experience” is a bit too much to describe a festival’s experience, but I believe it definitely exposed me to things that I would have never thought exist. As soon as I arrived on the festival’s sight I immediately felt a loving and passionate atmosphere that pervaded my mind and body. Everything was artsy and free like I love it! People were making music, building things, dancing and spreading love!!

I know that many people cannot bear the “Namaste lifestyle” but for me it is just so fit!! I believe that everything began when my mum stated practicing Tai Chi… Initially, it was just practicing a martial art, but then she started passing onto me various spiritual and life appreciation concepts that were at the core of Lucidity Festival. I loved how caring, accepting and open minded people are at this festival. Everybody from the college student, to the old hippie man to the two years old kid, was harmonically sharing regenerating and relaxing moments. I just loved it!!

At night, my friend Donald, his four housemates and I stayed up dancing and listening to music until 2:00am, and then we went to our tents to be ready for the second Lucid day!! Donald and I didn’t have a tent, however, Donald had big van and we camped inside the van!!! It was super duper cold at night but the sleeping bag that I borrowed from my friend Brian was warm and comfy and I slept thinking that I was in my own bed! The following day we painted, listened to the last artists who were performing on stage and walked around to check out other people’s camp sites and shops. At 5:00 it was time to leave and I was so sad that it was already all over… This was the last edition of Lucidity Festival, but I heard the the organizers are soon going to open a Lucid University!!

Sacramento Internship Program

Meeting with Monique Limòn

Today was the last day of the SBCC Sacramento Internship Program and the first day in which I can say that I finally know something about politics… During the internship, I was the only person that wasn’t a Political Science or Economics major but it didn’t matter to me: when I want to learn I don’t care about the circumstances!! I have to thank so much Doctor Eskandari for organizing this unique trip to Sacramento, and for opening my mind on topics that I never thought I would ever look into. 

On the Senate floor

It was DEFINITELY a looooonnnggg week this week but it was totally worth it! The only moment we had to rest was the first day of the trip in which we were left free to visit Sacramento. However, as soon as the week started we would start our days at 8:00 am and walk around offices, fancy rooms and buildings and get back home at 5:00 pm… Our schedule was super tight but perfectly on point: every day we would have a series of meeting with politicians and we were allowed to ask informative questions. At the end of every single day I was so exhausted that a nap on a towel next to the swimming pool was a MUSTDO. 

At the Governor's Office!!

During the internship we met so many important people and we had the opportunity to ask numerous questions to politicians that just few have the privilege to meet. In addition to our wonderful meeting with people like the Attorney General or the President pro Tempore of the California State Senate, we had the chance to go to the offices of politicians and get internships at The Capitol!!! My friend Suki had the wonderful opportunity to get an internship at Governor Jerry Brown’s office!!! Isn’t that amazing?!? I wasn't interested in getting any internships but at least I met the Governor as he was speaking in favor of the S.B.1 Transportation Bill!! Wow… I would need twenty post to explain how much I learned during this internship… If you are interested in knowing more about politics and make connections with important politicians just join this internship in Spring 2018!! 

Sacramento here we come!!

Spring Break Movie Nights

Even if this year spring break has been just spending time with my friends in Santa Barbara, today a new fun chapter of this spring break has started: the Sacramento internship!! Lately, I have just done lots of barbecues and watched movies… Now, let’s get serious, let’s suit up and let’s start a cool internship!!! I would have never thought that I would have joined this internship because it is aimed to Political Science majors. However, I am always so ignorant about political things that I really wanted to find a way to get involved and actually play a role in this critical political time. 

Yesterday, I spent the whole afternoon packing and making sure to have everything to look perfect for the internship. In fact, we are required to dress formally every day of the internship with a business attire. I brought a few dresses and a couple of suits and some shirts, and along with this I brought casual clothes for the nights in which we will be not be in the Capitol. I am really glad I am joining this internship because not only it will open my eyes on issues that I would have never addressed myself, but also because I will be able to share this experience with lots of my friends!!!

Just the beginning...

Today the train left at 12:40pm and as I am writing we still have seven hour left on this train… This is the longest train ride I have ever been on… Can you imagine that in the same 12 hours I can get back to Italy with a plane?!? I will have to update you soon about everything that will happen next week. I am so excited about this experience and I can’t wait to share this experience with you guys!!

4 Couples, 5 Singles, 6 Flags

Six Flags Squad at 6:00pm

Aside from hanging out in Santa Barbara, going shopping and enjoy hiking, this Wednesday I went to Six Flags with the best group of people. I was supposed to go with them to Catalina Island and relax for four days, but since we organized everything to late we ended up going all together to Six Flags for just one day. Some of the people were involved in the Honors Programs, some other in Phi Theta Kappa and the rest were in a relationship with one of the Honors Program or PTK members. It was a really cute and sweet group and we all got so along!!!

At 8:30am we met at Amber’s house and we all left to get to Six Flags as soon as possible. By 10:30 we were already running toward the first ride. Since it was a weekday, there were very little people and we got in so many rides in a very short time!!!! The cool thing about this group was that all the people were willing to go on any ride and so pretty much stayed the whole time together!!! The best ride was X2 and it was sooooooo cool!! Our feet were hanging and the rollercoaster was twisting around at such high speed!!! I don’t know why but I never get scared of the roleercosters and so I love to look at the panorama around me when I get on them… (I know I’m weird…).

The park closed at 6:00pm and we were all exhausted… the only thing we had left to do was eating a warm meal. We went to a place called The Lazy Dog in Oxnard where The Collection is. As soon as we got in and we asked for a table for 13 people they thought we were joking and they didn’t take us seriously. But then, when they realized we were actually serious they found a spot on the patio outside around the fire place… So cute and sweeeeett!!!

Mini-Food Fair Experiment

Yesterday night Linh and I had the greatest idea ever… We decided to make a mini-food fair at her house inviting some other SBCC Ambassadors and friends. As I probably mentioned in more than one post before, I LOVE Linh’s Vietnamese Egg Rolls, and she loves my Italian Tiramisu… So why not combining Egg Rolls with Tiramisu for dessert?!? That’s what we did, and it turned out to be absolutely amazing… Initially it was supposed to be just me and her, but in the end we ended up being around seven people and our friend Kim added to the menu Japanese curry!!!

At 6:00 o’clock, Jessica and I left to buy the ingredients for the tiramisu and then we went straight to Linh’s house. As soon as we arrived we started off with making the mix for the egg rolls and everybody was taking down notes to steal Linh’s recipe. Then, once the mix was ready everyone of us started rolling the rolls!! They looked so cute!! And I was actually able to make  the after Linh instructed me. While we were rolling the last egg rolls, I started to prepare the ingredients for the tiramisu. Tiramisu seems really hard and sophisticated, but it is actually super easy!! The whole process is just mixing a bunch of sugar, eggs and mascarpone cheese and then layer cookies and the mascarpone cream, finally top everything with cocoa powder… Isn’t it so easy? Easy it is and delicious, too!!!

At around 8:30 we started eating the egg rolls and the Japanese Curry.. OMG so gooooooooddddd!!! We were all sitting down and eating at the same time together… I felt like I was back home and having dinner together with my family… Here in America is really hard to cook dinner at home and share a meal with friends or neighbors. I missed it so much, and I loved that not only I had dinner with some of my close friends, but also I enjoyed food that I don’t find anywhere but in restaurants!! We are planning on doing this again… Let’s get ready for Mexican/Italian/Asian dinner!!

Let’s do it! Three, Two, One… Soccer Tournament

Everybody playing so hard..

This weekend it was extremely busy! After this Friday’s Phi Theta Kappa induction ceremony, the SBCC Ambassadors organized the yearly soccer tournament!! Every time every Ambassador, and especially the Committee leaders organizing the event (Stellan and I), are super worried that people won’t show up for the tournament. It is an extremely delicate situation because if we don't get the teams, the international office has to pay for the referees from their own pocket, and it’s a lot of money!!! However, even if at the beginning we had barely 3 teams and a list of about ten people without a team, on Friday we managed to get a total of TEN TEAMS!!! 

Jamela thought I was too red...

Getting the teams is always the toughest part, but as soon as we get the teams, we sort out the Saturday and Sunday schedule and we are ready to go!!! The Ambassadors checked-in the payers and gave them a wristband after they paid the 10 dollars for the tournament. Every team was giving the best and I am glad I decided not to play at the last minute… I would have probably been killed by a ball going at 40miles an hour!!! Even if this tournament is just an amateur tournament, all the players always turn out to be astonishingly good!!! 

The Winnerrrrssss!!!

While I was supervising the tournament with some other Ambassadors, we played around with a soccer ball and tried to entertain the people sitting on the side of the field. I love the atmosphere that happy people can create!!! This is why I always try to act as crazy as possible and I try to make people laugh and feel good… The world is always a better place when people are happy!!! Yahoo!!! On Sunday I didn’t have the chance to show up and so I didn't see the end of the tournament. But I know it has beed a great success and I am so happy that even in Spring 2017 the Ambassadors soccer tournament was such a great turnout!!!

Let’s Be Formally Formal: PTK Induction

Today the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership organized the acclaimed Induction Ceremony to officially induct the new officers and members of the wonderful Phi Theta Kappa Family. The Induction Ceremony is held every year at the East Campus cafeteria at SBCC and it welcomes all the PTK inductees, officially makes them part of the PTK family and offers them a buffet with coffee, cookies, sandwiches and a CONGRATULATIONS CAKE!! The ceremony officially started at 4.30pm and everybody was seated and ready to hear the Induction speakers.

While we waited for the last few people to come into the cafeteria and take a seat, my friend and old blogger, Cameron Gonzales, played pleasant music with his guitar to accompany the wonderful afternoon. Immediately after the guitar stopped playing, Adam, the PTK President, started speaking, then the president of SBCC Mr. Beebe gave a wonderful motivational speech and finally Professor Mark Sanders officially inducted the new PTK members and the new PTK Officers! After that, everybody went to eat the Congratulations cake, and happily conversed.

I was the official Photographer of the event with my brand new camera Canon 80D… I loved taking pictures of the event and seeing all the smiles that people were giving each other naturally… Happiness! Then, towards the end of the ceremony, Professors Mark Sanders called out all the inductees for a group picture and we looked all so cute and professional… After the picture everybody started leaving and we couldn’t be more happy about the turnout of this event. And by the way, now I am officially a Phi Theta Kappa Officer and Leader!!!