Share Your Experiences with "Everyday Ambassador": a public service and global citizenship movement

#DailyWings: "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." -Leo Tolstoy

Happy October, everyone! Autumn is finally here -- bring out the turtlenecks, brew that hot cocoa and jump in a pile of just-raked leaves! With autumn comes so many possibilities for change and surprise. The temperatures here in Chapel Hill are fluctuating daily, and Mother Nature seems to be as undecided as I am when I pick outfits in the morning. This afternoon, I met with a friend over hot chocolate at The Daily Grind, a small espresso cafe by the campus bookstore, watching the rain drizzle outside and chatting about history, movies and books. What could be better? 

Today I want to take this chance to introduce a website that I am a part of. Since this summer, I have had the wonderful opportunity to serve as curriculum developer for Everyday Ambassador, "a movement for responsible global citizenship in a digital world." At EA, we believe in the importance of cultural understanding, human connectivity and public service, no matter where you are. The Everyday Ambassador team is in the process of organizing workshops, developing a related curriculum and launching the "EA TV" video series. 

We feature 500-800 word posts from a variety of contributors -- members of nonprofit organizations, active individuals, global travelers -- who share their experiences with engaging in public service. These posts are published on our blog multiple times a week, so if you're interested, please feel free to contact our community manager, Meg VanDeusen, at meg@everydayambassador.org.

Reading about lessons learned during gap years abroad, support networks used to facilitate communication for aid workers, and transformations in the public service mindsets of so many everyday ambassadors each week reminds me why I keep going, and why I am a part of EA. How can I not feel motivated to take action when there is so much going on in the world around me? Everyday Ambassador constantly reminds me that it's never too late to make a change for the better, no matter how small that change may seem. Whether we are striving to keep an open mind, maintain good intentions or break down the barriers that are blocking our goals, every step counts. 

These days, I am trying to move beyond a fear of failure. That fear only leads me to doing nothing. I am tired of doing nothing. I want to do things that will make me proud to say, "I tried." Perhaps life isn't about success and achievements, but rather all the things we did to get where we are. The blood and sweat and tears and time well-spent, well-shed. Even if we don't get the results we'd hoped for, we inevitably come out of the experience changed, often for the better. And, hopefully, so do the people whose lives we touch. We can say we did our best. 

As always, the hardest part about anything is taking the first step. Making the conscientious choice to move forward, even if we're not sure where that step will take us next. I wonder where we will be once we take that chance? 

If you're interested in what Everyday Ambassador is all about, check out our Twitter and Facebook, where we share meaningful articles and thoughtful discussions. Join us in the conversation! We would love to hear your thoughts.

Wendy Lu

Share Your Experiences with "Everyday Ambassador": a public service and global citizenship movement

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Crack The Shutters

#DailyWings: “Peace again! – The exquisite hour before dawn, here at my old desk–seldom have I realized so keenly, appreciated so fully, these still, dark hours.” – Edward Weston

I have always seen this blog as a window into my thoughts and my life, but lately I've kept that window closed. It's been nearly two weeks since my last post, and clicking on "New Post" today was like getting my teeth cleaned and realizing I needed a filling. I finally had to face the neglect my blog has received, but now that I am typing away again, I find myself sighing with relief. Starting is always the hardest part. 

In general, I haven't been writing lately. It's weird how you can love something so much that you're scared to touch or even go near it. Even after two years of blogging, it still takes effort to open this window into who I am, to set aside my fears and actually write stuff that means something to me. 

I sometimes tell people that I can't live without writing, and before it seemed to come out as an exaggerated joke - but I'm beginning to think it's true. These last few weeks have been tough. Lonely. Chock-full of mistakes and regrets. And busy... so terribly busy. I'm surprised I actually survived last week, when every hour was filled with this meeting or that class, and food and sleep were only distant things that existed outside my bubble. My journal was MIA, and the only writing I did consisted of interview transcriptions and class notes and feature stories. Looking back now, not doing any writing for myself was a mistake. 

The good thing is, gray days don't last forever. Long walks in the arboretum are nice. I am lucky to have some of the best friends anyone could ask for. Being busy has kept me from overthinking: Even though research and classes take over most of my waking hours, I wouldn't trade my majors -- journalism and psychology -- for any others. There is just too much fun in learning and discovering something new. And, of course, I have the best followers - my friends, even when my window stays closed for long periods of time you are still here. Lastly, thank God for music. 

Over the months, I noticed that I tend to avoid writing when I don't want to confront myself. Inside, I knew if I opened that window I would see how I was really doing - terrible. Being down in the dumps stinks, and when that realization rises above the surface, it makes the thought that much more real. But at the same time, I am slowly learning that the sun can't light up the room until you crack the shutters open wide.*

Let's just hope I am able to keep that window open from now on. 

How do you bounce back from the blues? Any thoughts on balancing writing with other aspects of your life? 

Wendy Lu

*This phrase is based on one of my favorite songs, Crack the Shutters by Snow Patrol. 

Crack The Shutters

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Junior Year Jitters

#DailyWings: "Live the full life of the mind, exhilarated by new ideas, intoxicated by the romance of the unusual." -Ernet Hemingway

 Better late than never. That's what I have been telling myself lately with everything that I do. Apparently, I just finished my third week of junior year without really knowing it. It feels like a 5k race just started without me or something. But even though junior year has already kicked off and I am officially over halfway through college, I thought I'd take some time today to pat myself on the back for completing sophomore year. For maintaining a solid GPA, making some incredible new friends and building a stronger heart. I realize I am much stronger than I was a year ago. 

At the end of every year since the beginning of college, I have written a letter to my older self. After freshman year was over, I wrote a note to my sophomore self highlighting some guidelines for having a successful semester. Here are a just a few lines I scribbled down as reminders to myself: 

Know your priorities. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. 

Don't be afraid to speak up. Raise your hand. Just do it. There's no better time than now. 

Say hello. The worst thing that could happen is you would have the exact same number of friends before you said hello. The best thing that could happen? You end up with one more friend than you did before.
 

Smile. No matter what’s going on, there is always a reason to smile. Find it, mull over it, smile about it. If anything—be grateful for what you have. 

Today, I wrote yet another letter to my junior graduate self. Yes, technically I am three weeks late but hey - better late than never, right? In truth, I've procrastinated writing the letter until now because I didn't want to confront all the things that were bugging me about myself. I've been needing a self-confidence booster because, honestly, I still don't know what the heck I want to do with my life. 

Going to one of the best universities in the country can be intimidating. There is so much passion and fervor. Incredible students creating, changing, organizing all the time. It's inspiring. But every once in a while, you can't help but wondering--what am I doing here? 

So the letter I wrote to my junior graduate self said: push yourself. It's never too late to change for the better. Past failures and mistakes don't matter; what counts is what you can do right now at this very moment. I told myself this: 

I can do great things, if only I let myself. I don't need anyone else's approval to do the things that make me happy. 

Maybe not knowing what I want to do after college is okay. Maybe it's better this way. It's certainly better than having my entire life mapped out in front of me, with no surprises or spontaneity. One thing I'm sure of is that the best parts about life usually come in packages that fall at our doorstep when we least expect them. Even though I don't know what I want to do with my life, that means the future is up in the air. Anything can happen. It's scary, but at the same time, there's something exciting about the unknown. I direct myself in the pathway I choose, never knowing what's around the corner. 

What mantras do you have to keep you motivated and focused on your goals? Do you like knowing what's ahead, or do you prefer taking chances as they come your way?

Wendy Lu

Junior Year Jitters

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Five Tips on How to Make Going to the Dentist Less Awful

#DailyWings: "My mom says some days are like that. Even in Australia." -Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Fluorescent light burning in your eyes. The taste of rubber gloves in your mouth. The strange vacuum sensation on your tongue when a resident holds the suction tube too close. 

Okay, so I won't lie and pretend that I don't shed a couple tears at the dentist's. Because I do. I don't even realize how incredibly uncomfortable I am until there's a tiny, metallic engine drilling against my teeth. At that point, acting my age is the least of my worries and I am holding on to the rail for dear life, praying to the gods that it will be over soon. 

Today, I got three fillings - one on the bottom, two on top. (Not exactly a welcoming event after a dream trip to Boston.) Ever since I was little, my teeth have been prone to cavities. I brush twice a day, floss nightly and don't eat a lot of sugar. I don't drink coffee or soda or tea (only on occasion). I do everything a responsible tooth-owner should do. Unfortunately, my dentists have said I can attribute my soft teeth to genetics. Not even drinking milk will help. 

The thing is, I haven't been to the dentist in years. This time around, I knew there would be a degree of, er, unpleasantness, but I didn't really prepare myself for just how much it sucked. The worst part was having my gums injected--like, using a needle--with anesthesia. It really, really hurt. The only good thing is, that was the first step they did so I got it over with pretty quickly. 

If I didn't have Pandora blasting in my ears,
I don't think I would've survived all
three "tooth shots."

The next hour was filled with drilling, spraying, sucking. It was still pretty awful, but not as tortuous as the injections. All I had to do was nod yes-I'm-okay-not-really-though-thanks-for-asking-doc, tilt my head either way and open my mouth really wide. With my earphones plugged in and my imagination whirring, I managed to survive yet another afternoon of fillings. 

Because nobody likes going to the dentist and because I like you guys enough to not want you to suffer an hour and a half of drills and trills, here are just a few ways to make your next trip to the dentist less of a toothache - if only to pass the time: 

• Think about your last kiss. Even if you've been single for years (aka, moi), this trick works wonders with your mind. Nothing makes your lips feel less sexier than when they're stretched open and pulled back, blaring your incisors. Forget about where you are. Forget the dentist. Remember the last time you were locking lips? Yes, well, focus on that instead. 


• Listen to angry music. Not that you're angry when you're at the dentist, but listening to loud, I-wanna-rip-your-head-off lyrics just might block out the sound of Doc drilling in your teeth. I recommend Dragonforce or Hammerfall. If you want something more soft-core, try songs by The Script. 


• Eavesdrop on your dentist. I don't know about you, but my dentists like to talk a lot. Whether it's filling a tooth or just maintenance cleaning, they chit-chat with the residents and with me. Of course, all I can do is nod my head and manage an, "Ah-hah." But the conversations they have can actually be kind of, well, entertaining. They'll talk about their kids, their colleagues, their studies. 


• Think about your kids/significant other/ mommy. Wouldn't you rather it be you who is going through all this pain than your kids or anyone else you care about? I know I would. 


• Count the freckles on the resident's nose. Play connect-the-dots. Or, if you're more in a blah mood, pretend each freckle is a pimple and imagine popping it. With a tweezer. Feeling better? 

Any other ideas on how to survive dentist appointments?

Wendy Lu

Five Tips on How to Make Going to the Dentist Less Awful

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A 12-Hour Airplane Flight Leads to Epic Movie Marathon!

#DailyWings: "Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood." -George Orwell

After a whole month of traveling through Shandong and interning at Shanghai Children's Medical Center and eating juicy dumplings, I am finally back from China! Since I blogged (or rather, my friend published my posts for me) at the the TRA: Overseas Chronicles during my time away, I won't go into detail about my travels. You can read my final blog post in the When in China series here: One month later. Here is a sneak peek of my contemplations about returning home to the States:

"The feeling of change always creeps up on you when you least expect it. But it’s always such a pleasant surprise. 

 Last year when I came back from China, I felt the change when I got my first slice of *real* pizza in a month. The texture of oily, stretchy cheese and the tangy tomato sauce on my tongue was beyond satisfying. Pizza-gasm-worthy. Never had I ever truly appreciated the taste of pizza until then.

This year, the change came on a visit to the ladies’ bathroom in the airport. Soap and toilets and toilet paper, oh my! Not all bathrooms in China are dirty holes dug up underground, but they aren’t the cleanest either. One time while I was traveling through the countryside in Shenyang, I ended up going to the bathroom in an outhouse. I will never forget the smell. Or the flies...."

Throughout the month of July, I have also written two culture columns for UNC-Chapel Hill's student newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel. Check them out: 

Herbs aren't just for cooking

and 

In China, look before you eat

You can view more of my past DTH stories here. 

This has been by far the most productive summer I have ever had, and it's not over yet. On Monday, I will be on my way to Boston for a two-week visit. As many of you know, I. Love. Boston. 

Thankfully, the flight to Boston will only be two hours long - before I know it, I'll be there. Compared to the flight back from China, that's a zip. I don't think any flight can beat the one from Detroit to Shanghai (or vice versa)...it's 12 hours long, not counting preparation for take-off and landing, which alone can add up to an extra half hour. 

On the way back to the United States, I spent the entire 12-hour flight watching six movies. Nonstop. No naps, no books! My eyeballs were nearly detached from their sockets by the time we landed in Detroit, but it was worth getting caught up with recent film culture trends. 

Here are my mini movie reviews (spoilers at a minimum): 

The Weinstein Company

My Week with Marilyn: Michelle Williams' stunning performance as Ms. Monroe had her shining like a gold star throughout the whole movie. And it's intriguing how this movie is based on a true story. I love how deeply we delved into the private life and psychology of Marilyn, as the biggest icon of her generation. 

The movie centers around an intense, albeit one-week relationship between Marilyn and the third assistant director of the movie she's in the middle of filming (I wasn't a huge fan of the main character/narrator). Yes, the movie tells a story about Marilyn Monroe as an adored and talented celebrity. But it also gives us a glimpse at what the life and trials are like for a beautiful woman with more fame than she can manage. There were so many times when I wanted to look away, for it felt like I, too, was invading her privacy. Apart from the lovely Williams, though, the movie was just another Hollywood film--not a masterpiece. 4/5

Universal Pictures

Despicable Me: The scenes with Agnes and the theme song. 'Nuff said.* 5/5


*I have already seen this whole entire package of adorableness three times, not including this time (when I only got to watch half). Who's ready for DM2?!** 


**says Me! Me! Me! in minion voice

IMP Awards

The Lovely Bones: Quite possibly my new favorite. I haven't been this engrossed with a movie since I saw The Black Swan; both can be thought of as psychological films. This is a Peter Jackson creation, and the scenes that depict Suzy Salmon's (Saoirse Ronan) Heaven are just beautiful. Ronan has the young-actor charm of Dakota Fanning and the wiser-behind-her-years demeanor of Mara Wilson (from Matilda). The story is heartbreaking, but leaves every audience member a lot to think about. This is one of few movies that I can't think of any other film to compare it to. 5/5

Seriously, y'all. I liked TLB so much that I went ahead and bought the book online. Can't wait to start reading! 

Paramount Pictures

Super 8: I only got to see the first half of this movie on my flight from the States to China, so this time I finished the last half. There were some awesome action-packed scenes that made me jump quite a few times, but the movie reminded me of a less-gritty version of War of the Worlds (2005), especially with Elle Fanning, Dakota's sister, as one of the main characters. It was less suspenseful than War of the Worlds though, mainly because all the characters were kids. 

Also, too much cheese. 3/5

Summit Entertainment

Breaking Dawn - Part 1: Twilight isn't the most creative plot out there, but hey, once you start a series you can't not finish it. BDP1 was surprisingly a lot better than I expected - though perhaps that might be because I haven't read Breaking Dawn in over two years. I want to give whomever did Kristen's makeup for her pregnancy scenes a high-five. Kristen is still a rather awkward totem pole, but at least she changed her expressions for once and even conveyed her character quite well in several scenes. She and Rob had much better chemistry and communication together...which is an awkward thing for ME to say considering recent events that have unfolded between the two. But we won't go into that... 3/5

Columbia Pictures

Restless: I thought this 2011 romantic drama was an indie film at first because of the eccentric themes in the script, the sidewalk music and the fact that I had never heard of it before (note: these features aren't necessarily all indie-exclusive or inclusive). Talk about hipster. #nobutreally I like this movie. The plot was reminiscent of A Walk to Remember, and the ending was equally depressing and full of deep messages about life and death. 

Not gonna lie - the beginning was pretty awkward. But it got better as the characters spent more time with each other and actually developed a relationship. I love the Japanese ghost, Hiroshi, that lives inside the boy's mind. Props for being unique. 4/5

Have you watched any of these movies? If so, what were your thoughts on them? What would YOU rate?  

Wendy Lu

A special thanks to all of my followers. I came back and discovered I had reached the 200-follower mark - I was so happy! Such an welcome home gift! You guys are awesome. 

A 12-Hour Airplane Flight Leads to Epic Movie Marathon!

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