Summer's End

It's finally here, the last day of summer :( I'm pretty bummed out right now. Still hasn't hit me that I have to go to class tomorrow. It'll probably hit when I have a stack of syllabi and loads of homework due the first week...

It's also doubly sad since this was by far the best summer of my life. I got to travel the world, make great friends, relax, and learn some things about myself along the way, such as:

• I now have an unhealthy (for my bank account) obsession with traveling.
• To live life in the moment and take it one day at a time.
• Things won't always work out the way you're expecting, but it's usually paving the way for something better
• People are people, no matter where you are
• It's important to be sensitive of other cultures
• Being a women is awesome.
• Don't obsess over things you can't control.

A couple of fun things I've done since California included having a mini study abroad reunion at a huge party at Michael's, going to a Sugarland concert with Kristen and Kailee (it was raining but the stage stayed intact), and seeing a couple of movies (Glee 3D and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Both campy and fun.) Mostly I've just been working. Come get your all-sports passes! Football season should be awesome this year.

I am actually a little excited for school to start. I'm taking the Daily Universe class this year, which I'm  really looking forward to. The PR folks like to make it sound annoying and stressful, but I've always been a journalism girl at heart, so I'm gonna have a good attitude :) Fingers crossed that I can get on the Arts and Entertainment beat :)

California Girls

This last weekend, Brittany, Miranda, and I roadtripped it to California and it was so much fun! I'm kind of obsessed with traveling. It's not a problem.

On our way to Santa Barbara, we stopped at Las Vegas, which was about halfway on our journey. I had never been before, so it was cool to see the city. We stopped at the Fashion Show mall and watched a runway show, and visited Bellagio and took a couple pics. I wanted to try the slot machine, but I'm not old enough. hahaha.

the strip

gardens at Bellagio

Vegas has every culture here, haha

We then got to Santa Barbara, where we stayed at Brittany's grandparents house. They were really cool and really down-to-earth. Santa Barbara is so nice - the weather didn't get above 70 degrees, there were palm trees everywhere, the buildings were new and really coastal. I could definitely settle down here :)

We only had two days in Cali, so on Sunday we went to the beachside art show, which was really neat. I didn't buy anything but it was cool to see all the displays. We also watched a footvolley tournament, which is this new sport from Brazil that is basically volleyball but uses a soccer ball, and you can't use your hands. The players have to use their feet, chest, and hands to get the ball across the net. Pretty impressive.

I took a picture just like this in Venice :)

I love the beach

On Sunday we also explored the wharf and drove to the top of the mountain to get a good view of the whole city. Gorgeous.

beautiful city

On Monday, us girls set out to do some sightseeing. We started out by going to this old Catholic mission from the 1700s, back when the Spanish were still in control of the land. We also went to the old courthouse, made famous by the TV show Psych :) The courthouse also has a tower where you can get a good view of downtown.

we were told to look sad. since we were at a cemetery, and all

the courthouse

After that we shopped downtown on State Street, and came across my biggest weakness, a huge jewelry store. Check out that glitter:

love

After shopping we had lunch at the Shoreside Cafe, where I got fish and shrimp and chips. Mmm. The restaurant was located right on the beach, so after lunch we went and relaxed on the beach for a few hours. It was sooo heavenly. I love the sound of the waves, the smell, everything. I didn't want to leave :) Even though we all had a different idea of what "relaxing" meant. Brittany decided to read the Ensign in Spanish, Miranda was planning out her life for the next year, and I was reading about pop culture in US Weekly. I think I win.

beach babes

After the beach we had a delicious barbeque at Brit's grandparents, and then went to the theater to see The Help, which is a GREAT movie. It stars Emma Stone and Viola Davis, and is just a wonderful depiction of the Southern help back in the 1960s and all the crap they had to go through. Everyone should definitely see it. It's funny, heartwarming, and makes you cry just a little bit .

On our way back from Santa Barbara, we stopped in downtown Los Angeles to... look for a Krispy Kreme. Yeah... The whole trip we'd been craving it but couldn't find one on the way there (can you believe there's only like 20 Krispy Kremes in the whole country?? At least it seems like it). Anyway, our GPS led us the wrong way at first, so we stopped at a gas station to get gas and ask the cashier...except we also saw some cops in the parking lot. Yep, we asked those downtown LA cops where the nearest Krispy Kreme was. Check that item off the bucket list :) They were actually pretty nice even though they laughed and wondered why we were asking them...

we get a little crazy

jammin to some Celine. nbd.

Well, we did find our Krispy Kreme (it was worth it) and had a fun drive back home. Now I'm back in Provo, barely out of homelessness and still with a cold (it will just not go away!) I would like to be back in Cali now, please.

Back to Reality, Oops It's Insanity

I hate being back in the real world. All I've been doing this week has been moving out and cleaning... no fun. I also only have about $30 in my bank account... oops. And I just had to order textbooks, and we all know what that means...

Bleh.

At least I get to go to California in two days! Brit, Miranda, and I are driving down to Santa Barbara and staying with her grandparents. I've never actually stayed in Cali before, so I'm really excited! I need some time to relax on the beach, read a novel or two, shop with my nonexistent money...it'll be a blast :) Except that I accidentally packed away my swimsuit. Good thinking there, Chels.

I just realized that I never talked about my visit back home to Ohio! It was really great to see my family and some old friends again. Loveland/Cincy seriously never changes. It's great. Although it was hotter than freaking India over there.(Heat Index of 115. Seriously.)

While I was home, I went to dinner with Anna, Mack, and Sam at the Asian Paradise, caught up with Allie over lunch at Panera, and went to lunch at B-Dubs and Hawaiian Ice with Heather. I love these girls. I also caught up with Rachel (it had been over a year!) at Skyline and it was fantastic. I also went to Kings Island with the sibs, which was fun except that they're both serious wimps and chickened out on the big rides.

Not as cool as the real thing. Sorry, Ohio.

Another fun thing I did was a girls night out on the town with Syd and Katie. We saw a concert on Fountain Square (I can't for the life of me remember the name of the band... Ted and the somethings) as well as getting delish Chinese food and having dance parties in alleyways. I also got to see my Mormon buddy Sarah, hahaha.  (Sorry for the Elders, girl! :)

I love downtown Cincy

we're pretty. that's all.

not scared at all. just dancing.

I also went to the Reds v Giants game (we won) and saw Jessica and Heather! It had been wayyy too long since I'd seen those girls, and it was great to catch up.

I wish I could have seen some more of my old friends, but I was only there for a week :( And the thing is, most of us weren't even there. We're all growing up, getting real world internships or going on study abroads or finishing school... it's kinda scary.

So now I'm back in Provo, living it up at work. And getting a pic with NBA professional Jimmer Fredette. nbd.

it was a good day at work

I also went to see Tim McGraw with Leah and Kristen. I am in love. We managed to get better seats than what we paid for, and it basically made our whole night. Not even the crazy drunk lady we wanted to run over could ruin it.

Love me some Timmy

Also, like I said before, see Crazy, Stupid, Love. It's one of the better romcoms I've seen in a loooong time. And Ryan Gosling... enough said.

this.

Bye for now.

I don't know what the future holds. And that's ok.

Hey guys and gals. Let me confess something to you all: I have no idea what the future will bring. For the first time in my life, I have no clue where my life is headed. At first, this really scared me. A lot. But after having a good talk with a friend recently, I had an epiphany. That it's ok to live in the moment. To embrace things as they come.

All my life, I've had a plan. I was going to do good in school so that I could get into BYU. I knew I wanted to be a communications major since I was 15. I did everything I could to make sure I could get into the PR program. I've always made sure I had a job to be able to live comfortably. I've kept up my grades so I could get scholarships. I always wanted to go on a study abroad - and knew that summer before my junior year I would go on one.

But now, I'm not so sure. I got my lowest grade in college this last spring term, and it really shook me. When people ask me what I want to do when I graduate college, I either make something up or tell them I honestly have no clue. People in my major keep telling me I need to get an internship, or two, or three, before I really have to. And I don't really have this urgent desire to. I love my current job. I have no idea who I'm going to live with this next semester. How I'm going to balance life this next semester. Will I ever meet that special someone? The list goes on and on.

One of my favorite things about my study abroad was that I had no worries. I could live day to day without a care in the world. I lived each day to the fullest and didn't stress about tomorrow. I want to have that feeling back. All I know is that I want to stop stressing about things I can't control. To put my trust in the Lord and stop being so stubborn. To have faith that he will lead me in the right path. To let what's supposed to happen, happen.

Those are just some of my late-night, sleep deprived thoughts. I have no idea what this next year has in store for me. And I couldn't be more excited about it.

Oh, and another goal for this year: to stop being such a wallflower. I need to learn to say no and stick up for myself. To focus on what makes me happy and not necessarily what makes other people happy. Call that selfish, I call it therapeutic. I can't take being taken advantage of all the time anymore. It's never done me much good, anyways. This year is me time.

Get ready world, a new Chelsey is coming. And she's going to be awesome :)

(P.S. Crazy, Stupid, Love is a great movie. You all should go see it :)

Study Abroad Reflections

I just thought I'd copy my last blog post from my study abroad blog. Check here for full details on all my travels ;)

So I'm finally back in the USA! It's honestly kind of a culture shock to be back here, back to normalcy, back to what I know best. I've been away from it for a while and have seen so many different cultures, that it was a bit of a surprise to come back to. But now I'm alright :) Also, first thing I utilized was a nice, public toilet. Hahaha.

The flight wasn't too bad, considering. I slept through most of it and watched a movie as well. Customs was pretty easy to go through, but saying goodbye was hard. I had to rush it since my dad was waiting outside and everyone else had to catch the connecting flight to Salt Lake, but it was weird to think that the trip was finally OVER. I made 20 great friends on this trip, people I've gotten to know really, really well, and I hope we can continue to remain great friends in the future. I'm really excited to look back through this blog and everyone's pictures as well as see the video that Michael is compiling. So no pressure, Michael :)

I thought I would just take the rest of this post to reflect on my trip as a whole and on the many things I've learned. I've learned so much on this trip, not just about business and the world but about myself as well.

I think the most important thing I've learned is how big the world actually is and how much culture affects people's lives. We're all inherently similar, yet the way we are brought up - by our families, governments, societies - plays a huge part in our motivations and mindsets. In Europe, they're used to a comfortable lifestyle and don't think it wrong to protest when the government asks for a 35 hour work week. In India and especially China, where they've been poor for so many years, their work ethic is completely opposite.They can work 60 hour work weeks and think nothing of it. It's important to realize the ethics and mindsets of each culture you associate with in order to get anywhere with them, whether it's business related or not.

Another big thing I learned was how business is conducted in each country. Negotiation skills and work mentality is different everywhere you go. The French are aggressive and in your face. The Chinese are passive but take a long time to make a decision and don't quite understand the meaning of yes. It's important to learn all these things if you're going to do business abroad. And one thing I've learned is that I definitely want to do business abroad. Your way of thinking just changes so much, and you realize that the way you've always done things is not the way the rest of the world thinks is correct or even reasonable.

I've also learned a lot about myself. I've learned to let my guard down and just have fun. I've learned to be strong and not compromise on what I know is true. I've learned how much I love this gospel. I've learned just how insignificant I am compared to the 7 billion other people  in this world, yet how I can make a name for myself in this world. I've learned how to be more respectful of other people's beliefs and lifestyles. I've especially learned that I want to make a difference in the world, not just get a job that will make me wealthy. Because I've learned that wealth doesn't mean anything when it comes to happiness. In fact, it's even harder to be satisfied when you have more. True humility comes when you make the most out of what you do have and don't want for much more.

I want to continue to travel. I've had a sip of it, now I'm thirsty for it. There are still so many places I want to visit and see. I hope I can get a job that will let me travel. Because you can't really understand something until you've truly experienced it. And I want a life full of experiences.

Thanks to all of you who read this blog. I hoped you enjoyed reading about all my adventures, and I hope you soon get to have some of your own! I heavily recommend traveling and seeing the world. You won't regret it.

Merci. Grazie. Shishi. Shukriya. Thank you! 

ONE WEEK!

7 days from now, I will be boarding a plane to New York City and the world!! How exciting is that?? And honestly, it cannot come soon enough. I am so ready to leave Provo. This last week was one of the most stressful in a long, long time. I had my American Heritage final and 2500 word essay due, as well as two presentations and a big paper for each PR class. Not to mention work, making sure I have all my stuff to go abroad, Bradley stuff, etc. I'm just glad it's finally over.

But I still have a lot to do! I still have to finish cleaning and packing, finish my marketing test, get my hair done, finish shopping, and go to class this week! Does anyone know where I could rent a small netbook? I'd like to take a computer on my trip, but my poor laptop just won't survive the journey. Let me know.

I did do some fun things this past week however! Last Saturday, Shirley and I took an impromptu trip to Lagoon. It was so much fun! I LOVE amusement park rides (especially roller coasters!) and it was just great to take a break from studying and all my worries :) And I wore sparkly sunscreen, so I looked like one of Stephanie Meyer's vampires haha

Thank goodness Shirl loves roller coasters too! Happy birthday, girl!

Yeah, the park had a pioneer village. Oh, Utah.

A couple nights ago, Hollie invited me to go to a Passover dinner at her D&C professor's house. Her house was up the canyon in a beautiful area, and the dinner was really enlightening. There is SO much symbolism about Christ in the feast, and it just blows my mind that the Jews didn't recognize what was right in front of them. Also, I'm glad I didn't have to live in those times. Lentils and unleavened bread just don't really cut it for me :) It was a really good experience though, and if you haven't been to a Passover feast before I really recommend it!

Also, shout-out to Brittany finally being home from her study abroad in Mexico! The girl is wayyy too tan to be Caucasian, let me tell you. Just look:

No, I'm not super white, Brit is just really brown ;)

 

Finally, my necklace from Caitlin arrived today! Caitlin and I were BFFs before I moved to Ohio, and we reconnected on Facebook a while ago (thanks, Mark Zuckerberg!). Anyway, we still retained our love of royalty and both wish to marry Prince Harry. NBD. So this necklace is just a good reminder of what we're aiming for in men :)

Says, "Keep calm and marry a royal"

That's all for now. I'll try to blog more this upcoming week! Here's a reminder about my study abroad blog. Go follow it.

Sunday Update

First things first. I started a new blog for my study abroad, check it out here: chelsaatworld.blogspot.com . I'll be writing about my preparations for my epic trip and it will be my primary mode of posting pictures and telling what I'm up to when I'm finally on the road... or the air, that is :)

School's finally starting to wind down. I just have a couple more projects and a little bit more to finish with my American Heritage and then I'll be done :) I just cannot wait to be done with school!

Two recent movies I've seen:

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (PG-13)
Starring: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz

I thought this movie was a better than the 2nd and 3rd ones. This Pirates had a much clearer story and was chock-full of good Jack Sparrow one-liners. Some of the actions scenes drug out a bit long, however. Penelope Cruz was a treat, and I am forever scared of mermaids.
B-

Kung Fu Panda 2 (PG)
Starring: Jack Black, Gary Oldman
Better than the first Kung Fu Panda, in my opinion. It had a much more emotional storyline and was just as funny. I'm always a sucker for good animated films with a heart. And I want a baby panda bear...
A

Tomorrow, I'm going to the Bruno Mars concert! I just love him, his songs speak to my soul haha. Hopefully it's a good concert. Right now, however, I feel like this: