Ok, so it's not exactly Portland but just over the river we got snow! This pic is from a house across the street from Clark that a girl took for me. It's pretty nifty huh?! We got an inch or so of snow, by 1:00 it was all melted off. Hope that's the end of it. I like snow but one day is good enough!
Youtube.com took this video off their website due to copyright issues with Funnyordie.com. I can't even upload the video from Funnyordie.com so you'll have to go watch it there but it is Jerry O'Connell parody of Tom Cruise's Scientology video. It has to be one of the best videos ever. I've always been a fan of Jerry O'Connell and he does an amazing job at copying Tom Cruise. Jerry makes Tom look like a complete idiot (not that anyone needs to make Tom look crazy, he does that all by himself!) Although, I must admit Tom Cruise is an amazing actor, I mean, come on that beginning scene in MI3 that was a cool scene! But as a person he is a total nutjob! But that is my personal opinion. So, go...goooo noowww check out that video. VERY funny!
I decided to head back to college after dropping out many years ago and I thought I knew what my major was going to be, photography of course! But I've changed so much since being 18 years old that I actually want to make a living now instead of doing something I love, unfortunately, and photography makes little to no money for most photographers. So I decided to go into Elementary Education; I wasn't too excited about it but I do enjoy teaching children and I love my little nieces and nephews so I figured that is good enough. My first quarter at Clark College was September 2007 and I just took pre-req's but the Winter quarter I took a class that I forgot I was interested in, which is ASL.
I took three years of ASL in high school and just had an absolute blast. I loved it so much and got great grades during those years in high school. But just as someone takes Spanish in high school and forgets it later in life, that is what happened to me. I never thought I'd go back to ASL for anything let alone it be my absolute goal in school to be an ASL interpreter but that is what I am doing. YAY!
It can make quite a bit of money as well as I am doing something I love! What a combination huh?! I am picking it back up VERY quickly too. I remember a lot from high school and have picked up a lot of new signs already and I just started the beginning of January!
I am also interested in the Deaf culture which makes it that much easier to know ASL interpreting should be my ultimate major. I don't see myself changing majors again. *whew* now I just need to get through school! :)
This is the scariest bridge ever! This is the longest bridge in the world. It is 26 miles long and bridges Ningbo and Shanghai together. The Bridge of the Gods has nothing on this bridge!
Aren't these children so CUTE! It is going to be a BLAST teaching these kids. I hope I can help these little ones learn English well enough they can get good jobs and thrive. I wish someone would have come taught me another language! It's going to be wonderful! Hopefully I'll learn some Mandarin while I am there!
This is the dorm building where I might be staying if I go to Hefei. Ningbo and Hefei are my choices and I just can't decide!! I have to decide soon because I will be locked in hopefully today or tomorrow! I will let you all know....I know you are sitting on pins and needles just waiting to know which providence I am sent to! If you have any idea which providence I should go, please let me know!!
This service mission is just that...a service mission. I will be spending the majority of my time teaching children English and showing them how to play games and make cookies using English alone! I am so excited!
Every year around the middle of August my turtle, Ash, starts to hide under the dirt a little bit more each day. Soon he quits eating every few days until he quits eating altogether. Then he quits walking around his cage totally and burrows himself in the cold dirt and never comes out. This happens every single year, and yet I freak out every single year that he is dying or I'm not being a good mom or some weird thought like that. You would think I'd quit it after 15 years but knowing me, I'll continue to freak out. What Ash does is hibernate, as you probably already guessed. So for about 4 1/2 months I never turn on the light, my vegetable bill goes WAY down and I don't step foot into pet store for worms. It's a lovely, almost 5 months but I miss my Ash looking up at me with dirt in his eyes blinking waiting for a worm to crawl by.
Today was the day Ash woke from his slumber and how did I know this? He announced it by crawling up the side of his cage and scratching at the wood until I let him out. (Side note: I moved into my new apartment while he was hibernating so he hasn't seen the new digs) I couldn't let him out because I was going to school and didn't want him roaming the house while I was gone so I hoped the cage was tall enough that he wouldn't get out and break his shell and I also hoped he wouldn't fall backwards into his water dish and get stuck upside down for 8 hours. Well, I got home and he was..you guessed it, still up on all against the cage wall trying to scratch his way out. So I took him out and he has been pacing up and down my hallway for about an hour. Hehe.
I love this inspirational thought---it was very sweet and SO true!
Whatever can be done, can be done more effectively when you add kindness to it. Whatever is said, becomes much more convincing when expressed with genuine kindness.
The kindness in just one moment can have a positive impact that lasts for years and years. Kindness is a gift that keeps giving for a lifetime.
Kindness is not complicated, and it comes naturally when you open your heart to life. Kindness brings new light and hope to the darkest of days.
Act with kindness, and you will have no regrets. Kindness is an easy, modest investment that pays generous dividends in the sense of fulfillment it brings.
Kindness dissolves the pain and speeds the healing. When logic and reason say there is no hope, kindness can pave the way forward.
This day will be brighter when you add kindness to it. Choose kindness, and you're truly choosing to live in a better world.
-- Ralph Marston
This is what my life will be like in August for four and a half months if I can raise the money to go!
The first photo is of the school where I will be teaching 4-14 year old Chinese children to speak english every day Monday-Saturday, 4 hours a day. This location is Ningbo, China and it is located near Shanghai.
The next two photos are of a teacher using alternative methods to teach english to these very cute little children! When teaching english we don't teach out of a book, we teach by hands on learning and resources like what we would use at play time and during primary. Such as construction paper, glue, popsicle sticks and so forth. It looks like a lot of fun and I hear the children learn SO well by this method.
I am REALLY excited to go and hope you all who wish to help me get there, please donate!!! :) For those that don't know me you can send money to the following address. For those that do know me, I will be sending out a letter to donate that way!
The address for ILP is: ILP 363 N. University Ave #104
Provo, UT 84601 and please specify you want the donation to go to Skyla Allen. Your donation is tax deductible so you will have nothing to lose!! ANY amount is helpful.
ILP's internet address is ILP.org or their phone # is 801-374-8854
My service mission to China will have it's own web blog at: skyla21.blogspot.com
THANK YOU!!!
