The start of Winter Quarter was one that I was cautiously optimistic about. I planned to take four classes, and I had gotten into three of them while stuck on the waitlist for the last. While I was optimistic, I still had reservations about taking four classes this quarter as it meant I would be enrolled in 18 units, which I had only done once before. However, I knew that all of the classes I wanted to take were going to be interesting. Thankfully, I was able to get off the waitlist for my last class. For this class, I have found the workload to be manageable, but I am concerned with how early some of the outings are! I am not a morning person, which is why I try to schedule my classes no earlier than 10 am. It’s just my luck that this class starts at 9 am. I am equally unenthused about the outings that start at 8 am. However, there is not much I can do about it other than grumble as I know the outings will be insightful and provide new perspectives that I wouldn’t otherwise have obtained. I just wish I could sleep in a little later.
In my first interview with my EP, my grandma, I enjoyed the process much more than I had anticipated. I was concerned that the conversation would feel unnatural and forced, but it turned out to be anything but. After eating lunch together, we spent nearly three hours looking over old photos from my grandma’s youth up to my childhood. I learned things about her that I didn’t know before. For example, I discovered that my grandma did not know any of her Japanese family until she was an adult. When she was older, she brought her and her family, my dad and his siblings, to Hawaii where my Japanese family lives. This whole process has been made much easier because of my grandma’s life-long enthusiasm for taking photos of everything. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has amassed a collection of over 10,000 photos over the years. I’ve always been close with her, but it feels like I know her all that much more now.
On our first outing to the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center, I met some great people. The staff I met were great fun to talk to. It probably helped that I brought chocolate chip cookies I had made the night before! I also talked to some of the seniors during the first lunch period. It was incredibly interesting to hear about their lives and what they did or do today. One person I met told me that the main reason they go to the center is to be around others. Another person I met told me about what he did when he was younger and where he moved around to. In addition to talking with some of the seniors, we also received a tour of the facility where I learned about some of the activities that happen there. We met an energetic senior volunteer who helps with some of the classes the center offers and was more than happy to chat with our group. I also learned that there is a dentist’s office on the second floor of the building and the intricacies of dentures that I never knew about before. Overall, the visit to the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center allowed me to learn more about what seniors in San Diego can do and to connect more with my fellow LCS’ers.
In my first interview with my EP, my grandma, I enjoyed the process much more than I had anticipated. I was concerned that the conversation would feel unnatural and forced, but it turned out to be anything but. After eating lunch together, we spent nearly three hours looking over old photos from my grandma’s youth up to my childhood. I learned things about her that I didn’t know before. For example, I discovered that my grandma did not know any of her Japanese family until she was an adult. When she was older, she brought her and her family, my dad and his siblings, to Hawaii where my Japanese family lives. This whole process has been made much easier because of my grandma’s life-long enthusiasm for taking photos of everything. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has amassed a collection of over 10,000 photos over the years. I’ve always been close with her, but it feels like I know her all that much more now.
On our first outing to the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center, I met some great people. The staff I met were great fun to talk to. It probably helped that I brought chocolate chip cookies I had made the night before! I also talked to some of the seniors during the first lunch period. It was incredibly interesting to hear about their lives and what they did or do today. One person I met told me that the main reason they go to the center is to be around others. Another person I met told me about what he did when he was younger and where he moved around to. In addition to talking with some of the seniors, we also received a tour of the facility where I learned about some of the activities that happen there. We met an energetic senior volunteer who helps with some of the classes the center offers and was more than happy to chat with our group. I also learned that there is a dentist’s office on the second floor of the building and the intricacies of dentures that I never knew about before. Overall, the visit to the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center allowed me to learn more about what seniors in San Diego can do and to connect more with my fellow LCS’ers.