Thriller Dance Practice

Have you ever noticed that every blogger eventually begins a post by apologizing for not updating his or her blog? I used to hate that. I mean, c’mon! just skip that part and go straight to whatever you want to say! So today I want to begin this post by apologizing. I know it has been a while since I last posted here, but it happened because, as you probably know already, college can be overwhelming sometimes and midterms are scary. By the way, does anyone know why professors always – like, ALWAYS – choose the same two weeks for all their midterms? I don’t know you, but when I have three midterms in a same week I kind of tend to freak out a little bit. Okay, I freak out a lot. Anyway, let’s put these complaints aside because I want to talk about something a little more cheerful.

I am part of the International Students Ambassadors (which is pretty fun, and I will probably make a post about it in the future) and this year we decided to join the World Dance for Humanity. What is it? Glad you asked. World Dance for Humanity is a nonprofit that raises money to “grassroots projects in Nepal, Uganda, Ghana, Liberia, and to Sarah House in Santa Barbara.” I think this is pretty interesting to say the least. So on Halloween weekend we, and a bunch of other people, will meet downtown and do the Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance and try to bring attention to this good cause. Here is their website in case you want to check it out: http://worlddanceforhumanity.org

Last Friday we, the Ambassadors, met by the cafeteria and practiced because most of us (including myself) didn’t know the choreography. I don’t think we are really good at it now, but at least we know what we are supposed to do. Well, more or less. I think it is going to be fun; we are all going to be dressed as zombies and be dancing in downtown. With a bunch of people we don’t know. In front of a bunch of people we don’t know. At least it is for good cause. Besides, worst case scenario, it will be a funny story to tell.

Unfortunately, we didn’t take many pictures, but here is the only one I have:

Firsts

It is a little embarrassing to admit that I have been in Santa Barbara for so long, and still there are plenty of things I haven’t tried and places I haven’t been. In fact, there is so much of the American culture that I still don’t quite comprehend. For instance, I don’t understand all rules of football, which is a bummer. Since we are talking about it, could someone please tell me why the receiver is able to simply wave at the referee and, magically, he no longer can get hit? Seriously, I don’t get it.

Anyway, last week, SBCC’s football team played against LA Southwest. We won! Although I needed a friend to explain me the game as it was going on, I had so much fun. We had a tailgate party where we prepared for the big game, needless to say I had no idea what a tailgate party was until I was invited a couple of week prior. Also, I must say I am still impressed with some of the things the cheerleaders did, and I mean it. Some girls were thrown in the air, and then they did some crazy jumping around. I got tired just by watching them. So these were some of my firsts last weekend. I can’t believe I’d never done any of that before.

By the way, here is a picture of some friends doing the hula hoop challenge during half time: 

On My Way Downtown

The thing is: I like walking. I don’t mean hiking or walking as a work out, though I enjoy those things from time to time. Instead, I am talking about walking for fun or just to admire the view, which is simply breathtaking in Santa Barbara. So sometimes I’ll choose walking downtown over taking the bus for instance, just as long as I have my ipod with me and can listen to good music on my way there – usually rock’ n’ roll. Yup, in case you were wondering, I am that weird kid who always wears a black shirt, with a picture of a rock band on it, even during a 90 degrees summer afternoon (or as we call it in Brazil: a regular afternoon).

Besides the fact that downtown is gorgeous and worth of at least a couple posts, the walk there can be equally interesting and baffling. For starters, there are a few ways to get to State Street, and some are rather “amusing.” This may not be the best word to describe those paths, but for lack of a better word it’ll have to do it. Depending on where you are walking from, and where exactly you are trying to go, there is one road (or trail if you will) that goes down a hill, through trees and bushes. Some kind soul has even set a rope to aid whoever attempted to pass there. Seriously, the first time I went through this path, I was convinced I would be kidnapped at any moment. Either that or an UFO would appear.

Another possible way to go downtown is by walking down Cliff Dr. And if you go straight, by the highway, there is a huge tree I have climbed once or twice. Okay, I have climbed it way more times than that, but who is counting anyway? Regardless of how often I have been sent back to my childhood amidst its branches, I’ve definitely had fun on this tree. Now someone whose head is in the right place would naturally ask whether we are supposed to be playing on it, and the most honest answer is: I don’t know.

In spite of how I make it downtown, I love the feeling I get when I make a turn and finally glimpse  it. But then again, downtown deserves a post of its own.