Goals Before The Real World!

What I want to do before August 1, 2012:
1. Graduate from Carleton with a bachelors.
2. Travel to New York and take a picture with the statue of liberty.
3. Go to Wisconsin Dells.
4. Travel to the motherland – Eritrea.
5. Swim in one of the Minnesota lakes!
6. Charter my own organization.
7. Road trip somewhere, anywhere!
8. Go to Hawaii with The Freaks!
9. Loose 40 pounds.
10. Take the LSAT and GRE
11. Apply to graduate schools/law schools
12. Run a race for a special cause.
13. Travel to South or Central America
14. Learn flip-cup.
15. Improve my Tigrinya.
16. Go hiking
17. Go camping
18. Take a piano class (despite my small and chubby fingers).
19. Work in Northfield, Minnesota (in town, not campus)
20.Buy a new DSLR Camera

_{p.s. I'll update this thing more often.}

Down Under, Mate!

Hello darlings! I am finally in Australia! & it's hot! For those who want to write me, I would love to hear from you! My address is:

Beserat Kelati
BL1-023A
Liversidge Court Apartments
Building 77, Brian Lewis Cresent
The Australian National University
ACTON ACT, 0200
Australia

I will try my hardest to write you back as soon as possible too! :)

My time in Germany was definitely worthwhile. If anything, the importance of traveling and family reunification has been established and will definitely continue to act upon it. A few family photos are listed below.

It started off with my uncle dropping me to Frankfurt airport which wasn’t bad at all. We found Eastern China Airline and I was told I had one too many bags and they were going to charge me 50 euros per kilo. I was like WHAT! After begging and pleading, he allowed me to take in an extra bag but it was too heavy. So I gave my new Nike’s and notebooks to my cousin. I was then ready to give my bags to the attendant and head over through security. But obviously, I had to say goodbye.

I was hungry once I reached China, so I went to a small café and ordered myself a spicy Chinese beef noodle soup and mango juice. The soup was good, but my stomach was not ready for food (I haven’t had an appetite for the past two days). The mango juice was not mango juice at all – it was most along the lines of orange/grape fruit/ sour mango. It was okay, I drank it -- but had to go to the duty free store to buy me a Pepsi. Once I opened the Pepsi (it was written in Chinese characters) and tasted it – I realized it was diet Pepsi. Fail again.

However, when I was in the Café/Restaurant, these two black ladies joined me (the place was packed, and I didn’t mind company). These were the first black ladies I have seen in the past day and a half – so you can understand my excitement. So, we began talking to quickly discover they were from New Orleans. The girl was a graduate student at Tulane and was studying abroad in China and her mom came to visit her for the holidays. Now these ladies weren’t your typical black ladies, they were hilarious. For those who know Temara Holt (Carleton ’09) – they had similar personalities (the bluntness intertwined with sarcasm and humor) with the heavy New Orleans accent. So, they looked at the menu and were ready to order and the conversation with the waiter went along the lines of:

Waiter: Do you know what you want?
Tulane student: Yes.
Opens the menu and begins to speak to find the waiter talking to this guy in Chinese.
Tulane mother: Umm, excuse me. We were about to give you our orders.
Waiter: Oh yeah, sorry. What would you like?
Tulane student: Can I have a club sandwich with French fries. Light mayo. And a Pepsi.
Waiter: Okay.
Tulane mother: Can I have the same except with onion rings. And for a drink, a Corona.
Waiter: Yes, a Corona. Okay.
The waiter has the most confused look I have ever seen.
Tulane mother: You guys have Corona, right? Beer?
Waiter: Yes, we have beer. What kind do you want?
Tulane mother: I just said a Corona.
Waiter: Okay, yes. A Corona.
Tulane mother: Wait, what exactly is in the club sandwich?
Waiter: Everything! Egg, tune, tomatoes, lettuce, and ham.
Tulane mother: Ohhh no! I do not want that. Just get me a ham and cheese sandwich.
Tulane student: How is the egg cooked? Is is fully cooked? Scrambled?
Waiter: No.
Tulane student: Can you fully cook the eggs?
Waiter: No, sorry we cannot do that.
Tulane student: Oh okay. Then forget the eggs.
Waiter: Okay. So ham and cheese sandwich, 2 fries, onion rings, club sandwich (no mayo, no eggs), corona, and a Pepsi.
Tulane mother: Only 1 order of fries and light mayo.
Waiter: Oh, okay.

It turned up where they forgot their order of fries and onion rings and “light mayo” just meant no mayo at all. I busted out laughing.

I then walked back to my gate and turned on my laptop, ready to spend the next eleven hours on facebook, twitter, and youtube. To find out China blocked all! Now, I was determined to find a proxy to let me get on facebook. I mean, I did have eleven hours left in an airport by myself. After four hours of reading blogs about proxies, I found on. The script wasn’t the best, but alas, I was on facebook. I must have been on facebook for about five minutes till the Chinese found me and blocked that proxie too. China was trippin, hard! China has this Great Firewall censorship regime, and I wasn’t having it. So I skyped my way through eleven hours of hell.

Finally, it was time to board the plan. This time, unlucky, I had some chick sitting next to me so I couldn’t spread my legs and be totally comfortable. She was a bit weird. She kept holding her mouth as if she was going to vomit. She kept looking at me scared. She definitely had some sort of sickness since she left to the bathroom for about twenty minutes. I felt like sleeping the entire-eleven hour flight, but my body wasn’t budging. So, I popped open my Ipod and listened to my Trey Song playlist while looking at the pictures I took in Germany, Spain, and last couple of days in Denmark.

It’s weird how certain locations represent more than just places. They represent comfort, relationships, family, friends, and comfort. Europe was indeed memorable and I shall return very soon! No later than the summer of 2012.

Now, I begin my adventures in Australia. Cheerio!

Denmark, Hi Hi!

Denmark, it´s been an amazing experience. I´ll be back.
Until I am sitting comfotably in my Australian apartment, here goes a photo blog.

One of the biggest pluses of Denmark are my FREAKS.
the people I partied with, stood all night with, slept with (figuratively speaking), baked with, and care for!

We became really good friends with these bartenders in Turkey.
Party in the Metro station.More like, party IN the Copenhagen metro & Ray showed up.

We met Will Ferrell in Spain!

We tore the streets up in Madrid.

Me, obviously, standing at the highest point in Athens, Greece.

In front of the London eye!

We met Isabel in Paris, France. Picture taken at the Louve.

Angela, Robert, and I at the Coliseum.
And now, I am officially ready for AUSTRALIA!

Hi hi,

Bes

Dear Santa

My name is Beserat Kelati and I’m 21 years old. I met you a couple of times at Sharpstown, Memorial, and First Colony Mall. I know you have millions of children sitting on your lap during the holiday season, but I need you to listen up – carefully.

There’s approximately 10 days left until Christmas. And according to the second Santa (you know, the short one who calls himself “dad”), coming home for Christmas is unreasonable. That’s perfectly understandable, but you got Artie (the guy from GLEE) to walk! (By the way, I am thankful for that show – keeps me entertained.)But, I am going to stop being selfish and give you a break from coming down the chimney in Stuttgart, Germany.

I do want to say, thank you. Thanks for the amazing opportunities you have presented me with throughout the year. My job with LearningWorks, studying abroad in Denmark, an amazing family, and the amazing friendships that have continued to strengthen – thanks! One would say, “dang girl, you luck as hell.” But what is luck? Are my fortunes really the cause of chance?

People tend to confuse luck and skill, Santa. I am not saying I am full of skill and talent—to be honest, I am far from it. I consider myself mediocre – a normal person trying to find and better herself through experiences and exposure. But I have to say, I am failing to understand the importance of life. I need to reevaluate what I believe in and what I am willing to do for it. My first step in achieving this goal: stop with the complexity.

I do over think. I blame Carleton for that. But I need to stop fearing life, the unexpected. If anything, Denmark has taught me anything is achievable. I am sitting in my room, in Denmark, typing on my Toshiba laptop with my flight itineraries surround me on my desk. Is this luck? Is it luck that my parents escaped war? Is it luck that we moved from poverty to living in a more-than-comfortable house? Is it luck that I attend Carleton? I doubt it.

I like to live, but I have to admit, I have to learn to relax. I have to be okay with losing certain things that choose to leave my life due to change. At the end of everything, I have to make a personal choice in knowing who is there to motivate and who is there to hold me back. Life is a game – you can’t let it defeat you. Everyone has a chance of winning if you continue to play.

But real talk, I need a strategy on finishing these 8 books. I only read 1, which happens to be the shortest one. Who assigns 8 books for a two week period anyways? Sigh, I am screwed. My break will consist of reading page after page. The only problem is, will I retain the information? All in all, the first book I read and the movies I watched (minus three) were all pretty decent. My interest in aboriginals has definitely been sparked, especially in the “half-breeds” or “half-casts”. I would recommend anyone to watch the Rabbit-Proof Fence. It’s an amazing movie that is extremely thought provoking.

Other than the assignments that are staking up, my excitement for Australia is starting to prevail. Australia in a little over two weeks! Yes! I will be living in a one bedroom apartment with Viviane on the ANU campus in Canberra, Australia. We are expected to visit Melbourne, Tasmania, and New Zealand. The first half of my spring break will be spent traveling Australia. I don’t know where we’re (Viviane, will be joining) going, but if you have suggestions, feel free to comment.

Denmark is coming to an end in two days. Bittersweet! In summation, my Danish is non-existent. I can say simple words like tillykke med fødselsdagen (happy birthday), hi hi (bye), and tak (thank you). I am going to miss it though. The long transit (1 hour and twenty minutes), confused looks when individuals converse in Danish, paying for faucet water, etc – I’m going to miss it all! In total, my European adventures, although not techniquely finished, has been a wonderful experience. I got to visit Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, England, Austria, Spain, Sweden, and obviously live in Denmark. I’ll be heading to Germany on Sunday to spend Christmas with my Uncle and his family. So, indeed, I am excited.

So Santa, thank you for the multiple of opportunities you have presented me throughout the year. I appreciate the constant gift giving. Tell Mrs. Santa I said hello. Until next Christmas, see you soon!


Sincerely (been a good girl),

Bes

Six Days Left...

I have been horrible at updating my blog. It’s pretty difficult updating blogs when there is so much to do – especially the last couple of weeks. And now, here I am, updating my blog 6 days before I depart.

Am I happy? A little. Am I sad? Yes! But, I am eager to see what’s next. Denmark has taught me one important thing, nothing ever stays the same. Everything is either in the process of growth or decay. My thoughts of home and friends has quickly changed which leaves me a bit in discomfort. But it’s okay, because I’ll manage. I always have—or would like to think. Goodbye and change has been so constant that there is no time to dwell. It will happen regardless of whether you’re ready or not. It’s scary, nevertheless.

My work for DIS is officially done. Now it’s just quality time with some amazing friends. FREAKS! The name originated during a a grand ‘ol time drinking and dancing in Turkey. These last couple of days will include walking down to see the mermaid, the round tower, Christinia’s Christmas market, and finally the viking’s museum. We baked a vanilla cake (from scratch) without vanilla. I also made m&m cookies (some turned out to be a bit burned). But can you believe, there are no chocolate chip cookies in Denmark!? Today, is the day for either berry or apple crisp. I am excited! I love baking and my family loves sweets. So I shall indulge with them... possibly Wednesday. I still need to pack. I dread packing. I have been unpacking and packing for the past three years. I wish I was rich enough to carry an empty suitcase and buy new clothes once I get to my destination.

So, after DIS, I’ll be heading to Stuttgart, Germany for 11 days before flying off to Australia. This will be my first Christmas without my family. It’s kinda weird. But, this will only get me geared for Christmas 2011. You better believe, I’ll go all out. Christmas party at the Kelati’s!

I’ll be spending the new years on a flight to Australia! I have a ten hour layover in Beijing, China which Ill spend reading. 8 books, 10 poems, 10 songs, and 8 movies to complete before January 6^th – for an exam. Great, uh!?

Until later, peace out.

Bes

Super Freaks in Turkey

So, I keep oversleeping for class. Fail. Living an hour and a half away from school is no joke. I ran to the bus, just to see it pull off. I have to set four alarms every morning to guarantee my class attendance. It sucks that participation and class attendance is a big part of class too. I literally have to get my shit together. Other than that, everything is dandy as usual. I have so much to say – so here goes a somewhat organized spiel about my life thus far.

Turkey was absolutely amazing! The culture somewhat resembles your typical westernized society. I had to flirt my way through discounts and free things – but it worked. One of my friends received a free bracelet for giving this 22 year old guy (who freakishly resembles a cat) a peck on the cheek. I allowed this 40 year old guy to sit on my lap and take a photo with me to get a free scarf. Things broke college students do to get discounted or free things. I also fell in love with Turkish tea. I had three every day. Apple tea was my favorite. We walked all over the place and probably visited every bar. Met amazing Turks and got really close to some pretty amazing DIS girls.

Things I did in Turkey:

(1) Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii): One of the most notable features of the Blue Mosque is visible from far away: its six minarets. According to one account, the Sultan directed his architect to make gold minarets, which was misunderstood as six minarets.

(2) Hagia Sophia: The Church of the Holy Wisdom, known as Hagia Sophia is a former Byzantine church and former Ottoman mosque. Now a museum, Hagia Sophia is universally acknowledged as one of the great buildings of the world.

(3) Topkapi Palace: This was the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years of their 624-year reign. The palace was a setting for state occasions and royal entertainments; it’s containing the most holy relics of the Muslim world such as the Prophet Muhammed's cloak and sword.

(4) Grand Bazaar: This is Turkey's largest covered market offering excellent shopping: beautiful Turkish carpets, glazed tiles and pottery, copper and brassware, apparel made of leather, cotton and wool, meerschaum pipes, alabaster bookends and ashtrays, and all sorts of other things. Supposingly there are 4000 shops. Not all of them, by the way, are for tourists; locals shop here as well, lending a welcome dose of authenticity.

We also visited non-profit organization and other great “touristy” places.

[If the above wasn’t interesting, this should be.] During our stay in Turkey, an earthquake hit. Yes, I was in an earthquake and I was scared shitless. The 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck in Istanbul. During the quake, we were having dinner on a roof-top terrace. While others quickly got over the fact that the earth just shook, I was stunned beyond belief. Everything was okay though – no damage. Other than almost dying in a quake, we went to Asia! Turkey is divided into Europe and Asia. We took a fairy to the Asia section, where we laid on the grass by the water and enjoyed a wonderful conversation with Jakob, our teacher! Right before leaving, I decide to get my nose pierced & yes, I got it done. It didn’t last long before falling out (lasted approximately 24 hours). I bought another one to put in – but it got infected. I did get my nose re-pierced though! Pictures of the nose ring will be uploaded soon. I actually have a stud, but considering a ring.

Rooftop restaurants, pubs/bars, clubs are absolutely fantastic. It is a definite must if you head to Turkey. Guys tend to get annoying. They love to compliment American girls, probably because they assume we’re “easier”. During my stay in Turkey I heard the following compliments:

- “My Beyonce, I am your Jay Z.”
- “My African princess, I have the gold.”
- “Look at the spice girls” (my 4 friends and I are the epitome of diverse).
- “I voted for Obama” (obviously, he wasn’t an American citizen).

Yeap. Turkey was an absolute delight. I actually hope to return again, soon. My next trip is to Birmingham, England where I plan to reunite with one of my best friends and meet my first cousin, Eden for the first time. I will also get this eyebrow problem fixed – I look like I used when I was 7. Can you believe Turkey has no eyebrow threading!? Neither did I -- & I searched for it too! But it’s okay, they will definitely be reshaped and done in England. Hallelujah! I am also excited that England means a form of English. I feel illiterate and slow not understanding Danish. It gets a bit confusing on busses, trains, and trying to read articles or the news due to the lack of understanding the language. English for the weekend though – excited!

As far as socially, I met some real cool and fun girls. It’s a bit weird and out of my norms since I hang out with more males than females at Carleton. I never had a group of girls my year. But I guess during the cultural immersion process, I met some freaks. They my FREAKS – SUPER FREAKS! Have a reason to go to Maryland, New York, and Hawaii now! Yay-yuh!

On the topic of friends, I miss my Carleton people! Like really miss them, more than I had expected. So to my graduates: hope everything is going well. To my seniors: I’ll be ready to party it out with you guys when I get back in the spring. To my own class: We traveling the world guys… I’ll see most of you guys during my travel break. To my sophomores (who will forever be my kids): I am proud of you all. Keep posting pictures to keep me up to date. I really miss the convenience of hanging out with friends and hilarious discussions over dinner or all-nighter breakfast.

Alrighty, that is all. This post is really long. I wonder how I can write four page double spaced blogs but can’t complete a four page academic paper. Pure laziness.

Next time I post, I’ll be 21! Until next week, blog comment, Skype or facebook me!

The bartenders. Provided us a free taxi home.

The Spice Girls a.k.a. The Freaks (minus one)

Turkey, the beautiful.

Yes, I am definitely enjoying the "good life".

Migration & Identity girls at the Blue Mosque.

Need to Get Focused!

Productiveness – fail. I need to get on my shit, no lie. These next three weeks will definitely reflect my final grades. I struggle to stay focused, probably because I am not at Carleton. Places like the CMC, Willis, Williams House, and OIIL basement defined productiveness. All nighters were easily accomplished along with A papers. So, that is the goal: be and maintain focus (starting after this class)!

Turkey blog coming soon…