Life as a student

Who said that student life is easy? .... I don't think it is that easy.
Who said that student life is difficult? ... I don't think it is that difficult.
Who said that student life is boring? ... Maybe sometimes. But I don't really think it is that boring.
Who said that student life is fun? ... ME! I THINK THAT IT IS FUN!!!

Many people around me may think that I am a bookworm but I have to say that I am not.  When I studied in a course of my graduate school, I had to take a test and the test result showed that I have only 10% of the learning orientation.  First I knew that result, I was so shocked because I thought that I love learning so much and how come my percentage of learning orientation was that low.  My professor explained about this issue that this test indicated that low percentage of learning orientation means that that person doesn't like mathematics and doesn't like to learn in class but love to learn from experience or learning by doing.  So I totally got it!  I don't like to learn in class because I always fell asleep in class even I sat the front of the class.  I don't like reading the book because the book is always my sleeping pills.  I am very slow reader, really slow.  Mathematics is fine for me but it is not my strength at all.  I love to learn from doing, from my experiences, and from people around me.  Don't get me wrong.  I still like to go to school because I think going to school gives me the extensive opportunities to meet new people, to learn some knowledge (as much as I can grab from the classroom and the book), and to open the door for finding a job.  For my life as a student, I had spent more than 50% to study outside the classrooms or I would say that I studied at outdoor classrooms.  What does it mean???   This post I will tell you the overview of myself about my student life but definitely you will find my experiences both of indoor and outdoor classrooms from my column of Life as a Student.

What did I study?
In Thailand, we started choosing the program or what we would like to focus on in upper secondary school (M.4-M.6) which are about the age of 14-16 years old.   There are the fields of study to choose which mainly are science and arts.  Then for the arts, there are 2 mainly focuses which are mathematics and languages.  I chose to focus in arts-languages and also I chose to study French as my 3rd language because in my opinion French language is beautiful language and also I like many attractions in France as I have seen in the magazines or travel guide books.

After upper secondary school, we had to take the tests to get into the undergraduate school for obtaining the Bachelor Degree.  I chose and I passed the test for studying Political Science with major of Politics at Thammasat University in Thailand.  And for my graduate school for obtaining Master Degree, I studied Industrial and Organizational Psychology with major of Organizational Development and Consultant at University of New Haven in Connecticut, USA.

Between my undergraduate school and my graduate school, I also studied Human Resources Specialist Certificate Program and Management Specialist Certificate Program at Gwinnett Technical College in Georgia, USA.

I know that many people still think that I am a bookworm from seeing my education background but I would still say that I am not.  We will see later why I still insist that and what I had done during my Life as a Student.  Stay tune!    

  

Overview of Life as an Au Pair

Welcome to my page of Life as an Au Pair!

My first post on the page of Au Pair Life is the overview of my Au Pair Program.  For the detail, au pair experiences, specific experiences, and helpful information regarding becoming and au pair as well as being and au pair, you will be able to find out from this page of my blog.  I will continue posting from  my experiences and my memories.  Also, if you have any questions, idea, or opinion regarding Au Pair Life, feel free to give me your comments or to send me your messages.  Love to hear from you too!

What were my goals of attending the Au Pair Program in USA?
1. To improve my English language.
2. To study in the college here for obtaining either Master Degree (Graduate Degree) or a professional certificate program.
3. To travel in the U.S. and to see many places I had only seen in the books or the magazines.
4. To broaden my points of view and to exchange the culture with other au pairs and the host family.

I completed all of my goals I set within 2 years.  For the detail of the path to complete each goal, you will find out later because I will keep posting.

I decided to participate the Au Pair Program in the United States in 2003.  First, the Au Pair Program was only 1-year program. But during my first 6 months of au pair program, the Au Pair Program has announced the extension program of 6 months, 9 months and 12 months.  Thus, I had a chance to choose if I would like to extend my au pair program and if I would like to stay with the same host family or find the new host family.  It was difficult to make a decision because I missed my family and friends in Thailand since it had been almost 1 year that I was far away from home.  Finally, I decided to extend 6 more months with the same host family because I would like to finish studying my certificate programs in the U.S. and also I would like to experience the graduation ceremony here how it would be because I believed that it would be different from the graduation ceremony in Thailand.  Then, I still had 1 more course left to graduate and the graduation ceremony would be held after my 6-month extension.  So I decided to extend 3 more months to be 9-month extension.  But my host parents asked me to stay until the end of 12-month extension.  Finally, I decided to stay and to complete 2-year Au Pair Program with only one host family.

I must say that my first 5 months was not easy but not too difficult as well.  Coming to stay in the U.S. in the Au Pair Program was my first time of traveling abroad.  Sometimes I felt homesick but I considered that I did very good about adjusting myself into the new environment, different culture, and different lifestyle.  I tried to go out when I had free time and I tried to focus on my goals of attending the Au Pair Program. To stay with the same host family for the entire 2 years, it did not mean that there was no problem at all.  Yes...I had some problems with my host parents and my host kids as other au pairs have had.  But I learnt the situation and solved the problems in order to get through every day's life.  After that my first year went fast.  But my first 6-month extension flew by very quick.  It was because I learnt how to handle with people and to deal with situation as well as to enjoy my life more.  

My host family and rules!!!

I was an au pair in Georgia, USA for 2 years from September 2003 - September 2005.  My host parents are both a doctor and my host father is also served for the military as well.  I had to take care of 2 children, 9-year-old boy and 6-year-old girl.  Also there was a beagle in the family whom I had never had the problem with.  My host parents were easy-going, treated me as an adult, and provided me the space and the independence but also they were welcome to give me any advice if I need.  Rules in the house?  My host mother told me at the first time I talked to her over the phone that there was no rule in the house and that was true.  My host parents did not have the curfew for me. They only told me to be responsible of my schedule and my work.  That was awesome!

The 12 Things in 12 Weeks Challenge

The 12 Things in 12 Weeks Challenge

The Challenge:
Complete 12 preset tasks in a period of 12 weeks. (Start March 1, 2014 - May 23, 2014)

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined.  Tasks must also be realistic and stretching.

Why 12 Weeks?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple challenge such as New Year's resolutions.  The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic.  To me, 12 Weeks is a decent period of time for starting my challenge at this moment because it allows me a decent amount of time to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks. Moreover, I got married on December 12th.  So 12/12 is my favorite number.

12 Things:
1. Cook 5 meals from 5 different countries
2. Lower my weight to be under 140lbs
3. Complete 30 day squat challenge
4. Go running every day for a week
5. Read and finish a book within a month
6. Go to the dentist
7. Get a massage
8. Make a list of 3 person who have positively influenced me and write them letters
9. Make my first full cake by myself
10.Drink 4 bottles a day for 30 consecutive days
11.Go to eat at sushi all you can eat
12.Create an inspiration board

About me

Who am I?

My name is Aimy.  It is not my first name but it is the name I have been using it as my nickname for more than 25 years now.  I am originally from Thailand.  I love to meet new people, to travel, to write, to help others, and to learn.  During my undergraduate school, I love to participate in the active group such as cheer club and volunteer camp.  I have work experience for almost 5 years in human resources field specifically in the recruitment function.  I also have work experiences as a nanny and a waitress.  I attended the Au Pair Program in the United States for 2 years.  I completed my graduate school in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, major in Organizational Development and Consultant, in the United States.  Now I am married with my husband whom I truly love and look forward to spending everyday's life together.

What is this blog for?

- For sharing my life and my experience

- For sharing my passions of traveling, self-development, helping others

- For giving myself the self-awareness and self-motivation

Why did I start this blog?

I started to think about sharing my life experiences with everyone long time ago but I always thought I did not have time to do it. Honestly, it actually was not true. It was just an excuse. Our time depends on ourselves to manage our time efficiently. Finally, today I found some inspiration to remind me to start "Sharing". Sharing is a great way to give and to take. To give is giving an information, giving an experience, giving an instruction, giving a suggestion, and giving an idea. To take is taking your life experiences you would like to share with me to be my instruction, my awareness, and my inspiration. I believe nobody is perfect but everyone has different lives and thoughts which we can share and help each other in some ways. Just only need to be opened to tell, to share, to listen, and to take. We all will be able to realize what we desire and what our goals are. Then we will reach our life goal, fast or slow it is because of ourselves. Do not procastinate. Do not hide it behind your fear. Do not afraid to fall down. Challenge yourself..Take a deep breath..Move your feet..Review your feeling and your mind..Try it further.. We can do it!

Is my name "Aimy"?
I am Aimy.  Yes I spell it as A-I-M-Y.  I have got this name for a reason.  My family calls me "TEM" which is a part of my first name "TEMSIRI", in my language means full (Tem) of good things (Siri).  One day my aunt took me for a day-trip with the tour, a girl heard that my nickname wa "Aim" so she called me "Aim" for the entire day.  I did not correct her because I did not want to embarrass her and I felt that actually having the nickname that was not the part of the first name was cool and I liked the name "Aim".  So I took that as my nickname since then.  Once I wrote it in English, I spelled it as "Aim" and I found out that it was a great meaning because its meaning is "GOAL" so I love it more.  The girl who was my host family during my Au Pair Program in the United States asked me to call me "Aimy" because "Aim" is too short so I said yes.  Then she introduced me to other people that my name was Aimy and I thought it was easy for everyone to call Aimy since its sounds is common here but I did not want to change my spelling so I only added "y" at the end.  After that day-trip, my life has been valuable journey and I have been ambitious toward my AIM.  That is why my blog is Aim-Aimy.