Fordham it is!...for now

I've finally made a decision...sort of. Haha! Don't you just love sentences that start out like that?! But seriously, that's how I feel. Here's the scoop:

I found out at the end of March that I was wait-listed for NYU's School Counseling program. It was honestly a huge encouragement because being on a wait-list for a program that has 600+ applications for less than 100 spots (and only 35 for S.C.), it means that they actually think you can do it but don't really have room for you. For me it meant that I was/am on the right track in going for this degree. It felt like a bit of validation. Anyway, it was kind of sad, but anyway.... They explained in the info session I went to at NYU back in November, that if you're on the wait list, they cannot guarantee that you will hear back at any point. I could possibly hear the week before classes start in the fall. Eeek! Not cool...

So, in the meantime I was accepted to Fordham University's Graduate School of Education as a candidate for a MSE in School Counseling!  I'm pretty excited because that means I'm officially going to graduate school!  I went to an welcome reception for newly admitted students on Wednesday and I took the chance to meet my advisor, other newly admits, and decided to put my deposit down to attend Fordham.  Sweet.  The reason I say that I'm still not 100% on Fordham is that I could still hear back from NYU at any time and I kind of want to have a chance to decide between the two, rather than only having one option.  I have a feeling that even if I'm removed from the wait-list, Fordham is more "right" for me.  I also found out that for sure both non-matric classes I'm currently taking at NYU will count towards my Fordham core as long as I get a B or higher.  Since I'm expecting A-'s in both classes, I think I just made my life a lot easier!  Awesome!  The head of the department also shared that this year, Fordham had 400 applications for the only about 75 spots (~30 in the S.C. department) and that this year they will not be able to allow any wait listed students into the program. I do feel blessed to have gotten in to the school.

In summary, here are the next steps:

1) Take my only final at NYU on May 5th.
2) Start Summer I classes at Fordham on May 24th (Happy Birthday, Natalie!)--Research Methods in Counseling and Fundamentals of Educational and Psych Measurement.
3) Start Summer II classes at Fordham on July 6th--Introduction to Counseling I and Pre-Practicum in Counseling I
4) Start Fordham Fall term September 9 if I don't get off of NYU's wait list

So that's the big story. More life updates another time, like, Nathan and I aren't moving apartments anymore!  Awesome.

La Paz, Bolivia: April

I figure since I'm back in the blogging routine, I should do updates of the months that I missed on the blog. I'm not going to backdate b/c at this point, that might be a bit silly. So, here's a brief Bolivia update.

Easter weekend, Nathan and I met up with my parents, sister Abigail, and my brother Christopher in Miami, FL to head down to Bolivia, South America. Ten years ago this November, my family of six traveled down to Bolivia together to adopt my little brother. He was born in March 1999 and was being cared for in a Spanish orphanage until we arrived and got custody of him in November 1999. That was my junior year of high school, and it's hard to believe that was already 10 years ago! Eeeeek! (Side Note: My mom and Abigail actually stayed in Bolivia for 5 weeks because of the laws surrounding adoption! My dad and Natalie were there for 4 weeks. Emily and I were there for 10 days.)

Anyway, this trip was the first time my brother had been back to his country since we adopted him and flew back to California. He was thrilled to be going back and seeing all the things we told him about his whole life. The plan was to do tourism, visit a couple organizations that we are involved in supporting. It was pretty awesome to be able to go back. I first went to La Paz, Bolivia in 1998 on a mission trip with a small organization, working in an orphanage and doing outreach to the homeless and street children. How cool that 11 years after that I'm back with my family and my husband to celebrate my brother's life!

I had a great time bonding with my family, touring around La Paz and its outskirts (Lake Titicaca, the La Paz Zoo, etc.), seeing one of the Compassion International locations and my family's sponsored child, getting to know Kaya International and their work (and the awesome boys that they've rescued from the streets), and in general just Bolivia culture. The sad story is my video camera got stolen during the trip, and also Abigail left before the trip was completely over...we missed her. =(

Here are a few pix of the trip. They're a bit out of order, so bear with me:

Me & Chris

Christopher after an Easter Egg Hunt that I brought with me (in my carry on!) for Easter AM

La Paz, Bolivia

Christopher playing with a baby that's now in "his" room at the Children's home.

This woman was overjoyed to see Chris & started crying at this point. She worked at the Children's Home when Christopher was there 10 years ago.

Some kids from Kaya, rescued from the streets of La Paz. Christopher is certainly a Bolivian, eh?

Some indigenous women, or Cholas. The hats they were are wearing are characteristic of the Bolivian people. These Cholas are selling goods in a big market called the Cholas Market.

Christopher with a little boy in the Children's Home.

Christopher playing with Luis, a boy from La Paz that my family sponsors through Compassion.

Lake Titicaca with a view of Peru in the background.

Abigail and Chris at the Lake.

Dinner with some of the Kaya kids. Please note the huge, genuine smile (hard to get in a posing photo with him) on Christopher's face. This is the sign of a happy kid: playing with Bolivians his age, soccer after dinner, and teaching the kids how to play Yahtzee! Especially the soccer part. Haha!

A view of the gorgeous Mt. Illimani taken from the airplane home at sunrise. The indigenous have a lot of beliefs surrounding this mountain.

For more pictures, check out our Phanfare Site (if you don't have the password, just ask me for it)! The Bolivian album posted is Chris' Perspective; he was the photographer.

It's official...the Chase's are going back East!

Yes, it's true! After almost a year of job searching (but an intense few months), Nathan has landed a sweet position with a company called Arup in New York City (map below for the curious ones). People have been asking a million questions about the move and the answer to most of that is "we don't know!" What we do know is that the move will take place the end of March--signing a lease for April 1st. I've told my work I'm leaving so that's all set too. I'm super sad about that, by the way, because things have been so great there. I guess it's better to leave on a high note than on a low one, though, right?

So, there you go. I'll be planning on doing lots of moving updates, etc, through my blog so keep checking back! And for fellow Sox fanatics....don't you worry. As I have said many times, what do Sox fans do in New York City???? Cheer for the Mets! Haha....




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