Hello!

My name is Jack, and I am a graduate from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) with a degree in Psychology B.S. and a minor in Political Science. I have recently been accepted as a Corps Member for City Year Boston, an AmeriCorps program!

City Year’s slogan is: Give a year. Change the world. I hope to do just that during my time in City Year Boston! I will be working in schools with children from elementary, middle, or high schools in the local area, mostly with teaching, classroom support, mentoring programs, after school programs, and community programs. I will get to apply my leadership skills gained through my involvement and service at UCSD’s Alternative Break program to this year long commitment. I’m excited!

But, I am nervous (the good kind, of course)! I’m nervous for the amazing experience, but I’m nervous about funding my relocation! I need the funds to be able to relocate from California to Massachusetts.

I will use 100% of the fund my service year (or two years) in Boston, MA. I have been unfortunate this year without a job, so I would love donations out of the kindness of your heart to ensure I can avoid being “Jack In A Box” and be “Jack In An Apartment/House” instead.

I will need funds for the following expenses:

- Southwest Airlines Airfare = $200+ (depending on time, date, and availability) 
- Rent until I start getting paid = $300+ (I’m only getting paid $200 a week, taxed) 
- Clothing (since I’m such a Californian, I will freeze, and my temporary uniform) = Variable

These are all estimates, but this is what I plan to use the funds on.

Thank you in advance for all your support! Anything helps, even a few dollars!

In service and gratitude,

Jack Korpob :-)

You can check out more about City Year by visiting cityyear.org.

So, I was sitting in CAT 125 lecture yesterday and we were learning about pitches and watching speeches and commencement addresses, and I started thinking to myself, I never wrote about the annual “Take Back The Night” event that took place a few weeks back. It was such a great and moving event, and I figured I would write something about it.

It got me thinking about my friends, family, and people around me, and how issues of rape and sexual assault is still something we as a world society keep hushed up about. Talking about it makes the issue more prominent, and in situations where it could become an issues, say at a party or someplace else, we will speak up about it and help our community members.

Well, I can regretfully say that it was my first and last time I could ever attend “Take Back The Night,” since I’ll be graduating, but for me, it was better late then never. I don’t know why I kept myself away from this event. It could have been time, the date, or just me forgetting, but I know I have friends who are heavily involved with Women’s Issues and the Women’s Center on campus, so for me to click no or just ignore those Facebook event invites was kind of ridiculous.

But regardless of that regret, I will never regret spending that single night in April to encourage the UCSD community to “Take Back The Night” once and for all.

The night consisted of musical performances by the Dots at UCSD. Then the Sexual Assault & Violence Prevention Resource Center talked about the resources on campus that students can use to get help when facing these issues. Then, Jaclyn Friedman, author of Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power & A World Without Rape spoke about taking back the night for so many years, and that by now, we would think we as a society would have already eliminated sexual violence. However, this is not the case, and that she and all of us would continue fighting. She gave her keynote address, but the Price Center fire alarms went off, so she did it through the noise, and used the alarm as the call to action. It was cool though, because she had a bigger audience, even if the alarm was really annoying.

After that, the Center for Community Solutions talked about their resources and the help they offer to the community. Then, the hardest part of the night came for many, which was the Open-Mic Testimonials.

Many students and individuals went into the spotlight to talk about issues they have faces. They were so personal, but I think it was liberating for many to be able to speak on the issues and not be hushed up or judged. I have not experienced anything that these people have faced, and when I say people I mean men and women alike, but to hear them speak and be so brave, it inspired me.

I have heard too many stories of rape and sexual assault and violence through friends and people I do not even know. At that moment, I felt like this needed to stop. That was when I decided to go up myself and voice my frustration and the ignorance of people that think that it is not an issue, or of whom thinking raping people or sexually assaulting people is okay.

The truth is: IT IS NEVER OKAY TO RAPE, SEXUALLY ASSAULT, OR VIOLATE SOMEONE!

There is always this notion of “NO, MEANS NO” that is told to people over and over. But, I do like that there is a “YES, MEANS YES” mentality, too, and that sexuality and sexual needs are important when full consent and mutual desire is there.

As a male, I think comes this notion of instant privilege. I never have to walk outside and fear the extra fear a lot of my female friends have to face. I never have to carry pepper spray around when walking home at night. I am never truly conscious of that. However, that is just me. I know many males who still don’t feel that same safety.

Why is that?

I think one answer to this is that there are people out there who think it is okay to do horrible sick things to other people. I think that of anything I took away from “Take Back The Night” was what Jaclyn Friedman said. She said that, “Rapists know what they are doing and they like raping people.”

This was so powerful. I never thought of it that way. It sounded funny when she first said it, but then it sunk it and it was more chilling to think about it more and more.

After the testimonials, we all took a short walk for a candlelight vigil in honor of everyone who has ever been raped, sexually assaulted, or has experienced any form of sexual violence.

The biggest thing for this night was the impact on me and my friends. I encouraged two of my friends, one who was enthusiastic about going because she had never heard of the event, and another who almost did not attend because she wanted to study. After the night, they were both inspired and moved. And, I can say I am very happy and glad they decided to go and educate themselves about the issues, especially that one of my friends knew very little about issues around rape.

I encourage everyone to either click on the logo above, which will take you to Take Back The Night’s official website, or click HERE to visit the website.

So, I borrowed this from Paul Wesselmann, who sends out weekly emails in the form of weekly splashes of inspiration through the Ripples Project. It basically describes the ways in which we can be inspired to take action and create changes, big or small.

If we can inspire one to act, we can inspire larger change. The Ripples Project asks people to “explore the extraordinary change through the power of tiny actions,” something in which I myself advocate.

This week, I got this email and it just reminds me everyday to keep doing what I’m doing and to continue on this path to happiness and this journey to joy. Hopefully it inspires you too!

Weekly emails are composed of three components:

PEBBLE: brief, inspirational quote
BOULDER: poem, song, or longer quote
PONDER: short piece by Paul, Ripples editor

PEBBLE

To change one’s life: Start immediately.
Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions.
-William James

BOULDER

We immediately become more effective 
when we decide to change ourselves 
rather than asking things to change for us.
-Stephen Covey, submitted by Nick P., New Jersey

PONDER

 Most of us know the serenity prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to accept the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

It is sometimes easier to whine about things we cannot control than it is to jump into action and change what we can. Your life can be better tomorrow if you take action today, so make a decision and then choose a direction and then CHANGE!

Peace,
Paul

So, Friday came last week. I was in my apartment catching up with Glee because I had time until going to Sixth College to get my stole from Kati’s office. Kati was my Alternative Breaks Tennessee Community Advisor, now Coordinator of Student Activities at Sixth College at UC San Diego.

Anyway, I was in my apartment. And because I get so many calls from Break Away or I call Break Away, I put their number on my phone. Well, Friday was the day I got a call from them!

Jill was on the phone and then she put it on speaker so Sam could hear and talk too. I knew what they were calling about. Break Away National Awards 2010.

It turns out that my nomination by Tiffany Rivera, Alternative Breaks@UCSD Public Relations & Membership Chair and AB Belize Site Leader, earned me the “Active Citizen of the Year” from Break Away for my work as a Co-Coordinator and Site Leader, as well as other involvements. Read below to see my nomination or visit alternativebreaks.org.

Kinda rad, don’t you think? You better know this makes me feel my years of work have been worth it, but it is never the end. And, there is no money attached to this if you are wondering. People continually ask me that.

I just have to say that I am completely happy with just getting recognition and knowing that I really enjoyed getting myself in everything I did while doing my undergraduate here at UC San Diego!

2010 National Alternative Break Awards
Active Citizen of the Year - Pongpunya Jack Korpob

Active Citizen: A person to whom community is a priority in their values and life choices. This prioritizing of community is evident through a concern about social problems, being well- intentioned and becoming well-educated about social issues, discovering root causes, and dedicating time and effort to action which benefits the community.

Nominator: Tiffany Rivera, UCSD Membership and Public Relations Chair 2010 – Alternative Breaks @ UCSD (University of California – San Diego)

Background: Jack is a senior at University of California – San Diego in La Jolla, California. He has completely dedicated himself to the alternative break program at UCSD: leading three trips, participating in two national Alternative Break Citizenship schools (2008 Biloxi, Rebuilding Democracy and 2009 Indianapolis, Invisibility of Disabilities), overseeing a 10 person executive board, serving for two years as one of three Co-Coordinators of Alternative Breaks @ UCSD, and managing their program’s website.

Highlights:

• Won the Chapin Cole and Melissa Higgins Award for Sustainable Service based on the commitment to continue and promote the goals of Alternative Breaks and a desire to represent Alternative Breaks (and the goals and mission of the program) in multiple arenas.
• Along with another coordinator, was successful in securing $10,000 of need-based scholarship funding for alternative break participants from the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs.
• Serves as the Treasurer of the UCSD Student Foundation, a prominent on-campus organization that promotes philanthropy by students, for students. Jack helps raise money for merit-based scholarships through collecting pledges and coordinating large fundraiser events.
• Alternative Breaks@UCSD: Service, Culture, Awakening video – By: Jack Korpob 
• In 2009, under Jack’s leadership, Alternative Breaks @ UCSD won the Triton Alumni Engagement Award because of the program commitment to provide opportunities for UCSD alumni to participate on alternative breaks and continue down a path of active citizenship. 
• In 2008, when Jack became a Coordinator, he helped orchestrate a move towards programmatic quality by making education the prime focus for the year and instituted Issue based trips only.
• Practices active citizenship currently as a mentor and a tutor through the Trio/Upward Bound Program, where he provides tutoring services for low–achieving students and through UCSD OASIS, tutoring students and facilitating workshops to help peers succeed academically. 
• With a deepened commitment to addressing the issues he’s become affected by during his time at UCSD, Jack has committed to a term with City Year Boston after he graduates.
• Jack is looked upon as the embodiment of the alternative break program on campus. Peers say, “Jack is the heart and soul of Alternative Breaks @ UCSD. He continually maintains our program’s mission and traditions while implementing ways to innovate our program as the organization grows.”

“Alternative Breaks @ UCSD is much more than a student organization to me. It has been a way to empower myself and others to ‘be the change’ we all want to see in the world, whether it be on a local, national, or global scale. We are all citizens of this world, but to be an active citizen, it requires action.” – Pongpunya Jack Korpob

After the CSSC Convergence last weekend, I decided to take the rest of the week and make it a vegetarian week for myself. Well, I can say I succeeded and nearly has some close calls until last night, when I decided it was over!

It was hard. But, I had lots of veggies to keep me full. I can tell you that the first few days were hard. I felt out of energy and tired all the time. But, my body got use to it and I realized that I would be full faster with eating less or eating a lot healthier foods, especially when I made my own food from fresh, locally grown, organic food.

I still will say I won’t give up meat. But what I’ve learned is that it is really hard to access vegetarian and vegan options on campus. There is just no time or not enough money to allow me to sustain it when I’m just new to this. It takes time getting use to. But, what I’ve also learned is that I can do it if I really wanted to. But for now, I’ll make the compromise of eating meats occasionally to essentially cut down what I’m actually eating.

At least, now I’m more conscious of where my food is coming from and that what I’m eating is either healthy or non-healthy. Being vegan or vegetarian is hard, and not having access to these types of diets, even in my own life, is difficult. But, there’s always a way. After the Cultivating Food Justice Conference and the Convergence, I’ve really been conscious about my food sources and that lots of communities don’t have the options that I have to eat healthy and/or adopt a vegan or vegetarian diet.

This past weekend at the California Student Sustainability Coalition (CSSC) Spring Convergence 2010 hosted by the Student Sustainability Collective (SSC) at UCSD was by far one of the best weekends this Spring Quarter.

I started my position at the SSC last quarter as the CSSC Convergence Volunteer Coordinator, really not knowing what my role was and why I was doing it. I already had a lot on my plate, and I knew that taking on this position would mean more work added on while planning my Alternative Break Tennessee trip. But, I knew that if I want to make local change here, I had to take this role, uncertainty or not. Our leadership styles and ways of running meetings were just so different from the way I am use to, but I really did take this as a learning experience and a time to sit back and go along for the ride.

Little did I know the incredible learning experience I would get out of it. Not only did I learn leadership and organization, I reaffirmed my faith in the volunteer movement, and essentially, reaffirmed that there are passionate people who truly care about things far greater then themselves. I found new friends, learned new skills, and have adopted a whole new view on the way we consume and use natural resources.

I worked an entire three days in the Food Co-Op on campus. At the ending reflection where everyone went around saying what major things they learned over the weekend, I pointed out two things. The first was the power of volunteering. The second was the power of appreciation. They link up to what I’m talking about, I promise.

At the Food Co-Op, I had the task of making sure the team of volunteers were efficient and were able to find duties. I myself found myself looking for things to do at times, but eventually, things worked out. The main helped needed was food preparation. Not just any food, but vegan food that everyone could eat. It had to taste good and had to be prepared fresh. Alex, one of the volunteers I met, was the cook. She was one of the most amazing people I met that weekend, and she is too humble to say she did a lot of work. But, I agree we all worked as a team to get the endless amount of food preparation done for over 200 Convergence attendees.

I learned how to work efficiently with a team of volunteers, much of whom I did not know. I learned how to prepare fresh, vegan food using raw materials. I learned to eat vegan food that was prepared raw. I learned so much about local farms and the local initiatives and movements going on around San Diego that emphasize locally grown organic food. It was such a learning experience to know that this food was grown just about one hour away from campus! To know where your food actually comes from is such a thing to ponder and wonder. I started to wonder where all my previous food came from!

I learned that without people’s nature to lend help and volunteer, this event would not happen. If it were not for the Operating Team to put countless hours in to making sure workshops were planned and rooms were booked, the Convergence wouldn’t be what it was. If it were not for the army that was the food prep team, people would not be fed. Everyone worked amazingly well together and not once did I find people complaining. We all knew that it was a weekend to just be and learn from one another.

Boy did I learn a lot about everyone! I mentioned that I have only been in the Food Co-Op about 5 or so times previously. Now, I have spent hours in the Co-Cop and have learned what it means to work as a collective, a cooperative group of people to get tasks done. It was kind of therapeutic to talk to people about their lives and about the food we were making while cutting endless amounts of juicy, blood-red strawberries, slicing and dicing sun kissed oranges, and washing dishes that seemed never ending.

It felt good to take a break from academics and be one with food. That is odd to say, but it was the truth. I didn’t attend a single workshop over the weekend, but I did learn a lot about our campus’s Food Co-Op. I appreciate the work and time people put into that little place. I definitely felt the communal feel people have always been talking about.

This leads to the next thing I mentioned in my short spiel about the weekend, which actually got me a little emotional; this was the power of appreciation from all the attendees. I cannot even count the number of “thank you”s and “you are doing such a good job”s I received from people I do not even know. It just reaffirmed my passion for volunteering and doing things because I know it will help the overall big picture. I never once asked for acknowledgement, but this weekend showed me my work and my drive is appreciated by many people, probably more than I really know.

People kept giving me credit for such an amazing team of volunteers, but I didn’t do anything to make them hard workers. They all naturally were. I really actually did nothing to train them to work hard, to work endless hours, or to stand on their feet to serve the Convergence attendees. They did that all on their own. I was just another volunteer alongside a group of volunteers. But, not just a group of volunteers, but one of the hardest working teams I have every worked with. The weekend seemed like non-stop work. When one meal was over, it seemed like it was always time to make the next meal. But, everyone worked with such a happiness one usually never gets to see in people who are given the task to make tons of food.

So with this, I just felt totally appreciated. I have never heard so many people appreciate the people who cook for you or who clean for you. I had people come up to me and randomly say “thank you” and in some cases, give me hugs for a job well done. Talk about strange and different! But, it felt so amazing to just know that people noticed that hard work was being put into the Convergence. And, I say this all because I’ve done a lot of other volunteer activities and have experienced times when work goes unappreciated.

Being around people who want to make a change and who care about the world really inspired me. It restores my faith in humanity. I thank the amazing team of volunteers, the passionate young activists who attended the Convergence, and the people of the SSC who gave me the chance to soak up the incredible knowledge I gained this past weekend and to have a chance to show that volunteering really runs through my veins.

Our future lies with us, the youth of this world. To know that people are passionate about sustainability and social justice just makes me that much closer to my “Journey to Joy”.

So this week has been a rather grueling one mostly because it started out really tiring and stressful, but then it eased out to be a good one. I just want to take this moment to bring up some great moments from this week and some observations I have made.

1. Today, I was on the bus. I usually don’t sit down if the bus looks like it will fill up, and plus this is training for City Year Boston when I’ll need to offer up my seat to other people. A man with his small child got on the bus, but he had his hands literally full, so he had to get on and find any seat to put his young child down so he could pay his bus fare. He found an empty seat and put her down. No one else offered them seats to move. This lady next to me decided to offer her seat, as she too noticed no one else got up to give them the space to actually sit down. The man declined her offer and eventually sat down with his child in his lab, but it as just a small kind gesture that I saw from a bus load of people who could care less about this man and this littler girl finding a comfortable place to sit.
2. The power of volunteering and travel are well and alive. The Reorientation for Alternative Breaks@UCSD proved this to me. The speeches were well put together and I felt like everyone learned something new.
3. The Shout House was one of the best nights of his college life. The power of a crowd and being totally “in the moment” proved itself. It was one of the best nights because pent up energy and frustration could be let out and it was just a fun way to top out a school week. Everyone needs to get a little crazy at some point.
4. That feeling you get when you have just finished many tasks is a great! Everything after that is great! The moment you know you have just completed a pile of tasks is just so great! Whew!

That is it for now!

I haven’t blogged in awhile. Not that there hasn’t been anything awe inspiring to write about, because there has. It has just been time. Time is so precious and I feel that right now, I have so little left of time of my undergraduate career left. So, I’ll take this opportunity to reflect on some “motivations and inspirations” I have had over the past few weeks since Spring Break!

So, I’m in my last quarter of my senior year, and I have to take what is known as CAT 125, short for Culture, Art, & Technology. This class is a reflective class, and we basically learn about writing styles and such. Okay, for me saying that will probably mean a slap to the face from either my professor or my TA, but whatever. I’ll simplify for the matter of this posting to get on with my story.

Okay, so I’m taking this class, and we’re asked to write a 12 page paper, give or take, about our undergraduate career. Seems easy at first, but it’s hard because I want to write about everything. I am lucky to say that I was very involved in my undergraduate career. I am part of multiple organizations, have leadership roles, and have met a lot of amazing people. That is why I’m stuck at this place where I’m ready to write this paper and I’m not ready to write this paper. It really shouldn’t be that hard, but I think because I have to focus on a single topic, it’s going to be really hard.

I think I just did not make any sense in this last paragraph.

I want to reflect now on the reflection process of everything. Reflecting on one’s undergraduate experience takes a long time, and now asking myself these hard questions of “what did I do” and “what happens next” is making me think about the day I leave California for a very long time and how sad graduation is going to be!

So, thinking about my time at UCSD has made me realize the impact and the mark I’m leaving on this great university. First off, I never thought it would be possible to make any change or do anything significant in college. I was always told that we were numbers in college and that basically TAs taught courses. I was told that I would just be another student on a huge campus.

This is all partly true, but mostly untrue for the most part.

I have been able to do something on this campus. Being able to meet the diversity of people I have met has enriched my college career, and my life. Being part of a community of people during Summer Bridge 2006 was just about one of the best times of my life and was so unexpected.

Finding my passion for service and social justice in Alternative Breaks@UCSD has literally changed my life and direction for my future. I’m heading to City Year Boston for the next year (minimum) because I have fallen in love with serving people and making change.

Today, I was asked, “What do you like most about Alternative Breaks” and “What am I doing after college to further my own active citizenship,” you know, the easy questions?

I am lucky to say that I have been able to inspire around 300 people (given I ran way too many info session and convinced people joining Alternative Breaks is the best thing they could ever do), give or take, to serve internationally and nationally, continue doing good things with their lives, and cultivate leadership within these individuals. This is something not many people get to do. I have been fortunate to be given the opportunities to literally be the positive influence and change in peoples’ lives.

To be told by a friend that I am doing great and that I’m a positive change to them is like winning the lottery. I feel like this motivates me to continue doing what I am doing, and that no matter how hard or stressful live may be, that my energy is appreciated and being put to good use. This inspires me to continue making small changes in people’s lives and reaffirms my commitment to the people around me and the role I serve as an active citizen.

Okay, I get it, I sound a little cliché. But, it’s what I feel and honestly what defines my undergraduate experience. I’m so happy with life because of the people I have been able to influence through service and leadership development.

So back to CAT 125, I said I was going to write about family problems, but I think I might change my mind. I probably will talk about me rather than all that. That stuff is just mundane, at least to me, but not to probably anyone else who hears the story. But, I do think that the story I want to tell is linked, and because of the stuff I have experienced in the past, it has driven me to a place of giving back, serving others, and finding my passions.

I can probably go on and on for days on end, but I’ll stop here. I’m still on the search for that perfect reflective essay topic. It eludes me. I want to talk about everything! How will I narrow it down? We shall see!

This has got to be the “Song of the Year” for me. Every year, there is a song that resonates within me and the people around me, usually because of an Alternative Break trip. 2 years ago, it was “Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis. 1 years ago, it was “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey. This year, it is “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum. The words in this song really represent a lot of things about this past trip (not being drunk, but at least the symbolic part of being drunk, as we know AB trips are always alcohol and drug free trips) and everything else about the literal words. Our group really didn’t expect to have this song as “our song,” but it just played a lot and we just all fell in love with the sound of it. And, it fits that it is a country song!

This songs just makes me feel happy.

This Spring Break was possibly one of the best weeks of my life. Once again, this week long experience proves to me that I have dedicated nearly 3 years of my college career towards something worth dedicating time. Alternative Breaks@UCSD still does not cease to amaze, inspire, and change me.

I remember starting this journey of Alternative Breaks Tennessee pretty unsure of how the outcome would be, how the logistics would follow through, and if we would ever get to this point in time. Now that I’m back, I can look back and say that the trip was a complete success and was my favorite alternative break of all time, given that I’ve done 5 total trips now.

I wrote an entire journal about my trip, so I’m not going to devote an entire blog entry talking about every excruciating detail here, but I will have to say that this trip was the most colorful and different trip I have ever been on. It pushed the limit of emotional, mental, and physical capabilities. Our projects ranged from building a wheel chair ramp, to raking thousands of leaves in a Cherokee woman’s yard. Our cultural activities included storytelling, learning the Cherokee language, and playing a traditional Cherokee game called the “Fish Game” that definitely tested us and our inner strength, and in some cases our tolerance for extreme cold to our feet.

Given all that, I can say I’m proud of the group of diverse people that traveled to Tennessee and North Carolina to do service work in communities so vastly different from our own here in San Diego, California.

My favorite memories from this trip include: Eneida almost missing the plane ride to Nashville and making it on the plane at the very last minute, the extremely long car rides full of singing and talking about life, the song “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum, Christmas and snow falling in the middle of Spring Break in the mountains of North Carolina, nightly reflections with the group and “getting deep” with each other, the many “challenges”, Ed and Arleen (our gracious and hospitable hosts at Once Upon a Time in Appalachia), the Cherokee, the park rangers Kenny and Drew, everyone being so mean and sarcastic towards each other, the amazing food during the entire trip, frappes and coffee at McDonald’s, the chance to Co-Lead this group alongside one of the best people I have met in college, Ashley Portillo (yes I said it, damn, just kidding), and last but definitely not least, motivate emerging leaders and cultivate active citizens in each and every single participant on this trip.

The last is most important because I honestly didn’t know if people would take anything from this experience. Alternative Break trips always have this uncertainty about them. But, after the week was up, I saw how much everyone learned and took away from this experience. I feel honored and blessed to be able to make positive changes and differences in the lives of the people that surround me. And, I to feel honored and blessed to be surrounded by such positive and amazing people, and could not ask for anything less. I’m only 22 years old and I feel satisfied with life. Anything from here is just another challenge or hurdle, and the positive things in the future are just additional blessings to me!

This is definitely a stepping stone, or ten stepping stones, towards joy! But, I feel like I’ve already reached it in so many ways.

This is really exciting news given I will be devoting at least 1 year of service through City Year Boston, and then hopefully continue to do something else afterwards.

I’ll never know if I ever will do the Peace Corps. I know that I could do it now with all the experience I have, but we’ll check in 1 or 2 years from now.

This makes me happy that the Peace Corps wants people with service experience and are not just throwing people into the crazy experience!

I haven’t written up a post in awhile, mostly because I haven’t had much time. But, I thought that I’d write this evening, a response to recent happenings here at UCSD and the community we live in. I will put my own opinions, and only of what I know, but this is not to place blame on anyone or to point fingers, because really, at this point, I don’t know anymore than the person next to me.

Over the President’s Day/Valentine’s Day Weekend, a racially themed party was thrown off-campus by individuals. This event was publicized on Facebook and was branded, “Compton Cookout”. The party was described mockingly as being in honor of Black History Month and had descriptions of how guys should be dressed, how girls should be dressed and act like “Ghetto Chicks” (and yes, this is off Urban Dictionary), and that beer, food, and watermelon would be served. That is the basic gist of the entire thing.

After the weekend was over, all hell kind of broke loose on campus. But, I really believe it is needed. And, here is why.

Regardless if some Greek Fraternities were in fact named and are now being blamed for such a distasteful and themed party, it doesn’t matter personally to me at this point (if it was a Greek Fraternity or other random people). What matters to me is that anyone would want to do this at all, Greek or Non-Greek. And, this is not the first time I am being pissed about this myself. Let me explain.

If you are a Senior at UCSD now, you may remember Warren College (I believe) wanted to do an “asian” themed semiformal and they got heat for it. They ended up changing the name and redoing everything. Problem solved. Or, was it really?

I think there are so many racially themed parties, events, fundraisers, etc. that are thrown day after day, and no one says anything. It may take such an extreme, media hungry, explosion of events like the one that happened last weekend to occur, but really, I’m glad it did. We need dialogue, discourse, disagreement, anger, emotion, activism, politics, civic engagement, community, and a voice to make change.

I hear a lot of people, even friends, say that they are sick of getting emails about the party and the university’s response to everything, but I think it’s needed. For once, I feel like people care about something, on either side. I feel like people are not able to voice what we knew all along: the UC system is not as diverse as we think it is. Yes, may seem diverse, but when you look at the numbers, it is really the individually niches we see that are diverse. As a whole, not so much.

I hope I’m not offending anyone when I say this, but to understand even the slightest how the African-American/Black Community feel right now, you need to now someone who is in that community. I, being a Thai-American/Asian American, would never understand even the tip of the iceberg if it were not for the extreme diverse situations I have grown up in from birth up until now. When I came into college, I entered the OASIS Summer Bridge Program that placed me in one of the most diverse living situations and learning conditions I have ever been in in my life, hands down!

I am proud to say that I know a ton more of the people of the African/Black community here at UCSD than a lot of people do, and that both amazes me and angers me.

I hear out my friends who have talked about their own feelings of isolation or stereotypes over the years here at UCSD, and now, it is front center stage! It is more public then ever, and something needs to be done to resolve these complicated, systemic issues of racism, discrimination, and segregation.

Last night at my Alternative Breaks Tennessee Meeting, we all were able to discuss our feelings and thoughts about the current events in the form of a reflection. I felt like it was a very productive reflection, and that both sides were equally presented and brought to the table. I agree that the only remedy to extreme forms of speech is more speech. I strongly support that both sides of the argument get the chance to speak, and that it is the only way to learn something from this.

The argument seems to go in a circle at some point, and everyone has some conflicting view or picky view on what has been happening, but I think this is what college is about and that really, we use this to move forward in campus climate, demands for diversity, and simply openness.

It really does sadden me that a small set of people can make an entire campus look bad, but that is the reality of life. So the big takeaway and learning moment for me is that one thing can mean a big thing, and that a small set of people really can either move us backwards socially, or move us forward! We can really do the opposite and have a small set of people inspire change.

The big question for everyone is, “What can we as individual students do now to learn from these events, improve campus climate, and ensure things like this do not happen again?”

For now, these are my thoughts on everything that has been happening.

I never really ask for much when it comes to my birthday. I’ve lived a good 21 years of life so far. It so happens my birthday falls on New Year’s Day. You think it would be exciting year after year with the ringing in of the New Year! Well, it actually got dull over time and eventually, I would find myself home alone doing nothing excepting watching the ball drop, watching a movie, or even alphabetizing my DVD collection (true story!).

Not this year.

My 22nd birthday was a lot better. I spent it at home and rang in the New Year with my mom with a bottle of champagne (Thanks Joyce for introducing me to champagne!). Then, I visited my sister who works at a California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), and then finally went out to dinner at Claim Jumper with friends of whom I haven’t seen in about 2 years.

Major catch up time!

Well, then school started back up, and I thought all was fine and dandy. I started the academic quarter right by going to Taco Tuesday at El Torito with friends, and spending the night with friends at Lana’s new place! Winter Whiteout Party, and the better than expected success, kicked off a great weekend!

Then, the weekend came. I already knew I was going to get kidnapped because my friend Alifah said to clear my Saturday evening. I even received a fun, life threatening text message from her roommate (yes, I checked and it was from Temecula). If I was not at my apartment between a certain time in the evening, my life would surely have been in danger. Or, I would have had a bunch of people pissed at me.

Well, of course I went along with it. Why would I want to ruin the surprise!

After my friends kind of failed at lying to me that entire week and that day (Lana, Allison, Ashley Gee…I’m talking to you), I was kidnapped and carried into a car and whisked away to wherever it was we were going.

Eventually, we got to the place, and because of my glasses being taken from me, could not see anything. But, once I put on my glasses, I was amazed to see nearly 20 people standing in front of me holding a huge yellow “Happy Birthday Jack” poster board standing in front of the Corvette Diner in Point Loma.

I actually couldn’t believe it. In my head, I thought I was going to dinner or something else with about 5-10 people. So, I was really surprised to see that many people who took time out of their Saturday to celebrate 22 years of life with me!

The next day, I had brunch with friends, watch (500) Days of Summer (that’s where the title of this post comes from), got a warm blanket from Chau from the Secret Santa, and went to dinner with other Alternative Break leaders at Chopsticks, then ran across the street to Crepe World, then strolled into Yogurt World right before closing.

That week, I proceeded to go to Yoshi Sushi for “All You Can Eat” sushi with my friend Jennifer. We ordered 6 rolls of sushi and a sashimi salad. We almost needed to vomit because we ate so much sushi. Life is good when you’re that full. Then, we walked it off and went to two Targets to purchase Glee and other DVDs.

We make it a point to have many “Pho runs” and have dinner now and then to talk, catch up, and vent about life. Then, we always make an obligatory visit to Target to “walk it off.”

It’s moments like these that matter, and make me realize that I don’t have it bad, and I do have a group of people who care that I exist, or at least lied to me on that day (just kidding!). But, in all seriousness, it was by far one of the best surprise birthday celebrations and serious of birthday fun I have had in a LONG time, and really, it was a moment that I was just filled with, as cheesy as it sounds, pure and unfiltered…

…joy.

With a NEW YEAR comes NEW RESOLUTIONS. Bummer, so fast. More things to fail at, right? WRONG. I plan to correct some things that I have been really failing at, and if I’m ever going to find joy at some point in life, I’m going to need to start somewhere.

Everything I want to achieve this year is very tangible and realistic. So, here’s my version of the obligatory blog posting that is “My New Year’s Resolutions.”

1. Be content with the ones I have. Meaning, be happy with the friends I have that I surround myself with, the family members who may or may not care about me, and be optimistic about the ones I have in my life.
2. Serve. Volunteer away! I already got into City Year Boston, and I finally get the chance to put all of my leadership, experience, determination, and passion into good use.
3. Change. Change the life of another person, change someone’s day from sad to happy. Anything small or big. Change myself. Change the way I do things.
4. Stay healthy. This earns some sub-points because I really don’t stay fit. Ever.
   1. Run at least once a week. Totally doable but I’ve had a lazy 2009. Need to get some running shoes.
   2. Go to the gym more often. More often as at least once. Sounds ridiculous, but last year, I think I only walked into a gym but didn’t actually use the gym. Sad fact. I know. Stop it!
   3. Eat healthier. Totally doable!
5. Study. Stay on task and do my readings on time and study! It sounds easier said than done! Trust me on that. But, I even dropped a class today because it had a lot of reading and I don’t need the class necessarily to graduate. Plus, I’m not going to pursue a future in Psychology at this point in time.
6. Live. Let go. Have fun. Relax. Chill. Play. Easy. Great.
7. Know. Get to know some new people. I think I’ll have very good opportunities given there are new roommates in my apartment, I will be traveling to Tennessee, and I will be moving to Boston in the summer to serve a year or more of service!
8. Cultivate. Plant the seeds, water the ground, and watch my member’s of my Alternative Breaks group grow and grow! I want them to become active citizens who will contribute much to this global society! My only wish is for them to get a lot out of the Alternative Break@UCSD program.
9. Read. Again, sounds very simple, but it requires time and patience, especially when I have no time to do so. I love reading for fun and I bought a lot of books over the Winter Break, so I must read them eventually. I know I will. I must!
10. Love. Love the place I’m at, be thankful, grateful, and glad. I know that I’m better off than much of this world, and no matter what, I should feel good about that.

If I can achieve everything on this list of optimistic, positive, realistic list, I can do anything. Watch me. Ready? Set? GO!

Finally, I have started the blog that can change my life in a big or small way-we’ll have to see to find out-and may inspire someone out there in this big world of blogging.

So, let’s start with basic introductions.

My name is Pongpunya Jack Korpob. I go by Jack. My name is of Thai origin because both of my parents are from Thailand, but have since been divorced. I am happy to say I was raised wonderfully by a single mother. I am currently 22 years old (I just turned 22 this past New Year’s Day) and I am a 4th Year Senior attending the University of California San Diego majoring in Psychology B.S. and minoring in Political Science.

I coordinate an Alternative Break program and have participated in or led multiple trips in the United States and abroad, including Russia, Belize, Mississippi, and Indiana. I’m ready to finish out my undergraduate career and start my City Year Boston experience in August to commit a year (or more) to service as I strongly believe in Active Citizenship.

The role of this blog is the serve as the place where I can go to jot my ideas, thoughts, feelings, and discoveries of myself and those around me, as well as document my journey to joy. Joy, for me, is my happy place-the pleasure we get when we donate clothes to charity, give a buck more for tip, or hug a friend we haven’t seen in a long time.

So, here goes the start to a blog that is both meaningful and real, and hopefully it encourages you to think critically about your beliefs, actions, community, and yourself.

So, let’s start with basic introductions.

My name is Pongpunya Jack Korpob. I go by Jack. My name is of Thai origin because both of my parents are from Thailand, but have since been divorced. I am happy to say I was raised wonderfully by a single mother. I am currently 22 years old (I just turned 22 this past New Year’s Day) and I am a 4th Year Senior attending the University of California San Diego majoring in Psychology B.S. and minoring in Political Science.

I coordinate an Alternative Break program and have participated in or led multiple trips in the United States and abroad, including Russia, Belize, Mississippi, and Indiana. I’m ready to finish out my undergraduate career and start my City Year Boston experience in August to commit a year (or more) to service as I strongly believe in Active Citizenship.

The role of this blog is the serve as the place where I can go to jot my ideas, thoughts, feelings, and discoveries of myself and those around me, as well as document my journey to joy. Joy, for me, is my happy place-the pleasure we get when we donate clothes to charity, give a buck more for tip, or hug a friend we haven’t seen in a long time.

So, here goes the start to a blog that is both meaningful and real, and hopefully it encourages you to think critically about your beliefs, actions, community, and yourself.