International Ambassadors

Feel free to explore this blog but don't forget to visit our new blog as well!

2009-11-18T20:33:05Z

Rah, rah, rah, for Ski-U-Mah
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!
Rah for the U of M!

M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A!
Minnesota, Minnesota!

WELCOME TO MINNESOTA c:

As we started the fall semester of 2009, the International Student Ambassadors Program welcomed our new 14 ambassadors, both undergraduate and graduate international students from all over the world!

We are very excited to share our academic and social lives at the University of Minnesota and of course to hear back from you! Feel free to explore this blog but definitely do not forget to also visit our new ones at:

1. Undergraduate Ambassadors Blog
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/widia004/isss/isa/undergraduate

2. Graduate Ambassadors Blog
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/widia004/isss/isa/graduate

Got some questions? Not to worry! Please do not hesitate to leave comments on the entries or ask us questions at:
http://passport.umn.edu/askastudent/question.html

Looking forward to hearing from you!!!

Salam,
. asa.

]]>

. T. H. A. N. K . . Y. O. U .

2009-09-21T14:58:52Z

Sometime in October last year, I told my mom that I was appointed as the undergraduate student leader for the International Ambassadors program. She asked me about what I had to do with that position and I told her that I would be writing blog, replying emails from prospective students, and facilitating the bi-weekly meetings. But, I was wrong. It actually turned out to be something bigger than that.

]]> I remember, a couple weeks before the school began, a new student approached me at the International Services (I worked there during the summer as a welcome center staff) front desk:

Student: Are you Asa? From the ambassador program?
Asa: Ehm yes, I am. How did you know?
Student: Ohh. I read your blogs and also other ambassadors' blogs. Thank you for writing them. They were very helpful.

You do not know how HAPPY I was when I heard about that. Somebody actually read our blogs, wuhuu!!! So thank you, thank you very much for supporting this program!

1. For our readers.
We are doing this program because we want you to feel how it is like to be a student at the University of Minnesota. Without you visiting our blog, we would not be here. I understand that nobody wrote any entry in the summer but it does not mean that we are not doing the program anymore. We gave our ambassadors a break during the summer so that they will have more energies for this academic year. We will be back sometime next month (October) with more of amazing ambassadors (both undergraduate and graduate) and interesting blog entries. Again, thank you graciously for visiting and participating on our blog. Comments for future improvements are of course super-welcome.

2. For our ambassadors
I could have never done this program by myself. And I think that was why we were there for each other, wasn't that? Because we were a team, or actually a family. Thank you for all of your time, ideas, and hard work. As we are trying to improve the program, any suggestions are definitely welcome.

3. For our mentors (Beth Isensee and Jennifer Schulz)
Thank you for being wonderful mentors and supporters of our ideas. Let's rock it again this year!

One year is definitely not a short time and I have gained lots of valuable experiences and friendships during that period of time. As I mentioned above, we will be back with a more fresh look for 2009-2010 academic year sometime next month and I am really looking forward to that. Please keep visiting our blog because we are not gonna be here without you ^^

Thank you.

Salam,
. asa.

Farewell For the Summer

2009-05-22T10:54:26Z

This is my last blog before the summer. Thank you very much for reading my and our blogs throughout the semester. It has been a long semester and a long year, but believe me, time can fly when you are happy. The first semester was quite challenging for me. I had to deal with many things. The second was a lot better, and I would say that I really enjoyed it.

For those who are coming to the University of Minnesota next semester, I would like to congratulate you. You have got a great opportunity to be here. However, please keep in mind that life is not perfect sometimes. You may encounter a lot of problem throughout your first year here. Do not give up. Find some helps. There are a lot of people who can help you here. You might feel really confident now before you come, but anything can happen. Be ready for the changes that you are about to face. First year is always tough, but enjoy it because it can happen only once.

Good luck with your summer wherever you are. We will meet again next semester.

The past is but a prologue

2009-05-22T02:44:43Z

I am back here in China, writing the farewell blog of this semester.
I haven’t got a chance to deal with the jet lag because I have been with the Carlson team here in Shanghai as a host/volunteer.
I know that the weather is super nice in Minneapolis right now because summer is already there.
I feel that I start to miss Minnesota.
I miss the celebration day of our Ambassador Program, as well as each ambassador (you are super cool)
I miss the school life after reading Gabriela’s farewell blog.
…

BUT
I have to make the most out of the summer time in my hometown, enjoy the family time as well as the wild parties with friends, otherwise, there would be tons of stuff to miss in the future.

AND
I look forward to meeting you ALL as new students in the U.
I hope everything goes well for you to get prepared coming to the U.
I want to thank ALL friends who have been reading our blogs.

IF
I got a chance to keep sharing my experience and helping new students, I would definitely go for it.

I leave you with this quote by Mary Anne Radmacher and I think she captures all of what I was trying to say to you.

"Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is."

Farewell

2009-05-20T21:56:27Z

It comes the time to say goodbye. Thank you for reading my postings, writing comments, and sending me your questions by email that I was always more than happy to reply. I truly hope this information will be (sooner than what you think) useful. When you enter into a new environment such as the University of Minnesota, you definitely learn new things to daily operate.

My last advice to you is to enjoy learning (if such thing is possible hehe) while you are at the U, and to make the most out of it. Now that I have graduated, I feel like I already miss it (what a dork! you may think..., but hey,it’s true). Learning is always fun if you like what you do, even with all the long days/nights reading until late AMs. When the day to graduate comes, the feeling is overwhelmingly unforgettable…so much happiness!

Good luck! You will all do awesome! See you all down the road :)

-Gabriela

Emergency

2009-05-12T01:50:07Z

Sometime back, my friend had trouble with his muscles in the back. It happened all of a sudden when he was crossing the road and he couldn't even move. With much difficulty he crossed the road to reach the sidewalk and called me on my phone. I reached to the location where he was lying not knowing what to do. After much hesitation, I called 911 as we were not sure how serious should an issue be to call 911.

]]> For those of you who are not aware of 911, its an Emergency number in the USA. When you call 911, cops attend your call and do the needful. Since its the matter with cops, one has to be careful in calling them. Here is an interesting list of when and when not to call 911. When I called 911, a female cop attended my call and asked me all the questions starting with who/what/where/how/when (who are you, what happened, where are you now, when and how did it happen). Within a few minutes a cop came in his car with sirens on and asked the same who/what/where/how/when questions. A few minutes later Ambulance with sirens on and loaded with paramedics reached the scene. After preliminary examination, he was taken to the Fairview University Medical Center and everything was taken care of.

Its important to have insurance. Heesung in his earlier post discussed the importance of Insurance in USA. Though the Cops didn't charge anything for the service, the ambulance service cost my friend a bit. But with the University Student Insurance, 80% of it was taken care of and he had to pay only 20% of it. Its the same with hospital bill as well, he had to pay only 20% of it. The lesson here is: Do not hesitate to call 911 if you think you are in an Emergency, but you should know when exactly to call them. :)

How to Get Help From Boynton Health Service

2009-05-01T19:45:53Z

During your college career, there might be some time that you feel that you need to see a doctor. If so, one of the best place to go is Boynton Health Service. Boynton Health Service is a clinic that has served university community for over 90 years. It is located right next to Coffman Memorial Union. I just got help there the other day, so I would like to share my story so that you would know what you have to do if you need help.

]]> The easiest way to get immediate help is to go to the Gopher Quick Clinic. It is a program of Boynton Health Service that allow walk-in patient to see a doctor. There are two locations of Gopher Quick Clinic that you can go. One is on the first floor of Coffman Memorial Union near the Jumba Juice. Another one is in Boynton Health Service building. I went to the one in Boynton Health Service. When I was there, there was a line for check-in. I went to check in. Only thing I needed was my U-card and they asked some questions about my personal information. Then, I just sat and waited. Just ten to fifteen minutes later, a nurse came and called my name. I went into the room and told my symptoms. If I had needed an emergency treatment, I would have seen a doctor right after the talk. However, my case wasn't an emergency one, so the nurse made and appointment for me. Normally, an appointment would be one or two hours after the first meeting, but I chose to went there again two days after that. So I got my appointment and came back. Nevertheless, before I left, I got some tips from the nurse that could help relieve my symptoms before I would see the doctor.

Two days later, I went there again. I checked in and waited. A couple minutes later, the doctor came. We talked and I got the instruction that would heal my wound as well as my prescription. However, the prescription was not in the paper form. The doctor sent the prescription directly to the pharmacy in Boynton Health service for me. What I needed to do after that was to go to the pharmacy store located near the Gopher Quick Clinic in Boynton Health Service. I went to the counter and just told them my name. I waited for a while for my medicine, and that's it. I got my medicine, and I got my treatment conveniently.

If you would like to learn more about Boynton Health Service, check on their web site: http://www.bhs.umn.edu/
The service hours can be found on the website as well.

By the way, I have a bad news for my blog fan (if there is at all). This is my last blog of the semester. There will be no new entry over the summer T_T. So, have a nice and warm summer, and I'll be back again in fall. :)

SMART Learning Commons

2009-04-24T22:18:05Z

There are many resources at the University of Minnesota that can help you succeed. The one that I would like to recommend here is an academic assistance service called the SMART Learning Commons.

]]> The SMART Learning Commons is a program with the goal to help students succeed academically through out their college careers. The program supports students in various ways including writing supports, learning supports, and technology supports. One feature of this program is the learning supports. The program provides students with a one-on-one tutor on each subject. Students can go to Walter Library, Wilson Library, or Magrath Library to get help. There is a section in each library that designates "SMART Learning Commons". There will be some consultants ready to help students during the service time. Moreover, in each residence hall, there is a "SMART Learning Commons" room as well, so students living in university's residence hall can easily get help in their own hall. Apart from that, on SMART Learning Commons website, students can make an appointment with a Peer Learning Consultant, who is expert in each field of study.

Another feature of this program is the Peer-Assisted Learning. This is a group of students that study together with the support from undergraduate students who have done well in the courses. The group meets regularly in a small discussion session that helps facilitate and enhance understandings of the subjects. If you are interested, check on the website to see the details.

Apart from academic supports, the SMART Learning Commons also provide students with technological supports. Students can come to the SMART Learning Commons room in the libraries mentioned earlier to ask for helps regarding computer programs, a presentation, or other media. Students can come and check out a video camera to do their project, or reserve the Media Viewing room to present their project. Furthermore, the SMART Learning Commons also possesses the test bank. The program gets some previous tests of each class with the permission of the professor and provide them to students for free (except that they may have to pay for the printing). The program also has some Standardized Tests like GMAT, TOEFL, MCAT for students to practice.

This is a great program, so don't forget to make use of it. Check out the website: http://smart.umn.edu/index.html

Internet-based tools -important websites to learn-

2009-04-23T21:24:42Z

Once you have started classes, you will need to quickly pick up new tools. You will familiarize with many codes for classes, building names, make new friends, important website’s URLs to check your grades etc. We (international ambassadors) have been written on how to make new friends, places to visit, etc. But we didn’t talk about Internet-based tools! ….. And we all use it every single day! The University of Minnesota and every Department, Office, or Library has its own special website where you will find official information about your grades, registered courses, available textbooks at the library, events, and so much more information!

There are a few websites that I would talk about in this article because I am more than sure that you will use them either because as professor ask you to do so, or because the information it provides is really helpful. The names of this websites are: MyU, OneStop, ITLABS, Library, ISSS, and the UofM E-mail.

Certainly I can write down an extraordinary b-i-g list with all of the websites I daily use, but I don’t want to make you (the reader) feel overwhelmed. I promise that little by little you will find and add to your list of favorites as the days go by.

]]> MyU is an extraordinary website with all of your current academic status (courses, finances, health, library, etc). My intuition of this website is that of helping students to quickly find and be informed about their current status at the U. When do I use this website? – I certainly use it when I want to be sure that the courses I registered for, are the ones the University knows (and is expecting from me to) I am taking. From this webpage I also have a quick link to check my email inbox (although I use a email client to read/write email).I can also see if have a pending tuition balance to pay. Also, very important as well, I can see if I have any hold; a hold is “something” that won’t let you continue with registration, like a tuberculosis exam (international students may need to do it as soon as they arrive to campus). Finally you have a quick access to the library online system, thus you can search for a textbook, download a paper, etc.

OneStop is “the central office” –I call it. It is so big I don’t know where to start! If you need a transcript, a graduation planner (especially for undergrads), registration for classes! You will do it from here mostly likely. You can also find the official calendar of the academic year (when classes start, end, holidays, etc.). Information related to finances is also available here; for example, if your tuition will be pay by your parents you have to grant them access to your account so that they can pay it for you, and you will do it from here.
MyU is a reduced view of all the services provided by OneStop and some others like the Health Center and the Libraries.

ITLABS for Computer Science students is a website provided by the Institute of Technology with all the information regarding labs and computer facilities for IT students (computer science students mainly). Most of us (computer scientists) will have to create an ITLABS account to work on course’s projects or labs. For example I last semester I registered a Computer Security course and we did some labs where we were actually hacking a machine or watching tcp messages. For those who are not aware of the consequences of these acts, it is prohibited thus ITLABS can build a virtual setting for us to do these type of things. ITLABS is also used for some other courses like Parallel Programming, and we can use faster machines that are usually not available for regular users (that’s my understanding anyway). So if you are a CS student here you will find the link to each registered course’s website (very important!!!!! Always to be informed about what the TA or the Professor post here! , and also a list of the names of the machines you can remotely connect to if needed.

We have multiple libraries that are sparse on campus. However you will be visiting one or two with more frequency instead of using all of them because they are organized according to majors. However they own a very good website with a very good search engine to find anything you might be looking for. Check it out! Unlimited resources!

ISSS of course is the official place providing information to International Students. They have done an enormous effort to provide us with easy and detailed information about different procedures that at some point (early or later in your studies) may need to follow. Please keep it on your favorite’s list! (And I also keep on my cell phone’s contact list, the ISSS phone number)

The email is an official communication channel between the University and you. So read it frequently, a few times a day you should check if new email is sitting in your inbox waiting for you to read it. If you are not using an email client like Outlook for example, the easiest way (or the only I like the most to get quicker to my email inbox) is to use www.mail.umn.edu.

Basketball NBA

2009-04-17T18:00:46Z

Last Wednesday, I went to a basketball NBA game!! It was at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis, just 10 minutes from the campus (by bus). The game was the last game of the season and it was between Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings.

]]> A week before the game, I read Minnesota Daily, university official daily newspaper, and found out about an interesting deal. For NBA basketball game at the Target Center, there is a special offer called "College Night." Every time that Minnesota Timberwolves play at Target Center on Wednesday, college students can purchase a ticket for only 5 dollars!!! I found out about this wonderful deal, so I decided to go to this last game of the season.

Normally, the college night ticket is for an upper-leveled seat, which is quite far away from the court. However, since this was the last home game of the season, there was a special offer for fist 100 students going to the game. The first 100 students would be upgraded to the lower-leveled seat with a free towel and a poster! This game started at 7.00pm; however, the door opened from 5.30pm. Therefore, my friend and I hadn't planed to rush ourselves for the upgrade. We left our hall at 6.15 pm, took the route 16 bus, and arrived there at roughly 6.45pm. Luckily, we still managed to be the first 100!! Therefore, we got a very good seat, a towel, and a poster for only 5 dollars!!!

We walked into the arena. There were many restaurants in the arena selling all kinds of food: hot dogs, nacho, fried chicken, ice cream, etc. We didn't buy anything since it was nearly 7 and the game was about to start. We went to our seat, which was located behind the hoop. The arena was big and very beautiful. The players, as I had expected, were huge. The game started. The atmosphere was great, but not as great as I had expected since Minnesota Timberwolves hadn't played well this season. However, the game was fun to watch. There were always "Whoooh", "Whahhhh", whenever Timberwolves scored. Whenever Mike Miller, one of the Timberwolves's best player that night, scored the three points, the crowd jumped around their seats. The part I really liked was when the Kings got a free throw. On the screen in the middle of the arena, there would be a Howl-o-meter to measure the loudness of noise the crowd could make (they did so because they wanted this loud noise from the crowd to distract the opponent player who was taking the free throw).

At half time, I walked around the arena and decided to try an ice cream cone. It was huge!! It was pretty good as well. I spent nearly an entire quarter to finish it!!!

The second half was as fun as the first. Before the end of the game, the also gave off some t-shirts. They used a very big rubber stick to shoot t-shirts up to the fan. Unfortunately, I didn't get one. The game ended at around 9.30 and we took a bus back at around 10 o'clock. Good experience overall!!

Any hi-tech application in the teaching process?

2009-04-17T00:29:00Z

Are you wondering whether or not you will be able to see cool stuff, or maybe be part of something cool?!? Depending on your major, there maybe some opportunities you should absolutely not miss!

]]> For undergraduates engineers in general (Biomedical Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, etc…), there is a senior design class they have to take their senior years (year of their graduation). The class is usually during both the fall and the spring semester. Students are paired with other students, usually six, to work on a project related to their major. The project usually inquires the students to build a device based on all the knowledge they have acquired in their major core classes and their electives. Their final design is to be presented during a senior design show during the last week of the spring semester in May.

Biomedical Engineers are usually able to attend the Design of Medical Devices (DMD) conference, a gathering of faculty members from various universities or companies in the health field. Students have the opportunities to participate in various sessions: Live surgery, surgical simulators, sessions on cardiovascular engineering, tissue engineering or neuroengineering, surgical devices or other medical devices.

From times to time, there might also be session on-campus related to your major, and as Misa mentioned in her post, it’s always a good idea to check the Events website if you are interested in such sessions.

5GB NetFiles Storage

2009-04-16T15:29:49Z

I don’t think many students know this but current Staff, Faculty and Students are eligible for a NetFiles account. I have been used it for a while and I feel it’s convenient especially when you do not have a flash drive with you when printing in the computer lab.
- Step 1
To activate your account go to your internet account options page at https://www.umn.edu/myaccount. If you are eligible for an account, the internet account options page will have a link for "NetFiles account options". Follow that link and agree to the information there to activate your account.
- Step 2
After activating your account you can log in to the system at https://netfiles.umn.edu.

Health & Dental Insurance In America

2009-04-13T19:06:47Z

University Health Insurance
When you come to study at the university of Minnesota, you’re required to purchase a health insurance from the university. The university insurance covers 80 % out of your medical expanse. The biggest reason why you need to purchase the university insurance is that an insurance company in your country might not cover whole medical expense here. It’s because medical cost in America can be quite different and extremely expensive compared to many other countries.

]]> Dental Insurance
By the way, university health insurance does not include dental insurance. So, dental expense is not under insurance. Medical treatment, especially dental, is quite expensive and you have to wait for a long while. However, at the university of Minnesota, there’s a school of dentistry where dental students treat patients for educational purpose. So, you can make an appointment quickly and get discounted price for your dental treatment.
Here’s the website: http://www.dentistry.umn.edu/patients/home.html

If you want to have a private dental insurance in Minnesota, you can find information from this website below.
Delta Dental Insurance: www.deltadental.com

Other Things to Remember:
* Ambulance & Emergency Room are also covered 80% by the university insurance.

* A prescription medicine is covered 80% from the pharmacy in Boynton Health Center which is a university hospital for international students.

* When you visit doctors, please write down your questions and bring them with you. That would be the best way to explain your conditions and communicate with doctors.

Ever heard of the Minnesota State Fair?

2009-04-12T22:43:00Z

Or ever heard of such thing as a state fair at all!?!? The Minnesota state Fair is one of the biggest gatherings in Minnesota during the summer. The main attraction of the fair is all the varieties of food, livestock and art that are presented. There are other activities such as concerts, science fair or marathon. It usually takes place in Saint Paul on the Fairgrounds near the Saint Paul Campus of the University of Minnesota and lasts twelve days, from late August to Labor Day (first Monday of September).

]]> From what I have experienced, it is a very very big event in the State and Saint Paul. Having a taste of on-site made, hot food representing the work of Minnesota farmers is something many find entertaining; and to make it easier on the fairgoers to try the cuisine, the food is presented on a stick: it’s easier to carry around and it reduces the waste.

Besides the food, the fair is also a good opportunity to see various farm animals such as goats, cows, horses or poultry. Concerts are usually going on to keep visitors entertained and some local TV stations such as Kare 11 (NBC – National Broadcasting Company), 5 Eyewitness News (ABC – American Broadcasting Company), have a stand on the Fairgrounds to keep up with what is going on. The journalists would interview the fairgoers sometimes or give reviews of food they have tried.

There is an admission fee to participate to the Fair and you would also have to pay for the food. For students living on the St Paul campus, the fairgrounds are at a walking distance, but you can also catch the bus 3 to go there. Students living on the Minneapolis campus can catch the campus connector or the bus 3 in Minneapolis.

So if you get the chance to attend to state fair, before the fall semester starts, you should! Depending on when you arrive in Minnesota, you could have enough free time between the various orientations you have to attend. It’s usually very busy on week-ends, so weekdays might be preferable to have a better experience :).

Ten Things to Do on Campus on Weekends...

2009-04-10T17:48:40Z

Weekends are great time for students to take a rest from classes. Apart from studying, cleaning the room, and doing laundry, there are also many other things to do on campus. Let's see my list of Ten Things to Do on Campus on Weekends.

]]> 1) Go to the football game. In fall, there is a football game on campus (if out team, the Golden Gophers, plays a home game). This is a very fun event to go and a good place to feel the pride of the university. People will sing school's songs and shout all game. Our mascot, Goldy, will be there. Also, this fall, we will start using our new stadium, the TCF Bank Stadium!!! It will be exciting to watch the game there.

2) Watch movie at night. Saturday night, around 7 o'clock, Coffman Memorial Union has a free movie for students. You can check what movie will be on screen each week from the Student Unions and Activities website.

3) Go to the recreation center. There, you can play various sports or you can just work out in the gym. There are several basketball courts, volley ball courts, and badminton courts. You can also go swimming there or you can go to the Riddle Arena nearby to play tennis. Check out their website: http://www.recsports.umn.edu/

4) Take a walk around campus. The weather is usually nice in Fall semester, so enjoy it! Take a walk around the beautiful campus and take some nice pictures.

5) Go climbing at St. Paul gym. For those who enjoy adventurous sports, go to the St. Paul gym and check this out!

6) Gophers after dark. This is a weekly night event from 10.00pm at Coffman Memorial Union. There are many activities at this event. You can find out what those activities are for each week at this website: http://www.coffman.umn.edu/afterdark/

7) Participate in intramural sports. Form a team with your friends and compete with others people on campus! There are various sports that you can compete: soccer, Frisbee, flag football, tennis, etc. I joined a soccer team last semester and it was really fun. It really helped me make friends as well. For more information, check the website: http://www.recsports.umn.edu/intramurals/index.html

8) Find some friends and play Frisbee. There are many fields around campus that you can enjoy playing Frisbee as well as other sports like soccer. Enjoy the nice weather in fall when you have chance!

9) Take some snacks, find a big TV, and watch NFL football games. Professional football usually plays on Sunday. After mid-season, there are games all day from 11.00am to 8.00pm, so find some friends and enjoy American games! Also, if you like basketball, hockey or baseball, there are usually some games on Saturday and Sunday as well. Minnesota has a franchise in each of these sports: Minnesota Vikings for football, Minnesota Timberwolves for basketball, Minnesota Twins for baseball, and Minnesota Wild for hockey.

10) Finally, go to special events on campus. Sometimes, there are special events on weekends like a concert, a comedy show, or a film festival. Check advertisements around campus or website: http://www.sua.umn.edu/ to find out what is going on!

Enjoy your weekends!!!