50 Questions You’ve Never Been Asked – Part 2

Remember when I did half of the 50 Questions You’ve Never Been Asked tag? Well, here’s the other half! If you missed the first half, read it here.

26. Do you know triplets? No. That would be really cool though.
27. Do you prefer Titanic or The Notebook? I’ve never seen either movie. But for the record, there was totally room on that door for both Jack and Rose.
28. Have you ever had Indian food? YES IT IS AMAZING AND THE VERY BEST.
29. What’s the name of your favorite restaurant? Um… It’s probably Yama Sushi. Again, I don’t eat out very much.
30. Have you ever been to Olive Garden? Yes. It wasn’t a life-changing experience, but it was decent food.
31. Do you belong to any warehouse stores (Costco, BJ’s, etc.)? I BELONG TO NO ONE.
32. What would your parents have named you if you were the opposite gender? Alexander. I totally would have been okay with that.
33. If you have a nickname, what is it? Fosi. My older sister came up with it when we were really young, it’s the two consonants in my name switched around. 🙂 it’s cute. Just fyi, she’s the only one who can call me that.
34. Who’s your favorite person in the world? Don’t make me choose only one!!!
35. Would you rather live in a rural area or in the suburbs? Depends on what time of life I’m in. As a teenager/young adult, I would prefer the city, but my childhood in the country was perfect and I would want the same for my own kids.
36. Can you whistle? Yes. I learned when I was… 10 maybe? and it was my greatest accomplishment that year.
37. Do you sleep with a nightlight? No… I actually prefer total darkness when I sleep.
38. Do you eat breakfast every morning? Yes, after all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
39. Do you take any pills or medication daily? I should take vitamins daily but I often forget.
40. What medical conditions do you have? Does bad eyesight count?
41. How many times have you been to the hospital? Once, to visit my mom when she got her appendix taken out. 🙂
42. Have you ever seen Finding Nemo? I watched it over and over again when I was a child, to the point where I actually got so sick of it that I didn’t watch it again for about 8 years.
43. Where do you buy your jeans? Wherever they sell a pair long enough.
44. What’s the last compliment you got? If “you’re right” counts, that was it.
45. Do you usually remember your dreams in the morning? Only if they were particularly memorable 😉
46. What flavor tea do you enjoy? Long Beach Sunset chamomile mint, only because it holds a ton of memories for me.
47. How many pairs of shoes do you currently own? 3 or 4?
48. What religion will you raise your children to practice? Christianity. I don’t think I need to elaborate, I mean I think that’s pretty obvious based on the theme of basically every post on this blog.
49. How old were you when you found out that Santa wasn’t real? I never believed in Santa. Santa was a non-issue. And before you ask, I did in fact have a beautifully magical childhood, even without a fake fat man in a red suit.
50. Do you have any strange or unique phobias? I am scared to death of needles, but that’s not strange or unique.

I really love doing these answering questions tags. It gets me thinking! It’s somewhat of a self-awareness exercise. It’s great! Anyway, hope you enjoyed yet another post full of weird and random facts about me. 🙂

50 Questions You’ve Never Been Asked

I don’t think this particular tag ever got really popular on YouTube, but I thought it was pretty cool. So here are my answers to the 50 Questions You’ve Never Been Asked Tag!

1. What’s your favorite candle scent? I really like straight beeswax candles… they have their own unique smell and I find the actual scented ones quite unpleasant.
2. What female celebrity do you wish was your sister? I can’t think of any female celebrities that I would actually want to be related to…
3. What male celebrity do you wish was your brother? Grant Gustin. Hands down. He would be the BEST brother.
4. How old do you think you’ll be when you get married? I have no idea… between 28 and 30 I think.
5. Do you know a hoarder? I actually don’t think so. I used to be the worst kind of hoarder but then I went to Mexico and had a change of heart about how much stuff I actually needed to keep around.
6. Can you do a split? HA NO.
7. How old were you when you learned how to ride a bike? I don’t know… I think I might have been 7 or 8 maybe?
8. How many oceans have you swam in? Only the pacific :0 I stood in the Gulf of Mexico when I was in Cancun, but didn’t actually swim.
9. How many countries have you been to? I answered this one in the Get to Know Me post I did here.
10. Is anyone in your family in the army? No… I don’t think? Not in my immediate family anyway.
11. What would you name your daughter if you had one? I’ve had more time to think about this one, and I think I would name my daughter Barbara.
12. What would you name your son if you had one? I’ve said this before, but I love the name Preston. That or James/Jim/Jimmy. Kind of really want a son named Jimmy.
13. What’s the worst grade you got on a test? A test or an assignment? On a test I think the worst grade I’ve ever gotten was like 69%. On an assignment, well, we’re not gonna talk about that.
14. What was your favorite TV show when you were a child? Hogan’s Heroes. I can’t remember any further back than that. 🙂
15. What did you dress up as on Halloween when you were eight? My family doesn’t celebrate halloween, so that wasn’t a thing for me.
16. Have you read any of the Harry Potter, Hunger Games or Twilight series? I’ve read the Hunger Games series which was barely worth my time, and never really wanted to read Harry Potter. As for Twilight, why would I want to waste my time on that? Sorry if this was harsh, but seriously, why.
17. Would you rather have an American accent or a British accent? I think that my “Canadian accent” is a nice happy medium and I wouldn’t want to change.
18. Did your mother go to college? She did go to school in Oregon for a while, can’t remember how many years though.
19. Are your grandparents still married? 3/4 of my grandparents have passed away, but both sets stayed married for as long as they were alive.
20. Have you ever taken karate lessons? No, but I did take aikido which is similar.
21. Do you know who Kermit the frog is? Yes, but I have no clue where he’s from and never actually saw him on TV or wherever he initially came from.
22. What’s the first amusement park you’ve been to? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think I’ve ever been to an amusement park.
23. What language, besides your native language, would you like to be fluent in? I’m working on fluency in Spanish, other than that I’d love to speak Russian, Italian and Japanese fluently. I just feel like they would come in handy. French too.
24. Do you spell the color as grey or gray? America: GrAy. England: GrEy. Canada: GrEHy. Draw your own conclusions.
25. Is your father bald? Nope 🙂

 

This is only 25. Stay tuned for part 2, with the other 25!!

#AppreciationPost

I constantly wonder if I’ve made any kind of a difference in other people’s lives.

I can’t be the only one who feels that way. Haven’t you ever wondered if you’ve made an impact on the people around you? I think that as Christians, we should continually be asking God to use us to reach people, and as humans, we like to know when we’re actually being effective.

I am a firm believer in the fact that God brings people into our lives for a specific purpose, whether it be to teach you something, to bring you comfort and community, to challenge you, or even just to walk alongside you for a time. I have seen this played out in my own life so many times. Because of this, I fervently hope that God has used me in the lives of the people around me. Not only that, but I would love to know if and how I’ve impacted other people’s journeys, just to have the assurance that I am successfully doing God’s work in this world. Doesn’t that make sense?

Think about, basically, anyone you have ever cared about. Okay, now narrow it down to three, because the average human has about 396 personal relationships in a lifetime and that is a very large number of people to be thinking about at once. 🙂 Wouldn’t you like to know if you made a difference in their lives? Okay, now think about the people in your life that have impacted you. Think about the people that God used in your life to encourage you when you were down, or to redirect you toward Him when you wandered from His path. Do they know how much their influence meant to you? I bet they would love to hear how God used them to bless you. Honestly, it is one of the most beautiful and effective forms of encouragement to hear that you actually made a difference in someone’s life, and don’t those people you were just thinking of deserve that?

That’s why I’ve made a point to tell people when they’ve made a difference in my life. There are so many people that I have met over the years who have taught me an important lesson, inspired me in my faith, encouraged me when I was discouraged, or given me a swift kick in the pants when I needed it most. The sad part is, I will never again see most of these people, and I deeply regret not having told them how much they blessed me. And honestly, if I could go back in time, I have a whole list of people I would want to talk to, to tell them how much they contributed to making me the person I am today. I can’t stress enough how important it is to tell someone how God has used them in your life. Even just a small expression of appreciation for the people who have affected you could go a long way in encouraging them, as well.

So thanks: to my incredibly patient mom and dad, to my beautiful sisters, and my dear friends. Thank you for continuing to inspire me, challenge me and encourage me on a daily basis. God has used you to bless me in countless different ways. I pray that He would continue to do so, and that He would give me the opportunity to do the same for you.

Learning to Drive

Learning to drive is probably the greatest and most stressful challenge in the life of the average 16-year-old… at least those who live in British Columbia, or other places where the age to learn to drive is 16. I’m going to be perfectly honest, it’s really, really hard. Crazy terrible hard. Super super insanely hard. You get the idea, right? I went for a drive today with Mom for the first time in probably 2-ish months, and getting back behind the wheel was, well, very very far from riding a bicycle.The funny thing about me is that I have this incessant need to be in control of everything. Meaning, I have a hard time leaving things up to God, even when it’s clear that there’s absolutely nothing I can do. You’ve probably picked up on that after reading the previous posts, eh?

Driving, however, is the one scenario where I am in complete control of what happens and, interestingly enough, I find it crazy scary. Of course it’s not a perfect metaphor, because I can’t control anything that the other drivers on the road do, but even when I’m on a lonely country road with no one else in sight, keeping control of that behemoth of a car is really stressful. After today’s driving lesson, I realized that I have a really hard time when under the pressure of actually being in control, so thinking that I can control every aspect of my own life is crazy, pointless, and let’s be honest, downright stupid. I guess it’s a good thing that God doesn’t make us deal with the pressure of being in control of our whole lives. It’s actually really nice to think that someone with perfect motives and flawless judgement has complete control over our lives, so we don’t have to worry about screwing up and causing irreparable damage.

The Importance of Having a Teachable Spirit

If you didn’t already know, I am a math tutor. I get crazy excited about things like Euler’s identity, Fibonacci numbers and the number 9, and I really enjoy passing that excitement on to other people. I can’t stress enough the fact that the primary goal I have as a tutor is to help my students find enjoyment and magic in math. If that sounded completely ridiculous, don’t worry because that’s not what this post is about.

Believe it or not, I’ve learned a lot from the few students I’ve worked with. I have to say, one of the most important things I’ve learned is that in order to have an effective tutor/student relationship, I have to be just as (or more) prepared to learn from my students as they are to learn from me. I have to be… teachable.

It’s much easier to be teachable as a student. It’s pretty much a non-issue, because being teachable is the only way you can make it through school. Those who refuse to humble themselves and allow themselves to be taught are generally the ones who struggle the most. It’s really quite easy to allow someone to teach you when there is no doubt that they know more than you do. Being teachable is a part of life when we’re growing up, and there really isn’t anything we can do about that. But as we get older, and learn more and specialize in our knowledge, it is much easier to allow our pride to tell us that we have nothing more to learn from anyone.

This is especially hard for educators. People whose careers are based on teaching others should wrestle with the fact that being teachable is a two-way street. A teacher who understands just how much he or she can learn from a student is far more effective as an educator than one who is adamant about passing knowledge to the students without receiving anything in return. I have had both kinds of teachers in my “vast high school experience” ;), and I have learned more from the former than from the latter.

I believe that everyone we meet has something to teach us, whether they are older or younger, more or less educated. Everyone sees the world differently, and to learn from another and see a glimpse of the world through their eyes is an enriching and important experience. I believe that we never stop learning, even when we finish our formal education we have so much more to learn about the world and life and human interaction. Book learning is not the end all and be all of education, and the sooner a person understands this, the sooner they become teachable.

“Those who learn more than they teach are the best teachers of all.” – Unknown

Eureka

Ever have those days when everything just goes so right, and fits into place and is just overall perfect?

That was my day today. 🙂

So, my day started out with a Student-For-A-Day class at Okanagan College. Wow. You probably know how insanely obsessed with physics I am, and that’s obviously the class that I participated in at the college this morning. It was – for lack of a superlative of greater impact – INCREDIBLE. I had such an amazing time, I surprised myself with how much of the college level class I understood, and being there just felt so right. I am still so hyper/excited, so much so that I feel sorry for my family having to deal with my intense euphoria about this whole day. The class itself was super interesting, it was a lab on vectors and equilibrium. Shoutout to Trevor, my lab partner, for being awesome. xD

Right after the class, I had lunch with a friend of mine by whom I have always been encouraged and inspired. I was super jazzed when I met up with her after the class, and talking to her and reminiscing about old times was just incredible. She also gave me a lot to think about, some spiritual insights on trust and peace and just waiting on God to do whatever it is to do with the time that you have. It was so encouraging to talk with her about her experiences and my hopes and dreams, and it contributed to having the absolute best of afternoons.

You know, it’s amazing to see God move in really obvious ways. Days like this just feel like a hug from Him, a whisper, or in my case a really loud shout from Him saying “I’ve got you, and I care about you, and I really do want to bless you”. It’s amazing to feel that encouragement in such tangible ways. It’s really easy to praise God on days like this, right? 🙂 The thing is, when we go through a tough time, we have to remember that we had days like this, and we have to have hope that a day of encouragement will come again. I know it sounds cheesy coming from someone who just had one of the best days of their life, but it’s true no matter what kind of day you’ve had. God has you in mind, and wants to take care of and bless you, in the good times and the bad! He never leaves us, never forsakes us, and the good days full of sunshine and rainbows WILL come again!

 

Darwin Was Darn Good at Titles

On the Origin of Species. Seriously, that would be the PERFECT title for this post, except it’s already taken. Anyway, in this post, I give my own informed answer to the ever-present question: Where did the world, and everything in it, come from?

God created the universe. I believe this statement wholeheartedly. Now, I have a scientific mind. I have a deep appreciation for modern science’s attempts at finding the answer to the question of “how did everything start?”. I don’t, however, believe that recognizing the validity of science and tangible fact means that I have to dismiss the possibility that the universe was designed by an intelligent creator. In fact, the probability of the universe having randomly taken a form suitable for life has been calculated at one out of 10,000,000,000¹²⁴. That figure is infinitesimal, bordering on impossible. Adding to that the intricate and thoughtful design of everything on this earth, from its very capability to support life to the labyrinthine processes of the human brain, it is far more logical to assume that an intelligent being was at work in setting the world in motion than to blindly follow the assumption that all the world came into being by chance.

At present, scientific data indicates that the universe is exploding outward from a point of infinite density, this point allegedly being the whole of three-dimensional space compressed to zero size. Even if the explosion of this singularity was indeed the beginning of the universe, the “big bang” as it were, where did that singularity come from? Everything has to start somewhere, science has proven over and over again that nothing cannot produce something. Matter does not just appear out of a void. Therefore, a deity without origin, one that has always been, one that is outside of time as we know it, is a reasonable explanation for the origin of this particular singularity.

In the words of author and Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias, “belief in a creator does not hinge on how he created”. The bottom line is: science itself denies the probability of life being a random product of time, matter and chance. Life cannot just pop into existence of its own accord, and nothing cannot produce something. Belief in a creator, whether considering a 7-day creation or a much longer time frame, is not a mere fancy of a child with an overactive imagination. It is a logical and educated option, based on a little scientific fact, a lot of faith and a measure of humility, as it involves admitting that maybe man is not the master of his own destiny.

Thanksgiving

So, I never really know if Thanksgiving is officially on the Sunday or the Monday, but my Thanksgiving post is happening today. Deal with it. 😛 (Update: Kristina just told me that it’s on the Monday, every single year without fail. HOW have I missed that?!)

I personally adore Thanksgiving. It’s such a family-oriented holiday, it takes place in my favourite season (fall, obviously), and it forces us to change our thinking and reflect on the many blessings in our lives.

In my family, we’ve made it a point to stop and share some of these things. Every year when we sit down for Thanksgiving dinner, we each take three kernels of corn to represent things that we are thankful for. We pass around a little dish, and every time it comes around to us, each person will put in one kernel and say something that they’re thankful for. It’s a really great way to share some of the ways God has blessed us in the last year, and it’s honestly one of my favourite parts of the whole dinner (next to the pumpkin pie of course 😛 ) This year I have so many more than just three things to be thankful for, but my very top three will have to do. So here they are!

1. My incredible experience in Mexico this year. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The Global Citizenship program gave me a taste of a beautiful and unique culture, as well as a plethora of valuable leadership skills and some amazing connections to students on the trip and the people we met in Mexico. Which brings me to #2…
2. The amazing new friends and kindred spirits I met in the last year. You all inspire me so much, and for so many different reasons. I have learned from you, laughed with you, and cried with some of you! Some of you have gone on to your own journeys, and some of you are still walking alongside me. Regardless, each of you in your own way have all contributed to making me into a better person/friend and for that I am eternally grateful.
3. My family. I am unable to put into words exactly how thankful I am that I grew up with this particular group of people around me. You all are the best and strongest influences on my life, and I would not be the same without you. I may seem like I’m in a hurry to strike out on my own and leave you guys, but rest assured I cherish every single moment I get to spend with you all. I always will.

I am honestly so very blessed, and so, SO grateful as always to God for all the incredible blessings He’s heaped upon me. It’s far too easy get bogged down by the many stresses and frustrations of everyday life, and soon enough we become so focused on our problems that we forget just how incredibly blessed we really are. I highly recommend taking some time this Thanksgiving to stop and reflect on the blessings you have in your life. Maybe even stop and take a moment to thank God and the people around you for everything they’ve done for you!

(sidenote: I’d love to hear your top three! Leave a comment describing some of the things you’re thankful for this year 🙂 )

9 Benefits of Homeschooling (for students)

So a while back I wrote about the common misconceptions of homeschooling, and I mentioned that a post on the benefits of homeschooling was coming. Here it is! Homeschooling is AWESOME. Like, actually really amazing. There are so many reasons to homeschool, and so many benefits. So I chose 9 to share with you guys, because 10 is too generic of a number. 🙂

So without further ado: 9 benefits of being a homeschooled student.

1. You literally have an instant community. If you’re just starting to homeschool, you might be a little apprehensive about the prospect of “losing your social life”. I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that that won’t happen. You’ve just entered a community of amazing, somewhat colorful people who generally will be able to hang out at 11 in the morning, as long as their mother can come and have tea with your mother and talk about school.

2. You don’t have to primp. You will never have to worry about looking cute for school, because the only people who will see you are your parents, siblings and the mailman, and let’s face it, they’ve all already seen you at your worst already.

3. You have way more options. If you dislike your online pre-calculus course, or can’t stand the Rosetta Stone method for learning languages, you can always switch over to an individualized program and choose your own curriculum!

4. You get midday field trips. The library, the mall, literally anywhere your mother is going… Running errands actually proves to be the perfect study break, and you could even get math credit for observing how the cashier uses the decimal system in her job.

5. You don’t need a bathroom pass. If you need to go, go. Just get up and walk out of the room. HOW AMAZING DOES THAT SOUND?!

6. You don’t technically have to use a desk. This of course depends on your parent/teacher. Mine currently lets me do work on the couch… begrudgingly. I don’t recommend doing your work on your bed (too many distractions) but if that works for you and your parent, go for it! Nobody’s keeping you at your desk!

7. You don’t have to deal with bullies/cliques. The only other students in your school are your siblings, if you have any. And when dealing with other homeschoolers, you’re all in the same boat and there generally isn’t judgement or maltreatment. Homeschoolers are pretty dang nice, man.

8. Your snow days, pro-d days and holidays aren’t determined by the school district. If it snows: “MOM? CAN WE GO PLAY IN THE SNOW?!” If mom’s not feeling well: “DAY OFF!!!” If your family is planning a vacation: “BRING THE G.A. HENTY AUDIOBOOKS!!!”

9. You get one-on-one help from your teacher. “MOOOOOM?! I DON’T GET IIIIIITTT!!” If I had a nickel for every time my mother heard those words… well, I’d be rich. But that one-on-one teaching really enriches the learning experience. I guarantee you will understand topics so much better than you would in a classroom.

These nine don’t even scratch the surface of everything amazing about homeschooling. It’s actually the best thing ever! If you’re just starting homeschooling, or you’ve been homeschooling for any amount of time, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the best things about homeschooling! Leave a comment down below!

 

 

Get to Know Me

I am an avid youtube watcher. Welllll at least I used to be, back in the day, before I had stuff to do. Anyway, I loved watching all those goofy “tag” videos, including the Get to Know Me Tag. I thought it was a cute way to tell people some obscure facts. My turn! 🙂

THE GET TO KNOW ME TAG

1. What is your middle name? Agatha. It was my grandmother’s middle name.
2. What is your favorite color? Orange, or cactus green. Funny enough, when I was a kid I thought they were the ugliest colors imaginable.
   
3. Who was your first best friend? Um… my sister Kristina. I’m homeschooled, remember? JK I had friends, but truthfully my sister was the only one that was always there.
4. How tall are you? I’m a proud 5’11, and I’m slowly less and less able to lord that fact over my guy friends. Sad face.
5. Cats or Dogs? I had a cat as a kid, and I’ve always wanted a dog. Honestly have no preference.
6. Funniest moment throughout School? I can’t really think of a specific moment that was funny, there are probably too many I’m forgetting.
7. How many countries have you visited? Several. Russia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Mexico, France, The United States of America… I think that’s it. 15. Family comment down below if I missed any.
8. Are you in/gone to college? Nope. Next year hopefully 😀
9. What was your favorite/worst subject in High School? Favourite? Physics. No Argument. Worst was probably P.E. to be honest. I was much more active in elementary school.
10. What is your Favorite drink? Well, if you mean alcoholic drink, I have no opinion 😉
11. What is your favorite animal? A PUMA. Or perhaps a panda… or a velociraptor in some unique cases…
12. What is your favorite perfume? I don’t wear perfume… I don’t know why but the smell bugs me.
13. Tea or Coffee? Coffee. I only drink tea when I’m sick.
14. What would you (or have you) name your children? I don’t have any, and I haven’t really thought about it, but I really like the name Preston.
15. What Sports do you play/Have you played? I don’t currently play a sport, but I’ve dabbled in basketball and volleyball in the past.
    
16. What is your favorite book? Too many to choose from. Anything by Bryan Davis, whatever I’m currently reading (unless it’s terrible) and anything and everything by Alex Bellos.
17. What is your favorite movie? Inception. BEST MOVIE. SO GOOD. Or the first three Bourne movies.
18. Are you Single or Taken? Single. Intentionally. Don’t get any bright ideas.
    
19. Whats your idea of an ideal first date? Probably….? Haven’t really thought much about it. I guess just coffee and chatting 🙂
    
20. How many Girlfriends/Boyfriends have you had? None. See Quesion #18.
    
21. Favorite memory from childhood? That time we went to Europe in 2006…
    
22. Do you speak any different languages and how well? English fluently, Spanish decently and Russian a teeny tiny bit.
    
23. Do you have any siblings? 2 sisters. Love ’em to bits.
    
24. How would you describe your fashion sense? Nonexistent. ❤
    
25. What is your favorite restaurant? Don’t eat out much. But my town has this incredible pizza place…
26. What are some of your favorite tv shows? White Collar, The Flash, White Collar, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and did I mention White Collar?
    
27. PC or mac? Mac…
    
28. What phone do you have? (iOS v Android?) ANDROID BABY
    
29. Tell us one of your bad habits! I get distracted easily… really easily.
    

So now you know a lot of really weird facts about me! Yay!

-Sofia ❤