I've started meeting quite a number of the international students and it's really fun. Tho I do thing I need to brush up on my conversational skils. Need to keep it going better.

So far, there is a person from Romania, France and Iran. And ALOT from korea. A handful from taiwan, one from Japan and one from HK and one from Singapore.


It's been interesting so far. Nothing good, nothing bad. I'm noticing certain characteristics of different people from different parts of the world. And also the different sort of locals here. Simple fact that california is such a diverse state with various nationalities like asians: thai, vietnamese, hk chinese, taiwan chinese, china chinese, koreans, japanese.... middle eastern: turkish, iranians, armenians... and others i probably ain't sure how to catogorise. And it's been interesting and also quite challenging to get myself understood and also understand them cos everyone has a different accent and I really need to slow myself down. Even when i'm speaking to locals. And even that is strange cos some of em can understand me fine while others can't. So.. i dunno.. seriously wonder if it's just me or the person listening.

And if any of you guys think i'm ever arty, well, there are some people who are even more so.. so much so that i wonder how they will earn a living doing that. These are the people who are really the sort who live for it. I'm guess I'm somewhat too material to really go to the arts side too much. I mean i do appreciate it to some level but I can't imagine doing that as something to feed me and to earn my tuition. So yeah... I do not intend to be a poor artist. Then again, I do not really consider myself such anyway.

but if these people can successfully make money from being all arts.. then it'd be really good for them. Cos to them, there is a purpose.

I once had a talk with a person I'd deem artist minded. Once in a while, I wonder where my photos would place in a world. OR films even. What real purpose do these supposed works of art have, commercial as they may be? I mean, what role does a film maker have in the world. I mean, it's not like society would stop functioning if there were no film makers as compared to a doctor. Then this person told me that the purpose is really to invoke a reaction and inspire.

Well, not neccesarily in these exact words but something to that effect.

And that's what I think my role as a photographer is in this world. Be it to shock, or disgust or even for empathy, for identity, for sympathy. My role is really to invoke a reaction in the viewer. Hopefully a positive one. But hey, one man's poison could be another's dessert (sorry, couldn't think of the right noun here). And ideally, our works as 'artists' should inspire people to excel, or to create something new. And creativity runs in every aspect of society. Even in the most menial and labour orientated tasks, creativity is essential. And if a painting makes you happy and gives you a sense of calm, then i think it's played it's role in the bigger machinery of society.

That's what I feel anyway.