International Woman of Mystery

How to Approach Applying for a Fulbright Award

LV — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:52:00 +0000

So I have been saying for months that I was going to write a blog specifically about how to approach applying for a Fulbright. The first entry focuses on the questions of What is a Fulbright? Why You Should Apply for one? and How You should Approach the Application. With this first blog post I would like to give an overview of the Fulbright process, provide a rough timeline, and then throughout the summer provide more detailed advice on how to approach the application. I would like to note that there are countless ways to approach the application, and it is different for every country, field of interest, and person so if anyone else out there wants to share their application experience, please please please comment, contact me, start a blog, etc. Read the blog here.

Global Poverty and Practice Minor Graduation Speech 2010

LV — Sun, 30 May 2010 03:06:54 +0000

A year after graduating, I was asked to give a speech at Berkeley’s 2010 GPP minor graduation. I was having a super difficult time writing this, so to get inspired I wandered around SF, got my tarot cards read, and then tried to write at a cute little tea shop in the Castro. Somehow, I ended up getting into an almost 4-hr long conversation with this guy sitting by me. We talked about our entire life stories…about the universe, our spirituality, and our place in this world (He was a leo, for those who are wondering). Anyways, at one point he told me, “You just gave me like 10 speeches in this conversation, so why don’t you write about any of those things”. I love those angels who come into your life for one fleeting moment, and they tell you exactly what you need to hear. Well to make a long story short (do I ever do that), I decided to just write an outline and get up and talk for the speech. Giving this speech was very rewarding, because it allowed me to put this past year into perspective. So here it goes…

Thinking Critically, Acting Positively, Growing Spiritually

I have had such a hard time writing this speech, and for everybody out there who knows me, you know I’m a talker. I am supposed to pass on my wisdom, but since graduating, I have never felt so lost. Fortunately for me, I have always thrived off the idea of being lost. I started romanticizing the idea of being lost when I got my driver’s license and realized that I had zero sense of direction. My sister would always get frustrated going anywhere with me, but I was constantly reminding her (and myself) that being lost was an adventure. Getting purposely lost is one of my favorite activities. You never know what you will discover. There is only so much you can learn from a guide, but there is limitless knowledge you can discover on your own. I guess that I am lucky that from a young age I became comfortable with not knowing where I was going and trusting in the universe to get me where I needed to go.

Since graduating, I have had to frequently remind myself of this. I can’t believe it has already been a year, but I am glad it has flown by, because this year has definitely had its ups and downs. No matter what you studied or what you set out to do, GRADUATING IS HARD. Of my group of best friends, one started a Ph.D program, one was doing Teach for America in Miami, one was running an NGO in Peru, some stayed in Nor Cal, and I moved home tirelessly searching for a meaningful job, yet all of us felt completely lost. I kept telling myself and my friends that it was okay for us to feel lost because this is a new phase of transition, but it is difficult to see this clearly while you are going through it.

It is the same thing you go through when you come back to Berkeley from your Practice experience and you can’t really define your feelings. You feel inspired, yet disheartened. You expand your global consciousness, yet you feel totally disconnected from your own reality. It becomes a “disorienting dilemma”, because you can’t quite figure out your place in this world. This is how I felt after coming back from working on a design/build project in Brazil after finishing my 3^rd year of studying architecture. My experience in Brazil helped me define what kind of architect I wanted to be, but defining what I wanted, made me realize what my architectural education lacked. It was difficult returning to my overly conceptual studio courses where we were never asked to think about what I found the most important aspect of our forms, the people.

It was the Global Poverty and Practice minor that salvaged my passion for architecture. It gave me the space to create my own path within my architectural education when I came back from Brazil—lost, but with a full consciousness of my responsibility in advancing my social architecture ideals. The Global Poverty and Practice minor freed me from thinking that success was defined by (very sarcastic tone here) working really hard in my major, taking boring internships, applying to top grad schools, and working in order to live a comfortable life. The minor made me realize that success was not about living comfortably, but about finding fulfillment by LIVING PURPOSEFULLY.

By Living Purposefully, I mean seeking to be aware of everything that has an effect on our motives, actions, values and goals, and being willing to live the truth of these values. The GPP minor constantly reminds us to be aware, which is the first step to living purposefully. Being aware enables us to critically examine ourselves and the world we live in. Before we go off on our practice experiences, we are taught to be aware of our actions and thoughts, so that we can participate in an exchange of care, knowledge, and respect.

This constant reflection and Critical Thinking holds us accountable to Acting Positively and behaving in accordance with that in which we see and know. This in turn leads to our own Spiritual Growth. By spiritual growth, I mean our ability to unlock and understand the depths of our own experiences and how we relate to the world.

The GPP minor gives us a lens to see the world, which does not stop with the end of our practice experience or graduation, but something we will carry on in whatever we pursue. The minor taught me that I will never find fulfillment in doing anything that doesn’t force me to think critically, act positively, and grow spiritually.

I actually quit my job the other day, because it was not giving me any of these things. Although I am still struggling with this period of transition, I have taken these lessons in and want to share them with you. When I graduated, I felt so much pressure to just get a 9-5 job or apply to grad school, but I realized that if I did these things just because it was expected of me and not because it was the right time and place for me, I would stop discovering for myself and never reach my full potential. The minor showed me that it was okay to be lost, because being lost allows you to find your own path. Graduating is such an amazing time for us to learn, discover, and grow. In my year of discovery, I starting working for LIVE! From the Future…with Stuart Paap (an internet comedy talk show), starting doing some improv/sketch comedy, working on a community organizing project in Wilmington, CA, and I will be starting a Fulbright in Brazil in 2011. The most valuable thing we have is our youth, so use it to your full potential. Don’t be afraid of this new period of transition. You are allowed to be lost. Follow your passions, do what you love, and don’t settle for anything or anyone that doesn’t force you to think critically, act positively, and grow spiritually.

“Extraordinary Machine” is one of my favorite songs by Fiona Apple. I live by this quote, “If there was a better way to go then it would find me”.

Mi Familia

LV — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:37:18 +0000

I am not joking when I say I come from the greatest family ever. Someone recently asked me to prove it, and I said “Challenge Accepted” (in the voice of Barney from How I Met Your Mother). We are just too hilarious for words. When you come from a gigantic family, you just never know what is going to happen. The more I analyze my mom and dad, the more it makes perfect sense that all 5 of us kids are all so crazy (in the best sense possible). My BFF Jason wrote songs for each one of my sisters (because they each called him begging for one), and I went through the massive amounts of footage I have, and made them each a quick video for their Christmas gift. I still have to make one for my mom and dad, but I am saving it for the next holiday.

Dude, My baby brother

Selina, My favorite Sister

Karina, My Mini Me/prodigy

Daniella, My Guaranteed Maid of Honor

It’s been awhile

LV — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:45:17 +0000

It looks like I haven’t added anything to here in awhile, but if you check out the Projects and Valdez Troop page there is a lot of new stuff. I have finally gotten comfortable living at home and stopped complaining about it. Who cares being 22 is about figuring life out. If I am still here when I am 26, then I can complain. Anyways, here is one of my latest films for my digital editing class. It makes me really want to just take off to another country right now.

An Abstract Adventure from lauren valdez on Vimeo.

Back Home

LV — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:51:59 +0000

So I have been living back home for almost 4 weeks now. It definitely has its ups and downs, but I have been enjoying this relaxing time to figure out my next steps and spending time with my babies. I am working as a producer for LIVE from the Future…with Stuart Paap, which is such a fun job; filming in LA, meeting celebs, hanging out with the crew, and learning a ton about film and marketing. Other than that I am taking a few film classes. I just got a new gig doing promotional videos for the science department at Cypress College, so basically I am just making a lot of films right now. Here is my first cheezy film class assignment. You might recognize the actress as Selina Elise Valdez and the original music by Jason Keller.

Wondering through the Park from lauren valdez on Vimeo.

Sanya got her hair did

LV — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 04:25:49 +0000

So this is way overdue, but I have had a busy last week transitioning to moving home, taking classes, and working a ton. But back when life was simple and good, about two weeks ago, we dyed Sanya’s hair “Chocolate Raspberry Truffle”. The 15 boys on the gymnastics team we lived with were always so confused by our womanly ways i.e. cooking, grooming, and smelling amazing (according to Jimmy). Imagine the their confusion when they smell toxic hair dye and hear Sanya and me yelling in the bathroom…well here is the story.

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle from lauren valdez on Vimeo.

Dedication to Cochabamba…6 months later

LV — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:47:32 +0000

When we are off and about working in other countries, it is not always all exotic, fun and games. Here is the story of us trying to leave Cochabamba after weeks of hard work and good times. Although these were some stressful days, (Emily was hospitalized, we had to fight everyday with the airline, etc.) they were some of the best of Bolivia. I want to give a shout out to Sanya and Laura who we got to spend more time with (after we had said goodbye to them); Andres for making sure we ALL got on a plane ride home; and to Daniel’s mustache.

Adios Cochabamba from lauren valdez on Vimeo.

Nicole ran the f-ing SF marathon!

LV — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:12:32 +0000

This past week has been crazy with the culmination of Nicole’s marathon. Saturday she was feeling a little anxious, so we wandered around telegraph, got tarot cards read, won free smart pens, and drank boba. Nicole had been hardcore training all summer, but she was worried it wasn’t enough. We never doubted her for a second…if anybody I know can run a marathon it is Nicole and perhaps my mom. She even missed out on the latest game night of settlers/poker at Shu’s and hasn’t had an alcoholic beverage in forever (we are making up for this fact this weekend, so please hit us up). Being marathon fans was super fun and tiring. Sanya and I spent hours making the most bomb signs ever (with help from Briant and the Cal Men’s gymnastics team…we are also going into business designing posters for all your cheering needs). We woke up early and chased Nicole around SF by bart, muni, bus, and running. She went way faster than we expected and we almost thought she was going to beat us on the bus to the finish line.

Nicole ran the f-ing SF MARATHON! from lauren valdez on Vimeo.

This is dedicated to Kyle Brady and his car

LV — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:02:10 +0000

I come home yesterday and Becca and Grace are standing on the front porch taking pictures, for what I thought would be a big event, but no these dresses were part of a series of outfits in a Monday afternoon round of dress-up. The only problem was that they had nowhere to go. Upon hours of requests, they finally get a car but nobody to drive until…SANYA saved the day being the badass from Oregon that she is with mad stick-driving skills. This video is a glimpse at the result. Spoiler Alert: There is a happy ending.

A Legendary McDonalds Trip from lauren valdez on Vimeo.

Hello world!

LV — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:02:14 +0000

For all of yall who find yourself wondering where and what in the world I am doing, this is site is for you. I am going to attempt to explain my adventures and projects; my wise views on life and the universe; and last and most important update stories and videos about the sitcom that is my 4 younger siblings plus guest stars.













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