"Where there is yang, there will be ying"

Struggles. This is what life is about. Life doesn't just hand you lemons. It hands you piranhas. Now what in the world do you do with piranhas?! Well, my name is Lishan Mu and I have a hand full of piranhas right now. Actually, it almost seems like my finger just wrestled with a piranha.

Yes, struggles. This is my yang for the next month and a half hopefully. My fraternity has a solid chance of going pretty far in flag football intramurals this year and I was ecstatic to be a part of the team. Then, two weeks ago, I meet a faithful spandex shirt of the quarterback that caught my finger and fractured it. Now, you may be thinking, Michael Vick, are you sure it is broken? Why is it yellow? My friends, yes, it is broken and it is yellow because I have Asian parents. Now some of you are laughing while the majority of you and sitting in confusion as you read this. Is he making a racist joke? No. After seeing the x-rays from my "western" doctor, my mom insisted that we consult a more profound, experience "eastern" doctor. We pull up behind this building across from China Town in Chamblee, Georgia and walk up to this sign-less door. A few knocks later, we were inside embraced by the presence of a old, kung fu looking master with his family eating dinner and watching The Price is Right. Within minutes after explaining my finger situation, he proceeds to sigh at the "western" doctor's splinting (as shown in picture) and throws eastern medicinal liquid onto my finger. He then begins massaging my finger... AND THEN HE YANKS AT IT! He explains that it is offset and he is trying to put it back in place. REALLY?! No beuno my friends. I was in pain. We left $40 poorer and a yellow, stained finger as a by-product.


With piranhas aside, my yings are looking good. I have finally been paid by the company. I am a starving college kid and money always results in good things. You may be asking me, why are you moneyless? That is, of course, a dumb question. I spent it all. On what? On this:

Yeah. This is a great way to spend my co-op money. I came into college having a few goals: find a co-op and study abroad. As I move into my third year here at Georgia Tech, I can confidently say I have done both. I have been to so many places, seen so many cultures, and talked to so many different people, that it is hard to believe that that chapter of my life is over, for now. This is how I have been living my life, and it might not be for you due to the severe repercussions that I am about to take upon. Spring 2011: Co-op. Summer 2011: Metz, France (GTL). Fall 2011: Co-op. Do you see where the yang is yet? I have a year off of school essentially. But that is the thing, I have a year away from school. Reality check might come in sooner than I thought. But I don't regret a single minute of it. This summer was the greatest summer of my life. To do it right, make sure you are able to spend to make the most out of your trip. No regrets right? The places I've been in Europe are awe-inspiring and I wish that I had more time over there. It is a place for a young man (or woman) to grow into who they have always been destined to be. You literally learn to fend for yourself. You grow accustomed to no longer relying on your mom or dad to make you lunch and dinner, wash your dishes, wash your clothes, take out your trash, make you do your homework, plan your weekends, book your trains, book your hotels, or even buy your toilet paper. This is the real world and reality kicks in quick, especially when you don't know the language.

Now you have learned a little bit about how "dough boy fresh" I am, more to come on how I became such a great soon. More stories as my year progresses and I take a few steps closer to what all graduates fear. The yings and yangs of the real, working world.

NC State this weekend.

Lishan Mu