#and instead appreciate that I'm privileged to have the ability to just be at home sick and enjoy my time recovering as best as I can

[dewvorce-flowers]

Self affirmations to myself : You started this blog so you could have a fun archive of stuff from the new fandom you just joined(that'sover a year now btw, been A Ride). Don't overthink stuff like seeming too online or how much you can reblog before it becomes annoying just because a small handful of people follow this now.

(Btw sorry if I ever ignore DMs I either forgot or my brain decided that actually answering will take too much energy)

[umichenginabroad]

Week 15: So long, Praha!

Dobrý den,

I have so many mixed emotions about my time here coming to an end. As busy as I was throughout the semester I truly believe I did a good job immersing myself in Czech daily life and culture and I'm proud of that. I definitely want to come back, just without the responsibilities that come with being a student 😅. 

We had our challenge project presentation panel, followed by our final ceremony signaling the end of the program. The company really liked our work and appreciated the extra time I put into compiling the document with action items for their tech team. 

Now all that’s left is cleaning up the common areas of the apartment, which I unfortunately had to do alone before Isy (a Czech peer) came and helped me. She’s an angel. 

Enjoy the views along the walk home from school and from my room for one last time with me.

Final Reflection

As I sit in the airport and reflect on my experiences, I’m overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude for the people I’ve met and all the unique experiences I had, in Prague and beyond. To better convey these thoughts, let me share with you a brief story that I feel encompasses my biggest takeaways from this semester abroad.

When I was solo traveling in Italy, I stopped in Milan for a night and decided to hang out at the bar of the hostel I was staying at before heading to dinner. A man who looked to be in his late 20s sat down next to me and we started chatting. He introduced himself as Dennis, a civil engineer from the Netherlands, who has been traveling throughout Italy chasing the recommendations of locals he'd met along the way. I sat and listened to his stories, admiring his ability to arrive in a new country without plans, developing an itinerary en route. After all, locals know best.

I was also surprised by his ability to take so much time off of work for travel. In the Netherlands, like many other countries in the EU, it's customary to have 6-7 weeks of paid vacation time each year. I was shocked. In America, there is no federal requirement for paid time off. In fact, many Americans don’t even use all their PTO, in fear that in taking time off they’ll fall behind on their work or hinder their career growth. We fell into this conversation in class a few weeks ago, and it enlightened me about all the workplace perceptions and expectations that don’t apply outside of the US. While the US is incredibly progressive in terms of fostering diversity in technical roles and schooling, the hustle culture is exhausting and counteractive to quality of life, balance, and even productivity. Not to mention the extreme costs associated with healthcare and having children, and the lack of maternity leave or protection. I feel privileged to have obtained this knowledge while studying abroad that I wouldn't have considered, or even fathomed, when thinking about working abroad post-college.

After an hour had passed, another woman in her early 20s joined our conversation. Polina’s a linguist, originally from Belarus, but has been living in Warsaw for the past decade. We bonded over staple TV shows of our childhoods, including ICarly, Victorious, and Drake & Josh, which fostered remarkably shared experiences despite growing up on opposite sides of the world. Soon after, we were joined by two more men, also engineers, in their 30s: an Italian named Marco and a German named Tim. We sat and talked in our group of five until the early morning hours. I learned more about cross-cultural communication and international living than I ever imagined I would in my time abroad.

On the next round of drinks, I’d been craving a coffee and put in an order for a cappuccino. I received unexpectedly strong opposition instead… It turns out ordering coffee after 11am is completely taboo in Italy. The bartender, with a mixture of amusement and adherence to custom, refused my request but compromised by serving me a shot of espresso: a subtle push to respect local customs and embrace cultural peculiarities.

When chatting a bit deeper with my new friends, it dawned on me how much power language held. There I was, a two-language speaker surrounded by people who spoke 4, if not 5, or more languages. Polina, the linguist of the group, educated us about languages and their roots, including Italic, Slavic, and Germanic. As solo travelers, we all shared an understanding of the power of communication when traveling; without English as a universal language, none of us would’ve been able to connect.

We got to talking about the aspects of our homelands we were proud of. Polina, with her roots in Belarus and Poland, praised the genuine, no-BS attitude of her people. Tim, with a more somber pride, mentioned Germany’s dedication to a conscious and cultured society after a dark historical chapter. Dennis talked up the networking and opportunity in the Netherlands, and recounted the legacy of the Dutch being the only Europeans to be allowed to trade with China and Japan in earlier days. I mentioned the diversity of the US, and how I’ve had the opportunity to grow up with friends from many different ethnic and religious backgrounds. And finally, Marco spoke about the Italian way of celebrating daily life and finding beauty in every situation. I knew this to be true, as just this afternoon I ran into a mall during a downpour of rain to discover tens of pairs dancing around a small speaker. I witnessed two teens, one teaching the other how to dance, then turned my gaze to a young woman joining an older gentleman dancing solo. Soon enough, everyone joined in on the camaraderie. 

Reflecting on these experiences, I recognize the profundity in this seemingly small conversation and the depth each of us brought to it through shared laughter, memories, and time. That's the essence of my journey abroad, embracing authenticity and connection.

Czeching out,

Reese Liebman

Computer Science and Engineering

Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA) CS Tech Career Accelerator in Prague, Czechia

[chokiipng]

Hay fever : Genshin various

a/n : suffering from seasonal allergies isn't fun . so instead of trying to do school work, i'm gonna write hcs to make myself feel better

character(s) : Xiao, Diluc, Kaeya, Albedo, Childe contents : fluff with a bit of crack (my specialty) + : reader has really bad seasonal allergies

Xiao :

he doesn't really understand tbh

he plays it off as a common cold at first and entrusts you with Verr, much to her annoyance. he didn't realize the true severity of the situation until a week had passed.

he's heard of seasonal allergies before, so it's not like he was entirely clueless, he just didn't know how to go about treating it.

because of this, he turned into a big ball of concern for the entirety of spring

he asked everyone he could for help, even that ginger haired harbinger (to which he had no clue since he basically lives on an iceberg)

this also happened to peek Zhongli's interest, who then took him to Bubu pharmacy to learn more. it took Xiao about 5 different interrogations to actually visit Bubu, he cursed himself internally for not checking there in the first place

of course, Baizhu laughed it off and informed the both of them on how allergies work, how they're triggered, and how to prevent/soothe them

if you sneezed/sniffled, he was immediately by your side with a tissue and some water. itchy eyes, he had a small bottle of eyedrops for you courtesy of Dr. Baizhu and Qiqi

it was amusing to say the least, watching a feared Yaksha running around frantically in order to soothe your allergies

of course, he soon picked up that it was because you went outside every goddamn day to complete commissions and to pick flowers for who knows who (Qiqi, you often found yourself picking herbs with her because who could say no to that face?)

he legit locked you in your room at Wangshuu Inn and did your commissions for you. he didn't want you in any pain, so he stayed with you when he finished all of his tasks

he didn't isolate you though, but if he takes you out he makes sure you take your allergy medicine (given by Qiqi, ty bby) and that you have a mask on

Diluc :

he never really experienced hay fever, but he knows the gist of it

he's heard stories of it from customers of the Angel's Share and was immensely grateful to the Archons for blessing him with immunity to seasonal allergies

but he wasn't prepared to catch you practically sneezing your guts out one morning

Diluc drops everything, much to Adelinde's horror, and orders for a box of tissues and water immediately. he whips out the blankets from under the couch that he knew you hid and props you on some pillows he fluffed in a panicked rush

the maids watch with a nervous chuckle as he runs around the mansion, completely forgetting about his shift at the Angel's Share and his nightly heroic duties

as soon as he calms down from the initial shock of how hard allergies hit you, he asks you how your feeling and if he can do anything

the next day he asks Donna (who stutters at his mere presence), who mind you is an employee at the Floral Whisper, since Flora isn't there herself about hay fever. he figured that people who worked at a flower shop would know about allergies caused by the pollen produced by flowers

he brings back medicine that you've been instructed to take daily as to lessen the affects of your allergies

despite his day duties, he offers to take up your daily commissions during the days you are physically unable to do them or just does them of his own volition

he trusts that the maids will take care of you in his stead

in the mean time, you're allowed to roam the city as you wish, but that's about it. he threatened Lawrence and Swan that they would feel the wrath of retribution if you stepped foot outside the city

Mondstadt was a land of eternal springtime, there was no way in hell he was letting you out of the city without his supervision

while all of this may be a bit much, he makes sure to let you know that this is just him caring for you. he doesn't want to seem overbearing and trusts that you know what's happening to your body and how to treat it

Kaeya :

he laughs at your demise

what did you expect ?

but he really is worrying on the inside

he makes sure to check in with Barbara just to make sure that you're not suffering from a lethal disease

once he knows that they're just seasonal allergies, (almost) all his worries subside and he sighs of relief

he notifies Jean beforehand (but sometimes forgets), he works considerably less during the time of your allergies since he doesn't really trust anyone else to take care of you

he also doesn't drink as much, surprising, he knows

he refrains from bringing you flowers as he usually does and instead spoils you with unnecessary affection

Kaeya doesn't worry as much since he puts faith in you that you know what's going on in your body. since they're seasonal allergies, he realizes that you must've gone through this before and know how to treat it

since you can't really cure it, you just act more cautious in the outdoors

he often accompanies you on your daily commissions and such, just to be sure that your okay. he takes over the moment you pause to sneeze or itch your nose even once

aside from this, he's the other reason why your allergies are unbearable

once they're all done and over, he teases you relentlessly about how reliant you were on him when in reality it was him doing your tasks of his own volition rather than you asking him. you told him several times that you could handle it, but he persisted nonetheless

he's more reasonable during your hay fever, and despite his unnecessary comments, you find it endearing

Albedo :

he is among the few men who are actually calm during the situation, but since when is he not?

he probably already has a remedy for you that greatly lessens the affect of your allergies

but even without it, he trusts that you know how to handle it

the only factor in here that would cause chaos-

is Klee

once Klee hears you sneeze all hell breaks loose in Albedo's workspace

she runs around everywhere looking for tissues and then ends up bringing Mondstadt's entire supply, which you and Albedo laugh nervously at

once Klee calms down, you explain the bare minimum of hay fever, which she manages to understand

while he has faith that you can treat it yourself, Albedo still recommends that you stay inside more rather than going out exploring and looking for chests, to which you sheepishly comply

Jean cannot thank you enough when it comes to Klee's behavior during this season, as Klee tends to spend more time at home with you and Albedo once you finish your commissions so that "you don't feel lonely!"

she even drew you a picture to show how much she cared!

if you can't sleep at night because of your allergies, Albedo (who is probably still up working) will gladly allow you to indulge in his studies or to just simply read with you until you fall asleep

he too is also happy that you managed to tame Klee

Childe :

this man has no idea what the fuck hay fever is

need I remind you that he grew up in the land of perpetual winter, hay fever doesn't even exist to him. unlike everyone else, he hasn't even heard of the concept

so when you hold a finger up during your weekly sparring, he pauses with a curious tilt of his head

he screams in horror as you sneeze out all of your bodily fluids not once, not twice, but three times

Childe calls off the spar and cradles you in your arms as if you're about to die

it's until he rushes you to Baizhu in a panicked frenzy that he realizes that its...a fever?

now Baizhu is a patient man, he had to raise a zombie child who basically loses her memory each time she wakes up and wields a sword/cryo abilities

but he was getting tired of Childe's endless questions quick.

Childe shrieks as the normally passive pharmacist slams his hands down on the counter with a sickeningly sweet smile

he ceases in his questions, apologizes for bothering him, and races back to the Northland Bank in a cold sweat

it takes you explaining it in a calm voice for him to finally understand it

and he takes this very seriously

while he knows that it's seasonal and that you've gone through it before, he can't help but worry for you

he coddles you, and he doesn't relent even if you tell him

he slaps a mask on you, takes away your fighting privileges, and even order his subordinates to keep an eye on you at all times

that is if he's not already

he clings

he's attached to you

he just wants you to feel better, and you appreciate it, but it can get a little too much sometimes

and while you do tell him this, the same situation happens every year when spring comes around and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Baizhu can't catch a break from the rowdy harbinger

[mayakern]

hi maya! i've been following you for years and you've been a big inspiration to me! i'm moving back to my home state in 9 months and when that happens i want to be a full time artist. i've started emailing art directors and opened up commissions, but generally i can't get people to engage with my work. i'm coming to you because i've seen you try so many things throughout the years. if you have any insight, or if i need a reality check, it would be greatly appreciated! thanks for reading!

i don’t know you and i don’t know your situation so i can’t give you any specific advice, so i’ll try and just type out some general “i wanna do art online” tips:

1. make your art easy to find. whether that’s a separate art blog or a prominently displayed art tag, just make sure people can find it within 1-2 clicks!

2. keep practicing, keep doing things you enjoy, keep posting. online following is a snowball. it goes painfully slowly for ages and ages and ages. once it starts to pick up, the rate tends to increase exponentially. there’s also a lot of luck involved. it’s hard to predict what will or won’t resonate with people, so just try to make sure that you genuinely enjoy whatever you make.

3. if you approach working professionals/people you admire for help, demonstrate off the bat that you are familiar with them/their work and keep your email/message brief and be polite. well known/popular artists get a lot of cold emails/messages from all sorts of people, and most frequently from people who just see a follower count or a popular post or something and cold email them without any care or specificity to them as a creator. these sorts of emails usually get dismissed out of hand. 

if you are looking to someone for help, be sure there is something specific about them that resonates with you that’s more than just “i see you are popular or successful and i also want that.” no one really likes getting those emails/messages because it feels like they could go to anyone as long as they had a high enough follower count or worked at X company. instead, look at their work or accomplishments and go “this aspect of this person’s work speaks to me, they work this job that interests me, i want to learn, etc.”

AND AGAIN: KEEP IT BRIEF. it’s really tempting to want to perfectly explain yourself/your situation, but you are a stranger and most people working in art are pretty busy, and you are not the only person sending them this kind of inquiry.

for art director stuff specifically, i recommend reading through @dearartdirector. i’m not an art director so i can’t help with that.

4. remember that online following/popularity and success are NOT the same things. i know plenty of popular artists who struggle financially, who can’t break into the industry. i know tons of working professionals who have very small online followings. i know in this hyper connected world, it is very easy to conflate those two things. DON’T DO THAT.

5. similarly, it is very easy to compare yourself to other people and to feel inadequate because others seem to have an easier time of it. this is a horrible illogical thing your brain does to spite you, don’t listen to it. you don’t know other people or their stories. you don’t know their struggles. lots of people work very hard and experience hardships that you will never be aware of, but it will seem externally like they have an easy time of it. it’s the old duck in the pond thing -- above the water they look serene and easy, underwater their flippers are going crazy to churn water.

6. it is okay to fail. everyone fails. it is not shameful or a waste of your time. it is just part of being alive and trying to do something you love.

7. similar to 6 -- be careful with your notions of what failure even means. it’s ok to not work in art, it’s ok to work part time, it’s ok to do whatever you need to do (that doesn’t hurt others) in order to find your way to a happy and sustainable life. similarly, being able to make money off your art is not necessarily a question of skill. there are... a lot of factors. you should not tie your worth to money in general, but you especially should not tie your value to your ability to monetize your art.

8. this is going to be an unpopular one... do not let your passion or desperation control you. sometimes the healthier thing is to not pursue something you love. i had to give up comics after years of making them because even though i loved them, they were terrible for my mental and physical health. it’s ok to love something and let it go and it’s ok to let your goals change. it is not worth ruining your health just for the privilege of making things. 

there are a lot of exploitative companies that will try to leverage this to make you take work for terrible pay and no rights. those jobs are never worth it. it is almost always better to do a non-art job and pour that time and love and passion into a project you care about, rather than being someone else’s cheap labor.

9. make friends who are around your age and skill level. i know it’s tempting to want to reach out to artists you admire and try to befriend them -- but it is not comfortable on the other end. usually those artists will be significantly older than you and in a different place in their lives and from their perspective, you are a stranger who is only interested in them because they make a thing you like. it’s a very awkward situation to navigate because you are not treating that creator as an individual, but rather as the conduit for Content You Like.

it is important to find peers to learn and grow with. real, genuine friendship will do so much for you as a person and an artist.

also -- older creators who are very receptive to young, untried artists and who easily let them into their space on the pretense of friendship or mentorship... i won’t say this is always a bad thing, but it can be indicative of bad intentions. there is an inherent power imbalance in that sort of relationship and there are people who will exploit that. this is a painfully common practice

this is a sour note to end this on, but it is a very important one. recently we have seen many industry pros in comics, games, and animation get ousted for exactly that sort of behavior. it sucks that it is a thing we need to look out for -- but it is.

[voidendron]

V'ehsz Legacy: "What If?" AU

I've been

stewing over this for A WHILE

so!

the point of this AU is...somewhat?? of a swap!AU, tho not quite. it's kind of...what may have happened if something in their lives changed to send them into a different class/personality from their canon selves

I'm still undecided who the Outlander for this AU is, but considering one of the Force-sensitives this time

Terrin, now Celiin, was never found by Kaal, and thus raised by Ascendency members after the deaths of her birth parents unlike for Canon V'ehsz. She becomes an Imperial spy, and is deathly loyal to the Empire. Though still reckless at times and having kind of a mouth on her, she's far more no-nonsense than her canon self and doesn't appreciate stupidity.

He and Qizulth pretty much swap places for this AU. The Hutts discovered Synnda on Ryloth before the Jedi could in this universe. He was taken into slavery, and later sold to a Sith who discovered his Force-sensitivity shortly thereafter. She began training him as her personal assassin, and only sent him to Korriban when forced to do so by a Darth. Though not needlessly cruel, he's far more willing to strike someone down than his canon self and doesn't hesitate to use the dark side.

Ki'zulthevrynn showed signs of Force-sensitivity from a young age, so his mother chose to send him to the Jedi so he could properly be trained. He learns the art of healing, and stands as more gray than strictly dark or light. He's less childish than his canon self, but still filled with curiosity with the world and cultures around him. He and Synnda still form a queerplatonic bond upon joining the Alliance.

She and Azan swap places. Leo's mother unknowingly sent her with a Sith instead of a Jedi, and was thus raised in a life of luxury and privilege by a rich Sith couple who found the Empire's xenophobia foolish. She's cold and aloof, taking her position of Wrath extremely seriously and using it to better the Empire to the best of her ability.

Azan started her training on Korriban and became apprenticed to a Sith Lord, though shortly thereafter sneaked out of Imperial space because she didn't agree with how it ran things, and was horrified with its treatment of aliens and slaves. It took time, but she was able to convince the Jedi to take her in, and learned to protect those in need.

Rather than risking arrest, execution, or banishment by the Ascendency for slicing into government networks, Xaerez fled Chiss space in his late teens. He watched the conflict between the Republic and Empire for a time, before eventually choosing his side. Though it took time for him to gain its trust, he eventually found himself in its military - and later, the commander of Havoc Squad.

Instead of joining the Republic military, Varrich finds another way to help his planet: Smuggling, and crime. Still cold and aloof, but also uncaring about the Republic from the very start of his campaign. His only interest is wiping out the Empire that holds his home - Balmorra - hostage. He and Xaerez have had multiple run-ins, but Xaerez has yet to be able to arrest Varrich.

After his siblings and ship are taken away, Jen struggles to make ends meet. He turns to bounty hunting for easy credits. Though he wears a smile and brings snark to the job, the humor never reaches his eyes and he never hesitates to pull the trigger. He feels alone in the galaxy, but hey - at least credits can bring him joy for just a little while.