Android and other random stuff

I'm currently working at Nandi Mobile. I love it here. The folks are friendly and best of all, they are helping me with the Android App of the century :). Yes I said it. Its exciting work for geeks like me..:). Hate to be called a geek but hey, what can I do? That's what others want to label me with. But I suppose it is better than a 'Legon student'. We all know what people think when they say 'Legon student' with that smirk on their faces. They think we are not serious people and like to have fun all the time. Every school has its fair share of non-serious students and serious students (like me...:)). After all, as the elders say in Twi, "efie biara, Mensah womu". But then again, people always give labels. What's with labels anyways? They are fun when you are on the giving side but not on the receiving side (sometimes). You are this, you are that,...and it goes on and on. Where do we draw the line? At the truth? At where the labels are against the law? Where?

Anyways away from rambling and back to my exciting app development!!! Yay..:)!

tuxradar

I just found this amazing site...http://www.tuxrader.com. It is simply amazing....nice code projects for beginner developers like me. It actually guides you to where to go, after you learn programming languages and you want to develop stuff but you just don't know what to do. It is cooooool...:). Can't wait to try out all the projects.

And oh, by the way, I'm back in Ghana now. The first two weeks were my adjusting period and now I can say I've very well adjusted to the heat and humidity (or lack of during this super dry harmattan), the time difference , I've adjusted to the dust everywhere, the frequent power outs, the use of old manual methods in this day and age of advanced technology....the food, the friends, the family, the lifestyle. I'm glad to be back home!

So check out TuxRader Linux! Adios~

Sometimes I can't believe myself

Sometimes, I'm soo lazy I put my spoon in my bowl and can't even bring it to my mouth so that I eat. And sometimes, I amaze myself at how disciplined I can be and how far I can push myself, when I have to.

Last week and this week have been evidence. I can't quite remember the last time I forced myself to do something I didn't want to, just because I had to. But I really did. I have exams and I've never studied like this in my life before. I outdid my self :). My philosophy about studying was if you are tired, go to bed. But last week, I discovered a new philosophy: if you have to, make up your mind to do it, set goals, set a realistic time limit, and achieve those goals, no matter what it takes, before the time is up. I've heard this a lot of times from motivational speakers and the likes but I haven't really practised it. Or if I have, I don't remember. I've discovered how to push my self and push my endurance limits, higher and higher. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength..:)!


And I'm going to apply this new found strength to every aspect of my life, even exercising (the dreaded word)...lol. How many of you have made up your minds to diet, exercise, set weight loss goals, blah blah blah, and have stopped along the way? Well, I want to say, if even I, as lazy as I can be, can push myself, you can too. Everyone else can!

And this leads me to this quote from Marianne Williamson I just remembered:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

And this is how Ama sees it!

Cloud computing

I'm sure most of you have all heard about cloud computing, a revolutionary but some what has always been around technology that is changing the way Internet service is provided.

I too, had heard about it but not until I had to write a 10 page handwritten report on techology did I learn more about it. I hate homework...but I love that it makes me learn :). And of course, waiting till the last minute to write this paper hasn't helped (typical student behaviour). 

But the more I learn about cloud computing, the more I realize how cool it is. Briefly,

Goodbye

Laziness is soo not good. I've managed to let it prevent me from documenting the amazing experiences I've had here in Seoul....

My time is almost up. As I prepare for finals and prepare to leave, I'm filled with excitement. I'm excited I'll finally get to see my family, friends and go back to what my life used to be like before I got here. In many ways, everything will be the same but some things will change. Because I have changed...for the better of course. I've grown in many ways.

As much as I'm excited, I'm also sad. One thing i don't like about travelling is saying goodbye. I guess no one likes to say goodbye. Goodbyes to good friend, good memories, good times. It is hard.

To the friends I've made in Korea, my happy endings, my inspirations, I can't replace you, I won't forget you.

Birthday parties, pyjama party, train trips, lunches and dinners, studying together, shopping, singing, noraeban, every nation church,teaching ghanian dance, sbf, samgiopsal, ramion, the library experience with the guys and our mini demonstration at the sookmyung's main gate, hangul, awesome korean language teacher, the talkative security man at int house 3, samgiopsal again, awesome sookmyung students, awesome international students, the guy in the yellow jacket..:),deleting my operating system and almost everything on my computer ...i won't forget

My Seoul Subway Experience

Oh My! I had a terrible experience yesterday. Well in retrospect, not soo bad...

I was just going for a Bible Study oo...and I had to use the bus and subway, on my own, alone, in a strange land, where everything is in a different language. Oh what a day! I had to ask soo many people for help at each step of the way. Some even offered to help me when I hadn't asked. I guess they could read the lost, confused look on my face very clearly. They were soo kind and helpful, even though some couldn't speak English. Those who invited me were also helping me a bit but then my cell phone battery died. As for the cell phone issue, I don't even want to get started on it. Anyways, I got to my destination safely, and met my host. I give thanks to God. Now, I can say I'm an expert on the Seoul subway system, and I can read maps very well now, a good that has come out of all the confusion I went through..:)

Seoul

Allright...so I'm in Seoul now, studying Computer Science for a semester (exchange program). I love Korea...the people are really friendly. From the Korean Air to Yongsan-gu, I've met really nice people, who are always ready with smiles.

Today was our first day of class. Finally...boredom over. When I was working during the vac, I just couldn't wait to get a break and when I finally finished, I was so bored stiff, I started to learn...yes, I, Ama, started to learn without anyone pushing me..lol...yes I was that bored.

But I love programming...it is fun. I don't need anyone to push me to code! And it looks like my classes this sem are going to be amazing. Algorithms (if I don't get an A in that course, call me ******)....who can guess what that is? Yea so algorithms, networking, systems interface (unix based...yay!!!) and database design and query language (that will be a bit boring...sorry Oracle, Microsoft Access, Postgres, Mysql lovers...you are my friends but y'all know I just love hardcore programming and not just business oriented solutions..:)).

We had a welcome party today, for all the international students. It was cool. But you know me. I'm not the 'hey, lets have fun, easy-going' type. So I did my best to be nice and friendly to those whom I came across. But if I came across as unfriendly, please forgive! And after the party, folks met somewhere to chill again and guess who was absent? Me. I was busy sitting behind my PC, coding...hmm...the pressures of my dreams.

Slowly, little-by-little, I will get there. I will achieve what I dream of.

Little by little, the light in the distance so far away, gets brighter each day.

Right now, I'm just living like no one else, so that later, I can live like no one else! Yea! That's right, Dave Ramsey! (His quote doesn't apply to money only...it relates to every aspect of our lives. Those who don't know him, check him out. You can click on his name. He's great!)

 The elements around are killing my creative spirit...I can't flow anymore. I'm sleepy now, and running out of words...:). I'll keep you posted!