Saturday I experienced some random culture shock that is pretty funny to me...
Alyssa dropped me off at Latte Da after we listed to country music on the 20 minute air-conditioned drive into Vermillion in her car. I told her to have fun at work and didn't kiss her good-bye. I walked into an empty coffe shop. When a cashier surfaced she took my order in English and in record time. She made my change while I still had my wallet out. And, while I waited for her to whip up my Carmel Nut Heaven, I read a short article on the MN Viking's Pre-Season worries- in English. Finally, she brought my drink out to me in like two minutes and thanked me- in English.
Pretty much none of this would ever happen to me in Brazil, lol.
Monday, July 30, 2007
sisters.
I just want to document the fact that I have some pretty awesome girl friends. I was just thinking of them today and how great they are, how much they care about me. I talked with like 5 of them in a span of 3 hours tonight which was fun because I'm chillin' alone in the FH tonight.
They just rock! I can't believe what great relationships I have with them and how much they teach me and bless me probably without knowing it. They are truly like sisters to me and it doesn't matter that we'll part ways soon because I know we'll be friends for a long, long time.
That all sounds really corny and cliche but it's so true. :]
They just rock! I can't believe what great relationships I have with them and how much they teach me and bless me probably without knowing it. They are truly like sisters to me and it doesn't matter that we'll part ways soon because I know we'll be friends for a long, long time.
That all sounds really corny and cliche but it's so true. :]
Sunday, July 29, 2007
second call.
[this is kind of part two of the post right after this one (but before this post in terms of the date)].
I've been reading 'The Ragamuffin Gospel' since I've been back from Brasil. I love this book. In my current venture through the 200 page paperback, I've pulled even more from it than in previous readings, and have been able to better apply it to my life, which is always a good thing. Recently I read a chapter towards the end entitled 'A Second Call' (which I read this past week after hearing the sermon on first loves. God was definitely trying to get through to me this week).
Brennan Manning talks about a crises of Faith Hope and Love in this chapter- several things stuck out to me:
1. Routine makes things dead. Each day is new. 'The moment I think I understand is the moment I don't understand.'
2. 'If our faith is going to be criticized, let it be for the right reasons.' Not because we are emotional or passionate but that we are not emotional or passionate enough.
3. Christianity doesn't deny the reality of evil and suffering.
4. Our God's love is not dignified at all. And that's the way He expects our love to be. Manning describes His love as even embarassing at times- God wants the same from us. And even for us to love others in the same embarassing way.
5. God 'expects more failure from me than I expect from myself.'
6. 'The Christian with depth is the person who has failed and has learned to live with it.'
7. 'The real challenge of Christian growth is the challenge of personal responsibility.'
That's a lot of heavy stuff. Perhaps the 7th idea sticks out to me the most- while the others are all things that I understand, or have no heard, or know I don't have a clue about, the final statment on growth has been evident in my life this summer, and it's something I've come to realize through both things I've accomplished, and things I haven't but have wanted to.
That's a really long sentence. Basically, I've been growing a lot in the area of personal responsibility and while I still have a lot of growing left to do, it will hopefully take place over the rest of my life in due time.
I've been reading 'The Ragamuffin Gospel' since I've been back from Brasil. I love this book. In my current venture through the 200 page paperback, I've pulled even more from it than in previous readings, and have been able to better apply it to my life, which is always a good thing. Recently I read a chapter towards the end entitled 'A Second Call' (which I read this past week after hearing the sermon on first loves. God was definitely trying to get through to me this week).
Brennan Manning talks about a crises of Faith Hope and Love in this chapter- several things stuck out to me:
1. Routine makes things dead. Each day is new. 'The moment I think I understand is the moment I don't understand.'
2. 'If our faith is going to be criticized, let it be for the right reasons.' Not because we are emotional or passionate but that we are not emotional or passionate enough.
3. Christianity doesn't deny the reality of evil and suffering.
4. Our God's love is not dignified at all. And that's the way He expects our love to be. Manning describes His love as even embarassing at times- God wants the same from us. And even for us to love others in the same embarassing way.
5. God 'expects more failure from me than I expect from myself.'
6. 'The Christian with depth is the person who has failed and has learned to live with it.'
7. 'The real challenge of Christian growth is the challenge of personal responsibility.'
That's a lot of heavy stuff. Perhaps the 7th idea sticks out to me the most- while the others are all things that I understand, or have no heard, or know I don't have a clue about, the final statment on growth has been evident in my life this summer, and it's something I've come to realize through both things I've accomplished, and things I haven't but have wanted to.
That's a really long sentence. Basically, I've been growing a lot in the area of personal responsibility and while I still have a lot of growing left to do, it will hopefully take place over the rest of my life in due time.
first love.
Last week at Hillside one of the elders gave the message since PT was on vacation- he told the congregation he was interested in preaching about something he is currently struggling with-- thus losing his first love. It was one of those moments where you blink hard and say to God- Wow, that's perfect timing on your part. Touché.
Apparently the only place the phrase 'first love' shows up in the NT is in Revelation. Interesting. Any way, the passage (2:1-7) is written to the church in Ephesus and can kind of be broken down in to two parts: 1- Good stuff they do, and 2- stuff they are forgeting. The parts are separated by the conjunction 'but.' The speaker made the point that when you give someone a compliment and then say 'but ...' they often just focus on the part after the but.
So forgeting your first love. Chances are this has probably happened to any Christian at least once in a small degree. It's happened to me in a small scale this summer. Every since project I've been very apathetic towards growing in my walk, reading my Bible, etc. Oops. And this coming from someone who just went on a 6 week missions trip overseas. I basically let myself slack off and think I went 6 weeks with steady, solid growth- what's two or three weeks? I deserve time off. Time off? I seem to have made a silly excuse that because I am not provided specific times for prayer and time with the Lord and evangelism, it's ok to not do any of that so I can have some 'me' time. Wow.
Apparently the only place the phrase 'first love' shows up in the NT is in Revelation. Interesting. Any way, the passage (2:1-7) is written to the church in Ephesus and can kind of be broken down in to two parts: 1- Good stuff they do, and 2- stuff they are forgeting. The parts are separated by the conjunction 'but.' The speaker made the point that when you give someone a compliment and then say 'but ...' they often just focus on the part after the but.
So forgeting your first love. Chances are this has probably happened to any Christian at least once in a small degree. It's happened to me in a small scale this summer. Every since project I've been very apathetic towards growing in my walk, reading my Bible, etc. Oops. And this coming from someone who just went on a 6 week missions trip overseas. I basically let myself slack off and think I went 6 weeks with steady, solid growth- what's two or three weeks? I deserve time off. Time off? I seem to have made a silly excuse that because I am not provided specific times for prayer and time with the Lord and evangelism, it's ok to not do any of that so I can have some 'me' time. Wow.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
yes, again...
i was at work the other day assembling IRs and i grabbed some battery wire thingers, which are bound by a rubber band in groups of like 50 and they were flopping all over so I grabbed the buddle with both hands...and all i could think about was the fact that they resembled a bouquet of wedding flowers. ah! what's wrong with me! seriously. maybe it's the fact that everyone i know seems to be getting engaged or married ... or whatever. anyway, i finally figured out the colors that i like...turquoise for dresses, cream flowers? maybe pomegranate colored flowers. hm these are actually kind of similar to the colors on this page. odd. anyway, i think i've got some time to decide...
Thursday, July 19, 2007
finally- a decent job.
I recently learned that I am good at monotonous tasks. And wireless driveway alarms are really cool.
My new job is to assemble them from 9-5. I really like it. I sit at a desk and assemble various parts and components to different models of wireless driveway alarms. That's about it. Sometimes I get to test the wiring and hear the chimes the alarms make. I'm kind of sick of the chimes already. Another plus- we get paid every Monday. And even though I'm only working for six full weeks I'll make enough to pay rent for my first semester. But I'll still work there during the year. Hello savings account. Finally!
My new job is to assemble them from 9-5. I really like it. I sit at a desk and assemble various parts and components to different models of wireless driveway alarms. That's about it. Sometimes I get to test the wiring and hear the chimes the alarms make. I'm kind of sick of the chimes already. Another plus- we get paid every Monday. And even though I'm only working for six full weeks I'll make enough to pay rent for my first semester. But I'll still work there during the year. Hello savings account. Finally!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Night.
I just finished reading 'Night' by Elie Wiesel, a survivor of the Holocaust. He was a teen when he and his family got transferred from his home in Transylvania to several concentration camps including Auschwitz and Buchenwald. The book won the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize and is one of the best I've ever read.
Wiesel's story is an interesting one. Some people in his home town, Sighet, were deported one day, including a crazy friend of his, who escapes later and comes back to warn Elie. Life continued normally as his friend told horrid stories of infants being tossed into the air and used as targets for machine guns. Throughout the weeks and months, the Jews in his town remained optimistic, especially with encouraging reports from the Russian army. Suddenly one day the Germans invaded Sighet, but people got a good impression of them and kind of lived in ignorance of what could happen to them. Slowly, things began to change. Synagogues closed, the Jews were moved into specific ghettos in their town, forced to wear the yellow star, etc.
"The ghetto was ruled by neither German nor Jew; it was ruled by delusion."
Finally the order came- they were to be moved to Hungary to do factory work. Even to the last moment, people clung to hope that the order might be rescinded. On his march out of the city, Wiesel takes note of his father's reaction to their situation- tears. He had never seen his father cry. There was no distinction of class or financial status- "we were all people condemned to the same fate- still unknown."
Wiesel was separated from his mother and younger siblings, lying to the guards that he was 18 (he was 15) so he could stay with his father. They were loaded into cattle cars, forced to stand for days on end with little food and water. Finally they pulled into a station. "Someone near a window read to us: 'Auschwitz.' We had never heard that name before."
They thought conditions were good- only the young would work in factories, families wouldn't be separated, the old and sick would work in the fields. "Conditions were good. Confidence soared."
When they were able to leave the cattle train, they saw a tall chimney and huge flames, and the air reeked of burning flesh. Families were immediately separated, and Wiesel met some veteran inmates who scoffed at them, saying 'Didn't you know what was in store for you here?'
"I pinched myself: Was I still alive? Was I awake? How was it possible that men, women, and children were being burned and that the world kept silent?"
"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp...those flames that consumed my faith forever...moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes."
"A few SS officers wandered the room, looking for strong men. If vigor was that apprecaited, should one appear to be sturdy? My father thought the opposite- better to not draw attention. We found out later we were right." A man from Wiesel's hometown found out they were in his camp and sent them a note. Having been chosen because of his strength, Wiesel found out that he had been forced to throw his own father's body into the furnace.
One time Wiesel and his father were moved to a building with no floor. The inside was covered in mud, and soon after arriving, officers came to take people's shoes, if they had a decent pair. Wiesel did have a new pair- but they were covered in mud and were never noticed. "I thanked God, in an improvised prayer, for having created mud in His infinite and wondrous universe." Shoes, gold teeth- anything of value was taken from the inmates. Wiesel narrowly escaped giving up his gold tooth, until an SS discovered it one day. Wiesel would still not give up his crown, until the soldier beat his father everyday for two weeks until Wiesel allowed him to pry it off his molar with a rusty spoon.
It was at Auschwitz that Wiesel's arm was engraved and from then on he had no name- he was A-7713. He recalls memories of tens of thousands of inmates standing in rows while the SS checked their numbers.
Often Wiesel compares the officers and situations to animals- an SS officer with the neck of a bull, hands resembling a wolf's paw, SS men choosing who to throw into the crematorium as if they were selecting cattle.
One time he and his father were hauling cargo and his father got in the way of a German soldier- while he watched the man beat his father with an iron bar, Wiesel recalls watching the event in silence, not wanting to help. In fact, he claims he felt anger not at the soldier but at his father for not being able to avoid the man's wrath.
I could write several hundred more words about my reaction to the book- but if you have a few hours, (it's only 115 pages) read it for yourself. It's been awhile since I read a book this detailed, dramatic and dreary, but I just couldn't put it down.
Wiesel's story is an interesting one. Some people in his home town, Sighet, were deported one day, including a crazy friend of his, who escapes later and comes back to warn Elie. Life continued normally as his friend told horrid stories of infants being tossed into the air and used as targets for machine guns. Throughout the weeks and months, the Jews in his town remained optimistic, especially with encouraging reports from the Russian army. Suddenly one day the Germans invaded Sighet, but people got a good impression of them and kind of lived in ignorance of what could happen to them. Slowly, things began to change. Synagogues closed, the Jews were moved into specific ghettos in their town, forced to wear the yellow star, etc.
"The ghetto was ruled by neither German nor Jew; it was ruled by delusion."
Finally the order came- they were to be moved to Hungary to do factory work. Even to the last moment, people clung to hope that the order might be rescinded. On his march out of the city, Wiesel takes note of his father's reaction to their situation- tears. He had never seen his father cry. There was no distinction of class or financial status- "we were all people condemned to the same fate- still unknown."
Wiesel was separated from his mother and younger siblings, lying to the guards that he was 18 (he was 15) so he could stay with his father. They were loaded into cattle cars, forced to stand for days on end with little food and water. Finally they pulled into a station. "Someone near a window read to us: 'Auschwitz.' We had never heard that name before."
They thought conditions were good- only the young would work in factories, families wouldn't be separated, the old and sick would work in the fields. "Conditions were good. Confidence soared."
When they were able to leave the cattle train, they saw a tall chimney and huge flames, and the air reeked of burning flesh. Families were immediately separated, and Wiesel met some veteran inmates who scoffed at them, saying 'Didn't you know what was in store for you here?'
"I pinched myself: Was I still alive? Was I awake? How was it possible that men, women, and children were being burned and that the world kept silent?"
"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp...those flames that consumed my faith forever...moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes."
"A few SS officers wandered the room, looking for strong men. If vigor was that apprecaited, should one appear to be sturdy? My father thought the opposite- better to not draw attention. We found out later we were right." A man from Wiesel's hometown found out they were in his camp and sent them a note. Having been chosen because of his strength, Wiesel found out that he had been forced to throw his own father's body into the furnace.
One time Wiesel and his father were moved to a building with no floor. The inside was covered in mud, and soon after arriving, officers came to take people's shoes, if they had a decent pair. Wiesel did have a new pair- but they were covered in mud and were never noticed. "I thanked God, in an improvised prayer, for having created mud in His infinite and wondrous universe." Shoes, gold teeth- anything of value was taken from the inmates. Wiesel narrowly escaped giving up his gold tooth, until an SS discovered it one day. Wiesel would still not give up his crown, until the soldier beat his father everyday for two weeks until Wiesel allowed him to pry it off his molar with a rusty spoon.
It was at Auschwitz that Wiesel's arm was engraved and from then on he had no name- he was A-7713. He recalls memories of tens of thousands of inmates standing in rows while the SS checked their numbers.
Often Wiesel compares the officers and situations to animals- an SS officer with the neck of a bull, hands resembling a wolf's paw, SS men choosing who to throw into the crematorium as if they were selecting cattle.
One time he and his father were hauling cargo and his father got in the way of a German soldier- while he watched the man beat his father with an iron bar, Wiesel recalls watching the event in silence, not wanting to help. In fact, he claims he felt anger not at the soldier but at his father for not being able to avoid the man's wrath.
I could write several hundred more words about my reaction to the book- but if you have a few hours, (it's only 115 pages) read it for yourself. It's been awhile since I read a book this detailed, dramatic and dreary, but I just couldn't put it down.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
home.
I've never been so glad to be back at the FH or in SD before in my life! I went up to Medora (ND) last Thursday to visit project friends from last summer - had a great few days. I was planning on leaving Saturday afternoon to get back to MN by Saturday night, because my Gma turned 80 this weekend and was having a party on Sunday.
I didn't make it. I got as far as Dickinson, ND (1/2 hour). Along the way I was only driving 60 mph and my RPMs were up to 5,000 - not good. I tried to find a place in town to fix it but they were all closed. So Leanna and the gang came to get me, we went out to eat, and I bummed around Medora until Monday morning. Then Kari brought me back to Dickinson to find a place that could fix it. No one was very nice at all. I was pretty frustrated. Finally I took it to a Dodge dealer and they checked it out. Turns out my transmission was stuck in 2nd gear the whole time because the computer chip inside telling it when to shift was not functioning properly.
Something like that.
Usually the dealer keeps a part like that on hand- or several of them on hand- but in the last week three people had the same problem, so they were out. They ordered the part and had it overnighted...and it was back to Medora for one more night. I got dropped off at 11am on Tuesday and the car was done by noon. I was about ready to cry or flip out or something.
I did have a great weekend with project people- 4 of the 7 girls work there, and I got to stay with two of them (5 nights on the floor of the girl's dorm...yuck). Only two guys came to visit on Saturday, though, so it was a pretty small reunion. Well, 7 of us out of 14 so that's half. Memories were made, fun was had-- and I went to the show the first three nights I was in town- great production again this year. I also volunteered in the concessions there-- I never did work there last summer- it was pretty cool. Everyone is just so excited to be at the show, I love the energy. I hope I can go back next summer for me and Leanna's annual reunion at the wonderful Medora Musical.
On a sidenote, Rob from the '06 Badlands SP is getting married later this summer, so I might go to that and see him and some other project people. Crazy...all these weddings and engagements and such. Hm.
Ps. I now have two wedding colors...lightish teal, and darkish red...but not burgundy...yeah they are really cute colors, I just can't decribe them. :]
I didn't make it. I got as far as Dickinson, ND (1/2 hour). Along the way I was only driving 60 mph and my RPMs were up to 5,000 - not good. I tried to find a place in town to fix it but they were all closed. So Leanna and the gang came to get me, we went out to eat, and I bummed around Medora until Monday morning. Then Kari brought me back to Dickinson to find a place that could fix it. No one was very nice at all. I was pretty frustrated. Finally I took it to a Dodge dealer and they checked it out. Turns out my transmission was stuck in 2nd gear the whole time because the computer chip inside telling it when to shift was not functioning properly.
Something like that.
Usually the dealer keeps a part like that on hand- or several of them on hand- but in the last week three people had the same problem, so they were out. They ordered the part and had it overnighted...and it was back to Medora for one more night. I got dropped off at 11am on Tuesday and the car was done by noon. I was about ready to cry or flip out or something.
I did have a great weekend with project people- 4 of the 7 girls work there, and I got to stay with two of them (5 nights on the floor of the girl's dorm...yuck). Only two guys came to visit on Saturday, though, so it was a pretty small reunion. Well, 7 of us out of 14 so that's half. Memories were made, fun was had-- and I went to the show the first three nights I was in town- great production again this year. I also volunteered in the concessions there-- I never did work there last summer- it was pretty cool. Everyone is just so excited to be at the show, I love the energy. I hope I can go back next summer for me and Leanna's annual reunion at the wonderful Medora Musical.
On a sidenote, Rob from the '06 Badlands SP is getting married later this summer, so I might go to that and see him and some other project people. Crazy...all these weddings and engagements and such. Hm.
Ps. I now have two wedding colors...lightish teal, and darkish red...but not burgundy...yeah they are really cute colors, I just can't decribe them. :]
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
interaction. (no CH)
i've taken the test before, but this summer i took the love languages test (online...probably not super scientific) because we were talking about it on project. my top two are quality time and touch (followed by words of affirmation- usually written...but i also like gifts, too :). That didn't really surprise me too much- but this summer i'm learning a lot about myself and how i interact with others. i'm not super great at investing in others, but i'm getting better. i feel like sometimes i'm a little socially awkward, but i think everyone is a little so i usually just ignore it or joke about it. :] i also am learning that there's a limit to my love languages - once they hit the line I become overwhelmed and I tend to pull away from the thing causing that. I don't always take initiative in daily, random things but i'm becoming better at allowing people in to my life and letting them love me in ways I like, such as hugs and just hanging out.
like getting back to the FH thus far has been awesome in this area - I've spent every single night in my sole roommate's room (mostly because of the air conditioning, and my bed is piled with stuff i need to put away). but i really like the quality time we've been spending together, like baking and eating together and taking a random trip to sioux falls. good stuff! yay summer and not having class. I wish i could be this relaxed and easy-going during the school year.
like getting back to the FH thus far has been awesome in this area - I've spent every single night in my sole roommate's room (mostly because of the air conditioning, and my bed is piled with stuff i need to put away). but i really like the quality time we've been spending together, like baking and eating together and taking a random trip to sioux falls. good stuff! yay summer and not having class. I wish i could be this relaxed and easy-going during the school year.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
weddings.
What is it with women and weddings?? I enjoy the occasional chick flick, and talk of engagement rings, but I have never understood the dreaming and planning that women do about weddings. I have never been the type to sit and daydream about color schemes and flowers and cakes and dress styles… …but I think I’ve gotten sucked in. :] I just want to get this down somewhere so I know when the time actually comes [not that it will be any time soon] or if someone asks about it I can at least look it up somewhere. 
Flowers…I don’t really have a favorite. maybe calla lilies. Roses are always good- standard, but beautiful. Color- bluish tealish green, kind of like the photo only not obnoxious. I think it looks great with black. I think a fall wedding would be fun, but open to anything other than a winter wedding. Ok I need to stop thinking about this and go eat lunch.
Flowers…I don’t really have a favorite. maybe calla lilies. Roses are always good- standard, but beautiful. Color- bluish tealish green, kind of like the photo only not obnoxious. I think it looks great with black. I think a fall wedding would be fun, but open to anything other than a winter wedding. Ok I need to stop thinking about this and go eat lunch.
Monday, July 09, 2007
back to SoDak life.
These last few days have been kind of odd. I feel like I have a ton to do, but I don’t want to do any of it, and it’s kind of all stuff I have to do at once. Find a job, organize my life, get the rest of my support raised, etc.
Sunday was church at Hillside and lunch with a few old & new friends, and then back to the Farm House to unpack and catch up with people over the phone. I got to see Megs for a few hours and then she headed back to camp, and Lys and I hung out before sleeping in her room (with air conditioning … woohoo!).
Monday involved thank yous, laundry, organizing my life, some much needed guitar playing, and writing a project newsletter for supporters. Lys has a few days off so we are toying with the idea of painting the outside of the Farm House (after a little scrapping…but there is apparently concrete in the coat of paint on the house now, so scrapping will be not very effective). Tuesday or Wednesday we will head to Sioux Falls and hopefully hang out with Wendy before she heads to Colorado. And I need to get my camera fixed. Still broken. I'm bummed. And hoping I don't have to buy a new one, because I don't have money for it.
This weekend is a Medora project reunion and my Grandma’s birthday party. Not really sure how I’m going to be at both places at once. I didn’t know about the party until after I promised to go back to Medora, and they moved the reunion just for me, so I can’t really miss either one because my Grandma is expecting me to be there since she was told I would be there.
I have a lead on a full-time, temporary job in North Sioux in an HR Department, but no word on the possibility of even applying for it yet. I got an e-mail from my HR Prof about it on Friday so I will probably check it out tomorrow, because I need to know how I am going to pay rent for the rest of my summer/year. I think I’m going to be too busy for a job this year- I want to be able to focus on my HR classes and I’ll be managing Charlie’s Closet with some other SIFE-rs, along with Crusade stuff of course. Not writing for The Volante is going to be great, by the way. But I will miss that sweet $10/week...
P.S. I love water- it's free, it's cold, and it's oh so good! And I love milk...and mt. dew is good, too. I have had less cans than days I've been in America, so that's always a good thing. But I am missing maracuja a little bit. Luckily I bought some concentrate so when I am lonely and missing Brasil I will listen to my portuguese worship, mix up some juice and probably eat my brigadero cholocate mix straight from the container.
Sunday was church at Hillside and lunch with a few old & new friends, and then back to the Farm House to unpack and catch up with people over the phone. I got to see Megs for a few hours and then she headed back to camp, and Lys and I hung out before sleeping in her room (with air conditioning … woohoo!).
Monday involved thank yous, laundry, organizing my life, some much needed guitar playing, and writing a project newsletter for supporters. Lys has a few days off so we are toying with the idea of painting the outside of the Farm House (after a little scrapping…but there is apparently concrete in the coat of paint on the house now, so scrapping will be not very effective). Tuesday or Wednesday we will head to Sioux Falls and hopefully hang out with Wendy before she heads to Colorado. And I need to get my camera fixed. Still broken. I'm bummed. And hoping I don't have to buy a new one, because I don't have money for it.
This weekend is a Medora project reunion and my Grandma’s birthday party. Not really sure how I’m going to be at both places at once. I didn’t know about the party until after I promised to go back to Medora, and they moved the reunion just for me, so I can’t really miss either one because my Grandma is expecting me to be there since she was told I would be there.
I have a lead on a full-time, temporary job in North Sioux in an HR Department, but no word on the possibility of even applying for it yet. I got an e-mail from my HR Prof about it on Friday so I will probably check it out tomorrow, because I need to know how I am going to pay rent for the rest of my summer/year. I think I’m going to be too busy for a job this year- I want to be able to focus on my HR classes and I’ll be managing Charlie’s Closet with some other SIFE-rs, along with Crusade stuff of course. Not writing for The Volante is going to be great, by the way. But I will miss that sweet $10/week...
P.S. I love water- it's free, it's cold, and it's oh so good! And I love milk...and mt. dew is good, too. I have had less cans than days I've been in America, so that's always a good thing. But I am missing maracuja a little bit. Luckily I bought some concentrate so when I am lonely and missing Brasil I will listen to my portuguese worship, mix up some juice and probably eat my brigadero cholocate mix straight from the container.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
[North] America.
I am back in the U.S. and actually already back in Vermillion. Plane landed in Minneapolis at 1130am July 5th - my parents & joel were waiting at the airport, which was a slight surprise - didn't think dad or joel were coming so that was nice of them. We picked up my guitar in storage from the crusade office in the cities, then took Weston to Mankato. Of course we had to do a bunch of errands so we didn't get home until 6pm. And 48 hours later I'm back here. That's about the max I can do at home. Some times I enjoy being the peacemaker. Everyone thinks I'm so easy going, and I can be - but it's a struggle when I'm at home. I just get this overwhelming feeling to fix everything- no one gets along with anyone so I used to take on the role of family counselor and try to help everyone communicate and be happy. In the last year I've been learning that I can't do it anymore- not much I can do can help them, they have to want things to get better and work towards it, I can't make them get along.
Being back in America...weird. I got to drive my car for 3 hours today, which was amazing! Until I filled up with gas...yuck. It was 3.09 in Windom but only 2.95 at the Coffee Cup,. Good ol' cheap South Dakota. My camera is officially broken - my parent's battery doesn't work in it so I think it's shot. I'll have to take it to a repair place which i can hopefully find in sioux falls.
It's really weird to be home and see the farm house and Joy and I saw a few other random people today ... yeah, weird. Never been that far from home before. I don't really know what culture shock feels like but I think I have it a little bit. I love the milk here - I had about 4 glasses when I got home, along with a few of Mom's homemade cookies. And potato salad. And mt. dew...mm. But I would love some maracuja right now, and a view of the city lights, and some portuguese bread. I miss Brasil.
more life updates tomorrow...
Being back in America...weird. I got to drive my car for 3 hours today, which was amazing! Until I filled up with gas...yuck. It was 3.09 in Windom but only 2.95 at the Coffee Cup,. Good ol' cheap South Dakota. My camera is officially broken - my parent's battery doesn't work in it so I think it's shot. I'll have to take it to a repair place which i can hopefully find in sioux falls.
It's really weird to be home and see the farm house and Joy and I saw a few other random people today ... yeah, weird. Never been that far from home before. I don't really know what culture shock feels like but I think I have it a little bit. I love the milk here - I had about 4 glasses when I got home, along with a few of Mom's homemade cookies. And potato salad. And mt. dew...mm. But I would love some maracuja right now, and a view of the city lights, and some portuguese bread. I miss Brasil.
more life updates tomorrow...