Wowza! One month later and I am TEFL certified!
Life after TEFL is great! We finished up our practical teaching last Friday and since then have been able to enjoy the bits of Cusco that weren´t as easy to access when we were in the classroom. Friday itself turned into a long day for everyone. My practical teaching was from 7am-8am so I was the first one done with my teaching out of all my class. I then spent the day outside the classrooms to congratulate everyone on the completion of the stress of teaching. Unfortunately, this wasn´t the end for any of us. We had one last paper to finish before we were free of the chains of TEFL. By the evening we were able to get everyone out of the building to enjoy sometime and dancing together. Saturday morning followed with a mini hike and some good grub for me. I really enjoyed the feeling of seeing some Incan ruins knowing that I actually had nothing else to be doing at that moment. Ahhhhh :)
It is easy to say that the weekend as a whole was a bit of a fiasco... we definitely let loose. Let´s just say that I wish every graduation ceremony was accompanied by ¨We are the Champions¨while they call your name to deliver your certificate. My class of seventeen people each had a unique dance/celebration to greet our teacher for our certificate, which were quickly taken back for safe keeping before we hit up the discos of Cusco.
Overall, this TEFL course has been an amazing experience. I never thought it was possible to learn so much in a month. I not only learned the tedious techniques of ESL teaching, but I discovered a lot about myself. Most important of these discoveries is the fact that I really enjoy teaching and passing on bits of the American lingo to non-native speakers. We´ve been calling this the teacher high, and I am excited to see where it takes me after teaching for 6 hours a day. Yup, for those who missed the update I already found a job! The Maximo Nivel in Guatemala (I took my class at the Peru site), just started in February. Their client base has grown exponentially and they were looking for some new teachers. Lucky me they caught wind I was on my way there and asked for my resume. Thanks to great recommendations from TEFL trainer and an awesome job title from my MyFight job I was offered this past Monday. I get there in two weeks and start training immediately for my contract to start the beginning March. I am really excited to be a part of a new program and see it grow! Strangely, I am also very excited for the schedule we have. Being the morning person that I am, having classes from 7-9 and then from 3-8 just may be the perfect fit. It will give me a chance to enjoy the beauty of Antigua otherwise known as ¨The City of the Never Ending Spring¨ and work on my Spanish through discounted classes. If you can´t tell through the text of this blog I am beaming right now! So ready to start this adventure!
Until then my dear friend Randi is here visiting. So far we have been busy introducing her to my world in Cusco, mostly exploring my favorite part of town, San Blas. In the morning e are off to Macchu Pichu and then making our way to the coast next week for some good ol´ relaxation before jumping into the world of teaching English.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Titicaca
Peru keeps AMAZING me with its people. They aren´t nearly as blessed as us in terms of material wealth, but you can tell they have an abundance of wealth within each other and within faith. I see a bit of this within Cusco, but more so on the outskirts of the bigger cities. It is quite refreshing seeing home simple life really can be.
This past weekend we ventured out to the famous Lake Titicaca. Going into it I really didn´t have many expectations, but it is easy to say that it, by far, surpassed anything I could have anticipated. We booked a tour out of Cusco, because with the limited weekends and the nature of tourism on the lake itself we didn´t see that chance of finding a better deal. Besides the fact that we were told facts about the islands by our tour guide, after we had learned the same thing from our host families it was a great decision made.
We started out the tour headed to the Islas de Uras. These islands blew my mind! The people who lived on a family were an extended family and primarily supported each other, not only that but they continuously build the islands and the houses on the islands themselves. The mechanics and planning involved in this are far beyond my level of comprehension to describe. The people were just amazing and friendly!! The kids on the island were by far the best part. You could tell that they loved to see new faces and to play. Lucky them, we are all just as intrigued and tossed a ball around and hung out with all of them until we got to take the ¨mercedes benz¨ handmade-grass-woven boat across the lake to another floating island.
After our short visit we set off for our lake home on Isla Amantani . At this beautiful island we were set up to stay with local families that live up the hill on the island. A.B. and I stayed together and had one of the richest experiences yet. We joined the father of the family for all the meals and enjoyed broken Spanish conversation (none of our first languages) over their typical dishes. This is a place I could probably subsist forever. The food we ate never contained meat, but was very protein rich with Qinoa, Egg, or Cheese. On top of that, meals are always followed by a mint tea called Muña. The tea was so tasty it was enough to warm your heart and soul on any day. We spent the afternoon on the island playing soccer, hiking, and watching dance (really what could make me happier). The evening was spent in traditional clothing learning their traditional dances, it was far too much fun to spin in the traditional skirts. It was truly inspiring to see how simple these people lives could be and just how happy they were having it that way. This small fact will always provide me with a bit of condolence every time I get frustrated that I only have a backpack full of clothes to wear for the next few months.
Perhaps the next best thing to the people of Lake Titicaca was the lake itself. Thanks to our crazy friend Grahm we got to jump of the tour boat into the lake. It was such a refreshing feeling. Cold! But great and totally what we needed after a rainy morning. The Lake water tastes ohhhh sooooooo refreshing as well... thanks to my handy dandy steri-pen! All in all... Titicaca was all but caca, and accordingly we celebrated with our traditional mango.
The trip came just at the right time. This past week of TEFL has been a lot of work. They warned us that the class was back end loaded, and we found out why. I felt like I was in front of the computer three hours a day after class EVERYDAY. Really it isn´t that bad, we all know my focus level is low when it comes to doing homework consecutively... the amount of time doing the homework was a lot less than it should have been. Luckily in my procrastination I got to book my ticket to Guatemala. YUP... here we go Central America!! I feel like after Randi´s visit I will have gotten what I wanted out of Peru, and made some fantastic friends along they way. I may or may not have found my doppelganger. But I am ready for something new, Guatemala seems very fitting in a number of ways. There is a Maximo Nivel there too (the same organization I am taking my classes through). Thus, I will have a network to fall back on, plus I found out after I booked my flight that there are openings at the newly established MN-Guatemala English program. Fingers crossed!!!
Until then we are going into our practical teaching week. We each have a class of our own for a week and then we will be certified teachers! Can you say college on crack?? As I am writing this I am saying nound, adjective, adverb, superlative, blah blah blah... so something must have set in over the past three weeks.
This past weekend we ventured out to the famous Lake Titicaca. Going into it I really didn´t have many expectations, but it is easy to say that it, by far, surpassed anything I could have anticipated. We booked a tour out of Cusco, because with the limited weekends and the nature of tourism on the lake itself we didn´t see that chance of finding a better deal. Besides the fact that we were told facts about the islands by our tour guide, after we had learned the same thing from our host families it was a great decision made.
We started out the tour headed to the Islas de Uras. These islands blew my mind! The people who lived on a family were an extended family and primarily supported each other, not only that but they continuously build the islands and the houses on the islands themselves. The mechanics and planning involved in this are far beyond my level of comprehension to describe. The people were just amazing and friendly!! The kids on the island were by far the best part. You could tell that they loved to see new faces and to play. Lucky them, we are all just as intrigued and tossed a ball around and hung out with all of them until we got to take the ¨mercedes benz¨ handmade-grass-woven boat across the lake to another floating island.
After our short visit we set off for our lake home on Isla Amantani . At this beautiful island we were set up to stay with local families that live up the hill on the island. A.B. and I stayed together and had one of the richest experiences yet. We joined the father of the family for all the meals and enjoyed broken Spanish conversation (none of our first languages) over their typical dishes. This is a place I could probably subsist forever. The food we ate never contained meat, but was very protein rich with Qinoa, Egg, or Cheese. On top of that, meals are always followed by a mint tea called Muña. The tea was so tasty it was enough to warm your heart and soul on any day. We spent the afternoon on the island playing soccer, hiking, and watching dance (really what could make me happier). The evening was spent in traditional clothing learning their traditional dances, it was far too much fun to spin in the traditional skirts. It was truly inspiring to see how simple these people lives could be and just how happy they were having it that way. This small fact will always provide me with a bit of condolence every time I get frustrated that I only have a backpack full of clothes to wear for the next few months.
The trip came just at the right time. This past week of TEFL has been a lot of work. They warned us that the class was back end loaded, and we found out why. I felt like I was in front of the computer three hours a day after class EVERYDAY. Really it isn´t that bad, we all know my focus level is low when it comes to doing homework consecutively... the amount of time doing the homework was a lot less than it should have been. Luckily in my procrastination I got to book my ticket to Guatemala. YUP... here we go Central America!! I feel like after Randi´s visit I will have gotten what I wanted out of Peru, and made some fantastic friends along they way. I may or may not have found my doppelganger. But I am ready for something new, Guatemala seems very fitting in a number of ways. There is a Maximo Nivel there too (the same organization I am taking my classes through). Thus, I will have a network to fall back on, plus I found out after I booked my flight that there are openings at the newly established MN-Guatemala English program. Fingers crossed!!!
Until then we are going into our practical teaching week. We each have a class of our own for a week and then we will be certified teachers! Can you say college on crack?? As I am writing this I am saying nound, adjective, adverb, superlative, blah blah blah... so something must have set in over the past three weeks.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Sacred Valley
¨Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent in the ideas of living." - Mariam Beard
I have never seen a quote more fitting for travel, and adventures I have come upon so far....
After the first week of classes I felt a bit flustered. It turns out that TEFL is a totally new way of thinking for me. When teaching a new language you have to fight all instincts that most teachers innately have. No explaining, just eliciting responses from the students by a number of mind bending exercises. Because of that the first week has been a lot of observation and absorbing of the practices we are expected to walk away with. I know it is possible, but it is evident that it will take a lot of work to master the art of ESL teaching. Luckily the students are supportive and for the most part eager to learn. They appreciate us making fools of ourselves for their sake. In order to fully absorb all the new facts, some of my classmates and I decided it was crucial to get out of the city, and fully enjoy where we are.
Before we headed out of the Cusco I was fortunate enough to meet up with the Pressl family. My mother teaches their son and she has been telling me about them for ages. We were lucky enough to be in Cusco at the same time to enjoy dinner together. They are a beautiful family with a great sense of adventure. They are living abroad for a year splitting that between Ecuador and Argentina. It was by far the best dinner I have had yet with fantastic food and even better conversation. It is always nice to find a piece of home in random corners of the world.
As for the rest of the adventures, initially some of my classmates and I just started on the outskirts of Cusco. We headed to the giant white Jesus statue (Cristo Blanco) resembling the one in Rio.It is the only big sight around Cusco city center that I was interested in seeing. So we found a way to hike up, weaving through the outer banks of Cusco, up a lot of stairs. When we got there it we were serenaded by the happiest Cuscaño I have ever seen. I started out chatting with him and practicing the Quechwa we learned in class that week and then he took out his baby guitar and proceeded to break out in song about the pretty North American ladies. It was great and his joy was contagious. Overlooking the city of Cusco was pretty neat. It was interesting trying to figure out where we live and seeing how condensed the population really is.
The next morning another group from our class headed to the Sacred Valley to explore the Inca ruins. What we found was amazing beauty and the experience of a life time! Our first stop was Pisaq which leads to and Incan Temple. We took the way up that was designated to avid hikers, we didn´t really know what we were getting into. It seems that hiking through Incan ruins requires a lot of stairs. So much that A.B. blurt out before bed that whenever she closed her eyes all she could see was stairs (mind you still is still saying that 4 days later.) Needless to say the stairs made the journey much more difficult than expected, but totally worth every step! The further we climbed the better the view got. It was completely breath taking in every meaning of the word. We topped of the exhilarating hike with "Ceremonial Mango," the most refreshing treat to a completely fulfilling adventure.
As for the Incan ruins, I have established that the Incan Empire must have been crazy. The number of rocks and how perfectly they place them to construct these amazing places is almost unfathomable. The beauty in every construction just needs to be seen in order to fully take it in.
After Pisaq we hopped a bus to stay in Urubama for the night. After the big day what we had, we ended up crashing early to continue our sight seeing. We left early to head to the Muray and Chinchera. Two more Incan ruins that, again, were amazing to see. The best part about these two places was the landscape surrounding them I have yet to see such lush grass and friendly mountains as I did in these areas. Not the mention all of the locals working the day away, and seemingly enjoying every minute of it. I really felt at peace in the Sacred Valley. Yes, people were trying to get business out of us, but it wasn´t the hustle and bussle of Cusco. It was a great break from reality and an even better adventure... with more to come!
The people I have met here are amazing. Those of us in the program have really clicked, and it is great that somewhere so far from home is already starting to feel like another home. Hopefully learning all the English grammar won´t put me completely over the edge and scare all my new friends away. Well.... it is easy to see that we are all going down on the insanity level together, so we will beat that path as one.
I have never seen a quote more fitting for travel, and adventures I have come upon so far....
After the first week of classes I felt a bit flustered. It turns out that TEFL is a totally new way of thinking for me. When teaching a new language you have to fight all instincts that most teachers innately have. No explaining, just eliciting responses from the students by a number of mind bending exercises. Because of that the first week has been a lot of observation and absorbing of the practices we are expected to walk away with. I know it is possible, but it is evident that it will take a lot of work to master the art of ESL teaching. Luckily the students are supportive and for the most part eager to learn. They appreciate us making fools of ourselves for their sake. In order to fully absorb all the new facts, some of my classmates and I decided it was crucial to get out of the city, and fully enjoy where we are.
Before we headed out of the Cusco I was fortunate enough to meet up with the Pressl family. My mother teaches their son and she has been telling me about them for ages. We were lucky enough to be in Cusco at the same time to enjoy dinner together. They are a beautiful family with a great sense of adventure. They are living abroad for a year splitting that between Ecuador and Argentina. It was by far the best dinner I have had yet with fantastic food and even better conversation. It is always nice to find a piece of home in random corners of the world.
As for the rest of the adventures, initially some of my classmates and I just started on the outskirts of Cusco. We headed to the giant white Jesus statue (Cristo Blanco) resembling the one in Rio.It is the only big sight around Cusco city center that I was interested in seeing. So we found a way to hike up, weaving through the outer banks of Cusco, up a lot of stairs. When we got there it we were serenaded by the happiest Cuscaño I have ever seen. I started out chatting with him and practicing the Quechwa we learned in class that week and then he took out his baby guitar and proceeded to break out in song about the pretty North American ladies. It was great and his joy was contagious. Overlooking the city of Cusco was pretty neat. It was interesting trying to figure out where we live and seeing how condensed the population really is.
The next morning another group from our class headed to the Sacred Valley to explore the Inca ruins. What we found was amazing beauty and the experience of a life time! Our first stop was Pisaq which leads to and Incan Temple. We took the way up that was designated to avid hikers, we didn´t really know what we were getting into. It seems that hiking through Incan ruins requires a lot of stairs. So much that A.B. blurt out before bed that whenever she closed her eyes all she could see was stairs (mind you still is still saying that 4 days later.) Needless to say the stairs made the journey much more difficult than expected, but totally worth every step! The further we climbed the better the view got. It was completely breath taking in every meaning of the word. We topped of the exhilarating hike with "Ceremonial Mango," the most refreshing treat to a completely fulfilling adventure.
After Pisaq we hopped a bus to stay in Urubama for the night. After the big day what we had, we ended up crashing early to continue our sight seeing. We left early to head to the Muray and Chinchera. Two more Incan ruins that, again, were amazing to see. The best part about these two places was the landscape surrounding them I have yet to see such lush grass and friendly mountains as I did in these areas. Not the mention all of the locals working the day away, and seemingly enjoying every minute of it. I really felt at peace in the Sacred Valley. Yes, people were trying to get business out of us, but it wasn´t the hustle and bussle of Cusco. It was a great break from reality and an even better adventure... with more to come!
The people I have met here are amazing. Those of us in the program have really clicked, and it is great that somewhere so far from home is already starting to feel like another home. Hopefully learning all the English grammar won´t put me completely over the edge and scare all my new friends away. Well.... it is easy to see that we are all going down on the insanity level together, so we will beat that path as one.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Tour de Cusco
Buenas from Peru!!
Peru is a dynamic country. It is evident that it is very poor and is learning to thrive on its natural wonders. But what has struck me most about the country is the beauty of the Peruvian people. Every local I have met here has been more than willing to help with any questions or issues we might have. A prime example is when we went out dancing one night, one of my housemate, Meg, set her jacket down on a stool, because it was getting rather hot inside. After dancing for a while and meeting a Peruvian we decided to move on. We looked and looked and looked for her jacket, but couldn't find it anywhere. I mentioned this to my new Peruvian dance buddy and he grabbed my hand and brought me down the stairs to a coat check. He had seen Meg set down her coat and felt uneasy about leaving it there so he checked it for us.
On top of their kindness they all have a natural beauty. I have really found that within the indigenous, and their eyes specifically. Their eyes have so much character to them. Looking into them you can tell that they have worked hard all their lives and still have amazing optimism about what each day holds. They also have this little sparkle when they find something enjoyable, it reminds me of my Dad's special sparkle.
So far we have just been busy exploring the city and getting our bearings. I'm too cheap to invest in any of the city tours, let alone paying for a Taxi daily, so we do a lot of walking. Depending where you are that can be a bit overwhelming because everyone is trying to sell trips to Machu Picchu or Puno. Soon enough I'll need that, but for now it is fun seeing all the different types of markets, parks, and hangouts.
I love the people I live with, we all come from totally different places (South Africa, New York, Brazil, Kazikstan) so we all feed of of each other to learn more about the world. Right now I am learning a new Africaan word a day. My favorite so far is KOK which is an expression like poopy or shitty. The diversity is great, it is just hard because our only common language in English so sometimes I get confused as to how I should respond. It does get me good practice at the markets communicating for them!
The meals in home-stay have been fantastic so far. Peru is the home of the potato so every meal includas a bit of potato. For the most part they are served differently: mashed, stuffed, or baked. Our house Mom, Patricia and her helper Toti are great cooks are really know how to mix it up. They are both very sweet and inviting in and out of the kitchen. Toti is probably my favorite Peruvian so far. She stands about 4'6'' and speaks the native language of Peru, Quechua, as well as broken Spanish with a lot of hand gestures. She gets super excited about the best things, I just love coming home to her smile!
Despite my content with my housing set up I may be looking to relocated to somewhere where I can easily walk to class without it taking an hour or the chance of wandering off path. It is a big pain having to pay for a Taxi everyday, I much prefer the fresh air anyways.
As for the reason I´m here: Class started today and I really feel that I will like it. It is going to prove to be intensive, but I think my class will make it worth it. I have already found some classmates, in the few short hours we spent together, that want to go on hiking and biking adventures. Get out of the city and see the beautiful countryside of Peru for what it is worth!
Peru is a dynamic country. It is evident that it is very poor and is learning to thrive on its natural wonders. But what has struck me most about the country is the beauty of the Peruvian people. Every local I have met here has been more than willing to help with any questions or issues we might have. A prime example is when we went out dancing one night, one of my housemate, Meg, set her jacket down on a stool, because it was getting rather hot inside. After dancing for a while and meeting a Peruvian we decided to move on. We looked and looked and looked for her jacket, but couldn't find it anywhere. I mentioned this to my new Peruvian dance buddy and he grabbed my hand and brought me down the stairs to a coat check. He had seen Meg set down her coat and felt uneasy about leaving it there so he checked it for us.
On top of their kindness they all have a natural beauty. I have really found that within the indigenous, and their eyes specifically. Their eyes have so much character to them. Looking into them you can tell that they have worked hard all their lives and still have amazing optimism about what each day holds. They also have this little sparkle when they find something enjoyable, it reminds me of my Dad's special sparkle.
So far we have just been busy exploring the city and getting our bearings. I'm too cheap to invest in any of the city tours, let alone paying for a Taxi daily, so we do a lot of walking. Depending where you are that can be a bit overwhelming because everyone is trying to sell trips to Machu Picchu or Puno. Soon enough I'll need that, but for now it is fun seeing all the different types of markets, parks, and hangouts.
I love the people I live with, we all come from totally different places (South Africa, New York, Brazil, Kazikstan) so we all feed of of each other to learn more about the world. Right now I am learning a new Africaan word a day. My favorite so far is KOK which is an expression like poopy or shitty. The diversity is great, it is just hard because our only common language in English so sometimes I get confused as to how I should respond. It does get me good practice at the markets communicating for them!
The meals in home-stay have been fantastic so far. Peru is the home of the potato so every meal includas a bit of potato. For the most part they are served differently: mashed, stuffed, or baked. Our house Mom, Patricia and her helper Toti are great cooks are really know how to mix it up. They are both very sweet and inviting in and out of the kitchen. Toti is probably my favorite Peruvian so far. She stands about 4'6'' and speaks the native language of Peru, Quechua, as well as broken Spanish with a lot of hand gestures. She gets super excited about the best things, I just love coming home to her smile!
Despite my content with my housing set up I may be looking to relocated to somewhere where I can easily walk to class without it taking an hour or the chance of wandering off path. It is a big pain having to pay for a Taxi everyday, I much prefer the fresh air anyways.
As for the reason I´m here: Class started today and I really feel that I will like it. It is going to prove to be intensive, but I think my class will make it worth it. I have already found some classmates, in the few short hours we spent together, that want to go on hiking and biking adventures. Get out of the city and see the beautiful countryside of Peru for what it is worth!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Arizona, where the sun is shining. ..
Sun, sun, Mr. Golden sun!
It is amazing how much vitamin D can enhance a day! It has been a beautiful visit to Arizona. With plenty of down time, but enough adventure to get s me thrill out of the trip.
When we got in we didn't have much planned. Really what I want was some good Mexican, a nice, hike, and time with friends. All of the above were quite successful.
Day one we went on a scavenger hunt for those things I couldn't get at home. Epic fail, but it was fun anyways. We topped of the day with a "hike", in other words not a hike at all. We get to the trail and not only is it overpopulated, but there are stairs up the first half mile of the trail, followed by a safety bar that you find on stairs in arenas. New to me, but we survived. But the adventure wasn't over, after we made it past the manmade help we hit a boulder field. Lauren said that at many points throughout the hike I looked like an extreme monkey because my leg was as high as or higher than my head. Quite the hike to end with a city view summit! Afterwards Angie’s commentary on the hike was hilarious, being from the city originally she didn't know what she was in for (not that we did either.) The same night we went out to the Big Bang... a dueling piano bar that had non-stop entertainment through the night. It was a good mix of music, comedy, and relaxation... I would totally go again in a heartbeat.
The next day was Lauren's last day off from the hellish med school schedule. We decided to top it off with a mini escapade to watch the sunset over Phoenix. Nothing like a smoggy sunset to make you really appreciate where you come from, but also your company. It was a friendly reminder that I have maintained some pretty great things the throughout the years and that I need to treasure them. Once the dark set in we headed to the Zoolights display. It was by the far the most intricate light tour I have seen, but what was even better than that was Angie's excitement. Every animal or neat display she was stoked beyond belief! It made it that much better.
Over the rest of the trip we all racked up some good relaxation time, poolside reading, as well as a good game of soccer. It was great to see familiar faces. Not just Angie and Lauren, but also Trevor and Spencer from Grand Canyon University that took good care of us this summer on the road. Not to forget my favorite Mexican, Alex, who just moved back to Arizona and gave us a full tour of his hood as well as a taste of quality comida.
After all that fun, I am rejuvenated and ready to test my comfort zone and be thrown into whirlwind of fun new exciting things!
It is amazing how much vitamin D can enhance a day! It has been a beautiful visit to Arizona. With plenty of down time, but enough adventure to get s me thrill out of the trip.
When we got in we didn't have much planned. Really what I want was some good Mexican, a nice, hike, and time with friends. All of the above were quite successful.
Day one we went on a scavenger hunt for those things I couldn't get at home. Epic fail, but it was fun anyways. We topped of the day with a "hike", in other words not a hike at all. We get to the trail and not only is it overpopulated, but there are stairs up the first half mile of the trail, followed by a safety bar that you find on stairs in arenas. New to me, but we survived. But the adventure wasn't over, after we made it past the manmade help we hit a boulder field. Lauren said that at many points throughout the hike I looked like an extreme monkey because my leg was as high as or higher than my head. Quite the hike to end with a city view summit! Afterwards Angie’s commentary on the hike was hilarious, being from the city originally she didn't know what she was in for (not that we did either.) The same night we went out to the Big Bang... a dueling piano bar that had non-stop entertainment through the night. It was a good mix of music, comedy, and relaxation... I would totally go again in a heartbeat.
The next day was Lauren's last day off from the hellish med school schedule. We decided to top it off with a mini escapade to watch the sunset over Phoenix. Nothing like a smoggy sunset to make you really appreciate where you come from, but also your company. It was a friendly reminder that I have maintained some pretty great things the throughout the years and that I need to treasure them. Once the dark set in we headed to the Zoolights display. It was by the far the most intricate light tour I have seen, but what was even better than that was Angie's excitement. Every animal or neat display she was stoked beyond belief! It made it that much better.
Over the rest of the trip we all racked up some good relaxation time, poolside reading, as well as a good game of soccer. It was great to see familiar faces. Not just Angie and Lauren, but also Trevor and Spencer from Grand Canyon University that took good care of us this summer on the road. Not to forget my favorite Mexican, Alex, who just moved back to Arizona and gave us a full tour of his hood as well as a taste of quality comida.
After all that fun, I am rejuvenated and ready to test my comfort zone and be thrown into whirlwind of fun new exciting things!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Salute to HOME
Now comes the time where it is only appropriate to issue a salute to home...
After moving back home for the past few months I have really found its beauty in every way. At first it was harder being home than anticipated. I had a big summer and I didn't feel that home had changed as much as I had. But that has turned out to be a good thing in the end. I went out and created my own community that is making it harder and harder by the day to leave.
The friends I have kept, maintained, became closer to, and made have enhanced my journey home in so many ways. These are the people I have and will constantly surround myself with to show the nifty quirks of life. I have come to appreciate the little things more and more; A cup of coffee or a beer with friends. A afternoon hike. A random (yet not so random) encounter with future mentors and friends at work. The importance of a community in Christ. Camping out for an early morning sunset. The friend you made by jumping into a ill-equipped vehicle. Dress up (as fire "hydrants"). Childlike amusement. Consistency. Pie club. The excitement of a dog after a long day home. A good and exhilarating workout. The steady love of family. Generosity. How what the future holds is totally doable. The art of waffles. The belly ache of laughing too hard at board games. The creativity of decorating. Support. The nerdiest of nerd conversations. Reading. The protection of lifelong friends. Motivating and flattering texts messages. Finding a fellow orphan to be adopted by an amazing family for weekend dinners. Intellectual pod casts. The lack of coincidence. Tradition. Love and engagements. People who care. Flying. Opportunity. Really the list could go on and on, but all these things have "romanced my heart" as one of my friends would say and proven to me how life works out in mysterious and un-thought of ways.
I am excited to see what this next chapter holds. It keeps me calm knowing that what I have is great, and what I can find is even BETTER.
Salute to you home, thank you for pulling out an amazing community for me yet again.
After moving back home for the past few months I have really found its beauty in every way. At first it was harder being home than anticipated. I had a big summer and I didn't feel that home had changed as much as I had. But that has turned out to be a good thing in the end. I went out and created my own community that is making it harder and harder by the day to leave.
The friends I have kept, maintained, became closer to, and made have enhanced my journey home in so many ways. These are the people I have and will constantly surround myself with to show the nifty quirks of life. I have come to appreciate the little things more and more; A cup of coffee or a beer with friends. A afternoon hike. A random (yet not so random) encounter with future mentors and friends at work. The importance of a community in Christ. Camping out for an early morning sunset. The friend you made by jumping into a ill-equipped vehicle. Dress up (as fire "hydrants"). Childlike amusement. Consistency. Pie club. The excitement of a dog after a long day home. A good and exhilarating workout. The steady love of family. Generosity. How what the future holds is totally doable. The art of waffles. The belly ache of laughing too hard at board games. The creativity of decorating. Support. The nerdiest of nerd conversations. Reading. The protection of lifelong friends. Motivating and flattering texts messages. Finding a fellow orphan to be adopted by an amazing family for weekend dinners. Intellectual pod casts. The lack of coincidence. Tradition. Love and engagements. People who care. Flying. Opportunity. Really the list could go on and on, but all these things have "romanced my heart" as one of my friends would say and proven to me how life works out in mysterious and un-thought of ways.
I am excited to see what this next chapter holds. It keeps me calm knowing that what I have is great, and what I can find is even BETTER.
Salute to you home, thank you for pulling out an amazing community for me yet again.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Beauty Behind Faith
“Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof. “ Khalil Gibran
Does anyone else ever have those days/weeks/months where it feels like every question running through your head is being answered through daily occurrences? Well, that has been the case for me in this summer tour finale. I’ve had my questions about faith and about the power of God’s grace, and all have been answered directly or indirectly through all the amazing people I have had the privilege to meet along the way. Sermons I have attended seem to be directed straight at me, religious metaphors have nailed it on all on the head, and every person I meet brings a new unique light into my life. I am more comfortable in my thoughts and my words with these experiences and it is all because of faith. A thank you is owed to everyone that I have met along the way.
As we headed to Colorado I felt more and more in my comfort zone. The rest of the trip was more or less worked out, so the rest of the trip was all about enjoying it. Colorado feels like a second home to me and this was only my third visit to the area. After jetting to the venue we headed to stay with some couch surfing friends. My friend Jackie had made a great recommendation for a girl she stayed with on her visit earlier this year. Sara turned out to be a great fit. She had done a similar tour with a gospel group a few years ago so she was totally aware of life on the road, and knew exactly how to accommodate us. We ventured out in Fort Collins (my new favorite town) and found a good beer and some Ethiopian food, over rich conversation that Jesse always seems to spark. We figured if we are trying to raise funds for Ethiopian women then it was crucial that I knew the taste (however Americanized it was) of the culture.
The next day was the festival. This time the festival was only one day so it was quite refreshing not getting burned out on saying almost the exact same thing over, and over, and over again, at least not for days at a time. We still did fairly well, connected with some old friends, and I learned quickly that I dislike the smell of coconut. With only one day we made some awesome contacts in the Colorado area, it is great to see people so pumped about joining the stand.
Sara was extremely accommodating here as well, we had two extra festival tickets so we gave them to her and her roommate. They showed up with deluxe sandwiches and root beer milk, yes, root beer milk. … best stuff ever! I made nearly all our festival friends try it. It was a hit, although when most people hear root beer milk they don’t see the beauty in the combination.
The next day we went to church with Sara. The moment we walked in the door it seemed so fitting. The church was held in a coffee shop with local art all over the places. The worship music was full of moving and uplifting lyrics and the sermons filled me up for the day. It was the most uplifting service I have ever been to, and clarified for me that I believe in beautiful things. Jesse and I had to take off early for a big MyFight meeting in Denver with the Micro Financing Institution that we are working with in Honduras. Jesse attended the meeting and I wandered downtown Denver and found my favorite bookstore where I spent some time absorbing the morning. After finding some books to my library I wandered back to meet up with Jesse. While I was sitting on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop waiting for Jesse I was joined by a seemingly addict and radioactive homeless man, who upon reading the title of my books tried to engage in a theological discussion that was out of both of our leagues. As I was sitting there while he was saying some pretty harsh things about religion I kept myself calm and distracted by playing with my iPod, with my phone on my lap, and my Kindle in my bag. I realized how fortunate I am, I felt to guilt of my fortune instantly. This man treating me like an equal and addressed me as “sister,” despite the fact that I was clearly in a different class than him. He didn’t ask for anything from me, just a listening ear. The man had his issues and had made some intense statements that had ignited an unfriendly fire inside me, but it was nice to relate on some level.
This was a nice day off overall, we got some coffee, I went on a hike, and we had a nice dinner after a bold phone call to the host stand made by Jesse to get noticed. That evening we stayed at a friend from the roads new apartment. We rested up for the long drive to Vegas the next day. This drive was beautiful. We started in the mountains of Colorado, and heading west we got to drive through most of it. After a pit stop in Grand Junction to see the Light Gives Heat office (friends that I met on the road next year,) I think that Jesse got a lot out of meeting them and seeing entrepreneurship from another perspective. The rest of the drive was through the red rocks of Utah. A-Freaking-Mazing. One of the few drives I was entertained through the whole thing.
We pulled into Vegas late where we had amazing arrangements with our new friends from Grand Canyon University. Lucky us they had two extra beds and extra money to spend on dinner that night. We had some tasty Indian food and then wandered the strip. I can honestly say I think that Vegas was way better when I was seven. Everything seemed brighter and bigger back then. Now it seems it would only be enjoyable somewhat intoxicated. Although, it was nice to meet up with some other roadies and watch the local street drum crew and the August Rush style guitarist.
The next morning Jesse and I enjoyed an awesome hotel breakfast (sparking motivation for the next part of our trip) and hit the road. The drive to California wasn’t nearly as intoxicating, but it was neat driving right up to the coast upon our arrival. California is more dynamic than popular culture makes you think. Monterey proved to be extremely chilly with a dense fog sandwiching a powerful daytime sun. It was like a real fall, kinda nice since we don’t get much of those up north. The one issue that we really had was the wind. Since our booth space was much bigger this festival, when Jesse felt the wind he decided to set up his tent on the vendor island. Since we paid for the camp space and because I like camping I decided to set up at our site-located on top of a hill. Not my wisest decision yet. The second night I returned to my tent to find it flipped. Luckily I had left my bag in it so that was holding it to the ground; otherwise my tent would have blown away. I ended up having to crash in our friends’ booth space. They had a nice futon so it made my sleeps quite nice.
I found this festival extremely entertaining because people started figuring out my true nature. One, that I am a wanderer. I have a hard time staying in one place for an extended period of time. Especially when there are exciting new people to meet. Two, that I am a mooch. Or as I like to put it, I surround myself with people that take care of me and let me utilize those things that they have and I don’t. Food, water, showers, floor space, and access to the cyber world all fall under this category. I’m just good at embracing it and meeting the people who let me be me.
Another huge bonus this festival had was the luxury of time. Jesse and I allowed ourselves to stay up later so we could fully enjoy what the last festival had to offer. We hung out at friends hotels rooms, stayed up past close to chat with other vendors, had a beach campfire with our new favorite band, and tested out the local brewery for a farewell brew. New and old people enriched our experience and it was worth every minute.
This was the festival it all started clicking. We made the right connections. Figured out the power of connecting and helping bands. Hopefully we will see continued growth through those famous connections we made.
The excitement didn’t end at the end of this festival. The morning after close we woke up bright and early to go sailing in San Francisco. Jesse had a friend who made amazing arrangements for us. We sailed with her friend who had done cross-world sailing trips. What he has seen seems magical and you could tell he enjoyed everything about it. It was a nice relaxing Sunday, we were strangers to
the people we were sailing with so we were allowed to really enjoy the full experience internally. Naturally, being the social beings that we both are, we eventually socialized and made a few new friends. Jesse says no one is safe talking to me. I have the luck to be able to befriend those I wish and in effect encourage them to get on board with our mission, by buying a shirt or an event. You can say the sailing trip, in that respect, was no different than the festivals.
Beyond the people, sailing itself was the most peaceful experience I have had. As life goes on around you, you are allowed to fully enjoy the turns and fresh air rushing by. I was nearly thoughtless when I got to sit on the front of the boat.
San Fransico was more than a success. Sailing set the day right, and then Jesse and I both got time to spend time with some dear friends of ours. I was lucky enough to enjoy some overly spicy food with the one and only Sarah Craig. We both are in similar points in our lives and it was excited to exchange all the fun new opportunities life has presented for us. Plus, we tested out a pie shop. Life doesn’t get much better than pie with a good friend.
After staying the night on his friends sail boat we headed home. Being the site seers that we are we headed for the redwood forest. Being the little person that I am it was utterly amazing, what was neat about it is that it would have the same effect on a person of any size. We left the Redwood Forest and I wanted to see the drive that everyone talked to highly about up California 1. Minor mistake. This decision took us on a road trip twice as long as intended. For anyone who is wondering, you can’t get off of 1 or 101 as easily as you might think, but it is totally worth it. Winding up coast was beautiful, scaling over the 4000 plus feet of mountains was quite a view, and getting onto the interstate in time to enjoy breathe taking colors of the sun set topped off the day. No matter how long it was, it was one of the prettiest days I have had.
We made it to Craig’s in Corvallis to get some sleep and breakfast before we headed to Missoula for the night. Again, it was nice to be able to catch up with friends in both places and share our journey.
The last day of the trip Jesse was nice enough to let me stop and see my Mom in Butte and my Dad at home. In the end he got experience his first pasty, something no Montanan should go without trying. We pulled into Billings late in the evening and got some time to on our own, and relax…kinda. Relaxing isn’t something that is easy for either of us to do.
The festival tour was an overall amazing experience. I got to travel, meet new people, learn about myself more than I thought possible in two months, all in the name of something that I am passionate about. MyFight has showed me my calling, and got me hooked on its mission… and opened up the door for endless adventures.
Does anyone else ever have those days/weeks/months where it feels like every question running through your head is being answered through daily occurrences? Well, that has been the case for me in this summer tour finale. I’ve had my questions about faith and about the power of God’s grace, and all have been answered directly or indirectly through all the amazing people I have had the privilege to meet along the way. Sermons I have attended seem to be directed straight at me, religious metaphors have nailed it on all on the head, and every person I meet brings a new unique light into my life. I am more comfortable in my thoughts and my words with these experiences and it is all because of faith. A thank you is owed to everyone that I have met along the way.
As we headed to Colorado I felt more and more in my comfort zone. The rest of the trip was more or less worked out, so the rest of the trip was all about enjoying it. Colorado feels like a second home to me and this was only my third visit to the area. After jetting to the venue we headed to stay with some couch surfing friends. My friend Jackie had made a great recommendation for a girl she stayed with on her visit earlier this year. Sara turned out to be a great fit. She had done a similar tour with a gospel group a few years ago so she was totally aware of life on the road, and knew exactly how to accommodate us. We ventured out in Fort Collins (my new favorite town) and found a good beer and some Ethiopian food, over rich conversation that Jesse always seems to spark. We figured if we are trying to raise funds for Ethiopian women then it was crucial that I knew the taste (however Americanized it was) of the culture.
The next day was the festival. This time the festival was only one day so it was quite refreshing not getting burned out on saying almost the exact same thing over, and over, and over again, at least not for days at a time. We still did fairly well, connected with some old friends, and I learned quickly that I dislike the smell of coconut. With only one day we made some awesome contacts in the Colorado area, it is great to see people so pumped about joining the stand.
Sara was extremely accommodating here as well, we had two extra festival tickets so we gave them to her and her roommate. They showed up with deluxe sandwiches and root beer milk, yes, root beer milk. … best stuff ever! I made nearly all our festival friends try it. It was a hit, although when most people hear root beer milk they don’t see the beauty in the combination.
The next day we went to church with Sara. The moment we walked in the door it seemed so fitting. The church was held in a coffee shop with local art all over the places. The worship music was full of moving and uplifting lyrics and the sermons filled me up for the day. It was the most uplifting service I have ever been to, and clarified for me that I believe in beautiful things. Jesse and I had to take off early for a big MyFight meeting in Denver with the Micro Financing Institution that we are working with in Honduras. Jesse attended the meeting and I wandered downtown Denver and found my favorite bookstore where I spent some time absorbing the morning. After finding some books to my library I wandered back to meet up with Jesse. While I was sitting on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop waiting for Jesse I was joined by a seemingly addict and radioactive homeless man, who upon reading the title of my books tried to engage in a theological discussion that was out of both of our leagues. As I was sitting there while he was saying some pretty harsh things about religion I kept myself calm and distracted by playing with my iPod, with my phone on my lap, and my Kindle in my bag. I realized how fortunate I am, I felt to guilt of my fortune instantly. This man treating me like an equal and addressed me as “sister,” despite the fact that I was clearly in a different class than him. He didn’t ask for anything from me, just a listening ear. The man had his issues and had made some intense statements that had ignited an unfriendly fire inside me, but it was nice to relate on some level.
This was a nice day off overall, we got some coffee, I went on a hike, and we had a nice dinner after a bold phone call to the host stand made by Jesse to get noticed. That evening we stayed at a friend from the roads new apartment. We rested up for the long drive to Vegas the next day. This drive was beautiful. We started in the mountains of Colorado, and heading west we got to drive through most of it. After a pit stop in Grand Junction to see the Light Gives Heat office (friends that I met on the road next year,) I think that Jesse got a lot out of meeting them and seeing entrepreneurship from another perspective. The rest of the drive was through the red rocks of Utah. A-Freaking-Mazing. One of the few drives I was entertained through the whole thing.
We pulled into Vegas late where we had amazing arrangements with our new friends from Grand Canyon University. Lucky us they had two extra beds and extra money to spend on dinner that night. We had some tasty Indian food and then wandered the strip. I can honestly say I think that Vegas was way better when I was seven. Everything seemed brighter and bigger back then. Now it seems it would only be enjoyable somewhat intoxicated. Although, it was nice to meet up with some other roadies and watch the local street drum crew and the August Rush style guitarist.
The next morning Jesse and I enjoyed an awesome hotel breakfast (sparking motivation for the next part of our trip) and hit the road. The drive to California wasn’t nearly as intoxicating, but it was neat driving right up to the coast upon our arrival. California is more dynamic than popular culture makes you think. Monterey proved to be extremely chilly with a dense fog sandwiching a powerful daytime sun. It was like a real fall, kinda nice since we don’t get much of those up north. The one issue that we really had was the wind. Since our booth space was much bigger this festival, when Jesse felt the wind he decided to set up his tent on the vendor island. Since we paid for the camp space and because I like camping I decided to set up at our site-located on top of a hill. Not my wisest decision yet. The second night I returned to my tent to find it flipped. Luckily I had left my bag in it so that was holding it to the ground; otherwise my tent would have blown away. I ended up having to crash in our friends’ booth space. They had a nice futon so it made my sleeps quite nice.
I found this festival extremely entertaining because people started figuring out my true nature. One, that I am a wanderer. I have a hard time staying in one place for an extended period of time. Especially when there are exciting new people to meet. Two, that I am a mooch. Or as I like to put it, I surround myself with people that take care of me and let me utilize those things that they have and I don’t. Food, water, showers, floor space, and access to the cyber world all fall under this category. I’m just good at embracing it and meeting the people who let me be me.
Another huge bonus this festival had was the luxury of time. Jesse and I allowed ourselves to stay up later so we could fully enjoy what the last festival had to offer. We hung out at friends hotels rooms, stayed up past close to chat with other vendors, had a beach campfire with our new favorite band, and tested out the local brewery for a farewell brew. New and old people enriched our experience and it was worth every minute.
This was the festival it all started clicking. We made the right connections. Figured out the power of connecting and helping bands. Hopefully we will see continued growth through those famous connections we made.
The excitement didn’t end at the end of this festival. The morning after close we woke up bright and early to go sailing in San Francisco. Jesse had a friend who made amazing arrangements for us. We sailed with her friend who had done cross-world sailing trips. What he has seen seems magical and you could tell he enjoyed everything about it. It was a nice relaxing Sunday, we were strangers to
the people we were sailing with so we were allowed to really enjoy the full experience internally. Naturally, being the social beings that we both are, we eventually socialized and made a few new friends. Jesse says no one is safe talking to me. I have the luck to be able to befriend those I wish and in effect encourage them to get on board with our mission, by buying a shirt or an event. You can say the sailing trip, in that respect, was no different than the festivals.
Beyond the people, sailing itself was the most peaceful experience I have had. As life goes on around you, you are allowed to fully enjoy the turns and fresh air rushing by. I was nearly thoughtless when I got to sit on the front of the boat.
San Fransico was more than a success. Sailing set the day right, and then Jesse and I both got time to spend time with some dear friends of ours. I was lucky enough to enjoy some overly spicy food with the one and only Sarah Craig. We both are in similar points in our lives and it was excited to exchange all the fun new opportunities life has presented for us. Plus, we tested out a pie shop. Life doesn’t get much better than pie with a good friend.
After staying the night on his friends sail boat we headed home. Being the site seers that we are we headed for the redwood forest. Being the little person that I am it was utterly amazing, what was neat about it is that it would have the same effect on a person of any size. We left the Redwood Forest and I wanted to see the drive that everyone talked to highly about up California 1. Minor mistake. This decision took us on a road trip twice as long as intended. For anyone who is wondering, you can’t get off of 1 or 101 as easily as you might think, but it is totally worth it. Winding up coast was beautiful, scaling over the 4000 plus feet of mountains was quite a view, and getting onto the interstate in time to enjoy breathe taking colors of the sun set topped off the day. No matter how long it was, it was one of the prettiest days I have had.
We made it to Craig’s in Corvallis to get some sleep and breakfast before we headed to Missoula for the night. Again, it was nice to be able to catch up with friends in both places and share our journey.
The last day of the trip Jesse was nice enough to let me stop and see my Mom in Butte and my Dad at home. In the end he got experience his first pasty, something no Montanan should go without trying. We pulled into Billings late in the evening and got some time to on our own, and relax…kinda. Relaxing isn’t something that is easy for either of us to do.
The festival tour was an overall amazing experience. I got to travel, meet new people, learn about myself more than I thought possible in two months, all in the name of something that I am passionate about. MyFight has showed me my calling, and got me hooked on its mission… and opened up the door for endless adventures.
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