I am going to try to update this blog more. I have had fun adventures as always. My journal just knows more than the public world right now, which isn't such a bad thing. But, I still and will always have STORIES, which need to be told.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
where have you been?
The answer to this question will most likely always be studying Hungarian, writing about Budapest, or getting information together to raise my salary. If you'd like to see the construction of my Budapest blog, take a sneak peek:
I've been working a little with photoshop!
Monday, January 5, 2009
my passport
I want to introduce you to a good friend of mine:
The first trip I took out of the country was to South Africa in 2001 when I received this passport. We ministered on college campuses. I still have one
very good friend in South Africa, who I knew in college. Bethany married an African man.
I didn't travel out-of-country again until 2005 when I organized a youth trip to Mexico City. We spent 10 days working with a
healing crusade. This was the first time I realized such a practical application in speaking another language and went to bed thinking in Spanish, which was very exciting.
My fascination with words definitely extends beyond the English language.
After that,
you see stamps for my various travels while I was backpacking. I started in Scotland with a youth mission trip (this one was ultimate frisbee) and stayed after the rest of the team left and backpacked through Ireland, England, Hungary, Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain and France. Those seven weeks were some of the most amazing in my life, although I was really ready to come home at the end of them.
The next summer, I visited El Salvador to stay with the beautiful Mary Susan who spent time there in the Peace Corps. We had such a GREAT time!
Most of you know that I traveled again to Hungary this past Christmas and New Year's. This was a scouting trip for the move I'm taking for a year or two. (I'm setting my departure for early July, just after one more Eno River Festival). I'll tell you, nothing can be more confirming than feeling at home in a city not your own. It's a very strange thought indeed. I am so much more mature than I even was during backpacking and feel much more capable in navigating, especially since I felt so capable of speaking the language! When I held this passport the other night, I trembled a little with joy and then studied Hungarian for two hours.
Today, I found out that a Finnish student of mine might travel to Greece for a month in which case, I'd totally like to visit her in the summer (she has family there) and in the next week or so, I'm meeting with a girl who will go next year to Russia to teach ESL. I had written a list of places I wanted to visit while abroad and put Russia on a second list that involved stretching my dreams. Now, I have someone to visit. Could it be that God is orchestrating more adventures for me? (I definitely feel humbled and excited). I may have to stay for three years to visit all the places I'd like to.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
kabong!
Friends. This is a maddening time of year, but I'm so thankful. Had precious HOURS with some friends of 10 years this week, three coffee meetings in between, received encouragement, books, ideas that will propel my writing for years to come. Have seen the Durham downtown lights at least 2 nights, and tonight, it's off to Raleigh to bake cookies with precious women. What amazes me is that none of us gave each other gifts, but we encouraged each other and that is worth way more than any Target purchase.
One of the most exciting things, faithful blog readers, to announce to you first is that my birthday party will actually BE on my birthday: January 22, 2009 - a Thursday. I'll send invites soon with more details :). Having a party this epic makes me feel like this:
Some brief shots of teaching to humor you:
I just finished working with Romeo and Juliet. The kids had to perform skits in different time periods: the 20s, the 30s, the 50s, the 60s, the 70s. One of the weirdest questions I got during this process was, "Can we wear fat suits?" This question came from the two smallest girls I've ever taught. The kids also had to incorporate slang from their time period into their skit. The group from the 30s used the word "sucks." I still haven't asked him if this originated from the 30s. And probably the most interesting thing, I've had two dating couples in the same class this semester. This latest really perplexed me - I saw them hugging in the hall and promptly thought, "How did this happen? They sit on opposite sides of the room!" Lo and behold, the next day were skit performances and I realized, "Oh, they were in the same skit group." I continue my refrain, "There is no love in English!" *Sigh* - it never works.
Next, I teach poetry. I am excited about it, but my deepest teaching question remains: How do you get guys to like or just have a passing interest in poetry?
For sure, my next post will be pictures and updates from Budapest. I have a lot to do between now and then. Happy Holidays to all!
One of the most exciting things, faithful blog readers, to announce to you first is that my birthday party will actually BE on my birthday: January 22, 2009 - a Thursday. I'll send invites soon with more details :). Having a party this epic makes me feel like this:
Some brief shots of teaching to humor you:
I just finished working with Romeo and Juliet. The kids had to perform skits in different time periods: the 20s, the 30s, the 50s, the 60s, the 70s. One of the weirdest questions I got during this process was, "Can we wear fat suits?" This question came from the two smallest girls I've ever taught. The kids also had to incorporate slang from their time period into their skit. The group from the 30s used the word "sucks." I still haven't asked him if this originated from the 30s. And probably the most interesting thing, I've had two dating couples in the same class this semester. This latest really perplexed me - I saw them hugging in the hall and promptly thought, "How did this happen? They sit on opposite sides of the room!" Lo and behold, the next day were skit performances and I realized, "Oh, they were in the same skit group." I continue my refrain, "There is no love in English!" *Sigh* - it never works.
Next, I teach poetry. I am excited about it, but my deepest teaching question remains: How do you get guys to like or just have a passing interest in poetry?
For sure, my next post will be pictures and updates from Budapest. I have a lot to do between now and then. Happy Holidays to all!
Friday, December 5, 2008
jane austen
her birthday is December 16th - she's turning 233!
today has been awesome! I encouraged a student to attend the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston Salem - she's just the girl for it. I almost cried thinking how I could have had this opportunity in high school, but have always been proud that I bloomed a little later because art has helped me much.
Anyway, I think this is sort of a save-the-date: I'm turning 233 on Jan. 22nd (this is my real age: I told my students it was somewhere between 103 and 269). Jan. 22nd is a Thursday, but my party will probably be on a Saturday, like the whole day, so people can float in and out. Please save the date, I have some good ideas: JANUARY 24th, 2009!
Gearing up for Budapest! I'll be bringing an empty suitcase back (making deliveries to missionaries) - any small requests? I'll bring lots of paprika, of course.
today has been awesome! I encouraged a student to attend the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston Salem - she's just the girl for it. I almost cried thinking how I could have had this opportunity in high school, but have always been proud that I bloomed a little later because art has helped me much.
Anyway, I think this is sort of a save-the-date: I'm turning 233 on Jan. 22nd (this is my real age: I told my students it was somewhere between 103 and 269). Jan. 22nd is a Thursday, but my party will probably be on a Saturday, like the whole day, so people can float in and out. Please save the date, I have some good ideas: JANUARY 24th, 2009!
Gearing up for Budapest! I'll be bringing an empty suitcase back (making deliveries to missionaries) - any small requests? I'll bring lots of paprika, of course.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
slow down
It's so good to do this once in a while. I've stayed home a startling 3 nights this week so far - one of them was a SATURDAY (unbelievable, I know). I appreciate all the friends I said no to who made this possible.
Anyway, in my reading adventures, I found a really beautiful snippet of a poem I thought many people should hear. It should encourage the socks off you (that's right - you'd better be barefoot next time I see you):
From "August in Waterton, Alberta" by Bill Holm
Above me, wind does its best
to blow leaves off
the aspen tree a month too soon.
No use wind. All you succeed
in doing is making music, the noise
of failure growing beautiful.
Friday, November 21, 2008
YAY!
Great news, people. I PASSED NATIONAL BOARDS! I am definitely glad I don't have to go through any further trauma. :D
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