When I arrived in England, I said, I really need to blog. For the past three days, I've been saying, I really need to blog. But I haven't. Not that I don't want to tell you all how I'm doing and what I'm doing, but I'm busy doing! I'm trying to soak up my experience, but I'm missing writing about it in the midst of the experience. Also, every time I get onto the internet, I seem to email, or Facebook or Skype. These are great, and I have great conversations with people. But after every time I do talk with or email a lovely person back home, I am left with a feeling of sadness and realization that this is hard. I am homesick, and it is very hard for me to be away from those I love. Harder than I would like to admit. I would greatly appreciate prayer about this.
But don't think it's all bad, oh no. I'm living in England! This is a really wonderful place, and I am thoroughly enjoying myself. The economy seems to be better here than in the states. It seems much more can be bought for a pound than for a dollar. The accents, are wonderful to listen to! Occasionally I have to ask someone to repeat what they said, but for the most part it's like a fairy tale to hear an accent. People of Asian nationality and with an English accent are harder to understand, but it's still fine. There's also happy little words and phrases. A snicket, is a small path that connects more major streets or paths, that's wedged in between buildings, or next to a more forested area. Cookies are called biscuits, and are served with tea or coffee, which is served after most meals. Whenever we've been to someone's home for a meal, afterward there has always been an offer of tea or coffee or another refreshing drink, often served with biscuits. We've picked up the habit, and have been drinking quite a bit of tea in our flat.
Finally, the countryside, my favorite part thus far. Last Friday, Angie, a lady from the Methodist church, drove us to her house and then she, her husband and their border collie, Nellie, took us walking in the woods/countryside. It was fantastic! It was quiet, and there was fresh air and there was green! "Well of course," you're thinking, "what else would be in the countryside?" But you see, I truly am a farm girl, and I had not been out of the city since the middle of August. This was a great deprivation for me, and the walk on Friday was a great refreshment. Also, my dog is a border collie, and I miss her greatly, so it was great to have a frisky Nellie running about and fetching a stick all the while during the walk. It was a dreary day, and they served us a lunch of hearty homemade soup and homemade bread, which hit the spot. After soup, they served us cheese and crackers, fruit and yogurt. Once we had enough of that, they served us coffee and tea. It was a wonderful day that left us ready for naps and our year ahead. That is all for now, hopefully the next blog will come sooner rather than later.
Blessings,
Becca
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
No habla Espanol
I had a wonderful weekend of jazz music, Baptist worship and Mexican food, followed by a very unpredictable Labor Day holiday. All 18 RJers met Krista at Union Park sometime after 9:00 a.m. to discuss hospitality. So we did, and then we were to go be hospitable. Sounds easy enough eh? Or not. The default picture of hospitality in my mind is the warm loving care given out from the home of my Uncle Leroy and Aunt Donna. My Aunt Donna is the most hospitable person I know, and while I've hopefully learned a few things from her over the years. However, I was at a loss for how to be hospitable in a city I've only been in for a few weeks when I didn't have a home or means to cook a meal for anyone.
First, Naomi and I decided to learn more about this immigration march we had stumbled upon, and we figured we could look for ways to be hospitable there. We both agreed that what is currently happening surrounding immigration in this country is unfair and needs reform and so we though, why not? we have time to walk. Many people tried to give us fliers and sign petitions about a plethora of socio-political issues, whether they knew much about them or not. Much of the talks and chants before and during the march were in Spanish, and I had to keep asking Naomi what they were saying, what was going on. I felt out of place, like I didn't belong there, even though I knew I was welcome it was as if I wasn't at the same time. I imagine that's how people who don't speak much or any English feel most of the time here in the United States. It gave me an empathy for them. A glimpse of an understanding of what's behind the passion of marches. I don't understand because I've never been in that position, but it helped.
After marching and chanting the best that we could in Spanish, we diverged from the march when we were closer to downtown. We walked a block this way, and a block that way. Then we walked a few more blocks that way. We walked fairly aimlessly in search of hospitality opportunities and a bathroom. Finally we found a Walgreens that was open. After more wandering we found an El stop (elevated train) to get on and we were able to buy a pop from the machine for a young mother and her son who were already on the other side of the fence waiting for the train. Yay! Hospitality: check. However, we didn't feel very accomplished. We got off at a stop, and found a Pita Pit. It was 1:30 by this time and we were hot, tired and very hungry. As were were sitting there enjoying our freshly prepared pita meals and perusing over a paper, it occurred to me how much hospitality can be appreciated, and how well it is sometimes received. I was exhausted, more or less, and I hadn't had anything to eat or drink in a few hours. Even though I did pay a pretty penny for my pita, I was so grateful to the workers who had prepared it for me. This seemingly small act of hospitality was very meaningful to me at this point in time.
So after this unpredictable day lacking labor, I feel that I learned a fair amount about hospitality. I think that hospitality is something that you do, even though I didn't do much myself this particular day. I also think that hospitality is an outlook, a way of living, that encompasses more that just physical acts. Being shown hospitality taught me more than I ever could have thought. I learned that one never really knows how well their hospitality is received. Also, not showing hospitality can have much larger ramifications, that one would originally think. Even social and political ramifications on an international level.
-Becca
First, Naomi and I decided to learn more about this immigration march we had stumbled upon, and we figured we could look for ways to be hospitable there. We both agreed that what is currently happening surrounding immigration in this country is unfair and needs reform and so we though, why not? we have time to walk. Many people tried to give us fliers and sign petitions about a plethora of socio-political issues, whether they knew much about them or not. Much of the talks and chants before and during the march were in Spanish, and I had to keep asking Naomi what they were saying, what was going on. I felt out of place, like I didn't belong there, even though I knew I was welcome it was as if I wasn't at the same time. I imagine that's how people who don't speak much or any English feel most of the time here in the United States. It gave me an empathy for them. A glimpse of an understanding of what's behind the passion of marches. I don't understand because I've never been in that position, but it helped.
After marching and chanting the best that we could in Spanish, we diverged from the march when we were closer to downtown. We walked a block this way, and a block that way. Then we walked a few more blocks that way. We walked fairly aimlessly in search of hospitality opportunities and a bathroom. Finally we found a Walgreens that was open. After more wandering we found an El stop (elevated train) to get on and we were able to buy a pop from the machine for a young mother and her son who were already on the other side of the fence waiting for the train. Yay! Hospitality: check. However, we didn't feel very accomplished. We got off at a stop, and found a Pita Pit. It was 1:30 by this time and we were hot, tired and very hungry. As were were sitting there enjoying our freshly prepared pita meals and perusing over a paper, it occurred to me how much hospitality can be appreciated, and how well it is sometimes received. I was exhausted, more or less, and I hadn't had anything to eat or drink in a few hours. Even though I did pay a pretty penny for my pita, I was so grateful to the workers who had prepared it for me. This seemingly small act of hospitality was very meaningful to me at this point in time.
So after this unpredictable day lacking labor, I feel that I learned a fair amount about hospitality. I think that hospitality is something that you do, even though I didn't do much myself this particular day. I also think that hospitality is an outlook, a way of living, that encompasses more that just physical acts. Being shown hospitality taught me more than I ever could have thought. I learned that one never really knows how well their hospitality is received. Also, not showing hospitality can have much larger ramifications, that one would originally think. Even social and political ramifications on an international level.
-Becca
Friday, September 4, 2009
God's Blessing Towing
So this past week I realized something. This year is going to be hard. I realize that sounds like the most elementary and no-brainer statement, but it's true, and in a sense I did just realize it. Yes I knew before this year that it's going to be hard, but I just now realized how, and how that relates to me.
This week we looked more in depth at the Enneagram, a personality test that describes nine basic types of people. We also met with our teams and the staff to talk about how we're doing, what's going good, and what we're struggling with. Then it hit me. This is hard. Before Wednesday, things were pretty peachy. All 18 of the participants here get along quite well, which is impressive and good. None of the information or topics we were discussing were hard for me to think or talk about. But when we started talking about me, that's when it became difficult. It's hard to dissect the what-fors and why-nots of me. I don't want to, but I will be thankful after I do.
It's uncomfortable to be looked at and examined with a magnifying glass, to lay things out on the table and discuss them. There are good parts about my personality to look at and discover and there are very good things happening to me because of this program. But there are also things that are ugly and uncomfortable. Not, this meeting is getting long and I really have to use the bathroom uncomfortable, but migraine uncomfortable. A migraine that won't go away. An uncomfortable that stays, it won't go away for an extended period of time, possibly this whole year. I also realized that I've never been uncomfortable for any amount of time. I've been uncomfortable in situations which I can shortly thereafter be comfortable again.
So, I'm learning to be uncomfortable. One last nugget to leave you with: today on the street I saw a tow truck that said God's Blessing Towing. People don't usually see the need to be towed as a blessing, let alone from God Almighty! But the tow truck coming to pick you up, may be seen as a blessing. Either way, I found it an interesting name for a towing company. I would usually pair a name like that with a daycare or a women's shelter. I likened this to my own experience. Being uncomfortable isn't seen as a blessing right off the bat, but what I learn through being uncomfortable will be 10,000-fold blessings.
-Becca
This week we looked more in depth at the Enneagram, a personality test that describes nine basic types of people. We also met with our teams and the staff to talk about how we're doing, what's going good, and what we're struggling with. Then it hit me. This is hard. Before Wednesday, things were pretty peachy. All 18 of the participants here get along quite well, which is impressive and good. None of the information or topics we were discussing were hard for me to think or talk about. But when we started talking about me, that's when it became difficult. It's hard to dissect the what-fors and why-nots of me. I don't want to, but I will be thankful after I do.
It's uncomfortable to be looked at and examined with a magnifying glass, to lay things out on the table and discuss them. There are good parts about my personality to look at and discover and there are very good things happening to me because of this program. But there are also things that are ugly and uncomfortable. Not, this meeting is getting long and I really have to use the bathroom uncomfortable, but migraine uncomfortable. A migraine that won't go away. An uncomfortable that stays, it won't go away for an extended period of time, possibly this whole year. I also realized that I've never been uncomfortable for any amount of time. I've been uncomfortable in situations which I can shortly thereafter be comfortable again.
So, I'm learning to be uncomfortable. One last nugget to leave you with: today on the street I saw a tow truck that said God's Blessing Towing. People don't usually see the need to be towed as a blessing, let alone from God Almighty! But the tow truck coming to pick you up, may be seen as a blessing. Either way, I found it an interesting name for a towing company. I would usually pair a name like that with a daycare or a women's shelter. I likened this to my own experience. Being uncomfortable isn't seen as a blessing right off the bat, but what I learn through being uncomfortable will be 10,000-fold blessings.
-Becca
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