Leaving Cape Town

On Sunday morning, June 17th approximately 80 students, Chase, Lori, Christina, and I headed to the airport for the trip back to Atlanta (Chase & Lori headed to France)!

Those rearranging to meet weight requirements

Christina and I are ready to head home (bitter sweet)!

I had to get a picture with Ish. Sad it was on the last day. He's a remarkable man.

Leaving Cape Town (this was actually taken by a student as we arrived; but still an amazing photo with the South African flag on the wing and table mountain in the background!)

On the way out to Cape Town, we had a 12 hour layover in Frankfurt. Thankfully, the layover wasn't that long on the return, however, it was still long enough to leave the airport and head into the city!
Sharanya and Claire in front of the train station

We found  a nice coffee and pastry place to have breakfast!

The pastry place where we had breakfast

Haha! Reminded us of home, even in Germany!

We were in the heart of the city

DB: a really large train station in the heart of the city

Random: but the walk and don't walk are green & red (no little white man telling you what to do)

Old fashion departure flight board; Frankfurt is one of the busiest airports in the world

Back in the airport with our train tickets.

And then we were on our way home.  We left Cape Town at 10:30am on Sunday and arrived home in Atlanta at 4:30pm on Monday.  Calculating time difference and travel, we estimate 38 hours of travel almost 21 hours on a plane.

Upon arriving in Atlanta, my luggage, however, was not there to greet me.  I took some comfort in the airline knowing it wasn't going to arrive :/  Yet, I was nervous because I brought back a couple of bottles of wine (and I was hoping the delay wasn't due to some sort of luggage catastrophe).  But the luggage arrived on Wednesday! WOOHOO!

All in all the trip was a great experience, but I was happy to have my feet on the ground and to sleep in my own bed...and even better when my luggage and me were both safely home!

It's May?!

April has come and gone. Wow. And in less than 24 hours I will be heading to the airport...no, on a plane to South Africa. Before I discuss that, let me express how wonderful my trip to Texas was...incredibly rejuvenating! I flew in on Thursday afternoon, saw a friend at the airport, went to TCU, hung out with Megan's friends that evening, drove down to Waco on Friday, saw a host of people, paraded visitors in at Common Grounds (CG), stayed the night with friends, saw Adam, Em, & the girls Saturday, more visits at CG, and then back to DFW where Megan and I hung out more and I saw another former student.  It-was-a-blast. 

And now...I'm frantically doing laundry, packing, and trying to cross off my insane to-do list.  I'm not complaining.  I am uber excited.  It's just that I have been going all week (with a program that happened tonight...err, is still happening and I had to sneak away to do laundry).

I am blessed.  I am excited.  I hope I don't forget something essential.

Probably will. :)

Global Lead 2012

Last year, my friend Mallory went on a trip to South Africa as a Teaching Assistant.  The trip was to Cape Town and included five weeks of learning history, leadership, and service learning.  When she returned, I was uber excited about the possibility of participating in the following year.  For me, these are many of my loves all wrapped up into one.  First, I love working with college students.  Second, I enjoy traveling.  Third, the study of leadership intrigues and excites me.  Forth, service learning is a passion as it unites academic (classroom) learning with real life experiences that positively impact a community.  Anyway, I had the opportunity to apply for the position. 

Weeks ago, I interviewed with the program director where I got to express my excitement for the combination of many of my passions.  After our conversation, I was hopeful. However, there were many hurdles.  First, I needed to check to see how I would be able to swing five weeks off of work. I have an assistantship that is a 12 month gig.  Thus, I needed to discuss the possibility with my supervisor.  Second, the trip would mean missing the first week of summer session, thus I needed to clear the missed class with my faculty.  Third, I needed to be offered the TA position.

I promptly talked with my supervisor and she encouraged me (if offered) to jump at the opportunity and told me we would figure something out (I love her, have I mentioned that?! Not just because of this, but she is truly a gift!).  I also cleared missing one class period with my faculty.

Well, after a week(ish) of waiting, I received an email. The program director congradulated me and offered me a TA position, the catch...she wasn't sure if they were going to assign me to South Africa or Greece.  What?!  Greece?!  That wasn't even part of the conversation we had...and unfortunately, it would require missing two weeks of summer session.  I emailed her and told her that Greece wouldn't be a possibility (because of classes) but that I would still like to be considered for South Africa.  Meanwhile, I contacted my faculty to see if there was a possibility to skype in for the second class session.  My fear was that if I limited myself to South Africa, I may not get a TA position at all.  After many emails and almost two weeks, it did not look as though I would be able to skype in for the 2nd class session.  In a last ditch effort (having not heard anything from the program director), I emailed her to ask if spots for South Africa were still available and when she thought she'd make decisions...see I already knew Mallory was going back, and another woman in my program had been assigned as well.  I knew there were limited spots and I was anxious to know how long I'd be waiting to know.

After much waiting, praying, I finally came to peace with the fact that it might not be a possibility.  Truly, one day I was sitting in class and we were talking about NHTI (National Housing Training Institute).  NHTI is housed at Georgia and I know a couple people applying for the program in the summer.  The dates would overlap with the South Africa trip, and as I sat and listened to the presentation on NHTI, I felt a peace come over me about Global Lead.  I reasoned that even if I didn't get to go, there was the possibility of seeing both a former supervisor (Dave Rozeboom who applied for the faculty) and Megan (who applied to be a participant) for a whole week!

Now, I know what you're thinking...right after I felt the peace I found out I was going.  Well, you're right, kind of.  That night, I received an email back from the program director informing me that there was an opening and that she wanted to offer me a TA position on the Global Lead: South Africa trip!

I am so excited!  At first, it didn't seem real.  I had waited and waited, and resigned myself that it might not happen. Because, after all, just because I wanted it, and prayed for it, didn't mean I'd get it.  Life is full of disappointments and sometimes things just don't work out.  But this time, it did.  I will be spending five weeks and two days in South Africa with over a hundred college students.

The waiting was also a time to reflect. At one point I became very frustrated and loathed in self-pitty. But after a really good gut check, prayer, and a swift kick, I chose to change my attitude (for one thing), and reminded myself regardless of the outcome God is in control (always) and that I am blessed beyond belief (I have family & friends that love me, food, shelter, clothes, a car, the opportunity to pursue a great education...the list goes on and on). Yet, I am also humbled and grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity to take students on a study abroad trip to South Africa!

I am blessed.

Post Op

I realize it's been awhile since I posted...too long.  Yes I've recovered from surgery, thank you for all the thoughts and prayers. Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. The worst parts were the first week, truly.  Between the gas they pumped into my body, and not really being able to sleep well...those were the worst.  However, full recovery did take quite some time. 

I could give you the nitty gritty of the surgery, what they found, etc.  But instead, I'll say that it wasn't cancer (praise the Lord) and that my community really came around me in amazing ways!  Here's the rundown of the ways that God blessed me! 

My friend Mallory took me to the hospital the morning of, and stayed with me all day and all night.  Two of my cohort members, Christa and Tiffany visited in the hospital that night.  Then Christy Correll-Hughes met me that morning, walked the halls with me trying to get the gas from surgery out from my shoulder blades (yeah, it's painful and odd), when I was released drove me home VERY carefully (you feel every bump and thump), and made sure I was set until Sarah came over.  Sarah Mudd, friend from Baylor who now lives in South Carolina drove down and spent the weekend with me!  Friends then brought me food every evening.  My cohort and advisor signed up for meals (sometimes twice a day).  The love and care I was shown was humbling.  I am blessed and so grateful! 

My sister joked that I was an office supply store after surgery.  At first I was stapled, then after they were removed it was replaced with glue and tape.  Here's a picture below of my staples.

Celebration

My grandpa's 82nd birthday is Monday, October 11th.

A couple months ago, when he was diagnosed with cancer my family talked about doing a living memorial in celebration of his life. Often times, at funerals, people say such lovely things about the person who has passed. Unfortunately, many times those wonderful things aren't said to the person while alive.

Today my family is celebrating my grandpa's birthday and life in a sort of living memorial sort of way. They've invited people from all over. Family, friends, friends of family, even some of his doctors and hospice nurses are planning to attend.

I wish I was able to attend, unfortunately, living on the other side of the world (sometimes it feels that way), and school prevent me from being there. However, I was able to participate in the event through the creation of a video that will be played during the party.

Paul Rhymes, you are loved!

(since the video won't post...here is the YouTube link)
Happy Birthday Video!

Mysterious Ways

God works in mysterious ways sometimes.

There are many times I sit in awe of what God is doing. There are other times where I throw my hands up in the air and think, 'what are you doing?'

When I was interviewing for assistantships, I spoke with this woman, Jan. She had an assistantship in her office of assessment. Although I wasn't too thrilled about the position itself (not that the job was bad, just very removed from students, and lots of assessment (which I already knew I'd be doing in the program)) BUT I was extremely excited about the opportunity to work with Jan. For whatever reason, I knew she valued people, would help create the experiences I desired, and would be a wonderful supervisor.

Well, I didn't get that assistantship.

Instead, I have an assistantship working in the student center. Having never worked with any sort of student union, it'll be a good opportunity to learn. Additionally, my office is just down from the dean, I have interaction with some students, and there's the ability to create my own job description (all wonderful things).

So I started on a Tuesday. My supervisor left (I mean left left) on Friday. The next Tuesday, my new supervisor was announced. On Friday, she moved in.

If you haven't guessed it yet...Jan is the interim...and my temporary supervisory. I couldn't have been more thrilled when they announced it!

...

So...God story number 2.

When I was looking for places to live, you may remember I decided to live on campus and the whole hoopla of securing my spot. Well, I had been in contact with this woman Mallory. A friend of mine in the program (Larry-2nd year) had someone in his cohort (Danny) that knew someone (Mallory) who was looking for a roommate too. Random, I know. So Larry put me in contact with Mallory. After a few emails back and forth, it seemed as though we may get along, although how much can you truly know through email. Well, after I had decided to go with on campus housing (and secured a place), I get an email from Mallory saying she's decided to go solo this year (phew). But we agree to meet up for coffee after we're both moved in.

A few weeks ago, Mallory shoots me an email saying she's moving in and that she'd like to schedule coffee. She informs me that she is living in on campus housing. (Insert random laugh here ps she didn't know I was also living on campus) Then she tells me that she's in the building next to mine (Insert confused look and thoughts of where her apartment is)

Literally, I can see her apartment door from mine (when the tree in the courtyard is trimmed).

Mallory and I soon meet up for dinner. Here are some of the things we talk about.

• We both like the outdoors
• She has her master's degree in higher education from UGA so she knows all my program faculty
• She's been working in a leadership development program
• We both finished our masters in 2005
• She's not married and about the same age
• She's a Christian

And the list goes on and on. We joked that we lived parallel lives. But really, it's just another reminder of God's provision for me along this journey.

I was reflecting the other day about this transition as opposed to the last, and surprisingly this one has been smoother. This may be in part because I'm not deathly ill three weeks into moving, but for whatever reason, I'm grateful. I know this journey to PhD will be a tough and long (roughly over 1000 days) road, but I'm so thankful for reminders that God is with me and watching out for all the details.

Jackson, MS

Last weekend, I headed to Jackson, MS to exchange cars with Shelton. Although I could write in extreme detail about the weekend, I'll refrain and limit it to the highlights (or lowlights).

While in Jackson, we tried to do something 'fun'. Well, we failed. Again. And again. And again.

Tried to eat lunch 'downtown' 4 out of 4 places were closed.

The state park closed at 5pm, on a Saturday?!

The Arboretum was closed for a wedding.

The Art Museum closed at 6, early... for a wedding.

Walked around two college campuses, only after driving back to where we had come from.

Got lost trying to find the reservoir.

Tried to get an icee. Key word, tried.

When we were about to give up, we found a 'park' (which was more of a grassy null) and the reservoir (which was actually huge and worth seeing) :)

I was ecstatic to finally find the reservoir. Shelton was just happy to not be driving around Jackson anymore.

Before heading out of town, my overhead light got stuck in the 'on' position. Can't make the trip across the country without something happening to all vehicles involved.

On Sunday, we ate lunch (at a place we knew was open), said our goodbyes, and drove 7.5 hours in our prospective directions.

Jackson, MS left much to be desired, and honestly, not much to write home about (another than the big FLOP of a weekend). But the trip reminded me how blessed I am! I had multiple people offer to help me move, people who helped me move into my temporary place in Texas, out of my temporary place into a Uhaul, people helped me move across the country, people helped me unload in Georgia...I am blessed. Thank you, to each of you who helped in both big and small ways!

My little honda and I are back in Georgia; it too seems to be adjusting well.

Until next time!