Friday, September 16, 2011
NEW BLOG!
Hi friends! I've officially begun a new blog, specifically for my time in the Peace Corps! I leave this coming Tuesday, and I'd love you to follow my posts at To the Ends of the Earth. Thanks!
Friday, June 17, 2011
I'll Race You Home.
I've just returned. Windblown and happy as a lark, I sat down to a lovely late lunch in my breakfast nook after a 3-day excursion to Kansas City. Quality time with 4 of my best friends in the world was topped only by two and a half hours of the most glorious musical experiences of my life - Ray Lamontagne and the Pariah Dogs live at the Starlight, under a clear sky and perfect evening air.
I'm windblown because the 3-hour drive down highway 13 absolutely demanded windows down, music up, and hand out the window. June in Missouri is tough to top - until autumn, at least. The cornfields aren't even knee high, and most fields haven't had the hay baled yet. Tall, rich green trees stand clumped and chaotic or proudly lonesome on the hills. It's the type of countryside that makes you want to walk barefoot, get your hands dirty. I didn't have to think twice when I saw a sign for Gordon's Orchard, just south of Osceola, with a giant hand-painted BLUEBERRIES. Absolutely.
My only regret was that I didn't have more cash with me. Along with fresh produce, the roadside stand was selling the entire collection of a retiring local artist - a man in his 90's who has been creating decorative pots and Indian dance rattles for years. With ten dollars and thirty-two cents and no checkbook, I sorted through the giant bins of simple but beautiful craftsmanship and walked away $10.30 poorer, with a pint of ripe blueberries and my second-favorite decorative gourd.
It's always pleasant to roll back into Springfield (aside from the ever-detoured and slow-moving strech of Kansas "Express"way from I-44 to Republic Rd.) I take pride in my home, and as much as I love being out in the world, the Ozarks are always going to be the true center of mine.
THAT BEING SAID - I had an interesting experience yesterday. I'll preface by saying that last night, Lauren and Lindsey and I watched Crash, the first time for all of us. If you haven't seen it, I suggest it. If you have, you know it's about race. Overwhelmingly so. The characters represent it all - prejudice against blacks, Mexicans, Iranians, Chinese - I could go on. It's not an easy movie to stomach. Especially not after the reality check I had at Best Buy a few hours before watching the movie.
I was wandering through the CDs when someone started speaking to me. I turned around to see a well-dressed young black man, a store employee, my age or thereabouts. We chatted a bit, friendly and borderline flirtatious. Soon Lauren joined in our conversation, and I said something that gave away that I wasn't from the area. Best Buy guy asked where I was from. "Springfield," I said, "you know - the Deep South." He politely chuckled, and casually commented something to the effect of "Well my kind isn't welcome down there." Somehow by the grace of the moment, his comment (unaffected in any way by a change of tone) didn't register with me or with Lauren. Soon he was called away by another employee, and we parted on polite and congenial terms.
But WHAT?!! Wait - what did he just say?? "My kind aren't welcome down there?" It's true - Springfield isn't traditionally known for diversity. With over 90% of the population self-identifying as white and less than 4% black, the following minority populations Hispanic/Latino (2.3%) and Asian (1.3%) Springfield is nearly monochrome. The lack of African Americans is generally attributed to a mass exodus of blacks in 1906 following the mob lynching of three black men. The men were prisoners at the jail, two accused of sexual assault and one of murder, though evidence suggests all three were innocent. The lynching was done in the city center on the square, and they were burned after.
Flash forward a century later, and there I am. Getting hit on in Best Buy. And simultaneously being associated with the white people of the past whose hatred transformed Springfield into a city whose Gen-X and Gen-Y children are growing up with no, or at least less, prejudice against a race that we don't even hardly come into contact with. I had one black friend growing up, literally. And she was even the product of a mixed-race marriage.
You can call it all what you want, but at the end of the day, this country isn't going to be healed until forgiveness prevails. And at this rate, it's going to be a long, long road.
I'm windblown because the 3-hour drive down highway 13 absolutely demanded windows down, music up, and hand out the window. June in Missouri is tough to top - until autumn, at least. The cornfields aren't even knee high, and most fields haven't had the hay baled yet. Tall, rich green trees stand clumped and chaotic or proudly lonesome on the hills. It's the type of countryside that makes you want to walk barefoot, get your hands dirty. I didn't have to think twice when I saw a sign for Gordon's Orchard, just south of Osceola, with a giant hand-painted BLUEBERRIES. Absolutely.
My only regret was that I didn't have more cash with me. Along with fresh produce, the roadside stand was selling the entire collection of a retiring local artist - a man in his 90's who has been creating decorative pots and Indian dance rattles for years. With ten dollars and thirty-two cents and no checkbook, I sorted through the giant bins of simple but beautiful craftsmanship and walked away $10.30 poorer, with a pint of ripe blueberries and my second-favorite decorative gourd.
It's always pleasant to roll back into Springfield (aside from the ever-detoured and slow-moving strech of Kansas "Express"way from I-44 to Republic Rd.) I take pride in my home, and as much as I love being out in the world, the Ozarks are always going to be the true center of mine.
THAT BEING SAID - I had an interesting experience yesterday. I'll preface by saying that last night, Lauren and Lindsey and I watched Crash, the first time for all of us. If you haven't seen it, I suggest it. If you have, you know it's about race. Overwhelmingly so. The characters represent it all - prejudice against blacks, Mexicans, Iranians, Chinese - I could go on. It's not an easy movie to stomach. Especially not after the reality check I had at Best Buy a few hours before watching the movie.
I was wandering through the CDs when someone started speaking to me. I turned around to see a well-dressed young black man, a store employee, my age or thereabouts. We chatted a bit, friendly and borderline flirtatious. Soon Lauren joined in our conversation, and I said something that gave away that I wasn't from the area. Best Buy guy asked where I was from. "Springfield," I said, "you know - the Deep South." He politely chuckled, and casually commented something to the effect of "Well my kind isn't welcome down there." Somehow by the grace of the moment, his comment (unaffected in any way by a change of tone) didn't register with me or with Lauren. Soon he was called away by another employee, and we parted on polite and congenial terms.
But WHAT?!! Wait - what did he just say?? "My kind aren't welcome down there?" It's true - Springfield isn't traditionally known for diversity. With over 90% of the population self-identifying as white and less than 4% black, the following minority populations Hispanic/Latino (2.3%) and Asian (1.3%) Springfield is nearly monochrome. The lack of African Americans is generally attributed to a mass exodus of blacks in 1906 following the mob lynching of three black men. The men were prisoners at the jail, two accused of sexual assault and one of murder, though evidence suggests all three were innocent. The lynching was done in the city center on the square, and they were burned after.
Flash forward a century later, and there I am. Getting hit on in Best Buy. And simultaneously being associated with the white people of the past whose hatred transformed Springfield into a city whose Gen-X and Gen-Y children are growing up with no, or at least less, prejudice against a race that we don't even hardly come into contact with. I had one black friend growing up, literally. And she was even the product of a mixed-race marriage.
You can call it all what you want, but at the end of the day, this country isn't going to be healed until forgiveness prevails. And at this rate, it's going to be a long, long road.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Guess what?
I'm officially joining the Peace Corps.
I leave for Cameroon in September.
Whoa.
In other news, I've become re-obsessed with Enter The Worship Cirlce. Look it up. Amazing music.
I leave for Cameroon in September.
Whoa.
In other news, I've become re-obsessed with Enter The Worship Cirlce. Look it up. Amazing music.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The spiritual and the social
First of all, I should say that since the Rapture is reportedly supposed to occur today, if I don't live to see May 22, 2011, I hereby entitle the first person to read this blog to all of my stuff. Except the red composition notebook in my closet - that can just be burned. Please.
In my previous post I promised an explanation regarding my year's worth of spiritual and social sentiments. We'll go for highlights:
1. I love my family. Way much.
2. I spent the whole academic year feeling like I had to choose between investing myself intellectually in school OR investing myself in people. I hate that, and I really didn't mean to abandon anyone.
3. I totally get how some people are both Hindu and Christian.
4. I hate what religion can become if you let it.
5. I love what religion can become if you let it.
For a period of time this year, I became very critical, and spent several weeks this winter feeling like I was at the edge of a philosophical precipice. I prayed to step backwards, away from the danger, back to the comfort of doctrine and home. Every time I tried to step backwards, I just shuffled along the edge, never moving back to safetly, but rather learning how to trust my footing. I'm in the process of learning that faith isn't safety - it's knowing that life here is only one step away from the edge, ever on the verge of falling or flying. And it's from here that I have the clearest view of both the valley and the mountain.
In summary, God is good.
On an entirely different note, I graduated. And now I want to learn more. Lots more. If anyone has any experience with painting, playing music, photography, driving a standard transmission, speaking Hebrew, Arabic, Spanish, or German, you have an interested pupil with a decent start on most of these (except painting, that one is totally new.)
In my previous post I promised an explanation regarding my year's worth of spiritual and social sentiments. We'll go for highlights:
1. I love my family. Way much.
2. I spent the whole academic year feeling like I had to choose between investing myself intellectually in school OR investing myself in people. I hate that, and I really didn't mean to abandon anyone.
3. I totally get how some people are both Hindu and Christian.
4. I hate what religion can become if you let it.
5. I love what religion can become if you let it.
For a period of time this year, I became very critical, and spent several weeks this winter feeling like I was at the edge of a philosophical precipice. I prayed to step backwards, away from the danger, back to the comfort of doctrine and home. Every time I tried to step backwards, I just shuffled along the edge, never moving back to safetly, but rather learning how to trust my footing. I'm in the process of learning that faith isn't safety - it's knowing that life here is only one step away from the edge, ever on the verge of falling or flying. And it's from here that I have the clearest view of both the valley and the mountain.
In summary, God is good.
On an entirely different note, I graduated. And now I want to learn more. Lots more. If anyone has any experience with painting, playing music, photography, driving a standard transmission, speaking Hebrew, Arabic, Spanish, or German, you have an interested pupil with a decent start on most of these (except painting, that one is totally new.)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
New Beginnings.
Welcome back.
It's been forever, sorry I neglected you, blah, blah, blah... We'll pretend I've caught you up to speed. The only essentials you need to know are that since my last blog, I've had a satisfying senior year, full of that structure and intellectual stimulation I asked for, but sadly lacking in the spiritual and social realms...
No, that's not fair. It's been good, really - it just hasn't always FELT good. My year living at home has been comfortable, steady, and calm. Basically, the opposite of the previous 8 months. At this point, I'm 23 days away from graduation and still waiting to hear from the Peace Corps' Placement Office. I'm two research papers, an exit interview, and a week of finals away from "freedom," a terrifying brand of that supposed virtue that, as all recent college graduates know, thrusts you past the point of no return into the world of responsibility. I'm not complaining though... just anxious to hear back from the organization I've been working to get into since October.
I promise to have more interesting things to say soon. I'll expound on the whole "spiritual and social realms" thing. I just needed one transition post, and now I'll be starting the whole project anew.
It's been forever, sorry I neglected you, blah, blah, blah... We'll pretend I've caught you up to speed. The only essentials you need to know are that since my last blog, I've had a satisfying senior year, full of that structure and intellectual stimulation I asked for, but sadly lacking in the spiritual and social realms...
No, that's not fair. It's been good, really - it just hasn't always FELT good. My year living at home has been comfortable, steady, and calm. Basically, the opposite of the previous 8 months. At this point, I'm 23 days away from graduation and still waiting to hear from the Peace Corps' Placement Office. I'm two research papers, an exit interview, and a week of finals away from "freedom," a terrifying brand of that supposed virtue that, as all recent college graduates know, thrusts you past the point of no return into the world of responsibility. I'm not complaining though... just anxious to hear back from the organization I've been working to get into since October.
I promise to have more interesting things to say soon. I'll expound on the whole "spiritual and social realms" thing. I just needed one transition post, and now I'll be starting the whole project anew.
Friday, August 13, 2010
I'm changing my major to Idealism
I know. Long time. You probably thought you were lucky enough to get rid of me. To you I say: tough luck.
I have no apology, and no excuse but that I haven't known how to express my thoughts with anything less than novella-length musings. Since leaving Reunion, I have spent 3 days in Paris, 1.5 weeks in Germany/Austria, 1 week in Springfield, 1 week in Texas, 4 days in Springfield, 3 days in Arkansas, and a final 4 days in Springfield. All but three of my Springfield days have been spent working at my new job in the Study Away Office in one of the university's downtown buildings. I love the job, and eagerly anticipate the paycheck that will hopefully take significant chunks out of the sum of my debt to my mom remaining from our Europe voyage. Looks like I planned money perfectly for this spring... except that when I was planning I didn't account for 3 weeks in Madagascar, 1 in Mauritius, 2 in the US, and 2 in Europe... why can't they make a frequent flyer plan that applies to ALL airlines simultaneously?
Anyway the adjustment back into American life has proven somewhat less than smooth. I feel that I have too much stuff and too much room to put it in, and I can't lay IN my bed, but rather ON it. I can't walk anywhere. What is this 100+ degree weather?! And what happened to the Laura that wasn't used to air conditioning? I miss living in a community, though there is a certain freedom in living in the luxury of home.
I have the travel bug, bad. I officially made a list of my options for Summer/Fall 2011 today, and some of the more desirable options would place me in Uganda, Iceland, or the UK.
I look forward to the start of the new semester with its promises of routine and intellectual challenge. 12 hours of Religion classes and 3 history? Oh yeah.
It is wonderful to reconnect with my friends, but I feel this exaggeration. It's like all my close friends from before are all the more dear to me now, and my I-like-you-but-we-haven't-really-hung-out-but-maybe-some-other-time? friends are all the more distant, like I have even less in common with them now than I did before. I'm trying to keep an open mind and not become to proud or anti-social, but even with the close friends, things have certainly changed.
Another major thing has changed. I am reading RELEVANT magazine (okay, that's not too new) and catching up on the issues I missed this spring. And crazily enough, it's been GENUINELY inspiring me. Not like the "Oh how interesting, I'll copy that into my journal!" type inspiring... no. I mean, like, "Wow. I'm going to do this with my life." I know it's not just the articles, but it's like I've been experiencing in the last two weeks a constant building of energy focused around a decision I feel I'm being called to make. I've decided that the world CAN CHANGE. And I can make it happen. Sounds cheesy, but I'm serious. I really think I can. I think people are good and often lost or deceived, but ultimately want to see the best work out for everyone.
I can feel it; everything is going to change, and I'm going to work toward that.
I believe that by educating people about the affects of their actions, the global community can make incredible strides toward economic and ecologic sustainability, protection of human rights, relief of grand-scale poverty, and a general mindset of compassion.
Basically, I'm going to save the world.
I have no apology, and no excuse but that I haven't known how to express my thoughts with anything less than novella-length musings. Since leaving Reunion, I have spent 3 days in Paris, 1.5 weeks in Germany/Austria, 1 week in Springfield, 1 week in Texas, 4 days in Springfield, 3 days in Arkansas, and a final 4 days in Springfield. All but three of my Springfield days have been spent working at my new job in the Study Away Office in one of the university's downtown buildings. I love the job, and eagerly anticipate the paycheck that will hopefully take significant chunks out of the sum of my debt to my mom remaining from our Europe voyage. Looks like I planned money perfectly for this spring... except that when I was planning I didn't account for 3 weeks in Madagascar, 1 in Mauritius, 2 in the US, and 2 in Europe... why can't they make a frequent flyer plan that applies to ALL airlines simultaneously?
Anyway the adjustment back into American life has proven somewhat less than smooth. I feel that I have too much stuff and too much room to put it in, and I can't lay IN my bed, but rather ON it. I can't walk anywhere. What is this 100+ degree weather?! And what happened to the Laura that wasn't used to air conditioning? I miss living in a community, though there is a certain freedom in living in the luxury of home.
I have the travel bug, bad. I officially made a list of my options for Summer/Fall 2011 today, and some of the more desirable options would place me in Uganda, Iceland, or the UK.
I look forward to the start of the new semester with its promises of routine and intellectual challenge. 12 hours of Religion classes and 3 history? Oh yeah.
It is wonderful to reconnect with my friends, but I feel this exaggeration. It's like all my close friends from before are all the more dear to me now, and my I-like-you-but-we-haven't-really-hung-out-but-maybe-some-other-time? friends are all the more distant, like I have even less in common with them now than I did before. I'm trying to keep an open mind and not become to proud or anti-social, but even with the close friends, things have certainly changed.
Another major thing has changed. I am reading RELEVANT magazine (okay, that's not too new) and catching up on the issues I missed this spring. And crazily enough, it's been GENUINELY inspiring me. Not like the "Oh how interesting, I'll copy that into my journal!" type inspiring... no. I mean, like, "Wow. I'm going to do this with my life." I know it's not just the articles, but it's like I've been experiencing in the last two weeks a constant building of energy focused around a decision I feel I'm being called to make. I've decided that the world CAN CHANGE. And I can make it happen. Sounds cheesy, but I'm serious. I really think I can. I think people are good and often lost or deceived, but ultimately want to see the best work out for everyone.
I can feel it; everything is going to change, and I'm going to work toward that.
I believe that by educating people about the affects of their actions, the global community can make incredible strides toward economic and ecologic sustainability, protection of human rights, relief of grand-scale poverty, and a general mindset of compassion.
Basically, I'm going to save the world.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Down & Out
A few mornings ago, I woke at dawn to realize that it's actually happening... I'm leaving. I've been an early riser these past couple of weeks, awake for the sunrise more often than not. Before you're intensely impressed, though, it's winter here and we're far enough south that days are rather short. Dawn these days hits at about a quarter til 7, and sunset is a short 11 hours later.
I'm slowly beginning to process the reality that my coming home is NOT, for the grand majority of people I know, the start of a new chapter in life. With the exception of my immediate family and myself, my return will be little more than a convenient chance to reconnect. It's going to be a difficult transition for me, I think: I can feel it already. I've fallen in love with this island and it's incredible landscape, and if I ever get a chance to come back I do believe I'll take it. But with the grand majority of my friends gone home ahead of me, I do feel closure. I don't resent the end of the semester at all; home is going to feel GOOOOOD.
Today I'm packing and cleaning. I just weighed my suitcase at 23kg, precisely the weight limit... now to finagle the rest of my six months' worth of life into my 35-liter hiking pack.
So what have I done with my final week on the Intense Island? Well, did a little hiking in the Cirque de Mafate, starting at sunrise from Le Maido.
We camped overnight in the Ilet des Lataniers. The Cirque de Mafate is one of Reunion's three natural calderas that form the rugged interior terrain. Mafate has no roads, and seemingly never will now that it is considered National Park. The 700 or 800 inhabitants of the little villages in Mafate acquire supplies via footpaths or helicopter.
The hike was a bit more difficult than I'd been prepared for, and I admit the last hour descending from the trail head to the paved road in Sans Souci was more than I was psychologically prepared for. The last bit, even though I knew it was almost over, really drained me mentally, and it wasn't until later that we found out that our little hike was considered on the same difficulty level as Le Dimitile and Piton des Neiges - two hikes that I WISH I'd had the courage and time to do. But all difficult transitions seem more rewarding in retrospect, and I'm thrilled we made time for this last big hike before resigning ourselves to the slightly more comfortable, vacation-esque activities of the past few days.
Since the hike my friends and I have driven around the island twice (approx. 3-4 hours not counting stops), done some last-minute sight-seeing, watched the sun rise from various points of interest - the lighthouse in Ste Suzanne this morning - and gone swimming in a couple more of the glorious (and VERY COLD!) waterfalls to be found tucked away in shady groves.
Also, got to celebrate the Fourth with some of our American friends - Peter & Michelle, a married couple of scientists who are here working with birds. They've been extremely kind to us in the past several weeks and provided us with weekly supplies of delicious home-cooked food!
48 hours from now, I should be in Charles de Gaulle airport, saying hello to my mom and sister and goodbye to my German friends Franzi and Thomas. I'm so glad to have them with me all the way through my flight to Paris... and even more glad to have been able to watch the last couple of Germany matches with them... SO entertaining (both the games and their reactions.) It'd be an understatement to say that I'm hoping Germany wins the World Cup, because baby, I'm going to be there for the final!
I'm slowly beginning to process the reality that my coming home is NOT, for the grand majority of people I know, the start of a new chapter in life. With the exception of my immediate family and myself, my return will be little more than a convenient chance to reconnect. It's going to be a difficult transition for me, I think: I can feel it already. I've fallen in love with this island and it's incredible landscape, and if I ever get a chance to come back I do believe I'll take it. But with the grand majority of my friends gone home ahead of me, I do feel closure. I don't resent the end of the semester at all; home is going to feel GOOOOOD.
Today I'm packing and cleaning. I just weighed my suitcase at 23kg, precisely the weight limit... now to finagle the rest of my six months' worth of life into my 35-liter hiking pack.
So what have I done with my final week on the Intense Island? Well, did a little hiking in the Cirque de Mafate, starting at sunrise from Le Maido.
We camped overnight in the Ilet des Lataniers. The Cirque de Mafate is one of Reunion's three natural calderas that form the rugged interior terrain. Mafate has no roads, and seemingly never will now that it is considered National Park. The 700 or 800 inhabitants of the little villages in Mafate acquire supplies via footpaths or helicopter.
The hike was a bit more difficult than I'd been prepared for, and I admit the last hour descending from the trail head to the paved road in Sans Souci was more than I was psychologically prepared for. The last bit, even though I knew it was almost over, really drained me mentally, and it wasn't until later that we found out that our little hike was considered on the same difficulty level as Le Dimitile and Piton des Neiges - two hikes that I WISH I'd had the courage and time to do. But all difficult transitions seem more rewarding in retrospect, and I'm thrilled we made time for this last big hike before resigning ourselves to the slightly more comfortable, vacation-esque activities of the past few days.
Since the hike my friends and I have driven around the island twice (approx. 3-4 hours not counting stops), done some last-minute sight-seeing, watched the sun rise from various points of interest - the lighthouse in Ste Suzanne this morning - and gone swimming in a couple more of the glorious (and VERY COLD!) waterfalls to be found tucked away in shady groves.
Also, got to celebrate the Fourth with some of our American friends - Peter & Michelle, a married couple of scientists who are here working with birds. They've been extremely kind to us in the past several weeks and provided us with weekly supplies of delicious home-cooked food!
48 hours from now, I should be in Charles de Gaulle airport, saying hello to my mom and sister and goodbye to my German friends Franzi and Thomas. I'm so glad to have them with me all the way through my flight to Paris... and even more glad to have been able to watch the last couple of Germany matches with them... SO entertaining (both the games and their reactions.) It'd be an understatement to say that I'm hoping Germany wins the World Cup, because baby, I'm going to be there for the final!
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