Life is like a spider web. We start in the middle when we are born to a set of circumstances, within a family within a culture within a country. We are born on this point of time on the spider web who we are with all of the privilege and adveristy that come with being … Continue reading I’ve always wanted to work in a camp
Tag: international living
Being fat, Fab 5, and living in tension
I have always had what I call a healthy self esteem. Despite being overweight since puberty (but was I though? like, my memory tells me I was chunky in high school but when I look back at pictures I don't see it), I've never felt, or at least never felt that I felt, less than … Continue reading Being fat, Fab 5, and living in tension
Not Sad, but Perhaps Overwhelmed
This past weekend I went on a Young Life Training Retreat. Nearly 20 of us Young Life staff and volunteers traveled the windy road between Jarabacoa and Constanza until we reached this big ol' cabin in the woods where there was no WiFi and hardly any running water. There was, however, a giant table big … Continue reading Not Sad, but Perhaps Overwhelmed
Promises made and kept
One of my favorite things I got to do this summer was worshiping in English. I love worshiping in Spanish, as well, but there is just something beautiful and powerful about worshiping in your heart language. My favorite song to sing with a bunch of teenagers and my staff was "King of My Heart" (above). … Continue reading Promises made and kept
Happy Anniversary, Dominican Republic!
Five years ago yesterday I moved to the Dominican Republic. It was four days after ending my first summer with YouthWorks. Wendy and Jenn - women that at the time I had never met but who have become extremely important to me over the past five years - picked me and my two suitcases (just … Continue reading Happy Anniversary, Dominican Republic!
Wednesday Snapshots
The past two weeks have been a freaking whirlwind. So much so that when I got two whole days off in a row this weekend I decided I was going to do nothing responsible except for rest. Even though because of the whirlwind of the past two weeks I have plenty of other responsibility-type things … Continue reading Wednesday Snapshots
Leftovers, perspective, and comfort zones
This weekend a guy showed up at the hostel to stay in the bunk room. We chatted for a bit - he told me a little about his experience teaching in Honduras - and I went on my way. The next morning we talked for a good while about politics, teaching English, culture, and managing … Continue reading Leftovers, perspective, and comfort zones
This hard, uncomfortable, frustrating, overwhelming, abnormal, really great life
I cried three times yesterday. The first time needs a backstory. We had a group rent the entire villa (the main building of the hostel) yesterday. As part of a private rental we offer charcoal and lighter fluid for the super nice BBQ. I had seen lighter fluid earlier in the week so, silly me, … Continue reading This hard, uncomfortable, frustrating, overwhelming, abnormal, really great life
Two things
I'm moving tomorrow. Yesterday I sat on my couch and nearly cried thinking about moving by myself. Here's the thing, though - I'm not moving by myself. My friends Quel and Carli (along with Carli's super helpful and super fun daughters) are totally moving with me. Not to mention my friend of a friend and … Continue reading Two things
Reverse culture shock and The Book of Strange New Things
Recently I read Michel Faber's The Book of Strange New Things. I read it without reading a summary, which is how I'm reading most of my books this year. At one point I read the summary for each book on my TBR list and thought it was interesting enough to read so now I'm trusting my … Continue reading Reverse culture shock and The Book of Strange New Things
