SJ takes on the UK

I have to admit, I didn't leave my friend's apartment for the first 24 hours I was in Edinburgh. The great outdoors was just a little too daunting. I curled up on the couch with Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester (How can I never have read that one before?), and I blissfully ignored real life.

I feel very incoherent and confused a lot of the time. I'm not sure that the things I'm saying make much sense. Rosy wanted me to buy something to have change for the bus today, but I was so overwhelmed by the choices available, and I didn't understand what I was supposed to do. The fact that it's still light outside at 930 is so mind blowing. I've added "How was Rwanda?" to the list of questions I hate most. It joins "Where have you decided to go to university?" "How do you plan to use that Anthropology major?" and "Can you come kill this cockroach?" (The answer is No, I can't.) Everything from the Lebowski Pub to chocolate cake makes me miss my friends and family in Rwanda. How do you sum up eight months of experience that was actually across the boards in every respect? The truth is, I really don't know what to say. The truth in my answer would open up about another hour's worth of conversation, and, unless you've put a cup of coffee in my hands, I probably don't have the energy or emotional capacity to get me through that hour. I promise to answer eventually.

There are definitely positives that are very much helping with this transition. I can walk down the street and not a single person will look at me or talk to me. I ran for an hour along the water the other day and saw five people. Then I stepped in a massive pile of dog doody. You can't win 'em all. I've had chips and salsa as my snack the past few days. I can drink the water out of the tap and the internet is blazing fast. Buses involve lots of personal space. Bathroom are huge. I'm excited to be in my bed in a few more nights.

The past week, I've spent time in both Edinburgh, Scotland and Belfast, Northern Ireland. I've been soaking up great accents and so much information. Aside from that 24 hour layover I had in London one time, I've not been to the UK before. In Northern Ireland, I wandered around the Ulster Museum and learned so much about The Troubles and saw an awesome display of World War I posters. There was a really cool exhibit of art from and inspired by The Troubles. It's a solid reminder that prejudice and hate take so many forms and none are ok. That is a time and place in history that I never learned about. As a matter of fact, I don't think I realized that Northern Ireland was its own entity until I met someone from there. I got to see where the Titanic was built, I ate an Ulster Fry, I kissed the big fish, and so many other neat things.
 

NI staple. The Ulster Fry. Soda bread, potato bread, egg, sausage, "bacon", and tea.

Rosy said I had to kiss him for luck.

St. Anne's Cathedral downtown Belfast.

The approach to Stormont, NI's Parliament building.

This guy's name is Carson. I should really know why he is in front of the Parliament building, but my information retention is rather shot at the moment.

We caught the ferry and bus back to Edinburgh for a few more days of adventures. I saw the castle and the stone commemorating my mom's favorite author. I got to learn some Scottish history at the National Museum of Scotland, we went up on Calton Hill and up to Arthur's Seat. We spent today at the zoo, and I ate fish and chips for dinner. I tuck myself in every night with a hot water bottle because I am finding it very hard to deal with the fact that it's nearly June and still this cold.

From Carton Hill. Who knows what I'm pointing at...

The view from Arthur's Seat.

This place is so gorgeous.

Those craggy rocks were surprisingly difficult to scamper up.

I will join my pillow, mattress, and duvet in two more days.

Unmet Unexpectations

I think I got this title from a conversation with Ellie Poole, but it perfectly captures the way that I think about this past school year spent in Musanze, Rwanda.

I did my absolute best not to have expectations coming into this year. That way, I figured, I wouldn't be disappointed, and I could be more flexible and open to what was going to happen. It turns out that I, instead, had anti-expectations. For example, I didn't think I would have any friends (aside from Lyd and Moses, of course) and assumed that I would spend a great deal of time by myself.

This is one of those beautiful moments where God smiles down at me and says, "Just wait. You have no idea what I have in store for you." And man, was He right.


I have been blessed by friends the likes of which I can only pray everyone would be able to experience in his or her lifetime. We spent this past weekend in Kigali motoing around to various places, eating Chinese and Indian food (because, you know, what else are you going to eat?), bowling and dancing like no one was watching (only lots of people were watching considering there were white people moving around). I have spent time in church, Bible Study and prayer with these people. I don't know how I will ever be able to part with them. I've been corresponding with a family friend from home, and he wrote this in his last letter: "You will be amazed at the richness of memory and reaquaintance, so buck up when you leave. You will be back in person or in word. I sometimes wonder is God gives us this blessing in recompense for the pain of separation in His name." Had I even tried before getting here, I would not have been able to conceive of friendships like these that will stay with me for forever. The Lord shakes his head and grins, "Just wait. It's not over yet."

Moses and I spent countless hours learning really cool stuff, like what happens when you focus the sun through a magnifying glass and how an inclined plane affects the kinetic energy of an object. How to tell the difference between nouns and verbs and why it's important to get creative when you write. We laughed and we argued and we curled up on the couch to read. And still God knows that's just part of it.

I have lived the past 8 months in someone else's home. I carried my weight as best I could, but I have been provided for and cared for in ways that I didn't even realize were happening. I've picked up endless factoids that will serve me in conversations for the rest of my life. I've honed by badminton and foxtail skills. I was brought into the lives and homes of three families and fed amazing food and loved so well.

The beauty of this place overwhelmed me on so many occasions. Even my walk to work every morning was hills and graceful landscapes backed by huge mountains covered in sheets of green. I got to stand on top of those mountains and look out over so many tiny towns and roads.

The Lord pats me on the back as we walk together, "See, child? You don't want to be the one calling the shots. You never could have come up with all that." All I can do is shake my head and laugh. He's right.

breaking rocks

There is a woman that I see every day on my way to and from work. She has a large pile of rocks that she sits atop and one large base rock as her workspace. Her whole day is spent hammering mid-side rocks to break them apart into smaller rocks that will be distributed as gravel. She likely has more skill than I do and has long since ceased to smash her own fingers. So, she sits, every day, breaking rocks. It's rather unremarkable, and yet, it's a job.

I think that's the kind of job I would like to have. The gravel she makes is likely all over this city. It's at the gates of homes and businesses. It matters, even if only in a very small way, and she will never know all the places it's gone.

In August, I will move to the neighborhood of Church Hill in Richmond, VA to intern with a Christian non-profit called Church Hill Activities and Tutoring (CHAT). You may remember that I was a summer intern at CHAT about two years ago, so it is not entirely an unknown to me. CHAT serves the youth in a low income neighborhood building relationships and improving education and literacy.

I'm going to go to Church Hill and break rocks (figuratively). I'll likely have a small impact, and I won't know where all the things I've done and said will go. It's rather unremarkable, and yet, it will matter.

The Lord has provided for me in some pretty incredible ways throughout my life, and this upcoming year will be no different. I have never wanted for family, friends, shelter, food, or anything really (except maybe that Barbie car I cold drive around the lawn, but that one is on my parents, not the Lord). One way that I will really have to lean on God's provision this year is that I have to fundraise to cover the cost of CHAT employing me. I've done some fundraising before, but it's scary and weird every time. However, I have no reason to think that God will abandon my efforts now.

If you would like to partner with me and be a part of what I'm doing this coming year with CHAT in Richmond, feel free to contact me or my mother (who can then put you in touch with me). I'd love to share with you what I'll be doing and explain why I'm doing it.



Now, I just need to process leaving here and get ready for this big new adventure. I leave Rwanda on Saturday. That's less than a week away. This is gonna be real.

Muzungus in the Mist, Pt. 2

All of the photos in this post are thanks to Mary Clayton. She is an incredible woman and my resident photographer. Really, she planned and orchestrated the whole trip because she is that cool. So blessed to have such a wonderful friend!

We made it through the border and hopped on motos in Uganda. One of us is really excited about this, and I'll give you a hint: It's not me.

Words to live by from my moto.

Our beautiful little shack named Gorilla with bathrooms round back. Looks like home.

But really it looks like home. Anybody see those hydrangeas?

Sunset before the big hike.

Sabinyo. You beautiful bear of a volcano.

A map of the park where Sabinyo is located. Altitude: 3634m.

We're ready! And adorable!

It took about an hour to get to the base of the volcano.

Through a bamboo forest.

First snack rest: we already look haggard but still excited.

There were incredible views at every break in the trees.

There was this crazy moss growing on the trees. 

It looked like New Orleans home with Spanish moss.

Climbing ladders like a champ.

We hiked all along that ridge.

First peak. Roger's hat is really cool and Jesse's has a neck flap.

Apparently, I was thoroughly un-hat-prepared.

The boys are in the hole that marks the border between Uganda and Rwanda.

I wanna say that Mary is in Uganda, and I'm in Rwanda.

Unbelievable to be among the clouds on the volcano.

We made it to the second peak! 

Obligatory jumping photo.

You can see the ladders up to the third peak.

Then the ladders became stairs that were sometimes vertical.

Third peak Snickers. Life doesn't get any better than this.

We are all in the hole that marks the convergence of Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. 

Technically, Roger is still in Uganda.

I happen to be in Congo.

Nailed it.

Muzungus in the mist, for real, climbing back down the stairs.

It was an incredible hike and an unreal experience. 

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.