Girl power.

One of the most touching things I remember from teaching was a phrase the KG2 teacher, Mr. Richard (who was actually only NINETEEN, and we still called him Mr. Richard.  Weird.)  had his kids repeat.  It's a quote that they attribute to one of their presidents, but that I've seen from various authors.  It goes:

"When you educate a boy, you educate an individual.  When you educate a girl, you educate a family.  When you educate a family, you educate a country."

This is touching on so many levels.  First of all, hearing so many little voices assert this was just... breathtaking, for me, at least.  Second, it was a MALE teacher who was ensuring that these children grow up realizing the importance of girls' education.  It reminded me of a movement called "The Girl Effect."  One of my professors last fall showed us their promotion, and it was SO AWESOME.  If I haven't made you watch it yet, please take the time to look at it, it's so cool, from both a people-perspective and just pure advertising genius, haha:

http://www.girleffect.org/

Enjoy!

Home again, home again, jiggity jig...

Let's just begin with this quote from Anne:
"My flight was delayed. I probably would have been worried if it had been on time."
I definitely would have been.

Our last few days in Ghana were nothing short of perfect. Wednesday and Thursday, we were able to keep doing what we had been doing the entire four weeks: basically whatever we wanted. We usually rotated between teaching, computer/administrative work, and goofing off with the kids. Especially the last option as we realized our time was quickly coming to an end. The kids were so adorable, at the beginning of the week we think the teachers told them that we'd be leaving on Friday, so they all kept saying, "Madame, do not leave! Madames, when are you coming back?" I really fell in love with these little munchkins. (Shout out to my ACAD girls: I literally wanted to put them on a cupcake. They were like little marshmallow children) After being home a few days, I really realize how much I miss them loving on us all the time. And as Anne was saying, that REALLY indicates just how much we adored them, because I can honestly say that we had no problem with them touching, pinching, stroking, pulling on, and even biting (chomp chomp haha) us, despite the fact that, sadly, we'd seen many of them climbing in the trash dump outside the school at one point or another. The last two weeks were especially wonderful, because we got to know the kids individually, know their personalities and quirks, and see them as people. Especially in the Stage 3 class, one of my favorite things to do was just sit and watch them interact with each other, joking and laughing and bickering sometimes but always making me smile.

The first day we went to school, a little boy, Nathaniel, was in there because he had fallen and broken his arm. Because the cast wasn't very stiff, he stayed home for a while, and when he came back to school, he spent the day in the headmaster's (John's) office. Needless to say, for a five year old, this is a very boring place. So this week, while the other was working on the computer, either Anne or I would play with him and read to him on one of the couches. Until Thursday, he was SO timid. While most of the kids would always do glamour shots and goof off in front of the camera, he didn't even smile! Thursday, though, suddenly he had a PERSONALITY. Literally, he just babbled on and on and on and danced and sang. It was so hilarious. Anne has a great video of him and the son of one of the cooks, Kojo.

While catching up with everyone, I always get the request, "Tell me EVERYTHING!" I have no idea how to do that. In Ghana, I saw a completely different, beautiful, heartbreaking world. Every day I saw more poverty than I have ever seen, but I also saw the most grateful and content and giving people. We saw thirteen year old boys with machetes. We saw street children living in trash. But we saw the happiest, most faithful people I have ever been blessed to meet. These people GET life. Their first thought is ALWAYS, how can I help this person? When Anne and I arrived, they loved us. They didn't wait to get to know us, they just LOVED us, with all their hearts. We were welcomed by their country, while if they had come to America, they would most likely have been looked away from or provided with minimal help (at best) or scorned at because they were foreigners trying to make a life here. Even at the airport, when the security guards were searching our suitcase and asked "How did you see Ghana?," their eyes lit up when I would gush about the beautiful, welcoming people. They have such pride in their culture and in their hospitality. It's beautiful.

Being home, I miss the little, simple things. Like being home with Anne, just sitting and reading or journaling or just... sitting. Like falling asleep at 10 o'clock and waking up at dawn with roosters. Catching a taxi that I was pretty sure would break down before we made it to Abura. Paying less than a quarter for a huge meal, served in newspaper. Going to school and witnessing TRUE LOVE and adoration from the children. And the simplicity of everything. Anyways, I'll probably keep posting about Ghana, and I'll definitely put up pictures. And then, in a week, I'll leave for Peru! I'm not sure what the internet will be like there, but I'll do my best to update often. Hope you're all doing well!

love, geales

oh, and a note about our flight home. Ha. So Anne and I left our apartment at 2:30am. Meaning, we went to sleep around 11 and woke up at 12:30 to shower, finish packing, and attempt to clean our apartment. Our bus was, unsurprisingly, 30 minutes late (Ghana time, woo!!) But besides that the first leg of the trip went well--it was so cool watching the sun rise as we drove through the countryside!! What a beautiful last glimpse of Ghana :) It was really bizzare leaving in the middle of the night though, because, eerily, we knew that when the sun came up that morning it would appear as if we'd never have been there. Well, it's a weird thought for us. We arrived at the bus station in Accra around 6:30am, which was nice, because everything was just starting up. Anne and I found a street vendor selling Ghanaian donuts, bo froot (sp??), pronounced Bohfroo, which were DELICIOUS, so much more dense than American style donuts and not too sweet, but definitely not the best thing to eat right before you travel. Ooops, oh well, they were worth it, haha. Anyways, then we caught a cab to the airport, which was probably the most confusing airport EVER, but we made it fine, haha, and all of the officials were very nice and eager to help us, especially, as I said earlier, after we commented on the hospitality of Ghana. WE were very lucky to get out of Accra on time, considering now the rainy season is in full swing, bringing torrential downpours every morning. As in, once we couldn't even leave our apartment because it was raining so hard and was so windy! But we got out fine and it was definitely one of the best flights I've been on. The flight attendants were so kind and genuinely helpful, the seats were bigger than normal, and the movies were great. Even the food was REALLY good--they served us FanIce!! A perfect last Ghanaian snack :) The flight flew by (ha, no pun intended) and we even landed about 40 minutes early.

At this point we were like, great, we'll have plenty of time to get through customs. (On a side note, the New York customs is a lot easier to go through and quicker and more rational than the ATL airport. Just saying...) Well, we could have been five hours late and still have been fine. That's right. Five hours. Our flight from JFK to ATL was delayed from 9pm to 2:45AM!! Which really wasn't that bad, actually it was hilarious because at this point Anne and I had slept about 2 hours thursday night and barely 5 the night before, and maybe 1 or 2 on the plane over (for some reason we couldn't sleep, we really regretted that at this point...) so we were DELERIOUS. It was absolutely hilarious, because each time our flight was delayed more we would just crack up. No one else thought it was as funny but honestly, what can you do? Nothing. So we laughed, and we talked about Ghana and the funny things the kids did and had a blast. When the flight finally did take off, however, we were ready to get some sleep. Not ready to part ways, but ready to shut our eyes.

Last few days in Ghana!

Hello everyone!

I hope all is well!  Anne and I have been enjoying a wonderful, beautiful last week in Ghana.  We think this will probably be the last time we can get internet, so this will be my last update before we touch back down in New York!  We'll be leaving our apartment at 2am Friday morning to catch a 10am flight from Accra to NYC, and then Anne flies to New Orleans and I fly to Atlanta, both arriving around 11pm/midnight... a long day, haha. 

This weekend, Anne, I, and all of the teachers from the school we're working at visited Kakum National Park.  We rode all together in our own "tro-tro"  which is essentially a 15 passenger van stuffed until it looks like one of those cartoon vans that almost explodes.  No lie.  Ours was SO nice, though, especially compared to the ones we usually see, which are essentially held together by bungee cords and fly down the road, hopefully reaching their destination intact, haha.  But the park was BEAUTIFUL.  Anne, sweet girl that she is *sarcasm* told all of the teachers of my fear of birds.  And heights.  So all the way up to the canopy walk, I was bombarded with "WATCH OUT HERE COMES A BIRD!!!!!!"  but it was actually really funny.  And we saw NO birds, and the view was totally worth any fear.  I can't even describe it.  And as we were walking along (the canopy walk is basically 2 by 4s suspended between 7 platforms.  Yeah, don't look down) it started raining.  Not hard, but enough to make it surreal.  It was such a cool feeling.  And even better was being able to be around the teachers as they goofed off with each other.  Theyre such a fun group!  And they loved taking pictures with our cameras.  Like, glamour shots.  It was hillarious--I think I laughed the entire time.    And the ride home was AWESOME.  The teachers had brought our drums and just started a sing along, singing lots of really upbeat gospel sounding songs.  Everyone was singing and Anne and I just laughed along.

Anne and I really enjoyed the rest of our break, too.  Sunday we went to church with John and then chilled at home.  Monday, we went to a seamstress and were measured for a "surprise" from the school.  Even that was a really cool experience.  It was this really small open air room, and the seamstresses just took their time, chattering along as they measured us.  As we were leaving, one asked my name and then said, "I would like to be your friend.  Will you accept?"  Their friendliness here is just so deliberate and genuine and touching.  I think that's definitely what I"ll miss most here.

Anne and I spent the rest of the day doing administrative work for the school.  It's really great when we can do computer stuff since they aren't really used to dealing with data and our experience really allows us to complete more work in a shorter amount of time, so we've been really happy to help them transfer student records to a computer.  Then, last night, John took us to his village to meet his family and see his house.  We thought that she was just going to teach us how to fry plantains, but she not only did that, but she also cooked us a whole meal!!  She was the epitome of a warm, welcoming grandmother.  She even chastised John about not bringing us to her sooner and told us to be very careful eating the street food so we don't get sick.  And she cooked us more food than I've ever seen in my LIFE.  And his famiily just treated us like we were the most important guests ever, it was so touching.  As we were sitting on their patio, listening to the frying plantains and old, crackling radio and watching the sun set against the hills and forest, it just seemed so peaceful and perfect and... like Africa.  Ahhhh, love it.  So needless to say, Anne and I ate so much we felt like we were going to burst.  On the walk home, we met up with one of the other teachers, and after about 10 minutes of talking about how full we were, we saw a FanIce bike.  Let me explain the goodness of FanIce... it's basically heaven.  It's the richest, most delicious and frothy vanilla ice cream known to man.  And it is the perrrrrrfect thing in Ghana.  It's the only cold and creamy food Anne and I eat here, so we love it.  Anne and I got ice cream bars for ourselves and John and Issah, the other teacher with us, and the guy didn't give us change.  When Issah realized this, he literally ran after the bike man and made the man give us change.  It was probably one of the funniest moments EVER.

Well, my time is running out but for the next few days Anne and I will be teaching at the school and eating as much delicious Ghanaian food as possible!!

One week?!?

Okay, so now Anne and I are really freaking out because we've realized we only have ONE WEEK left of this paradise.  This trip has been more than either of us have dreamed and can't imagine leaving it behind!  But anyways, the past few days have been fairly uneventful.  Sort of.

 

So Monday night, right when we were about to start doing laundry (an experience in itself) our WATER went out.  So basically Anne and I were not only gross from travelling all day back from the Volta Region (a 13 hour journey... we left the hotel at 2:30 am and returned to our apartment at 3:30pm) and we didn't have any clothes.  We kept thinking it would come back on, but eventually we just bit the bullet, went to bed, and hoped that it would be back on by the next morning.  I woke up around 5:30 the next day to run, but luckily checked the water before I left.  No water.  Luckily (for us and the rest of the world) Anne and I were still able to make coffee using the bags of water we've bought to drink.  And it really wasn't that bad--we've gotten used to a little grime and sweat haha.  Later that afternoon, though, Anne saw the landlady and she came to fix our water--THANK GOODNESS!  Tuesday was a really funny day at school though.  It had poured all Monday night and was still sprinkling Tuesday morning when we left to walk to school.  Not anymore than it's rained before, though.  Well, we get to school and there's almost no kids, and the teachers are just hanging around (although that actually happens on a regular basis.  They're all pretty laid back) near the entrance.  Apparently almost none of the kids have decided to come to school Tuesday because of the rain. Grrreat. Haha, so Anne and I get to just chill with the kids and basically go to whatever classes we want.  I taught the 8 or so kids that were in the Nursery 2 class (about 4 years old, some I think are 3).  And by taught, I mean I said letters, they repeated them, and then I read them a great story about a chameleon who finds a friend (touching) and we had an in depth conversation about the noise an elephant makes.  Such cuties!  When their teacher came in, I headed up to the Stage 3 class, where Anne was having all the kids read aloud.  After a while, though, the kids just wanted us to read, so we did.  I have to admit story time always has been and always will be my favorite time.  And as cheesy as it sounds, it was so fun watching the kids get into the story and the picture it was painting.  Kids stories in Ghana are blunt, though.  In the one we read, the King flat out says that he will behead the rabbit, very matter of fact-ly.  Instead, though, all the little animals just pull on his ears to punish him for lying.  Whew.

 

We did find out Tuesday night that the kids are actually on holiday Thursday (today) through Monday, so we won't get to see them again till Tuesday.  We're really upset, especially since next Thursday is our last day.  But we're trying to make the best of it and slept in until an unheard of 7:30am this morning and relaxed, before heading into Cape Coast, where we are now.  We're going to go have lunch and then head back to our village for drumming and dancing lessons!  Anne and I are finally catching on, woo, and having the BEST time.  It's like being a part of the cool kids club when the teachers all join in and the kids just start dancing and jumping and laughing!!  They kids are SUCH good dancers and they get so into it.  I swear I saw a three year old break dancing and I got so jealous.  But good news, I think being here has slightly improved my rhythm.  Either that or I just stopped caring about rhythm... haha.

 

Yesterday the kids finished up their mid-term examinations.  Anne and I spent most of the day watching stage three complete their exams and then grading and recording the grades.  It really provided great insight to the differences in education in America to education in Ghana.  The Madame explained the purpose of the exams as not to learn the level of the children but instead to learn how the school is doing and what the school needs to improve upon.  It was also really interesting, and sad, to see the disparity among the children. For example, some children clearly understood everything, while others struggled to even provide an answer that related to the question.  Most of these children seem to understand when you talk to them in class, but I think the written exam really throws them for a loop.  Plus, so much of the education is relayed in an auditory manner... what about the kids who need to write everything down or see it done?  Or read it?  It's just interesting, because I think there are certain things that are valuable here that I think would be great integrated into the American educational system, but I also wonder how this educational system could be improved, especially given the limited resources.  All that being said, please understand that I think CEJOCEP International School is doing amazing, blessed work for these children, and I think nothing but the best of the school and everyone who pours their life into it.

 

Before exams started on Wednesday, Anne and I got to watch the worship service.  It's so cool watching all the little children get into the songs or the sermon one of the teachers, Mr. Richard (who we recently found out is just NINETEEN!) gives.  They all raise up their hands and close their eyes and dance, just going with the praise music and getting excited about... God.  And, there's this clap rhythm they always do in class when a student does something amazing or gets a really hard question right. And yesterday morning, one of the teachers yelled out, "Clap for Jesus!" and they all did that clap.  I think that's what got me the most.

 

This weekend Anne, John, Mr. Essah (one of the teachers who's been helping us learn to drum--very patient, thank goodness!), and I, and hopefully Amanda, another UGA student who's working at an orphanage outside of Cape Coast, are planning to visit Kakum National Park and try out the canopy walk, which was created as a US AID project.  Essentially, we'll be walking REALLY high on REALLY thin walkways/rope bridges as I understand it, through the rain forest.  So it should be a beautiful view.  However, the park is also known to be the home to countless birds.  So let's think... heights + birds= my two greatest fears. faaaaaaaaaabulous.  haha, but we're here and it should be amazing so I'm DEFINITELY doing it.

 

Anyways, my time's almost up, but I hope everyone's doing well and Anne and I send our love!  Let us know how you're doing, too!

This one time, in Africa, we were COLD!

That's right, folks.  Anne and I were COLD this weekend.  We traveled to Hohoe, which was about a 9 or 10 hour drive, for the weekend to visit the Wli Falls and Afadjado Mountain, the highest free-standing mountain in Ghana.  It was definitely one of the most eventful times we've had!!  We stayed in a great little hotel with AIR CONDITIONING on Saturday and Sunday nights.  Sunday morning, we woke up and ate at the hotel's restaraunt--WONDERFUL crepes and of course instant coffee, haha.  Then, we took about a half hour taxi ride through the African rainforest to the small village where Wli falls is located.  The drive was beautiful, and though we tried to capture the feeling with pictures and words, Anne and I have decided that it's impossible.  Our theme song for the weekend was John Mayer's "3x5," specifically the lines "You should have seen the sunrise/with your own eyes" and the part where he talks about fitting life into a picture frame.  You  just can't appreciate the view as much unless you're sitting in a broken down, smoking taxi, layered with pounds of deet and sunscreen, listening to the birds and frogs and watching goats and chickens and roosters dart across the dirt road.  These are the moments when our hearts just fill to the brim with amazement... I can't even describe the feeling.  Ah!  That morning we hiked for about 45 minutes to the Wli falls.  This is the highest waterfall in all of western Africa, and the view is spectacular.  My knees buckled just looking up to the top, and the splashing water sent this mist throughout the whole opening where it was.  The water was freezing and SO clear and clean.  We had a great guide through the whole hike, too, who pointed out the avacadoes, palms, bananas, pawpaws, cocoa plants, etc.  There were so many butterflies, too.  And going into the forest was incredible--it's silent except for the sounds of crickets and animals and frogs wandering around.  All of the sights seem like someone's let you in on this incredible secret, and you just want to be able to keep it forever.

After the hike, Anne and I wandered around some shops that were near the tourism center, which is where you set up to hike with a guide and everything, and found some BEAUTIFUL glass and handmade jewelry.  Then, we went to a small hotel we had read about in the guidebook to have lunch.  The owner was so kind--she came out and sat and talked with us for a while, and her hotel was just like this oasis of calm looking out over the mountains and the jungles.  We could see the waterfalls from our table under the covering!!  Up next on our agenda was the REAL hiking, the mountain.  We were definitley NOT prepared for what was ahead of us, haha.  At the shops we had met a group of canadians who had just finished hiking.  They asked if we'd ever hiked a mountain before, and we, thinking of Cinque Terra (which WAS taxing...) just kind of brushed it off.  Well, this was no Cinque Terra.  This was straight up.  The whole way.  Fear of heights?  Yeah, conquered that.  We hiked it in about 40 minutes, which our guide was VERY impressed with, and were thoroughly exhausted at the top.  But the view was worth it, without a doubt.  From the top of the mountain, we could see Togo, which is just north of Ghana, and all these little villages surrounding the mountain.  It looked like a toy map, all these little brown huts in clearings spaced out around the mountain.  We could even see Lake Volta.  It was staggering.

Here's where it gets EXTRA interesting.  So, we get down the mountain and ask for the tro-tro (it would be our first... we've been terrified to take one so far) to take us back to Hohoe.  Well, guess what, no tro-tro on Sunday.  What about a taxi?  Nope, no taxi, either.  Motorbike?  SURE!  One of the men that worked at the mountain offered to take us back to the village where Vli was where we could probably get a shared taxi or tro tro (and did).  On a motor bike.  Anne and I have the new found laid-back-ness/risky-ness, so we say sure.  Before seeing the bike.  So they bring the bike out... and spend thirty minutes trying to make it work.  Great.  Do we back out?  No, of course not.  They finally get it going.  So let me describe said bike... it's old, the foot rests are falling off, and, oh yeah, it's built for two. A driver, and a passenger.  So where do I ride?  The grate on the back. ohh yeah.

So we head off, the driver in the front, Anne in the middle (with a broken footrest), and me on the grate, with my legs wrapped around Anne and the driver and my arms clinging to Anne for dear life, my shorts flying up and showing probably much more than is decent in any country.  The road between the mountain and the falls is quite bumpy, so I have to admit I buried my head in Anne's back until I got used to the feeling of almost falling off.  But once I did, I realized this was one of the most incredible experiences EVER!

We were riding a motorcycle.  Through tiny, hut filled African villages.  Through the rainforests.  With the mountains on either side of us.  WHILE THE SUN WAS SETTING!  Can life get any sweeter?  No.  I can't even describe the beauty of that trip... the sun creating first a yellow and then pink hue throughout the clouds that brushed across the sky, the waves and amazed look as we rushed past villagers relaxing and working outside, and the occasional moment of panic when we swerved to avoid a goat or a pot hole or even... a tro tro (huge van that came a little too close for comfort...)  Top ten moment?  I'd say so.

So Anne and I head back to Hohoe, have dinner, and get back in the hotel room.  Anne goes into the bathroom to wash off her feet...

Anne: Okaay, don't panic.

Geales: Well that doesn't sound good.
[Enters the bathroom, my ENTIRE bag of toiletries has somehow ended up... in the toilet]

MY FIRST AID!  MY COMB!  MY ADVIL.... MY CONTACTS!!!!!

And then Anne laughs so hard I have to leave the room... well, anyways.  It was quite an end.  To quite a day.

My time's out, but I hope everyone is doing well!  Anne and I are still enjoying every blessed minute here and learning so much and seeing so many beautiful places and people!  Lots of love!

And... Happy birthday Granddaddy, I love you!!

Yay for street food!

Hey everyone!  Sorry I haven't updated in so long, but thankfully it's just been because we've been so busy!  Anne and I have fallen into a wonderful routine here in Kakumdo Village.  Last weekend, Anne and I visited an ecolodge about two and a half hours from here and had a wonderful time.  We left early Saturday morning for "Green Turtle Lodge," which we'd heard nothing short of marvelous things about.  Because of the remote location, the owners have little access to phone or email, so when we left, we weren't even sure we would be able to have a room!  I'm so glad we went anyway, though, because it was one of the most beautiful, serene places I've been.  We drove through tiny ocean villages and forested areas before reaching this little nook in which Green Turtle is situated.  Imagine ten or so quaint little huts, lots of trees, wooden covers with tables under them, and an open/bar or restaurant.  Though there were certainly people there, it was impossible not to feel serene and, if you wanted, alone.  The beach was, unlike those in Cape coast and Accra, pristine.  Anne and I took beds in one of the dormitory style rooms for less than the equivalent of $5 per night!  And the food.  Ohhh man.  After living off of cookies and rice for a week, the plentiful veggies and fruits were HEAVENLY.  My favorite was Sunday morning French Toast made from Baguettes drizzled with local honey, served with fried plantains and COFFEE, which neither Anne nor I had tasted since leaving the states.  And their guacamole was so fresh and delicious. And chocolate fondu...  ahhhh it makes my mouth water just thinking about it!!  Plus, there was a book exchange.  Yay for fellow nerds because I'm running out of books to read...  That being said I'd love any suggestions for when I get back... :)

We returned to Kakumdo rested and ready for another week, though we were so exhausted we fell asleep around SEVEN that night.  It was totally worth it though, haha.  Teaching has been wonderful.  The kids are still happy to see us, but no longer feel the need to completely bombard us, though I still get tugged, and even bitten.  Yes, chomp chomp chomp :) haha.  But they're adorable and certainly one of the best parts of being here.  Since today was Friday, it was all fun and games.  The culture professor taught Anne and I on the drums for about an hour, while the kids played field games and the teachers joined in, alternating between drumming and refereeing various races.  Finally Anne and I were dragged into one of the relays.  It was so fun because we tied and so all of the kids just rushed us and started hugging and screaming.  Then all of the teachers took the drums and started playing.  The kids got so excited and we switched off learning dances and teaching them swing dancing.  I can't even explain how much fun it was.  The music was so loud and everyone was just laughing that you didn't even really think about anything else, you just kind of went with the music.  It didn't matter that we (or, I.  Anne has pretty good rhythm) didn't have rhythm or know their dances perfectly, just let loose and had fun.  The kids just loved watching us dance thought whatever we did was hilarious--from disco moves to the scuba moves to just moving and jumping.  Pure bliss.  I just can't even explain how happy it made me!  It was definitely one of my favorite memories.

I find it so hard to believe that yesterday marked the halfway point of our journey.  In two weeks, Anne and I will be boarding another plane, leaving behind Ghana, though definitely not for good.  As many people told me, the first week was definitely slow, but the second week was the fastest week I've ever had.  And probably the most meaningful.  The first week of the trip, we adjusted. We took in all of the new sights, new customs, and definitely got freaked out by overly friendly taxi drivers and the like.  This week, though, we're still soaking it all in, but we're taking new meaning from each interaction.  The people of Ghana have the most beautiful souls.  Everywhere we go, we are greeted like the most important guests.  An old man we walk by each day on our way to school never fails to tell us, "Welcome," as we walk by.  And the smallest of gestures will cheer us up when we're stressed about making it home before dark.  The other day Anne and I were in a grocery (which is really a small building about the size of a closet with three walls and a porch) and looking at candy.  We asked the girl, who looked about two years younger than us, what they were, and she tried to describe them.  Then she took one, handed it to us, and offered for us to try it.  No one would do that in the states.  Well, almost no one.  Then, as we were walking out, saying thank you, she said "You are always welcome here!"  Being a stranger in a strange land, Anne and I are realizing how much these little things really do make our day.  Hardly a few hours pass when we don't go "Awww" because someone seemed to really care about us, despite only having met us three minutes prior.  The people here just value human interaction in a way that either I just don't see every day or that is truly unique.  It's not about how someone can help you, it's about how you can help every single other person out there.  It's such a refreshing, humbling, and beautiful viewpoint.  Ah.  gosh, I really do love it here.  When we arrived, one of the men who helped us referred to this as "Sweet, sweet, Africa" and Anne and I decided we really hoped we would feel the same adoration for this beautiful place, and speaking for myself, I do.  And I can't imagine how much I'll love it even more after another two weeks!

Ok, so off of the sentimental stuff... Anne and I have made several GREAT discoveries in the past few days that have REALLY changed our quality of life, haha.  One: Instant coffee.  I'm sure it's nothing like the coffee in America, but it's caffeine, and it's hot, and it's strong.  And it has made our mornings SO SO SO much easier, haha.  Two: Fresh. Bread.  In the village area across the street from Anne and I, a woman bakes bread in a clay dome that is absolutely DELICIOUS.  It's this sweet, white, pure, fluffy bread.  Anne and I can eat a loaf in about 3 minutes flat.  It's nice just to have a starch besides rice... Which brings me to our third savior: street food.  After originally avoiding these little pieces of heaven in fear of something like South Korea, Anne and I finally bit the bullet and tried street food.  Roasted corn on the cob, rice and black eyed peas, fried plantains, and fried yam balls.  It's such a nice, satisfying change from rice, and so good to get some protein and vegetables and... ah, it's safe to say we'll probably be eating that 6 out of 7 nights per week.

Well, I'm about out of time but I will certainly try to update again in a few days!  Hope everyone is doing well, I'd LOVE to hear from you, just shoot me an email.  This weekend, Anne and I are going to Hohoe (Ho-hoy) and the Wli Falls, the highest waterfall in Ghana.  Should be GORGEOUS!  Lots of love!!

Hello again!

So first of all, yay for fans. Anne and I found another Internet Cafe with fans and I'm at about the coolest I've been, but like I said, we're definitely getting used to the heat. So last night when we got home, Lawrence and Nicolas (a friend) brought us our stove. Which consists of a gas tank and a range top. Grrreat. Haha, but seriously we're really excited, especially after last night. We also got a tea boiler to boil water, which is awesome, and knives (so that we can have fruit! yay!). We had planned on going out for dinner but by the time we were going to head out, it was DARK, and after about three steps out of our door we turned around and decided to attempt cooking. We boiled water in the water boiler and poured it out about three times to make sure it was clean/sanitary enough to use and then made Ramen. We were so proud of our first African cooking experience. Plus, now that we can boil water, we don't have to worry about having enough bottled water to brush our teeth. We don't trust it quite enough to drink it, but who knows how adventurous we'll be by the end of the month. But after eating, we just chilled and talked, enjoying the fan in our living room, which is probably the best (and coolest) room in our flat. Then, while Anne was on the phone with her mom, explaining how safe we felt, the power went out. Again. Luckily it came back on after about 20 minutes, and we were totally fine but it just reminded us that we are, in fact... in Ghana. We were exhausted from the heat and walking around, so we passed out around 11pm, another great night of sleep, even though apparently I kept getting really startled (according to Anne) whenever she'd move.

We heard the rooster again this morning, and woke up around 7am to get to church. It was such an amazing experience, but I'll have to write about it later because I'm running out of time! Love you all!!

Obruni!!!

Geales and Anne made it through the first day! Today around 5 they walked to Appra, which is about 15 minutes from their village. Here they found an internet cafe. Geales didn't have much time there, but she was able to send me an email. And this is what she had to say:

Hello from Ghana! It's been a long 48 hours or so, and I don't have much time, but I'll write what I can! When we landed Friday morning, Anne and I befriended a guy named Brad from unc, who actually knew one of anne's friends from home--random! Everything went pretty smoothly through customs and the passport/visa check, but Anne got questioned at the passport checkpoint--apparently it was sketchy when we said we were just staying with a man named Lawrence. But we got through fine, found our luggage, and met a very nice man, Nii, who had been sent to pick us up by Albi, a friend of Lawrence. He took us via taxi ride from the plane to the train station, where he bought our tickets for us and stayed with us until we got on the bus, talking about his favorite places in Ghana. He even negotiated with some of the workers to get us on an earlier bus! As we were boarding the bus, the ticket lady stopped me because my ticket was technically for the 2:30pm bus, but then the worker gestured to anne and me, saying "these are my people" and so we were able to get on! As we were leaving, Nii said, "I hope to see you, my sisters, again!" The bus ride was pretty uneventful, an air conditioned bus with lots of nice people. When we got off the bus, i called Lawrence and he came to meet us. it was so heartwarming because he was just so excited to see us. he then took us to our flat, which, as grace wrote, has some running water and flickery electricity, but it is VERY nice by Ghana standards and we are so thankful to be staying in such a nice place. We feel so safe--you have to lock like three doors to get into our bedroom, and all of the windows have very thick bars covering them. it has a gorgeous view, too, because it is a bit outside of the main village. there are roosters and chickens everywhere and the most beautiful plants. After relaxing for an hour or so, Lawrence brought over the administrators of the school and talked about what we'll be doing. He also told us about the history of CEJOCEP. Lawrence is such a kind, genuine person and is just so inspiring to talk with. CEJOCEP was started in 2003 with fewer than 60 students, but has now grown to over 430 students with 26 fully employed teachers. CEJOCEP International School is one of the most affordable schools in the area. The students can even get a full lunch for 30 pesues per day, which is about 25 cents. CEJOCEP also encourages and assists teachers in continuing their own education at the University in Cape Coast. On Monday, we'll go to school, where we'll spend the first day learning African traditions, like drumming and Fante (the local language) and traditional dress. After that, we'll be able to choose the age and subject we'd like to teach. Anne's sooo excited she'll be able to teach French! I'm not sure what I'm going to teach yet but I'm very excited all the same! After we met with the administrators, Anne and I hung around the apartment because we thought they were coming back to take us to dinner, and even though we were starving, not having eaten since breakfast on the plane, we didn't want them to come to the flat and us not be there! So around 8pm we started getting scared that we weren't going to be able to eat until the next day, but luckily John showed up around this time and took us to a great little restaurant called Tina's Tavern in the next village. The food was warm and delicious, although interesting. anne and i both got fried rice, which was delicious, but when i looked at my fish i saw it was... a fish head, haha. ohhh man. but i DID try some, trying to be adventurous. It was so cheap too, just 5 centi for dinner and a bottle of water, which comes out to about four dollars. Afterwards, we walked around the village and John walked us home. It's so beautiful here, especially at night when it cools down. The vegetation is very lush, and when it's dark it's DARK. Like pitch black. We're quickly seeing why so many people have referred to it as "Sweet, sweet Africa." When Anne and I got home we quickly fell asleep on top of the mattress and sheet that are our bed--I don't think we'll use any sheets or blankets the whole time we're here.

Today, Anne and I slept in till about 9, although we were woken up by roosters squaking outside our window a bit before 6. there are goats and chickens and roosters and pigs EVERYWHERE even throughout the city, just wandering around. we both slept very well, thanks to some Tylenol PM (Good call, Mrs. Crumbley). We're planning on getting a fan for the room soon, though, but we're really fine. we're getting used to the humidity. anyways, today lawrence, the head of cejocep, and john, the headmaster of cejocep international school, where we'll be teaching, came and took us around cape coast, which is about a 15 or 20 minute taxi ride from kakumdo. these two men have been so kind and willing to take care of us. we walked around the cape coast and the marketplace and saw the castles, and anne and i got some groceries so we don't have to go out for every meal. we don't really have a place to cook so we stuck with cereal and cookies. we're hoping to get a kettle so that we can make pasta. well come back very well nourished, haha. there's so much i want to tell you and explain but i feel like i can't put it into words! i can't wait to show you pictures. everyone here is so nice, especially the people who lawrence introduces us to. the kids are hilarious and so adorable, every time they see us they get so excited and chant 'obruni, obruni, how are you.' on our way to the internet cafe, which is the first place we've been alone, a group of about 10 just started following us. it's so funny.

I absolutely love it here, especially the people. They're so happy, and life is so simple and beautiful! I love you all and I'll see you when I return!

Finally made it!!

Geales finally arrived at the airport in Accra at 9:15 Accra time. Geales and Anne did not take a car to the village because it was too expensive. Instead they patiently waited for the 2:30 bus to take them to Kakumdo Village. The drive took about 3 hours, so they arrived in the village around 4:20. Their duplex has running water, electricity, and windows with bars on them. Thank goodness! Geales said that it is hot as hell but she is super excited and relieved to be there! The people there are also very kind. 

And we're off!!

So after far too many complications, which will definitely be explained later, haha, Anne and I are off on our adventure! Keep us and those we are working with in your prayers, and hopefully I'll be able to update when we get to Cape Coast!
Love,
Geales
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Almost didn't make it!

So thankfully right now I'm sitting in the airport terminal waiting for Anne's flight from NOLA to get in. That almost didn't happen.

So I get to the airport with about 3 hours before my flight. Excellent start. Say my goodbyes, attempt to calm my butterflies that have grown to the size of large geese inside my stomach. I walk over to the self check in kiosks, like always, and attempt to check in. I scan my itinerary, passport, and everything is fine. Then, though, it asks me for the credit card with which I purchased the tickets. Uh oh. That credit card, which I ONLY use in the US is sitting on my desk. At home. I had noooo idea I needed it.

Ok, I think, this is probably just at the kiosk. So I wait in the international line for about half an hour, talking to all the people around me and of course making new friends (sorry, Andrew, haha). I finally get up to the desk, still cheery and polite, and the attendant asks me for my card. I let her know what's going on, and she informs me I cannot fly without that card. CANNOT FLY. I tell her I have another card and she tells me I'll have to repurchase tickets! Really, Delta?? Also, unfortunately she speaks only a little broken English so I'm sure she thought I was a fraud fleeing the country. Luckily, she called someone else over who said that I would be able to essentially re purchase the tickets with a new card and be just fine. Well that attendant left and the original one attempted to do just this, and then informed me that the price of the ticket had changed, therefore I owed Delta about $300. Um no thanks. After another 15 minutes, and another attendant, though, everything was sorted out. Hopefully. We'll see if I make it back :). Haha. Oh yes, and then she informed me that I needed a visa to go to Ghana. Yes, I replied, I have one. Her: no you don't. Yes, its right here, I said, pointing to the bright yellow card in my passport saying VISA. Oh. Ok. But anyways, I made it. And now I'm on the plane to new york! Woooo!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Last hello from Georgia!

First of all...

Some things that are making me smile:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxjOwcIbcjw
Ok, so this may not be as funny if you don't know Laurie, but I thought it was worth posting. Background: Laurie (who I know, this isn't creepy), mother of two awesome girls, serenades the volunteers of her girls' school. If you haven't seen it, watch it, and congratulate her on her pending record deal :)

2. http://www.buttersbrownies.com/
Seriously-best brownies. EVER. They handed these out at the 26.2 with Donna Marathon and I've never tasted a better, richer, but not too heavy brownie. I'll be ordering a life supply ASAP.

3. Eric Hutchinson. Listen to him. Fall in love with him. You'll thank me! :)

4. Fruit snacks. Veggie Tales characters in wonderful, fruity flavors? Who could ask for more??

5. Summer thunderstorms.

Anyways, I can't believe that I'm about to leave tomorrow! Shout out to my sister, Grace, who ran around Atlanta with me all day on random errands and kept me calm when I was over-caffeinated and almost over the edge, haha. I guess I should get some sleep, but I just wanted to say ADIOS before I head off! I'll try to update as often as I can, and if I can't, Grace will be posting some updates when I call home, and I'll post more when I arrive back in ATL! See everyone later!!

Love,
Geales

What's in a name?

So, if you're reading this, you obviously got the memo about the address change--Good! Sorry about that! But, onto other business... As I'm getting ready for this adventure, I can't help but think about all the OTHER incredible places I've been blessed to be able to visit. I've put up pictures on Facebook, but I've also added all of my South Korea pictures to Shutterfly. You can see them at...

http://beautifulviews.shutterfly.com/
The password is "katherinegeales."

Happy viewing :)

T-minus FOUR DAYS!

So as most of you know, I'll be heading off to Ghana in a few days for about four weeks and then Peru for about three weeks after that! I keep a blog besides this, but decided to just go ahead and make a new one (sort of, this was the one I planned on using in Europe, but that didn't really work out haha) to keep everyone updated. Maybe I'll even keep it up after the summer? We'll see, haha.

So, here's the plan:
May 28th: leave my sweet little house in Alpharetta for the airport. What time, you ask? Oh, just 6am. Whatevs. Flight leaves at 9:45am, we arrive in NYC at around noon, add in a 5 hour layover. We leave NYC at 5:50pm.

What time do I arrive in Accra? Oh, you know. 8:10am. On Friday. Twenty-eight hours of traveling.

Ok, so actually because of the time change it's technically just 24 hours. But add in the getting our bags, and riding to Ghana, and we'll be on our feet for about 26 hours.

(If you didn't catch this from above, there is surprisingly just a four hour time difference between Atlanta and Accra. It'll hopefully make jetlag a bit easier.)


Sarcasm aside, I'm INCREDIBLY excited. UNBELIEVABLY excited.

When we arrive in Accra, Anne and I will take a car from the airport to Cape Coast, technically Kakumdo Village, where we'll be spending about four weeks working with CEJOCEP. It's an awesome organization we found out about through some Fellows who graduated a few years ago. They worked with them and had a fabulous experience. Anne's been in communication with Lawrence, the head of the organization, and we really feel like this is where we're supposed to be. You can find out more about the organization here, but in short, Anne and I will be teaching and helping out with construction. Not to mention having incredible adventures on the weekends.

Nothing to do...

Alright, so one of the few up-sides of having absolutley nothing to do at home is that now when I get bored, I run. So, I've gone from out of shape (for me, yes, this is different but whatever, go with me) to back to the shape I was in January-ish. And my body just feels RIGHT again. I'll refrain from putting everything up here, but I've included a few three a days. Yep, that's right. That's how bored I've been. But it's like it takes up twice as much time, because the more I exercize, the more I sleep. And eat. It's fabulous, haha.

In other news, I really REALLY shouldn't be allowed to go to the doctor anymore. Every single time I go, I get sick. Or pass out. Here are my past visits to the health center/hospital/doctor:

September #1: This is post-concussion. Long story short, I walked into a gas station sign. Yes, hahhaha. Very funny, I swear I'm smart. Swear it. I was walking, talking, and texting, and all of a sudden I heard this loud BANG and fell backwards. I hit the front of my head on the sign and the back on the concrete sidewalk. At first I felt fine, embarassed, but fine. Fast forward 15 minutes. I'm sleepy, nauseous, and dizzy as anything. The doctor assures me I'm fine, no concussion. Five minutes later, he comes back and changes his mind. Great, thanks for being competent.

September #2: Three days later, I get a migraine. A few hours later, the migraine spreads. Throughout my body. Worst. Pain. EVER. I slept for about fourteen hours, during which I apprently moaned (according to my sweet roomie, who was amazing and caring through all of this). A day later, I still feel AWFUL. TERRIBLE. So I let my roommate take me to the Health Center, where they give me pain killers that they give cancer patients. First, they give me two pills for the pain and a pill for the nauseau they promise will follow. This has no effect, so the doctor then kindly puts me through a great deal of pain. Read: four shots. Like, I'm talking I feel like there's fire coursing through my veins. After the last shot, though, I'm out. For the rest of the day. Sweet Roomie drives me to get various scans, tests, etc. My only memory is making her pull over so I can throw up for ten minutes on the side of a quite busy road. FAB-U-LOUS.

Fast forward to May, the month of doctor visits.

May #1: Two shots. I pass out.

May #2: Two more shots. I throw up on the way home.

May #3: Dentist. Let me tell you, they LOVE me here. Not. Not only do I not floss as much as I should, I also get sick every single time I come. It's a combination of all the fingers in my mouth and the fact that my mouth is about half the size of a regular adult. No lie. So the molds don't fit, the xray pads don't fit, and everything extra gets shoved down my throat. Add that to my weak stomache, and you have one sick me.

Anyways, I have ANOTHER appointment tomorrow. To get a cavity filled. AKA, it involves shots. And fingers in my mouth. And disgusting drills and pain. FAB-U-LOUS.

grace.

Grace:

Pronunciation:

\ˈgrās\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin gratia favor, charm, thanks, from gratus pleasing, grateful; akin to Sanskrit gṛṇāti he praises

Date:

12th century

1 My lovely, complex, hard-as-nails sister. God lover her. Haha.

2 simple elegance or refinement of movement : she moved through the water with effortless grace.
AKA: something I will NEVER have. Not so much on the gracefulness. :)

3 (in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.

Grace.

La vita è bella.

my life is beautiful. BEAUTIFUL. bella, bonita, schön, belle. beautiful, gorgeous, breathtaking.

I had coffee this morning with a lady whose girls I used to babysit, and whose girls my sister now babysits since I'm at college. She's probably the most amazing lady I know. She's confident, absolutely gorgeous, caring, and strong in her faith. Being around her makes me want to do life-changing, world-shaping things.

What amazed me today, and actually, I knew this already, but my eyes opened and saw it again like it was new, and now this is an awful, incoherent sentence, but whatever. Point is, she cares a ton about not only my sister and me, but my family. She really cares about my sister and me. Every Friday morning, she meets my sister and another Freshman at a local coffee shop, for about an hour before school, just to talk. This year, they didn't really get into really deep topics, they just built trust. But basically what this (awesome) woman wanted to do is provide a place for my sister and these other young women to come with... everything.

[This was actually written on Friday morning. At this point, I actually went on a run with said Wonder Woman, and I'm now resuming writing on.. Sunday night. Whoop.]

Anyways, point is, this woman's incredible. She's got gifts galore. And I was talking about this to MD, she can somehow work her faith into discussions without seeming all "holier-than-thou." In fact, she's one of those people who, after talking with her, I WANT to get closer to God and deepen my faith. One of the things we talked about for most of our run was GRACE, which is such an incredible topic when you think about it.

This afternoon I went over and visited with another woman I used to babysit for. She's another pillar in my life, a cross between a second mother and psuedo-older sister. We literally talked for three hours. I always leave feeling so, SO blessed after talking to her. More later.

Another person I'm eternally thankful for: my high school cross country/track coach. I went on a great GREAT run with him this morning. We talked the whole time, and I left feeling like we could talk for longer--about running, life, relationships, everything.

Ironically, its these adults who are among the people I feel like I can be myself. I don't feel like I have to put on a show or act differently to impress them. This post isn't nearly what I want it to be. But whatever. Point is: kudos to these people. And to everyone else, I hope you have these people in your life, too.

Also, one more thing I love: unexpected phone calls and texts from friends. Just those little reminders that someone loves you, cares about you, and makes you smile.

Also: sorry for using the phrase "point is" so many freaking times. Oops.

Good morning, world :)

Morning morning morning!

So, yesterday, I wasn't even up at this time. Today, I've been up for 5 hours and thirteen minutes (at the start of this blog). So far, I've...
-Completed a 1 hour circuit workout (kicked my butt)
-Came home, checked blogs and returned emails for 15 minutes
-Helped set up for field day at Wilson Creek with Coach and some HS friends
-Came home, took a hot bath and a cool shower
-Read lots and lots of blogs
-Cleaned my room

And now I'm sitting here, at 9:17am, pretty content with life. :-)

Things I'm Loving...

1. Eric Hutchinson
2. Coffee
3. Joshua Radin
4. Legal pads
5. Wonderful, incredible friends and deep relationships
6. Having a 5 minute conversation with a random stranger
7. Laughing
8. Running
9. The collegiate-ness of sitting in a coffee shop studying and blogging
10. Looking back on this incredible year and wanting to capture it all :)
11. Fruit snacks
12. Twitter

Sex God

Right now, I'm rereading Sex God. I was going to start a new book, either Four Loves or Mere Christianity or something, but I think the first time I read Sex God I whipped through it. So this time I'm really trying to take my time, soak it up, etc. One verse that really stood out to me today is Genesis 28:15. Jacob has fallen asleep on the side of the road, just a normal, everyday road, and in a dream, God says to him:

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

And keep in mind this is after Jacob has lied to his dying father, cheated his own brother out of his inheritance. I mean, that's something pretty serious. It's not like it wasn't premeditated, either. Anyways, I think the point is to reinforce that no matter what, God won't desert you. No matter how many people have, no matter what you've done. End of story. Pretty powerful.

4:8.

Patience

Patience is something I know I should work on. Patience and control. I get stressed out in situations when I don't know exactly what is going on, exactly why it is going on, and what the timetable is. I know it is an issue of trust. I think many people in general are so used to being "in control" of their lives that they forget a sense of peace should not come from being in control, but in knowing GOD is the only one who IS in control. My devotion from DEVOG explains this really well, I think:

TODAY’S VERSE
“Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.”
Colossians 1:11 (NIV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is - patience!”
Galatians 5:22 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Patience can be a very difficult to come by and yet what a powerful attribute to have. Think of all that could be done if we acted with patience instead of haste and pressure. Think of all the aggravation that could have been avoided had we waited just a little longer. Think of all the headache and tension that could have been obsolete had we just had patience. Patience is a sign of God’s presence in our life. It is the result of His Spirit living in us, strengthening us with His might! Today, when difficulties come, when plans get foiled or someone else’s urgency becomes our emergency, let us ask for patience. Let us cry out to God for strength and endurance and by His grace, patience will be a fruit of the Spirit that is alive in us.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your presence in my life. Thank You for the strength and endurance that You give me. I pray that it will produce the patience that I need for today.
AMEN

I Can Only Imagine.

This song just gets me all the time! It's like the lyrics echo inside of me, love the feeling:

I Can Only Imagine lyrics

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

[Chorus]

I can only imagine [x2]

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you

I can only imagine.

I especially love the line "surrounded by Your glory," because think about it, we always are. ALWAYS. No matter what is going on in our life, we are surrounded by Him. I was walking home from a coffee house today thinking about how today, as opposed to the past few weeks, I felt content. But the thing was, I was content because I felt like I was in control. Which first of all, is totally wrong--I am NEVER in control. And my peace should come from knowing that GOD is in control. Just some food for thought. :-)

2:25am

So, it's half past two. I still have about half a paper to work on. But I am STILL so freaking happy. Three reasons:

1) Good music: Matt Wertz, Matt Nathanson, John Mayer, Paste Sampler...

2) I got two midterm grades back. The verdict--98 and 95. WOO!

2) My God. My Jesus. My Savior: "They will be called mighty oaks, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations." (Isaiah 61)

How can I not be full to the brim of joy? I am up alone with God, who is giving me peace and uncontainable happiness. And I'm looking at a picture of South Korea, which I miss dearly but was so blessed to visit.

What did you do for Spring Break?

Flew for 30 hours, stayed in 5 star hotels, chilled with nuns, got food poisoning, lost 10 pounds, bonded with nerds.

AKA: time of my life.

existence, yo.

I absolutely, positively love my bed. It really is just like my nest, which is perfect, considering I sleep cocooned next to my bright green wall, with quilts and pillows surrounding me, creating a small, dark space where I can curl up to escape until morning. The egg crate cushion between my mattress and sheets has conformed to my egg-shaped sleeping style after 196 nights in the house. Add in the softest, best heating blanket ever, and you have a me-sized envelop of cushiony, heated goodness.

I also rediscovered my love for the library today. I had only wanted to save some money by checking out Rousseau's treatise instead of buying a copy of it, and I not only found the book quickly thanks to good ole Dewey and his Decimals, but I also relished in the smell of VERY old books and the sound of perfect quiet that only the fourth floor of the library can provide.

(Sigh.)

Perfection.

You know what else I love? I love the early afternoon. When I can slant my shutters just the right way so that my room is lit, but that grey-early-afternoon-lit, where you could sleep if you wanted to but it's just light enough. Not bright, like a light is on. But seeable. In between squity and WHOA turn the lights off. Natural, beautiful, peaceful, SOFT. SOFT is the perfect way to describe it. It's almost the same soft as a really REALLY dark night. When you can see the stars and that's about it.

So interestingly, we're studying identity and the self in both my philosophy and my social psychology classes. If I didn't have to wake up for these classes in 6 and a half hours, I would blog forever about them. Instead, you'll have to settle for a brief description of what I love (see above) and the cliff notes version of EXISTENCE and IDENTITY.

In my social psych class, the interactionists believe that society greatly affects your definition of your identity and therefore your actions. So your actions reflect certain societal structures. One of the questiosn this brought to my mind was: what do your actions say about society? what do they say about how society affects you? Another question I'd like to blog more about is the question of the three measures of identiy--which I can't remember right now. Oops.

Anyways, I also want to talk about my unexpected reconnection with a friend. A friend who actually lives about three feet from me. Gotta love it.

Also, best thing of my day: falafel.

So, I'm pretty much going crazy here in Oxford. The work is ri-freaking-diculous. Making me go crazy, fearing a break in the sacred 4.0. But one of my friends sent me some of these verses that are reall helping, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to post them.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Ephesians 5:2
Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Psalms 40:11 (NIV)
Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.

I Peter 3:8-9 (NLT)
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.

Yay! Oxford... I'm here!

So this experience has been more than amazing, I can barely describe it. And I woul dshare every detail about it, excep tthat I have 800 pages to read for ONE class for tomorrow. This is how I'm planning on keeping everyone updated, though, so keep looking for updates.