Seeing Christ in ‘the Other’

June 4, 2011 – 4:21 pm
By kellyzuidema | Posted in 2011 Comments (0)

Who is your “other?” You know, that person or group you may not like or don’t easily identify with? Do you see them as Christ or have you written them off on sheer judgement?  There are two lines in the Celtic Liturgy, which is a part of our morning prayer,  which reads “be in the heart of each to whom we speak and in the mouth of each who speaks unto us.” This brings our focus onto those around us instead of inward, as the world encourages. The particular ‘other’ I would like to focus on here amidst our wealthy, bustling,  seeming uncaring world is the poor. Not ‘other’ in a bad way necessarily but the fact that they are a very real yet disregarded part of the society in which we live. As we’ve been journeying we have seen much poverty. I remember most particularly watching a bearded man with a tattered used-to-be-white blanket strewn over his shoulder going from garbage can to garbage can searching for food. This reality never fails to tear apart the innermost part of my being.  I think when one chooses to see Christ in these people the perspective becomes not only obviously different, but has a stronger impact in the way one talks about and thinks about them. Much of the poverty here seems to be a result of physical disability: I saw one man with stubs for arms and a woman who is blind, to name only a couple. I know this painful compassion I feel is not out of my own goodness, but from the heart of God. In Luke’s recollection of the Beatitudes Jesus says: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. ..woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.  Woe to you who are full, for you will be hungry… .”

Kelly

Appreciating My Humanity

June 4, 2011 – 12:51 pm
By rachellesnelgrove | Posted in 2011 Comments (0)

One thing that has stood out to me while wondering the streets of various European cities and countries is how involved people are in politics. Young and old, people alike seem to know where they stand in their political views, where as many young people in Canada barely know who our current political leader is. They also seem rather passionate and ready to stand up for the views that they hold. An example of this is the graffiti that I have observed all over the walls and subway stations. Just like any other city there is a fair amount of graffiti, but unlike many other cities it does not reek of profanity and vulgarity. I have seen many spray paintings that say such things as “Freedom For All, and Catalonia is not Spain”. I had never really thought of the freedom that I enjoy every day in my country as something that can be taken away so easily. Probably because it is all I have ever known. But I have noticed that many people here are aware of the freedom that they enjoy and work every day towards keeping it. There was a man at the Protestant Museum that told us we need to continue to keep a tight grasp on our rights as humans because they can be easily taken away.

Another aspect of the trip that greatly affected me was seeing Michelangelo’s David. I found myself completely awestruck by how realistic his form was. I began to reflect on why I was so touched, and even spiritually moved, by this piece of art work and it occurred to me that I have always thought that part of being human was being able to be creative. I am just so thankful that God, the ultimate creator, allowed us to inherit some of His genius creative skills. And I also appreciated how it affirmed the beauty of the human form, which was made in God’s image.

Rachelle

The Euro Food Trip

June 4, 2011 – 8:38 am
By danbeaudoin | Posted in 2011 Comments (0)

I have come to realize on this trip (more so than I had before)  just how important food is to me?.  When people asked me what I was looking forward to most about the trip, I would say the food.  I always thought that seemed like a trivial thing to be looking forward to but not anymore.  I just really like food, and I like eating local dishes.  Nothing wrong with that, right?  One of my favourite and most memorable experiences on this trip so far was in Florence at a small hole in the wall place.  We had just spent a few hours in the Uffizi and were hungry, so we went to a small restaurant that we had seen the other day.  It was run by an old Italian couple and their son, and the food was delicious.  We were only going to have a light lunch, but a light lunch turned into a 4 course meal.  I found out that Florentines are very well know for their steak (which I must say, was one of the best steaks I have ever had), and that they make mille-feulle almost as good as the French.  It was also just really nice to sit for 2 and a half hours relaxing and talking with friends.  The way Europeans eat is something I want to take back to Canada with me.  Meals should take some time to prepare, and take even longer to eat.  In North America we are so fast paced that we toss something in the microwave, sit down for 10 to 20 minutes, and then move on to the next thing.  Sitting and eating shouldn’t feel like a waste of time, but a perfect way to enjoy yourself and spend quality time with friends and/or family.  Food is a passion of mine, I realize this now.

Dan

Why Europe is not what I was expecting

June 4, 2011 – 4:32 am
By jessicaneudorf | Posted in 2011 Comments (0)

Tourist and Pilgrim
Commercial and Authentic
Them and Us
As an enlightened student pilgrim, my task is to embrace rather than demonize the other
But my identity – my affirmation – must come from somewhere
I define myself by what I am not.
And The Tourist is such an easy target
The Tourist is loud and obnoxious
The Tourist collects pictures rather than experiences
Entertainment rather than relationship
I am not a tourist.
I am a student of art and history
The presence of The Tourist irritates me, and yet simultaneously justifies my smugness
But is it possible, if I set aside my prejudice, that The Tourist and I are seeking the same thing?
Wholeness
Authenticity
The Divine

Something draws us to these places.

As our world becomes more disposable, perhaps our souls long for permanence
For things as simple and as beautiful as a door made by human hands and worn through generations of use
For buildings that have withstood fires, floods, and wars
As well as the whims of changing taste
For art that transcends time and space
Perhaps in a fluctuating postmodern world, we no longer know who we are, and so we look to the past to tell us
When my own story feels hollow the ancient traditions lend me something solid, earthy, human

I think I secretly believe God doesn’t like people.
There is something about wild lonely places that just feels holier
And the atmosphere of cathedrals is completely ruined by crowds and noise
Solitude is saintly
Church must be solemn
Humans are a curse, not a blessing – it seems a logical connection, sometimes.

So, as The Tourist and I stand together
Seeking something solid for our souls
I am faced with a choice:
I can inwardly fume against mindless consumerism and crowds, or
Hopefully
I can recognize the foolishness and grace
The wickedness and beauty
The tourist and pilgrim
Within us both

Jessica

Speedos, locked lips and billboards

June 3, 2011 – 11:20 pm
By Selina Mullin | Posted in 2011 Comments (0)

Europe is a sexy place.

The beaches are filled with men in speedos showing off the literal fruits of God’s work and topless women enjoying the benefits of no tan lines. The commercials are sexy, the bilboards are sexier, and there are couples making out everywhere. I kid you not, there are steps in Rome (the Spanish Steps) that are famous for being a notorious makeout spot.

Walking around it isn’t uncommon to come across a couple locked in a passionate embrace. Which is difficult for a conservative Canadian like myself to see. I am of the children raised on the “hands to yourself” mantra. Europe is a funny place combining the strict dress codes of Basilicas with the near-nude beachwear of the young and not so young.

I have been asking myself where this liberal sexuality has come from, this comfort and nonchalance. I don’t yet have an answer but I am impressed and disconcerted by this way of life. There are so many things to be appreciated in the lifestyle here and I’m sure there’s a deeper message beneath the steamy billboards. Speedos, though, might be best left un-imported into the conservative Canadian lifestyle.

Selina

The G-Spot ; )

June 3, 2011 – 7:12 pm
By zackingles | Posted in 2011 Comments (0)

I’m begining to understand the church on a global level. I walked in to Saint Peter’s Square yesterday and felt what it was like to stand at the center of Christendom. Although I don’t choose to affiliate myself with the Catholic Church, having grown up in an Evangelical denomination, the knowledge and experience that the Catholics have gifted to Protestantism is indescribable. Upon entering the square I made my way to the God Spot, a small one-foot-round metal tile that Bernini specifically designed so that whoever stands upon the tile will see every pillar in the square become aligned. It is absolutely unbelievable to me that this single spot could so accurately depict the fragile existence of the global Church. When the entire body of the Church congregates on the metaphorical God Spot (seeking God first before consulting ourselves and our peers), the Church becomes unified in an unmeasurable way. But, if any one deviates even one foot from unity and order, they are thrust into a world of disarray and chaos with little meaning in their movement and message. The God Spot is where we as Christians should all strive to reside; centered and clear minded.

Zack

Europe, A Third Done!

June 3, 2011 – 3:11 pm
By robertchapman | Posted in 2011 Comments (0)

It is one thing to learn about history from a textbook, but it is something else to learn on the actual sites themselves. Seeing the art up close and personal in some of the very places it was inspired adds a whole new feel to it. It is like one has travelled back in time and witnessed the artist as they created the work. This comes from someone who likes the look of art, but never really sees himself as someone who would visit museum after museum. It is a once in a lifetime experience, one that I hope all future St. Stephen’s University students have.

Seeing the structures, such as a medieval town or the remains of Ancient Roman ruins, adds a depth of realism that one can not get through reading textbooks. Hearing the information on the actual sights, truly allows the SSU group to discover their roots and appreciate the history. I know that it has enhanced my understanding and will continue to do so for years. This trip is an experience that I would not trade for anything and I am privileged to go to a university that offers such an opportunity.

To all future SSU students, this trip is not even over and I am finding it to be so valuable; I urge you not to miss out on it.This truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Robert

Au Revoir, France. (Until we meet again in a few weeks.)

May 31, 2011 – 6:00 am
By Shelley Kadatz | Posted in 2011 Comments (0)

Our journey through the south of France brought us to Carcassonne, Avignon, and Nice.  Since leaving Spain we have been encountered much more with the travelling aspect of this trip, having survived a number of long bus days including some mountain stretches we could do nothing but applaud our bus driver Chris for bringing us confidently and safely through!

SSU's Infamous Group Picture in Carcassonne

In our last night in France, our group spent time sharing moments on the trip where we experienced a real sense of gratitude thus far. It was a great time of reflecting and realizing that each stop has meant something different to each of us along the way.

We had the opportunity to wander through the streets of Carcassonne, an ancient turret-topped fortress the evening we arrived in France.  Some watched the city walls light up at night while enjoying local cuisine from a cafe inside the walls and others watched from a distance to see the whole city.

In Avignon, we spent part of the day exploring the Pope’s Palace then making our way through the city, stopping at cafes, shops, and the famous Pont St. Benezet (immortalized in the ‘Sur le Pont d’Avignon nursery rhyme). I think I can speak for everyone that one of our most thankful moments was arriving at Pont du Gard on a 30 plus degree afternoon, diving into the water and swimming below the three-tiered Roman aqueduct that is still, amazingly, exceptionally well preserved.

En route to Nice, we made a stop at the Protestant Museum where, as one student put it, we had the opportunity to “see where we have come from”, where many of our roots are found.

In Nice, we were welcomed by Joanna Marple, Rachael Barham’s friend who gave us a brief history of Nice as well as recommended to us some sites. Our free day brought different groups to different places; from Matisse, Chagall, and Modern Art museums to Old Nice market to pick up some lavender and herbs (some of the local specialties) and down to the beach for a final swim in the Mediterranean.

Angela Stanley (On behalf of the Europe 2011 Leadership Team)

An Olive Tree Grows in Florence

May 30, 2011 – 9:35 am
By chelseadickey | Posted in 2011 Comments (0)

Recently on a side street in Florence my attention was caught by a memorial in the form of an olive tree. The tree stood beside a building which was the site of a bombing in 1993. The plaque at the base of the tree describes how the olive tree was specifically chosen because it symbolizes holiness, good values, generosity and regeneration. Those who erected the memorial in 2004 had a vision to bring healing, a goal very evident in the tree they chose to embody their cause.

This restoration mentality is also evident in the building itself. It has been rebuilt, with a deep obvious scar dividing old and new brickwork. I think the fact that the people chose to keep the damaged part of the building speaks volumes. By choosing to meld the old and new, two pieces incomplete on their own, the people created something new, something whole.

Lessons we can glean from this memorial and the olive tree include the decision to move toward peace rather than seeking revenge. Those who chose the olive tree (and all it represents) as the memorial, chose to remember the past, while choosing a peaceful approach. Passersby are caught by the tree, drawn to read about it, look up at the building scarred from the bombs. These people then walk on, a small seed of reconciliation over revenge planted in their minds.

It helped me to reflect on how I could approach situations of difficulty and difference with an attitude of regeneration, providing healing and hope for relationships and peace.

 

Chelsea

Adios Barcelona!

May 25, 2011 – 8:00 am
By Shelley Kadatz | Posted in 2011 Comments (0)

Below is an update from the Europe 2011 crew.

Today we said ‘Adios’ to Barcelona, our one stop in Spain. Since arriving, we have explored a variety of ancient and modern sites, architecture, and art. Susan di Giacomo, an anthropologist who works in Barcelona, guided us through part of the city, starting at Santa Maria del Mar, a jewel in Catalan architecture, and ending at the Catalan Parliament where she gave us a brief history of Catalonia as well as a glimpse into the current tensions in preserving the Catalan identity. Later that day, a group of students went to Omnium Cultural, an organization that is devoted to the practical application of preserving this identity. We had time to explore the city on our own, but for the most part were guided to some of the important sites around Barcelona for their religious, cultural, artistic, and/or political significance.

Our days have brought us to many sacred spaces. Some experienced this sacred space while sitting in Sagrada Familia, looking with wide eyes to the ceiling like a forest canopy carved out of stone, while others experienced it on a long hike to the top of one of the rounded mountains at Montserrat.  For some, it was while wandering in silence around the Barcelona Cathedral observing the ornate architecture and stained glass and others while sitting in the Montserrat Basilica listening to the ethereal voices of the boys’ choir. Some experienced it while exploring the ancient Roman ruins under the streets of Barcelona in the City Historical Museum and others while observing the artistic style of Picasso as it developed throughout his life, or wandering through Park Guell and being surrounded by nature, both in the literal sense as well as its influence in much of the architecture. We have discussed and contemplated the idea of being pilgrims, open to the collective and individual journeys God is calling us to and have been overwhelmed by the opportunity to be on this journey, in the company of good friends, with many laughs and of course good food and drink! There is a general atmosphere of positivity and excitement for what has been and what is in store for us in this journey.

Europe 2011 Leadership Team

Art for the masses

April 13, 2011 – 4:39 pm
By Kendall Kadatz | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

So, wanna go to Europe to explore it’s great artworks, but don’t see that happening any time soon? Here are a couple of recent developments by Google that you can check out. Do you think this kind of initiative replaces the need to go and visit these great pieces, or does it complement and encourage people visiting them in person?
http://www.googleartproject.com/
ultra high definition images from the Prado

Part II: Passing the Baton

March 15, 2011 – 6:00 am
By Shelley Kadatz | Posted in Kenya 2011 Comments (0)

Right now, the team is thinking of all the tasks that are before us when we get home – picking up life and all of its responsibilities, challenges and opportunities.  But I just want to say thanks.  Thanks to Tim and Diane for sharing their home and their lives with us.  Thanks to the students for entering into this loosely defined course with such openness, honesty and vulnerability.  Thanks to the hundreds of people we met – mostly Kenyans – who likely will never have the opportunity to get on a plane and come to Canada, but who nonetheless welcomed us and allowed us to peer into their lives and ask probing questions.  Thanks to Dale for moving well out of his comfort zone to travel across the world with us, to also be a vital part of our learning community.  Thanks to SSU – the faculty and staff – for being open to entertain a trip like this at a time like this.  Thanks to Shelley K. for your practical support and your encouragement along the way.  Thanks to the broad and wonderful SSU community who supported this trip in so many important ways – you guys are great!  And finally, thanks to Kindred Home Care for your generous support of the team, not just financially but for understanding how important a venture like this is for the SSU community.  Thank you for your vision and your generosity!

Most of all, thanks to Geoff, Kyle, Laura, Jonathan, Crystal, Margaret and Nicola.  Thanks for being who you are.  Thanks for your willingness to be stretched and to stretch one another.  Thanks for your sense of adventure.  Thanks for just being so incredibly easy to get along with!  And thanks for helping me learn.

It always remains to be seen how participants in cross cultural learning will incorporate the lessons learned while they’re “away” but I am absolutely confident that the past two weeks has only been the beginning of the impact that this trip will have on each of us and on all of us.   I’ve had a lot of “Kingdom of God” moments these last few weeks and it’s been a huge privilege to be holding the baton with you.  Enough said!

Thanks be to God, the alpha and omega, beginning and end; and to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith;, and to the Spirit, our counsellor and teacher.

Lois Mitchell

Part 1: Baton Moments

March 14, 2011 – 11:26 am
By Shelley Kadatz | Posted in Kenya 2011 Comments (0)

About 10 years ago I was at a leadership conference and one of the speakers talked about the importance of transferring leadership to the next generation.  I remember thinking that I was not ready to pass the baton just yet – actually I wasn’t even sure that I even had the baton!  It seemed like I had just begun to have a tiny bit of influence and it seemed a little premature to be thinking of sitting on the sidelines.

As I thought about an analogy, I thought of relay races and about the timing for a smooth transition of the baton from one runner to the next.  See, the thing is, both runners should be near maximum speed when the baton is transferred.  The runner who is going to receive it has begun to run long before the baton reaches their hand and the runner who is passing off has to maintain speed right through the pass.

From the outset (over a year ago) I knew that the “SSU goes to Kenya” team was going to be a great team to travel with – and it was!  Granted, everything went as smoothly as it could possibly go – no illness, no accidents, no major adjustments to the schedule, no events that even tested our ability to work together under pressure.   But beyond that, this team has been incredible.  I have learned with and from them and I have gotten to know them far better than I ever could in the classroom.

As I think back over the varied events and people that we’ve encountered over the last couple of weeks I’m so incredibly thankful for this time of intense learning and pretty idyllic opportunity to live in community.  I notice that my emotions have been very close to the surface and at numerous points I’ve struggled to contain tears of appreciation for the baton moments.  Moments like:

  1. Standing in the shade of an open courtyard in Eastleigh – a Somali shanty town in Nairobi – and watching the guys on the team engage in an impromptu soccer game with a bunch of young Somali boys at the school.  On the surface, it was just soccer, but for me it was SSU students enjoying an opportunity to communicate across cultures, faiths, and age, to interact with kids who so need positive male role models (I know that probably sounds a bit arrogant and maybe a bit culturally insensitive, but that’s the way I saw it after hearing about the number of single mothers in Eastleigh whose husbands are absent for long periods of time)…
  2. Sitting in the open veranda of a friend of Tim’s- a guy who is now in his 70s and facing health issues that are making it necessary for him to pass his own baton and return to the U.S.A – who has a deep and profound passion for lions.  I had this incredible sense that we had entered into holy space as he talked about the African lions and the impact of urbanization on their territory and as he talked with great humility and respect about the land and the lions.  It wasn’t even on our original itinerary – it was one of those serendipitous moments and it was rich on so many levels…
  3. Singing old gospel hymns out of small hymnals in the teacher’s room with assorted youth volunteers at a school for the physically disabled in Machakos at 6:30am on a Saturday morning as we waited for buses to arrive and take 180 or so disabled kids into Nairobi for a fun day.  As it turned out the bus was 3 hours late so we spent most of that time out and about with kids as they waited with amazing patience.  But it was another time of pretty raw emotion as I watched the students interact with these kids – talking, singing, laughing.  And then, when the buses arrived and the kids – many of them in rickety wheelchairs – were getting loaded onto the buses, a young guy showed up who had already (at about 10 in the morning) been into the moonshine, and watching our guys (and Tim) interact with him, and having that sense that God was there in the midst of it all…
  4. Sitting on Tim and Diane’s veranda for both random conversations and more structured debriefing sessions and hearing the students process and reflect on the experiences and observations of the day.   As we wrestled together with issues of faith and interpretation of Scripture and striving to truly understand the courageous efforts of churches and communities to see development and discipleship as integrated aspects of everyday life, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for the privilege of being part of their spiritual formation – and through them, of my own.

I could go on and on.  But the point is, throughout the whole journey I was literally bursting with a deep joy (not the right word exactly but as close as I can come) at being part of this kind of collaborative learning community.

Lois Mitchell

Learning from Africa

March 11, 2011 – 6:00 am
By Laura Copping | Posted in Kenya 2011 Comments (1)

We wake up at five a.m., stumbling through breakfast and into the vehicles, some of us more conscious than others.  Without really knowing what we were in for, we travel silently to a school to “help put the kids in buses for their day in Nairobi”.  It seems like a nuisance to be doing this on what could have been our only day off, but we’ve already committed to it.  We arrive and are immediately ushered into a room designated for teachers.  As there is nothing else to do while we wait, we pick up the hymnals in front of us, singing songs that most of us haven’t heard since our early childhood.  And then, one by one we wander off, distracted and unable to wait any further.

Kids are congregated in small groups on either side of the path that I walk; some stare at me and giggle when I smile and wave, others hide further behind another’s head.  I stop once I reach two people who are positioned next to the wall.  They introduce themselves as Daniel and Naomi, standard seven students (grade seven).  Daniel talks vibrantly of his school and what life is like for him.  He tells me his favorite subject is science and his favorite colour is blue.

Naomi, with her bright eyes and shy smile, seems to be flattered that I am talking to her.  She teaches Crystal and I a song and laughs when we look at each other in confusion.  In hopes that it will help us learn quicker, I ask Naomi to write down the words.  She takes the pen that she is handed and struggles to control her grip, fumbling with this absent-minded request that I directed at her.  I notice now, for the first time, that her hands are deformed.  Then, also for the first time, I began to really absorb the appearances of the students gathered around me, looking beyond their faces and into their circumstance.  Tattered uniforms are commonplace in the schools we’ve visited so they only add to the façade of the ‘Masaku School for the Physically Disabled’ .  What really hits me though are the wheel-chairs missing tires and the crutches that are covered in tattered rags in an attempt to provide cushioning for the armpits.  Dorms have 50 beds and only one supervisor; classrooms have little room for walking let alone wheeling.

My heart is heavy as I realize what we’ve been told about physical handicaps being seen as a curse on families in Kenya.  Many of the kids here have been sent away by mothers and fathers who are ashamed of their presence; others have been abandoned for good.  What will the future look like for Daniel once he leaves this school and enters into Kenyan society?  How will quiet, beautiful Naomi deal with the social stigma’s attached to her disabilities?

The heaviness of my heart is countered by the joy and love in the air.  Though each kid has a disability of some sort, they do not hesitate in helping one another out.  The general mood seems to hover someplace between joy and contentment.  Naomi tells me that she loves her family there; “it doesn’t matter how broken your body is, able and unable work together like brother and sister”.

There are many things that Kenyan society can improve upon, but I cannot help but notice that there is also so much that the West can learn from Africa.  I am impressed by the companionship displayed in (what seems to me) a difficult situation.  Where one could easily succumb to hardships, these children find only joy in servant-heartedness.  And though my heart seems to weigh twice as much as normal when I think about the broken world that they’ll soon be thrust into, I am lost in the joy that I’ve found in various smiles and the soft but clear melody of Naomi’s voice.

We finally figure out the lyrics of the song and sing it loudly in our large group.  Ananipenda ni wauazima wa milele.  I am told this means ‘Jesus loves me forever’.

Laura

An African Tapestry

March 10, 2011 – 6:00 am
By Geoff MacNeill | Posted in Kenya 2011 Comments (0)

On February 28th we were soaring through the skies on KLM airways, our travel time was coming to a close and it was time to start our descent into Kenya. This descent was accompanied by the sheer beauty of an African sunrise that was climbing up beside the heights of Mount Kenya—a warm welcoming for our SSU team traveling to the foreign (to us) lands of Eastern Africa. This  would be our classroom for the next two weeks.

Our Kenya Team Learning on Site

In my undergraduate degree, I have studied books that explain certain practices and principles for effective international development. But in Africa, these pages have come alive and taken the face of real people, and current struggles in this area of the majority world. Being here, it has been so intriguing to hear accents of indigenous workers administering development wisdom that I have  thankfully gleamed from. Furthermore, among other things, our team has visited many development projects; some of these include: newly built water wells, agricultural development that seems to be quite revolutionary, and a community center in a Somali refugee camp that is holistically bettering the people who live there. Positive change is happening and development is happening!

On this trip I have been doing my best to be a good observer. To look and to see the people surrounding me, trying to understand this tapestry of poverty and beauty that has been presented before us. And as I observe I have ask myself many questions. But one I would like to ask the reader of this blog is: “What is our responsibility toward the majority world?” As we grow and get older, as we walk through peaceful and majestic nature trails and take time to smell the beautiful red roses, may we also remember the majority world. And may we ask ourselves and wrestle with the question, “What is our responsibility, we in the wealthy west, to the majority world?”

I am so appreciative to God for this opportunity to be here, and to SSU as well, for valuing this form of education–I feel I have learned a lot of (essential) practical education. Also, I want to take this time to thank all those that have worked so hard to help this band of SSU pilgrims go to Kenya. And finally to all those that have helped us through prayer and finances, my deep gratitude goes out to you.

Geoff, Laura & Nicola

In Christ,

Geoff

For the Children

March 9, 2011 – 12:03 pm
By Shelley Kadatz | Posted in Kenya 2011 Comments (0)

Jonathan with children at Musoko School

Saturday we visited the Musoko School for Handicapped Children in Muchakos approximately 30 minutes southeast of where we’re staying at Tim Bannister’s.  We went there with the plan to simply show up and help get a couple hundred handicapped kids on buses by which they would be taken to Nairobi for a fun day.  We have developed a simply acronym since arriving here to explain away the unexpected, TIA – this is Africa.  So we had a TIA moment when we arrived on time and the buses weren’t there.  What we thought at first was merely a delay became a three hour long opportunity to interact with some of the most beautiful children on the planet.  At first we were just amazed at their smiles and playfulness, begging us to take pictures of them and then show us on the viewer how they looked on camera.  Groups of them surrounded us and we engaged them asking their names, giving our own, etc.
Being an introvert, I started looking for the small groups, the loners and tried to engage them in conversation.  I met a young man, who had a huge flashy belt buckle that said Akon all over it.  He was SO excited to talk favourite bands with me and quickly told me how much he loves Kanye and Akon and asked if I liked them too.  I couldn’t say no to him, so we talked about bands for a bit.  While we spoke, a young girl standing nearby listening to our conversation would help me understand him when his english was a little foggy for me.  A little while later I bumped into her again elsewhere and came to know the sweetest 14-year old girl (besides my own daughter!).  Her name is Rhoda.  When she was 7, her right leg was “sick” and it was removed.  She helped me work out the kinks on a song we were learning with the kids and taught me the second verse.  Her patience, sweetness and smile were breathtaking amidst the conditions I observed and the many disabilities all around us.  Later on, when the buses did come, I told her I would help her on the bus and her laughter surprised me.  I followed her around to the bus entrance and she was up those stairs  with a hop, skip and a jump before I could offer my arm to her.  I was able to help her wheel-chair bound friend into the seat next to her and their smiles were all the thanks I needed.
Seeing Rhoda and these kids has begun to change my thinking from a posture of we really have no place here as white people, to maybe we can help in small ways.  We can’t fix all the problems that plague people here but God is here, that is clear.
Thanks everyone for your support.  What we’re seeing and experiencing here is changing our lives.  May God bless you.
Jonathan Higgins

TIA

March 7, 2011 – 11:28 am
By Kyle Jaster | Posted in Kenya 2011 Comments (0)

We have been in Kenya for about 5 days now and it is absolutely amazing. We spent the first few days of our time here at Heart House in Nairobi and have now been on a game reserve on the outskirts of Nairobi for about two days. We are staying at Tim Banister’s house, an CBM employee, and will be spending the remainder of our time here. The reserve (also known as the ranch) is absolutely gorgeous with open Savannah as far as the eye can see; Zebras, Giraffe, Wildebeests, Gazelles, Ostriches, and a number of other animals are a regular sight running across our front lawn.

This morning at about 4 am I briefly woke to see the most magnificent stars I have ever seen before, complimented by the sounds of crickets, Wildebeests, and Zebras, and a soft warm breeze that whistled through the tree outside of our tent. I fell back to sleep at peace only to wake a couple of hours later to Watson, Tim’s trusty Collie, licking my face, a plot that I’m sure was set in motion by Geoff and Jonathan in an attempt to wake me up.

As the sun rose on the horizon, illuminating the far off Mount Kilimanjaro, Jonathan, Nicola and I rose to the opportunity to go for a morning run: It was like nothing I have ever experienced before. You almost forgot you were running as you took in the beauty all around you. The Beauty of this land and its people has been one of the most meaningful parts of my time here… I actually just about came to tears this morning as I prayed for breakfast thanking God for the opportunity to experience this place and to simply be in awe of His creation. And as if this isn’t enough I have had the opportunity to learn so much from Tim, our host, and the many projects he has introduced us to. I love this place and I will be sad to leave it when the time comes.

Thank you all again for your support in making this trip possible for myself and the rest of the team. We feel truly blessed on a daily basis as we continue to learn and expand our understanding of development as it applies to African communities on a grass-roots level.

lets try.

March 5, 2011 – 6:00 am
By Crystal Ruis | Posted in Kenya 2011 Comments (0)

Tonight I followed our host down a dirt pathway on a Kenyan ranch, where he showed me his water heater from which I would be receiving some much needed and even more appreciated water for a shower.  What stood in front of me was a wooden wall constructed around a water tank that connected to a small circular case made of iron. Inside the circular casing was a wood fire.  This fire, he explained would heat up the iron, which would in turn heat up the tank that would send deliciously hot water to the showers and other facilities.  This was his water heater.  I turned to him and said in more confidence than I had ever believed before, “you really can live a simple life.”  To which he replied with a smile, “we try.”

I often see a need for simplicity but tonight I saw hope for it.  To live a truly simple life is more than just a lifestyle.  It is an attitude, perception and appreciation that can be reflected in a lifestyle.  It is recognizing the difference between necessity and want and actively pursuing one before the other.  The man that showed me his water heater was in a position of choice.  He has chose to live the way he does because he sees the benefits in it from his years of living in Africa, where most do not have a choice in living simply but appreciate what little they do have.  Most of us, in North America are in a position of choice but are blind to its benefits.  I believe there must be a shift in perspective in our society, which is driven by a genuine desire to move towards deconstruction and a return to the basics.  We need to move towards the deconstruction of preconceived and socially directed expectations and rebuild a way of living that will enrich our own lives as well as the community and environment around us.

I met a young girl who had lost both parents and a sister to AIDS and left with almost nothing.  And yet, she rejoiced when she was given a cow.  Just one cow.  The cow will help to feed and support herself along with her siblings.  The genuine appreciation for what she had was incredibly humbling.  She knew what she had.  I come from a culture that is conditioned to hate what you have and want what you don’t have.  We don’t know what we have.

Kenya is teaching me a lot.  What it taught me tonight is that living in simplicity is an obtainable goal.  We just have to try.

Asante

March 4, 2011 – 6:00 am
By Margaret Sider | Posted in Kenya 2011 Comments (0)

Heart House, Nairobi, Kenya
Day 3
Weather: paradise
Team-mates: reflective, considerate, compassionate, engaging
Leader: was just described as a genius only minutes ago
Mountain mangoes: on the table
Internet: working
Collective mood: happy, thoughtful, sleepy, full, and questioning

The word that has come up most often so far:
Relational.

Every story, every conversation, every good way to understand development, partnerships, poverty, conflict, relief, community, transformation, any situation.
It’s all relational.

We have just spent years, months, and weeks studying theoretical, abstract principles of development, poverty, economics, Africa, global issues and interactions… but as I am continually reminded, these principles actually mean very little when you are not invested in relationships that act them out.
I believe more than ever that any sort of passive “learning” – such as theorizing, philosophizing, moralizing, thinking, even reading and writing.. etc. must be married with action – doing, experimenting, living, acting, RELATING – in a constant dialectic.

This thought continues to be emphasized and stressed in multiple ways on this trip and through different dialogues I have participated in and stories that have been shared with me.

Tim Bannister, our “Kenyan guide” and one of my new personal hero’s, continues to provide insight into certain aspects of Western culture that remind me (and disturb me) how well I have managed to integrate and accept certain values and patterns of living that are so unhealthy and counter-relational.

The results of most current trends in the West which determine our actions are simply serving to isolate us from each other.

We have a lot to learn.
…
I have a lot to learn.

[It's hard to express my immense gratitude to be able to participate in such a creative and dynamic learning experience.. but I am just so completely filled with joy (among many other thoughts and feelings). Thank you so so so much to everyone who made this possible.]

this grateful pilgrim

March 3, 2011 – 10:54 am
By Nicola Gladwell | Posted in Kenya 2011 Comments (1)
I was struck with gratitude tonight. Like, really struck. Surprised, even, by the… powerful swelling of honour and gratitude.  I sat amongst friends and teachers at a long bamboo table, and realized, that by the end of my time at University, SSU will have brought me to three different continents, and countless countries within those continents (not counting Borneo and the Philippines (are they their own continents? I should know this).

As I snuck some downtime at the Bangor Airport (Bangor – Detroit – Amsterdam – Nairobi), a janitor came by to dust the pay phone booths I sat near, commenting on Geoff’s charger in the wall outlet; he said, “It’s amazing what people leave behind; they’re rushed, in their flights, you know…” He went on to describe what kind of significant gadgets he’s found plugged in to the wall, while I thought about the events of that morning: being surrounded by my SSU family as I and the ‘Kenya team’ were poured on with prayer and hugged soundly by dozens of friends and mentors (it’s phenomenal how many mentors one tends to collect here). I thought about who I had left behind for two weeks, and how supportive they have been in our pursuit to come here.

A haiku (thank-you, Agnes), I wrote while catching more downtime in the Amsterdam airport… that’s doesn’t comply to haiku rules (…sorry, Agnes).

bright orange corner couch / a home in between two / continents not my own

As I chilled out on the retro corner couch reflecting on our recent walk through the red-light district of down-town Amsterdam, an Italian masseur walks up to me and asks me 1) why I’m taking pictures of my feet (because I think feet pictures are cool), 2) what I’m doing in Amsterdam, and 3) if I think I’de like a book that he’d like to give me. He disappears and comes back with an anthropological look at the English called ‘Native Land’: what makes the English, English, by Nigel… someone-or-other. That’s the thing about travelling; as I study and experience other cultures, I realize more and more about what makes me me, what I’ve been taught, and whether I still want to do things how I’ve been taught… etc. Travelling has made me incredibly aware of myself and my culture. I prepared myself, again, to recognize even more about myself and my home culture while experiencing an other’s. I prepared myself for my second of three continent-hopping study-adventures with SSU, ready and excited to embark on the next two weeks with our team of nine, in and around Nairobi, Kenya.

Since we arrived yesterday morning, we’ve learned about rehabilitating orphaned baby African elephants and illegal poaching in Kenya while watching them play in the mud and drink milk out of over-sized baby bottles (our semi-touristy activity but still very relevant intro to Kenya ’on the way’ to our accommodations), aaaaaand visited a community centre at the heart of the Eastleigh slum in Nairobi.

learning about water purifying initiatives in Eastleigh

childen at the Eastleigh slum community centre sing in swahili and english

How can I possible describe this experience of visiting Eastleigh? My journal entry today was all questions. All questions, complimented by profiles of the people I had seen or met today. How can I possible pretend that I know something for certain, to write comments and facts, about a place and circumstances that are anything but certain and factual? Eastleigh… as I understand, is almost entirely composed of refugees – in only my short time at the community centre (a partner with Canadian Baptist Ministries [CBM, the organization we came with]), I had met young men and women from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Congo. Among them, a veiled 18 year-old woman named Saada* who had travelled from central Ethiopia four months ago, and a man named Joseph* from Congo who had migrated to Kenya and was learned how to be a mechanic at the community centre to support his family. We met Alice*, too, who has, through the catering vocational program at the community centre, helped about forty young refugees a year to achieve careers in hotels as caterers or start businesses. What an achievement!

In addition to two full pages of questions, I have gratitude, writing,

“Going with a team I’m comfortable with is so important… or rather, is so beneficial, because all I learn is challenged and stretched and multiplied by conversations, questions, and discussion with the group – both peers and leaders; it’s completely different than travelling by myself. So valuable! Sitting around the bamboo table at our guesthouse-that-feels-like-home, Margaret is talking about development literature, and I realize – that we are educated. We are learned, and we are learning. I am grateful. When I lived in Thailand by myself after the Asia trip with SSU, I attempted to dialogue through blogging, pleading with people to dialogue with me about what I was learning. Now, we have spent evenings around the dinner table, hours, sharing and learning and being challenged, in blessed dialogue.”

The last line written in my journal today, regarding something someone said tonight, reads, ‘how can we live that out?’ At SSU we’re constantly challenged to ‘live it out’. Perhaps thats what drives our volunteer initiatives, ‘material history’ or ’creative writing’ courses, and travelling as pilgrims all over the world. It’s not perfect; anyone who has ever travelled in community knows that… but often, the blemishes accentuate the beauty. And we, like our friends we met today in Eastleigh, can dare to call ourselves beautiful.

^^Thank-you again to everyone who supported our time in Kenya. Today I was especially thankful to the generosity of the SSU community: to mention only a few- Katie Avery, who donated her hard-earned knitting money; Angela Broda who sold fudge for us (as well as so many other apron-wearing student wonders), Karis, Jess, Grace, Moriah, and others who donated their stunning artwork to sell, my own family, Shannon-May who donated a photo-shoot, Kindred Home Care who donated so generously… the list is actually limitless. Thank-you all so much! We are so grateful!^^

I think I was caught off guard by the Bangor janitor’s words; have I left people behind in pursuit of adventure; do I leave people behind in a rushed flight from normal? Um, I don’t think so. After all, if only 20% of the world lives like we do, it can hardly be called ‘normal’. Good thing we travel in community to discuss things like this ; ).

*I used their real names. Real people deserve real names.

- Nicola

conflict resolution in the Philippines?

February 14, 2011 – 11:38 am
By Kendall Kadatz | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

International Crisis Group monitors conflict and potential conflict situations around the world and makes recommendations to governments regarding effective ways to address these situations. For those of you who have travelled to and become familiar with the insurgency conflicts in the Philippines involving both the New People’s Army (NPA) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), check out this recent recommendation from Crisis Group that gives an historical synopsis on the situation and immediate recommendations to all parties involved.

The Communist Insurgency in the Philippines: Tactics and Talks, the latest report from the International Crisis Group, analyses why, after fighting for more than 40 years, neither the army nor the communist New People’s Army (NPA) has been able to win militarily.

Snooze at Versailles?

January 27, 2011 – 3:24 pm
By Kendall Kadatz | Posted in uncategorized Comments (0)

For anyone who’s been to Versailles on one of our trips, it makes an impression to say the least. Whether you’re appalled at the opulence, or overwhelmed by the extravagance, you definitely won’t forget being there.

Well, now you can more firmly implant that memory with a sleep as a private company has taken over one of the mansions badly in need of repair and is turning it into a hotel (click here for more details). Opinions go back and forth on whether or not government  and taxpayers should continue to pour millions into historic sites like this, or whether they should be turned over to private enterprise so that they can remain cost effective, if less historically representative.

Whaddya think Gregg Finley? Is there room for private enterprise in the preservation of UNESCO Heritage sites like this and other architectural gems?

Return

December 26, 2010 – 8:29 pm
By danbeaudoin | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Q: How was your trip?

A: It was great.

A generic answer to a generic question, but there is so much more to my trip than that.  Once people dig a little deeper and show some genuine interest in my past two months, I open up.  ”It was great” then turns into “Well, this one time when I was in Thailand…”, and things start to get interesting.  People then start to find out about all the awesome experiences I had and all the great people I met.  As I get going more and more stories pop into my mind which lead to more stories and more stories and… well you get the picture.  A lot can happen in two months, and a lot did happen.  New friendships were formed, old ones made stronger, life lessons learned, and stories stories, stories.  Besides all of the “fun stuff”, there was also that little tiny part of the trip called education, which really wasn’t a little tiny part of the trip.  It was a HUGE part of the trip.  I am pleasantly surprised with how much I remember about the history, economics, politics, social structures, etc of the countries I visited.  I know for a fact that unless I had experienced what I learned it would mostly be lost by now.  We all know how it is.  You learn something in a lecture and then a few weeks later it is gone.  But with this trip it was like information was forced to stay with me before it had a chance to leave.  I would learn about Thai culture and then go live with a Thai family.  I would learn about the different hill tribes and their struggles and then go live with those very people for a few days.  This trip has shown me the value of experiential learning and that it is a more holistic approach to learning.  I learned so much academically, but I learned equally as much about myself and others.  So now all that is left to say is… Europe trip here I come.

Daniel

sixty-four feet

December 26, 2010 – 6:33 pm
By rosiesperling | Posted in 2010 Comments (1)

I am afraid my thoughts are scattered and won’t form a proper sentence. A thought-spewed-sort-of-poem will have to suffice:

sixty-four feet meet hundreds of other feet;

hundreds of dirty, large, clean, deformed, well-traveled, small, pedicured, hidden and smelly feet;

cross-cultural feet.

some feet walk here; a long time ago, over there;

in this house the feet do this,

and over there they go like this.

time’s passed now.

four feet were sick; two feet were burnt; fifty eight feet are tired of rice;

SEA’s been seen, learned, and studied now;

SSU’s sixty-four feet are tired now.

sixty-four feet are happy though;

thankful for the other sixty-two feet

while remembering all the pairs that were met along the way.

Rosie

I wonder if people could recognize me if all they saw was my hands?

December 19, 2010 – 9:38 pm
By nygelmetcalfe | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

[- This was my last journal entry from the trip, although edited slightly and I thought it was fitting to share it in parting. I hope you have enjoyed our updates thus far, and that some of our "imperfect words" will have stirred you in some small way -]

The Sukhothai part of the trip was terririce. The ruins are so impressive, and one cannot help but wonder about the poeple who inhabited it and what they and their lives were like. We saw the hundreds of spiders that build their webs deep in the porous stones, towering stupas shaped like lotus buds, and some really awesome trees (yes, i climbed them – this is me we’re talking about). My goal is to have my backflip functional by Europe. That way, I’ll be able to flip off of all the most important monuments.

One of the very coolest things I’ve seen on the trip was a wat containing the Speaking Buddha. The story goes that a prince resisted the Burmese occupation of his city by hiding in the temple and climbing behind the massive statue, and tricking them. He shouted threats and warnings from behind the statue, in Burmese, while he had learned after being captured and enslaved when he was younger. We went inside and I could see that the whole building was designed for a voice to resonate, especially if it came from the area behind the head of the Buddha. Quite interesting.
Our guide told us that there are 38 points of difference between the human form and the Buddha, thereby making each statue into a representation of the Buddha as “a being unlike any other”. This is done to balance the feminine and masculine characteristics, and set him apart as special and unique amongst all religious figures. Personally, I find great comfort in the knowledge that Jesus was very much a human. Identifying with our savior is a powerful idea. Furthermore, I think the Christ figure is the most intriguing, complex, and revolutionary  figure ever, in any history or religion. Of course, this is because of my bias, which is finding my whole life and faith rooted in that person, but I still think it’s true. I want to know more of what he looks like. You know? I bet his hands were amazing to look at, strong and tanned. Jesus probably had wonderfully human hands. And so will I be, as part of his body – Fearfully and wonderfully human. And so is his desire for all people, to be alive, from Bangkok to Calgary, Kelowna to Manila, Chiang Mai to St. Stephen.

So be alive my friends.

Until Next Time,
Nygel

I am terrified of what is seemingly inevitable…

December 19, 2010 – 12:36 pm
By momo. | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

I don’t want to do it.
I don’t want to forget.

From my experience, coming home from a trip overseas is so bittersweet. I am always happy to be back with the people I love, in a place I know, but I am always heartbroken to have to leave my beautiful new home behind. I loved Thailand, I could live in Thailand, and I learnt so much there! How could I ever forget all the new things I’ve experienced, the new things I’ve learned, and the new memories I’ve made.
Yet it always seems to happen. Slowly, the passion fades, the new ideals slowly get lost, and you end up in the same routine you had before you went on this life-changing adventure.
This time I want it to be different. I want my to keep my memories fresh in my mind. I want to stay passionate about the injustice I’ve seen. I want to remember the people that I’ve met and the friends that I’ve made. And I think this time it will be possible, because I am in a community (sorry, had to say it) of people who have experienced this alongside me, and we will be there to remind each other, reminisce with each other, and relate to each other.
Initially, I was NOT looking forward to travelling with such a large group of people, but now I am realizing what a treasure it has been. I now have over 30 people who I can share these memories with. That’s 30 people who won’t let me forget anything I’ve learned or experienced over the past two months, and I’m not about to let them forget either.

Love you guys. Thanks for the adventure,
Mo.

back to hobbit holes

December 19, 2010 – 6:33 am
By graceturner | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

Leaving home to attend to a traveler’s dream is one thing

but returning home is a different thing altogether.

You dream about hot showers, grilled cheese and texting. But the thing is, the moment you land on Ontario soil you begin to miss Pad Tai, 3$ massages, and the hot hot sun. The saying ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’ rings true in my ears. I can’t say that culture shock is the right word for what I have gone through in the past week or so. Considering everyone is buzzed on Starbucks coffee and Ho Ho Ho The Holidays I find myself disgrunteled and feeling slightly superior to others. I feel as though many people will never experience the things I have nor will they understand them. I look in the mirror, ‘Is my face turning green?’ Have I really become that much of a North American Grinch?

I find the cool Canadian breeze as it airs out some of my memories of the trip. I am brought back to the moment I caught Joaquin looking through my suitcase, as I walked into the room, I asked him, ‘Joaquin, what are you doing?’ he replied, ‘Snooping’, as he continued to look through my makeup bag. I almost laugh out loud at the memories I built with 4 complete strangers in a completely foreign country. It is amazing the bond you can create with someone through a shared experience a shared culture. People took us into their homes and made us a part of their family. It is something I treasure, something that will remind me of my stay in Asia. Through this experience I have had to create a family on the road, whether it be through the travelers who sweat, bled and laughed alongside me or whether it was a stranger who eventually became a friend. It seems strange that we have all reached our little destinations, our little hobbit holes that we call home, the place we dreamt about while sitting in buses on planes or driving about Chiang Mai. It is these moments that led up to us being reunited with our families that makes leaving Asia that much more bitter sweet. But hey, someone’s gotta leave the cookies out for Santa…

Grace

Post-Asia Withdrawals

December 18, 2010 – 8:31 pm
By madismith | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

It’s been nearly two weeks since our time in Thailand ended. We parted ways in two groups in Hong Kong, and slowly lost each other on connecting flights along the way home. Instead of going straight home after Asia, I opted to first stay for a couple weeks in British Columbia, as i’ve never been before.

One of my first experiences in Vancouver was figuring out the transit system with Nygel. It is quite similar to Kuala Lumpur’s, except that it costs nearly 14 x the price. We payed $7.50 each to take the skytrain into Vancouver city from the airport. In our Thai pants and t-shirts, transfered from train to train to bus, and walked in the 5ºC weather another few blocks to Sam and Megan Wollenberg’s. I crossed a high-traffic road, dodging around cars, completely forgetting how things work in Canada. I am so accustomed to darting across traffic that i didn’t even give it a second thought.

One of the most immediate differences here in Kelowna is the difference in poverty. Though there are homeless people living here, they are living in different conditions. There are food and sleeping shelters, along with street churches geared toward the homeless. Though not all of the needs of the homeless can really be met, this system is much more helpful and considerate than anything i ever witnessed in Asia. It also pains me deep in my conscience to see teenagers spending $15 to go to a bar show, and choosing Starbucks over the rampant cheaper local and fair trade shops.

The open nature of the Thai (and Lanna) people, combined with their desire to share their culture with us, were drawing features to cause someone like me to want to spend an extended amount of time there. Think about it: If you asked a SEAsian immigrant living in North America why they moved here, would they have the same impression of North American people?

Southeast Asian people have something real good going on. Watching their interactions amongst their families, and how close they hold each other to their heart (and very being), has really made me miss my family. I can’t wait to fly home to my family tomorrow.
//MADi

being in Canada only changes the temperature.

December 18, 2010 – 4:27 pm
By Liam | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

So, what’s different in Canada that I couldn’t get in Thailand? Snow; lots – and lots – of snow. I’ll admit, I was used to the sun setting earlier in the tropics, but 4 o’clock in the afternoon is ridiculous. I presume this winter will be difficult for me to handle after the course of this three month venture, and not simply because the temperature differential will be over 60 degrees.

In Thailand, I remarked that the greatest failure we could achieve whilst at home was to ignore the things we learnt in the process of re-assimilating. Whether it’s a good thing or not, my first thought as I saw snow-covered Ontarian soil was ‘how do the poor live in this weather?’ Now, the poor of Canada are likely perceived differently than those of Thailand, Malaya, Luzon or Myanmar, but the fact remains that they live in comparable inequity from us.

Of course, that doesn’t need to be as depressing as it sounds – a reminder of a sad thing is most disappointing when it is acknowledged and then ignored; I intend to act on this reminder, as there is a fairly large bloc of homeless in my home city. And whether we see it or not, from BC to NFLD, there are people in our communities who could use assistance.

The snow was instant visual catalyst to remind myself I was in a different place than where I just was. For me, the next five months are about Canada. I hope you can find your own catalyst to remind yourself that you have the choice to be an innate part of your community, or a live one.

Liam

In the year 2553…

December 18, 2010 – 11:25 am
By Julia Roebbelen | Posted in 2010 Comments (0)

This year has been absolutely insane for me. A winter in Oakville, a summer in Europe, a fall in Southeast Asia, and they expect me to “process” this with eloquence in a blog ten days after it’s all over. I honestly haven’t had the time to sit down and just rest in my thoughts these past ten days. What to say?
I find myself watching Asian waiters in restaurants, and noticing they have some of the same cultural tendencies that I picked up in SEA. I find myself still using small cultural tendencies that I picked up in Thailand. I find myself watching Canadians, and how disgusting some of our habits are. With the excessive spending at Christmastime and the leftover food getting thrown out, there is more to Christmas than that.
People keep asking me what the best part of my time is SEA was, or what I learned while I was there, and I find it hard to give them a twenty second answer, because, well, you’d have to read my entire journal and then look at all my pictures before you’d even BEGIN to understand what I saw and how I felt when I experienced these things.
I have noticed a change in myself since I got back. I spend more time listening and watching than I do talking; I’d rather hear about my friends’ past couple months than share about my own experiences. I’m quieter, I check myself in order not to culturally offend those around me. Things I was looking forward to when I came home have not fulfilled me now that I’m back; I no longer desire those things. What I desire is to be back in Thailand, or to be somewhere else, travelling, soaking in the culture around me, being a part of every single tree and person and market stand I pass by. I’m addicted to travel, the unknown, the adventure.
But I am here, in Oakville, in St. Stephen, and I cannot be placing my dreams and thoughts elsewhere for now. I hope I can slip back into culture here, back into 2011 with grace, but never to forget what I have learned and seen elsewhere.

Julia