it begins

So day one is drawing to a close right now. It was quite the day. Met everyone, travelled on the tube to our training site, and spent all day feeling pretty ignorant. Everything so far has been great, I am just very aware of how little I know. I mean seriously, how did I not know/interact with many muslims/buddhists/anyone else it feels like before this? I realize what I know about what they actually believe is miniscule. We got to go to london central mosque today for jumma (Spelled wrong for sure) prayer which happens every friday and is mandatory for men. There were 11,000 muslims there to pray today. I thought I would feel weird or threatened or confused but I felt enchanted. The whole thing was really cool. I felt connected to everyone. They are passionately trying to connect with the God they love, and their prayers are a physical (literally--so much body movement) manifestation of that. I really loved it. now I am in this weird spot where I am ashamed of my ignorance of islam and other people in general, but at the same time balancing this newly insatiable curiosity to learn. I have never really had muslim friends before, or felt safe asking them pretty much any question I ever wanted to know about islam and have them be excited to talk to me about it and not think my (very basic) questions were dumb.

Met specifically at one point with the group that is going to Tanzania and they are SO AWESOME. There are nine of us. From all different backgrounds. Being here is such a stimulating experience already and I really think every day is going to feel like today. There is a sharp learning curve for me in particular in this process (most of the others have extensive interfaith experience) and it is cool to be able to live in that and ask questions.

And London is pretty sweet to. We are going to the globe theater later to see Romeo and Juliet, and pretty much every day going to some sort of intense faith event. Tomorrow is an orthodox jewish synagogue. and I got wicked lost yesterday coming on the tube from the airport. The accents are great though, and the people are friendly. And did I mention costs are covered and this is the coolest thing ever? Seriously you guys, this is the best. I want to be a sponge the next seven weeks.

packing

How in the world do you pack in one suitcase for a trip to three different continents that is going to last two months? I have no idea. I think I am doing it wrong. Oh well. And why am I blogging right now instead of packing when I leave in an hour and a half? I dont know that either.

I cant believe this day is finally here. I go from feeling like I am going to be sick to wishing I could just teleport to London so it would already be starting. What a long journey this has already been to get here. I cant wait to see what I learn in the next two months! London here I come....

employer satisfaction

I was very satisfied by my experience at KFC the other night when a party I was helping out at ran out of food, and I wanted to let the manager know so I called the number on the back of the receipt. The conversation went something like this

automated voice: Thank you for calling. What time, day, and store did you visit
me: detailed answer
AV: at the end of this survey you will be told if you qualify to win $1000. pause
me: (Pause). Thanks?
AV: Press one if your latest KFC experience exceeded your expectations. Press 2 if your trip met expectations. Press 3 if it did not meet your expectations.
me: 1
AV: Thank you for taking this survey. You did not qualify for the $1000. Please feel free to try again in six weeks. Click.

So much for speaking to a representative.

I watched Revolutionary Road a couple nights ago. It freaked me out. Kate Winslet is not living the life she wants to live, and she feels helpless to do anything about it so she just shuts off from everything. It is terrifying because it seemed to be so easy to become her. She did not make a bunch of heinous mistakes to get where she was, she just kind of passively did what was expected of her and never really pursued what she actually wanted. Terrifying, but kind of typical of a lot of people I know. Why is it so easy to settle for mediocre? And to forget that at one time every fiber of your being ached to have purpose and be something more?

Scary.

hearty

The in-between time after college is odd. I am house-sitting for my parents right now. Day 10 of 33 days by myself. I am currently cooking 99 cent pasta for myself for dinner. The box said to bring the contents to a "hearty" boil. What the heck does that mean? Somewhere between dancing to Destinys Child's Bug-a-Boo in my kitchen and throwing a stick for the dog, I realized I forgot to stir the pasta constantly. I came back to look at it and it was rather "heartily" boiling over the sides of the stove. Seriously, who has the time to stir this pasta constantly for the required 18 minutes? And what pasta needs 18 minutes to cook? There was a reason it was on sale apparently. Being poor is hard. Not that this is any kind of suffering at all compared to the majority of the world, I understand that, but this is just goofy.

I checked the whole graduating from college thing off my list. I got really good at being in college the final two quarters I was there. I wish I had four months of May-the last full month I had of school-to really soak everything up for the last time. but I cant. it is over. And I am sitting in the place that used to be home that now is just a painful and necessary in-between before my next adventure. And no one is here with me. I am anxious to follow God into this next thing, but there is this strange, tentacle like part of me that is clinging to the past. Seattle is not a part of my life for at least the next year. My head has accepted that, but my heart has not. It kind of hurts a little bit. I don't know how to process graduating, my mind cant really do it. I dont know if anyone actually does. Most people run frantically into a job or a marriage or whatever, then let their eyes grow misty ten years down the road when they think about how awesome college was, and how their current life just is not as cool.

I will not let that be my story. College was epic for me, and the best thing ever for the last four years. But it is over now and my life is just beginning. And every year is going to be better. because I will be living the way I was created to live. I can promise that.

The pasta is done. And it looks pretty lumpy because I did not stir it. I will have to add salt.