Culture

Well, Monday nights I have a class called Social and Cultural Issues in Counseling. It is hard to say for sure, since we have only had two classes so far, but I am really enjoying this class. It is helping to give me more perspective about and thoughts to many of my experiences while I was in the Middle East last semester. We have been talking simply about the importance that culture and even non-verbal cues can have in our interaction and communications with other people. I think I realized before that communication and culture are important when dealing with people, but this class is pointing to an entirely different side that I have never thought of before. That even though I have an idea about the importance of culture in an individuals life, that even my own ideas about their culture can effect the way I am interacting with them and that the way I perceive my own culture is viewed by others has an impact on how I interact in different cultures and groups. I don't think I was completely ignorant of these ideas before, but I have never sat and really consciously thought about them before. To be questioned and probed for my views on these topics has been good for me, to think about how I am portraying myself to others and how my own cultural understanding is involved in everyday events.

I am a grad assistant

Yes that is right I have been given the opportunity to be a grad assistant for my winter session course and it is an eye opening experience. Part of my responsibilities is grading papers and evaluating group presentations. It is a little odd as many of the students taking the course are friends of mine that I have spent 3 years in classes with. I found it strange that it is harder for me to grade their papers than to deal with them face to face as we critique their presentations. I am relieved to find that they have all been receptive to the comments and not defensive or hurt by the comments we have made about their performances. But when grading the papers I find it much more difficult to maintain an objective mind because I can not interact with them and let them know why I am grading them the way I am. Helpful advice given to me today was to always err on the side of grace. I have also gained a greater respect and admiration for my teachers seeing just a little bigger piece of what they endure while trying to help us grow and stretch our minds. Grading is difficult work. I want to maintain a high standard and expectation of the work I know college students should be capable of, but also be gracious and encourage them at the same time. God said that to those that much has been given much is expected, but we can each only work as best we can with what we have been given, so I am confronted with the thought of how do you judge fairly on a flat scale when each individual is gifted and talented in different and varied ways. How do I maintain a standard to judge and grade everyone by when God has made them all so different? As Paul tells us not all can be eyes of feet for the body needs all the different parts to work properly.

Classes already

Yes it is true I have started back to classes already. I could not believe my eyes when I got around to registering for classes. In the three years previous that I have been at Grace I can not remember classes ever starting back this soon, but low and behold they did this year. It is a double edged sword heading back to classes. One because I wish I could have had a little more time to unpack (which is not entirely done yet) and recoup a little from all the travel. The other because it was really good to see old friends and get a chance to catch up on the time I have been gone. To see so many familiar faces and smiles has been a good way to get back into the swing of school.

It was weird that even though I am back to class with all that comes along with that I feel I am able to relax more here than I could when I was doing absolutely nothing over in Israel. I am not sure how to explain it, I tried to explain it to my roommate and don't think it worked so well. but I will try again, I think it has something to do with being comfortable in your surroundings. Even though I was in Jerusalem for three month and got to know my way around a little I was never comfortable with my surroundings as I am back here in Omaha. So even though I am a little busier than I was there I am able to relax more and enjoy what I am doing because I am more comfortable where I am. If that makes any sense you can read between lines well.


So far the class has been amazing. I am taking 1 & 2 Samuel as a winter session class and it is awesome, because I actually just finished reading through both books in December fully for the first time ever. So it was kind of amazing that I could walk right back into school and take a class on those two books. I also got registered for the Spring Semester and placed my book order. It amazes me every time at how expensive education is. Many times it almost doesn't seem worth the price tag that goes with the diploma. Well, I better get back to the homework I should be doing instead of rambling away. God Bless you all.

I was thinking

I have been back in the states for an entire, well let me see . . . almost 5 days and it has been sort of weird. I have been gone for fourth months and returned to very familiar things, but not so familiar if you know what I mean. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same (you can't replace the salt on the icy roads smell in Nebraska) but it just feels different, and I suppose that is because I am different in some way or another. I don't feel different but if everything else is the same it has to be me. I can't really explain why everything feels different but it is. I love to drive or at least I did before I left, but right after I got home I took a 2 + hour drive down to Hebron, Nebraska and back and then a 6 hour drive up to Minneapolis and I didn't find it all that relaxing. I used to find driving around relaxing and gave me time to clear my mind and think( yeah I know strange when everyone else seems to get frustrated and angry driving). But it actually felt a little stressful as I took that long drive up to Minneapolis on Tuesday. I think part of it is I was jut a little unsure of my own abilities after being gone so long and there was blowing snow over the Interstate, but I just don't think that was all of it. Even though I had driven this road many times over the past couple years it felt alien. Almost as if it was completely new to me as if I had never been over that stretch of pavement before. The scenery seemed strange and dead. Yeah I know I just came out of the desert what could be more dead than that, but you would be amazed at the amount of green out in those desert areas. The snow and white covering that I used to enjoy and look forward to so much each year now seems like the surface of a strange planet that I just stepped out onto for the first time. Ok this even sounds a little strange and sort of rambling to me now but I am at a loss to explain the feelings. It is like trying to slip your hand into your well worn and used baseball glove that you have been conforming to your hand for years and fitting your hand like a second skin only to find out when you put it on that it is now stiff, small, and uncomfortable. It is not what I expected when I was on my way home from overseas. I expected to slide that glove back on my hand and feel its comforting fit hug my hand and feel the supple well used leather stretch and move with every twitch and flex of my fingers, and it doesn't fit like that any more. So is it time to buy a new glove and start working it back into the comfortable fit that feels good on my hands or work at getting the old glove back into playing forms and stretching it back out to reform to my hand now. This is a big decision because I am supposed to be graduating in May and have made plans to continue on with two more years of school towards a counseling degree but is that where I am supposed to be going. Well I just wanted to write out what my mind was tumbling with but am not sure it makes much sense now that I have written it so I apologize if I have lost you. Well I will be heading back to Omaha Saturday afternoon to get ready for class starting Monday morning. Hope you have all had a good start to the new year and the prospects for the months to come are looking bright and joyous.

Rome Pictures

Vatican
Rome
Rome 2
Rome 3

Rome was an amazing and wonderful place. Standing inside the Sistine Chapel was one of those moments where I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I am still in awe of all the places I have gotten to go and see all that I have. It is almost like I have been dreaming this last month and haven't really been to all these places, but then my memory kicks in and I realize that God has truly blessed me with these travels and the friends I met along the way. I was amazing to me to meet so many other American students traveling abroad and hear of all their adventures on trains and in airport waiting areas. I hope you have all enjoyed the pictures and the little bit I have taken opportunity to share about my travels. Now that I am back home and have had a little bit of time to sit and think of everything I have been through it makes me sad to think that I am back and there is no train to catch tomorrow for so new destination, but it was nice to walk out of an airport and recognize the skyline. The next destination is back to school on the 7th of Jan, much earlier than I have been accustomed to the last few years, but change is part of life. Well I hope to continue to hear from you all and wish you all the best as this new year begins to unfold before us. God bless.