Top Ten Take-Aways

For my last post from this side of the ocean I've decided to share my "Top Ten Take-Aways" from the last couple of years (in no particular order). Many of you have been a part of helping these thoughts come together and walking them out with me. Thank you for your invaluable friendship.

10. I’m free. I’m never going to be one of the people here or be like them. Who I am, in all my strengths and weaknesses, is who lives here. I’m free to be myself and not try to be Arab or the ideal of who I think an ex-pat here is. We each were positioned in specific places and times and we shouldn’t cheat the community at large or our friends out of that by trying to have other gifts or be people we’re not.

9. There’s a way to express my passions in the Kingdom. I have been concerned about issues related to human rights and social justice (refugees, poverty, human trafficking, etc.) for several years. I no longer feel this tension between political views and faith that I felt cornered into before. My life is more integrated now than I ever could have imagined (see Micah 6:8). I also am convinced there is no self-righteous answer to injustice. Accusing major players like the “Mugabes” and ridding the world of them won’t solve all our problems. I see power plays on every level of life and selfishness within me as well. Redemption is a humble and deep work (Like, Phil. 2, for starters).

8. Black polyester robes are HOT. That’s it. They are just stinking hot.

7. I am made to live in relationship, absolutely, 100% not a lone ranger. Completely in love with the idea of journeying WITH people.

6. Looking forward to an abiding city and being in love with the unshakeable Kingdom. When all around seems to shift and change, I have been forced on many days to look to what is certain. I have learned that often my sadness and lack of belonging has little to do with this culture and much to do with being in a broken world. It’s the complete, yet not completed work of the cross. We’re Homesick.

5. I’m always free to love the person in front of me. It’s never wrong to love, take joy, have peace, be patient, be kind, treat people with dignity, display a gentle attitude or gesture, live faithfully or control myself. I don’t have to argue with the taxi driver over what usually amounts to another $1-$2 he wants. I can walk in mercy and be patient at the post office. There is no law against these things.

4. Head scarves. I can pick out which ones are cooler, won’t slip off, etc. and tie them so they’ll stay on for an hours-long outing. I’m kind of hoping my next venture doesn’t lead me back into the world of polyester. :)

3. Forgiveness. I read a book recently about complete forgiveness which consists of wanting someone to be blessed and prosper as if they had done nothing wrong. Immediately tears came to my eyes as I realized that is my life – I am blessed and prospering as if I have done no wrong, and whoa have I ever. How could I choose holding onto bitterness over experiencing the peace that comes with forgiveness in light of that truth?

2. Cooking from scratch and substituting ingredients. Lack of availability leads to creativity and skill-building. Examples: condensed soup, Alfredo packets - what’re those? All we know is white sauce. Boboli? Huh? Pizza crust is flour, water and oil!

1. He is at work…even until now (John 5:17).

One less rat.

Just thought all those concerned should be notified...there's one less living rat in the world as of 4:15ish pm my time. YAY!

Eagle eye Roomie A spotted the little (actually quite large) guy under the washing machine and our strong, village landlady came down with her mom. The two of them went into the bathroom with the plunger and after much banging and crashing emerged asking for a plastic bag. Then they yelled, "Oh no! He's not quite dead...YET." We then saw more plunger action and eventually he got scooped into a grocery bag while still moving a bit. Major props to Roomie M for holding the bag and ensuring his sure capture during the squirming. Then we took him off to the trash (by trash, I mean we left him on the side of the road at the informally designated trash/grazing area around the corner).

So getting ready to be done with this part of my life here. Also, I'm very thankful we have a landlady who doesn't seem to be bothered too much by exterminator duties.

I like your eyes...

Apparently we've attracted some attention here lately. The other day a bunch of teenagers were on our street playing soccer. It's not at all uncommon for the younger boys to be around, but this was a new group to us. My roommate found this note stuck in our door:



He wrote his phone number on the back. I see no way this plan could fail... just hope he doesn't pine away at his house too long because I don't think he'll be hearing from any of us! Oh the joys of foreign celebrity. Feeling ready to blend in again. :)

Who we are, too.

I am almost tempted to entitle this post “Ponderings. Part 3.” However, I’ve realized that continuing to label all my thoughts on how encountering persistent injustice is affecting me with new numbers each time might get a little out of hand.

We’ve been teaching some pretty marginalized women for a couple months now. Each day I come home and am either in tears or beyond them. I am indescribably alive and broken at the same moment for being involved in their lives. We cry out to God in desperation about their situations. We plead for their lives and well-being. We return and have found in some cases their situations are worse. Now granted, my perspective is short and finite. But my perspective is really all that these initial, daily reactions come from. I wonder why things seem to keep going from bad to worse for these ladies.

Remember this struggle I posted a couple months ago about how intellectually I know that God sees all and loves all yet suffering and injustice persist? I have found myself back at that very place of deep wrestling the last couple weeks particular to all the stories from the prison. I went back again and read some of the scriptures that always apply to these situations and the series of sermons I read on “Sin, Evil and Suffering” by Flemming Rutledge that point me again to the cross. Many thoughts here are borrowed from those writings and people I’ve been talking with.

One of the better things I’ve heard lately is that if we refuse to process the evil and suffering around us and in the world, we will disengage with God or people who are experiencing injustice. I think we also lose sight of who we are. I’m tempted to think (as an 'easy' answer that doesn't involve so much processing) it would be very easy if we could just rid the world of those who are inflicting grand injustice – the ‘Mugabes’– we would solve all of our problems. I’m finding it’s harder to “confess [my] own sin and seek transformation.” I’m being reminded that ridding would include me (reminded with a great deal of help from Scripture and Rutledge’s teaching). Within each of us lie a victim and a victimizer. No one is above being unjust. Jesus entered the pain that the marginalized so easily relate to, but he was also “numbered among the transgressors.” He was made to be sin for us. If we reject what he did for perpetrators; we reject what he did for us.

Psalm 82 and 110 have been speaking a lot to me on this subject as well. God directs people to: “Give justice…and rescue the week and needy.” The foundations of the earth are shaken at injustice. It simply offends the plan. The hope is that even though we live with injustice and fight it within ourselves, we are morning dew, giving life to the world. That’s the part of going to the teach these women that makes me feel more alive than most any other part of my week. And there’s resolution. In the end things will be made right (end of Psalm 110). Man’s justice is not the final justice. I have no idea what that’s going to look like just as Jesus’ contemporaries had no idea what Old Testament prophecy about a Messiah would really look like. And they were surprised. So maybe there’s no revenge, smackdown and unleashing of anger like I would desire some days against ‘Mugabes.’ Maybe that’s already been taken out on someone who became a transgressor. We just don’t know how it’s going to go. But we know the final justice is good, complete, right and loving.

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with thy God.” – Micah 6:8

Let’s make this a conversation. What are you learning it means to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly in your situation? It’s something I’ve been pondering lately. Shoot me an email or comment with your thoughts. Love you all and am so glad for the many teachers you are to me and the input you give to my life.

East meets West (in my living room)

After two years in our flat with no "real" furniture, today we got a hand-me-down couch and chair. We're looking a little crazy with our East/West fusion, but oh so very happy to have a comfy place to sit. :)

Before:

After:

Changing a gas tank...

As many of you know, part of my normal morning ritual is reading Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest. I have done this the last few years for a couple reasons. Chambers brings it. He challenges me in ways that aren’t even close to comfortable, and it is good to be washed in truth. Also, my dad and another good friend read Chambers everyday. There’s something about family and community being joined in daily reading together that I just really like and continues to help me feel connected to people in America.

A couple weeks ago there was a string of days on 2 Peter so I camped on that for a few days. I was reading in a few different English versions and came across something in the New Living Translation that jumped off the page:

“Knowing God better leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow in genuine love for everyone.”

This is our gas stove and accompanying gas tank:



Every few weeks the gas runs out. “It always happens while I’m cooking something,” I grumble. (Like when else is a gas tank going to run out? Of course while you’re using it. But still – in the middle of baking or cooking it just seems conspired somehow). So it’s out. There’s no more heat. The cake (or biscotti…yeah, I’m still a little bitter about my ruined batch and the ensuing gas tank failures) falls, the chicken is attempting to become bacteria-free at 100 F before you realize what’s happened and dinner guests are waiting. You free the tank of the regulator with a wrench, bring the new, full, heavier-than-all-get-out tank into the kitchen, hook it up with the wrench and check for leaks. Or maybe the spare tank is empty or has a leak. Then you call for a new one. But maybe your supplier is out, so you wait for tomorrow. It’s drudgery. There’s nothing about changing a gas tank or calling for new ones or waiting that makes me happy or feel satisfied or inspires me with some high ideal to keep living here. Nothing.

However, somehow I’ve become convinced this task (along with all the other tasks in my life I would consider “less than ideal” work), this bane of my existence in my pink kitchen, has built up my endurance level, self-will, and self-control so that I can more easily stop and take time to feed a hungry person, to study language, to go on visits, to give teaching literacy my best shot each day and to love beyond myself. Whenever I take on this task, this responsibility, I know I’m growing in patient endurance. It’s like working out for my soul.

Someone pretty wise told me through most of my middle and high school years that “leaders pick up trash.” If you want to be someone who turns up to be respected and worth their salt – go and start picking up the trash when the meeting’s over. Do the things that need to get done. At the time, I think I just saw that as like a “servant leader” type of deal – first shall be last, etc. But there’s more – the qualities of someone worth listening to are developed in the daily doing.

I’ll leave us with a repeat of an Oswald quote from a previous post because it just keeps ringing in my ears:

"Drudgery is one of the finest tests to determine the genuineness of our character. Drudgery is work that is far removed from anything we think of as ideal work. It is the utterly hard, menial, tiresome and dirty work."- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Tennis and stuff...

We just got to celebrate Roomie A's birthday at the nicest place in town... a Western hotel. Woo hoo. So we got to swim, play tennis, wear shorts outside and sleep in rooms with AC and really comfy beds. Seriously - don't get much better 'round here!

Roomie A's new tennis racket AKA "RAMBO"...

Out on the court:

Yeah, even at this fine establishment there was no net this weekend...something about repainting the spongy floor:

Despite no "real" tennis without a net I did also get some juggling instruction from Occassional Roomie S:

Here we are soaking up a beautiful sunset:

Quotes for Thought...

Some quotes from recent reading that have struck a chord with me:

"It is pride - not love - that fears dependence and worships transcendence."
-Arthur McGill, Suffering: A Test of Theological Method

"Castrophe spreads and mercy contracts." (An Arab proverb about resolving tribal conflict)

On being intentional about confronting injustice: "Our circumstances require a stronger response, and we are too caught up in the swirl of our lives to devise one."
-Dorothy C. Bass, Practicing Our Faith

"Drudgery is one of the finest tests to determine the genuineness of our character. Drudgery is work that is far removed from anything we think of as ideal work. It is the utterly hard, menial, tiresome and dirty work."
- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

"Foolish love, in fact, may be all we ever know of the love of God on earth and, in the end, it will be everything that each of us needs."
-Joan Chittister, There is a Season

Chop chop...

*Thanks, Buddy L!

Ponderings. Part 2.

In regard to learning to live out the gospel and a Kingdom life... none of these sorts of things come about easily (or of ourselves…if it is He who first initiated our faith, then it is certainly He who initiates our training in faith). My most recent thoughts on those things in the last post came out of lots of questions I've been wrestling with. For some time I’ve had a heart-wrenching struggle with what boils down to the question of evil. I believe it’s true that God sees us, intellectually. When I looked around at the world (Kenya, Pakistan, Iraq, Darfur - just to name a few key things that have been on my mind), I couldn’t (and in many ways still can’t) understand how God sees these people and doesn’t intervene. Surely this breaks the heart of the One defined as Love in our treasured Book.

About this point in my questions and struggle, I borrowed a book of sermons from a friend with a chapter entitled “Sin, Evil and Suffering.” I thought – perfect, someone will finally address my questions, give me answers and all this will be put behind me for good (wink, wink). I was shocked and blindsided. All the sermons were about the cross. It was a series on the cross being foolishness and a stumbling block to some, but power to those who were being saved by it. The cross IS the answer to sin, evil and suffering. Something mysterious happened on the cross that I can’t understand. A few months ago I felt I needed to start making a list of metaphors that are used for cross as I chatted with people and listened to sermons…a blessing for a curse, a ransom, a sacrifice, an atonement, a substitution. A few of my friends and I have been chatting about these things and they’ve helped me articulate a lot of this. We realize we can’t carry any of those metaphors out to completion without them falling apart a little bit. They are the best pictures we have, but pictures nonetheless and incomplete. The cross is the power, but a mysterious one that we would do well to ponder and meditate on, but will never fully understand. I needed this revelation more than anything in a long time.

We are living in an in-between, tension-filled time. The Kingdom has come, but not in full. That’s difficult to grapple with, but we know that the victory for the truth and the right is possible, and one day the restoration will be complete (See the sermon The Captain of the Lord by Alexander Maclaren for an amazing picture of this from Joshua 5). In the meantime, it would seem there is a season for all things. As one of the more brilliant people I’ve been reading lately put it – we are living in a tension between Ecclesiastes and Revelation. Between ‘everything is meaningless’ and ‘He wipes away every tear.’

‘Jesus teaches us that human judgments are not the last judgments, that human justice is not the last justice, and that the power that humans exercise over one another is not the final power.’ – Father Lucic, Sarajevo (from The Bible and The New York Times, p. 59)

‘Only by attending to the horrors of this world can we continue to sing the words of that great eighteenth-century hymn-writer Isaac Watts:

He comes to make his blessings known
Far as the curse is found.
(Hymn, “Joy to the World”)

For only a faith forged out of suffering can say with conviction that the angels and monsters will not coexist forever…’ – Flemming Rutledge, The Bible and The New York Times, p. 60

So in seeing injustice and the things that are not yet full, I am reminded that the work of the cross, the work of redemption is in process. Some how it is complete but yet not completed.

Ponderings. Part 1.

I’ve been thinking about the future lately. One of my latest dreams and schemes is to go to grad school for non-profity stuff (very technical, I know…ask me more about this if you want the low down on what I’m thinking exactly). The longer I’ve lived away from my home culture, the more I don’t feel drawn to a particular language, geography or culture. I feel pulled toward the marginalized: immigrants, people caught up in human trafficking schemes, homeless, poor, refugees and on and on the list goes. For the first time in quite awhile my thoughts are so little about geography it’s a wonder, even to me, I persist in a place like this. I can finally see a totally Kingdom life I would be just ecstatic, blessed and excited to live out in the states. That must sound crazy to all you amazing people who are already doing that and being the voices of change and advocates in our own culture. I somehow lost sight here of how I could fit in with all that. I had this qualifier before I moved here even on who I would marry…only those interested in an overseas assignment need apply. Wow, how short-sighted I’ve been. Something so much more organic, alive is taking over. I want to live a life marked by struggling to figure out what it means to live the gospel wherever I find myself. Of course, I still want to be in cahoots with the globally-minded (how can we understand injustice otherwise?), and am staying open to the eventuality of learning other languages and crossing into other cultures. This phase of life has taught me nothing if not to live with my hands open. He gives and takes away.

This picture is some of what I'm (well, we're) figuring out 'being' the gospel looks like these days on my streets - taking time to chat with and touch someone who many avoid and brush off. It's become about looking someone in the eyes, using kind and gentle language and terms of endearment (our language is sprinkled with these here) with them and acknowledging they are human rather than just ignoring them (even on the occassions when I say no and don't give the little kids or some others the money they are asking me for). There's a sting in our hearts when we ignore people and treat them as less than human. I've learned a lot from some of these random encounters.

BDay Goodness and walking...

Here are some pics from bday. We had a great time at a restaurant up on the mountain. Here are my Roomies M, A & P, Buddies L&A, Occasional Roomie S, and me:

A few days before my birthday Buddies L&A and I went for a walk around the city in our less-than-black clothing. That was a fun and good time for us to process, hang out and act like tourists taking lots of pictures in our own city. It's not always the most relaxing to stroll around to constant shouts of random English phrases and honking horns, but we eventually scurried off into a dried out riverbed near my house, and that was nice:

My most recent cultural observations, and a picture.

I’ve come up with a new way of defining the basic tenor of a household here: how they make this frothy (not-so-great-tasting) substance that tops a lot of food. It needs to be beat sort of like egg whites. There seem to be three major groupings in my experience:

1. Families that make it by beating it with their fingers. These are some of the same houses I’ve seen women using 2 stones to grind spices and smash tomatoes (like in National Geographic), don’t have running water inside, their seating is just some hay-stuffed pillows lying around the edges of the room. They might have stronger ties to rural areas, and seem to not be as aware of customs outside of their experiences.

2. Families that make it by beating with a fork. These houses seem to have some conveniences – maybe cushions to sit on as well as a back to their sitting area in the nicest sitting room, running water inside. Also, they may have more awareness of the world around them.

3. Families that make it (this is my favorite…) with an electric hand mixer. These seem to have it made – maybe even Western toilets and a full-on furnishings in several sitting rooms. Someone in the house probably speaks English and/or has international experience and is aware of (and even sometimes accommodating to) cultural differences.

Now, I know this isn’t certain (and could easily be broken down to economics in a lot of ways…but this is something tangible, something more social or warm), but, man, thinking about this and writing it down make me want to go to grad school. Political ethnographers are always making silly groupings like this that really make it too simple, but help distinguish what is very messy and unclear data in the first place. Makes the anomalies more fun too (I went to the village and saw someone using a hand mixer to make the frothy stuff in the one house with a generator…etc). And if the assumption or grouping turns out to be totally off that’s fun too because then your get to write a whole paragraph about how you were wrong and make whatever’s right seem even more interesting because it wasn’t the expected outcome. Soft science rocks, I tell you.

Anyway, one of my buddies around here is definitely part of an electric mixer family (seriously, they used an electric mixer to make the frothy stuff). So this family also apparently abides by the philosophy that even if you can eat meat all year long you still eat meat at the Eid (biggest holiday of the year) to “make up for the meat all year long." (that the poor people really don't eat all year). So here’s to goat! Which by the way, as a matter of hilarity (b/c you never thought you’d say this sentence in your life):”The goat escaped from the kitchen and came downstairs twice today, but that problem is soon over because we’re sacrificing him tomorrow.”

A picture from my Christmas camping trip follows. I got to use a fresh water well...to bathe (or rather, pour water over myself a couple times during the salty four days). We'll talk more about wells and water later so this is a good image for me to be thinking on at the moment.

PS Thanks to Occasional Roomie S for the blog suggestion...and coffee.

Four arrows.

A combination of four influences sort of collided in my room as I sat in my Thinking Chair yesterday morning and reflected on what I've been reading and hearing lately...

Many of you know I sort of love the radio program This American Life (thislife.org) on NPR. I was listening to the latest show, "The Competition" a couple days ago and was struck by an interview with a man from a church in Tulsa, OK. He helped a group of legal Indian immigrants that were being seriously mistreated at a nearby factory. Here's a snippet from the interview:

The Man Who Helped: "There’s more prejudice in us than we really realize… when the foreign comes into our own district, our own comfort area, we’re not always ready to accept. Because we weren’t successful real quick in getting help and visas and all [some leadership in the church and friends] just didn’t feel it was God’s will that I did what I did."

Interviewer: "So they said because [helping these immigrants] was really hard God didn’t want this to happen?"

The Man Who Helped: "Right. My feeling is…different than most people, you know? To me, the gospel, and ministering, and our faith should be very incorporated. And I know we can’t help everybody, but I think everybody is given a little portion that they can do. And I know we can’t turn around and change the world tomorrow, but just what’s put in our little field here, or our littler corner; I feel like we’re responsible for."




I've been reading a John Piper book lately on fasting. He talks about the Isaiah 58 fast:


We are often hindered from ministering to the homeless by fear and by the mindset that the government has programs for this sort of thing. The promises of God should shatter fear. And the fact that the government is willing to help should not control our labors of love. There are structural and spontaneous ways to minister to the poor. Spontaneously we take risks and don't worry that the long-term effects may be small. Love does not calculate that way. The good Samaritan did not say, "One interrupted day will make very little difference in the problem of chronic violence in this region." He saw this one need and did something.
-John Piper, A Hunger for God



Most of you also probably know of my fond appreciation for Oswald Chamber's constant challenges:



Ministering in everyday opportunities that surround us...means being God's very special choice to be available for use in any of the seemingly random surroundings which He has engineered for us.

-Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest


I was sitting on the roof where we have fires a few weeks ago. (Decided to go ahead and call my friend with the roof fires and cat 'Occasional Roomie S.' This is her new moniker because I spend enough time at her place she's started calling me an occasional roommate). So while I was outside there I started thinking on how to show mercy, compassion and grace to the people I encounter, and how to live the truth in an authentic way. I read through Galatians 5 and was just impressed at how it's never wrong to love, exhibit patience or be good (against such things there is no law - v. 23). We aren't slaves to the flesh anymore. We are always free to live the fruit of the Spirit as we're transformed by Him no matter what the culture around us says.


These things and several discussions with my kids here have come together to remind me there is a great freedom to love the person in front of me without calculating or obsessing over the greater consequences and effect. We can feed the hungry one we meet on the street, greet hated people with a smile and eye contact, serve our roommates and families and be available to be used in random circumstances. It's never wrong to be compassionate and merciful. There's a whole world of child-like abandonment, vulnerability and freedom I've been exposed to lately by trying to see the one in front of me at any given moment.


As always, I'd love to hear your experiences as of late and about your journeys. I love that you guys are in my life, learning and walking with me.

Also, I'll just say the radio program I mentioned at the beginning is well worth the listen this week, at least the first story in "The Competition" episode about the group of Indian men. You can get it free on the website or via Podcast.

Sorry no pictures this time- there will be plenty to come as soon as Roomies A,M&P, Buddies L&A and I start celebrating Christmas!

Play Ball!!

We recently had exhibition games of American baseball and football (well, flag football) here. It was amazing to yell and scream in public as we rooted for the guys playing. It's been a long time since we've been able to do that (women don't usually holler, laugh or carry on much at all in public).

One of the Americans even made goal posts for the football game...

One of the things I love about our city is the beautiful backdrop of mountains. This is from the baseball game...

I hope that by the next post I'll have my thoughts articulated a little more about some Kingdom stuff b/c I'd love to hear your thoughts and get your perspective on some things I've been thinking about lately.

PS Little Bro DL- I hope you're appreciating all the November blogging...you inspired me =^)

S'mores

Here are some pics from my friend's roof where we had a fire and made s'mores the other night. This roof belongs to the same lady whose cat we fed using our cheerleading skills. However it's starting to freak her out a little that we might start calling her 'the cat lady' on the blog so we'll have to think of a good moniker for her - suggestions welcome! She's got an awesome set-up on this concrete roof where we enjoyed Jack Johnson's "Brushfire Fairytales" over the outside speakers and wonderful conversation. She's always providing us these good breaks at her place. Buddies L & A and Roomie A were there too!!


Here are Roomie A and I enjoying the goods...

This is what we do when we can't think of any Matrix or William Tell games =^)

Miss you guys and can't wait to see your "winter" pictures of bonfires and holidays!

Don't tell on William Tell....

So... usually we don't "tell on ourselves" for this kind of silliness, but because I know a great deal of my readership live in small towns, villages or are generally discontent with available entertainment (hmmm...maybe we should read Amusing Ourselves to Death again?), I decided to risk the certain ridicule. It's also been awhile since posting the Matrix photos and you seeing how we keep ourselves entertained.

Last night I was hungry and sort of bored so I decided to go for an apple and peanut butter. Somehow the combination of hunger and restlessness developed into Roomie A and I playing a game with the apple and a bobby pin she happened to have in her hair as all this came about...




I told Roomie A I would buy her ice cream if she got the apple with the bobby pin 2/3 or 3/5 times, so this turned into some serious business....

She has some seriously good aim...and she's very strong*, check it out:

So really the coolest thing we've done this week is have a campfire and make s'mores, but I don't have pictures from that and this story makes us seem so much more... desperate and far away... doesn't it? Haha....

For more information on William Tell check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tell.

*Some dramatic representation included. Results are not actual. Do not try this at home, but if you do - send pictures!!

Latest Additions

Hey! I thought I'd post about the latest additions in my life. We'll go from least to most exciting...

A plant! I was under the impression for awhile that I couldn't have a plant in my room b/c I don't get direct sunlight very often, but then my roommate told me her dad grew one of these in the cubicle in his office and I figured I'd give it a go...

A bed! I actually have a bed with a frame now. Before I had a mattress on the ground. One of my friends around here (the lady whose cat we used our cheerleading skills to feed) has been telling me lately that I'm growing up - maybe it's really true. I also now own my own hair dryer. According to her that's also something adults are supposed to have.

New girls!! This is by far the most exciting addition to my life here this week. These are two new chicas that I'm going to have the privilege to hang out with for the next year or so. They are amazing. As you can see, they are so very excited to be here, and have possibly taken more pics their first week than have the last year!! So I should be sharing their photography skills with you soon. We had a great time together up in the capitol, and now they're getting settled down here. Buddies L&A we'll call 'em.

The last couple months have been really amazing. I'm learning just heaps about the Kingdom and can't wait to share some of that with you soon. Love and miss you all.

Baskin'

This is Roomie A and I enjoying some Baskin Robbins ice cream! We were hanging out at the beach city this weekend helping our friend move and decided to go out as true 'tourists' since we weren't in our city. While we were roaming about the mall in our scandalous tshirts and pants, we realized this is the first time we've been out in public in short sleeves together (in the 1.5 years we've been friends)! We had a giggling-grand time eating ice cream and shopping in our Western outfits. She makes my life so much more fun!

Thailand Top 10

Our trip to Thailand was just splendid! It was a wonderful break from normal life here and full of so many of those little extras I miss sometimes. So here's the Thailand Top 10!

1. No tsunamis or other disasters like an earthquake or plane crash....all of which came a bit closer to reality than we'd wished. Our parents were glad when we got home to "safety," or at least normal.
9. Fakes! Did somebody say Prada (or Polo, Lacoste, Adidas, Louis V....)?

8. Thai Cover Bands. These guys were actually pretty good. We were pleasantly surprised, but not all of them were so pleasant.

7. Our beautiful hotel! Inside and out this place was nice. And for going in off season our room got bumped up a couple of levels...yay!

6. Getting pampered. Pedicures, massages facials...

5. Western Food. Starbucks (one of those little luxuries I was saying earlier that I miss), Outback, Swensen's, Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Hard Rock Cafe, etc.

4. Wearing Western clothes out in public. Tube-tops, Tank-tops and Two Pieces...haram (so forbidden and shameful)!

3. The Beach. This FL girl misses her some time at the ocean, and this was amazing!

2. Meeting up with a friend we hadn't seen in forever. Bangkok was 100x times more fun with her. =^)

1. Angela. This vacation wouldn't have been the same with anyone else. It was the perfect break from our crazy lives over here. Thanks for a GREAT trip. I love you, and I miss drinking tea and coffee with you every morning and talking about the things that really matter for hours on end. But we have a way of crossing paths frequently, so I know I'll see you soon!