12.2.10

I am sorry I have not written a blog entry for a while, the past two weeks I was at Belsey Bridge for a study retreat. I was very busy with schoolwork, but there was also time for fun activities in between. Here is a bulleted list of the highlights:

• Went to see Harry Potter in Norwich 
• Prepared a Thanksgiving feast for 50 people! 
• Hung out with friends and watched movies, played ping pong, and journeyed out in the snow. (Yes snow! Pretty much everyday since Thanksgiving)
• Finished all of my papers and exams!
• Talked to my boyfriend, friend, and family on skype! (This was helpful during this time of overwhelming school work, but also made me so excited to go home!) Thank you for your prayers and support. 

Now we are in London for 3 days until I get on a plane and go home. I can’t believe it. It is snowing here in London too, and it looks beautiful. It does get very cold. Today I felt like my toes might fall off even though I was wearing two pairs of warm socks. 

What I have been/will be doing this week:

• Today a group of us went to Harods to see the Christmas decorations. It was quite the experience.
• Walked through snowy Hyde Park (and the Winter Wonderland festivities)
• Camden Town market
• Arcade Fire concert
• to the theatre to see Black Watch & Cinderella
• Indian food with the group
• Ice skating in Hyde Park :)
• Walking around and enjoying the city (in short segments before I freeze) I have really enjoyed experiencing London’s seasonal changes over the past four months. I can’t wait to show you all more pictures :)

Right now I am sitting on my bed, overwhelmed after a class film/discussion on racism. The film was both unsettling and illuminating but I can’t help but feel discouraged right now. In our post-film discussion there were a variety of perspectives raised that I appreciated (involving prejudice in education, the ‘Christian response’ and the role religion has played in history, what makes culture and who has a right to it, colonization and pride, the importance of relationships and dialogue founded on trust, and this list could continue on). Still it is hard to take such a widespread and controversial issue and find an appropriate response, because there is no one right answer yet we cannot deny that the problem calls for an answer. Do we pretend? Give up? Pray.

I am not sure exactly why I am writing a blog right now. Ha it has been a while and there are lots of other experiences I want to write about still. In this moment I feel overwhelmed (I have 4 papers to edit and 3 to write and finals and assignments looming). I do not know how to process that discussion right now. I think timing is important, but then again if we waited for the ‘right time’ to discuss important issues we would always find something else that would take precedence (like editing a paper on the construct of masculinity in a production of Shakespeare?)… 

Well now we are about to go see Harry Potter 7. I am excited to get a break and spend time with my friends. I just did not want to sweep it all under the rug… so I decided to write a blog to keep me accountable to these thoughts. So here they are, haha. 

God is love and love is real. Peace is attainable therefore I have hope. 

I am back in London after a wonderful weekend in Amsterdam. Right now I am a little disoriented, but also very grateful for the experiences I had. Annemarie was such a great hostess, her apartment was home to us for the weekend and she went out of her way to make sure we had a great time. 

A few details about my stay:

-Last night Annemarie’s parents came over for dessert (Auntie Carla and Uncle John) and we played Rummikub… It had been such a long time and it was great to see them.

-Yesterday we went to see a movie (Mother and Child) downtown with Annemarie. It was a little gloomy out so we spent the first half of the day relaxing and the apartment and visiting the petting zoo nearby. I enjoyed going downtown for a bit and spending some more time with Annemarie. (Amsterdam at night is also quite breathtaking… the christmas lights reflecting off the water in the canals is beautiful).

-Talked to some other relatives on the phone and my grandma and dad on skype! I was feeling a little homesick during this stay. I think being around family yet still being so far from home was hard, and the slower pace made the ‘home pull’ a little stronger. Yesterday I talked to Uncle John about Pake for a little while, and that made me a little emotional. I really miss him. And the rest of his family does as well.  What an incredibly loving man, I am so blessed to have had a grandpa like him. So many little things reminded me of him, grandma and fond memories I have with them. For that reason I very much enjoyed being in Holland, even though at times it was a little challenging. 

-On Saturday we walked through the Red Light District, it was overwhelming at unsettling. I think I am still processing my reaction to it. I was not sure how exactly I would respond, I was not surprised but I still felt put off and isolated. I was mostly sad for the women and men who have degraded themselves in such a way and cheapened something intended for a greater good. Separating what I saw from Truth was the hardest part, but I am so grateful to know the source of love and the freedom of salvation. Beyond that I am still figuring out how to respond to some major issues of pain in the world in a way that is constructive, but thankfully I am not taking on that one alone. 

-We went out dancing in Saturday night, but everyone there was over fifty! haha. It was a funny experience but we ended up calling Annmarie to come get us after we had a few laughs.

-So many bikes in Amsterdam! I think I am going to get one of my own someday.

-Windmills are such a good idea. The Netherlands can definitely be pretty windy! Thankfully we had really great weather on Saturday, it was beautiful outside and very conducive to walking around and soaking it all in. 

-I am really looking forward to making Stroop Waffles with Grandma Katie when I get home! yum. 

Ok well I think that is all for today. All in all, being in Amsterdam was both wonderful and internally challenging. I feel so blessed by my family (and supportive boyfriend/friends). With three weeks left in the UK, I am definitely feeling the pull of home but I know that this time is going to fly by. I am looking forward to the adventures and lessons that are bound to fill up the next 20 some days. 

ASH- I am praying for you! Finish strong! Happy 24th birthday! (a day in advance) I love you. 

11.11

After a long day of traveling we arrived in Amsterdam around noon on Thursday. We had not slept the night before, due to a late night at the theatre and then packing. We left the hotel at 4:45 by taxi, walked to the bus stop, traveled to the airport, flew to Amsterdam and then took a train to where Annemarie picked us up in her car. At that point Rachel and I were exhausted and took a nap. It is nice to be here in at Annemarie’s apartment, she has been so kind and helpful and I have really appreciated her hospitality. It is fun to be in the Netherlands again, there are so many little things here that remind me of my grandparents. 

11.12

Yesterday we had a very fun and busy day. After figuring out the tram system, we met author Sid Jacobsen at the Anne Frank house. His graphic biography was recently released, and he came and spoke to a small group. We both got signed copies of his book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of it. After we ate lunch in the museum cafe and toured the museum. Anne’s story is so moving, and her ambition (and circumstance) is inspiring to me. Otto Frank was also an incredible man, really determined to make a difference in the world. I remember feeling moved the first time I saw the museum in August, but going again was really a great experience. 

Upon leaving the museum in the early afternoon we walked around in the area called ‘the nines” (nine streets on the canals that are known by their fun shops and places to eat. It is pretty cold here (and rainy at times) but it is still very beautiful. The christmas decor really livens up the city, making it fun to walk around. After dinner we went to the Van Gogh museum (open late for friday museum night). We walked around the museum and checked out the incredible naturalists exhibit, which I really enjoyed. There was a band playing called Houses, that was actually pretty good. We sat down and enjoyed before venturing out in the rain to catch the tram (once again, this was a process). 

I am having a great time in Amsterdam, it is great to get some rest and slow down a little bit. I am only here for three more weeks, and I am definitely starting to feel ready to come home. Only a few more papers, adventures, and travels left before this incredible oppertunity comes to an end! I feel blessed to be here and am still learning new things every day.

My brother turned 17 yesterday :) I can’t believe how grown up he is getting!

Happy B-day Bryce!

P.S. I have a few stories about last week to share, but will wait until I am on my own computer so that I put up some pics as well.  

11.7.10

Today was one of my favorite days so far! This morning we (Hannah, Rachel, Marie and I) woke up a little early and took a ride on the tube to east London to go to Columbia Road Flower market. I was beautiful! There were vendors lining the street with live performers mixed in. There was a wide variety of fresh flowers, everything from cactus to orchids. The dahlias were huge and the whole street smelled like casa blanca lilies. I talked to two guys who were selling flowers and they said that everything from their stand comes from Holland except the sunflowers, which are from Israel. We went in a few cute shops (this street was really fun and the people were are all really friendly) and ate lunch in a tea café attached to a vintage store. What a great way to start out the day :)

Later on in the afternoon Marie and I went with Caleb and Jake to the Arsenal Stadium. There was a match going on so we walked around and checked it out. Jake found a pub nearby and we hung out for the second half of the game. There were a lot of people there so that made it exciting, even though Arsenal lost. I thought it would be a great time to have a beer, but ended up drinking half and giving it to Jake… oh well.

Tonight we went to Victoria Park for a HUGE fireworks show. We thought it was a November 5 celebration, but it was really in commemoration of The Blitz (Germany bombing Britain) and an event in honor of the victims of the Bethnal Green disaster during WWII—they were taking donations for a monument to be erected. Last year this show was the biggest in London! I think it was one of the top three fireworks shows I have been too. But then again I think fireworks are one of those things that every time you see them you are convinced it was the best thing ever. The music that accompanied the fireworks was a highlight, it was very ‘big band’ and in the middle of the show they played Ella Fitzgerald “I’m beginning to see the light” (hence the title of this post). To avoid the mob at the tube station we stopped at a playground for a little while… it was fun but after being outside that long I could not feel my toes!

It is good to be back in London. We have class tomorrow, but we have a little lull in schoolwork for the next two weeks. So we have some free time to explore. I am enjoying being here as the weather changes, seeing new things and spending time with friends. The last time I was in London was a little stressful, but this past week helped me get back on track (in a routine with personal time and study time). I also had a chance to talk to Jordan, my dad, and email with Ash. They have all been so encouraging and I love getting emails :)

11.6.10

Yesterday we left Salomons Center after a week-long study break. It was a good week, I roomed with my good friend Marie, the trees were beautiful, and it was a good change of pace. Although we did not do anything other than school… In six days I read a novel, a shakespeare play, worked on some research, and wrote 3 papers. It was pretty crazy. But now I feel accomplished/relieved. The above picture is on the grounds at the center (I took it on my run/study break). Some highlights from Salomons: really huge organ and a water tower with a view of the Hundred Acre Woods! (Winnie the Pooh anyone?) After our papers were finished we watched V for Vendetta… I had never seen it before but it was fitting for the day.

After we left Salomons center we took the coach to Greenwich. The harbor was beautiful! We went to the museum and stood on the Prime Meridian! Which is pretty much an arbitrary line when you think about it, but cool nonetheless. Before getting back on the bus we walked through the park and found a cool place to get some fish and chips. I am not the biggest fan, but these ones were pretty good.

After a short bus ride we were back in London. Once we were all settled back into our new rooms at the Celtic (I am in room 12 with three roommates, a charming room with four beds and too much unnecessary furniture) Marie, Rachel and I went to starbucks to enjoy a warm drink in the new Christmas cups. We stayed for awhile talking and unwinding from the week. Last night we went to the theatre to see ‘The Train Driver’, it was interesting, but I think the Q&A with the director was the highlight… I was really tired which could have altered my opinion of the production.

TODAY! (10.30)-

This morning I waffled back and forth between going to the British Library (to do more research), or to enjoy the London sunshine and head to the antique outdoor market in Notting Hill. I went with the latter. This morning was hard for some reason. I miss my family, friends, and boyfriend. Maybe I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or maybe I am not cut out for city-life, who knows. 

Today I just needed some time to myself. I shared a cab with Caleb and Marie to Notting Hill, but then I went off and explored on my own. It was good to sort some of my thoughts and experiences out. 

The market was interesting, there were a lot of antique sellers with a wide variety of old odds and ends/jewelry mixed in with the touristy trinket sellers and cheap fashion items. My favorite was the old things and the flowers/veggies. It was a great place to people watch. 

I met these two older women who made vintage dresses, I loved talking to them about sewing as they tried to convince me to by some 16th century lace. 

I did not buy anything, but it was cool to be on my own. Traveling on the tube, and wandering where I wanted to go. Oh and it rained, but I got ice cream anyway :)

I decided to stay in tonight. Pack and have some time to process. It has been good… much needed. (helped me gain some perspective on the past few days, and ground me in the Truth that is often lost in the hype of modern society). Tomorrow we leave for a week long study stay, meaning three papers and lots of research to do. I am looking forward to focusing on school and setting aside time for devotions. I would love to skype with my family this week :) Thanks to everyone who has been praying for me! This time away has both tested and strengthened my faith and I am so thankful for the support you have given me. 

I am ready to say goodbye to London, but I am glad that we are coming back in a week! More adventures to come :)

(10.23-10.30)- What a crazy week! Looking back on it, I can’t believe how busy it was. We had class in the morning Monday thru Thursday, and went to four different evening plays. Here is a rough outline of my week: 

Saturday (10.23)-

got to London and went to a play that took place in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina. It was intense, but a little confusg. It did prompt some valuable conversations about the topic. Then a few of us explored Soho before going back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.

Sunday (10.24)-

Woke up and went to Hillsong London church. I was overwhelmed. It was huge and too over the top for me. I left feeling a little confused and withdrawn. On the positive side, it was good to be in a church in the UK that wanted to sing loud and celebrate the love of Christ. Then a group of people decided to walk to Reality London (over 4 miles away). The idea was to casually walk and enjoy the scenery and get to the 6pm service. It was farther than I thought, and we almost did not make it. The walk was beautiful, but to be honest I was in a bad mood. I was having a hard time adjusting to being in the city again, and I was not sure whether I wanted to go or not but went anyway. Once I got there I was so glad I came. It was a small congregation that met in a nice and spacious pub. Everyone was really friendly and the message was great. My gloves did dissapear somehow on that night, bummer.

(side note) This week I have struggled with feeling very indecisive (I think there is a pressure to see and do everything- one that stresses me out and makes it hard to figure out what I should do). I am praying about this. I think it is part of living in a big city. Everyone is constantly going somewhere or buying something. There are endless museums and sites to see. I feel like there is a checklist of London ‘must-sees’ that is swimming around in my head, taunting me. It sounds so silly right now. This week has challenged me to balance schoolwork, site-seeing, relationships, time with God, and time for me to reflect. Sorting out all of these things has brought up some insecurities and fears, but I think I am learning new things about myself as my faith is tested in this way.

I am trying to find a good balance and praying for contentment. I feel so blessed to be here and have these opportunities! Aside from this struggle, I am having a really good time exploring the city and learning new things everyday. That is what this is all about—and I am grateful for the good memories, new friends, encouragement from family/Jordan, and trying to embrace the struggles too.

Monday (10.25)-

As part of the party planning committee (actually we pretty much are the party planning committee), Rachel and I got treats for Mckenna’s birthday celebration that took place after class. Later on, Rachel and I walked through Hyde Park on our way to Kensington Gardens/Palace. I realized that I am in love with fall. The leaves were golden amber and the sun was out and shining through them. It was beautiful.We went in the Kensington Palace and learned a little bit about the lives of the princesses that have lived there. Lets just say I am so glad I am not a princess (their lives were not that happy after all), even though the palace was beautiful.

 Then we walked to Round Pond, there were cute young families surrounding the pond and ducks and swans swimming, so we were drawn in. It was one of those moments that the lighting/scenery is so perfect you cannot take a bad picture. It did not really feel real. Then Rachel kicked her foot at a duck coming at her in the water (they are pretty ferocious) and her shoe went flying in! It kept drifting and drifting… and there was nothing to do about it. We watched it float for a while as we laughed. We gave up and decided to find a store where Rachel could get a new pair of shoes. We ended up on Oxford Street. I got a new jacket too, so I have been sufficiently warm this week (thanks Grams!!) We ended our little outing with some tasty Indian food before retiring to the Celtic Hotel.

Tuesday (10.26)-

After class we got lunch (?) at a place called ‘My Old Dutch’, specializing in Dutch pancakes! I was pretty excited about this place, keeping in mind that they probably would not be as good as Grandma Katie’s. I had a salad and a yummy dessert pancake. I was very full afterwards, but it was a yummy treat. 

Rachel and I took the tube to Trafalgar Square (such an busy/exciting area that is characteristically “London” in my mind) and saw parliament buildings, Big Ben, and checked out the impressionists section of the National Gallery :) Afterwards we took a leisurely walk over the Jubilee bridge towards the National Theatre (with Big Ben chiming in the background). We ate some noodles and veggies and then sat and enjoyed some coffee by the Thames River before seeing Hamlet with the group.

Wednesday (10.27)-

After class I got tea with my professor Jody, it was great to talk to her about Belfast and life in general. It has been so great to get to know my professors in different contexts.

Later on in the afternoon, Rachel, Marie and I went to Hyde Park to do some reading for Shakespeare. It was an enjoyable homework setting :) Then we went to check out Harrods (a huge department store that is apparently famous?) IT WAS CRAZY! It was impressive, I think in the moment I referred to it as the Mecca of materialism. We looked through a few of the rooms, and it was fun to look around together just for the experience. Harrods is definitely an experience. We almost got dessert in the massive “treats” room(s) in the store, but opted for a Starbucks instead.

Thursday (10.28) –

After class I got lunch with a couple of girls at a Spaghetti House. Then we went to the British Library. I looked around one room with famous manuscripts, there was a wide range represented: Shakespeare, the Beatles, the Magna Carta, and the Bible from the 3^rd century on papyrus! It was crazy. Then I did some homework at a coffee shop.

In the evening we saw an interesting play called “Men Should Weep”, giving insight into the life of a family living in poverty in the 1930s. I really like it.

Friday (10.29)-

After class a big group of us got some groceries and had a picnic in Hyde Park. It was fun to hang out in a big group. I was kind of tired and I little overwhelmed so I went back to the hotel in the afternoon to finish a paper before going to the play. We saw ‘Blood and Gifts’, a political thriller play set during the Cold War that followed US an UK relations with the Middle East. It was interesting, but some of it was a little over my head. Afterwards a couple of us went out to a pub called The Blue Lion.

Wow blogging is exhausting! haha. I should work on bullet points or something.  The internet is slow here so I will add some London pics in a slideshow or something soon :)

Derry (10.22)

I had no idea what to expect when we piled into the coach on that early Friday morning. We were going to Derry, a city that has been at the heart of the conflict in Northern Ireland for centuries. On our way there, we stopped at the place where Seamus Heaney grew up. We did not get out of the bus because they do not know exactly where he lived. We drove a little further to the Moyolla river, the subject of Heaney’s famous environmental poem entitled “Moyulla”. We read the poem there and looked around. I did not see the ‘King Fisher’ bird that everyone was talking about, but I did see an old casio piano at the bottom of the river and other signs of development that did not exactly coincide with nature.

Then we got back on the bus and headed to Giant’s Causeway. It was raining when we got there, but we braved the elements and went to see the beauty that is known to be the fourth greatest natural wonder in the UK. It was really amazing, the basalt columns (made by a volcanic eruption) were hexagonal in shape. We climbed up and around them and admired the ocean. We got VERY wet. We climbed back up the hill and warmed up a little and ate lunch. The bus was a little soggy after that.

Then we drove a few more hours (?) and finally arrived in Derry. Our bus driver had a friend of his give us a tour. Both of them were really incredible. Our bus driver, Allen, shared his story of the troubles with us. His father had been killed saving a group of civilians from a car bomb, and received a medal. He passed it around the bus for us all to see. It was incredible to hear such a personal story, and how he still desires peace. He was a protestant, but his friend (our tour guide) was catholic.

We drove around the city of Derry and he told us all about the history of the city. It was interesting/helpful to have a background for all of the turmoil that has characterized that country. I felt like I learned a lot, but it was a lot to process. Derry is on the border of the partition, and conflict over landownership has brought chaos for so many years. The name of the city gives evidence. The official name is “Londonderry”, but was originally “Derry”, and many Catholics still refer to it as so. Although the peace process is underway, it is sad to see how far away some are from reconciliation. There is a ‘peace’ statue in the center of the city of two men reaching their hands out to one another, but not quite touching. There was debate over this icon and whether or not they should be shaking hands, but the gap between the two figures seems accurate for the time being, but there are many in the city who long for peace. We walked around a little and saw some city landmarks (including the location of Bloody Sunday). There was a lot of political graffiti on the walls (it is a walled city) and remnants of past conflict. There is still religious propaganda that covers walls, curbs, and houses. But there are other voices in the city too.

After dinner we saw a play called “I Once Knew a Girl”. This was the best play we have seen in the UK. The play followed the stories of six women directly involved in The Troubles (all in very different ways), but there were no actresses, the women themselves were telling their stories. It was very powerful. One woman talked about her involvement in the IRA, and another talked about the struggle she went through after the IRA killed her husband. These women stood side by side to give a voice to the stories that have not been heard, stories necessary for healing. The wise words of these women and the love they had for one another (despite their past) was they most powerful image of reconciliation that I have ever experienced. I could go on and on. I think I am still processing this play. I saw the pain of the conflict, and the pain of women in general come to life, and be healed. These women were strong and truly courageous.

Although the bus ride was long and the day was both physically and emotionally exhausting, going to Derry was an experience I will never forget. I think I would have liked to spend even more time there, but it was a good way to end my trip to Belfast. As cliché as it sounds, I do not think I have words to adequately describe my experience in Northern Ireland. I guess I am still figuring out what to take from it. It was sad, intense, exciting, and meaningful. My interest in the history of the conflict and the peace process was heightened.