Frankly, I blame it on poor time management. Alas, I'm going to try to get this going again for internship. I'll need my outlet!
I'll be moving out of my Chicago apartment on the 20th of August and driving to Billings in three parts - Chicago to St. Paul/Minneapolis; MN to Bismark, ND; ND to Billings. That way I get to stop in on family and visit and it is nicely chunked out in 6-7 hour pieces (20 hours total). I'm going to attempt to pack Henry and nothing else. I might mail a few boxes out west in the end, depending on how much stuff I have. And let's remember... I have a lot of stuff. I try to keep consolidating and what not, but I'm a single woman. I have a tool box; multiple sets of sheets and towels; wall decor; books galore; various kitchen objects that range from useful to fun; a laptop, guitar, and an xbox; and clothing including winter wear! It's going to be fun...
But I have a whole month to get there. Let me tell you what I've been up to this SUMMER!
That's right. I got/get a summer. One of the last, I'm assuming. That's the beauty of starting internship September 1st. But I got a summer job - several jobs in fact. Small ones but they are fantastic and put a little money in my pocket. The first is working for a youth mission program out of the seminary. For one of the programs (there are several), I spent three weeks with 16 high school students and a few other adult mentors. We spent a week in Chicago (meeting with various Chicago advocacy groups and professors, touring Hyde Park, learning about Islam and meeting with Muslim youth, and beginning to talk about traveling to Mexico...), one week in Mexico (at the Lutheran Center in Mexico City and CCIDD in Cuernevaca learning about the culture and the effects of NAFTA, meeting with Mexicans, and seeing where Liberation Theology was born), then a week back in Chicago (to meet with immigrants in the Chicago area, debrief everything, and say goodbye). Generally, this sounds like an introvert's version of hell but it was really quite fantastic. I got to work with some of my favorite people and the youth taught me a lot about how crappy it is to be a teenager right now. I couldn't be happier I did it though I was more than exhausted at the end of the third week.
Besides that, I've been meeting with youth groups coming to Chicago for the week. We talk about vocation and where God might be calling them - both now and in the future. I've been babysitting two fantastic youngin's - we go on long walks, chill, and talk about the alphabet. It has been ridiculously hot, so I've been sleeping a bunch (/recovering from school and the youth mission program) and staying near my AC window unit. I played through the rest of Mass Effect and borrowed Mass Effect 2 from my friend Nils who is out of the country and am happily making my way through that. I'm journaling. I'm reading books. I'm organizing my head and heart and soul and apartment all at the same time in preparation for the year ahead. I'm pumped!
I'm ready for internship. For open skies. For new places. For new people and faces. For a culture that might be as foreign to me as Mexico or as familiar as my home town. For new adventures. For getting stretched, humbled, and spiritually fed. For all that the year holds of which I have no idea. Can't wait, can't wait, but can totally take another month to get there. ;)
1 comment:
My office mate - Peggy, is from Billings - Wilshire Heights specifically. She is very interested as your church is right down the road from her mom (this jogging your memory?). Anyway, she would love to know if you have any questions, if you need any help, and all that. She's excited someone's going to Billings and has offered up herself for advice and her parents for on site help!
And - Adam's been trying to get to Montanna and has decided that this might be his best bet for getting me to go with him. We'll chat more about that after you're settled as if we come, it's likely to be towards the end of your stay, so you're settled and it's warmer.
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