tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52391003296459443892024-02-19T08:15:04.116-05:00how we spend our days"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." - Annie DillardJessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-8176240347681531622012-05-08T13:49:00.000-04:002012-05-08T13:49:21.230-04:00the way we were<div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVdiFORQD-FSiQ2yd3Xvd5FRLHAOmDVTNRWU_p8G_5ovejUJJ0HjdjNi4PHIjcAkpmEIVxIjiivPqE5vW0WK6IOCp_Pog0cjbwthCHAVKGPKxSTAJAt0RbCM8xrtaOZ80HP0q5BsHqks/s1600/blog+pic+of+jeb+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVdiFORQD-FSiQ2yd3Xvd5FRLHAOmDVTNRWU_p8G_5ovejUJJ0HjdjNi4PHIjcAkpmEIVxIjiivPqE5vW0WK6IOCp_Pog0cjbwthCHAVKGPKxSTAJAt0RbCM8xrtaOZ80HP0q5BsHqks/s800/blog+pic+of+jeb+.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A month or so ago I was reading On Beauty by Zadie Smith. I read it because I found it in a book exchange and I liked the cover. It's a strange story and I don't really recommend it. There was a section that struck me and I wanted to remember it. In the story, three siblings run into each other unexpectedly and go to a coffee shop to visit: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"They caught up with each other's news casually, leaving long, cosy gaps of silence in which to go to work on their muffins and coffees. Jerome - after two months of having to be witty and brilliant in a strange town among strangers - appreciated the gift of it. People talk about the happy quiet that can exist between two lovers, but this too was great; sitting between his sister and his brother, saying nothing, eating. <i>Before the world existed, before it was populated, and before there were wars and jobs and colleges and movies and clothes and opinions and foreign travel - before all of these things there had been only one person, Zora, and only one place: a tent in the living room made from chairs and bed-sheets </i>[emphasis mine]<i>.</i> After a few years, Levi arrived; space was made for him; it was as if he had always been. Looking at them both now, Jerome found himself in their finger joints and neat conch ears, in their long legs and wild curls. He heard himself in their partial lisps caused by puffy tongues vibrating against slightly noticeable buckteeth. He did not consider if or how or why he loved them. They were just love: they were the first evidence he ever had of love, and they would be the last confirmation of love when everything else fell away." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The imagery of there being one other person in your life as a child, your sibling, was startling to me. I realized that I personally never had this experience that I now assume is common to many. When Ryan was young, his sister Kristen of course would have been among the most significant presences in his life. Because I was an only child for six years, my experience has always been as a big sister....slightly removed because of the age difference. I notice it when my brothers and sister are reminiscing about their childhood and I don't relate to some of the stories....presumably because I was gone to college or working. This gap has diminished as all my siblings and myself have grown older and age doesn't matter very much. My experience and role in my family is unique and I don't regret it. But in any case I think this concept in the story is lovely. </span>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-41848143102569068412012-01-25T06:37:00.001-05:002012-01-25T06:42:05.999-05:00it feels like home to me<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">When we were in Thailand these past few months that line "It feels like home to me" from Chantal Kreviazuk's song just kept running through my head again and again. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our connection to Thailand keeps getting stronger, and as our intentions develop I find it overwhelming to share what we're thinking....especially because we live in a manner of flux that doesn't always make sense to people. But I want to try. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Most people probably know that Ryan and I keep returning to Thailand every chance we have because our lives have become intertwined with lovely people there....people in several different places including those at the Bamboo School (BBS). I haven't really talked about Bamboo School on the blog but it has become a significant factor in our life trajectory and feel that it's time I did. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">After our first year of living away from America, I had determined that I wasn't interested in returning to the states to my former career (media/marketing). I love home and I love being near family and friends. Visiting home is a priority for me and I am slowly but surely brainwashing my family into coming to see us as well! But as much as I miss the people who are special to me back home when I'm gone from America, I also miss the people who are special to me around the world when I'm in America. There is nowhere that I can go that I'm not missing someone, somewhere. I've written before about some of the reasons that I believe Ryan and I are more at peace living in a foreign country. Ryan and I both truly and sincerely love living cross-culturally. After determining that working for a corporate company in the states wasn't what I wanted to do or felt like I was even supposed to do , I felt freed to start exploring an alternative life of working in social justice which had been my desire even years ago when I was working in America. The first time we went to the Bamboo School our intention was merely to explore and learn from a couple different organizations in Thailand. We spent a couple weeks volunteering at The Well....a beautiful place that assists women interested in escaping the sex trade by hiring them for paid employment which includes classes (in business, English, etc) and creating products (jewelry, stationary, clothing) to sell via fair trade in USA and England. I was very excited about The Well as I particularly connect with young adults and am convinced that women's empowerment and education is the best investment we can be making into the global community (<a href="http://www.givealittlenow.com/thebook.html" target="_blank">Give a Little by Wendy Smith</a> and <a href="http://www.halftheskymovement.org/" target="_blank">Half The Sky by Nicholas Kristof & Sheryl WuDun</a> are both excellent books that expand on this topic). We love the women at The Well and can see very clearly a life working with the staff there long term. We would love to have that opportunity and maybe we will. We resonate with the staff's intentions and approach and we respect them very much. Some of the staff at The Well are also starting a new rural project that will focus on an array of things including prevention efforts to help minimize the factors that make rural Thai women particularly susceptible to being trafficked.. I'm so excited about this and hope to be involved! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">When our friends told us about the Bamboo School we thought it would be a good opportunity to learn about another type of organization, but since we prefer working with older students and adults we were not prepared for the way these kids would change us. It was like a ball from left field unexpectedly hitting us in the face, and we couldn't and wouldn't want to shake the connection we now have with the Bamboo School family. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">At the Bamboo School we currently have 54 kids (the number fluctuates as new children come to live at BBS and as students move on to university). Bamboo School is in Thailand on the border of Burma (Myanmar). A huge number of refugees are now living in this area of Thailand after fleeing Burma. The children at Bamboo School are from the hill tribe called 'Karen' (pronounced Kah-rehn), an ethnic group that is being murdered and tortured by the Burmese government. The Karen people have been at war for basic human rights in their own country for the past 60 years. <a href="http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=5446" target="_blank">Restless Souls by Phil Thornton</a> is a good book to read for more about the situation. The kids at BBS have varying stories. Some are orphans. Some have no father and their mother cannot care for them. Some have parents who don't want them anymore. Some have family still living in Burma. At Bamboo School our goal is for the kids to have a family, a home and an education. To be physically, emotionally and spiritually at peace. Their first language is Karen, second is Thai and third is English (some of the children also speak Burmese). The children are enrolled in the local public Thai school. The Bamboo School also runs a clinic for the local village and an ambulance service to take villagers to the hospitals (30 minutes and one hour away) when we cannot treat them in the clinic. The Bamboo School was started by a New Zealander named Catherine Riley-Bryan (everyone calls her Momo Cat). She has run the Bamboo School for over a decade with the help of volunteer staff who come and go on a continual basis. Momo Cat has been dealing with cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and now has a lesion on her skull. When we left Thailand to come to Korea she was awaiting brain surgery where they planned to replace her skull with a plastic one. Now they are doing more tests and exploring some other possibilities but things are still very unsettled in regard to her health. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We have finished teaching our winter camp in South Korea and on Tuesday we will be returning to Thailand. We are slowly transitioning with the intention of living long term in Thailand. Finances are the primary hurdle (aren't they always?). We are very comfortable with living outside of the states for a long, long time, maybe forever. If we have kid(s) we would like to raise them cross culturally and bi-lingually. Even the financial issues should be relatively short lived. Our costs in Thailand are extremely minimal. And living in a community of bamboo huts and kids that routinely go barefoot to school makes things like new jeans and iPads seem pretty expendable. We hope that in the future we will be able to teach one or two short term camp jobs in South Korea each year and live the rest of the year in Thailand with what we earn. Our current issue is we have Ryan's student loans from his masters degree to pay off and that may drive us back to South Korea for another year at some point soon. We had seriously considered staying now to do another year of teaching in South Korea but couldn't shake a deep sense that Thailand is where we should be right now (especially with the uncertainty about Momo Cat's brain lesion). We anticipate having about $2,000 to live off of for the next 6 months (until we can return to South Korea to teach a summer camp) and to be honest that's a sort of scary prospect. However, it's a conscious choice we made. We've learned not to run our life based on fear and we are confident we'll be fine. We're experts at stretching a dollar to its limits! :) </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm so excited to be going back to Thailand. We intend to visit some of the kids' villages. We hope to spend some time in Mae Sot (the major border town between Burma and Thailand where many refugees live). We want to start Thai language school although that is not really feasible for now. One of the former Bamboo School students has opened a similar school to BBS and we plan to help teach there for a couple weeks. At some point we want to travel to Burma and would like to visit some of the kids' family members that are still living there, although there are limits on where white people are supposed to go. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We do not know yet if Bamboo School will be our long term home in Thailand but we will forever be connected there. If we need to live in Bangkok to have access to teaching jobs we may do that and spend weekends and holidays at Bamboo School. These kids are our family now. They are funny, resilient, stubborn, hardworking, affectionate and in some unexplainable way....ours. We share them with an extended community of workers we have met at Bamboo School. We dream that a long term staff will grow to help support Momo Cat in maintaining a stable place of belonging for our kids. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Recently one of my friends who is on staff with The Well asked if we felt particularly connected to a certain people group or human rights "issue" (for lack of a better word). I guess the simple answer to that for me personally is that women's rights and sex trafficking is the area I have seen myself working in. But there is something bigger for me than that. More than anything I am simply drawn to these people in Thailand who I have come to love and it's not so much about where I work as it is being able to continue to be in their lives and express to them every day that they have value. I believe that people need people....we are a gift to each other and I love more than anything to bring people together and especially to create environments where people can belong (whether is the living room of our apartment in Korea or the veranda of our bamboo hut in Thailand). When I was a senior in university I wrote a personal mission statement for one of my classes and the two words I clearly remember were "facilitate community". I was reading somewhere recently that it's a good idea to find the thing you can do all day long without tiring.....relating this to the idea of what you can offer to the world that not everyone can. I'm not sure if I entirely agree with this quote but I've always liked it: "Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Harold Whitman. Hands down, the one thing I can do hour after hour after hour without tiring and that makes me feel the most alive is relationally connecting with others. I love sitting with people, listening to their stories. I've learned that I'm more of a mother than I've ever wanted to admit. I hope in my life that I can help others feel loved, accepted and that they belong. For me, knowing that we are valuable and belong represents everything that I believe spiritually about God. If I can play a facilitating role in sharing that sense of home with the women at The Well and my kids at Bamboo School then I think that I will feel alive....and Thailand will continue more and more to feel like home to me. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thank you for reading. For as transparent of a person as I am, sometimes I'm not very good at expressing myself about the things I care most about. It's not that I don't want to, it's just hard for me to put it into words. I also hope I haven't been too mushy. I really don't like that. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglE4IV67dlzFU-GSP8RpfjnT-__Mth4shoHRElIcQn42GMJPW0ipP9saKhS6IcAb7bLY8sfWXDijTg7f_A2jTW7PcZ4ejAPbWpSj-8Cm06gvoKj_L0upQ_wVWVQzQhYw6eeNP9wCBt6i8/s1600/BBS+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglE4IV67dlzFU-GSP8RpfjnT-__Mth4shoHRElIcQn42GMJPW0ipP9saKhS6IcAb7bLY8sfWXDijTg7f_A2jTW7PcZ4ejAPbWpSj-8Cm06gvoKj_L0upQ_wVWVQzQhYw6eeNP9wCBt6i8/s800/BBS+4.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dok Mai has been stealing hearts since day one when she was left by a very afraid mother at the hospital after giving birth on the way there. Her name means "flower" and she flits easily between Karen, Thai and English. Sometimes she translates for us in the clinic. She's changing from a toddler to such a little lady.</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOu-rUzPZakFR6Sba2Iv8kei52kPRjzLs4mAX-eiiDUMFemhhicz5z6VCYzhwvKZYEFPHq1f2v0v2LoN7H8jD1_NDciFIsfBvC6c1ZiVZ-3L91SD6702Oljo-eucX4aIyG5XDSxexHfG4/s1600/BBS+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOu-rUzPZakFR6Sba2Iv8kei52kPRjzLs4mAX-eiiDUMFemhhicz5z6VCYzhwvKZYEFPHq1f2v0v2LoN7H8jD1_NDciFIsfBvC6c1ZiVZ-3L91SD6702Oljo-eucX4aIyG5XDSxexHfG4/s800/BBS+5.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bathachore and his little brother Parquet were new to BBS this last time we came. It took Bathachore maybe a day to realize I'm a constant source for cuddles and he loves em. His new job was to clean one of the boys bathrooms. I had to walk him through the process one time and after that he was SO excited to run up and tell me that his job was done. He is so sweet and eager to please.</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8uDJNxH264T4GbP0aue1fgjop-ekV2P3190dHVuSNRl0tDUNdhNK-kXFQsDPTnfuGNvd4gH04kHjFQVFqPq7nk_hW9BowmMUNXT0GjyRJDM2WF6WPx6nOHAfE5tfVDPmZHyPqPVuHjw/s1600/BBS+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8uDJNxH264T4GbP0aue1fgjop-ekV2P3190dHVuSNRl0tDUNdhNK-kXFQsDPTnfuGNvd4gH04kHjFQVFqPq7nk_hW9BowmMUNXT0GjyRJDM2WF6WPx6nOHAfE5tfVDPmZHyPqPVuHjw/s800/BBS+6.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Puikoh and I have something special and I'm so excited that her English keeps improving. She loves looking at books and I want so badly to be able to share some of my favorite children's literature with her.....someday I hope we can read Anne of Green Gables together! </span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYwQDtzVQkpxgcNEQnmvAsbJLmuwWfMT3SnRnatz8zKkwm_C-kWO23895UyE7jHbdgvA2SwpgbN0NupPC-uukccIWK1rPR0mOAulfQoC7CHOC0NzOMJXjTacV7-XyuTlmcpWZHqRNO88/s1600/BBS+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYwQDtzVQkpxgcNEQnmvAsbJLmuwWfMT3SnRnatz8zKkwm_C-kWO23895UyE7jHbdgvA2SwpgbN0NupPC-uukccIWK1rPR0mOAulfQoC7CHOC0NzOMJXjTacV7-XyuTlmcpWZHqRNO88/s800/BBS+7.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I can't look at this picture without smiling. So innocent and so naughty! Jaw Deh Bleh, More More Chore and Heygyemoo....Each one their own little bundle of personality. </span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50eYzVwEQGgbtyObfZMp9_2pQCTxikcuGsmivPqIQr2flwWFgEo76wb7-6Q4ZEqR2-qLTS_YuP5rScQniD-Z03RCgOJnYFp0eDwCYbk0eAF00a9KGnL7o3EiOvwJ98ZL_qxip9ZZmD2A/s1600/BBS+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50eYzVwEQGgbtyObfZMp9_2pQCTxikcuGsmivPqIQr2flwWFgEo76wb7-6Q4ZEqR2-qLTS_YuP5rScQniD-Z03RCgOJnYFp0eDwCYbk0eAF00a9KGnL7o3EiOvwJ98ZL_qxip9ZZmD2A/s800/BBS+1.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I love all the babies but since I've always been drawn to older kids and adults, all my big bamboo "babies" have my undying devotion. Porsue is on the left - he's an English whiz, has unending energy and is a chatterbox about Karen culture. He doesn't like to be pushed to do anything but on his own accord he helps out the other students more than most do. Narget is on the right - I haven't met many young adults as multi-talented as him. He is motivated to learn anything from sewing to typing to violin. I told him I love the way he thinks because I can see it happening behind his eyes even though sometimes I can't quite read him. In the middle is Muna. He's Narget's younger brother and has the most beautiful smile and the worst singing voice (which he belts out with unashamedly). If you catch him in the right mood he's quite the gossip as well. Haha.</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVCrD6umq0W0EgnsjRIdJFeXbfsB-ymNENd8Sc6NYkwGlKfIlrm0ER1Z6ub1W0LQq7E3LY_pOVcQORlfyJW5iw94MlXL_RbQt4rbyvI_iN4BPUxmhJbbMmSoTzPRXJKYRbDPaZf8p9po/s1600/IMG_1895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVCrD6umq0W0EgnsjRIdJFeXbfsB-ymNENd8Sc6NYkwGlKfIlrm0ER1Z6ub1W0LQq7E3LY_pOVcQORlfyJW5iw94MlXL_RbQt4rbyvI_iN4BPUxmhJbbMmSoTzPRXJKYRbDPaZf8p9po/s800/IMG_1895.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cerechai is just simply brilliant. He's quick witted, grins easily, loves bboying and is an artist. He says he might be a doctor but he says he might change his mind. I'd like to provide him with some more exposure to graphic design. Thai people generally enjoy comic books more than reading so comics are a good way to spread health information, etc. Cerechai is talented enough that I think the sky is the limit for him.</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9h0qisZEGU-kIBuhCevWwShQoE5bfoK2aj795LEP09sTmeoSKcgTJH1GRuSr9qprSnBmcSG8Vez1PNKeaZFyriYfdlIjxlsdD2BOKsovmS67f_1miSCxNGVKdzag4hqDGKNYjc1e7GU/s1600/BBS+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9h0qisZEGU-kIBuhCevWwShQoE5bfoK2aj795LEP09sTmeoSKcgTJH1GRuSr9qprSnBmcSG8Vez1PNKeaZFyriYfdlIjxlsdD2BOKsovmS67f_1miSCxNGVKdzag4hqDGKNYjc1e7GU/s800/BBS+2.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">These kids can eat and eat and eat. I love it.</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDERcxTTZChJNMU-BRZxCqlEcFXAQSYAtVTdy0EbWYc6IhLwV_Oh1S0OcazY8LOp3qGuXkgvAzNNTQMMyrX0qGuGhgnGDWuxcKzj6_v8zlXAFvXn3Gz7Ejc1OS2qY1nN9VrDXIOikRYE/s1600/DSC_0438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDERcxTTZChJNMU-BRZxCqlEcFXAQSYAtVTdy0EbWYc6IhLwV_Oh1S0OcazY8LOp3qGuXkgvAzNNTQMMyrX0qGuGhgnGDWuxcKzj6_v8zlXAFvXn3Gz7Ejc1OS2qY1nN9VrDXIOikRYE/s800/DSC_0438.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My beautiful girls are forever on and on about how they want to be taller and thinner so I redirected a little of that attitude into a spur of the moment exercise session on the kitchen floor. </span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcEIi9tPTnRPEXHNGqde4TcDUg0-rSgHD-sT1T4rO7JqeCFrMgQwBpPygrio-iG2HvBqO1zIEhbz_yD5IVc9x1DyYJl0UcOPuqTRm39YYcnMon681sn2w7p1Y4II93T-51OZe2YrWu3k/s1600/BBS+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcEIi9tPTnRPEXHNGqde4TcDUg0-rSgHD-sT1T4rO7JqeCFrMgQwBpPygrio-iG2HvBqO1zIEhbz_yD5IVc9x1DyYJl0UcOPuqTRm39YYcnMon681sn2w7p1Y4II93T-51OZe2YrWu3k/s800/BBS+3.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Triple trouble. These beauties (Goh-la-bah, Pawn and Kwanchai, left to right) vie for attention and seem to finally be learning that we have enough love to give all of them!</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQeMIhb5Ke6jngxswVtJdv-hcqPdlSZleUk7szl0EtX3PiYhT0UzgpKt-Bwd6TvyjHG2NR1EYcsRX8y51Ku30Yz2UckFpoBhBsM8oSam0F7VO0MrRn8SV3u-3YRbg9XSbvxN1-3pYMqc/s1600/BBS+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQeMIhb5Ke6jngxswVtJdv-hcqPdlSZleUk7szl0EtX3PiYhT0UzgpKt-Bwd6TvyjHG2NR1EYcsRX8y51Ku30Yz2UckFpoBhBsM8oSam0F7VO0MrRn8SV3u-3YRbg9XSbvxN1-3pYMqc/s800/BBS+12.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">MomoCat and Heygyemoo sharing a secret belly laugh.</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgij8Cc7w-rm7r8h9jtsun_z8c9SvU73CytU0zZeMgnC6K1Rt_xBz8PjzRppZCCvfhgzrDjlLYoUgsBYA_ziqms34kkQHAUBX5Th800JAQGuZhrleebgkJRiQWCyub5RpwoKYY1RwJfdbM/s1600/The+Well.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgij8Cc7w-rm7r8h9jtsun_z8c9SvU73CytU0zZeMgnC6K1Rt_xBz8PjzRppZCCvfhgzrDjlLYoUgsBYA_ziqms34kkQHAUBX5Th800JAQGuZhrleebgkJRiQWCyub5RpwoKYY1RwJfdbM/s800/The+Well.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The gorgeous women and children at The Well when we first volunteered there. I want to be everywhere at once! These women speak so much beauty, worth and restoration to me.</span></div></td></tr>
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</span></div></div>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-87054410685350015472012-01-06T03:49:00.000-05:002012-01-06T03:49:10.229-05:00chronologically speaking<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Living in the jungle is a great way to practice living in the moment. When we're living at Bamboo School I find that usually the urgent and everyday chaos is all consuming. So much so that one day I opened my computer and saw my "BLOG" folder on the desktop and realized I had completely forgotten I even have a blog! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Right now Ryan and I are in South Korea until the end of January to teach at an English winter camp. I'm not very good at or even interested in blogging chronologically about our life. Still....I had hoped that the blog would be a way to keep people updated on what we were doing and where we were because I know that changes too often for anyone to really follow. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ryan and I spent last summer in the states. We stayed six months and hopped around visiting friends and family in LA, Seattle, Kentucky, Michigan, Chicago and Canada. We hadn't planned to stay so long but Ryan's brother Stephen and his girlfriend Rachel got engaged and we stuck around for the wedding in August. I danced harder at that wedding than any other before! It's always good visiting home. There are things about being in the states that are strange. We experienced more culture shock this trip back than we have previously. We find that we're happiest and most comfortable being in a foreign culture for whatever reason. We don't have any desire to move back home any time soon, if ever. But I still love going home. I'm not a traveler who is running away from something at home and I never get bored when we're home. It doesn't matter how long we go home, it never feels long enough! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ26Pn3ehw6z9O9HKYIu5iOnBAIDM6d7fkLxGeSi0XMovXcv9bi0a1J5GLKLZzr-j4yG0UvgwAKABLFp8rc1u3zbBV8AMs8Nt0kOCrMKbO25D2BCra26wiUuFmMBjWxqOkQQqmugCbenU/s1600/Anniversary+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ26Pn3ehw6z9O9HKYIu5iOnBAIDM6d7fkLxGeSi0XMovXcv9bi0a1J5GLKLZzr-j4yG0UvgwAKABLFp8rc1u3zbBV8AMs8Nt0kOCrMKbO25D2BCra26wiUuFmMBjWxqOkQQqmugCbenU/s800/Anniversary+.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we were home we had a photo shoot for our 10 year anniversary. This is one among many favorites</span>. </span></div></td></tr>
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When I wrote the last post (about my 30th birthday) we were traveling in Italy for said birthday and our 10 year wedding anniversary. We were heading back to Thailand from the states and were able to make our flight a multi-city ticket so we could do some special traveling and friend visiting on the way. We spent a little over three weeks in Italy (Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Capri/Anacapri, Rome, ) and about a week in Spain (Barcelona and Sitges). We had the best time in Europe.....Spain was so much fun thanks to our gorgeous friends Will and Sara and Italy didn't disappoint any of my lifelong fantasies. On my birthday we were staying in Anacapri (on the island of Capri). On our way back that night we stumbled across a community dodgeball game happening at some sort of outdoor community center. We soon discovered that the referee's name was Luigi as the players shouted/whined his name every time they wanted to complain or argue about his calls. By the end of the game there was a circle of guys in each others faces shaking their fists and fulfilling every stereotype I could imagine. Happy birthday to me! :) I would live in Italy for an extended period of time in a heartbeat.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The next leg of our flight was an extended layover in Egypt (Cairo and a little jaunt to Alexandria) for about a week that only added about $20 to our ticket cost!!. Stayed with a friend there and felt like the luckiest people alive. Can't properly explain how it felt seeing the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx in person. Saw mummies (including Rhamses'!) and couldn't get over that I was looking at real people's bodies who had lived 4,000 years ago (their hair, toenails, seriously surreal) . Stood staring at King Tut's famous mask for a long time....I could have touched it if I wanted to (and wanted to most likely spend the rest of my life locked away in some Egyptian prison). Had dinner a couple times on the bank of the Nile River and took a sunset felucca (boat) ride there as well. Pretty much felt like I was living in a National Geographic magazine. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnjMRgz5HVOPhKY89UVNw8tplEqmbT3yLBdNGNp4xa6eXo7EVj9ReAaKDCSmkRzAUD-redfgE-p-cWo1CfcbHy0rgvt_7c4HA1oKINYOXG0QH-A5EoQ3xr2j9rrCrF42obIWAil52JYc/s1600/Italy+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnjMRgz5HVOPhKY89UVNw8tplEqmbT3yLBdNGNp4xa6eXo7EVj9ReAaKDCSmkRzAUD-redfgE-p-cWo1CfcbHy0rgvt_7c4HA1oKINYOXG0QH-A5EoQ3xr2j9rrCrF42obIWAil52JYc/s800/Italy+1.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giddy to finally be in Italia! </span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZGLrubwiphaS51ZEYhshTGSlh-igzzXZ3NeS5lMvENdacZ9SnXgjVBNpRrqjhSH3DM4NYw_0xzAnFWZgND3jKOY-sKlINnFhWVPRJRYr7InUiqql6Qur5XKvWqSh0dvLiH_sXQ9MqWbg/s1600/Italy+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZGLrubwiphaS51ZEYhshTGSlh-igzzXZ3NeS5lMvENdacZ9SnXgjVBNpRrqjhSH3DM4NYw_0xzAnFWZgND3jKOY-sKlINnFhWVPRJRYr7InUiqql6Qur5XKvWqSh0dvLiH_sXQ9MqWbg/s800/Italy+3.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Met up with Kelli and her lovely friends in Rome. Being touristy at Trevi Fountain. </span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Truly surreal. </span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEjUxbTlhiXKP8hmmxUltCQsmJEvUUmTwEE40urc9RcVz0M9KWLJAgk2Wh1C0Y3l6NL8Mig5dr3pu8gBrH5u76EtstlEKnx7sj2pSYJeaTZJ22aTnRcnVAzsLa8uPpQzDGl8TFsPn0QY/s1600/Egypt+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEjUxbTlhiXKP8hmmxUltCQsmJEvUUmTwEE40urc9RcVz0M9KWLJAgk2Wh1C0Y3l6NL8Mig5dr3pu8gBrH5u76EtstlEKnx7sj2pSYJeaTZJ22aTnRcnVAzsLa8uPpQzDGl8TFsPn0QY/s540/Egypt+1.jpg" width="540" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our favorite day outside of seeing the pyramids and Egypt museum was a day we spent wandering in Islamic Cairo. We turned down into a little neighborhood and felt uncomfortably conspicuous with our big camera but couldn't help stealing a shot of these little guys. </span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Felucca on the Nile! The Egyptian sun is truly different than the sun anywhere else I've been. </span></div></td></tr>
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Finally, in the end of September, we landed back in Thailand. And Thailand is what I want to talk about.....in my next post! </span></div>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-33503728616054466522011-09-04T19:09:00.000-04:002011-09-04T19:09:48.214-04:00dirty thirty<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For our ten year wedding anniversary, Ryan and I had some photos taken. I also wanted a few pictures of just me, something I could keep from my 20s. My mom made the quilt in the picture, I found the headband at my grandma's while helping her with some sorting and the book (<i>Trudy Phillips New Girl</i> by Barbara Bates) is one of my favorites I read so many times growing up.</span> </td></tr>
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</div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I am turning 30. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When I was younger, I used to want to die once I had turned 30. I believe when I felt this way was also when I thought 17 would be the perfect age and that I would want to stay 17 forever. In all my wisdom I had determined by the time I was 30 all the fun things in life would be over. My opinion of fun included falling in love, getting married, and I can't remember for sure but possibly have babies. Apparently I wasn't interested in raising those babies once I was 30, however. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So now I am about to turn 30. Thankfully, my perspective has changed and I have no desire to die. I'm not too bothered by the idea of being older. I have met so many lovely people with older ages but young souls. I now am of the opinion that your lifestyle defines you more than your age. I understand what people always say about not feeling old, no matter what their age is. When I was 20 I used to think 23 was SO old, that 33 was ancient.....but I don't really view any age as old anymore. I can imagine being 83 and not feeling old. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While I'm not feeling too bad about entering a new decade (30 is the new 20 I've been told....and I keep consistently hearing that the 30s are better than the 20s for women), what really DOES bother me is I don't want other people to think I'm old. I don't want to look old or be written off as old. I suppose that shouldn't matter to me but oh well, it does. I also don't want old people health problems. I've actually started considering what things I want to do in my life before my body can't keep up. I took a contemporary dance class this past summer and realized that my body is aging and I won't be able to something like that forever. I was nearly a decade or more older than everyone else in the class. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have started using retinol cream every night but regardless I have wrinkles in my forehead and fine lines under my eyes that don't go away. I look at pictures from when I got married and finally understand why everyone was telling me that Ryan and I looked so young. Magazine articles always segregate fashion or makeup or skin care in your 20s, 30s, 40s, etc. Now I suppose I'm supposed to pay attention to the 30s section. The bad news is that my best beauty fix ...to make me feel good/look good or feel like I look good...is still to get a tan (second only to the prospect but so far non-reality of losing 20lbs). I don't get the chance to tan too often (which is probably a good thing) but I still feel a million dollars better when I have one. Bring on the wrinkles and skin cancer! </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So on September 6th I will be 30 years old. My little sister Cali will turn 21 on September 5th (tomorrow!). I was 9 years old when I FINALLY found out that I had a sister, born the day before my birthday. I've always said she was my early birthday present from God. So while I've been thinking about this past decade and wondering about my next decade, I've compiled a list for my sister Cali that I thought she might find interesting. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">10 things I learned in my 20s: </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1) To not be driven by ambition as I was in my early/mid 20s....it makes me stressed, anxious and unhappy. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2) That I'm happiest when belonging to a community and am able to invest in people and a life outside of work. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3) How to be present and not so wrapped up in my head (started making it a habit). </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://zenhabits.net/happy">This article</a> from the blog zenhabits.net really helped me. I usually rush through taking showers because I feel like it's keeping me from my day....but I've started practicing presence and when I do, I enjoy showers and the a.m. getting ready routine so much more. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4) To incorporate personal <a href="http://jessieandryanthomas.blogspot.com/2011/09/bliss.html">bliss</a> often into daily life. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">5) Don't make decisions based on fear. There will always be one good reason not to do things. Not making a decision IS making a decision. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I so often hear people making excuses not to do something based on fear. It's easy to do and I try to be very attentive to fear creeping into my decisions. I recently read this comment in a book and I think it is so true. We too often let the one good reason not to do something stop us from doing it, despite the several good reasons there still are for going ahead. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"I soon observed there is always one good reason for not taking a proposed action. Often four good reasons may say 'go,' but one valid reason says 'stay.' It has happened so often that I can almost call it 'Snyder's Rule.' I was challenged when I came across Ecclesiastes 11:4: 'He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.' ...Ask yourself, 'If I don't do it now, when will I do it? Am I just taking the easy way out?'" - Al Snyder </span></i></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">6) If you are not proactive, life will happen to you. Don't just talk about things you want to do, do them or schedule to do them. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Earlier in life you will talk about things you want to do someday or try someday or be someday....by the end of your 30s you have discovered WAY more things you want to do than you can fit into your life so start doing those things right away because if you don't you'll get to the end of your 20s and feel like you've lost of decade of opportunity. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">‎<i>"As I don't know about tomorrow, I never save the best for later." -Paulo Coelho</i></span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">7) How to eat to feel good (non-processed, slowly, etc.) Thank you <a href="http://michaelpollan.com/books/the-omnivores-dilemma">Michael Pollen</a>! :) </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">8) Minimalism!! So freeing! </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">9) I learned and keep learning a lot about love. Writing about it would take pages and pages. Maybe someday. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to... us. Love like that. Ephesians 5:1-2</span></i></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">10) It isn't sacrificial or glamorous to love hurting, oppressed people. It's the same as loving your family or friends. Once you have created a space where you personally develop friendships with people who have suffered injustices, it will be the most natural thing in the world to fight for their dignity in any way you can. If you allow yourself to romanticize it or believe that it is a huge sacrifice, it will be easy to decide it is too big for you to do. It's not. And in our globally connected world it is entirely possible for every single person to love at least one other person and make their life better. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"We can not do great things, only small things with great love."</span></i></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">- Mother Teresa</span></i></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I've been thinking a lot about my 30s too. That could probably be another post but here are a few quick thoughts. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I hope to learn/practice in my 30s:</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">- To actually do silent retreats, practice solitude, etc. Creating space for solitude is one area of my life that always slips to lowest priority. It's time. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">- To take better care of my body (yoga, dance, regain more flexibility). Beach detox - DO IT. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">- Some activities that I am still waiting to do properly or haven't done in a long time (sailing, acting) </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">- A few more travel destinations that are on the top of my extensive list. I won't get everywhere in my life but in the next few years I want to be sure we travel to India/Nepal (climb to base camp of Mount Everest while my body can still pull it off!), Israel/Jordan, more of Southeast Asia (of course) and fingers crossed for Greece/Turkey. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">- And for anyone who is wondering....nothing set in stone but if we are going to be blessed with a kid/kids....we think by the time I'm 35 it'll be time to move in that direction. </span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010101; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I just read a novel about a women turning 50. I'm more than halfway there but for now I'm pretty satisfied with being 30. I have at least one things going for me: my neck skin is staying more or less in place for now. :D </span></div>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-62349450921361758382011-09-04T18:16:00.001-04:002011-09-04T18:41:12.890-04:00bliss<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQH4ETnBVc_tK_VYxxYKr2v7np-jWR75H5Yk2uVRuWPXCT5Dx5oyqkUkh6SWaZc2XGYGs9sCsN80ye08OGJHvKhW4SS96qGf0ht3KOLNIMXgLvcxAjr7lj_o3V50Eh3HiH7Egi3AoByqg/s1600/Jessie+in+hammock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQH4ETnBVc_tK_VYxxYKr2v7np-jWR75H5Yk2uVRuWPXCT5Dx5oyqkUkh6SWaZc2XGYGs9sCsN80ye08OGJHvKhW4SS96qGf0ht3KOLNIMXgLvcxAjr7lj_o3V50Eh3HiH7Egi3AoByqg/s800/Jessie+in+hammock.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In one of my classes I was teaching to my university students in Korea last winter, we talked about bucket lists. We talked about what bucket lists are and discussed some things we each had on our own bucket lists. Bucket lists are kind of a fun thing to have but what I don't like about them is that they are future oriented, and a lot of the time people never accomplish the things on their list. I feel that they are slightly worthless or else create a sense of wishful thinking. I told my students that instead of a bucket list, I had created something I called my bliss list. I've noticed there are some things that make me feel relaxed, joyful, blissful. I'm not sure when I started doing this but I started keeping a list...maybe a few years ago?....to remind me of small, easy things I can and want to include in my life on a regular basis because of how they make me feel. I like that most of the things on my list I can incorporate regularly in my life and when I can't....just reading this list makes me feel good. I just thought that maybe this is my subconscious way of making my own list of "My Favorite Things" like Maria on the Sound of Music. Which also makes me think I should add the Sound of Music to my bliss list. Anyway....I'm posting my bliss list below. And since that class I've strayed from my principles and started creating a bucket list (I know, I know...but a little wishful thinking might be okay) so I'll post that as well. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Bliss List </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Orchids</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Deep breathing</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Stretching</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Basil and Cilantro</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Smoothies (watermelon mint, grape we drank at Malcolm's in Manilla)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Simplicity</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Moderation</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Meditation and Solitude</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Reading - classics and nonfiction</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bookstores</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Coffee shops (learn to make yummy drinks at home?)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Nature and Water</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kayaking</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Camping</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chocolate - good quality and dark</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Big windows and a lot of light</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Paisley patterns</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yummy smelling candles (green apple, mistletoe, etc)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Massages</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Taking walks</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Limes</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Key lime pie/ice cream</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Jasmine tea (especially in a glass teapot)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Clair De Lune and Arabesque</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Contemporary dance</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Acting / Theater / Broadway Shows</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hammocks</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Going to the movie theater alone</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bookstores</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sailing </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Art Museums</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Relaxing music</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Girl weekend trips</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Old movies</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Audrey Hepburn</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Quotes</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Watching the Sound of Music </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bucket List </span></b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Spend Christmas and New Years in NYC (including a NYE party where we dress up and go to a big fancy party with champagne)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Be Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Go to a Cirque du Soleil show </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Girls cruise, girls trip to Paris</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sailing (properly)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Road trips (Texas, South, New Orleans, Keys, Outer Banks) and (Maine, Vermont, Prince Edwards Island)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Have a wedding anniversary party </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Silent retreat (Abby of Gethsemane?)....detox retreat.....etc? </span></div><div><br />
</div>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-89360790907587701902011-05-02T20:04:00.000-04:002011-05-02T20:04:06.468-04:00thoughts on creativity with an uncreative title<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WcGYRI5ru2U5K7mhmFiyk9YbyYi6hhOb2C5AEp497Tzj_EgMt_23nuVO2aU22x6JdygDkx0PuxmVGJ_wrkeuMDB5pqe9JinvsLEIQ3X_XJNcUEF0Ime7wHYQvAMbI1GqqyDGuzDuOFc/s1600/FrancesSewardArt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="787" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WcGYRI5ru2U5K7mhmFiyk9YbyYi6hhOb2C5AEp497Tzj_EgMt_23nuVO2aU22x6JdygDkx0PuxmVGJ_wrkeuMDB5pqe9JinvsLEIQ3X_XJNcUEF0Ime7wHYQvAMbI1GqqyDGuzDuOFc/s800/FrancesSewardArt1.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Abstract Landscape Photography by Frances Seward - stunning art I stumbled across that I think is so intriguing. I have no idea how she does this. You can see more of her work </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/FrancesPhotography"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">.</span> </span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NOTE: I wrote this as a note on Facebook in September last year. If you happened to read it on my FB I apologize but I wanted to repost it on the blog as I'd like to have these thoughts compiled in one place. In re-reading it, I thought it was interesting how I referred to the idea of writing a blog and alas...now I have one! :) </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay....on to the original post! P.S. I have a couple update notes written at the end. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The longer you live, the better you will be able to understand your struggling inner nature, and you will be able to find an outlet for the power that it gives you. Some people write, some sing, some raise a family, some join law firms, others plant roses. How we express our sensual, spiritual and intellectual selves define who we are." - Christopher de Vink in Compelled to Write To You</span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been thinking a lot about creativity lately. I love this quote about how we all find (or hopefully find) outlets for expressing ourselves. I am sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that my greatest outlet for expressing myself is through relationships. Although I have found myself desiring more solitude in my life (at least in theory), I most certainly depend on relational connections to find fulfillment and purpose in life. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last few years of my life have been centered around a theme of community. After university I struggled with the post-college life. I threw myself into my career because working in media/marketing demands it and because I enjoyed what I did. However, not belonging to a community in the sense that I had during school left me feeling empty and lonely. Despite having many friends, the demands of working in corporate America left no time for pursuing depth in those relationships in a fulfilling way. For me, balance was elusive. Moving to South Korea and entering the world of travelers was like re-opening a door to a community-oriented lifestyle and I blossomed. The further away I was from my work in America, the more I could see how unhealthy of a lifestyle it had been for me. For the past three years, pursuing relationships and community has been a top priority in my life. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, while relationships are beautiful and valuable, there are always two sides of the coin. People can "hurt you, desert you, break your heart if you let them" (truth via James Taylor). Or less dramatically, investing in people can just wear you out. I have many personal interests that I want to pursue. I am sure that balance between relationship time and solitude time is a healthy way to live. But it is natural and easy for me to push aside any individual pursuits because there are always relational opportunities that seem more important or interesting in the moment. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So to get back to the point, one outlet that I feel has taken a major backseat in my life is creative pursuits. Ryan and I have started new jobs teaching English at a university in South Korea and will be here for about six months. We live outside of Seoul in a small town and have a very easy work schedule. We should only be working about 20-25 hours per week and have three day weekends. I have been looking forward to this time as a period to rest and invest in some creative interests. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In college I used to "joke" that I'm just not a creative person. I was very involved in the communication department (my major). I was producer of our television program, editor of the yearbook, and filled almost every possible job available at the radio station. But of all these commitments, I seemed to be at my best in roles where I directed and organized the truly creative people, rather then being assigned the creative projects myself. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This said, when I was younger I truly enjoyed being involved in the arts. I used to write short stories and wanted to be an author. I loved, loved, loved theatre in high school (I loved the spotlight and always preferred to be leading lady). I played and taught piano and was involved in choir. When I started university, I had piano and vocal scholarships which I eventually gave up because as I became mega involved in the communications department I gradually lost the time and motivation for the practice and involvement required to keep them. I decided I had to prioritize and music fell through the cracks. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am drawn to TOO many artistic pursuits. I want to be a photographer, a graphic designer, a painter, a contemporary dancer, an actress, a writer, and more. But I also want to be good at all of these things, which is impossible. My sister was a dancer for years and it required almost daily dance lessons. I don't want to commit that much to any art....but I also find it hard to accept mediocrity when I am surrounded by so many extremely talented friends. Can I accept being a jack of all trades, master of none? </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been tempted by the idea of blogging. I want to be a better writer and have an outlet for my thoughts. Ryan and I were talking about writing and he brought up the point of how good writing is so much about being a practiced writer. Every time I think of committing to a blog I face the reality of how I am. Writing regularly takes discipline. I have avoided blogging because I have little doubt that I will quickly let it become a pressure and something else on my to-do list rather than a joy. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have wanted to paint for a long time and have decided to try it during these six months. Even so, I have hinting feelings that painting might also feel like drudgery rather than fulfilling. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One night I was reflecting on why I shrink away from artistic outlets when in my head they seem so desirable. Have I just become that lazy? I knew that I truly loved theater and music when I was in high school. What had happened to me since then? I started thinking about when I watch So You Think You Can Dance (BEST show and not to be confused with Dancing with the Stars) and even Glee (guilty pleasure), how I am so drawn in by the relational depth and community that is experienced by the dancing partners or portrayed among high school glee club. I resonate with it because I have experienced it. There was something so binding about putting on a show in high school theatre. And I miss it and I would love to experience it again. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I realized that I was hitting on a personal breakthrough in what makes creativity meaningful to me. Again....the common theme of relationships and community! </span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So now I am left with determining how to apply this in my life. Traveling makes it difficult to find creative communities. They are sometimes available if you are willing to stay in one place for an extended period of time but when I have thought about searching them out while living in South Korea it has felt forced and unfulfilling. I have generally thought that there are seasons of life and this is not my current season for theater or contemporary dance (probably the two activities that would bring me the most creative fulfillment). </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do know that I have the ability and time to try some more individual creative outlets like painting and writing and possibly improving photography. I don't know if I will find them fulfilling. Maybe they will be a drudgery. Maybe they are worth it as a discipline and maybe I will find joy in them. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think what I will do is try out the discipline and see if it turns to enjoyment. If not, maybe I will accept that for me, creative outlets have to have a relational element and determine to find classes or group efforts. If I ever do start a blog, I suppose I will have to learn to write shorter entries! Or maybe not. My writing tends to be a little self-absorbed and more for my benefit than for others (case in point, this post). Maybe writing is the one area where I truly am more individually focused than communally....? </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**************************************************************************************************************************************************************</span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Update</span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) Obviously I haven't succeeded so far in writing shorter posts on the blog. :) I started re-reading Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott today (lovely book on writing) and was reminded that I need to show up and write if I ever hope to improve! </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) In this post I expressed my desire to explore painting. While in South Korea I tried putting paint on canvas a couple times on my own just to see how I liked it. I loved the colors and texture of paint but quickly decided I needed to take a class. The purpose being both for the actual direction and because I hoped that having classmates would add a relational dimension that would help the process of painting match with my personality more. Now that I'm in the states for the summer I'm taking an oil painting class and can tentatively say (after only two weeks) that I like it! </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) When I was teaching my students at Konkuk University in South Korea we talked about the arts one week and on one night in particular we were talking about creativity. I had found this article </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on one of my favorite blogs</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">: <a href="http://zenhabits.net/creative-habit/">The No. 1 Habit of Highly Creative People</a>. It's a great post....but in a nutshell it says that SOLITUDE is the number one habit of highly creative people. It was then that I realized I'm doomed! :) </span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-22514627819997011942011-04-11T20:40:00.000-04:002011-04-11T20:40:15.328-04:00culture shock<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving to the other side of the world requires that you stop blogging for two months. Not sure if you knew that. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just noticed that my last post was titled "homeward bound" which incidentally is also one of the great films of my childhood. Michael J Fox is brilliant even when he is voicing a dog and I cried at the end when Shadow finally shows up at the crest of the hill no matter how many times I watched it. Those triumphant orchestra scores get me every time. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ryan and I are home now. Michigan has been stubbornly holding on to the cold and rainy weather in what I believe is an effort to punish us for leaving. We spent 10 days in LA visiting my brother Jais and other friends in the area. My parents flew in as well so we could all check out Jais' new LA life. After that Ryan and I spent a week in Seattle visiting friends that we had not seen in much too long. There was heaps of rain but that's okay because every other time we've been in Seattle the weather has been stunningly beautiful. I somehow felt that I wasn't ever experiencing the real Seattle and this trip rectified that. Finally we flew to Detroit and have been slowly settling in the past few weeks. Since arriving in the states we've been really crummy about taking pictures. I'll post a few. I feel redundant posting them since they're already on facebook but I have some friends (or one friend rather = Liz) who follows my blog but doesn't use FB. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKl8qbrkCzCX-qe2jl4i9dUjmL6OJ17CmlHFwM6P4H3skkEOQrwzFfDFoH62sq6UTDT6hzrrwoQsw09IOsTF57acjqTo4UvQ3dnMIp01hZbKt90IBmprpzmEZsMBRSE_gvwuqQbzg8_Ek/s1600/baggage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKl8qbrkCzCX-qe2jl4i9dUjmL6OJ17CmlHFwM6P4H3skkEOQrwzFfDFoH62sq6UTDT6hzrrwoQsw09IOsTF57acjqTo4UvQ3dnMIp01hZbKt90IBmprpzmEZsMBRSE_gvwuqQbzg8_Ek/s800/baggage.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ryan and I in LA with our luggage... which grew from our backpacks to include the carry-ons... partially because of food we wanted to bring back with us. Going to have to slim down before heading out again. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EKWQXWD_-K2l4i1i9oAGhZwUL8oDABI1qdUiWucTj9832UPbB30jM36Wt8Ho5gyifaTCumLk3sAvsJE90w1e34tMicXO2tnPD4aKWxFWDXWDoKxpUhdkT4y1gRLnRf-1cU6FOFdpnnU/s1600/academy+awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EKWQXWD_-K2l4i1i9oAGhZwUL8oDABI1qdUiWucTj9832UPbB30jM36Wt8Ho5gyifaTCumLk3sAvsJE90w1e34tMicXO2tnPD4aKWxFWDXWDoKxpUhdkT4y1gRLnRf-1cU6FOFdpnnU/s800/academy+awards.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ryan noticed that the Academy Awards were scheduled for the day after we all flew in so we went to see what we could see... we inched our way up to almost the front by the fences. See Oscar? </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2t_R8ZSvw1fhKNAd79RHxxXgdROFgh79Q6Z0cZ49DoHyNN8bhX6P61QowGzLzONvdB_M4NeJ5j0G2H51Ee_KXY1PVWF32mtnknvfQ7YJ0Gq3ET6SYVHv1BiOHS9KgP8YSm7CxHSAKwTM/s1600/Colin+Firth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2t_R8ZSvw1fhKNAd79RHxxXgdROFgh79Q6Z0cZ49DoHyNN8bhX6P61QowGzLzONvdB_M4NeJ5j0G2H51Ee_KXY1PVWF32mtnknvfQ7YJ0Gq3ET6SYVHv1BiOHS9KgP8YSm7CxHSAKwTM/s800/Colin+Firth.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colin Firth, Amy Adams, Robert Downey Jr, Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett (I am quite sure but didn't realize at the time), Donald Trump....and a handful of others. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6hdevdSpvbLMBQLMbgwPTFrz0nh5YXChmGY70hyphenhyphenjxggyoT2_6ShU1M9-zQ0AqAMf2gNsveok-H0-Lbiq7iUVfG7mk4oMGe3jHKLaazHuQ7wnm2ONFjFZrVlb3xj79wJAA7c0GxfsFcg/s1600/PIR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6hdevdSpvbLMBQLMbgwPTFrz0nh5YXChmGY70hyphenhyphenjxggyoT2_6ShU1M9-zQ0AqAMf2gNsveok-H0-Lbiq7iUVfG7mk4oMGe3jHKLaazHuQ7wnm2ONFjFZrVlb3xj79wJAA7c0GxfsFcg/s800/PIR.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went to the Price Is Right and my brother got called down at the beginning of the show. It was so so fun (you might not be able to tell my excitement from my face). We were right behind the bidders so we were on camera all through the show!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4koJAQ778GU2MLrxOrk09Gts5NGuBNpmx6ywBW1RquhZxHtIybTr0BjAmpzaMtet3TncH3IdrMvLeqz7DLDyO3R8NpQt-EBCLjMoDSumH27i9b569FcGhP00DF3vqNd-0XoZNoTXh8E/s1600/PIR2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4koJAQ778GU2MLrxOrk09Gts5NGuBNpmx6ywBW1RquhZxHtIybTr0BjAmpzaMtet3TncH3IdrMvLeqz7DLDyO3R8NpQt-EBCLjMoDSumH27i9b569FcGhP00DF3vqNd-0XoZNoTXh8E/s800/PIR2.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jais with Drew Carey (who is no Bob Barker I might add). He got on stage near the end of the show and ended up with about $2,000 and some prizes. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm excited about spending the summer in the states. I have definitely dealt with some culture shock since getting home. More so than last time I came home. There is something about western culture that seems to creep into people's spirits and maybe it's more obvious when you've been away....the way perfume smells strong at first. There seems to be this underlying struggle with disconnectedness and discontentedness. I want to live with connection and contentedness and American culture is masterful at robbing that away. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favorite books is called The Geography of Bliss. The author Eric Weiner is a NPR reporter and he wonders why the people in some countries rate so high in happiness while others don't. So he travels around to determine what makes the happiest countries so happy or the miserable countries so miserable. </span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weiner refers to a study which ranks the U.S. as only the 23rd happiest country. Which is interesting to me because when I talk to some people in America there seems to be an underlying, strongly held belief that we are better off or have a superior approach to life than the people in most other countries. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The author makes a number of fascinating observations and discoveries but what he finds to be one of the most consistent indicators of happiness is sense of community and belonging. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This book got me thinking about how much our culture impacts our values, what we think is good. I think American culture is historically steeped in the cowboy complex....believing that a strong individual who can pull themselves up by the boot straps and handle their own problems is more virtuous than someone who is co-dependant on others. For example, we think it's embarrassing for older people to live with their parents because it means they are lazy (which is certainly what I tend to think)....even though in many cultures generational families always live together and it is the honorable thing to take care of each other. There are benefits to both ways of thinking but just the fact that we are programmed to certain values is interesting. And I think the programming of our culture can make real community a hard thing to achieve. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's an excerpt from the book: </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The self-help industrial complex hasn't helped. By telling us that happiness lives inside us, it's turned us inward just when we should be looking outward. Not to money but to other people, to community and to the kind of human bonds that so clearly are the sources of our happiness. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Americans work longer hours and commute greater distances than virtually any other people in the world. Commuting in particular, has been found to be detrimental to our happiness as well as our physical health. Every minute spent on the road is one less minute than we can spend with family and friends - the kind of activities, in other words, that make us happy. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Political scientist Robert Putnam makes a convincing case in his book </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bowling Alon</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e that our sense of connection is fraying. We spend less time visiting family and friends; we belong to fewer community groups. Increasingly, we lead fragmented lives." </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I guess one of the reasons I don't feel drawn to living in the states is I thrive on relationships and I know how hard it was for me personally to maintain a strong sense of community within our culture after graduating university. Working long hours isn't just for those trying to climb the ladder or keep up with the Jones'. When I lived in the states I consistently worked 60-70 hours a week for a $25,000 salary (before taxes). When I hear my friends talking about their jobs it seems pretty consistent that just about any American employer seems to think that we owe them our lives for our paycheck no matter how small it is. I used to beat myself up trying to find "balance" in my life until I left and was able to experience work in another country where I still had time and energy for relationships, for community. We were also able to actually build savings and take long periods off work to spend time with family/friends and pursue other interests (travel, volunteering, etc). I realized maybe the problem wasn't so much me not being able to balance as it was a culture where companies take all the best of our energy and leave us with very little left to invest in the true priorities of our life. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Discontentedness is something else I sense when I am at home. I don't have rich friends who are buying expensive houses or anything like that. Most of my friends are barely making ends meet. But advertisers are geniuses and we have been left (myself included) wishing we had more money so we could be less stressed and free not to worry so much. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"We give lip service to the notion that money can't buy happiness but act as if it does. When asked what would improve the quality of their lives, American's number one answer was money, according to a University of Michigan study."</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BUT</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Recent research into happiness, or subjective well-being, reveals that money does indeed buy happiness. Up to a point. That point, though, is surprisingly low, about fifteen thousand dollars a year. After that, the link between economic growth and happiness evaporates."</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think this is why you hear about poor people in third world countries being happier than we are. Not if they are starving or cannot meet their basic needs of healthcare and education.....but after that money apparently doesn't impact our happiness. They have community while we have commercials. When I'm living in my bamboo hut at the Bamboo School in Thailand I'm satisfied with my backpack of possessions. But if I was living long term in America I'm just not sure how long I would last before the discontent would start crawling in. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To clarify, I do not mean to say that everyone in America is disconnected or discontented. Some people with different personalities than me can respond to the culture better than I. But in our case, the only option I see for living in the states with the connection and contentedness that Ryan and I have decided is a priority for our lives is possibly living in a type of communal environment where everyone works part time, invests in the local neighborhood together, has a community garden, shares expenses (like cars, etc)...something like that. And people do it in America and seem to make it work. I'm not sure if I would like it. Maybe I'll try it someday but I feel like it's an uphill battle in the midst of American culture and it's been easier for us in other cultures. I'm lazy I guess. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well kids....given that I had no intention of even writing about this when I started this blog....I think I've said plenty for now. </span></span></div>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-13621904432459656032011-02-12T05:12:00.002-05:002011-02-12T09:18:53.873-05:00homeward bound<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two weeks from today we'll be on an airplane heading towards the states! It's been almost 14 months since we were home and I'm a tiny bit excited. I'm looking forward to a lot of things including....</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UsaBhiuo2lY6fz1bhLsk9P0QarSKn8gEhVvrHKC2k86qlkGP6m3TRRNfq30_2FXFxFAvIzm2BknvrwZxOA48B0UkteqN78mcDfWcHYPa9nJi3K63pgLJPu-RhErVg1lMHqx0O4AZcdo/s1600/ezekiel-bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UsaBhiuo2lY6fz1bhLsk9P0QarSKn8gEhVvrHKC2k86qlkGP6m3TRRNfq30_2FXFxFAvIzm2BknvrwZxOA48B0UkteqN78mcDfWcHYPa9nJi3K63pgLJPu-RhErVg1lMHqx0O4AZcdo/s400/ezekiel-bread.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Because rice is dominant in Asia, bread is often used more as a sweet snack, making it almost impossible to find good whole grain bread. Even in New Zealand, where surely there must have been quality bread if I really knew where to look, nothing could compare, for me, to Ezekiel Bread. I can't wait to putz around the aisles of Trader Joe's and buy my Ezekiel Bread, lemon curd, kefir and three buck chuck!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegIFg1djNN-6aofOBk1VrYxSC6VHcYA2_nbTtFYnb9P5_BPzogtdwQ5f6aCA_GQkenrtRjmNXwWi2jAlxqvsjO_fQUKCVn0BOL7uFVYsS9C567KB-ZmdCv9nJnD-cb5q-dOKjYPbf2Dk/s1600/Lake_Michigan_Sleeping_Bear_Dunes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegIFg1djNN-6aofOBk1VrYxSC6VHcYA2_nbTtFYnb9P5_BPzogtdwQ5f6aCA_GQkenrtRjmNXwWi2jAlxqvsjO_fQUKCVn0BOL7uFVYsS9C567KB-ZmdCv9nJnD-cb5q-dOKjYPbf2Dk/s640/Lake_Michigan_Sleeping_Bear_Dunes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lake Michigan will always be my pride and joy no matter how I toy around with the ocean in different lands. </span></div></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mk-693lOYEqPZ6ofNyYyLKzmHjCgqwn49njZAr03zBWsWzoDCUelL9dFY2zsBcuDxVRd0vOmAuea0lD-024vnWZ0LE29mZ-AEoqHU6SZq__dqjvcDTga6pXM9ErZRH3dQZOzYQqdcqk/s1600/cherries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mk-693lOYEqPZ6ofNyYyLKzmHjCgqwn49njZAr03zBWsWzoDCUelL9dFY2zsBcuDxVRd0vOmAuea0lD-024vnWZ0LE29mZ-AEoqHU6SZq__dqjvcDTga6pXM9ErZRH3dQZOzYQqdcqk/s400/cherries.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I promised myself after I saw dixie cups of cherries selling for the equivelent of about $3-4 dollars in South Korea, that I would never be hesitant about paying $2.99 a pound for them at home again. I'm super keen to visit Traverse City during cherry festival time....I've never before and I want this summer to be my first!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pqHZgopGN4O0xE7arg3RRR-vhLZOqJtGjB7A6BftvMYZSpv3mOLfUF8skTkDirmlLPOhedhas-WvAdza-SzP930Vn2t7i9Aty03gZ5nMFsEQmP8Djx-ByVGdmPqj-soyNMMQMk8JW6g/s1600/cilantro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pqHZgopGN4O0xE7arg3RRR-vhLZOqJtGjB7A6BftvMYZSpv3mOLfUF8skTkDirmlLPOhedhas-WvAdza-SzP930Vn2t7i9Aty03gZ5nMFsEQmP8Djx-ByVGdmPqj-soyNMMQMk8JW6g/s400/cilantro.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You might be noticing that food plays a large role in what I'm looking forward to at home. Cilantro makes life better. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13-1m1SHnhg8A-KmcMzbKCMLomGF0jFYZC0YAuc9ZKqoLov3-j84W449XntAJ6EKPHUNxygAuGjgIoWb3upU3Y-niCSZdwtXIxRjX_387bM9HfKArj1dvqOS6lJDjwR8TT2EOfZq0c5A/s1600/Sweet-basil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13-1m1SHnhg8A-KmcMzbKCMLomGF0jFYZC0YAuc9ZKqoLov3-j84W449XntAJ6EKPHUNxygAuGjgIoWb3upU3Y-niCSZdwtXIxRjX_387bM9HfKArj1dvqOS6lJDjwR8TT2EOfZq0c5A/s400/Sweet-basil.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Basil also makes life better....fresh bruschetta with goat cheese is in my future!</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jB-TJ4GU26_5JvmZ0iVqFUpsbZKi1Jofls5WYgWFOv-khxcUVxqSpCV28YMypqD_s2lTK6CKrYntN3nY2IMG-zRIyX7gdMSIA37XqAwjO6oaqpre8vR0WLE9Y8qOo0X63vZp_9syyZI/s1600/biggby+medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jB-TJ4GU26_5JvmZ0iVqFUpsbZKi1Jofls5WYgWFOv-khxcUVxqSpCV28YMypqD_s2lTK6CKrYntN3nY2IMG-zRIyX7gdMSIA37XqAwjO6oaqpre8vR0WLE9Y8qOo0X63vZp_9syyZI/s400/biggby+medium.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Meeting Michigan friends for loooong chats over Michigan coffee.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXx_AgOiKUlyA-fIIfiS4m3qHb-K_EuzWFINGJ5fh6KKXeuoShhW96XmgnOU7M7t6EX19TGD-6abFdi1XWxT5hrDvG-8qG6rjUVIyppS2HcN0smFahBW6y3ymORS4SCyYUZlMEo4KGzk/s1600/mom+and+dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXx_AgOiKUlyA-fIIfiS4m3qHb-K_EuzWFINGJ5fh6KKXeuoShhW96XmgnOU7M7t6EX19TGD-6abFdi1XWxT5hrDvG-8qG6rjUVIyppS2HcN0smFahBW6y3ymORS4SCyYUZlMEo4KGzk/s640/mom+and+dad.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kinda sorta excited to see these people. :) </span></div></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Uij4LFgTj4EjhrmTQNnrxecwAMkNTwX6iyXTXZzGKOfBuj5KY46AAT21rsBaAL-Qc4YiS3MiB9Hlk1aHdg15UmN0KNc25WMtCwWEEtmr_jhKy3CEtrfMOVr4nFAi5ojcNk9cSsDjIGo/s1600/siblings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Uij4LFgTj4EjhrmTQNnrxecwAMkNTwX6iyXTXZzGKOfBuj5KY46AAT21rsBaAL-Qc4YiS3MiB9Hlk1aHdg15UmN0KNc25WMtCwWEEtmr_jhKy3CEtrfMOVr4nFAi5ojcNk9cSsDjIGo/s640/siblings.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And these people. </span></div></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5rckvX5goCKw8Yu7OCByXYMjYg-RfRgsa5ejBhR-sGbPHSLA8L99cYc_7Eg4GTwU6N-2qdW6SS0dz_T0iswbxKoRAiJgjjacjU0ieCsZA5jld0t9bRVSCwHsy6DlofjWerz93dAZMnE/s1600/thomas+family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5rckvX5goCKw8Yu7OCByXYMjYg-RfRgsa5ejBhR-sGbPHSLA8L99cYc_7Eg4GTwU6N-2qdW6SS0dz_T0iswbxKoRAiJgjjacjU0ieCsZA5jld0t9bRVSCwHsy6DlofjWerz93dAZMnE/s640/thomas+family.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And these people.</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Truth be told, despite what it may look like....precious people are what I'm most looking forward to....even more than food. </span>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-52317433495172315502011-02-04T02:35:00.000-05:002011-02-04T02:35:04.088-05:00white space<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. - Hans Hofmann</span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You don't have to live by their rules if you don't require their rewards. -Nathan Johnson </span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give.- Mother Teresa</span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it - Henry David Thoreau</span></i><br />
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<div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful in your life - Unknown</span></i></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I used to really like this book my mom had called Clutter's Last Stand by Don Aslett. I liked the illustrations. And I just liked books in general. And I liked reading his tips on how to eliminate clutter and how to put pictures directly on the wall instead of pictures on a shelf on a wall because it would trap less dust and be easier to clean (that tip might have come from one of his other books that my mom had that I also liked reading). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I guess I had a good foundation in getting rid of stuff. Mom would regularly send bags to goodwill and yard sales were usually at least a yearly event. When I was maybe 12 my friend Katie and I decided that we were going to de-clutter her decidedly cluttered bedroom one weekened. We had a trash box and would shout our mantra "Pitch it!!!!!" as we threw out old stuffed animals. Her brothers whined a lot and confiscated probably most of those stuffed animals. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The other week we were talking about travel and culture in my high level English classes. I was teaching the students what "travel light" and "live outside of a suitcase" mean. Traveling has introduced a new level of minimalism into my life and I'm passionately devoted to not owning stuff. I love not owning a car. I love not owning a house. I love not owning half the IKEA catalogue. I love that Ryan and I have spent more than a year living primarily out of backpacks. I love the way travelers pass around possessions as we need them/stop needing them. Things that we needed we were usually able to borrow or find for free or so cheap that we could just throw them out or pass them on when we were finished with them. Ryan's flip flops broke when we were working at the Bamboo School and he was able to replace them with a donated pair that were too big for any of the kids. He needed a scarf for when we got back to the bitter Korea winter and found that in the donations too. Yes....we get what we need from the refugees' and orphans' leftovers. But it works out! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love not being responsible for repairing, storing, moving and protecting heaps of possessions. I love the free feeling.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When we were living in New Zealand we bought a kind of campervan that its previous owners had named Steve. We figured that even if we couldn't re-sell Steve he would still save us money because we could live out of him. And if we could re-sell him (which we were able to do) all the better. But even owning Steve for just a couple months reminded me of how much I love not owning things that can require a lot of repair. He had several quirks and a few problems we had checked out and I felt like I was regularly willing him to work well for just awhile longer. I was so relieved to sell him and go back to our car-less existence. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's interesting how you really can do without things. When we first got to Korea three years ago and I had shut off my American cell phone I was in a panic to get a replacement. South Korea is ahead of the states in technology and gadgets and everyone is dependent on their phones. But for a few reasons we didn't get a phone right away and after a couple months we decided not to get one because we realized we didn't really need it like we thought we would (facebook and skype were usually good enough). We lived for almost a year and a half in Korea without a cell phone. I remember one night when I was lost and wandering around trying to find friends cursing myself for not having a phone. But generally you get used to it. I like the convenience of having a phone but I don't feel so dependent on it as I did when I lived in the states. When we did buy a phone, our friend helped us get a $15 phone off the street in Thailand and a $1 sim card with super cheap international phone calls. The last time I was in America it was a bit of culture shock to see everyone on their smart phones (at least that's what they call them in Korea....is that even what they're called back home?) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was recently talking with my classes about advertising and marketing. We were talking about how advertisers use association, subliminal messages, product placement and color to create feelings of discontentedness. I used to work in marketing and I really love the creativity behind it. I still love going to the mall at Christmas time despite or maybe because of the commercialization of it all. But it's a lot more relaxing being in those environments when I don't feel the tension of whether I should get sucked into buying a certain product or not. Sure, it's a really good sale price. Sure, I really like it. But will it fit in the backpack? If not...let it go. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Below are some pictures from our travels that I associate with simplicity and minimalism. For me personally, a shopping therapy trip to the mall doesn't compare! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RjkdYyXxSY5saMmPRlaNuwcVSgUFZADqY-48wSCrpYKovBJfOiLpwA8NV1OSolDlQIRRZ8lFMVx-f6Yr4DIZsuQyGB8i98eOL8l0nJfKdqTmuExyoTLV8lkC8lCza4RIUx1ELBQnr3w/s1600/DSC_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RjkdYyXxSY5saMmPRlaNuwcVSgUFZADqY-48wSCrpYKovBJfOiLpwA8NV1OSolDlQIRRZ8lFMVx-f6Yr4DIZsuQyGB8i98eOL8l0nJfKdqTmuExyoTLV8lkC8lCza4RIUx1ELBQnr3w/s800/DSC_0052.JPG" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Ryan with one of said backpacks. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZIoSvfRRICM9vwKP0DcsCH5lfCBWp51L1-DLs4w6XkkvSUb0yDEUyRvCfVLXIK8bbdFu4sSUhd-6irdTmWWS1tMHe_FTSHIWt3I6LVAMhJNQdO9s7RO3aZfr3db3i8UgFpb6nWXMLZw/s1600/mountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZIoSvfRRICM9vwKP0DcsCH5lfCBWp51L1-DLs4w6XkkvSUb0yDEUyRvCfVLXIK8bbdFu4sSUhd-6irdTmWWS1tMHe_FTSHIWt3I6LVAMhJNQdO9s7RO3aZfr3db3i8UgFpb6nWXMLZw/s800/mountain.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Lake Matheson, New Zealand </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjA_m7-jnCciDAykNo0dq4smt7p0jxLuUOnxdOwZyAFKuoAg6_tlB8USTesz-g8n4KdnqeN9LSVE9p1wFvx9iuSC8eSXO3OgWL51X4NSPumQrZMksvL8Pc9s6Cmb7pjvYruR9VTXr8Gc/s1600/great+ocean+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjA_m7-jnCciDAykNo0dq4smt7p0jxLuUOnxdOwZyAFKuoAg6_tlB8USTesz-g8n4KdnqeN9LSVE9p1wFvx9iuSC8eSXO3OgWL51X4NSPumQrZMksvL8Pc9s6Cmb7pjvYruR9VTXr8Gc/s800/great+ocean+road.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Australia</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jMhozGTkByoYf81RZvpM2TrXmE041wnvOXty6eBpmcwlEUWpmELdvdDXRMDhNjiMPB6D8ide9VSZH51lxGxL4tQZI2XMvzxRTJPFDDfp8K5pVZ7yRLW5RDq82naH0qzLuO4unOQlyHY/s1600/Fiji.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jMhozGTkByoYf81RZvpM2TrXmE041wnvOXty6eBpmcwlEUWpmELdvdDXRMDhNjiMPB6D8ide9VSZH51lxGxL4tQZI2XMvzxRTJPFDDfp8K5pVZ7yRLW5RDq82naH0qzLuO4unOQlyHY/s800/Fiji.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Nadi, Fiji </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNy-oMMRouGPmLYs1Wdl_mJUsq-uuen3OQWzJAqzsR6E85VmakRpjUeENJCM0iWccTbO4ugGz0jxBuYAMmrFEQRbHvWKQ_PonQtYKbuRAKZxCi7-s389HLNAA8MNkGWGv_SKk7hlu5M2Q/s1600/074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNy-oMMRouGPmLYs1Wdl_mJUsq-uuen3OQWzJAqzsR6E85VmakRpjUeENJCM0iWccTbO4ugGz0jxBuYAMmrFEQRbHvWKQ_PonQtYKbuRAKZxCi7-s389HLNAA8MNkGWGv_SKk7hlu5M2Q/s800/074.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Polihale Beach, Kauai, Hawaii (camping) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1Lf_As0bKoJ3PC6rcqf7c03PicGdWvWcotcc8FQ0jrljfC7cLu_z91wySQ8wlb-yP8Ph8LIJZJmuw29oRPmZrkAFemOmuUVQ4DeDUpskLZbGIQoqgo4Dzte4TCE4HFv-50ap1I7H6XI/s1600/sunset+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1Lf_As0bKoJ3PC6rcqf7c03PicGdWvWcotcc8FQ0jrljfC7cLu_z91wySQ8wlb-yP8Ph8LIJZJmuw29oRPmZrkAFemOmuUVQ4DeDUpskLZbGIQoqgo4Dzte4TCE4HFv-50ap1I7H6XI/s800/sunset+2.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Si Phan Don, Laos</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCYCnYaBqcELe8himmvPR9p2eYtss5vEWKM5TkfFUsv5gera8rmN1vaSRWDRpfLg2UUk7fGbvhj7SjN7eWKMIVIfRYEZXbi3Wu1X6DZwhrp7NZIn72xQI11taw0X6d7XlmsnU14dG0DA/s1600/thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCYCnYaBqcELe8himmvPR9p2eYtss5vEWKM5TkfFUsv5gera8rmN1vaSRWDRpfLg2UUk7fGbvhj7SjN7eWKMIVIfRYEZXbi3Wu1X6DZwhrp7NZIn72xQI11taw0X6d7XlmsnU14dG0DA/s800/thailand.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Near Chiang Khong, Thailand </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-15227201802307742622011-01-22T09:32:00.001-05:002011-01-23T21:51:39.300-05:00i'm practically robin williams<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I first started teaching university classes I felt like I belonged in Dead Poets Society. I was pretty pleased with myself. No longer would the majority of my words in class consist of "Jonny, sit back down", "Hani, are you saying bad words to your friends? No bad words in my class", "Charlie, if someone makes you angry tell them 'Stop, I don't like it'...you cannot hit your friends", "What's rule number 1?? NO SPEAKING KOREAN! This is Teacher's time to talk"....and so on. I've surprised myself a lot because I've actually enjoyed teaching kids. Teaching was one of the professions I had zero interest in. When we decided to teach in Korea I was a bit nervous. The many benefits of teaching in Korea** quieted my initial concerns about the actual work but it was still a relief when I found that for the most part, I truly enjoyed my students and teaching them. Also, I have little doubt (although not personal experience to back up my suspicions) that teaching English is enormously different to being a proper teacher. But in any case....while it's still not my life calling....teaching has turned out to be very doable. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still, when I traded in teaching kindies, elementary and middle school students for college age students and adults I was pretty thrilled. Especially because the majority of my classes are discussion / free talking classes for high level students. That means that I choose (hopefully) interesting topics to discuss in class, write or find discussion questions related to the topics, introduce the topics, sometimes teach some related idioms or common phrases and then the rest of class consists of us chatting and sharing opinions. I've learned so much more about Korean culture and have had many interesting talks since starting this position at the end of August. The icing on the cake when teaching adults is that you can be friends on a level you can't with children (as much fun as kids can be). We go out for coffee, take trips to Seoul to eat Mexican food, watch Desperate Housewives at 2am and have meaningful conversations. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We will finish our current contract on February 17th. This contract was only six months because we are covering a position for our friend Frances while she spent the six months traveling in India, Africa, France and Turkey. When she comes back we'll be flying home to the states for an extended visit. After more than a year of being away from home I'm sooo excited to be back.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**My friend Kate was over while I was writing this blog and she mentioned the very true fact that most people who have not taught in Korea always wonder why any of us would choose to live here of all places. So I have created a short, non-exhaustive list. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Why Korea? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- The chance to travel and live in a different culture. Living in a culture is so different from merely traveling to a different country on vacation. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- A community of other native English speakers from every English speaking country. A lot of us see each other again while traveling in other places (sometimes organically and sometimes orchestrated) and when we sometimes return to Korea. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- A life without bills (free housing, free utilities, sometimes free food)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- A paycheck that we don't have to spend on bills and thus can use to travel, save, pay off student loans, etc. Not only are we paid a salary but we get an extra month pay just for completing a one year contract. Our roundtrip airfare from our home country is also covered. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- A job schedule that allows for a life outside of work. This is a big one for me. If we ever come back to Korea for another contract we will want to teach university again which often comes with three day weekends (like our current position) and 4-5 months paid vacation (during school breaks) every year. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- While we do enjoy a lot of things about Korea itself, that's not why we chose Korea and it's not why we come back. We would probably try out new countries and new cultures if there were other places where we could teach the same hours and save the same amount of money. But it's also nice coming back to a country where we're comfortable and where we know a lot of people. We miss our friends in Korea when we're gone. We've been able to live in some countries and to travel to several others and will do that more in the future but Korea has taken good care of us. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU65ywzUmEcnyrBlKQwbZFodooOe02FPiU1I6s93MjAxsJVvH7TnBTBVpU8Ui2PK0uf3VdcwzBy3uKdLY7ZfJZOSvbIOT3Ikghd7kG2tfa1o1GdmCHmRqWL7qXNo2R1CEbPJCQgUZliA8/s1600/Apartment+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU65ywzUmEcnyrBlKQwbZFodooOe02FPiU1I6s93MjAxsJVvH7TnBTBVpU8Ui2PK0uf3VdcwzBy3uKdLY7ZfJZOSvbIOT3Ikghd7kG2tfa1o1GdmCHmRqWL7qXNo2R1CEbPJCQgUZliA8/s800/Apartment+view.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The view from our current apartment in Chungju, South Korea (a smallish town an hour and a half south of Seoul) It's been really different living outside of Seoul but cool getting a different experience. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhO6TKy5C_SALOWjVxLBnyESrSQVSvKhv0q2cjnxOiR9C697wYQYZ8a3IUPmqsuMtTZ3ymIwhb572037ER1EePURHdvIlCRouS6CaHB3kSiIk6WD5Q1WHZKthn3EifP9s7wpqM3XS60Q/s1600/Apartment+Inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhO6TKy5C_SALOWjVxLBnyESrSQVSvKhv0q2cjnxOiR9C697wYQYZ8a3IUPmqsuMtTZ3ymIwhb572037ER1EePURHdvIlCRouS6CaHB3kSiIk6WD5Q1WHZKthn3EifP9s7wpqM3XS60Q/s800/Apartment+Inside.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inside our apartment. Since we are covering for our friend we decided to just move into her apartment that the university provides and use her furnishings while she's gone which worked great for all of us! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UiKrtaAp-Uu-tyQDzkkEx3BtToz8_Skx6xBIxn6ENzCyv-Vj5py0wW3H9Wi97fhIT7NJA1X35a_gJMdSxMAelHNtle8R0COFVe1C3es0Lfi-jF296wSzyADv8gAQOIevxnXvb1VpQm8/s1600/Jessie%2527s+beginner+class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UiKrtaAp-Uu-tyQDzkkEx3BtToz8_Skx6xBIxn6ENzCyv-Vj5py0wW3H9Wi97fhIT7NJA1X35a_gJMdSxMAelHNtle8R0COFVe1C3es0Lfi-jF296wSzyADv8gAQOIevxnXvb1VpQm8/s800/Jessie%2527s+beginner+class.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my beginner level classes, although only a few of the students were truly beginners! Half of them were exchange students from China and one from Uzbekistan. I really, really loved this class....I'm super in love with the Chinese students' accents when they speak English. SO cute. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1G57rZ4q9OedKF4hHFoSY1I0ApBtAhOYkpSLQn8xY0WsVQlM2krixpd7w51GZutAJa5u2_Ez2g91hqYwLrbB7IBKOVQUIcCmalueNiGgdnCBe4GEEWoxAupq8RvhsWUastdyhATGTyy4/s1600/jessie%2527s+high+level+class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1G57rZ4q9OedKF4hHFoSY1I0ApBtAhOYkpSLQn8xY0WsVQlM2krixpd7w51GZutAJa5u2_Ez2g91hqYwLrbB7IBKOVQUIcCmalueNiGgdnCBe4GEEWoxAupq8RvhsWUastdyhATGTyy4/s800/jessie%2527s+high+level+class.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the students from one of my high level classes. I had sooo much fun with this class and we became really good friends. University students are full of relationship drama and life direction drama which of course I find really interesting to talk about. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9iJjZZYfyOZwQk7WQcbh4z4VEVb7ILPMHyzyRpjvQb7Un-trLHtZp9leVrIiw-PqIJLIW9_ruPZL84idZDRO6B8nrEMGud5xGEmOo_afIOXGNfNcFVDhJZ-kVCxwN9hXcLRcOptAm2g/s1600/Mr+pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9iJjZZYfyOZwQk7WQcbh4z4VEVb7ILPMHyzyRpjvQb7Un-trLHtZp9leVrIiw-PqIJLIW9_ruPZL84idZDRO6B8nrEMGud5xGEmOo_afIOXGNfNcFVDhJZ-kVCxwN9hXcLRcOptAm2g/s800/Mr+pizza.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of my students out at Mr. Pizza....love these guys!</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFzOBXQLVnEJDEfIffYQaGDJ0hJbm-fxEiMYhp4Tn7CScr49y5zQEu852YoUGbtnGxpegxE2r_8u8NOWVlpemIWs4ArDeFBcg1AhVAPdu3f9TQEi6IHJp1x9FDCTd9307nWo8ARZcATM/s1600/Ryan%2527s+KLI+class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFzOBXQLVnEJDEfIffYQaGDJ0hJbm-fxEiMYhp4Tn7CScr49y5zQEu852YoUGbtnGxpegxE2r_8u8NOWVlpemIWs4ArDeFBcg1AhVAPdu3f9TQEi6IHJp1x9FDCTd9307nWo8ARZcATM/s800/Ryan%2527s+KLI+class.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ryan with some of the students in his intermediate level class. Our students seemed to really love spending time with us outside class and we really liked it too. </span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-51185976874317989542011-01-18T10:05:00.002-05:002011-01-18T10:05:12.969-05:00reluctant resolution<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYYwlq9bcxooArsUOQgJYe_mV00yYlNC75H_0unaK0AelHdZn29w5udLLDLHaXJ63q3WiVYWYK-ubH45xfdq2H0T3MBSNd7wKIHx6qG5SqZdLS2SAelDnf_Ikgn908XFSfCbYIK_ctmg/s1600/kiwi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYYwlq9bcxooArsUOQgJYe_mV00yYlNC75H_0unaK0AelHdZn29w5udLLDLHaXJ63q3WiVYWYK-ubH45xfdq2H0T3MBSNd7wKIHx6qG5SqZdLS2SAelDnf_Ikgn908XFSfCbYIK_ctmg/s800/kiwi.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One year ago I was blonde. Ryan and I had just moved to New Zealand to live with our Kiwi friends. I had submitted to my first southern hemisphere summery Christmas. I was excited for our plans to traipse around the world a bit. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2010 didn't align completely with my expectations....but that's okay. We've learned to be pretty fluid with our planning and to only expect that all our plans will change. It was a good, full and important year. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I've been pretty satisfied with my anti-blogging stance. Occasionally a whisper of ambition would run through my head telling me that I should be blogging and keeping track of our lives....for our own benefit and to help keep others more properly updated. These were supported by a small barrage of "Do you have a blog?"s and "You should be blogging!!"s. But if there's anything I'm good at, it's knowing myself. It might just be unhealthy how self aware I am. In any case, I knew without a doubt that while keeping a blog is a clever idea and I can easily conjure up romantic images of sitting in a coffee shop typing up witty anecdotes about our oh so interesting lives.... instinctively I know that reality is that I will never have time or feel like writing and within about five minutes I will be spatting the word "blog" with an intense disdain of the added anxiety it has brought me as one more thing on my to do list that I don't want to do. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So I've been happy to stick to facebook and skype as my modes of long distance communication. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But because I'm stupid and optimistic....and easily persuaded to do things I know will make me miserable in the long run.....I am starting a blog. Because my mom keeps telling me I need to (apparently she thinks that my rants to her regarding myself or social issues should be heard by other people as well.....maybe so she isn't the only one who is stuck listening to my inane ramblings) AND because I keep sensing this gut feeling that 2011 is going to be a semi-critical year in the Thomas' life. </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">New Years Eve I was up on the roof of my friend's house in Bangkok trying to see the fireworks that were easy to hear but not so easy to see through the tall buildings. And true to my stupid habit of being more present in my thoughts than in my surroundings.....I was paying most attention to my internal despair at realizing that I had somehow in the past month or so slowly let the idea of starting a blog change from something I was in no way going to actually do....into something that I had decided to do although I don't think I had fully become aware or it up until that point. </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I didn't make any resolutions this year. But I am here blogging. I'm not thrilled and I'm a bit intimidated. But I'm here. </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Also, much to my relief, Ryan will be blogging here also! Yay!)</span></span></div></span></span></span></td></tr>
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKExmjIfWWL3d9w9hymPN9bnWarIVHORUs970DQnpMcnLdrFJN1MfwL1xAdfTizKFhbnzO6nVEkmxNueqMtxHwwf3OF81vZ5JtND5bNeKS3DWyZme_UNECW49mn5fmpjvC6hezAmFuqvM/s1600/kiwi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239100329645944389.post-32661364578431216442011-01-18T10:00:00.000-05:002011-01-18T10:00:06.991-05:00ten<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErPNPxuic105xXf-Q_2KHI2E8-WouXOMJqMjYQJKy2ZZYQaIOg6Q5ZT5SkAXbBOWGv9Zeq5ZptVyC9YnFMyyl9kqGYAGTuaCDL3jevqpg9aXEqSxr9tADr5kOyUZYiJyuh8tKethSIOw/s1600/Glacier+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErPNPxuic105xXf-Q_2KHI2E8-WouXOMJqMjYQJKy2ZZYQaIOg6Q5ZT5SkAXbBOWGv9Zeq5ZptVyC9YnFMyyl9kqGYAGTuaCDL3jevqpg9aXEqSxr9tADr5kOyUZYiJyuh8tKethSIOw/s800/Glacier+photo.jpg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To cover the past ten years when I wasn't blogging (did blogging exist before then?), a brief synopsis: </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Got married</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Finished bachelors degrees </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Moved to Kentucky for three and a half years </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ryan got two masters degrees</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Jessie worked at Clear Channel Radio (Promotions Director)</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Jessie worked at Asbury College (Admissions Counselor) </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Moved to Chicago for six months for Jessie to help an advertising company launch their Chicago location. </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Spent 8 months traveling (New York City, the west coast from Vancouver to San Diego, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico) </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and preparing to move to Korea</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Taught English in Korea for almost 1 1/2 years</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Traveled to the Philippines</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Visited Hawaii </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Visited home for 3 months</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lived in New Zealand for four months</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Traveled to Fiji, Australia, Thailand and Laos</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While in Thailand, volunteered with the Bamboo School and The Well </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Made an overnight trip to Japan</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Back to Korea to teach ESL at Konkuk University for six months</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">February 26th we will fly back to the states with extended stops in LA and Seattle. Will arrive in Detroit on March 16th. </span></span></div><div><br />
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</tbody></table>Jessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09164927358290486380noreply@blogger.com