Take Me Down to the River to Pray...

Well, well, well.... I am back in Aberdeen, have been since Jan. 13th. The past few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind, but I have survived. : )

I had a wonderful time at home for the Christmas/New Year's holidays. It was refreshing to have a break from school and comforting to simply be at home where I am loved and allowed to just be. There is nothing quite like family. And I certainly needed that time with them after being away for several months.

While I was home my brother proposed to his girlfriend, Maria, so that was pretty exciting. : ) It was a fun evening for all, as he had her parents, our parents, and me helping with various aspects. It was a great success (and a great laugh at certain points!) Here are a few photos from the special night...

They are already busy with the exciting task of preparing for the wedding, which will be in September. I should get to go home a month or so in advance, which I am happy about. I can't miss their special day! Plus I might need another family-fix after another few months away. :)

Let's see...I also got to see several of my friends in the Houston area and up in Belton/Temple/Austin/San Marcos area. I should have just classified that as Central Texas, but I like being specific. So yes- had lots of coffee and meals with people who warm my heart and bring me laughter...it was so good! I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see, but hopefully will be able to see them next time around. I loved getting to meet a couple little babies who were born after I moved here. That was special!

I took up ANY opportunity to drive while I was home. : ) "Do we need milk? I'LL GO GET IT!" It was a blessing to have control of the wheel and take to the open road. I do not, however, miss the busy traffic and the crazy drivers.

It was slightly strange to be home; the 3.5 months I was away just felt like a dream, really. Back to reality, it seemed, when I arrived in Houston. Now that I'm back here in Aberdeen, my time home for Christmas seems like a dream. Funny how that works.

So I am back. Hmmm....mixed emotions galore. I experienced homesickness the first week back like I've never known before. It was tough. Thankfully I had a couple weeks to adjust back into life here before classes started up again. I needed that time but I think it also fostered more loneliness and homesickness than necessary. I don't do well with so much unstructured time on my hands, I've learned. But then again, I really love unstructured days sometimes.

I have enjoyed seeing my friends here again, so that's helped me transition back into a steady state. We started back to class this week, and on Wednesday I nearly packed my bags and said goodbye to the course. I'm much better now, after much encouragement and help from Emmanuel. I am breathing huge sighs of relief every few minutes, as the sources of stress from this week have finally disappeared. My last essay is in and that portion of the course is [hopefully] now behind me, barring any necessary resubmissions.

I should hear soon of where I'll have my placement (internship type experience). I will update you with that when I know something...I am excited to find out where I'll get to put some of this knowledge (no matter how minimal) to use!

I think that's about it for now...here are a few more photos from recent days. I continue to LOVE the river just below me. It has been a source of therapy for me, really. I now read scripture with more appreciation of any mention of 'rivers'. : )

Love to all,

jess

I'm home in ONE WEEK!

I just lost a very fun post...and I would attempt to re-cap, but I need to return to my exciting essay biz. And by exciting, I mean...

I can't wait to hug many of you soon. Until then, I must be a busy beaver (minus the noises).

Toodle-loo!

Happy Feet

In the famous words of Michelle Tanner (from Full House, one of my favorite old shows),

“Hi, people!”

My belly is full on my attempted stir-fry dinner, and I’m settled in for yet another quiet Friday evening. You’re probably questioning why I’m not out on the town, celebrating the weekend. Well, it’s rather simple…I tend to dilly-dally so much during the week that I have to stay in on the weekends! Plus it’s just down right COLD outside tonight. I’d rather stay warm with some hot chocolate and entertained with my Sociology essay, thank you very much. ;)

Don’t worry, I will still get some play time this weekend. There is a holiday market here in Aberdeen, which apparently has some amazing international foods and booths to experience. I plan to go walk around tomorrow for a few hours with a friend or two; I hope to chomp on a good turkey leg or perhaps some haggis meatballs? …or not!

The past couple weeks have been quite good. We had an onslaught of snow last weekend! It was so beautiful for the first day. Then it became a bit of an annoyance! I did manage to enjoy a good romping through it and have thus determined my need for some waterproof shoes. :D

I have managed to complete one essay and have 4 more to complete before I leave for my Christmas vacation. By the way, I am really, REALLY looking forward to being in Texas for a several weeks! (Thanks to some dear friends of mine, this has become possible. Forever grateful am I!)This does not mean I am miserable here by any means, but I surely do miss parts of home. As typically expected, I greatly miss my family and friends, my dog, and certain foods. However, I think my freedom to drive is what I miss most desperately!

Driving was such a huge source of independence for me for so many years. It was great alone time, too. I mean, where else could I sing at the top of my lungs?! Public transportation here is definitely better than in Texas, and I’m thankful for it… I’m just not so sure I could carry out my typical transportational singing with an audience of strangers.

The lack of a car has also helped me better appreciate my feet. And my hands. And my heart, for that matter. If any of those were ‘out of order’ (temporarily or permanently), I would lose even more independence- doing my own grocery shopping. Walking to and from the store does not bother me much, but the more weight in my grocery sacks the more grueling the walk. There is a dear lady who provides me a lift to and from the store from time to time, so I appreciate that. It certainly would be great to have my own vehicle someday, but for now I will continue to happily utilize the feet, hands, and heart I have taken for granted.

Oh! I might have a part-time (we’re talking VERY part-time) job lined up for when I return in January! I interviewed this week with an organization called Inspire, which works with people with varied learning disabilities. It seems to fit perfectly within my social work goals, eh? It sure does. However, the post I would fill is actually just working in their café. : ) I might occasionally have the opportunity to work with the clients, or ‘students’ as they’ve begun calling them as of late. I am glad to just have some sort of work to help keep up with living expenses. I have a trial-run at the café one day this week, and I may or may not work a little before Christmas. We shall see.

I experienced my first Thanksgiving in Scotland, which was quite a thrill! We had tons of good food and even more laughs. I was slightly embarrassed, though, when I couldn’t give a completely accurate description of why Americans celebrate such a holiday… needless to say, I didn’t manage to clear up their assumption that it’s all about food. Oops.

You can see a few photos of my Scottish Thanksgiving and other exciting moments by going here.

I have experienced lots of joy lately, and I am absolutely thankful for that. But I am feeling such sadness from the sights and sounds in the news…the happenings in the Congo, India, Thailand, the middle East, and back home- the Black Friday sad stories, as one recent example. This world is experiencing such extreme things. Does any of it surprise our Creator? No, I don’t think it surprises Him…but I imagine it grieves Him, too.

I take comfort and re-gain hope when I remember that there is a day coming when all pain and strife will be gone, all wars and lies will cease. [Blessed are those who call on the Lord Jesus.]

“Swing wide the glimmering gates…leave your pride and pain…swing wide the glimmering gates, and be innocent again…” (andrew osenga)

New-found Path(s)

I have several items to cross off my weekend to-do list and only a few short hours of the weekend remain. So, why not pull aside and blog for a few minutes? : )

I have had a very tiring couple of weeks since I last posted about the snow. (It evaporated just as quickly as it had fallen, by the way.) I have finally come to the realization, or finally accepted, that graduate school is a whole different story than my college/undergraduate years. In this story are such chapters as: Sleep Deprivation Taken Up a Notch; No Time for Toe-nails (and other pseudo-hygienic matters); What Day is It?; and Progressive Caffeine Addiction.

In all seriousness, though, I did get to meet with my personal tutor (advisor) last week, and she helped point me in the right direction for my remaining 5 weeks (?!?!) of the first-year lecture sessions. I am very, very thankful for this direction, as I have felt so incredibly incapable of this self-guided study/research stuff.

To give you an idea of what we're doing...

- We have 8 different social work-related subject areas in which we receive lectures and have seminars each week. (the seminars are to discuss what we are "learning")

- We have NO exams, which sounds great but not once you realize...

- ...we are required to submit essays for our assessments, one for each of the subject areas, between Dec. 1st and January 31st (roughly). And then there are a few weeks provided to "re-sit" the assessments if we fail the first time around. (that's the scary part.) The essays incorporate what we've been taught in each area and an application to a case study- basically a hypothetical family who has LOTS of problems we can address with all our new knowledge!

- We then do stuff after Christmas until March/April to prepare us for practice, when we go for a Placement within a certain social work agency (basically like an internship)

- Then we start over again next fall for one more round of the above, from what I understand.

So, the main thing on my academic plate is researching loads of information on the 8 subject areas: Social Work Theory and Practice, Professional Ethics, Research Methods, Sociology, Social Psychology, Development and Behavior, Law, and Social Policy. I enjoy most of these areas, but I feel like we don't have nearly enough time to really dive in to the material; we're just skimming the surface and, I suppose, we will go deeper as we get into our practice time.

I currently feel lots of support from most of my classmates and our lecturers, which is improvement from previous week- I had felt so on my own and scared of the upcoming essays! We are finding it truly helps to discuss with each other what we're learning and about our essay assignments. Amazing how helpful it can be to just open my mouth, ask questions, share ideas, etc... : D

I am still greatly enjoying the Scottish aspect of being here. In fact I went on a brief, exploratory walk this afternoon. For the 2+ months I've been here I have wanted to find a way down to the river, and I've been curious if there's a path to walk along. Sure enough there is a nice little path and it will see my nice little (ha) feet a lot more now that I know it exists! I had such a refreshing time this afternoon, walking along the River Dee and stopping every few inches for some photographic fun. Here are a few shots I like the best...

all the colors are so vibrant right now! I really wish they could remain throughout the winter, but I am told that is unlikely ;)



I know, it's pathetic to take one's own picture, but how else could I prove that I really did brave the bitter cold to find a new walking path and take some pictures?! (my hands were red and swollen after coming inside...next time I will be smart and take my gloves!)

I must end here, as my tasks have not magically disappeared as I was sooo hoping they would. I will leave you with a fun-fact: the Scottish version of our 'John Doe' is apparently 'Joe Blogs'.

Yep!

Love love love,

jess : )

"Oh! the snow, the beautiful snow, Filling the sky and earth below, Over the housetops, over the street, Over the heads of the people you meet. Dancing, Flirting, Skimming along."

J.W. Watson

Greetings from the wintry north! I just had to hop on here and share the latest with you- it snowed this morning! And I got to see it in action! I didn't manage to take a photo while it was falling, but here is a shot from outside my window just a few moments ago. The snow is already melting from the beautiful sunshine we have this morning. Ahhh, what a special day.

I wish I could sit here and update you on every little bit of my past days but that would take several hours; I only have a few minutes between classes right now to eat some yummy soup and be "productive". : )

But to catch up briefly, I have re-discovered the extreme commitment required for university success. It has been quite distressing at moments, and I have had to re-prioritize a little bit; my say-yes-to-every-opportunity tendency from back home has to die. If I am spread too thin, I don't have much to offer to people, my course, or God- with whom I desperately need time and nurturing.

My days have slowed down a bit since re-organizing and minimizing my commitments; I have gotten into a better routine, although I still struggle with time management. Maybe someday I will really get it...

I am getting very interested in the things I'm learning in our classes, but I often find myself more concerned with my course mates- the lives they are living and the eternal uncertainty they hold. Knowing when to speak and when to be silent is a big question mark for me right now. When something is so special, so central to my life, I can't help but want to offer it to them. But when someone puts up their hands saying, "No thanks, I'm fine", what more can I do but pray? Hmmm...

I know there is a number of you reading who may not really be on the same page, and that's okay. This is a big part of my days here, so I want to share. And as much as I'd like to be more focused on the 'task at hand', I can't help but see the people around me, in their need for true LIFE. Jesus, and only Jesus, is the way, the truth, and the life. His words, not mine. I have found them to be so true.

Anyway, I continue to enjoy each aspect of this experience. As I sensed in the 'dreaming years' before coming here, there are still issues within me and this world is still in sad shape; my location has not made those things go away. But I am so thankful for the blessing of being here.

Some highlights are seeing dogs almost every day, out with their owners for a walk or play...observing little children on the buses or in shops with their parents...learning all the Scottish terms and phrases that are odd but sensible...hearing the wind outside my window, seeing the leaves on the ground from the wind's effects...

Arg, I really need to go for now. I know this blog update is random and not very coherent, but I just had to share my excitement of the snow with you. : ) Maybe next time it will be enough to make a snowman. I'll keep you informed.

With my love and a big smile,

jess

Aberdonian Sights, Smells, and...People

It is now only one week away from being one month since I last wrote an update on my blog. My intention to update several times each week has, obviously, been overtaken by other things. I wish there was some sort of device for recording all the things I see and hear on a daily basis and a way to transfer the images and sounds to you. (I know, a video camera would do just that, and it's simple enough to transfer via internet; but do you really expect me to carry one around everywhere and at all times, and then to spend my time uploading and e-mailing video files? Surely there's a better way...?)


I would like to aim for more frequent updates, though, so I may end up typing out the various things I experience from day to day even if they are interesting only to me.


To catch you up briefly, here's a quick summary of my past [nearly one] month:

• I have become very creative with my meals. Some of you may think I was already 'creative' enough before coming here, but the creativity is now even better (or worse!) For instance, I am currently eating my dinner (or "supper" or "tea" or "the third meal of the day"...) which consists of store-bought mushroom/cheese tortellini, suger-snapped peas, and red and yellow peppers, tossed with my favorite moisturizer: Olive Oil. ;) I have always been keen on "one-dish" meals, so this turned out great (except I used 3 different dishes to cook the one-dish meal.) Omelettes have become a favorite, for sure- deli turkey, peppers (again) and shredded cheese make the perfect combination with eggs, of course. Mom, I am thankful you have made so many omelettes over the years; otherwise I might be stuck with plain, boring, scrambled eggs! I have also had my fair share of Wheat Thins and Oreos as of late, thanks to my dear friend, Kristine. It was like Christmas to open up that package!


• Enough about food. It's really not all that exciting, unless I discover a new concoction that tastes so good. Mochas also taste good here, just as yummy as in America. Shoot. I was hoping to get off caffeine and save some pennies! I solved the latter today by finally purchasing a coffee maker for the flat. I will now have no excuse to buy that tasty mocha at school during breaks.


• I have received confirmation about how much Scots love their booze. And cigarettes. Oh, the glorious sounds and smells...


• Onto brighter things, we now have a 5th girl in our flat. The Irish gal never showed up but we are blessed with a beautiful Nigerian singer. This morning I awoke to her singing along to Kirk Franklin. : ) She is fun and I think we will become good pals.
  
• I have met LOTS of people, all so interesting in their own right. I have had to swallow pride and ask for directions on numerous occasions, which has repeatedly led to great conversations with folks. Aside from the various smells I generally enjoy riding the buses here. One of the most unexpected yet flattering things I have heard so far was, "Why, that's the most beautiful accent I've heard all day! Where do ya come from?" If you could hear the voice in my head, you just might find more humor in that statement!


• I have been getting to know a couple of girls, in particular, who are both from Germany. I greatly enjoy their company and I know God crossed our paths for good reasons. There are several other internationals I've met but I haven't had much time with them yet. I am glad to be in such an international city!


• Most importantly, I suppose- I started my course on the 23rd of September. It has been great so far. We're receiving loads of information which is somewhat overwhelming, but I feel okay about it overall. There is an unusual but neat sense of unity in our group of 30+ students; we all seem to be in this together and supportive of one another despite the different walks of life we represent. I think I am right on track so far; I met with my "personal tutor" yesterday afternoon, and I got the impression that she approves of my progress up to this point. Good!


• My time to explore has really become limited since beginning the course. I am somewhat sad about that, but I know I will have plenty of time here to venture out and see the beauty of natural Scotland. I did get to take a couple of hiking trips, though. Here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure.... the first two are at Bennachie hill with Phil and Toto (and baby Esther), good friends here in Aberdeen; the other two are at Scolty Hill in Banchory, and the girl in the photo with me is Susanne, one of the German friends I mentioned earlier.

I have TONS more pictures here, if you'd like to see more of the Scotland I've seen so far. : )

I really need to sign off for now and work on school stuff. Blah. I DO actually enjoy the course, I am just "knackered" this evening and still need to read a few things before bed, hence the 'blah. ;)

I think that is the main stuff from my previous days that you might want to know. I will try to write again in a few DAYS, not months! Let me know if there are specific things you want to hear about. Before I forget, here are just a few pics of the flat (and a beautiful view from the top of the tower/my castle... : )

the lovely blue sphere in the middle of our flat- the first thing seen when walking in. purpose? I haven't a clue. Although it does house our two toilets. My room is the lighter-blue door to the left. There are 5 rooms within the circular hallway, I guess it would be called?

the kitchen- actually quite spacious, thankfully! And it has a perfect view of the river. I'm glad I am tall enough to see out those windows!

one corner of my room- hard to get a good shot of the room...it's just so small and my camera can't seem to get the right range. I will put more photos of the room on that same Picasa album linked above

the best part of living here! I wish I could say this is the view from my window, but it's actually from the very top of the tower where we have a kind of observation deck.

Alrighty, folks. I miss each of you in big ways. The homesickness has been minimal thus far, which I'm thankful for, but I still miss friends, family, and my little Bonnie dog. :) For now I will embrace the sights, the smells, and the people here in Aberdeen.

Room for One in Garthdee Castle

Well, I'm here now- here at my final destination, that is. I stayed in Elgin for about 10 days before coming down and over to Aberdeen: the grey city of the north. ; )

I am beyond thrilled to be here. I get to live in a castle, of all places! Okay, so it's not deemed a castle in the eyes of historians, but I deem it so. The grounds around my castle are lovely- just like something out of a movie. It's very quiet and peaceful. Have a look-see!

view from the kitchen

My room is on the second floor (or first floor, to be correct), and you can see one of my windows- it's the open one all the way to the right. I have two windows that look out to pure beauty. One displays trees and a grassy area, and the other displays trees, shrubs, and the River Dee! I had been hoping all along for a view of the river. My room is part of a 5 bedroom flat-type-arrangement. It's rather odd looking upon entry...there is a huge, blue sphere going through the middle of the flat. I suppose it encases pipes and such, and there are two toilets (bathrooms) located in the weird sphere. So maybe it's not completely pointless like I thought at first. [I will eventually post some pictures of the interior with some of my room. I am waiting until I get it more tidy; I would be embarrassed to display photos of such disorganization!]

I will have 4 flatmates; 2 of them are here already, and 2 more should arrive sometime this week. So far we have China, Scotland, and America represented. I think the other two are Chinese and Irish. It should be a fun, international girls' club. No boys allowed. ;) We hear enough of them upstairs. *Sigh*

The two girls that are here are very nice. The Scottish gal, Jo, must have come in today while I was out; she came into the kitchen (we all share this, but have our own showers) and said, "Well I'm glad to see someone is actually here!" The Chinese girl barely leaves her room, so I guess Jo felt like a lone ranger. It was good to meet her. She is here to study graphic design. Neat girl. I hope to connect with her.

The reason I feel like I'm in castle is more than just the circular tower- when the Mings and Kelli dropped me off yesterday, we went exploring and found the top floor of the tower to be a neat lounge area. We stepped outside the lounge area and there is a pathway of rocks along the cirle of the building, and there is a wall about shoulder-high. We could see the river even better from there! It truly felt like a fortress. What a wonderful picture to remind me that God is my refuge; I can run to Him and be safe.

So I like to think of my new place as a castle. After all, I am a princess in the King's eyes.

It has been a tiring couple of days since getting to Aberdeen. I had lots of help getting some essential living items from ASDA (same as Wal-Mart, except two stories and tons of Scottish folk). While getting situated in my room I kept adding items to my list of things to get. I forgot how taxing it can be to get set up in a new place- we forget the tiny yet essential things like salt and pepper, or laundry detergent, or even toilet paper. The hardest room to equip is the kitchen! My goodness, my brain is exhausted from trying to think through what is needed on a daily basis. All they provided for us were 3 pots, a frying pan, and cutting boards, which I'm thankful for but...

So with my list I walked down to the nearest possible grocery store (nearest possible anything, really). I was glad to discover it only took 15 minutes to walk there, however I still struggled to make it there and back without pain or a rapid heartbeat. Consider that I have 2 recyclable bags to carry my purchases in 2 hands. I quickly realized how much I took for granted the blessing of a car back home! I will get my rear in shape after just a few weeks of living here, that's for sure. And it helps me limit what I buy at the store; I constantly have to look at my collection of items to be purchased to make sure I will be able to carry it home. Did I mention it's an uphill return walk? :)

Oh, there is a good bus system; there is just no point to ride the one mile between my flat and the store(s). I do plan to use the buses for other outings- church is about a 20-minute CAR ride, so you can imagine the hours it would take on foot! Union Street is the main drag in Aberdeen, which I could walk to if no other option but I plan to depend on the bus for most visits to that area- still a minimum of 30 minutes away on foot.

Enough of the complaining. Actually I'm not really complaining, just sharing the humorous discoveries in the first two days of life here. I am learning to adjust to the differences and trying to embrace them. So far nothing has been too difficult to embrace, except for having to walk more than I have in my entire life! Also, it will take me a while to get used to opening 3 locked doors before actually reaching my room. Perhaps the distant laundry room- with only 2 machines for 50 residents- will take some time, too. Hmmm....

I have really enjoyed being with all the people around here so far, learning how to live like them in some ways. I am learning that I don't have to conform to everything Scots do. But I know it blesses them when internationals try to honor them, their culture and traditions, as silly as I think certain things are. :) Overall I appreciate and love the life here. I will have to save that topic for another day.

I will end this for now. Props to those who stuck with it to the end. I will try not to write such long posts from here out. I cannot promise that..I am so inclined to add every last detail to my explanations.

Until next time I will be here, setting up my room for one in this cozy Garthdee castle.