Inception.

I love the movie Inception.

I've seen it about a billion times.

But sometimes here in south asia, I feel like I'm in the movie.

You know that part in the dream when the person who is dreaming, their subconscious starts to figure out that someone else is constructing the dream and then everyone starts staring at them hardcore?

Welcome to my life everyday. 

Ha. 

It's thoroughly entertaining, really.

This morning I was riding solo (with my hater blockers on), trying to figure out a language route

and it just seemed surreal.

I live in south asia.

Business.

Lionhearted.

Lionhearted means brave and determined.

I'm not quite sure that I have lived up to that thus far in my journey,

but I'm trying.

My second day in my city I read:

"Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you." [Deut.31:6]
I am not alone.
My God is already here and he is at work.
Maybe I can't fully see it just yet, but HE is 'Striding ahead of me'.
I am daily taking comfort in that.




The past few days have been interesting. Tuesday was one of my roommates birthday, so we made apple pie and went over to A & J's for pizza (our weekly girls night) and then the rest of the team came over for cupcakes, pie, popcorn, ice cream, and all kinds of sugary goodness.
We played taboo.
I'm learning to be a game player. I actually hate playing most games but here, we play them a lot because we can't be out at night and we have no internet/tv.
Good times.


Yesterday was the equivalent to 4th of July here. Almost everything was closed all day but big bazar ( think wal-mart) was having a huge sale and I'm pretty sure the whole city was there. It was PACKED. More good times.


I bought some more Kurtas and Dupatas (shirts and scarves).
It was pretty much 3 for the price of one.
I also bought a saree for special occasions. It was 50% so it ended up being about 2 or 3 dollars.


I'm settling into life here and starting to learn some language.
There is no language school here so we pretty much have to just ask anyone we find that speaks both languages how to say things. It's fun though.


We are starting ESL in 2 weeks or so. We are waiting for approval from out site and the lady who does the approving has been out of town.

PR: ESL sight to be approved and for many people to come.

     Language acquisition.

     Open doors for starting henna storying groups.

     That our aroma would be evident to all we meet.

♥ M

It's a Hard Knock Life for us.

I've debated in wether or not I should sugar coat things

and I have decided not to.

It doesn't benefit anyone and sometime I might just need to 

let it out to someone who speaks the same language as me.

I arrived in my city with a pretty significant fever. Not the best way to start anything. I was still sick the next days so my first few days here were spent in bathrooms and in tears.

Even the smallest things, when in other countries, can just make one super emotional.

I hate admitting that but I'm learning.

We don't have internet in our flat which I know will be super good for me but right now it just seems like a freaking thorn in my side. 

But I digress...

Things will get better and I know that I'm going to be learning so much through this whole semester.

So people don't worry about me. 

I press on.

Ciao.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

It's a very common sound here in south Asia.

In fact, probably the most common sound. It's incessant, in fact.

They don't do it to be rude, they generally are not angry, but it's more of letting the person in front of you or next to you that you are there.

So, that makes it a little bit more bearable.

There is also the ever enjoyable sound of random marching bands in the street.

It's winter time here, which is also prime wedding season,

so the bands are numerous.

Even at 4 am.

The past few days have included Old D (which used to be the center of the city), a few places of various worship, and some awesome sisters.

Parts were absolutely heartbreaking and other so sweet we know that they could only be orchestrated by our father.

Yesterday, was a day that K and I went out on our own and we had a few goals to accomplish. We had some costa coffee and that's were we met some sisters. 

They were so sweet! We hung out for a while, we got to yarp together.

One of them is from the state we will be in for the next 6 months and she taught us some of the local language so we will be a bit more prepared when we land.

It's one of our girl's birthday today so we are going out on the town.

Good things are happening and I'm pumped to see what's in store for the rest of my time here.

I won't have a whole lot of time to blog while I'm at orientation but I will fill you guys in on some of the things I experienced in my first full day in south Asia... well at least the things I remember (let-lag is not so kind).

My day started out with some breakfast...

Then we had some fellowship time,

Orientation (which included a few guest speakers),

Authentic and Oh so tasty lunch eaten with my hands (right not left),

The lunch was super spicy so my mom would have loved it and my dad & brother would have gone down in flames.

We got some  great cultural tips from a national,

rode in a rickshaw to a market for some shopping!

Bought some kurtas and dupatas,

ate some Chinese food for dinner,

had an ever interesting rickshaw ride back to the apt,

washed my hair in frigid water ( for the first time since I got here),

and finally went to sleep.

Today will involve more  and more orientation, more yummy food

and some exploring!

Here's to SA!

♥ M

Day One.

We got in last night around 2 ish and got somewhat settled into our apt. for the week.
Starting orientation today. I'll write more later.

I have quite a bit to do in the next two days! Here is a sneak peak:

Take my dad to work ( He has a broken foot and can't drive)

Hang out with Michael

Mail T-shirts

Deposit money at the bank

Make sure the bank won't freeze my account while I'm gone

Use a gift card for some last minute things

Get my last JE shot

Remember to start taking Malaria meds

Take a book back to OCCC

Visit Lysa

Go to Metro and see Lisa and my other gym buddies

Go to the Dentist

See Shaila

Finish cleaning my room ( so my little bro can move in while i'm gone)

Laundry

Shower.. haha

Probably a last minute wal-mart run for things forgotten

Print some pictures

Use my Starbucks gift card

MOPS on Wednesday morning

Make copies of things like my passport, visa, itinerary

and last but not least...

PACK! 

(That probably won't happen until Thursday morning.)

Today, I looked at my flight itinerary for the first time since I got it, which was good because I'm leaving an hour earlier than I thought. Haha

That could have been bad!

♥ M

I'm writing this from the ever exciting Hobart America.

It's the town in which my amazing grandparents reside.

We just ate mexican food (a family fave.) and are now watching the Thunder game.

My grandma LOVES sports.

Mainly OU (anything) and the Thunder. I can't blame her.. I love it too.

Mainly Basketball.

This post is super boring, I know But i've been instructed by a certain person to not talk about the fact that i'm leaving in 5 days.

So  let's chat about running.

You really either love it or hate it.

There is not a whole lot of in between.

I love it.

I'm not super athletic (obviously) but with running it doesn't matter.

You can be young,

Old,

Fat,

Skinny,

fast,

slow,

and it doesn't matter..

Anyone can do it.

And you can do it for your whole life.

You can do it anywhere.

It requires pretty much no equipment.

Just me and the road... and usually my ipod.

I don't have to pay a membership every month,

or worry if i'm in shape enough to show up,

or even think about what i'm wearing.

It's free.

It feels free.

It clears my head.

All i can hear is my heart pounding, my lungs breathing deeply and the faint sound of the black eyed peas in the background.

So, needless to say i'm excited about running in a new place.

It requires getting up early and probably being looked at like i'm crazy

but it's going to be a great way to explore the city I will now call home.

♥ M

Next Thursday I'm  setting off on a 6 month long adventure. 

Not 6 days, or two weeks or even 1 month...

That's 177 days total.

I'm going to a place where I know no one, 

where it smells weird and the food is spicy,

where the water is dirty, 

where squatting is for more than just exercise,

And I'm SO excited. 

The most common question I'm asked is "Are you nervous?"

No, no I'm not.

Not at all.

Is that normal? Probably not BUT

I have the privilege of being a part of what HE is doing among the people of south Asia.

I am going to be smack dab in the middle of HIS will

and there is no place I'd rather be.

♥ M

i ♥ cuppies.

For almost as long as I can remember I have loved cupcakes wayyy more than cake. I think it has something to do with being able to eat them with your hands.  

Since a few days ago was Shaila's B-Day, I decided to make her some cupcakes (everyone needs a frosting coma at least once a year).

I made her fave. FUNfetti.

They were delicious.

But i'm not biased or anything.

I'm still working on my frosting skills and hopefully I will get a pastry bag in the near future to help with the process.

Side note: I leave in 11 days.

Shut up.

That's all.

♥ M

2011

I'm determined to make 2011 great. The past few years, while they have had moments, they overall haven't been anything to write about. I think I'm starting off well considering the first 6 months will be spent elsewhere. 

There is just something wonderfully liberating about being somewhere that is blind to who you have been.

I've got some goals for this year, but i've gone about choosing them differently than previous years. They are more of just things i'd like to accomplish before 25. They don't necessarily have to happen this year, but I'm not opposed to it :)

Here goes...  I want:

... to take more pictures, so I'm going to try and take a picture a day. Nothing fancy or professional, Just a picture of something each day. 

... to read through the bible this year and realize it's not an obligation but a privilege.

...to run a half marathon.

... to read all the books I currently own.

... to bake my way through a cookbook.

... to get a job I love.

... to find a space of my own.

... to take piano lessons.

... to find community.

... And to blog my way through it all.

So, technically these pictures were taken yesterday but I'm counting them for today.

This is Shaila Harris.

She is one of my favorite people in the world and yesterday was her 23rd birthday.

So, we went for (free) lunch at Panera.

Shaila, in my life, is one of those friends that no matter how long it's been since we've talked, we can instantly pick up right where we left off.

We have traveled to Germany and back, lived on separate continent's for one (soon to be two) semesters, shared very small living quarters, taken spontaneous and stupidly long road trips to visit boys we've liked, eaten enough pei wei to turn asian and talked each other out of making ridiculous and rash decisions.

I can easily say my life would look a lot different without her.

♥ Mallory