The Wide Open Door

I wanted to share my good news with everyone! I was offered the Americorps Vista position at Kentucky Refugee Ministries in Lexington. I'm very excited because I will get to work directly with refugees, coordinate the ESL program and cultural orientation, help the refugees find employment and deal with legal forms and documents, and organize volunteer activiities. I will have flexible working hours and my own desk. It sounds WONDERFUL. Of course, the pay is very minimal, but I get direct experience in what I want to do and will be rewarded a hefty education award that I can use for grad school. Plus, the timing will work perfectly for me to start grad school in Fall 09. It really is a huge blessing! I will hopefully start at the beginning of June. I meet with the Vista coordinator on Wednesday to work out the logistics of getting started. I have to fill out all the paperwork and attend a conference in GA. The person before me is leaving before her term officially ends so there is some urgency to get everything done. My schedule at Eastern State Hospital ends in May so I will be able to put in my two weeks notice and not mess up the current schedule, which is good. I'm really happy about my new position and it definitely makes not getting into grad school easier to accept. Hopefully getting relevant experience will strengthen my application. And I can take classes at the Carnegie Center for free (which includes French classes). I am really happy that everything worked out so perfectly!!!

The Open Door

I thoroughly enjoy making plans. Planning my future, planning vacations, planning fun activities. In fact, I often make to do lists, though they usually get lost before the next day. There is just something I appreciate about the mental process of planning. While often this habit keeps me organized, it can sometimes steal my focus from the present to the future. Justin usually balances this problem with his amazing ability to not plan anything and live spontaneously in the moment. Still I sometimes find ways to circumvent the delicate balance of present and future minded living.

I definitely went overboard making preparations for graduate school. I just couldn't stop myself. After submitting my application to the Patterson School, I poured over their website and looked up potential classes I wanted to take. I even started on last year's summer reading list. I didn't do these things because I am the biggest dork in the world (though I guess it is possible), but because I was impatient and love planning my future. From February 1st to the end of March, I anxiously waited to hear back about my application. After the first week of March I would nervously yet routinely check my mailbox after I got home. My friends told me not to worry. I had lots of overseas experience which is key to getting in at the Patterson School.

Fate was not in my corner. The inevitable letter reached my hands the last week of March. Waitlisted. Still a small sliver of hope remained. I really wanted to go to grad school in the fall of 08. Attend the Patterson School. Obtain a Masters in Diplomacy and International Commerce with a focus in International Organizations and Development. Begin my career in Economic Development of third world countries. Again I was forced to wait until April 23rd to discover my grad school outcome. Yet already my resilient mind was making new plans, just in case.

Today is April the 23rd. And I found out that I did not get accepted to the Patterson School for the Fall 08 semester. While this news is obviously disappointing, it is also liberating. I am now free to make more plans. Hopefully plans that will work out. And that are perfect for me to grow and experience life. And just today a new door opened.

I have been volunteering at an organization called Kentucky Refugee Ministries. Two days ago my contact at KRM emailed that she would be finishing her Americorps position and taking a new job. A vacancy at an organization that I would love to work for. So, I emailed her this morning to see if working there would be a possibility. She thinks I would be perfect for the job and I have meeting tomorrow morning to discuss the opportunity. I don't know what will happen but the hope of finding a job I would potentially really enjoy is enough to ease the disappointment about grad school. And motivated me to spend my morning planning about this new open door. Fall 09 just might be the perfect time for me to start grad school.



This is Jeanette, a Burundian refugee. I have been tutoring her in English for about 6 months through KRM.

Why is it wrong to hug trees?

Why do people think it is wrong to hug trees? They are strong and beautiful. They provide us with oxygen, fruit, wood, and paper. Trees are such good things. So why all the tree hate? I don't understand it. I thoroughly enjoy being out in nature. I like riding my bike, hiking, camping, rock climbing, the occasional short run, picnics, skiing (water and snow), sports and many other outdoor activities. I think being outside makes me feel more in tune with nature and also with God. I really enjoy our world in its natural form. Of course, I also appreciate roads and my apartment and the grocery store. These things are good too. I just think we should respect and protect the environment. And if that means hugging trees, I'm ready.

Global warming. Is it real or is it a hoax? I don't really know. I mean, I'm not a scientist. I've read some experts that say it's true and I've seen others deny it. How can you know for sure? Personally, I believe it is true, but I don't know to what degree. The main thing that I think is exciting about global warming is that people are finally paying attention to the environment, myself included. That means more negative action against pollution, fossil fuels, and deforestation and more positive action for recycling, sustainability, and solar energy. I think that it is super. Regardless of global warming and who is causing it, I think we should be respectful of our planet and natural resources. It seems so obvious to me. People take care of their possessions and house so that it will function better, last longer, and be more efficient. Why are some people so inconsiderate of the environment?

Which brings me to my last point. We really need to do more to be energy efficient and leave as little negative environmental footprint as possible. There are lots of ways to do this and I hope you will join me as I learn more about changing my lifestyle to benefit the environment. Some changes Justin and I have made already are reusable bags and containers, unplugging all of our appliances when we aren't using them, energy efficient lightbulbs, biking places, keeping the thermostat lower/higher, recycling most everything, put sand bottles in our toilet, and just considering the impact of our actions by the things we buy and do. It takes awhile to get used to the changes, but it does make me feel like I am positively affecting my environment. You should try it!!!

The Beginning

Most people want to do good things. But often we don't. Why not? Is it laziness, apathy, fear? I don't really know the answer. But I would guess it's probably a combination of many things. And the fact that sometimes the world's problems seem quite distant. I know I have made many excuses to justify my own lack of initiative. But lately I have felt an urging to change. To do something. But even this concept is difficult. Where do you begin? How do you choose a worthy starting point? What are the most critical problems? And what activites really create positive change? It's been a daunting task just to sort through the options. And sometimes I feel overwhelmed by ignorance in the humanitarian realm. I mean, it's easy to have good intentions, but how do you really help people in significant and efficient ways. I need help in understanding how to help.

Living overseas for three years gave me an insightful global perspective that I immensely appreciate. I think everyone who has the opportunity should go overseas at some point in their life. Because of my experiences I do not necessarily think of myself as an American citizen (though this is my heritage), but as a global citizen. My extended relatives are the people who live in the third world countries, the slums and war zones. Indifference to situations of extreme poverty and injustice infuriate me. I believe that human life is precious and worth protecting. Just because someone has the misfortune to have been born into poverty, abuse or injustice does not mean other more fortunate and able individuals should ignore the unfair cruelty. We need to do something about the dire situations that exist in our world.

There are just so many appalling circumstances. Recently, I have started engaging in local politics, contacting grassroots organizations, watching informing documentaries and volunteering with refugees. I have spent a lot of time on the internet trying to research and compare ways to get involved. I want to use my time wisely and there are many ineffective ways to help people. And it is very much a learning process but I feel that I am educating myself. I am also finding places to plug in. And one opportunity usually leads to another. Some ways I have found to live intentionally are through volunteering by teaching English to refugees that recently move to Lexington with Kentucky Refugee Ministries, volunteering and participating in activities with Lexington for Obama, attending my local precinct democratic convention and then being elected as a Committee Chair Women, and trying to start a grassroots advocacy organization called Results in Lexington. And I often feel like the process is slow. I am impatient to see the results of my work, but I have to remind myself that change and improvement often come slowly and through much hard work. So I am content to keep trying. And I want to encourage you to do so as well. We should all be living intentional lives full of challenging ideas, positive action and deep reflection.