I enjoyed the half semester long assignment to blog daily, although I was playing catch up from the beginning. In my 27 years, I've written no more than 20 journal entries, most of which were written at a young age. This assignment doubled my overall journal count.
One of the most difficult things for me while writing entries during this assignment was not over-editing what I was writing. This became less of an issue as the semester progressed, due in part to being more confident in my writing, as well as realizing that not every sentence I write has to be perfect.
Another difficulty I had was keeping up with the blog entries. Due to over-analyzing my writing, especially a few weeks ago early in the assignment, the entries took longer than the suggested 20 minutes. So when I'd skip a few days, it became even more difficult to get caught up. But as my writing has become more fluent, and editing more scarce, catching up became more easy.
I enjoyed the aspect of reading the blogs of my classmates. Online classes sounded very impersonal to me at first, but I feel like I know the others in this class quite well after reading their blogs.
Another thing I liked was knowing that everyone reading my blog was a fellow student. In that sense, it was like a Toastmasters for writing, where I was writing in a place where I could feel comfortable (apart from the fact that I had a professor who might read the blog!).
Something that I didn't enjoy was coming up with topics. There are a lot of topics I find interesting, but many of them would be boring for others to read or would be too long. In the end, through a mixture of predetermined topics and personal experiences, I wrote all 25.
The biggest area in which I've changed as a result of blogging this semester is that, as stated before, I don't worry as much anymore about critiquing everything I write to pieces. Writing is an art, which means there's not just one way to do it.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Faroe Islands (Part 1)
I was born in a place called the Faroe Islands, located in the North Atlantic. My dad was born in Denmark, the mother country of the Faroes. He grew up in the Faroes, though, where all his family is from.
Since I was a baby, I've only been back to the Faroes a few times.
The first time going back to the Faroes after we moved to the U.S. in 93' was in 95'. My little brother had just been born, and my dad's family hadn't seen him yet. We went again a year later for my dad's brother's wedding. Since it's been so long, those two visits have melded together in my mind. I have many memories of those trips. We flew through Boston and London one year, and Baltimore and Iceland the next. I remember being in awe of how big the planes were. Everything seems so big when you're a kid. Though, to be fair, I've only flown on domestic flights since 01', so those flights were much bigger in comparison.
The only airport in the Faroes is on a smaller island than the two main ones, and I remember having to take the ferry from the island to one of the main islands where my grandparents lived.
While there, we hiked up the mountains surrounding the village where my grandparents lived. Back when pirates would raid the Faroes, the villagers from this island would hike up to the mountains and roll rocks down on the pirates, Swiss Family Robinson style! I remember rolling a big rock down and wonder if it hit any of the houses below.
My grandpa used to own lots of sheep, which he had on a mountain quite a ways from his house. I remember going out to shear the sheep, and losing my brand new jacket that I'd just gotten while back in the U.S. for the trip.
One evening in my grandparents' basement we were making paper boats, when a siren went off. Every year there are certain times when whales will make their way into the fjord by the village. (For those who don't know, a fjord is like the water version of a peninsula - water surrounded on three sides by land.) The men went out with their boats, and before long there were dozens of gutted whales on the beach.
Every year the Faroes has a large summer festival, called Ólavsøka. We were able to make it one of those years. I remember walking the streets of the capital, where the festival is held, picking up empty bottles. We would later sell those bottles to the local store in my grandparents' village, Fuglafjørður, where we would make only a few krónur (the Faroese currency) for all our efforts. But at the festival, we unknowingly went into the front yard of a house and found a full 6 pack of unopened beer. We remember thinking that we could actually make decent money for once. But my dad's older brother had an affinity for alcohol, and he forced us to give it to him. We were both pretty bummed.
On the way back from the Faroes the second time, we had a connecting flight in Iceland. Our flight was overbooked, so the airline offered to pay a certain amount per person that would be willing to miss the flight, as well as put them up in a nice hotel. Since we had some extra time, we decided to take them up on it and enjoy Iceland. My dad had some relatives that lived there, so they showed us around. We went to a rotating restaurant called Perlan. I also remember getting tons of candy at a store, though it's kind of sad that I'd remember something like that.
The best part of our stay was definitely going to the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa just south of Reykjavík. I remember taking forever to go from the locker to the spa (which is really more the size of a large pond). It was so cold outside, but once I got the courage to face the cold, I was welcomed by the 100 F water.
Part 2
Since I was a baby, I've only been back to the Faroes a few times.
The first time going back to the Faroes after we moved to the U.S. in 93' was in 95'. My little brother had just been born, and my dad's family hadn't seen him yet. We went again a year later for my dad's brother's wedding. Since it's been so long, those two visits have melded together in my mind. I have many memories of those trips. We flew through Boston and London one year, and Baltimore and Iceland the next. I remember being in awe of how big the planes were. Everything seems so big when you're a kid. Though, to be fair, I've only flown on domestic flights since 01', so those flights were much bigger in comparison.
The only airport in the Faroes is on a smaller island than the two main ones, and I remember having to take the ferry from the island to one of the main islands where my grandparents lived.
While there, we hiked up the mountains surrounding the village where my grandparents lived. Back when pirates would raid the Faroes, the villagers from this island would hike up to the mountains and roll rocks down on the pirates, Swiss Family Robinson style! I remember rolling a big rock down and wonder if it hit any of the houses below.
My grandpa used to own lots of sheep, which he had on a mountain quite a ways from his house. I remember going out to shear the sheep, and losing my brand new jacket that I'd just gotten while back in the U.S. for the trip.
One evening in my grandparents' basement we were making paper boats, when a siren went off. Every year there are certain times when whales will make their way into the fjord by the village. (For those who don't know, a fjord is like the water version of a peninsula - water surrounded on three sides by land.) The men went out with their boats, and before long there were dozens of gutted whales on the beach.
Every year the Faroes has a large summer festival, called Ólavsøka. We were able to make it one of those years. I remember walking the streets of the capital, where the festival is held, picking up empty bottles. We would later sell those bottles to the local store in my grandparents' village, Fuglafjørður, where we would make only a few krónur (the Faroese currency) for all our efforts. But at the festival, we unknowingly went into the front yard of a house and found a full 6 pack of unopened beer. We remember thinking that we could actually make decent money for once. But my dad's older brother had an affinity for alcohol, and he forced us to give it to him. We were both pretty bummed.
On the way back from the Faroes the second time, we had a connecting flight in Iceland. Our flight was overbooked, so the airline offered to pay a certain amount per person that would be willing to miss the flight, as well as put them up in a nice hotel. Since we had some extra time, we decided to take them up on it and enjoy Iceland. My dad had some relatives that lived there, so they showed us around. We went to a rotating restaurant called Perlan. I also remember getting tons of candy at a store, though it's kind of sad that I'd remember something like that.
The best part of our stay was definitely going to the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa just south of Reykjavík. I remember taking forever to go from the locker to the spa (which is really more the size of a large pond). It was so cold outside, but once I got the courage to face the cold, I was welcomed by the 100 F water.
Part 2
Faroe Islands (Part 2)
After my grandpa passed away in 01', my dad and I went back there. Since there were 7 kids by that time, my dad could only afford to bring one of us with him. Since I was named after his dad, Kristian, I was the lucky one that got to go.
This trip wasn't as happy as the other times, as it was obviously focused on my grandpa's funeral. Like before, there was a lot of visiting of relatives (my dad seems to be related to half the people in the Faroes). There were a few things I did this time that I didn't do before, like go watch a national football (soccer) game. I still remember this really cute girl who I was flirting with. A few days later my dad and I were on board Logos II, a large boat visiting the islands, and there she was again. I remember being very happy about seeing here again, but also remember thinking just how small these islands were if I could see the same person twice in a week at random locations.
The Faroes have changed drastically since I went there last. Of course, technology is something that has advanced drastically since then. Everyone there seems to have a phone by the time they're 13.
There are also some new underwater tunnels, in addition to the numerous mountain tunnels from before. These two new tunnels connect the airport island to the main island where the capital is located. The other tunnel connects from nearby my dad's home village to the second largest village on the islands.
Although we've talked about going back over the past decade, there's always been the financial issue of bringing 10+ people to the Faroes (which is easily $1K+/person). But my dad proposed a plan a few weeks that could allow us to go next summer. His mother is in her upper 70's, so he'd like to go back as a family one more time before she passes. She's been here several times over the years, most recently last year with my dad's younger brother and his family.
I really hope we can go as a family next year, though if it doesn't happen, I'll likely go with my future wife and family someday.
This trip wasn't as happy as the other times, as it was obviously focused on my grandpa's funeral. Like before, there was a lot of visiting of relatives (my dad seems to be related to half the people in the Faroes). There were a few things I did this time that I didn't do before, like go watch a national football (soccer) game. I still remember this really cute girl who I was flirting with. A few days later my dad and I were on board Logos II, a large boat visiting the islands, and there she was again. I remember being very happy about seeing here again, but also remember thinking just how small these islands were if I could see the same person twice in a week at random locations.
The Faroes have changed drastically since I went there last. Of course, technology is something that has advanced drastically since then. Everyone there seems to have a phone by the time they're 13.
There are also some new underwater tunnels, in addition to the numerous mountain tunnels from before. These two new tunnels connect the airport island to the main island where the capital is located. The other tunnel connects from nearby my dad's home village to the second largest village on the islands.
Although we've talked about going back over the past decade, there's always been the financial issue of bringing 10+ people to the Faroes (which is easily $1K+/person). But my dad proposed a plan a few weeks that could allow us to go next summer. His mother is in her upper 70's, so he'd like to go back as a family one more time before she passes. She's been here several times over the years, most recently last year with my dad's younger brother and his family.
I really hope we can go as a family next year, though if it doesn't happen, I'll likely go with my future wife and family someday.
Woodcutting
My parents and cousin have wood stove that they use during the winter, so I helped them today at my parents' house with cutting up wood. I got up at 7:30 this morning, after 5 hours of sleep. Due to my school workload, I've been up late every night this week doing homework. For this reason, and specifically because finals is next week, I told my parents that I could only work until noon on the wood.
We started working by 8:00. The goal was to start fairly early, to avoid the heat. But it was hot from the start. My dad, twin, cousin, and I worked the whole time, with my little brother and cousin helping for awhile.
We used a hydraulic log splitter. I'd used one before, and am always impressed by how many man hours are saved by its usage. There are always logs that are more easily cut than others, but overall, most would be much more difficult just using an axe. The splitter was pretty solid - roughly 400 lbs. The logs would be set vertically underneath a large wedge, which would then be hydraulically pressed down until the log was split. The logs ranged from 8 inches to well over 2 feet in diameter. The average log was about 18 inches in diameter, and had to be cut 4 or 8 separate times. The largest logs had to be cut over 20 times. We'd first split them in half, and then keep going until they were small enough to fit into a regular wood burning stove.
We took a break at 10:30, and then didn't break for the rest of the day. During the break, we had a dessert from where I was born, which helped keep us fueled for the rest of the time!
We finished at 3:00, several hours after I was wanting to stop. But we got a lot of work done. My cousin estimated that we have enough wood for 2 or 3 seasons between my family and his. It's worth it for me, as I hate cold weather as much as anyone else there. Now if I can just get a lot of homework done to make up for getting finished later than expected!
We started working by 8:00. The goal was to start fairly early, to avoid the heat. But it was hot from the start. My dad, twin, cousin, and I worked the whole time, with my little brother and cousin helping for awhile.
We used a hydraulic log splitter. I'd used one before, and am always impressed by how many man hours are saved by its usage. There are always logs that are more easily cut than others, but overall, most would be much more difficult just using an axe. The splitter was pretty solid - roughly 400 lbs. The logs would be set vertically underneath a large wedge, which would then be hydraulically pressed down until the log was split. The logs ranged from 8 inches to well over 2 feet in diameter. The average log was about 18 inches in diameter, and had to be cut 4 or 8 separate times. The largest logs had to be cut over 20 times. We'd first split them in half, and then keep going until they were small enough to fit into a regular wood burning stove.
We took a break at 10:30, and then didn't break for the rest of the day. During the break, we had a dessert from where I was born, which helped keep us fueled for the rest of the time!
We finished at 3:00, several hours after I was wanting to stop. But we got a lot of work done. My cousin estimated that we have enough wood for 2 or 3 seasons between my family and his. It's worth it for me, as I hate cold weather as much as anyone else there. Now if I can just get a lot of homework done to make up for getting finished later than expected!
Friday, July 17, 2015
Summer School
Before this semester, I'd never had a summer class before. But it always seemed to me that taking summer classes made a lot of sense, because it could lead to an accelerated graduation date, or at least an easier class load later on when the classes are more difficult.
Now that I'm just one week shy of completing a 12 credit hour summer semester, I can say from experience that summer classes are an excellent option for someone that is willing to put in the time. Perhaps that tone will change over the next week of finals, but a crammed week of homework assignments leading up to the end is par for the course for any semester (at least for me, anyway).
The classes I took this summer consisted of my first online class. This made it really nice for me, as I typically had Physics or Calculus homework or tests during the week. But the homework for the online class, English 101, was mostly due over the weekends. Now, it's likely that I would have turned in the homework as late as I did even had I no other classes, just because that's how I roll!
If someone were considering taking summer classes, I'd suggest an online class because of how flexible the classes typically are. Early in the semester I went to Mexico for 10 days. My Physics professor allowed me to take the time off class, though I know if it'd been a regular semester he likely wouldn't have. Of course, if it'd been a regular semester, then 10 days wouldn't have mattered in the class as much (6 hours of Physics per week vs. 12 in summer). But as long as permission is granted before the semester starts, as I got, then taking off shouldn't be a big issue.
In summary, if anyone were to ask me what I thought about summer classes I'd say, if you want to make future semesters easier, and don't care about spending time in class during a couple summer months, then you should seriously consider summer classes!
Now that I'm just one week shy of completing a 12 credit hour summer semester, I can say from experience that summer classes are an excellent option for someone that is willing to put in the time. Perhaps that tone will change over the next week of finals, but a crammed week of homework assignments leading up to the end is par for the course for any semester (at least for me, anyway).
The classes I took this summer consisted of my first online class. This made it really nice for me, as I typically had Physics or Calculus homework or tests during the week. But the homework for the online class, English 101, was mostly due over the weekends. Now, it's likely that I would have turned in the homework as late as I did even had I no other classes, just because that's how I roll!
If someone were considering taking summer classes, I'd suggest an online class because of how flexible the classes typically are. Early in the semester I went to Mexico for 10 days. My Physics professor allowed me to take the time off class, though I know if it'd been a regular semester he likely wouldn't have. Of course, if it'd been a regular semester, then 10 days wouldn't have mattered in the class as much (6 hours of Physics per week vs. 12 in summer). But as long as permission is granted before the semester starts, as I got, then taking off shouldn't be a big issue.
In summary, if anyone were to ask me what I thought about summer classes I'd say, if you want to make future semesters easier, and don't care about spending time in class during a couple summer months, then you should seriously consider summer classes!
Thursday, July 16, 2015
College So Far...
Over Christmas break of 13', I was laid off of the job that I'd had for 5 years. Over the next few months, I decided to go school for Mechanical Engineering. Since it'd been 10 years since I'd finished Algebra, I got brushed up over last summer. And since I'd never taken Trigonometry before, I hurriedly taught myself the basics the week before taking the Compass placement test offered here at OTC. Thankfully my scores were high enough to place me directly into Calc I.
In the fall of last year, I started school for the first time. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of only taking Calc. I'd thought that I would be able to CLEP out of Chemistry, English, and Economics. Come to find out... without imminent deadlines, it's really difficult for me to get motivated about studying. Also, after it was too late, I realized that the Chemistry CLEP test covered Chem I and II, but only gave credit for Chem I. My lack of motivation to test out of the other classes led to taking 20 hours in the fall. And in order to make up, I'm taking 12 hours now in the summer. I'm still behind on a few general education classes, which I'll be taking this fall. But I'm ahead in some core classes, as I'm taking Physics II and Calc III now. This will allow me to take some classes in the fall that require those classes.
It's turning out to be a blessing that I still have gen eds to take, as a lot of the classes that I need to take next aren't available until the spring. Among those classes are a few from MSU and MS&T. So my fall is currently looking really light on classes (relative to my other semesters this year, at least). In the spring, though, I'll be tested even more that I've been the past two semesters. I'm planning to take 20+ hours, including 3 junior level engineering classes. But I believe that with enough determination and sleepless nights, it's possible!
In the fall of last year, I started school for the first time. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of only taking Calc. I'd thought that I would be able to CLEP out of Chemistry, English, and Economics. Come to find out... without imminent deadlines, it's really difficult for me to get motivated about studying. Also, after it was too late, I realized that the Chemistry CLEP test covered Chem I and II, but only gave credit for Chem I. My lack of motivation to test out of the other classes led to taking 20 hours in the fall. And in order to make up, I'm taking 12 hours now in the summer. I'm still behind on a few general education classes, which I'll be taking this fall. But I'm ahead in some core classes, as I'm taking Physics II and Calc III now. This will allow me to take some classes in the fall that require those classes.
It's turning out to be a blessing that I still have gen eds to take, as a lot of the classes that I need to take next aren't available until the spring. Among those classes are a few from MSU and MS&T. So my fall is currently looking really light on classes (relative to my other semesters this year, at least). In the spring, though, I'll be tested even more that I've been the past two semesters. I'm planning to take 20+ hours, including 3 junior level engineering classes. But I believe that with enough determination and sleepless nights, it's possible!
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Internet Speed
Not even 20 years ago, this wouldn't have been a concern for most people in America. It probably still isn't today, though for different reasons. Today, most people have access to very quick internet speeds for only a small monthly fee. But for people that live in the country, like my parents, internet connectivity can be a big issue. My parents' house isn't even technically in the country, as it's only 5 minutes from the intersection of I-44 and Hwy 65. Since we live in a valley, though, that causes internet connection to be very slow at times, and sometimes to not work altogether.
My dad is a self-employed insurance salesman, and works a lot from home on his computer. Spotty internet service makes his life more difficult, as it slows him down drastically (it really is quite slow overall). The same can be said for me, as I often study at home after getting back from school in the evenings.
The internet has seemingly gotten worse of late, causing several of us to turn off wi-fi on our phones when we're home. This, in turn, has cause issues with our phone plan. We are on a Verizon family plan, on which we're limited to 5 gigabytes of data per month. This billing cycle we've already used over 90%, though there are still 8 days remaining. We've obviously made corrections so we don't continue on this course, but if it weren't for our slow internet, we wouldn't be having this issue.
We had a few internet companies come out this past week, to see if they could find a remedy. Basically, in order for satellite to work well, there has to be direct line of sight to a tower. And since we live in a valley, that's hard to get. As of now, the internet providers have all said that it would cost an exorbitant amount of money to get fast internet at the house, so I guess we'll just suck it up for now.
So I suppose if you're ever looking for a house in the country, make sure you check the internet connection. In my parents' previous house their internet was fast, but cell phone reception was bad. They just can't win!
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Sleeplessness
For most of my life, I've suffered from the inability to sleep when surrounded by any amounts of light or inconsistent noise. I get it from my mom, who has to have a noise machine on at nights in order to have a great sleep. And even then, it's not always enough. My dad can fall asleep on a moment's notice, for which I envy him.
There are a few times when being unable to sleep comes in handy, such as when on a long drive in the car. There have been times when I've driven over 20 hours straight through the night, and even though extremely tired, I knew I wouldn't doze off. Contrast this with my twin brother who fell asleep at the wheel when he and I were on I-44 years ago. Fortunately, we only side swiped a guy in a van, though his ability to sleep too well could have had disastrous effects.
This can also come in handy when having to stay up late to finish homework. There have been multiple nights when I've had to study well into the night in order to complete an assignment due the next morning. Of course that could lead into a whole other topic about procrastination, but I'll not go there.
Often my sleeplessness is the worst when there are things I'm struggling with, whether school, work, or relationally related. When I had my first test of my first college class last fall, I didn't fall asleep until 8 hours after I'd initially lied down. This led to 1 hour of sleep that night, causing me to be quite tired for the test. The same thing happened again during finals week, as I'd be going over Calculus problems in my head. Thankfully I've become more conditioned to tests, so that's not a common issue anymore.
Even though I regularly have a difficult time sleeping, this will only be compounded in the future. I plan to have a wife and children someday. My wife better not snore, or we'll need separate rooms. But crying children are inevitable, and I can only imagine I'll be the one getting up every time they do so.
Also, sleep becomes more difficult as one ages, especially in the golden years. If my wife snores during those years, I'll officially become a full-fledged insomniac!
There are a few times when being unable to sleep comes in handy, such as when on a long drive in the car. There have been times when I've driven over 20 hours straight through the night, and even though extremely tired, I knew I wouldn't doze off. Contrast this with my twin brother who fell asleep at the wheel when he and I were on I-44 years ago. Fortunately, we only side swiped a guy in a van, though his ability to sleep too well could have had disastrous effects.
This can also come in handy when having to stay up late to finish homework. There have been multiple nights when I've had to study well into the night in order to complete an assignment due the next morning. Of course that could lead into a whole other topic about procrastination, but I'll not go there.
Often my sleeplessness is the worst when there are things I'm struggling with, whether school, work, or relationally related. When I had my first test of my first college class last fall, I didn't fall asleep until 8 hours after I'd initially lied down. This led to 1 hour of sleep that night, causing me to be quite tired for the test. The same thing happened again during finals week, as I'd be going over Calculus problems in my head. Thankfully I've become more conditioned to tests, so that's not a common issue anymore.
Even though I regularly have a difficult time sleeping, this will only be compounded in the future. I plan to have a wife and children someday. My wife better not snore, or we'll need separate rooms. But crying children are inevitable, and I can only imagine I'll be the one getting up every time they do so.
Also, sleep becomes more difficult as one ages, especially in the golden years. If my wife snores during those years, I'll officially become a full-fledged insomniac!
Monday, July 13, 2015
Mexico Trip (Part 1)
The company at which my dad is a partner decided to fund a mission's trip for our family. My parents decided on Mexico. The plan was to fly to Phoenix, drive to San Diego for a friend's wedding, and then drive down the coast to the mission.
The original plan was to be gone for a total of 2 weeks, which wouldn't work for me, as I'm taking 12 hours of classes this summer. But they eventually shortened the trip to 10 days, so I decided to go along as well.
Only a couple of weeks before leaving for the trip, I decided to move out of the house in which I was living, and back into my parents' house. It'd been 8 years since I've moved out, so it was a weird feeling moving back in. I made the move the weekend before summer classes started. The second day of classes, I came down with the fever. That, along with being overwhelmed with the classes I was taking, led me to make the decision not to go to Mexico with my family.
The morning my family left for Mexico, I informed my Calculus professor that I wasn't going on the trip after all. But when I went over to study by my adviser/Physics professor's office, he informed me that he'd allow me to take the first test remotely from Mexico if that would help me go. Missing the first Physics test had been one of the biggest reasons in my decision not to go on the trip. So, with less than an hour from departure, I hurried back to my parents' house to pack some clothes. Due to the recent move, locating certain items was more difficult than it'd otherwise have been. I then drove to the airport to meet my family, minutes before boarding time. Boarding for our flight only happened a few moments after we got through security. Unfortunately, on the return flight things wouldn't go so smoothly...
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
The original plan was to be gone for a total of 2 weeks, which wouldn't work for me, as I'm taking 12 hours of classes this summer. But they eventually shortened the trip to 10 days, so I decided to go along as well.
Only a couple of weeks before leaving for the trip, I decided to move out of the house in which I was living, and back into my parents' house. It'd been 8 years since I've moved out, so it was a weird feeling moving back in. I made the move the weekend before summer classes started. The second day of classes, I came down with the fever. That, along with being overwhelmed with the classes I was taking, led me to make the decision not to go to Mexico with my family.
The morning my family left for Mexico, I informed my Calculus professor that I wasn't going on the trip after all. But when I went over to study by my adviser/Physics professor's office, he informed me that he'd allow me to take the first test remotely from Mexico if that would help me go. Missing the first Physics test had been one of the biggest reasons in my decision not to go on the trip. So, with less than an hour from departure, I hurried back to my parents' house to pack some clothes. Due to the recent move, locating certain items was more difficult than it'd otherwise have been. I then drove to the airport to meet my family, minutes before boarding time. Boarding for our flight only happened a few moments after we got through security. Unfortunately, on the return flight things wouldn't go so smoothly...
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Mexico Trip (Part 2)
We flew out of Springfield at noon on Thursday, the 4th of June. When we arrived in Phoenix, we were welcomed by an amazing, 85 degree afternoon. Most of my family loves warm weather. After eating, we made the 5 hour drive to San Diego in a rental van. The lights of San Diego and Tijuana were absolutely beautiful. I'd been to San Francisco years earlier, but that didn't prepare me for the beauty of southern California. The mountains weren't only on the eastern side of California like I'd always thought. They spanned all the way to the ocean. There are obviously plains there, though, such as the one on which San Diego is located.
The most memorable experience we had while in San Diego was visiting Cabrillo National Monument. At the monument, we had a nearly 360 view of the Pacific, San Diego, Tijuana, and all the mountains in the background. We spent a good 2 hours there, before heading to the rehearsal dinner for the wedding we were there for. While waiting at the park where the dinner was to be held, we watched a guy with his parachute trying to get off the ground in the middle of the park. The wind was extremely strong that evening, though he never got off the ground for very long. It was at the rehearsal dinner that we realized how cold the evenings on the west coast got. Most of us, including several others from MO, hadn't brought any jackets. So we had to grab a bunch of jackets from my sister's boyfriend's house for everyone. The same jackets my family borrowed stayed with us on our trip to Mexico.
The next day, my little brother and I skipped the wedding to watch the Champion's League final. This is the annual European club final. Our favorite team won, which made skipping the wedding worth it! After the reception, my sisters and I climbed a hilltop nearby while waiting for the rest of our group to get ready for the evening. The hill looked like a challenge from where we started, but it ended up being quite a hike. My sisters were still wearing their dress shoes, but were real troopers.
That evening we went to Coronado island, the same island on which Navy SEALs do a large portion of their training. We visited Hotel del Coronado, a luxury beachfront resort on the island. We then walked about the streets of downtown Coronado before going back to the hotel.
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
The most memorable experience we had while in San Diego was visiting Cabrillo National Monument. At the monument, we had a nearly 360 view of the Pacific, San Diego, Tijuana, and all the mountains in the background. We spent a good 2 hours there, before heading to the rehearsal dinner for the wedding we were there for. While waiting at the park where the dinner was to be held, we watched a guy with his parachute trying to get off the ground in the middle of the park. The wind was extremely strong that evening, though he never got off the ground for very long. It was at the rehearsal dinner that we realized how cold the evenings on the west coast got. Most of us, including several others from MO, hadn't brought any jackets. So we had to grab a bunch of jackets from my sister's boyfriend's house for everyone. The same jackets my family borrowed stayed with us on our trip to Mexico.
The next day, my little brother and I skipped the wedding to watch the Champion's League final. This is the annual European club final. Our favorite team won, which made skipping the wedding worth it! After the reception, my sisters and I climbed a hilltop nearby while waiting for the rest of our group to get ready for the evening. The hill looked like a challenge from where we started, but it ended up being quite a hike. My sisters were still wearing their dress shoes, but were real troopers.
That evening we went to Coronado island, the same island on which Navy SEALs do a large portion of their training. We visited Hotel del Coronado, a luxury beachfront resort on the island. We then walked about the streets of downtown Coronado before going back to the hotel.
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
Mexico Trip (Part 3)
Early on Sunday morning, we crossed the border into Mexico. We'd heard rumor of the smell of Tijuana. It's hard to put into words, but it had a distinctly bad smell. Once out of Tijuana, we drove down the coastline, with a beautiful view of the ocean for the next couple hours. All along the way there was an interesting mix of beautiful tourist cities and then trashy cities. We then made our way through the mountains, and looped back around to near the coast again.
Although it took us awhile to find, we eventually arrived at the compound where we would be staying the next 5 days. It had a beautiful courtyard, with facilities not unlike what can be found at campgrounds here in the US. The road on which the compound was located went a mile further and led straight to the ocean, where there was an amazing private beachfront spot.
We stayed in Camalu, a small village located a quarter of the way down the west coast of Baja California. Mexican Federal Highway 1 was the road we took all the way from Tijuana to Camalu, and it goes right through the village.
The area in Mexico where we were was mostly destitute, with only a few nice homes in a neighborhood nearby. Most of the homes were worse than any you'd find in Springfield, though not as bad as might be expected for the location. The village in which we ministered was a couple miles back the way we came on Highway 1, and was considerably more third world than Camalu. The huts were crudely constructed. Yet, even though their homes seemed ready to fall at first strong wind, nearly every one had a TV dish. We were astonished that people could live in such conditions, and somehow have access to television. As we learned from the long-term missionaries we were staying with, the Mexicans as a whole are more concerned with peace and tranquility, and less so with accomplishments and advancements as are we Americans.
One of the most difficult things for us to acclimate to was the water situation in Mexico. Water was used very sparingly. When using the restroom, the toilets were only to be flushed when going number two. (I'm sure there was a more graceful way of wording that). And toilet paper was to be put in the trash, not the toilet. That was especially difficult to remember when passing solids. (Nope, definitely not better). The restrooms at the mission didn't smell bad at all, which I wouldn't have expected considering above information. But at the outhouse by the church it was another story altogether. Have you ever known a smell was so bad you didn't breath while near it, but the duration of your stay near said smell was mistimed? Oh dear. I made that mistake in this outhouse, and nearly lost it. (If you're wondering why I don't just breath through my mouth in these situations, it's because I have this weird need to know what goes into my body, including bad smells!)
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
Although it took us awhile to find, we eventually arrived at the compound where we would be staying the next 5 days. It had a beautiful courtyard, with facilities not unlike what can be found at campgrounds here in the US. The road on which the compound was located went a mile further and led straight to the ocean, where there was an amazing private beachfront spot.
We stayed in Camalu, a small village located a quarter of the way down the west coast of Baja California. Mexican Federal Highway 1 was the road we took all the way from Tijuana to Camalu, and it goes right through the village.
The area in Mexico where we were was mostly destitute, with only a few nice homes in a neighborhood nearby. Most of the homes were worse than any you'd find in Springfield, though not as bad as might be expected for the location. The village in which we ministered was a couple miles back the way we came on Highway 1, and was considerably more third world than Camalu. The huts were crudely constructed. Yet, even though their homes seemed ready to fall at first strong wind, nearly every one had a TV dish. We were astonished that people could live in such conditions, and somehow have access to television. As we learned from the long-term missionaries we were staying with, the Mexicans as a whole are more concerned with peace and tranquility, and less so with accomplishments and advancements as are we Americans.
One of the most difficult things for us to acclimate to was the water situation in Mexico. Water was used very sparingly. When using the restroom, the toilets were only to be flushed when going number two. (I'm sure there was a more graceful way of wording that). And toilet paper was to be put in the trash, not the toilet. That was especially difficult to remember when passing solids. (Nope, definitely not better). The restrooms at the mission didn't smell bad at all, which I wouldn't have expected considering above information. But at the outhouse by the church it was another story altogether. Have you ever known a smell was so bad you didn't breath while near it, but the duration of your stay near said smell was mistimed? Oh dear. I made that mistake in this outhouse, and nearly lost it. (If you're wondering why I don't just breath through my mouth in these situations, it's because I have this weird need to know what goes into my body, including bad smells!)
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Mexico Trip (Part 4)
The first evening in Mexico we went to the church where we would be spending the next 5 days ministering to the congregation. Not knowing how to speak Spanish, we were told to greet everyone with the phrase "Dios les bendiga," which translates to "May God bless you." At that first service, we got in front of the church and sang a few songs (obviously in English). It was kind of embarrassing, actually, as their singing style is very different than my family's. They sing quickly, and clap during every song (including ones where clapping sounds bad). So we clapped for our songs too! When the service started, we went to a little shed/house by the church and did a VBS with the children. For those who don't know, VBS stands for Vacation Bible School, something my siblings and I did growing up. We did all sorts of activities at the VBS we went to as children, whereas in Mexico it only consisted of watching some Bible movies with Spanish dubs, doing some crafts, and snacks. That being said, the children thoroughly enjoyed the activities and snacks, as well as the attention they got from all of us. There were anywhere from 15 to 25 children that attended VBS over the course of that week, and they all lived within walking distance from the church.
From almost the moment we entered Mexico, vegetation was scarce. This only worsened as we went down the coast, and culminated in there being only dirt, sand, and rocks at the location we stayed. Whenever we would kick the soccer ball around with the children, it would be made more difficult by the fact that there were no locations nearby without plenteous rocks. It would also get very windy at times, due to the close proximity of the ocean, which resulted in dirt getting blown into our faces.
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
From almost the moment we entered Mexico, vegetation was scarce. This only worsened as we went down the coast, and culminated in there being only dirt, sand, and rocks at the location we stayed. Whenever we would kick the soccer ball around with the children, it would be made more difficult by the fact that there were no locations nearby without plenteous rocks. It would also get very windy at times, due to the close proximity of the ocean, which resulted in dirt getting blown into our faces.
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
Mexico Trip (Part 5)
Monday morning we went to the church and started helping with a couple different projects. Most of my family helped with painting the exterior of the pastor's family's house, which was right behind the church. It was a small house, no larger than 800 sq ft. My brother and I worked on the house right next to the church, where we'd done VBS with the children the day before. We tore down some walls, built some new ones, and put up sheetrock. This house was even smaller than the other one, being roughly 500 sq ft.
We then had a lunch which had been prepared by some of the women from the church. It was delicious - corn burritos with rice and some sort of meat. They'd also made fresh strawberry juice, which tasted just like strawberries. The meal felt surprisingly less Mexican than a lot of meals I've had at Mexican restaurants in the U.S.
After lunch, we went back to the mission and most of us took a nap. Coming off several nights without much sleep, I decided to sleep through the afternoon VBS.
That night we had our first of two hour long training meetings, where the long-term missionary who was based there taught us about the cultural differences between the Mexican and American people. One of the biggest differences that stuck out to me was that Mexicans care much more about peace than they do about always staying active and having ambitious goals like we Americans. Obviously not all Americans are the same. But overall, we do tend to be more goal-oriented. For example - the American Dream. If there were such a thing as a Mexican Dream, I'm guessing it would be more encompassing of their peaceful, stress-free of living. (Actually, it would probably be getting into the U.S. somehow, but that's a whole other story.)
Anyway, due to the Mexican culture, whenever we showed up late to the church, it was natural to them. And that was a good thing too, because we seemed to like to test it!
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
Mexico Trip (Part 6)
On Tuesday I stayed at the mission to study for the pending Physics test the next morning. From everything I'd heard (including the professor), Physics II is a difficult class, and the first test, the hardest. I'd missed 3 class periods already, and hadn't studied at all from the time I left Springfield. So I knew a quiet study day all to myself right before the test would be imperative.
The next morning I took the Physics test, which lived up to its hype as being difficult. But I was done, which meant I could now partake in the rest of the mission trip. That evening, we did the last VBS. It was sad knowing that our time with the children was coming to a close, but we knew that we'd made a positive, if small, impact in their lives.
Thursday morning we cleaned and packed up at the mission. We then went to the beach, as a few of us had only been there once before at night. Though the water was very cold, several of us got in all the way. Since we were on a tight schedule, we only had 15 minutes. We then drove to the church for the last few hours of work. My mom, not liking to see a project go unfinished, made sure that the house they were painting was finished by the time we left. Before leaving, we said our unspoken goodbyes and took pictures with the people.
The drive back to the border seemed much shorter than the drive down had been. We stopped so my sisters could get some souvenirs. For a late lunch, we went to Burger King. It seems a very American thing to go to another country and eat food at American chains. But when eating authentic Mexican food, the risk of food poising is great. Come to find out, we might as well have eaten authentic!
Mexico Trip (Part 7)
Before leaving Mexico, we stopped in Tijuana to visit some missionary friends of my parents. Their mission was located near the top of the south face of a large hill in Tijuana, which provided beautiful views of Tijuana, San Diego, and the Pacific.
We made our way back to the U.S., with only a 20 minute wait at the border.
Once in San Diego, we headed to Panda Express. We don't know if this is where we contracted it, or if it was at Burger King in Mexico, but that night all but two of us came down with food poisoning. Our plan had been to enjoy San Diego the next two days, but the next day consisted of lying in beds for most of us.
The next day, Saturday, we went to a beach nearby. But the weather was so overcast and chilly that no one got in.
We then headed to back to Cabrillo National Monument, the same place that we'd been the previous week that had an excellent view of the city and ocean. This time, instead of going to the land facing side of the monument, we went down by some cliffs right by the ocean. It was my favorite experience in San Diego. The sun had come back out at this point, making it even better. We were able to climb down the cliffs to where the waves were splashing up on rocks. I would time the waves to where they were at their lowest point, then run out as far as I could on the boulders, before being chased back by the waves. One time I timed it wrong, and got the whole left side of my shorts wet. It was definitely worth it though.
That night we went to a pizza place in downtown San Diego. I don't know if it's ever taken me so long to find parking. Several of my family said it was their favorite pizza ever. Although it was good, it's hard to beat Papa Murphy's in my opinion. We then walked around downtown before going back to where we were staying and getting ready to drive to Phoenix through the night.
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
We made our way back to the U.S., with only a 20 minute wait at the border.
Once in San Diego, we headed to Panda Express. We don't know if this is where we contracted it, or if it was at Burger King in Mexico, but that night all but two of us came down with food poisoning. Our plan had been to enjoy San Diego the next two days, but the next day consisted of lying in beds for most of us.
The next day, Saturday, we went to a beach nearby. But the weather was so overcast and chilly that no one got in.
We then headed to back to Cabrillo National Monument, the same place that we'd been the previous week that had an excellent view of the city and ocean. This time, instead of going to the land facing side of the monument, we went down by some cliffs right by the ocean. It was my favorite experience in San Diego. The sun had come back out at this point, making it even better. We were able to climb down the cliffs to where the waves were splashing up on rocks. I would time the waves to where they were at their lowest point, then run out as far as I could on the boulders, before being chased back by the waves. One time I timed it wrong, and got the whole left side of my shorts wet. It was definitely worth it though.
That night we went to a pizza place in downtown San Diego. I don't know if it's ever taken me so long to find parking. Several of my family said it was their favorite pizza ever. Although it was good, it's hard to beat Papa Murphy's in my opinion. We then walked around downtown before going back to where we were staying and getting ready to drive to Phoenix through the night.
Due to the length of this entry, I've split it into several entries.
Mexico Trip (Part 8)
We arrived at the airport bright and early at 5:00 in the morning, with an hour to spare before our flight left. The bag check line took a good 20 minutes, which still left us with plenty of time. The security check took longer than it should have due to not being able to bring some of the food that we had. My teen sisters and I got through quickly, and proceeded to the make our way to the gate. While on our way, we heard over the intercom the one minute warning until the Springfield flight would stop allowing passengers to board. We hurried and made our way on to the plane, while looking back for our parents and other two sisters. When several flight attendants went through the doors, which were then closed behind them, we knew the rest of our family had missed the flight. My dad, being from another country, has flown countless times during his life, and it was the first time he'd missed a flight. The doors closed just a few minutes before the flight departure, which was the time the rest of my family made it to the doors. There was a sound machine my mom had brought with her, as she has a difficult time sleeping without it. This was what caused them to get hung up at the security checkpoint, and subsequently miss the flight.
They ended up spending the night there in Phoenix, flying to Wichita the next day, and driving a rental here to Springfield.
By the time I got back from the trip that Sunday, there were numerous homework assignments that I was behind on. But I made those up over the course of the next week or two, and was soon caught up completely.
The trip was a great experience for all of us. It was the first time any of us had been on a short term mission's trip, as well as in a third world country. We learned a lot about the way of life of the people we visited, and gave us a whole new appreciation for the little things we have here, such as grass, clean drinking water, toilets that take toilet paper, and many other things. Although it's perhaps an overused saying, but it's true that we left parts of our hearts with those people in Calamu, Mexico.
They ended up spending the night there in Phoenix, flying to Wichita the next day, and driving a rental here to Springfield.
By the time I got back from the trip that Sunday, there were numerous homework assignments that I was behind on. But I made those up over the course of the next week or two, and was soon caught up completely.
The trip was a great experience for all of us. It was the first time any of us had been on a short term mission's trip, as well as in a third world country. We learned a lot about the way of life of the people we visited, and gave us a whole new appreciation for the little things we have here, such as grass, clean drinking water, toilets that take toilet paper, and many other things. Although it's perhaps an overused saying, but it's true that we left parts of our hearts with those people in Calamu, Mexico.
Bloom's Taxonomy Evaluation
This class has helped me write more fluidly. It's difficult to gauge, though, where I am currently performing on the Bloom's Taxonomy chart. There are aspects of my writing, such as grammar and spelling, which have long been at the highest level. Then there are others which have increased over the course of the semester, like being able to write quickly, without pausing to over analyze what I've written. I will admit; there's still a lot of work required in this department. Writing on the blog consistently the past couple weeks has helped mitigate some of the issues.
Knowledge. The ability to remember basic concepts, such as grammar, spelling, and punctuation are among the first skills learned as a child in school. Eventually more difficult words and grammatical concepts are thrown at us, but it still comes down to rudimentary knowledge.
Comprehension. This ties in very closely with knowledge. Sadly enough, it appears many Americans don't know how to use grammar or punctuation. But since that's not my case, I'll move on.
Application. Here's where it start getting into a bit of grey area when it comes to diagnosing my skill level. As stated before, the application of grammar has never been an issue of mine. It's the applying of words through writing to get my point across which has always been a weak point for me. Even when the thoughts flow seamlessly, I critique every word until there's nothing to write. Which brings us to the next category...
Analysis. I'm either extremely good or extremely bad at analyzing, depending on how that's measured. I can analyze any writing to pieces (or any other thing, for that matter). So my ability to analyze isn't lacking. But that analysis often causes paralysis, as the saying goes. And anything that debilitates creative writing juices can't be good.
I feel this is the biggest area in which this course has helped this semester. The free-writing exercises were good practice for me, so I couldn't overthink every word and sentence I wrote.
Synthesis. This seems to me a heavier version of Application, though perhaps I'm misreading it. That being the case, I don't know if I can knowledgeably comment on this category.
Evaluation. This category falls completely into the area of subjectivity. Being what is traditionally known as left-brained, I find this level of learning difficult to master. How far from the core concepts of a paragraph must a sentence stray before meriting separation? A question like this could cause for much deliberation, drastically slowing fluidity of thought. This applies both to my writing, as well as others'. When critiquing the essays of my Writing Group partners this week, I had to put aside potential differences in writing style. With that done, I was still able to observe some areas in which I thought could use some improvement. As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect." Though perfection at something as individual as writing can be difficult to quantify, I do believe I have made progress in the area of evaluation.
Knowledge. The ability to remember basic concepts, such as grammar, spelling, and punctuation are among the first skills learned as a child in school. Eventually more difficult words and grammatical concepts are thrown at us, but it still comes down to rudimentary knowledge.
Comprehension. This ties in very closely with knowledge. Sadly enough, it appears many Americans don't know how to use grammar or punctuation. But since that's not my case, I'll move on.
Application. Here's where it start getting into a bit of grey area when it comes to diagnosing my skill level. As stated before, the application of grammar has never been an issue of mine. It's the applying of words through writing to get my point across which has always been a weak point for me. Even when the thoughts flow seamlessly, I critique every word until there's nothing to write. Which brings us to the next category...
Analysis. I'm either extremely good or extremely bad at analyzing, depending on how that's measured. I can analyze any writing to pieces (or any other thing, for that matter). So my ability to analyze isn't lacking. But that analysis often causes paralysis, as the saying goes. And anything that debilitates creative writing juices can't be good.
I feel this is the biggest area in which this course has helped this semester. The free-writing exercises were good practice for me, so I couldn't overthink every word and sentence I wrote.
Synthesis. This seems to me a heavier version of Application, though perhaps I'm misreading it. That being the case, I don't know if I can knowledgeably comment on this category.
Evaluation. This category falls completely into the area of subjectivity. Being what is traditionally known as left-brained, I find this level of learning difficult to master. How far from the core concepts of a paragraph must a sentence stray before meriting separation? A question like this could cause for much deliberation, drastically slowing fluidity of thought. This applies both to my writing, as well as others'. When critiquing the essays of my Writing Group partners this week, I had to put aside potential differences in writing style. With that done, I was still able to observe some areas in which I thought could use some improvement. As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect." Though perfection at something as individual as writing can be difficult to quantify, I do believe I have made progress in the area of evaluation.
Friday, July 10, 2015
Things I Fear
Writing Prompt #33
List 15 things you're afraid of. Pick one fear and write about it.
1. Looking stupid
2. Never getting married
3. Not enjoying engineering
4. Getting pulled over (expired tags due to being lazy)
5. Snakes
6. Tarantulas (or big spiders)
7. Bombing a test
8. Commitment
9. Having to dump a girl
10. Not being smart enough
11. Aging
12. Causing injury due to my driving habits
13. Losing
14. Public speaking
15. God
I could talk paragraphs about all of these fears, but I'll just go with my first one - looking stupid. Fear of what other people think of me has always been a big issue for me. Here are a few examples:
Whenever people are dancing, whether it be at a wedding or impromptu, I can assure you I'm nowhere near the action. A few years ago I went to a work sponsored personal mastery seminar out in California. During one of the days, we went out into the redwood forest and did a bunch of fun stuff. But before we did that they played some loud music and made everyone dance to it. There were a lot of other people there like me who had an issue with self-image. But, even though every one of the other ~150 people ended being coaxed into dancing, I just sat there watching. Sad thing is, I don't know if the outcome would be any different today. Though I've always been musical, and have a great sense of rhythm, I don't know how to dance, and therefore feel like I would look stupid.
I rarely ask questions of professors during class. I'm always afraid the question I would ask would be stupid. Since my writing speed is lackluster, I'm often behind the rest of the class. My calculus professor in particular writes down equations much faster than I can, so I'm constantly behind. There was a kid a couple semesters ago in my Calculus I class that asked admittedly stupid questions all the time, so much so that the professor one time said he should be in Algebra and not Calculus. Basically, I never want to end up looking like that.
Since what I've mentioned so far isn't that uncommon, here's something a bit more far-fetched. When I pass up a bunch of cars and then have to make a turn in their lane, if I can tell that I'm not going to be able to get over, instead of slowing down and trying to get in, I'll keep going to the next turn and proceed from there. The reason is that it's embarrassing to slow down and get passed by a lot of the same cars that I'd just passed moments before. This is especially the case when I've been driving aggressively. But it's still pretty lame. (And I don't think I've every shared this before)
The list of inordinate things I do to avoid looking stupid is large. But I think I've shared enough.
List 15 things you're afraid of. Pick one fear and write about it.
1. Looking stupid
2. Never getting married
3. Not enjoying engineering
4. Getting pulled over (expired tags due to being lazy)
5. Snakes
6. Tarantulas (or big spiders)
7. Bombing a test
8. Commitment
9. Having to dump a girl
10. Not being smart enough
11. Aging
12. Causing injury due to my driving habits
13. Losing
14. Public speaking
15. God
I could talk paragraphs about all of these fears, but I'll just go with my first one - looking stupid. Fear of what other people think of me has always been a big issue for me. Here are a few examples:
Whenever people are dancing, whether it be at a wedding or impromptu, I can assure you I'm nowhere near the action. A few years ago I went to a work sponsored personal mastery seminar out in California. During one of the days, we went out into the redwood forest and did a bunch of fun stuff. But before we did that they played some loud music and made everyone dance to it. There were a lot of other people there like me who had an issue with self-image. But, even though every one of the other ~150 people ended being coaxed into dancing, I just sat there watching. Sad thing is, I don't know if the outcome would be any different today. Though I've always been musical, and have a great sense of rhythm, I don't know how to dance, and therefore feel like I would look stupid.
I rarely ask questions of professors during class. I'm always afraid the question I would ask would be stupid. Since my writing speed is lackluster, I'm often behind the rest of the class. My calculus professor in particular writes down equations much faster than I can, so I'm constantly behind. There was a kid a couple semesters ago in my Calculus I class that asked admittedly stupid questions all the time, so much so that the professor one time said he should be in Algebra and not Calculus. Basically, I never want to end up looking like that.
Since what I've mentioned so far isn't that uncommon, here's something a bit more far-fetched. When I pass up a bunch of cars and then have to make a turn in their lane, if I can tell that I'm not going to be able to get over, instead of slowing down and trying to get in, I'll keep going to the next turn and proceed from there. The reason is that it's embarrassing to slow down and get passed by a lot of the same cars that I'd just passed moments before. This is especially the case when I've been driving aggressively. But it's still pretty lame. (And I don't think I've every shared this before)
The list of inordinate things I do to avoid looking stupid is large. But I think I've shared enough.
This I Believe Reflection
Do not forget to cite and include a works cited page.
1. What did you like best about this assignment?
I enjoyed putting into words something I'd believed for quite some time. It's not uncommon for me to voice my belief on a subject, but when faced with the task of putting that same belief into writing, it becomes much more fleshed out.
2. What did you like least about this assignment?
This assignment brought up some negative things about myself, which I don't ever like bringing up to others, or even recalling myself. But it's when we realize mistakes we've made we become stronger. Also, this assignment delayed my Calculus homework, which reflects more so my procrastination than anything negative about the assignment itself!
3. As you think through your revision process, which comments made by your writing group were helpful? Why or why not?
They informed me that I wasn't indenting my paragraphs, which is clearly a rule from the MLA format guidelines. That was a helpful reminder, as I'd forgotten that rule.
4. Reflect on the workshop experience. What do you like/dislike about reading and responding to others’ work. As a writer do you like/dislike this process? Why or why not?
I like being made aware of what corrections I need to make on a paper.
I never like having to be a critic. I feel cruel when doing so. I just hope they take my critiques as I took theirs.
5. How does your essay meet, or not, the criteria for a personal narrative?
I described a principle using personal experiences, but forgot to indent my paragraphs according to MLA formatting.
6. What are you most proud of with this essay?
I'm proud I was able to write over 600 words. Writing doesn't come naturally to me, so to be able to write that many words made me happy.
7. What are your concerns as your instructor evaluates your essay?
My concerns are she won't be as gentle with me as my classmates were!
8. How did your reading choice (Assignment 3.4) impact the writing of your This I Believe Essay? Do not forget to quote, paraphrase and cite your work. Be specific.
Oh dear. I did not realize I was supposed to refer to the choice I made in assignment 3.4 until reading this question! Was there a reminder of assignment 3.4 when doing the I Believe essay? I don't recall any, though I could have just missed it.
9. If you had a chance to write this piece again, what would you do differently?
I'd indent my paragraphs. Apart from that, I don't think I'd do anything differently.
1. What did you like best about this assignment?
I enjoyed putting into words something I'd believed for quite some time. It's not uncommon for me to voice my belief on a subject, but when faced with the task of putting that same belief into writing, it becomes much more fleshed out.
2. What did you like least about this assignment?
This assignment brought up some negative things about myself, which I don't ever like bringing up to others, or even recalling myself. But it's when we realize mistakes we've made we become stronger. Also, this assignment delayed my Calculus homework, which reflects more so my procrastination than anything negative about the assignment itself!
3. As you think through your revision process, which comments made by your writing group were helpful? Why or why not?
They informed me that I wasn't indenting my paragraphs, which is clearly a rule from the MLA format guidelines. That was a helpful reminder, as I'd forgotten that rule.
4. Reflect on the workshop experience. What do you like/dislike about reading and responding to others’ work. As a writer do you like/dislike this process? Why or why not?
I like being made aware of what corrections I need to make on a paper.
I never like having to be a critic. I feel cruel when doing so. I just hope they take my critiques as I took theirs.
5. How does your essay meet, or not, the criteria for a personal narrative?
I described a principle using personal experiences, but forgot to indent my paragraphs according to MLA formatting.
6. What are you most proud of with this essay?
I'm proud I was able to write over 600 words. Writing doesn't come naturally to me, so to be able to write that many words made me happy.
7. What are your concerns as your instructor evaluates your essay?
My concerns are she won't be as gentle with me as my classmates were!
8. How did your reading choice (Assignment 3.4) impact the writing of your This I Believe Essay? Do not forget to quote, paraphrase and cite your work. Be specific.
Oh dear. I did not realize I was supposed to refer to the choice I made in assignment 3.4 until reading this question! Was there a reminder of assignment 3.4 when doing the I Believe essay? I don't recall any, though I could have just missed it.
9. If you had a chance to write this piece again, what would you do differently?
I'd indent my paragraphs. Apart from that, I don't think I'd do anything differently.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
My Perfect Vacation
Writing Prompt #38
There are multiple factors involved in a vacation, including destination, traveling companion(s), weather, etc.
Italy has long been on the top of my list for favorite vacation spots. The main reason Italy holds such appeal to me is because of its rich history and amazing historical sites. The Roman Empire was one of the most powerful empires in history, and was the center of the Western world for several centuries. I've read many articles on the Roman Empire, so it would be incredible to see the sites that I'd read so much about. Travel about Italy can easily be done via Eurail, which would be an experience in and of itself. In Rome, I'd visit the Coliseum, St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and many more places. Besides Rome and the Vatican, I'd love to visit Genoa, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples, Turin, and if possible, the island of Sicily. Of course this would require at least a month. I'm pretty efficient when it comes to tourism, but that's still a lot of places to see. I'd also like to have learned a little bit of Italian before visiting, as I think it's rude not to be able to speak at least some of a country's language before visiting.
I would love to take this trip with my wife of a couple years, before we have any children. Now if I can just find this woman! Though I have friends who have done this, I wouldn't want to go somewhere this extravagant for my honeymoon, as I'll be more interested in other things during that time. And if we have kids at that point, then it would cause extra hassle, either having to bring them along or be gone from them for the duration of the trip.
My favorite weather is a sunny 80 degree day, with lots of beautiful clouds. If my whole trip consisted of that weather, I wouldn't complain one bit. A little bit of rain wouldn't hurt, but more than a couple days could possibly dampen my mood.
Now to make this dream vacation a reality!
There are multiple factors involved in a vacation, including destination, traveling companion(s), weather, etc.
Italy has long been on the top of my list for favorite vacation spots. The main reason Italy holds such appeal to me is because of its rich history and amazing historical sites. The Roman Empire was one of the most powerful empires in history, and was the center of the Western world for several centuries. I've read many articles on the Roman Empire, so it would be incredible to see the sites that I'd read so much about. Travel about Italy can easily be done via Eurail, which would be an experience in and of itself. In Rome, I'd visit the Coliseum, St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and many more places. Besides Rome and the Vatican, I'd love to visit Genoa, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples, Turin, and if possible, the island of Sicily. Of course this would require at least a month. I'm pretty efficient when it comes to tourism, but that's still a lot of places to see. I'd also like to have learned a little bit of Italian before visiting, as I think it's rude not to be able to speak at least some of a country's language before visiting.
I would love to take this trip with my wife of a couple years, before we have any children. Now if I can just find this woman! Though I have friends who have done this, I wouldn't want to go somewhere this extravagant for my honeymoon, as I'll be more interested in other things during that time. And if we have kids at that point, then it would cause extra hassle, either having to bring them along or be gone from them for the duration of the trip.
My favorite weather is a sunny 80 degree day, with lots of beautiful clouds. If my whole trip consisted of that weather, I wouldn't complain one bit. A little bit of rain wouldn't hurt, but more than a couple days could possibly dampen my mood.
Now to make this dream vacation a reality!
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
What To Do Without Electricity
Writing Prompt #7
Electricity is a recent discovery. Think of 6 things to do when there's no power.
1. Interact with people in person. This is an obvious one, but very important, which is why I put it first. I despise when someone pulls out their phone during a party or when out to eat. As if checking one's FB newsfeed is more important than being in the present. This is why I often leave my phone in my car when I'm at places, or at the very least, put it on silent so I'm not constantly interrupted by texts or other alerts.
2. Read a book. I feel disingenuous writing this, as I can count on one finger how many books I've read in the past 15 years. Perhaps if it weren't for the distraction of electricity powered devices, I would have read more!
3. Play sports. I wish more Americans would do this, as it would help with the health issues many people have. Personally, having a phone has probably helped me play more sports during my life, as I constantly get invites to go play sports somewhere.
4. Learn a new skill. This could be anything from an playing an instrument to woodworking to knitting.
5. Ride a bike. My siblings and I biked all over Springfield when we were younger, something that has been substituted by playing video games, either by console, computer, or phone.
6. Tidy/clean. I put this last, as it's one of my least favorite things to do. Even though I enjoy a cleaner car or room environment than the alternative, I still often will choose to do something on my computer or phone over tidying up. Maybe someday when I'm married that will change!
If you were to go back 150 years in time, you'd find no one would have a problem answering this question. We're much too reliant on electricity this day and age, when this is can be a legitimate question.
I only chose to list 6 things, as my recent entries have been plenty long (600+ words).
Electricity is a recent discovery. Think of 6 things to do when there's no power.
1. Interact with people in person. This is an obvious one, but very important, which is why I put it first. I despise when someone pulls out their phone during a party or when out to eat. As if checking one's FB newsfeed is more important than being in the present. This is why I often leave my phone in my car when I'm at places, or at the very least, put it on silent so I'm not constantly interrupted by texts or other alerts.
2. Read a book. I feel disingenuous writing this, as I can count on one finger how many books I've read in the past 15 years. Perhaps if it weren't for the distraction of electricity powered devices, I would have read more!
3. Play sports. I wish more Americans would do this, as it would help with the health issues many people have. Personally, having a phone has probably helped me play more sports during my life, as I constantly get invites to go play sports somewhere.
4. Learn a new skill. This could be anything from an playing an instrument to woodworking to knitting.
5. Ride a bike. My siblings and I biked all over Springfield when we were younger, something that has been substituted by playing video games, either by console, computer, or phone.
6. Tidy/clean. I put this last, as it's one of my least favorite things to do. Even though I enjoy a cleaner car or room environment than the alternative, I still often will choose to do something on my computer or phone over tidying up. Maybe someday when I'm married that will change!
If you were to go back 150 years in time, you'd find no one would have a problem answering this question. We're much too reliant on electricity this day and age, when this is can be a legitimate question.
I only chose to list 6 things, as my recent entries have been plenty long (600+ words).
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Modern Pangea
Writing Prompt 449
What if the continents were suddenly smashed back together, forming a modern version of Pangea, keeping the same country borders that exist today? How would this affect international relations? How would this change daily life? What would happen to tourism, economies, societies, immigration, and government? Would this be a better or worse version of the world?
Ease of travel would be one of the most apparent benefits of a modern Pangea. High-speed rails would be commonplace, which would affect airline travel negatively. Previously unaffordable inter-continental trips would now be more feasible via land.
This wouldn't be without its downside, though. Illegal immigration from African countries would put a serious strain on European countries and the U.S. What used to be a long, dangerous, illegal journey by boat across the Mediterranean would now just be a hop over an ill-constructed wall as we have here in the U.S. between our border and Mexico. This would put an incredible strain on U.S./European economies, due to the influx of unskilled labor that would still get access to financial aid.
Previously disconnected lands joining would also cause animals to be able to roam freely between countries in which they were formerly not found. Not having much experience with animals, I would only be able to speculate about how this would affect them. What is clear is that they would be able to more clearly roam the earth, though this may also have the adverse effect of causing apex predators to wipe out previously protected species.
Daily life would stay the same for the majority of people, especially those in areas far from newly connected regions. Those for whom life would change would be politicians and businessmen. And of course there would be those who would now have an easier task of emigration from their country. And those now made landlocked whose work or livelihood involved water.
Politicians would have to deal with new legislation involving borders between previously nonexistent neighboring countries. If the U.S./Mexico border issue seemed big, it would pale in comparison to the new complexities.
Businessmen would now be able to market to broader markets more easily, with barriers that formerly existed no longer being present. This could include product transport being easier than before, causing prices to decrease. There would be many more benefits; I'm sure.
As for whether or not this would be a better or worse version of the world, that would depend on where a person lived, and what their aspirations were. If travel were of importance, then the more compact world would have its benefits. If one's country were currently embroiled in war, then emigration would be made much easier. Those for whom a modern Pangea would least benefit would be politicians. And eventually, to those living in a developed country, as taxes would be sure to increase to cover the cost of unskilled illegal immigrants. Along with being a financial drain on a society, illegal immigrants would also increase crime, as poverty often leads to more desperate measures.
Although a modern Pangea would have negative effects for citizens in the developed world, due to extra financial burden and potentially a collapse of government, it would open up a world of opportunity (pun intended) for the less advantaged of the earth. Even with my libertarian leanings, I tend to think the world might overall be a better place with this new land makeup.
I've only just scratched the surface of how the world would be different. What if this change occurred 100 years ago, a year into WWI? How might that have affected the outcome of the war? Likely not much, as it was mostly trench warfare anyway. But how about WWII? Might the blitzkrieg have been directed towards the U.S. as opposed to the Soviet Union?
What if the continents were suddenly smashed back together, forming a modern version of Pangea, keeping the same country borders that exist today? How would this affect international relations? How would this change daily life? What would happen to tourism, economies, societies, immigration, and government? Would this be a better or worse version of the world?
Ease of travel would be one of the most apparent benefits of a modern Pangea. High-speed rails would be commonplace, which would affect airline travel negatively. Previously unaffordable inter-continental trips would now be more feasible via land.
This wouldn't be without its downside, though. Illegal immigration from African countries would put a serious strain on European countries and the U.S. What used to be a long, dangerous, illegal journey by boat across the Mediterranean would now just be a hop over an ill-constructed wall as we have here in the U.S. between our border and Mexico. This would put an incredible strain on U.S./European economies, due to the influx of unskilled labor that would still get access to financial aid.
Previously disconnected lands joining would also cause animals to be able to roam freely between countries in which they were formerly not found. Not having much experience with animals, I would only be able to speculate about how this would affect them. What is clear is that they would be able to more clearly roam the earth, though this may also have the adverse effect of causing apex predators to wipe out previously protected species.
Daily life would stay the same for the majority of people, especially those in areas far from newly connected regions. Those for whom life would change would be politicians and businessmen. And of course there would be those who would now have an easier task of emigration from their country. And those now made landlocked whose work or livelihood involved water.
Politicians would have to deal with new legislation involving borders between previously nonexistent neighboring countries. If the U.S./Mexico border issue seemed big, it would pale in comparison to the new complexities.
Businessmen would now be able to market to broader markets more easily, with barriers that formerly existed no longer being present. This could include product transport being easier than before, causing prices to decrease. There would be many more benefits; I'm sure.
As for whether or not this would be a better or worse version of the world, that would depend on where a person lived, and what their aspirations were. If travel were of importance, then the more compact world would have its benefits. If one's country were currently embroiled in war, then emigration would be made much easier. Those for whom a modern Pangea would least benefit would be politicians. And eventually, to those living in a developed country, as taxes would be sure to increase to cover the cost of unskilled illegal immigrants. Along with being a financial drain on a society, illegal immigrants would also increase crime, as poverty often leads to more desperate measures.
Although a modern Pangea would have negative effects for citizens in the developed world, due to extra financial burden and potentially a collapse of government, it would open up a world of opportunity (pun intended) for the less advantaged of the earth. Even with my libertarian leanings, I tend to think the world might overall be a better place with this new land makeup.
I've only just scratched the surface of how the world would be different. What if this change occurred 100 years ago, a year into WWI? How might that have affected the outcome of the war? Likely not much, as it was mostly trench warfare anyway. But how about WWII? Might the blitzkrieg have been directed towards the U.S. as opposed to the Soviet Union?
Monday, July 6, 2015
Last Week
There's typically not enough fun in my weeks to write about. But last week was an exception, as it seemed most nights I was out doing something.
The week started off slow, with a couple soccer games Monday evening, followed by studying.
Tuesday brought more of the same, with feverish studying for a Calculus test Wednesday morning.
I had the audacity on Monday to ask my professor if I could take Wednesday off to go sailing with my family. This after having already taken off 6 days in the shortened semester (keep in mind that each class period is 3 hours too). Thankfully, perhaps due to the 100% that I'd just gotten on the second test, he graciously allowed me to skip class again. I wrote about the sailing trip in a separate entry, which can be found here.
After getting home from sailing, I immediately headed over to a party my cousin was having at his house. When I got there, they'd just decided to play a drinking game called Waterfall, which I'd never heard of before. The game involves taking turns picking up playing cards, and then doing some certain action, either individually or collectively. If people fail at doing certain things, beer is drunk by that person. Instead of getting beer, we got a 5-liter of wine. There were only 6 of us, most of whom rarely drink. The game was very fun, and the fun increased disproportionately to the amount of wine remaining. Although we were all coherent when the 5 liters was finished, I ended up staying the night anyway, just to be safe. Oh, and we watched Anchorman 2, which was even more funny late at night and with bellies full of wine.
Immediately after class ended for the day on Thursday, I headed up to KC with my sisters and brother-in-law to watch a Shakespeare play at a park. The play is creatively called Shakespeare in the Park, and runs for several weeks during each summer. There were probably 300+ people there the night we went. Every year they have a different play, and this time it was King Lear. I'd never watched a movie about it, or read the book. So I had no clue what to expect. The only part I ended up being familiar with was when King Lear said, "Howl, Howl, Howl, Howl!" It was an enjoyable experience, and I'm more cultured as a result of it.
On Friday I took my sisters to the swimming pool after getting off work. I then went to a gourmet cooking party that some long-time friends host every month. Although everyone else brings gourmet meals that they cook, I just show up with a bottle of wine or something. I stayed there until shortly after midnight, which is earlier than I normally leave.
I wrote here about my Saturday, which consisted of going to a family from church's house to their annual 4th of July party.
Then on Sunday I went to church. After our weekly church potluck, I went home and slept for two hours. I'm not a napper, but was exhausted from late nights and lots of activity. When I woke up, the Women's World Cup final had just started. So I headed over to a friend's house where they were having a watch party, and caught the second half of the 5-2 US victory over Japan.
At the beginning of the semester, I never thought I'd be able to spend so much time not doing school and still keep A's in my classes. That was especially the case after going to California/Mexico for 10 day early in the semester. But I plan to make up for the time spent having fun last week by studying hard this week.
The week started off slow, with a couple soccer games Monday evening, followed by studying.
Tuesday brought more of the same, with feverish studying for a Calculus test Wednesday morning.
I had the audacity on Monday to ask my professor if I could take Wednesday off to go sailing with my family. This after having already taken off 6 days in the shortened semester (keep in mind that each class period is 3 hours too). Thankfully, perhaps due to the 100% that I'd just gotten on the second test, he graciously allowed me to skip class again. I wrote about the sailing trip in a separate entry, which can be found here.
After getting home from sailing, I immediately headed over to a party my cousin was having at his house. When I got there, they'd just decided to play a drinking game called Waterfall, which I'd never heard of before. The game involves taking turns picking up playing cards, and then doing some certain action, either individually or collectively. If people fail at doing certain things, beer is drunk by that person. Instead of getting beer, we got a 5-liter of wine. There were only 6 of us, most of whom rarely drink. The game was very fun, and the fun increased disproportionately to the amount of wine remaining. Although we were all coherent when the 5 liters was finished, I ended up staying the night anyway, just to be safe. Oh, and we watched Anchorman 2, which was even more funny late at night and with bellies full of wine.
Immediately after class ended for the day on Thursday, I headed up to KC with my sisters and brother-in-law to watch a Shakespeare play at a park. The play is creatively called Shakespeare in the Park, and runs for several weeks during each summer. There were probably 300+ people there the night we went. Every year they have a different play, and this time it was King Lear. I'd never watched a movie about it, or read the book. So I had no clue what to expect. The only part I ended up being familiar with was when King Lear said, "Howl, Howl, Howl, Howl!" It was an enjoyable experience, and I'm more cultured as a result of it.
On Friday I took my sisters to the swimming pool after getting off work. I then went to a gourmet cooking party that some long-time friends host every month. Although everyone else brings gourmet meals that they cook, I just show up with a bottle of wine or something. I stayed there until shortly after midnight, which is earlier than I normally leave.
I wrote here about my Saturday, which consisted of going to a family from church's house to their annual 4th of July party.
Then on Sunday I went to church. After our weekly church potluck, I went home and slept for two hours. I'm not a napper, but was exhausted from late nights and lots of activity. When I woke up, the Women's World Cup final had just started. So I headed over to a friend's house where they were having a watch party, and caught the second half of the 5-2 US victory over Japan.
At the beginning of the semester, I never thought I'd be able to spend so much time not doing school and still keep A's in my classes. That was especially the case after going to California/Mexico for 10 day early in the semester. But I plan to make up for the time spent having fun last week by studying hard this week.
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Independence Day
Every year, a family from my church hosts a large Independence Day party. Since the "I Love America" show, put on by James River Assembly, ceased a few years ago, it's the only July 4th party I've been to.
Every year the particular activities are different, though there's typically lots of volleyball, shooting of guns, and of course, fireworks. This year there was a large slip-and-slide setup behind the pond on a hill near the house. It was probably 150' or longer, with a pump bringing water from the pond to the top of the slide. This had been setup before, a couple years ago. Someone got hurt then, if I recall, which caused it to not be setup last year. Getting hurt wouldn't be very difficult on the slide, as I got some serious air on a little ramp halfway down, and almost went fell completely off the slide.
For the second year in a row, there was a boom truck setup by the water, with a large rope attached. The truck arm was extended over the pond, and we'd jump from the bed of the truck into the pond. Most of the people just jumped or belly-flopped (there was a particularly painful on that a girl did near me). Quite a few of us did flips or dives from the rope though. We couldn't ever get a double back-flip. Maybe next year...
Some of us guys did some rugby drills later in the afternoon. It was a lot like the drills I did when playing football in high school. The guy heading the drills was a big 6'9" guy, who made the rest of the big guys like tiny in comparison. Thankfully I never had to tackle or get tackled by him! During one of the drills, I got a knee to my lower quad. I could barely walk several hours later. I had two soccer games tonight, and could definitely tell that it's still sore.
There were quite a few other things, such as a water slide for the kids, badminton, a creek (which was freezing), canoeing, eating supper, and more. And then there were the fireworks. Right after the fireworks, I came home and finished assignment 5.3, which was due that night. Ah, procrastination.
Every year the particular activities are different, though there's typically lots of volleyball, shooting of guns, and of course, fireworks. This year there was a large slip-and-slide setup behind the pond on a hill near the house. It was probably 150' or longer, with a pump bringing water from the pond to the top of the slide. This had been setup before, a couple years ago. Someone got hurt then, if I recall, which caused it to not be setup last year. Getting hurt wouldn't be very difficult on the slide, as I got some serious air on a little ramp halfway down, and almost went fell completely off the slide.
For the second year in a row, there was a boom truck setup by the water, with a large rope attached. The truck arm was extended over the pond, and we'd jump from the bed of the truck into the pond. Most of the people just jumped or belly-flopped (there was a particularly painful on that a girl did near me). Quite a few of us did flips or dives from the rope though. We couldn't ever get a double back-flip. Maybe next year...
Some of us guys did some rugby drills later in the afternoon. It was a lot like the drills I did when playing football in high school. The guy heading the drills was a big 6'9" guy, who made the rest of the big guys like tiny in comparison. Thankfully I never had to tackle or get tackled by him! During one of the drills, I got a knee to my lower quad. I could barely walk several hours later. I had two soccer games tonight, and could definitely tell that it's still sore.
There were quite a few other things, such as a water slide for the kids, badminton, a creek (which was freezing), canoeing, eating supper, and more. And then there were the fireworks. Right after the fireworks, I came home and finished assignment 5.3, which was due that night. Ah, procrastination.
Friday, July 3, 2015
Sailing Trip
After my first class on Wednesday morning, I carpooled with my family to Stockton lake. My dad has a client up there who owns a sailboat, and he said that we were welcome to go up there anytime to go out on the boat with him. Leading up to the trip, the weather didn't look very good. The forecast called for afternoon thunderstorms, which had its pros and cons. Obviously, being outside while it's raining means getting wet. But on the plus side, sailboats need a decent amount of wind to perform well. The stormy weather would provide just that.
On the way up to the lake, the rain was coming down pretty hard. By the time we got up there, though, it had died down significantly.
The boat was 36' long, with a cabin that could easily hold 8-10 people. I didn't know cabins on boats were that large, but most of the sailboats at the marina had proportionally large cabins.
We headed up the lake under overcast, ominous skies. My dad's client, Wayne, let me take over the wheel almost immediately. This was my first time on a boat that was moving without the power of an engine. We sailed left up the lake until we were near an island off the coast. Due to the wind, we had to tack, which basically just means that we redirected the sails so that we could go straight across the lake. Once we neared the other side of the lake, we tacked again, and started going back up the lake in the original direction. My dad then took over for me at the helm, and I went up with my sisters to the front of the boat.The sun had just come out, which made for some beautiful pictures with the sails in the background. After another 10 minutes, we turned around and started heading back.
We had planned for a much longer trip, as we're used to going out on ski boats, which is normally an all-day thing. But it was a very fun experience, and one we hope to do again soon.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
This I believe Essay - Kristian Hansen
I believe that happiness is a state of mind. So often we think that happiness is attained by possessing more things - by having a nicer car or getting a better job. But once we've had the car for a couple weeks, or we see the next highest paying job position, we fall right back into the same unhappiness caused by not having enough possessions. I believe it's important to not let material things dictate our happiness, but rather, to have a positive attitude regardless of what comes our way.
Growing up in a poor family (by American standards), my siblings and I had lots of fun. We'd bike all over town, play with legos non-stop, and do normal kid stuff. We didn't have cell phones to distract from human interaction, or to make us jealous because we saw our friends' new toys via FB. We were content with what we had.
Kids today seem to be much less content than kids a generation ago. I believe this has largely to do with the introduction to cell phones and computers, which take away the component of human interaction. To me, this shows that, not only do money or possessions not always buy happiness, but they can often have the exact opposite result.
A recent experience I had with this is when I went down to Mexico on a mission's trip. The area of Mexico I was in is very destitute, with most of the people living in small rudely constructed shacks. Yet, for the most part, the children were so joyful. It didn't matter that they wore years-old clothes that were likely donated by Americans, or that they were only fed one main meal a day... they were happy with what they had.
When I was in my late teens, I was having a difficult time accepting my personality. When with a group of my friends, I would always be one of the quieter ones. I struggled with the desire to be more outspoken for years, before deciding to just let it go and be happy with the way God made me. Over the course of my young 20's, I became more and more outgoing. I still don't know if that change came about by merely just accepting myself for who I was, or if there were some other factors involved. But what I do know is that, by changing my mindset regarding my introvertness, it allowed me to be content with who I was. And that's when my personality started to change - when I stopped worrying as much about what other people thought, and most importantly, what I thought about myself.
After being in the workforce for 10 years, I started 2014 without a job. I'd wasted away much of my young to mid 20's playing sports and hanging out with friends. Although I'd had a great time during those years, I hadn't been working towards a career. The first few months of my unemployment were a low-point for me, as I was caught up in how little I'd accomplished over the previous 10 years. This was only made worse by comparing my current situation to my twin, who'd already gotten married, had two children, and had a successful career.
By the time April or May came around, I'd decided that I would pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. There were times when I still found myself comparing to my brother, or other people I knew. But I was finally on a path with my life that I could be proud of.
There are still times when I struggle comparing with other people. That struggle will probably never completely go away. But it's my choice whether or not I get caught up in self-pity. I choose instead to be happy with my position in life, and I hope you're doing the same!
Growing up in a poor family (by American standards), my siblings and I had lots of fun. We'd bike all over town, play with legos non-stop, and do normal kid stuff. We didn't have cell phones to distract from human interaction, or to make us jealous because we saw our friends' new toys via FB. We were content with what we had.
Kids today seem to be much less content than kids a generation ago. I believe this has largely to do with the introduction to cell phones and computers, which take away the component of human interaction. To me, this shows that, not only do money or possessions not always buy happiness, but they can often have the exact opposite result.
A recent experience I had with this is when I went down to Mexico on a mission's trip. The area of Mexico I was in is very destitute, with most of the people living in small rudely constructed shacks. Yet, for the most part, the children were so joyful. It didn't matter that they wore years-old clothes that were likely donated by Americans, or that they were only fed one main meal a day... they were happy with what they had.
When I was in my late teens, I was having a difficult time accepting my personality. When with a group of my friends, I would always be one of the quieter ones. I struggled with the desire to be more outspoken for years, before deciding to just let it go and be happy with the way God made me. Over the course of my young 20's, I became more and more outgoing. I still don't know if that change came about by merely just accepting myself for who I was, or if there were some other factors involved. But what I do know is that, by changing my mindset regarding my introvertness, it allowed me to be content with who I was. And that's when my personality started to change - when I stopped worrying as much about what other people thought, and most importantly, what I thought about myself.
After being in the workforce for 10 years, I started 2014 without a job. I'd wasted away much of my young to mid 20's playing sports and hanging out with friends. Although I'd had a great time during those years, I hadn't been working towards a career. The first few months of my unemployment were a low-point for me, as I was caught up in how little I'd accomplished over the previous 10 years. This was only made worse by comparing my current situation to my twin, who'd already gotten married, had two children, and had a successful career.
By the time April or May came around, I'd decided that I would pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. There were times when I still found myself comparing to my brother, or other people I knew. But I was finally on a path with my life that I could be proud of.
There are still times when I struggle comparing with other people. That struggle will probably never completely go away. But it's my choice whether or not I get caught up in self-pity. I choose instead to be happy with my position in life, and I hope you're doing the same!
Monday, June 29, 2015
The important of being wise with money
I was born into a missionary family, so money wasn't a primary concern for my parents when on the mission field. By the time we moved to the States, my dad was already 30, and had no marketable skills other than the missionary training he'd had. I still remember my mom coming home from work late at night to relieve the babysitter who was watching over my 3 young siblings and me. Although we didn't have a lot of money growing up, we still had loads of fun.
Since that time, my dad has gone from telemarketing to insurance, where's he's worked the past 15 years. God has blessed him in his work, allowing him to work from home, and giving my family a comfortable income given my dad's relatively few years in his field.
Growing up in a family where money didn't grow on trees, so to speak, I've learned the importance of being frugal with money.
One of the biggest causes for divorce in America is money problems.[1] Although I've never known of any married couples that have divorced due to money problems (that I know of), I have seen some couple that were headed for engagement/marriage split up due to differing views on money management. A lot of people would likely see this as being a harmless issue. And it may start as such. But if one spouse is more frugal with money, and the other has no problem spending money like it's going out of style and/or going into debt, than can cause some real problems. Some of my best married friends have dealt with this issue over the course of their young marriage. One of them wasn't used to money being scarce during their childhood, and the other was. Over time, they've come to the middle a bit more on the issue (perhaps a bit closer to the frugal side).
Frugality has always played an important part of my life. Ever since working Pennypower when I was a young teen, I've always been fascinated with saving money and seeing my bank account grow. Of course, there's harm in being a miser and not being willing to enjoy life a little too. After several years in the workforce, I splurged and got a new (to me) sports car. I also went on more vacation trips. Over the 13' Christmas break, I was laid off from the job I'd had for 5 years. My earlier frugality played a large part in my ability to not start searching for a new job immediately. Because of that, I was able to make the decision to go back to school and pursue a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, which I'm currently doing. I'm also able to take a lot of credit hours every semester, as I haven't needed to work these past 18 months.
These are just a few of the reasons why being wise with money is important.
[1] https://www.institutedfa.com/Leading-Causes-Divorce/
Since that time, my dad has gone from telemarketing to insurance, where's he's worked the past 15 years. God has blessed him in his work, allowing him to work from home, and giving my family a comfortable income given my dad's relatively few years in his field.
Growing up in a family where money didn't grow on trees, so to speak, I've learned the importance of being frugal with money.
One of the biggest causes for divorce in America is money problems.[1] Although I've never known of any married couples that have divorced due to money problems (that I know of), I have seen some couple that were headed for engagement/marriage split up due to differing views on money management. A lot of people would likely see this as being a harmless issue. And it may start as such. But if one spouse is more frugal with money, and the other has no problem spending money like it's going out of style and/or going into debt, than can cause some real problems. Some of my best married friends have dealt with this issue over the course of their young marriage. One of them wasn't used to money being scarce during their childhood, and the other was. Over time, they've come to the middle a bit more on the issue (perhaps a bit closer to the frugal side).
Frugality has always played an important part of my life. Ever since working Pennypower when I was a young teen, I've always been fascinated with saving money and seeing my bank account grow. Of course, there's harm in being a miser and not being willing to enjoy life a little too. After several years in the workforce, I splurged and got a new (to me) sports car. I also went on more vacation trips. Over the 13' Christmas break, I was laid off from the job I'd had for 5 years. My earlier frugality played a large part in my ability to not start searching for a new job immediately. Because of that, I was able to make the decision to go back to school and pursue a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, which I'm currently doing. I'm also able to take a lot of credit hours every semester, as I haven't needed to work these past 18 months.
These are just a few of the reasons why being wise with money is important.
[1] https://www.institutedfa.com/Leading-Causes-Divorce/
Sunday, June 28, 2015
The 10 worst things that could happen on the way to school
Here is my list of the 10 worst things that could happen on the way to school:
1. My homework could blow out the window.
2. I could crash my car into my professor's car (particularly if it was my fault).
3. I could encounter a train, which in turn would make me late for class (this has happened several times already this semester).
4. I could get pulled over by a cop for speeding, which would also make me late. (I should probably give myself more leeway in the mornings.)
5. A tire on my car could blow. I've never fixed my own tire before, so I'd be late for sure. Plus, I have subs in the trunk, so the spare would be difficult to reach.
6. I could run out of gas. This has happened to me several times before, although never on the way to school (though on the way to work).
7. My car could catch on fire, which would totally suck! (I'm running out of legitimate ideas now.)
8. There could be a torrential downpour, and my car could get swept away by the water. This would actually be kind of cool.
9. My car could get sucked up in a hurricane. Although this would also be cool, I doubt I'd be the occasional story of the person who was swept up by a hurricane, just to be landed gently miles away.
10. I could crash my car into the classroom in which I was currently running late. Ok, that might be the worst. My mom actually crashed into the Cato's store a few years ago... right through the front glass. Here's a link to the story. Hopefully it's not hereditary!
Based on this list, I should leave for school earlier, not drive during a flood or tornado, keep my windows closed, and most importantly, keep full coverage on my car!
1. My homework could blow out the window.
2. I could crash my car into my professor's car (particularly if it was my fault).
3. I could encounter a train, which in turn would make me late for class (this has happened several times already this semester).
4. I could get pulled over by a cop for speeding, which would also make me late. (I should probably give myself more leeway in the mornings.)
5. A tire on my car could blow. I've never fixed my own tire before, so I'd be late for sure. Plus, I have subs in the trunk, so the spare would be difficult to reach.
6. I could run out of gas. This has happened to me several times before, although never on the way to school (though on the way to work).
7. My car could catch on fire, which would totally suck! (I'm running out of legitimate ideas now.)
8. There could be a torrential downpour, and my car could get swept away by the water. This would actually be kind of cool.
9. My car could get sucked up in a hurricane. Although this would also be cool, I doubt I'd be the occasional story of the person who was swept up by a hurricane, just to be landed gently miles away.
10. I could crash my car into the classroom in which I was currently running late. Ok, that might be the worst. My mom actually crashed into the Cato's store a few years ago... right through the front glass. Here's a link to the story. Hopefully it's not hereditary!
Based on this list, I should leave for school earlier, not drive during a flood or tornado, keep my windows closed, and most importantly, keep full coverage on my car!
Personal Credo
I believe that happiness is a state of mind.
Although not quite the same as any of the "I believe" statements from my previous article, this statement more fully encapsulates an overarching view I have of life.
For me, a positive attitude is sometimes the only difference between feeling depressed and feeling contented. And that positive attitude is something that I choose to feel regardless of what comes my way.
I know plenty of people who have this same attitude about life, and plenty who have the opposite. We all know people who seem to complain about everything that happens to them. It doesn't matter if they encounter things that everyone else encounters as well; they still make it out to be a much bigger deal than necessary.
There are a lot of things that we could choose to be unhappy or impatient about on a daily basis, such as slow/rude traffic, feeling hungry, being misunderstood, etc. But these things are all much easier if we keep a smile and realize that we could always have it worse off. I often break out into the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from the Monty Python movie "Life of Brian."
There are some things in my life that I've had to change my attitude about. Among them are my personality, not knowing what career I wanted to go into, as well as several other things. I'll go into more detail on each of these in my personal narrative.
Although not quite the same as any of the "I believe" statements from my previous article, this statement more fully encapsulates an overarching view I have of life.
For me, a positive attitude is sometimes the only difference between feeling depressed and feeling contented. And that positive attitude is something that I choose to feel regardless of what comes my way.
I know plenty of people who have this same attitude about life, and plenty who have the opposite. We all know people who seem to complain about everything that happens to them. It doesn't matter if they encounter things that everyone else encounters as well; they still make it out to be a much bigger deal than necessary.
There are a lot of things that we could choose to be unhappy or impatient about on a daily basis, such as slow/rude traffic, feeling hungry, being misunderstood, etc. But these things are all much easier if we keep a smile and realize that we could always have it worse off. I often break out into the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from the Monty Python movie "Life of Brian."
There are some things in my life that I've had to change my attitude about. Among them are my personality, not knowing what career I wanted to go into, as well as several other things. I'll go into more detail on each of these in my personal narrative.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Know Your Audience Analysis
The "Know Your Audience" assignment was enjoyable. Why can't all of the assignments be based off games!? Several of the questions made me do a little research before answering, such as figuring out how colors correlate to attitudes or getting an updated list of who has announced their candidacy for the 2016' Presidential election.
Based on the responses to the "Super-power" and "Pet Peeves" questions, it seems that speed is a fairly common desire for a lot of the students in this class. I never opined on the pet peeves question, but I'd have to agree that slow/inconsiderate drivers are one of my biggest pet peeves. If I could ask a follow-up question for those that seem to have a "need for speed" - are you a punctual person? If the answer would be no, like it is for me, then that could tell a lot about a person.
Although there are definitely young students in this class, it surprised me how many non-traditional students there are. I knew OTC had more non-traditional students than a university like MSU, Evangel, or Drury. But I didn't expect half the class to be old like me! I think it's great that so many people are able to go back to school after years of being in the workforce or being a stay-at-home mom. I'm sure the fact that OTC is so inexpensive is a big part of why there are so many people in their 30's+ that are able to pursue their dreams. Half of the responses to the question why we're attending OTC included affordability.
Not surprisingly, based on the question of where we grew up, most of the students in the class are from the Springfield area, with a few from surrounding states. Then there's poor Linda, who couldn't stay in one place very long. But her 1200-acre country house sounds amazing!
The question about what time period we would visit was insightful. Although on the surface, the answers to the questions could seem pretty trivial, I think they could be very crucial to figuring out what is important to a person. Several people answered that they would have chosen to go back and help with the Civil Rights movement. Equality would appear to be very important to those people. Other people chose answers that would indicate knowledge, adventure, peace, or religious beliefs would be of great important to them. Obviously, no answer is better than any other. It's just interesting to see what each person finds important.
As several others have mentioned in their analysis, the "Know Your Audience" assignment helped humanize the other students in the class. The responses to blog posts and The Heart And The Fist posts had the same effect. All of my other classes have been in the maths or sciences, where there's not a lot of student interaction.
More than anything else, I think knowing more about my audience will help me to be free with my writing. It will feel less like I'm writing to a bunch of strangers, but more to acquaintances.
Based on the responses to the "Super-power" and "Pet Peeves" questions, it seems that speed is a fairly common desire for a lot of the students in this class. I never opined on the pet peeves question, but I'd have to agree that slow/inconsiderate drivers are one of my biggest pet peeves. If I could ask a follow-up question for those that seem to have a "need for speed" - are you a punctual person? If the answer would be no, like it is for me, then that could tell a lot about a person.
Although there are definitely young students in this class, it surprised me how many non-traditional students there are. I knew OTC had more non-traditional students than a university like MSU, Evangel, or Drury. But I didn't expect half the class to be old like me! I think it's great that so many people are able to go back to school after years of being in the workforce or being a stay-at-home mom. I'm sure the fact that OTC is so inexpensive is a big part of why there are so many people in their 30's+ that are able to pursue their dreams. Half of the responses to the question why we're attending OTC included affordability.
Not surprisingly, based on the question of where we grew up, most of the students in the class are from the Springfield area, with a few from surrounding states. Then there's poor Linda, who couldn't stay in one place very long. But her 1200-acre country house sounds amazing!
The question about what time period we would visit was insightful. Although on the surface, the answers to the questions could seem pretty trivial, I think they could be very crucial to figuring out what is important to a person. Several people answered that they would have chosen to go back and help with the Civil Rights movement. Equality would appear to be very important to those people. Other people chose answers that would indicate knowledge, adventure, peace, or religious beliefs would be of great important to them. Obviously, no answer is better than any other. It's just interesting to see what each person finds important.
As several others have mentioned in their analysis, the "Know Your Audience" assignment helped humanize the other students in the class. The responses to blog posts and The Heart And The Fist posts had the same effect. All of my other classes have been in the maths or sciences, where there's not a lot of student interaction.
More than anything else, I think knowing more about my audience will help me to be free with my writing. It will feel less like I'm writing to a bunch of strangers, but more to acquaintances.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
This I believe - Freewrite
I believe Americans know way too little about other countries.
This is more evident to me because I was born in a small country in the north Atlantic, called the Faroe Islands. When I tell people that, they usually don't know where that is. That's not a big deal, and it's not that surprising to me. But what is surprising is that when I tell people that it's part of Denmark, they have no clue what that is. I have to explain where in Europe Denmark is. I know most people over there know way more about the U.S., and perhaps even Missouri, than people here know about Denmark.
Even worse than Americans not knowing about other cultures or countries than our own, is our lack of knowledge of our own country. If you've ever watched YouTube videos of people being questioned on the street about who our Vice President is, or other questions of that nature, you know what I'm talking about. People only ever seem to know who our president, but have no clue who the Speaker of the House is, or other fairly important political things.
Another things Americans don't often know well is our own language. My dad knows half a dozen languages, with English being his third language. And he still speaks and writes better than the vast majority of Americans. I think he's a large part of the reason my siblings and I know the English language well. Of course, part of that means that he loves puns, which drives several of us crazy. He says it probably is because he hears nuances in our language that a lot of us don't hear, having grown up with English.
I wish kids in our school system were taught to appreciate other cultures more. I know foreign languages are often offered in school, but that still doesn't seem to have changes the general lack of knowledge that kids have about the world outside of our country.
In a way, it does make some sense that we in the U.S. would being a bit more selfish about knowing less about other countries, as movies and TV shows are often in English. So people from other countries naturally know our culture better than we'd know theirs, because, apart from England or Australia or a few other countries, most entertainment seems to come out of the U.S.
Anyway, it's still astonishing how little most Americans know. I've always been fascinated by Geography and History, so perhaps my viewpoint is a bit skewed because of that. Naturally, people think others should be more knowledgeable about what their favorite subjects are.
When my dad's mom, brother, and his family came over from the Faroe Islands last year, the kids knew almost everything about our culture. My family is a bit conservative, so in a lot of ways, they knew more about our pop culture than my siblings did.
Yesterday, my dad was trying to tell my younger sister about the electoral process in Denmark, and she asked how they vote for the president over there...
514 Words
This I believe
I believe God created all things.
I believe I was created for a purpose.
I believe someday I will get married.
I believe I'm too picky when it comes to girls.
I believe the Pittsburgh Steelers are the greatest football team ever!
I believe that I've got a great family.
I believe that I'm a great brother.
I believe that I will get my Mechanical Engineering degree.
I believe SW MO should have boy's volleyball in HS.
I believe my right shoulder injury from last fall will never heal properly.
I believe I wasted too much of my early 20's playing sports.
I believe I spend too much time worrying about physical appearance.
I believe I'm great with money.
I believe I'll own my own home, debt-free, 10 years out of college.
I believe I should read more books.
I believe I have mental blocks around writing.
I believe I'm quick at typing, though. :)
I believe that money can't buy happiness.
I believe I should be happy with what I have.
I believe people spend way too much time on their phones instead of being in the present.
I believe that hot weather is the best.
I believe Americans know way too little about other countries.
I believe way too many people eat fast food.
I believe autocorrect makes people too reliant on technology.
I believe during my lifetime flying cars will be commonplace.
I believe I was created for a purpose.
I believe someday I will get married.
I believe I'm too picky when it comes to girls.
I believe the Pittsburgh Steelers are the greatest football team ever!
I believe that I've got a great family.
I believe that I'm a great brother.
I believe that I will get my Mechanical Engineering degree.
I believe SW MO should have boy's volleyball in HS.
I believe my right shoulder injury from last fall will never heal properly.
I believe I wasted too much of my early 20's playing sports.
I believe I spend too much time worrying about physical appearance.
I believe I'm great with money.
I believe I'll own my own home, debt-free, 10 years out of college.
I believe I should read more books.
I believe I have mental blocks around writing.
I believe I'm quick at typing, though. :)
I believe that money can't buy happiness.
I believe I should be happy with what I have.
I believe people spend way too much time on their phones instead of being in the present.
I believe that hot weather is the best.
I believe Americans know way too little about other countries.
I believe way too many people eat fast food.
I believe autocorrect makes people too reliant on technology.
I believe during my lifetime flying cars will be commonplace.
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Assignment 2.4
Personality Test Reflection
ResultsI've been exposed to personality and brain typing for quite some time now, and I always get 1 of 2 types: ENTP or ENFP. In this case I got ENFP, with a moderately strong F (50%).
E - The easiest judgement for me to make is between introvert and extrovert. Perhaps it's because of how commonplace the evaluation is in society, in comparison to the other characteristics. As is likely the case with most people, my level of introversion or extroversion depends largely upon both my current mood, as well as the setting (who's present, how well I know them, etc.). When it comes to meeting new people, that seems to come naturally. I also enjoy one on one conversations. But being in large groups can bring out wildly varying sides of me. There are some times, when doing things or playing games that I'm particularly good at, that I can be the life of the party. Then there are times where my extreme self-consciousness keeps me from opening up, because I'm afraid of looking foolish. One way in which my extroversion may affect my writing is that I really enjoy to talk. But my over-analysis of everything I write often curbs that to the point of having very little to say, or at the very least, being unable to expound in a necessary manner (such as when needing to write a certain amount of words or pages).
N - Perhaps it's my lack of familiarity with intuition vs sensing, or the fact that I don't seem strong in one area or the other, but I don't really see how this would affect my writing that much.
F - As I said before, this result oscillates every other time I take the test, so I don't feel very confident in the results. This comparison would seem to greatly affect the way one would write, though. In my case, I seem to have characteristics that go strongly with both. I'm very sensitive, yet analytical. I know that combination isn't very uncommon in people, but it does seem to me to be inconducive when trying to be typed. Perhaps, kind of like with extroversion and introversion, this is another subjective thing for me. Based on a certain writers style or content, I may be more feeling or thinking. Being cognizant of that while reading/writing would be a good habit for me to start.
P - This is another comparison that wouldn't seem to as directly affect one's writing style. There's also a little confusion in my mind as to the overlap of sensing and perceiving. They seem like similar characteristics, while being used in different comparisons in this test. Again, maybe I need to look into this comparison a bit more, especially as I have such a strong preference in this case.
In summary, if I could learn to channel my ability to communicate as an extrovert with tempering my analytical and overly critical nature, I believe it would greatly benefit me as a writer.
Trip to Mexico
The company at which my dad is a partner decided to fund a mission's trip for my family. My parents decided on Mexico. The plan was to fly to Phoenix, drive to San Diego for a friend's wedding, and then drive down the coast to the mission.
The original plan was to be gone for a total of 2 weeks, which wouldn't work for me, as I'm taking 12 hours of classes this summer. But they eventually shortened the trip to 10 days, so I decided to go along as well.
Only a couple weeks before leaving for the trip, I decided to move out of the house in which I was living, and back into my parents' house. It'd been 8 years since I'd moved out, so it was a weird feeling moving back in. I made the move the weekend before summer classes started. The second day of classes, I came down with the fever. That, along with being overwhelmed with the classes I was taking, led me to make the decision not to go to Mexico with my family.
The morning my family left for Mexico, I told my Calculus professor that I wasn't going to be going on the trip after all. But when I went over to study by Professor VanGorden's office, he informed me that he'd allow me to take the first test remotely from Mexico if that would help me go. Missing the first Physics II test had been one of the biggest reasons in my decision not to go on the trip. So, with less than an hour from departure, I hurried back to my parents' house to pack some clothes, which was made all the more difficult due to the recent move. I then drove to the airport to meet my family, minutes before boarding time.
We flew out of Springfield at noon on Thursday, the 4th of June. When we arrived in Phoenix, we were welcomed by an amazing, 85 degree afternoon. Most of us in my family love warm weather! After eating, we made the 5 hour drive to San Diego in a rental van. The lights of San Diego and Tijuana were absolutely beautiful. I'd been to San Francisco years earlier, but that didn't prepare me for the beauty of southern California. The mountains weren't only on the eastern side of California like I'd always thought; they went all the way to the ocean, though there were obviously plains, like where San Diego was located.
The most memorable thing we did was go to the Cabrillo National Monument, where we had an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean, San Diego, Tijuana, and all the mountains in the background. We spent a good 2 hours there, before heading to the rehearsal dinner for the wedding we were there for.
The next day, my little brother and I skipped the wedding to watch the Champion's League final (European soccer final). Our favorite team, Barcelona, won!
Early on Sunday morning, we crossed the border into Mexico and headed down the coastline. Although it took us awhile to find, we eventually arrived at the compound where we would be staying the next 5 days. It had a beautiful courtyard, with facilities not unlike what can be found at campgrounds here in the US.
Shortly after arriving, we headed into the church where we would be ministering. My family sang a couple songs, and then we did VBS with the kids. Only the American long-term missionaries that we were staying with knew both English and Spanish. But the kids didn't take long to warm up to us.
I don't know how long of a journal entry is needed for now. I would like to continue it later. When moving my things to my parents', there were several journals I came across from when I was teen and even pre-teen. It's amazing how many experiences can be forgotten over the years. Although I don't imagine I'll forget this trip anytime soon, I'd love to have the details written for years down the road.
Early on Sunday morning, we crossed the border into Mexico and headed down the coastline. Although it took us awhile to find, we eventually arrived at the compound where we would be staying the next 5 days. It had a beautiful courtyard, with facilities not unlike what can be found at campgrounds here in the US.
Shortly after arriving, we headed into the church where we would be ministering. My family sang a couple songs, and then we did VBS with the kids. Only the American long-term missionaries that we were staying with knew both English and Spanish. But the kids didn't take long to warm up to us.
I don't know how long of a journal entry is needed for now. I would like to continue it later. When moving my things to my parents', there were several journals I came across from when I was teen and even pre-teen. It's amazing how many experiences can be forgotten over the years. Although I don't imagine I'll forget this trip anytime soon, I'd love to have the details written for years down the road.
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