transition time.

{Uncle Steve and Kayla fishing}

Last week as I was in the midst of my "Oh goodness, I am actually leaving" stage, Shannon Tierney blessed my facebook inbox with a very needed message. In it she expressed how she wished someone told her about the transition from Argentina to Biola. She expressed that although it is hard, God has us in certain places at certain times. It is important to debrief, to journal, and to reflect on our time in our loved places. It is also important to share our moments with others, so we do not feel alone.

Thanks to a good friend who noticed my broken heart, I am somewhat at ease.

I am currently in Florida with my Grandma and Uncle Larry. I thought that coming here would confuse the cycle of life and make me an emotional mess. God is surprising me. He has blessed me with Family who cares.

Today I spent the morning reading, praying, and taking care of my Grandma. This afternoon I rode bikes with my cousins Kayla and Cassidy, played raquetball, read "The Giving Tree" (my all time favorite), let Cassidy play with my hair, had a delicious burger, and had a good dinner discussion.

God has been kind to me.

I do miss my D.C. friends greatly, more then imaginable. I did not realize how close we all got and how much of a family unit we became. I also did not realize how much I changed, due to the fact that I was surrounded by people who were also changing at the same pace. I love the pace of D.C. and the fact that people's lives are not complacent or settled.

I am here in Florida till Friday and plan to soak in every second of it, relax, and to just share life with loved ones.

A small heart attack.

I am working on a project for the next 5 weeks or so on addressing the issue of "Access to Water" in Sub-Saharan Africa in the context of Food Security... and focusing on water purification tablets, water wells, and home-made water purification systems, while focusing specifially what NGO's are doing and how they are collaborating with Governmetns and Commercial organizations. Ah!

While doing this we (Justine, Emily, and myself) need to contact the big guys, such as UDA, USAID, World Vision, etc. and have interviews with them. Once we do this we will compose a research paper and policies that we will address during a briefing at one of the congressional buildings infront of people who know these issues.

AHHHHH.

I might have a small heart attack.

Back when Grandma was a Nurse

Sneak peak of Arlington Cemetery... check out the Washington Monument in the background... it's there, I promise!

Women in Military Service for American Memorial in Arlington, VA

Found Grandma!

Such sweet pictures of Women Army Nurses.

I went to Arlington Cemetery today in hopes of having a relaxing fall day. Little did I know that the Women in Military Service was RIGHT there at Arlington Cemetery. I was stoked because my Grandma keeps telling me to go see it since she served in WWII as nurse.

Thanks Grandma... along with all the other men and women who are and have served our country!

"It's a girl thing."

After anxiously waiting an entire month to get my haircut and colored, Friday morning finally arrived. Over the last two weeks the thought of what color my hair would be, what kind of haircut I wanted, and if I wanted to go brunette consumed my mind. Some would say it was vain, others would say "It's a girl thing."

On Friday morning I turned off my alarm clock with excitement knowing that I had a wonderful morning to look forward to. As I walked to Union Station I contemplated what hair color I would choose: stick with blonde or go brunette. All the way to U St. I looked at People Magazine to get hair ideas, knowing that I would probably just be brain washed by the hair stylist anyways.

There is something to say about getting your hair done. Some get freaked out and do not like change and others, such as myself, absolutely love it. As I entered the Salon, I was instantly hit with the "Please Pamper me now" sensation.

I met Hiwot, an amazing Ethiopian lady who moved to Washington D.C. in 1993, who welcomed me to the Salon. After getting aquainted with the Salon's atmosphere, I felt like I could full out veg as a girl.

Being a girl is wonderful. I know it costs more money, there are more worries, and you actually have to look good from time to time, but it is so worth it. We get to get pampered (even though we pay a lot for it), we get to take time for ourselves and it is okay, and we get to have the luxury of feeling pretty.

Sitting in the chair as Hiwot and I discussed my hair options, I was filled with the sensation of new possibilities. Which seems so silly, since it is only my hair!

The last two years of my life I have have allowed my hair to be one kind of blonde: platinum. There comes a time in a girls life when one needs change. The one who desperately needed change was me. I needed something new.

Hiwot led me to the table, where there was a wide variety of colors and possibilities to choose from. Thankfully she helped me sort out my scattered mind and helped bring me to a decision on what color my hair would be: a darker blonde with brown low-lights.

The art of highlighting is worth observing. I am the kind of person who learns from watching. I watched intensly, trying to figure out if I could attempt to do what she did (which I probably can't). The process of waiting for the dye to sit in is relaxing in itsself, especially as I finished the book "In the Name of Jesus" by Henri Nouwen (which I highly recommend).

The best part is yet to come. Why is it that european women who can't speak english always work at salons? I don't know if anyone has ever observed that, but I love it for two reasons. One being that I just love when people can't speak english are given a job. The second being european women are always EXCEPTIONAL masseus' , particularly with head massages. Good Lord, I could not keep my mouth shut. "Ohhhh ahhhh" and "This is the best massage I have ever had" were the verbal expressions my body chose to use to express the wonderful sensation my head was experiencing.

Foil off, wet hair, and the color was revealed. "Ahh, YES," I was so excited. I loved it, even before the cut and before the dry.

The color being revealed was exciting in itsself, but speaking with Hiwot as even more of a blessing. She is a mother of two daughters and a wife to an ethiopian man. She co-owns her salon and has had great success despite the recession. Sweetest lady I have met in D.C. yet. She cared deeply for her costomers and for their needs.

I thank her, the master mind behind hair, becuase she has taken my platinum blonde hair with dead ends and turned it into a new creation of darker colors and life. So thank you Hiwot for making my Friday.

the marvelous khaled.

So all of my roommates are in a serious relationship. Haha, this seems to happy to me often. Somehow I end up becoming friends with people who are always in a relationship. Why? I have no idea. Although this would bother most people, it does not bother me. Today my lovely apartment mate got flowers sent to her (with a vase!) from her boyfriend. Adorable? I think so! My other apartment mate’s boyfriend made her a scrap book of all the stories she wrote over the last year that he collected, so precious! And then my other roommate, who is actually married (her husband is in the navy), is so nice too. I am surrounded by girls who are in healthy good relationships, so I am happy about that.

I started my internship this week and it has been such a blessing. On Monday I arrived ten minutes early and was surprised how people came to work thirty minutes later than expected. I am finding out that the office is pretty laid back about a lot of things. I work with two other general interns, two are graduate students, and one if a congressional research intern. Although I absolutely love my internship, it is has been quite tiring, but completely rewarding. On day when I thought that all I would be doing is making copies. Little did I know that as the days progressed I would be able to go to a discussion with Khaled Hosseini. The discussion as sponsored by MPI (Migration Policy Institute). The people that filled the room of about sixty were people from other NGO’s, universities, and the government.

As I was sitting there I could not help but think back to all my international development notes. He spoke of the situation of the Afghan government, the political unrest, refugees, IDP’s, the infrastructure, etc. The list could go on forever. People were given the opportunity to ask questions at the end of his talk. People stood up, said their name, and where they worked. People from homeland security, professors at American University, people who worked at UNHCR, and many relief organizations asked questions. I was so encouraged. I want to be that person who has that job who is asking those tough questions. I want to be that person who is being challenged and trying to help the world one step at a time.

I took about six pages of notes as I frantically tried to write down important information to report back to the Afghanistan advocate at my internship. Even as I write this now, I have the chills. There is a beautiful thing when God brings together people who care about His people, whether you are a Christian or not. We all care about these people, that is why we are in these organizations.

When Khaled was done with his talk everyone clapped and then he said “and if anyone wants a book signed I would be happy to do so.” I jumped right on that! Ha, I was so stoked. I bought the book “A thousand splendid suns,” which is not going to be my metro book. We will see how long it takes me! Probably not long.

Needless to say, today was a good day and my blogs continue to be random…. As usual.

DC life thus far.

I absolutely love it here. And while I am writing this I am realizing what a horrible communicator I am when I leave and move onto another place. I get wrapped up in the moment, in the people, and forget to communicate with my other loved ones at home. So I apologize in advance, just know that I do love you, am thinking about you, but I am soaking in all that God has for me here, haha. I hope that works out.

Since being here I have been able to realize that I scream California girl, cut off shorts are not the norm, rainbows are not everywhere I look, and that froyo is not on every corner. I have also come to realize that the boys are different here. More dark brown brunettes, polo shirts, and nice cargo shorts. Girls seem to be paler with very nice clothes. Just a general observation.

Coffee shops close earlier, people are on the town eating and dining more often, and the architecture and brick are still captivating me.

DC is completely different than the bay area, to say the least. But I love it here. I know it’s only been a week, but I can see myself working here.

In the last week and a half or so I have been able to make fun friends, bond with others, and explore the city. We have been quite a bit of the city looking at the monuments, listening to the national symphony, seeing good old Ab at the Lincoln memorial, relaxing on the mall while seeing the beautiful reflection of the Washington Monument, playing Frisbee on the mall, and much more.
I have been a complete tourist, which I am completely okay with!

On Friday about eight girls and I went to an Irish Pub and stuffed our faces with fatty food, which is actually okay because I feel like I have been walking four miles every day, so I have been justifying it. Haha. On Saturday I did my lovely little cleaning job for forty bucks. In the afternoon I took a stroll on over to Eastern Market and bought fresh meat and produce! It beats Farmers Market in Pleasanton like crazy. I also found a pool I can swim in for free not to far from my apartment, super score! That evening a few girls, one of the guys, and I went to 9:30 club and danced to funk music. If anyone has a chance to go a Funk Dance Club, dooooo it! It is an excuse to dance horribly and no one cares. It was awesome. But I am pretty sure someone slipped a little something into my water because I felt a little out of it! After that we strolled on over to Ben’s Chili Bowl and I consumed the most divine vanilla shake my taste buds have ever tasted. Obama and Bill Cosby are supposedly the only people who eat for free there.

Yesterday was AWESOME because a few girls and I walked to Capitol Hill, just a few blocks from here, and saw the National Symphony play for free. It started to rain but we endured it…. It was so worth it. All of this said, I love it here. God is good.