Well it seems that life changes as quickly as ever. One minute I am going to Eastern in the fall and the next I am going to be working for the Red Cross through Americorps for a year and then going to Eastern after the year is up. It seems forever ago that I was sitting around a circle with you guys doing devotions in the heart of Cairo, even if it has only been a short time. I look forward to being near some of you guys again. While I was in Indy I applied to an Americorps position that eventually led me to the position I am going to have now in Indy with the Red Cross. I want to say congratulations to Julia and her husband on their marriage and I ask forgiveness for not being able to be there. I do hope that I will be able to make it out to Matt and Susanna's wedding in October and I hope to see some of you there too. I miss all of you very much.
Matt
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
weird
So this actually happened awhile ago but I wanted to post it cause it still kinda upsets me and you guys would get it.
So anyway I had set up to talk to/interview with this woman in admissions who just started and would be my boss for the last part of the summer when I would be working half time in admissions. So anyway she seems really nice and really cool. She has to run off to ask some people questions and leaves me in her cubicle, which is cool. I start looking around and she has this giant tapestry covering the wall and it looks vaguely familiar like and it seems to be a scene of Mary and Joseph in the bible. I was gonna ask her about it.
So she comes back and we start talking about work and stuff and then she asks me what I'm planning to do when I graduate. I told her I was planning to go to Egypt for a year or two. It turns out she lived in Cairo for five years! And the tapestry was from Egypt! I was so freakin excited! But then she was like, "how does your mother feel about you going there?" And I was like, "not good, but that's how it is with most things." So anyway then she proceeds to lecture me about how its not very safe there and I better be very sure that God's calling me there. She was like, "it was safe when I was there but not anymore." "I don't understand Islam and I don't understand Muslims and they all want to kill you." "My sister was there for 9-11 and they were all dancing in the streets. Its a strange mentality." "The Muslims hate Americans so much and they all would like to kill you."
Holy crap! This woman was IN Cairo, just like us, for five years! I was so confused! She was doing missionary work there in Little China I guess which is evidently near Agouza. But anyway she kinda looked at me and asked how it was being there and I was like, "well I always felt really safe and most people were really kind and respectful to us. Yes they hated the American government but were really sweet to us. I stayed with a Muslim host family and they were amazingly nice to me." She was really impressed I stayed in Embaba, haha.
But anyway, I was really thinking about it for a few days straight and still can't really get over it. I mean, she was there! And this is what she tells me! I wasn't expecting that. I mean from people that have never really interacted with Muslims or the Middle East I can kind of excuse a little bit of ignorance, but really she should be the more knowledgable one and this is what she says, all Muslims want to kill me, especially in Cairo. Any interpretations? I mean I don't think she was interacting with Muslims on a personal level all that much, but seriously.
Ok I just wanted to rant....
O other news. I'm working at the Center for Social Research here and they're doing this study called the Kent County Congregations Study. This involved interviewing religious congregation leaders all over our county. So anyway, one of my friends interviewed the Imam at the Islamic Center here and now they're good buddies and he told him that I might call him about setting up some interfaith dialogue thing, so I got the hook up with the Islamic Center finally, sweet, but I am so bad at actually putting things like this into action. So ya, I write a lot, but love u all!
So anyway I had set up to talk to/interview with this woman in admissions who just started and would be my boss for the last part of the summer when I would be working half time in admissions. So anyway she seems really nice and really cool. She has to run off to ask some people questions and leaves me in her cubicle, which is cool. I start looking around and she has this giant tapestry covering the wall and it looks vaguely familiar like and it seems to be a scene of Mary and Joseph in the bible. I was gonna ask her about it.
So she comes back and we start talking about work and stuff and then she asks me what I'm planning to do when I graduate. I told her I was planning to go to Egypt for a year or two. It turns out she lived in Cairo for five years! And the tapestry was from Egypt! I was so freakin excited! But then she was like, "how does your mother feel about you going there?" And I was like, "not good, but that's how it is with most things." So anyway then she proceeds to lecture me about how its not very safe there and I better be very sure that God's calling me there. She was like, "it was safe when I was there but not anymore." "I don't understand Islam and I don't understand Muslims and they all want to kill you." "My sister was there for 9-11 and they were all dancing in the streets. Its a strange mentality." "The Muslims hate Americans so much and they all would like to kill you."
Holy crap! This woman was IN Cairo, just like us, for five years! I was so confused! She was doing missionary work there in Little China I guess which is evidently near Agouza. But anyway she kinda looked at me and asked how it was being there and I was like, "well I always felt really safe and most people were really kind and respectful to us. Yes they hated the American government but were really sweet to us. I stayed with a Muslim host family and they were amazingly nice to me." She was really impressed I stayed in Embaba, haha.
But anyway, I was really thinking about it for a few days straight and still can't really get over it. I mean, she was there! And this is what she tells me! I wasn't expecting that. I mean from people that have never really interacted with Muslims or the Middle East I can kind of excuse a little bit of ignorance, but really she should be the more knowledgable one and this is what she says, all Muslims want to kill me, especially in Cairo. Any interpretations? I mean I don't think she was interacting with Muslims on a personal level all that much, but seriously.
Ok I just wanted to rant....
O other news. I'm working at the Center for Social Research here and they're doing this study called the Kent County Congregations Study. This involved interviewing religious congregation leaders all over our county. So anyway, one of my friends interviewed the Imam at the Islamic Center here and now they're good buddies and he told him that I might call him about setting up some interfaith dialogue thing, so I got the hook up with the Islamic Center finally, sweet, but I am so bad at actually putting things like this into action. So ya, I write a lot, but love u all!
Friday, July 20, 2007
Something Quick
I was at work yesterday. It was dreadful. I just wanted to go home. Then, all of a sudden, a memory from Jordan came to me. Im not sure who knows this story, so itmay be a confession or a reminder... Im not sure.
Anyway, Deakin, Jon, Phil and I were in our room at Petra making prank phone calls. After a few times, Deakin prank called Steve's room pretending to be an agent in Jordan's department of tourism wishing to speak with someone regarding the incident where we all went in in smaller groups instead of as a big group in order to avoid paying the larger group price. Steve was convinced that it was for real. Deakin told him that we would be coming to his room shortly. Deakin, Jon and I then went up to his room and knocked and tried to convince a sleepy, but very frightened, Steve to open up. After a minute, Deakin broke character and started laughing and we ran for it.
The mere memory of this incident made me burst out laughing. I got some wierd looks, but that isnt anything new.
I miss you all.
Anyway, Deakin, Jon, Phil and I were in our room at Petra making prank phone calls. After a few times, Deakin prank called Steve's room pretending to be an agent in Jordan's department of tourism wishing to speak with someone regarding the incident where we all went in in smaller groups instead of as a big group in order to avoid paying the larger group price. Steve was convinced that it was for real. Deakin told him that we would be coming to his room shortly. Deakin, Jon and I then went up to his room and knocked and tried to convince a sleepy, but very frightened, Steve to open up. After a minute, Deakin broke character and started laughing and we ran for it.
The mere memory of this incident made me burst out laughing. I got some wierd looks, but that isnt anything new.
I miss you all.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Julia's Wedding
Okay, so I finally got around to publishing some of the pictures taken during Julia's wedding (about a month ago). I had a wonderful time with Suzannah, Becca and Tory at my house and then we met up with Micah and Brian at the wedding - it was a blast. I love reading all the posts and such from you all - hope you enjoy this one!Abbie
Finding a job.
Looking for a job and having ill success I read these books and recommend them:
Title: Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Jobs of Your Dreams
Author: Kimm Alayne Walton
Title: What Color is Your Parachute?
Author: Dick Bolles
Title: Brazen Careerist
Author: Penelope Trunk
I'm still looking for an accounting job, but now I am using different techniques and strategies that seem to be working.
Cheers.
Title: Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Jobs of Your Dreams
Author: Kimm Alayne Walton
Title: What Color is Your Parachute?
Author: Dick Bolles
Title: Brazen Careerist
Author: Penelope Trunk
I'm still looking for an accounting job, but now I am using different techniques and strategies that seem to be working.
Cheers.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
My House Got Struck By Lightening
So I had an 'interesting' experience tonight....please read this story with more of a light hearted tone than a serious one. I wanted to share with someone my exciting story, so I thought I would share it with many people instead.....
Tonight began...eerie to say the least. I went into my room with a creepy feeling that something bad was going to happen; that is to say, not something terribly bad, but the feeling that something queer was going to take place tonight. I did not give it too much thought. Instead, I blamed it on the storm.
This afternoon it started thundering. No biggie...right? Well, we knew it was going to be a big storm by the sound of thunder (it was a long, deep and dark sound that resonated within oneself). As the night went on the thunder continued...finally we could see lightening...then a while later the rain began. It was a storm seemed that came straight out of a Harry Potter novel....(just think of those storms that they have...anyone seen the fifth movie...”there's a storm coming Harry. We better get ready for her. Actually to be quite honest that storm wasn't that bad literally speaking figuratively different story). Anyways, our house got struck by lightening (or so we think)...we are still trying to figure out exactly what happened (was it lightening or a small explosion..sounds crazy I know or what not all have possible explanations behind them believe it or not), and we probably won't know the full story for several days. Luckily, we are alive and our house has survived. Praise be to God. Back to the exciting story...so when I got creeped out...I did anything any person feeling a little nervous in a storm would do, I went to get a flash light, and turned on the tv to see what the weatherman thought about the lightening and thunder. That was when it happened. Big boom!!!!! (my ears are still ringing and that was several hours ago) coinciding with the electricity going out and a loud siren going off!
All I could do was sit there and think o shit I really don't want to have to leave the house in this storm. As I go up the stairs...all I can think of is it's the fire alarm!!!!! (You might be wondering I am going up stair right now....I have to to find my family...and discuss what to do). These fears are seemingly confirmed when I get to the top of the stairs, and I smell what seems to be an electrical fire. Luckily, I don't see smoke, so I do what anyone else does in a crisis.
I go down stairs, find the little wheel of crisis that the federal government gave to us, turn it to fire, and let it tell me what to do.
Anyways...back to the real story...my little sister is now having a panic attack (shaking in a violent odd manner that quite honestly freaked me out), my youngest niece is balling, my mom is trying to act as nothing is wrong, my dad is walking around smelling things (frantically I might add), and my oldest niece looks as if she has seen the bloody ghost of Christmas past or whatever. First I calm down my sister, and get my nieces down stairs. I put my youngest niece in charge of the flash light which calmed her down a bit. My sister....she continued to freak. I failed at keeping my parents out of the attack (come on seriously people...there might be something up there and you want to open the damn door!!!!! What happened to common sense 101?! if there is a fire you want to keep it shut up!) I finally convince my mom and dad to let me call the fire department and let them investigate the fire. I calmly call 311...which transfers me to 911 (exactly what I didn't want to happen....grrr) which led to an interesting discussion with the 911 woman of what is your emergency...welll..er...i'm not wuite sure its an emergency....
The men arrive to investigate several houses in our vicinity. They find that there is some strange heat stuff going on in our attic and recommend to keep the a/c off (I know some of you normally keep your a/c off all the time...but for tx i don't know anyone who can survive with their a/c's off during the summer...I must question if David could though.....). So we don't really know what we lost. here's a quick count...all of my sisters electronics (which is prob. worth well over $800-1000), the control circuit, the a/c, three computers, tv, and we'll have to see what else. Luckily for us, all of these things are replaceable, and in the big scheme of things hold no value of importance. Interestingly enough, it seemed that whatever happened it knocked some of the paint of my sisters walls...or whatever (her room is covered in a white powdery substance weird i know). All in all, it was an eventful evening that left me in want of an ant-acid, wine and/or advil.
Monday, July 9, 2007
More Mesp Memories
Ok, I listed some random happenings from our trip and I got some positive feedback from some people. I have some more. But, I would also like some of you to join in. If you can think of an awesome incident, post it.
- Gummies in Jerusalem
- The time that Hawthorne ran into a car and put a huge dent in it while playing soccer in Galilee :)
- Ashraf's smile
- Altay's jokes
- Singing Christmas carols while descending Masada
- Singing Christmas carols while journeying through Hezekiah's tunnel
- The fact that Kareema always made popcorn for our breaks (and sometimes ice cream too)
- AiEEEEEEEEEEEsh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- The call to prayer
- The thousands of disgusting(but sometimes irresistable) cats who lived on our street
- The coffee which we were given in Syria for Abuna Athanasius' talk on Orthodoxy
- Tea made without tea bags
- Lots and lots of mangoes
- That papyrus painting that I got conned into buying... of my "mother"...
- The baby shower for Mariam
- Bathrooms that had holes in the ground instead of real toilets
- Dancing (in Siwa, in the hotels, on the Nile Cruise, on the bus...)
- The long walk to and from the American University
- Devotions
- The devotions where we sang Sunday School songs
- Standing on top of the Austrian Hospice, looking at the Dome of the Rock, Al Aqsa Mosque, Lion's Gate, Damascus Gate and The Church of the Holy Seplechure (sp?)
- Eating Turkish Delight and finding less delightful than we had hoped, but still pretty good
- Apple Tea
- Camel? Camel? Camel?... all the way up Sinai
- Nutela
- Bishop Thomas (does anyone know how he is, by the way?)
- The fact that crossing the street was the most dangerous part of living in Egypt
- Ana Fora, especially the encouragement circle
Well, that is all that I can think up for now. Please contribute your own memories. I like being nostalgic every once in a while. :)
- Gummies in Jerusalem
- The time that Hawthorne ran into a car and put a huge dent in it while playing soccer in Galilee :)
- Ashraf's smile
- Altay's jokes
- Singing Christmas carols while descending Masada
- Singing Christmas carols while journeying through Hezekiah's tunnel
- The fact that Kareema always made popcorn for our breaks (and sometimes ice cream too)
- AiEEEEEEEEEEEsh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- The call to prayer
- The thousands of disgusting(but sometimes irresistable) cats who lived on our street
- The coffee which we were given in Syria for Abuna Athanasius' talk on Orthodoxy
- Tea made without tea bags
- Lots and lots of mangoes
- That papyrus painting that I got conned into buying... of my "mother"...
- The baby shower for Mariam
- Bathrooms that had holes in the ground instead of real toilets
- Dancing (in Siwa, in the hotels, on the Nile Cruise, on the bus...)
- The long walk to and from the American University
- Devotions
- The devotions where we sang Sunday School songs
- Standing on top of the Austrian Hospice, looking at the Dome of the Rock, Al Aqsa Mosque, Lion's Gate, Damascus Gate and The Church of the Holy Seplechure (sp?)
- Eating Turkish Delight and finding less delightful than we had hoped, but still pretty good
- Apple Tea
- Camel? Camel? Camel?... all the way up Sinai
- Nutela
- Bishop Thomas (does anyone know how he is, by the way?)
- The fact that crossing the street was the most dangerous part of living in Egypt
- Ana Fora, especially the encouragement circle
Well, that is all that I can think up for now. Please contribute your own memories. I like being nostalgic every once in a while. :)
Thursday, July 5, 2007
as you like
something happened yesterday that made me think of you all in a particularly focused way. i am here in D.C. for the summer, and it turns out that the CCCU's directors' meeting is this week at the CCCU headquarters place in town. as you will expect, dave has to come to this, and so last night for the fourth of july, there was a picnic/watch-the-fireworks time for about 14 mespers from this past semester plus me, another random mesper from like 3 years ago, and two other random CCCU people. and dave. it was such a wonderful time, i don't even know what to say to tell you how good it was to see dave again. and it was so fun to hear people going around saying mumking and mafiish mushkila whenever they wanted (i only wish it had been you saying it instead of all these people i didnt know). but the group was really nice and it was just really fun to see all of them wearing kifayyas (it was funny actually at the beginning---i was standing outside the building just waiting for whoever was going to come to show up, and then this group of 10 or 15 kids with kufayyas come walking around the corner---i felt like i knew them a little bit already---the bond of the kifayya is kind of magical like that) and then of course to hear them talk about all the speakers they heard and the places they went. the whole evening was really quite wonderful, i just wish others of you could have been there to share it.
and just as a quick note about my internship: it's going really well. im in the central african affairs office, and i've been able to do lots of substantive work so far. besides kind of small projects here and there, i've been able to spend quite a bit of time pulling materials together in order to brief people who have been nominated for ambassadorships to particular countries. this is when i get to learn about the issues in particular places, and it's pretty interesting. i really like the other intern in my office, and most of the people i work with are cool too.
i think about you often and love hearing about what you're doing.
with love,
phil
and just as a quick note about my internship: it's going really well. im in the central african affairs office, and i've been able to do lots of substantive work so far. besides kind of small projects here and there, i've been able to spend quite a bit of time pulling materials together in order to brief people who have been nominated for ambassadorships to particular countries. this is when i get to learn about the issues in particular places, and it's pretty interesting. i really like the other intern in my office, and most of the people i work with are cool too.
i think about you often and love hearing about what you're doing.
with love,
phil
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
unbelievable
Good lord, you guys crack me up. I must confess that, much like Deakin, I hadn't visited the blog in a while. I actually couldn't remember what the address was, and that's my excuse.
Oh, and I'be been busy.
But what a treat! I love that you guys are keeping this thing updated. And I especially loved the blog post about confessions (from May). I knew you guys had it in you to break the rules--well done. I'm just pissed I wasn't invited to share in the shisha.
Deakin, contratulations on the engagement--that is wondeful news. And way to pull it off in a big way. And for those other others of you who are engaged/married, I do hope that you are doing well.
I am back in Afghanistan after a few weeks out. I'm not working for the UN at the moment, although I am negotiating another contract with them to start soon. I am doing some contract work for a USAID-funded NGO to pay the bills in the meantime, and enjoying it for the most part. But as you can see from this post, it's not as busy as it could be.
Anna is doing well--she just returned from the US a couple of days ago. I can't tell you how great it is to have her back.
And that's all. I do hope that you are all well, and I really enjoyed reading these updates.
Much love,
Steve
Oh, and I'be been busy.
But what a treat! I love that you guys are keeping this thing updated. And I especially loved the blog post about confessions (from May). I knew you guys had it in you to break the rules--well done. I'm just pissed I wasn't invited to share in the shisha.
Deakin, contratulations on the engagement--that is wondeful news. And way to pull it off in a big way. And for those other others of you who are engaged/married, I do hope that you are doing well.
I am back in Afghanistan after a few weeks out. I'm not working for the UN at the moment, although I am negotiating another contract with them to start soon. I am doing some contract work for a USAID-funded NGO to pay the bills in the meantime, and enjoying it for the most part. But as you can see from this post, it's not as busy as it could be.
Anna is doing well--she just returned from the US a couple of days ago. I can't tell you how great it is to have her back.
And that's all. I do hope that you are all well, and I really enjoyed reading these updates.
Much love,
Steve
a lil' annoucement
Dearly Beloved,
Its honestly been awhile since I've been on the blog to check up on the lives of my fellow MESPers. We're spread throughout the world now I guess, but I love that life is bringing some pretty exciting things. Mandy, it was awesome reading about your internship... what an opportunity with such a great organization. Has Alissa gotten back from her expeditions yet? Also, I've been wondering what the heck Phil has been up to at the State Department but have been too afraid to ask. Matt and Suzannah are right in the middle of wedding plans and Julia is probably... well... really enjoying being married. I heard a bit about the road trip to her wedding and heard it was beautiful and fun. I wish I could have been there.
Now here's what I've been up to.
I moved to Atlanta about a month after graduation and have an entry-level marketing position for the new at&t. Basically, talking to businesses about their phone bill, while not the most stimulating thing I've ever done, has allowed me to find a reasonable place to live and many peanut-butter-and-jelly-meals (hmm, reminds me of my diet in Cairo). And I'm near Lauren. Al-humdulilah. Its been SO good to not be across the world or across the country from each other...so we've been hanging out a lot.
And this past Friday night, we hung out at something called the Fernbank Museum. Every Friday they have an event called Martinis and IMAX where they set up a bunch of little dinner tables in this massive rotunda area and have live jazz music while you sip martinis and order over-priced (but tasty) food. At any point in the evening you can mosey on over to the IMAX theater and check showtimes for a number of films. We showed up, checked everything out and went to see one of the films and then came out for a late dinner around 9pm. In the middle of dinner, a waiter casually set a pretty spiffy arrangement of a dozen roses on our table (which I had dropped off earlier, but of course, acted oblivious). She was pretty taken aback and kept asking me about what they were for. She was soon to find out, because several moments later the jazz singer approached our table and said, "Lauren, Matt wants to dedicate this next song to you and we are playing it in celebration of you all and your love." As the band started into Etta James' 'At Last', I took Lauren's hand and led her to the front of all the tables and started dancing with her. She was still pretty confused but happy to go along with me and as the song was ending, I stepped away, reached for the ring in my pocket and dropped to one knee. Her face got white, her eyes wide, and her sobs were only drowned out by the cheering and clapping of about 100 onlookers. I never actually heard a "yes" ...but I did see her nodding her head profusely as she cried. It was a glorious moment for me. I had actually pulled it off without peeing in my pants or losing the ring or giving away the surprise somehow.
It was perfect.
And I'm one happy boy.
Its sort of weird to be talking about all the wedding stuff now, but I guess that's what happens. We don't have any definites in place yet besides that the wedding will most probably be in Houston. We're working on a date and I will certainly let all of you know because you're all very warmly invited. And maybe you'll all cram in with Becca. :)
If you want more juicy details feel free to call me. 304.382.4297. I just thought the news would be spread quickly if I posted. I love all of you and miss you very much.
-Deakin
Its honestly been awhile since I've been on the blog to check up on the lives of my fellow MESPers. We're spread throughout the world now I guess, but I love that life is bringing some pretty exciting things. Mandy, it was awesome reading about your internship... what an opportunity with such a great organization. Has Alissa gotten back from her expeditions yet? Also, I've been wondering what the heck Phil has been up to at the State Department but have been too afraid to ask. Matt and Suzannah are right in the middle of wedding plans and Julia is probably... well... really enjoying being married. I heard a bit about the road trip to her wedding and heard it was beautiful and fun. I wish I could have been there.
Now here's what I've been up to.
I moved to Atlanta about a month after graduation and have an entry-level marketing position for the new at&t. Basically, talking to businesses about their phone bill, while not the most stimulating thing I've ever done, has allowed me to find a reasonable place to live and many peanut-butter-and-jelly-meals (hmm, reminds me of my diet in Cairo). And I'm near Lauren. Al-humdulilah. Its been SO good to not be across the world or across the country from each other...so we've been hanging out a lot.
And this past Friday night, we hung out at something called the Fernbank Museum. Every Friday they have an event called Martinis and IMAX where they set up a bunch of little dinner tables in this massive rotunda area and have live jazz music while you sip martinis and order over-priced (but tasty) food. At any point in the evening you can mosey on over to the IMAX theater and check showtimes for a number of films. We showed up, checked everything out and went to see one of the films and then came out for a late dinner around 9pm. In the middle of dinner, a waiter casually set a pretty spiffy arrangement of a dozen roses on our table (which I had dropped off earlier, but of course, acted oblivious). She was pretty taken aback and kept asking me about what they were for. She was soon to find out, because several moments later the jazz singer approached our table and said, "Lauren, Matt wants to dedicate this next song to you and we are playing it in celebration of you all and your love." As the band started into Etta James' 'At Last', I took Lauren's hand and led her to the front of all the tables and started dancing with her. She was still pretty confused but happy to go along with me and as the song was ending, I stepped away, reached for the ring in my pocket and dropped to one knee. Her face got white, her eyes wide, and her sobs were only drowned out by the cheering and clapping of about 100 onlookers. I never actually heard a "yes" ...but I did see her nodding her head profusely as she cried. It was a glorious moment for me. I had actually pulled it off without peeing in my pants or losing the ring or giving away the surprise somehow.
It was perfect.
And I'm one happy boy.
Its sort of weird to be talking about all the wedding stuff now, but I guess that's what happens. We don't have any definites in place yet besides that the wedding will most probably be in Houston. We're working on a date and I will certainly let all of you know because you're all very warmly invited. And maybe you'll all cram in with Becca. :)
If you want more juicy details feel free to call me. 304.382.4297. I just thought the news would be spread quickly if I posted. I love all of you and miss you very much.
-Deakin
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