China or bust

I made a final decision last week that I will be heading to China in late August to teach English at a university in Wuhan. It sounds a bit crazy but I don’t think it really is, I am simply accepting a job…. in a country on the other side of the world. Well, now that I type it out I suppose it is a bit crazy but lots of people have done it so it obviously can be done! I applied to 5 different universities and recieved offers from all of them and ended up going with my “first choice” university, Huazhong University of Science and Education, where I’ll be teaching English in the Department of Software Engineering. I’m not sure yet what this summer holds for me, I know I will be spending a decent amount of time in Terre Haute, Indiana with my family and Chicago with my sister. I have a lot to do to prepare for moving to China but I have a peace about it which is good. I know it will be a very hard move but I also know that this suits me and my personality and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do so why not now! Carpe Diem, China here comes a 6 foot blonde!

Thrills & Spills

 

I have been quite a slacker blogger as it’s been, um, forever since I last posted. I am going to attempt to keep up better so people actually want to check in A few things have happened since I last posted in July of 2008. Below is a summary:

• Started a new job at a company called Pegasus Planning, it was a great job and I learned a ton, I was a project manager for the economic and land development company
• I took a month off in between jobs and went home to Terre Haute, Indiana
• During my month off I also got to visit Peru (the country Peru not Peru, Indiana), I hiked/biked to Manchu Picchu, went white water rafting, 4-wheeling, and took in the culture, awesome trip
• Had a two week vacation over Christmas and spent quality time with family and friends in Terre Haute, Indiana, I love Christmas!
• I was laid off from my relatively new job on January 31st, 2009 (still looking for a new job)
• Took advantage of the free time I had by taking a trip to Australia, I got back a week ago (March 2009), it was sooo fun, I could have stayed! Highlights were seeing the opera “Madame Butterfly” at the Sydney Opera House and taking a scuba diving course in Cairns and doing a 3 day live on board scuba diving trip on the Great Barrier Reef

Since getting back from Australia I have been spending a lot of time organizing an event at my church called “Serve Austin”, we are hoping to set up projects at 25 non-profits in Austin, TX and have about 600 volunteers from our church go out on May 2nd & 3rd to serve the Austin community. It’s a great project but a lot of work, fortunately I have some great people helping me. I am also seriously contemplating taking a job teaching English at a university in China.

I have posted a lot of new photos on my “smugmug” photo website, the link is in the links section of this blog, check ‘em out. I have also updated my “life goals” page since I’ve accomplished a few more of those in the last several months. Thanks for checking in

Sudan/Kenya/Spain/Amstedam Trip

If you’d like to read all about my travels to Sudan/Kenya/Spain & Amsterdam click on the page entitled, you guessed it “Trip to Sudan/Kenya/Spain/Amstedam”. All of my pictures from the trip are posted in Picasa web albums (see link on the right hand side of this page).

Expectations and the like

I leave for my trip to Sudan in 2 days! I can’t believe its finally here. I’ve been waiting to go for months now. Of course the difficulty with that long of a wait is the expectations begin to grow…. and if you have a daydreaming mind such as me the idea of a trip like the one I am about to embark on beings to grow to unrealistic proportions. Good news is I recognize this and am attempting to keep an open mind about the trip and not have pre-set ideas on what will happen, what I will do, and who I will meet. This is difficult of course but doable I believe.

Another item I have been thinking about is the selfishness that can grab a hold of me while I am on this trip. I truly desire to have the heart of a servant but I also know myself well enough to know that I will struggle with wanting to have everything I can, the window seat on the plane, the perfect pictures, the Sudanese kid that loves me, the chance to buy great souvenirs. God alone can give me the heart of a servant and I pray as I prepare to embark on this trip that Christ alone will be my focus, and that in comparison to him all other things (including adventures in Africa) pale in comparison.

But, let me be perfectly clear, in addition to my “deep thoughts” about the trip I am ridiculously excited and there is no harm in that!!!!!! Africa, here I come…

 

“Best Friend of All-Time”

   To everyone I know in Austin, my friend, Tina Hunter is known as my “best friend of all time”. Its true though, most people want to know how you know a person you are talking about, your relationship to them. And although I have had many many dear friends during my time here on earth Tina had undoubtedly been the rock in my “friendship life.” Really I don’t even know if its right to call her a friend, she truely is more of a sister than anything else.

Anyway, the point of this journal entry is that currently I am about to pee my pants because Tina (who lives in Michigan) is coming to visit me in Austin this weekend! Every time I see her its as if no time has passed at all, we pick up right where we left off, even if the last time I saw her was several months ago. Not sure what all we are going to do yet but on the agenda will defiently be watching “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” at the old Paramount Theater in downtown Austin.  Two more days….