Soulful Beyond Measure

Cockle Bay School, Sandspit Road, Howick, New Zealand

Put this address in google maps to check out where I will spend most of my time in NZ!

While there are a lot of things to be looking forward to in 2012, the most immediate life event will be my second experience studying abroad! In less than one week I will be flying about 20 hours to (drum-roll please) NEW ZEALAND! For those of you who kept up with my last study abroad experience at Oxford, you may be pleased to know that I have already begun packing…. (sigh of relief). At the moment one bag weighs 50 lbs. and the other is weighing about 30 lbs. Which means that I have about 20 lbs left to bring back goodies! I feel proud to not procrastinate on this major packing dilemma! In addition to this change, I will overview some of the differences between this experience and the last one:

Oxford vs. Auckland

Living with friends in a flat vs. Living with a family in a single family home

Being taught by professors vs. Being a student teacher to a class of 2nd graders

In the air for 8 hours vs. In the air for 20 hours

Dressing for rainy spring weather vs. dressing for perfect end of summer weather

Writing argumentative essays vs. Writing lesson plans

No contact with large bodies of water vs. Daily contact with the ocean

Be looking forward to new discoveries and blog posting about my adventures in New Zealand! And of course, the return of the Happy/Crappy Postings :)

***Shout out to the beautiful Emily Ngau who has already landed in Auckland and begun recording her adventures! Can’t wait to join you!

Senior Thesis Survey: Please take if you are a teacher!

A Moving Perspective

I was required to read this article for class, and it brought tears to my eyes. I do not necessary think the person to which it is written is relevant because its message is impactful for everyone to hear. Wow. I am completely moved.

*SIGH*

This is how I feel about being a senior… just a big fat sigh. Sigh of relief. Sigh of bittersweetness. Sigh of exhaustion. Sigh of happiness.

Sigh of ohmygoodnessi’mabouttobeintherealworld. Do I sound crazy here? I think so.

Regardless, I have begun to prepare for all things senior this weekend. I finally came to grips with my status and this weekend, I went through every piece of paper that I have written or been given in my ENTIRE college career. *SIGH*

Everything is in files and ready to be put together in my portfolio or ready to be organized into my senior thesis. I feel ready to take on the year, with a fresh new vision of my goals:

1. Student teach in New Zealand

2. Get a 4.0 this semester

3. Finish my senior thesis on time (Dec. 15)

4. Enjoy the freedom of the non-RA life/21 year old life!

5. Create a better balance in my daily life.

I recently went on the student ambassador retreat and experienced some really insightful leadership training. Among many other things, we read a passage called the Starving Baker. It told the tragic story of a talented baker who was so focused on serving others that he forgot to feed himself. He wittled away and became too weak to even bake. This is an idea I have been confronted with since my sophomore year of college. If you do not take time for yourself, you will have nothing left to give. This concept is not only relevant for my relationship with others, but also for my relationship with God. If I do not return to the source of my strength, peace, and joy, I will run empty. How can I extend love to others, if I am not being filled up spiritually? With this in mind, I intend to pay more attention to the following areas:

Reading

Solitude

Simplicity

Relationships

Personal Planning

Physical Exercise

I suggest that you, too, re-evaluate how you use your time, and the amount of time you spend on yourself. Who fills your love tank? Who drains you? What is your outlet? What are your goals? All of these questions are vital to answer as we lead a purposeful life! God Bless you in your effort to be a good steward of your time and energy. 

ain’t that the truth!

I have not updated my blog for 2 weeks! ah! I went from updating multiple times a week to disappearing… even though I feel super lame, I must say… its gotta be a good sign that you are busy having too much fun to spend time alone staring at a computer screen. I’m sorry for those of you who have been keeping up with my adventures. Here are some updates:

Traveling in France felt like an episode of Amazing Race! It was literally an accomplishment to complete any of our plans missions. Here are some of our mission accomplished moments:

~Found our rental company, apartment, and opened our very complex front door within about 5 hours while carrying huge luggage and speaking about five words of French

~Attended mass at Notre Dame using the metro system, which none of us had ever used.

~Met an Egyptian/French crepe stand worker named Nemo who offered to give us a tour of the Eiffel Tower at sunset. 

~Got free entrance into the Centre Pompidou…. shhh were not actually students in the EU ahhahaha

~Went into just about every high fashion store in Paris!!

and soooo much more! I will post pictures later!

Sidenote: I am currently in Italy enjoying my family and the hot hot sun! I have lots of tanning to catch up on :) I had a great birthday celebration and I am excited to return to the US as an official 21 year old!!!

Instead of going on a lovely boat ride down the Thames RIver, I got a new ID card today. *sigh* I also just put a load of laundry in the washer, and started planning and packing for Paris tomorrow! I can’t complain too much because I am hoping to replace the missing time on the water with a champagne boat tour in Paris! *crossingmyfingers*