...seasons have always been a part of my life. i grew up in georgia with 4 seasons every year. after living in singapore, i saw what having only 2 seasons and no temperature changes was like (and it was a lot easier to pick out an outfit in the morning!). but wherever you go, you still have seasons. even in antarctica there are seasons (i watched that penguin movie!).
so, how do the seasons of life, especially spiritual seasons, still take me by surprise?
coming up on a new season in my life, i'm a little amazed to look back at the last one and see that it really was a season. although everything is not going to change instantly, i'm seeing the leaves changing colors and the air is feeling a bit more crisp. when i walk out my door here in georgia i don't feel this or see this, but when i step into the quiet place in my heart i do.
and it is sweet.
the saving grace in learning about these seasons of life is that it seems i am figuring it our earlier as i get older. i have more times when i remind myself that it is temporary and something else is coming soon, than those many days in high school when i thought that one sad day was the end of my life. life takes on perspective as i grow up (yes, i'm fully admitting that i am still growing up!) and i sure am thankful for that.
seasons can be hard. but as long as i learn to embrace them as seasons, i know what is in store for me at the end of the journey.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
my journey by the river...
...Every day is a new challenge. Although I've been on the same journey for so many years and I've climbed many hills and small mountains, I'm definitely in unfamiliar territory right now. I am climbing one of the biggest mountains I can imagine at the moment and I feel as if I'm in a fog during the greatest hike of my life. All of myself keeps me next to the river, following its path up the mountain to reach the top. But its not easy to stay there. Its not easy to stay beside that river with so many obstacles coming my way. Day after day, there is a new pull or push to come or go away from the river, the source of both my life and well-being and also the true guide to my destination. My strength is weakened with every new hit from that which comes against me. Yet somehow I've carried on for days, weeks, and months now. Somehow, even when I've given into the pulls and pushes and gone far from the river, it beckons me back with its constant hum of peace as it flows. It does not deter from its normalcy or somehow change its path to meet me on my untrue path, but rather it calls me back to where it lives and breathes life. It calls me back to its own journey, its own path, its own destination. Because ultimately its journey is my journey, its path is my path, and its destination is my destination. Oh that I may stay beside the peaceful waters that move faithfully and call to me over and over. That I may drink of life and know what steps lie ahead of me. Renew my strength, great river. Help me to keep walking. Push me on this journey to keep hiking through the thick fog up this great mountain.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
what is life?
what is life without changes,
without new things and challenges,
without strangers becoming friends and relationships growing deeper,
without new thoughts and ideas,
without seasons and phases,
without mountain tops and valleys,
without days lived through fires and weeks lived through warm summer days,
without bluesy mondays and thank goodness its fridays,
without love and loss,
without hope and despair,
without times of great joy and times of great pain,
without greater depths and deeper understandings,
without tasting new foods and smelling new smells,
without hearing new languages and seeing new faces,
without seeing the earth wither and then come alive again?
for how do we truly know joy without knowing pain,
or know what we've missed without seeing what was missing all along,
or know how good fridays can be after living through mondays,
or know what true hope is without living through those months of despair,
or know what new growth and life is without seeing the sadness of death,
or know that we are standing on the mountain top without walking up the steep climb from that valley?
this is life. and to know its true greatness, you must go through its hardships. i welcome life. but am i ready for it?
without new things and challenges,
without strangers becoming friends and relationships growing deeper,
without new thoughts and ideas,
without seasons and phases,
without mountain tops and valleys,
without days lived through fires and weeks lived through warm summer days,
without bluesy mondays and thank goodness its fridays,
without love and loss,
without hope and despair,
without times of great joy and times of great pain,
without greater depths and deeper understandings,
without tasting new foods and smelling new smells,
without hearing new languages and seeing new faces,
without seeing the earth wither and then come alive again?
for how do we truly know joy without knowing pain,
or know what we've missed without seeing what was missing all along,
or know how good fridays can be after living through mondays,
or know what true hope is without living through those months of despair,
or know what new growth and life is without seeing the sadness of death,
or know that we are standing on the mountain top without walking up the steep climb from that valley?
this is life. and to know its true greatness, you must go through its hardships. i welcome life. but am i ready for it?
Sunday, July 22, 2007
sometimes biographies speak loudly...
...i'm sitting here flipping the television and i ran across a special biography (interview montage) on david beckham on espn. just recently i've become intrigued by the beckham family. and that continues upon hearing more about his story and his journey as a football player.
david beckham is one of the greatest "footballers" in the history of the game. yet, he has not always been "wanted by all" as we think. after not only playing wonderfully for the england team, but also acting as captain, beckham was sitting on a plane waiting to take off when he received a phone call. the new manager of the team was calling. unaware of the reason, beckham was taken by surprise when his new "boss" informed him that with new managers come changes to teams and there are always "causalties"--and unfortunately beckham was one of them. as strong as beckham is, he is also emotional and this news led to many tears.
but following those tears were days spent with family and close friends. together they assessed the situation and tried to determine how beckham could get out of it. shortly thereafter, spain asked beckham to play for them..and so he did, with all of his heart and strength, as he always does.
as the country of england, as well as the "big guys," saw england lose match after match and the poor management of the new guy, they decided changes had to be made. beckham recalls sitting in front of the t.v. and watching an england match and hearing the crowd beginning to chant his name, calling out for him to come back and play for them. and so, the "big guys" responded to the crowds and asked beckham back.
beckham, strongly and courageously, returned to his home country and team and held his head high, holding no grudges and showing no wounds. and he played. hard. not long after that he was named captain once again and given the second chance that he longed for.
but this was not the only potential set-back of beckham's career. while playing for spain, he faced hardship. after announcing to the team that he had decided to play for the l.a. galaxy, the coach decided that he would no longer let beckham train with the team. keeping this from the press, beckham was forced to train with the team for the first 15 mins while the press was there, and then after they left, he was asked to go off and train by himself.
beckham recalled how tough this was. he said that it was not only hard for him as a football player and teammate, but it hurt him "as a man." this only grew more difficult after beckham received a call that the coach had announced on a press conference that beckham would train with the team, but he would not play out the season with the team. this moment could have been devastating to beckham. but he took this hardship and used it to grow stronger.
beckham began training even harder. he may have been training alone, but he was training as if he was the captain. he grew stronger and better and sure enough, he was asked back to play in the matched for spain. he stated that it was not in spite or revenge or for any other reason that he trained harder, but rather it was for his "love of the game." and beckham played out hard...through the very last game.
and now he begins a new phase in his career, playing for the galaxy. he is embracing the change and excited about what the future holds. and although he hopes for success, his desire is that everyone will know that he has always "played his best."
how amazing his story is! with two potentially devastating points in his career, fueled by bad decisions and poor leadership (actually admitted to by the very leadership that made the decisions), beckham didn't let it get him down. although he felt depressed at moments (as his wife recalls him sitting on the coach watching matches that he wasn't playing in and being completely depressed), he never let it deteremine the fate of his career. he stayed strong. he continued to train strong. he fought harder by being the best at what he knew and determined he could be. he knew he couldn't change the leadership's mind or decisions, but he knew the one thing he had control over was what he did. his reactions and his actions. his attitude and his discipline. and now as he sits, waiting to start yet another "new beginning" (as his tattoo reads!) he can truly say that he has absolutely "no regrets."
i don't know about you...but that is inspiring. may i always be able to take potential set-backs and continue to train hard and do my best at being who i am created to be for the game that i love and the God that i serve.
david beckham is one of the greatest "footballers" in the history of the game. yet, he has not always been "wanted by all" as we think. after not only playing wonderfully for the england team, but also acting as captain, beckham was sitting on a plane waiting to take off when he received a phone call. the new manager of the team was calling. unaware of the reason, beckham was taken by surprise when his new "boss" informed him that with new managers come changes to teams and there are always "causalties"--and unfortunately beckham was one of them. as strong as beckham is, he is also emotional and this news led to many tears.
but following those tears were days spent with family and close friends. together they assessed the situation and tried to determine how beckham could get out of it. shortly thereafter, spain asked beckham to play for them..and so he did, with all of his heart and strength, as he always does.
as the country of england, as well as the "big guys," saw england lose match after match and the poor management of the new guy, they decided changes had to be made. beckham recalls sitting in front of the t.v. and watching an england match and hearing the crowd beginning to chant his name, calling out for him to come back and play for them. and so, the "big guys" responded to the crowds and asked beckham back.
beckham, strongly and courageously, returned to his home country and team and held his head high, holding no grudges and showing no wounds. and he played. hard. not long after that he was named captain once again and given the second chance that he longed for.
but this was not the only potential set-back of beckham's career. while playing for spain, he faced hardship. after announcing to the team that he had decided to play for the l.a. galaxy, the coach decided that he would no longer let beckham train with the team. keeping this from the press, beckham was forced to train with the team for the first 15 mins while the press was there, and then after they left, he was asked to go off and train by himself.
beckham recalled how tough this was. he said that it was not only hard for him as a football player and teammate, but it hurt him "as a man." this only grew more difficult after beckham received a call that the coach had announced on a press conference that beckham would train with the team, but he would not play out the season with the team. this moment could have been devastating to beckham. but he took this hardship and used it to grow stronger.
beckham began training even harder. he may have been training alone, but he was training as if he was the captain. he grew stronger and better and sure enough, he was asked back to play in the matched for spain. he stated that it was not in spite or revenge or for any other reason that he trained harder, but rather it was for his "love of the game." and beckham played out hard...through the very last game.
and now he begins a new phase in his career, playing for the galaxy. he is embracing the change and excited about what the future holds. and although he hopes for success, his desire is that everyone will know that he has always "played his best."
how amazing his story is! with two potentially devastating points in his career, fueled by bad decisions and poor leadership (actually admitted to by the very leadership that made the decisions), beckham didn't let it get him down. although he felt depressed at moments (as his wife recalls him sitting on the coach watching matches that he wasn't playing in and being completely depressed), he never let it deteremine the fate of his career. he stayed strong. he continued to train strong. he fought harder by being the best at what he knew and determined he could be. he knew he couldn't change the leadership's mind or decisions, but he knew the one thing he had control over was what he did. his reactions and his actions. his attitude and his discipline. and now as he sits, waiting to start yet another "new beginning" (as his tattoo reads!) he can truly say that he has absolutely "no regrets."
i don't know about you...but that is inspiring. may i always be able to take potential set-backs and continue to train hard and do my best at being who i am created to be for the game that i love and the God that i serve.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
ok, ok...
...well, Emma's comment was taken very seriously--afterall, its the only comment so far so it gives it more weight. :)
so, because of her efforts, i decided i really should post a bit about my sister's visit here. we do have different perspectives and why not share mine.
its been so much fun having someone here to do fun stuff with, like traveling, eating out, and going to the last few tourist places i haven't hit yet. its also fun to "come home" to someone after work (something i hope to have in the future one day...i really love this!) we have done so many amazing things and laughed at a lot of funny cultural moments and have eaten tons of food (including all the snacks she brought from the states for me--namely Nutter Butters for me:)
our trip to Jakarta and Bali was so much fun and so much traveling! we felt like we were in airports most of the time. let's see, we traveled a total of 6 days and were at airports 5 different times!! pretty nuts. budget airlines are cheap...but you definitely lose a lot of time in delays and inefficiencies!
jakarta is a huge city--and not necessarily the best city we've ever been to. the Indonesian people are amazing and so relational, and our partners and friends who hosted us were so great. we did a lot of shopping and sat in a lot of traffic. the traffic is truly a part of the culture there.
bali---WOW WOW WOW! that's in it a nutshell. carolyn and i absolutely LOVED it. we have it on our list as the #1 spot to go back and visit again (which means a lot considering the amount of traveling we've both been lucky enough to have done). we stayed on Sanur beach in the south and it was so quiet and peaceful. yes, we might have been one of the few young people there, but it was relaxing and that's the most important part for a beach to us. the view from the beach and pool was incredible. we had a great time walking up and down the beach each night to decided where to eat dinner and then walking up and down the street in front of our hotel to shop and stop into stores. there were lots of Aussies there and they are so sociable! we were always being asked if we were having a good time--you would have thought they worked there (hmm...i'm thinking of another blogpost on this!!). and i'll never forget the phrase that one older aussie man spoke to us on the last day at the pool "are the american girls having a good time?" (you really have to hear it with the accent!). it was so cute. and to top everything off, we had the chance to ride, feed, and play with Asian Elephants...next time, its a tour at the volcano! what does this island NOT have??? everyone should add it to their list of places to visit!!
singapore--well, this was back to "normal life" for me as me and carolyn made our way back to the city, island, country. i think carolyn really enjoyed the life here. its a lot like an american city, much more western than the rest of asia. it was so much fun to have someone to hang out with at night after work. we definitely had a packed schedule. i had a list of stuff i wanted carolyn to do and she had her list too...so we packed it all in. she did her own thing during the days and then we had a great time going out to dinners, going to the Night Safari (we bought the cooleset elephant wine glasses!), walking around town, seeing a part of a Chinese opera, and hanging out with my friends. the weekend was fun too...we made it to the Bird Park (cool but exhausting!) and to my church.
all in all...it was a great visit and she left with only a few days left for me in singapore. thanks for visiting sister!!!!
so, because of her efforts, i decided i really should post a bit about my sister's visit here. we do have different perspectives and why not share mine.
its been so much fun having someone here to do fun stuff with, like traveling, eating out, and going to the last few tourist places i haven't hit yet. its also fun to "come home" to someone after work (something i hope to have in the future one day...i really love this!) we have done so many amazing things and laughed at a lot of funny cultural moments and have eaten tons of food (including all the snacks she brought from the states for me--namely Nutter Butters for me:)
our trip to Jakarta and Bali was so much fun and so much traveling! we felt like we were in airports most of the time. let's see, we traveled a total of 6 days and were at airports 5 different times!! pretty nuts. budget airlines are cheap...but you definitely lose a lot of time in delays and inefficiencies!
jakarta is a huge city--and not necessarily the best city we've ever been to. the Indonesian people are amazing and so relational, and our partners and friends who hosted us were so great. we did a lot of shopping and sat in a lot of traffic. the traffic is truly a part of the culture there.
bali---WOW WOW WOW! that's in it a nutshell. carolyn and i absolutely LOVED it. we have it on our list as the #1 spot to go back and visit again (which means a lot considering the amount of traveling we've both been lucky enough to have done). we stayed on Sanur beach in the south and it was so quiet and peaceful. yes, we might have been one of the few young people there, but it was relaxing and that's the most important part for a beach to us. the view from the beach and pool was incredible. we had a great time walking up and down the beach each night to decided where to eat dinner and then walking up and down the street in front of our hotel to shop and stop into stores. there were lots of Aussies there and they are so sociable! we were always being asked if we were having a good time--you would have thought they worked there (hmm...i'm thinking of another blogpost on this!!). and i'll never forget the phrase that one older aussie man spoke to us on the last day at the pool "are the american girls having a good time?" (you really have to hear it with the accent!). it was so cute. and to top everything off, we had the chance to ride, feed, and play with Asian Elephants...next time, its a tour at the volcano! what does this island NOT have??? everyone should add it to their list of places to visit!!
singapore--well, this was back to "normal life" for me as me and carolyn made our way back to the city, island, country. i think carolyn really enjoyed the life here. its a lot like an american city, much more western than the rest of asia. it was so much fun to have someone to hang out with at night after work. we definitely had a packed schedule. i had a list of stuff i wanted carolyn to do and she had her list too...so we packed it all in. she did her own thing during the days and then we had a great time going out to dinners, going to the Night Safari (we bought the cooleset elephant wine glasses!), walking around town, seeing a part of a Chinese opera, and hanging out with my friends. the weekend was fun too...we made it to the Bird Park (cool but exhausting!) and to my church.
all in all...it was a great visit and she left with only a few days left for me in singapore. thanks for visiting sister!!!!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
fun with my sis...
...so, because i'm extremely lazy and all about efficience :) i'm going to go the simple route and refer all of you to my sister's blog to read about all of our asian adventures--hope you enjoy!!
Caroyln's Blog-our fun in Singapore, Jakarta, and Bali!
Caroyln's Blog-our fun in Singapore, Jakarta, and Bali!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
yes, they still wear those hats...
...the much-awaited Vietnam post has finally come. this is my "really-awesome-round-lampshade-hats-off" to the amazing city of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam--a place to visit, enjoy, and make memories. everyone, add this to your travel list!
i spent about 5 days in Vietnam and enjoyed every single day i spent there. its a great city with a lot of culture and life. i went there not knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. so, here are some tid-bits of the time i spent there...and some tips for those that are planning on making a trip to a great city. (i think we'll do a little picture-show along the way :)
This is for my dad...he loves the view out of an airplane. Vietnam has tons of rivers.
Just to prove that I am not lying...these hats are great for blocking the sun and then protecting you from the afternoon rains! (I am of course talking about the one on the right...although, come to think of it, isn't this a great example of a "generation gap"?)
This is the local market that I went to pretty much every day to do a bit of small shopping and just check it out. It was huge and there was everything you can imagine from food to gifts to housewares! Remember, when you go to most Asian countries (including this one) you have to bargain...the rule of thumb is to get them to come down to around half the amount they started at. Just pretend to walk away and that will help in the negotiations ;)
MOTORBIKES! This was easily my favorite thing in Vietnam. Everyday I had the chance to take a motorbike ride to a destination...it was so exciting and adventurous. My first night in Vietnam we had to take a motorbike...in the rain! I had to learn to ride on the bike (no I didn't drive!) and then take the curves, then get inches from other motorbikes and walls and traffic, and then go through foot-deep waters and through alley-ways! It was crazy and TONS of fun. The last night I had an extra-long ride (about 45 mins) and it was so beautiful to sit and ride and look at the scenery with it right there in front of me and take everything in one last time. It was incredibly special...and I highly recommend them. Beware, you can take a taxi-motorbike, but I would be prepared...just like cab drivers, they are a little crazy...except with a motorbike they just start driving on the sidewalks!
This is a view from our hotel. It was an amazing hotel, great service, A/C and free internet..that's what i need!
Sharon was an amazing trip planner...she took care of everything and helped me get around town (and put up with me!). Thanks for a great time Sharon...you made it an amazing first-time visit for me! (This is me and Sharon eating some local food)
Now, these are 2 things I don't get to see often! It was amazing to see how much they could fit on the smallest transportation vehicles possible! This was one of the small loads I saw (only one I caught on the camera!). I loved the park with statues and bushes with shapes...a dragon is so asian, right? It's awesome!
This is a "jack fruit" tree. Its so full of fruit. I think there were at least a couple hundred on that one tree. That's the kind of "fruit" I hope to be producing through all of this work!
Sharon fit so easily in the entrances to the Chu Chi Tunnels..I can't believe the Vietnamese hid for so long under the ground...its crazy. We got a chance to crawl through the tunnels and that was crazy..so dark and i got a little freaked out! The worst part of the tour was seeing the traps they used on the enemy...and probably the pretty much old-school black and white "propoganda" video we had to watch before-hand...pretty crazy!
And its not a trip without eating local food for me. This night we ate on the streetside at the night market...a quick walk from the hotel. This is a Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll (kind of like a spring roll)...Vietnamese food is really light, great flavor, and leaves you full for about an hour--then its time to eat again!
It was a great 5 days...and what made it were the 2 hour-long and $5 massages!! Can't beat that price and I wasn't going to less the chance go by. Those Vietnamese ladies know how to massage! (and I am not about to include a pic of that!).
I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to go there and hope to make it back there someday soon. If you ever get a chance to go...take it and let me know (i'll give you some pointers!). Thanks to my peeps at home who made this possible...you guys are the best!
i spent about 5 days in Vietnam and enjoyed every single day i spent there. its a great city with a lot of culture and life. i went there not knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. so, here are some tid-bits of the time i spent there...and some tips for those that are planning on making a trip to a great city. (i think we'll do a little picture-show along the way :)
This is for my dad...he loves the view out of an airplane. Vietnam has tons of rivers.
Just to prove that I am not lying...these hats are great for blocking the sun and then protecting you from the afternoon rains! (I am of course talking about the one on the right...although, come to think of it, isn't this a great example of a "generation gap"?)
This is the local market that I went to pretty much every day to do a bit of small shopping and just check it out. It was huge and there was everything you can imagine from food to gifts to housewares! Remember, when you go to most Asian countries (including this one) you have to bargain...the rule of thumb is to get them to come down to around half the amount they started at. Just pretend to walk away and that will help in the negotiations ;)
MOTORBIKES! This was easily my favorite thing in Vietnam. Everyday I had the chance to take a motorbike ride to a destination...it was so exciting and adventurous. My first night in Vietnam we had to take a motorbike...in the rain! I had to learn to ride on the bike (no I didn't drive!) and then take the curves, then get inches from other motorbikes and walls and traffic, and then go through foot-deep waters and through alley-ways! It was crazy and TONS of fun. The last night I had an extra-long ride (about 45 mins) and it was so beautiful to sit and ride and look at the scenery with it right there in front of me and take everything in one last time. It was incredibly special...and I highly recommend them. Beware, you can take a taxi-motorbike, but I would be prepared...just like cab drivers, they are a little crazy...except with a motorbike they just start driving on the sidewalks!
This is a view from our hotel. It was an amazing hotel, great service, A/C and free internet..that's what i need!
Sharon was an amazing trip planner...she took care of everything and helped me get around town (and put up with me!). Thanks for a great time Sharon...you made it an amazing first-time visit for me! (This is me and Sharon eating some local food)
Now, these are 2 things I don't get to see often! It was amazing to see how much they could fit on the smallest transportation vehicles possible! This was one of the small loads I saw (only one I caught on the camera!). I loved the park with statues and bushes with shapes...a dragon is so asian, right? It's awesome!
This is a "jack fruit" tree. Its so full of fruit. I think there were at least a couple hundred on that one tree. That's the kind of "fruit" I hope to be producing through all of this work!
Sharon fit so easily in the entrances to the Chu Chi Tunnels..I can't believe the Vietnamese hid for so long under the ground...its crazy. We got a chance to crawl through the tunnels and that was crazy..so dark and i got a little freaked out! The worst part of the tour was seeing the traps they used on the enemy...and probably the pretty much old-school black and white "propoganda" video we had to watch before-hand...pretty crazy!
And its not a trip without eating local food for me. This night we ate on the streetside at the night market...a quick walk from the hotel. This is a Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll (kind of like a spring roll)...Vietnamese food is really light, great flavor, and leaves you full for about an hour--then its time to eat again!
It was a great 5 days...and what made it were the 2 hour-long and $5 massages!! Can't beat that price and I wasn't going to less the chance go by. Those Vietnamese ladies know how to massage! (and I am not about to include a pic of that!).
I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to go there and hope to make it back there someday soon. If you ever get a chance to go...take it and let me know (i'll give you some pointers!). Thanks to my peeps at home who made this possible...you guys are the best!
Monday, May 07, 2007
many hours...
...This is where I spend many hours of my time here in Singapore. Luckily, its not ALL my hours! I definitely have the most "colorful" desk in the office. With the white walls, I had to come up with a cheap solution for color--post-it notes!
...Thank you to all of the friends and family who have sent me cards and pictures! I absolutely love it and I make sure to keep them in front of my face on my desk for encouragement. I miss you all so much and can't wait to see you again soon. Keep writing to me :)
Monday, April 30, 2007
its just time...
...and it couldn't be better timing. spring has come--oh wait, its always summer here:) anyways, i feel the changing of the seasons still. and its just time to take a day.
so, starting tonight i am beginning my day of guilty pleasures. tomorrow is a national holiday (crazy that its on a tuesday) so we have the day off and i am making the most of it. tonight i stopped by the store and began my time of indulgence.
first stop...the magazine rack. and, oh yes, they had 1 issue of REAL SIMPLE, my absolutely favorite mag! so, without a hesitation i bought that baby up in a heartbeat.
next stop...the cereal isle. where i spent many minutes debating between the wonderful array of sugar-filled cereals. and of course settled on cocoa krispies. i mean who can resist the very cereal that is not only chocolate but turns the white goodness that it touches into the very same wonderful deliciousness that it is? i think that says it all.
third stop...the bakery. oh, my weakness...baked sweet goods. this was an easy choice--a sweet sugary cake roll pastry. simple moist vanilla cake with sugar granuals covering it. asian pastries aren't quite as good as french ones, but they're not half bad for a day of indulgence.
last stop of the night (but def. not of the end of the guilty pleasures)...the fridge, for a cold coke with lime. i love those! and i think i'm addicted to soda again.
so, without hesitation, i immediately consumed the cake and coke and made my way back home. shortly, i will be consuming my cocoa krispies and wonderful chocolate milk--as well as pamper myself with a face mask, toenail painting, and other groomings (guys, i know you don't get this)...and will be sitting and watching Friends episodes and eating cereal until 2 in the morning!
up ahead for tomorrow...the day of guilty pleasures will come to a climax. i am making my way to the Botanical Gardens here on the island to take pics of the amazing tropical flora, eat in the grass, read my magazine, chill out with the Lord, and just be myself by myself.
its time and i'm glad this holiday came at just the right time. the time is now and now is the time :) excuse me, i have to go grab a bowl and milk. the cocoa krispies are calling me.
(i know i haven't written in over a month...and instead of trying to fill you all in on the last month--which would take too much time and too many posts--i've decided to just keep going in the present. i hope to blog more often now...i love to share with all of you!)
so, starting tonight i am beginning my day of guilty pleasures. tomorrow is a national holiday (crazy that its on a tuesday) so we have the day off and i am making the most of it. tonight i stopped by the store and began my time of indulgence.
first stop...the magazine rack. and, oh yes, they had 1 issue of REAL SIMPLE, my absolutely favorite mag! so, without a hesitation i bought that baby up in a heartbeat.
next stop...the cereal isle. where i spent many minutes debating between the wonderful array of sugar-filled cereals. and of course settled on cocoa krispies. i mean who can resist the very cereal that is not only chocolate but turns the white goodness that it touches into the very same wonderful deliciousness that it is? i think that says it all.
third stop...the bakery. oh, my weakness...baked sweet goods. this was an easy choice--a sweet sugary cake roll pastry. simple moist vanilla cake with sugar granuals covering it. asian pastries aren't quite as good as french ones, but they're not half bad for a day of indulgence.
last stop of the night (but def. not of the end of the guilty pleasures)...the fridge, for a cold coke with lime. i love those! and i think i'm addicted to soda again.
so, without hesitation, i immediately consumed the cake and coke and made my way back home. shortly, i will be consuming my cocoa krispies and wonderful chocolate milk--as well as pamper myself with a face mask, toenail painting, and other groomings (guys, i know you don't get this)...and will be sitting and watching Friends episodes and eating cereal until 2 in the morning!
up ahead for tomorrow...the day of guilty pleasures will come to a climax. i am making my way to the Botanical Gardens here on the island to take pics of the amazing tropical flora, eat in the grass, read my magazine, chill out with the Lord, and just be myself by myself.
its time and i'm glad this holiday came at just the right time. the time is now and now is the time :) excuse me, i have to go grab a bowl and milk. the cocoa krispies are calling me.
(i know i haven't written in over a month...and instead of trying to fill you all in on the last month--which would take too much time and too many posts--i've decided to just keep going in the present. i hope to blog more often now...i love to share with all of you!)
Friday, March 23, 2007
a need to clarify...
...i am learning, as always, learning. and in this process of learning, i am constantly remembering that i am not a perfect communicator. so, the time has come when i need to clarify. a few blog posts ago, i wrote about the Lord making it clear to me that i am "meant to live in another culture." i was definitely excited when i wrote this and seemed to have not communicated exactly what i was thinking and what is true.
God has made it clear to me that and i have come to accept that i am WILLING to live in another culture. i have no idea the plans God has for me in the future...although I know that I will be serving Him with all my heart! i do however know that God has asked me to be willing to go anywhere an do anything for Him. He made this clear to me several years ago, but i am finally at the place to embrace it.
more than all of this, i pray that each of you will have the opportunity to truly tell the Lord that you are "willing" to do what He wants you to do (i know i have already seen this in so many of your lives!). this isn't moving countries for everyone, of course...but whatever it is...I pray that God puts you in a place, spiritually, where you are ready to say this and really know in your heart that you can follow Him wherever He takes you!
so...i hope i am a bit clearer now. please...this is where comments are invaluable!! please please comment. i love to hear from all of you.
God has made it clear to me that and i have come to accept that i am WILLING to live in another culture. i have no idea the plans God has for me in the future...although I know that I will be serving Him with all my heart! i do however know that God has asked me to be willing to go anywhere an do anything for Him. He made this clear to me several years ago, but i am finally at the place to embrace it.
more than all of this, i pray that each of you will have the opportunity to truly tell the Lord that you are "willing" to do what He wants you to do (i know i have already seen this in so many of your lives!). this isn't moving countries for everyone, of course...but whatever it is...I pray that God puts you in a place, spiritually, where you are ready to say this and really know in your heart that you can follow Him wherever He takes you!
so...i hope i am a bit clearer now. please...this is where comments are invaluable!! please please comment. i love to hear from all of you.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
a photo update...
Celebrating Chinese New Year...
My new friend and co-worker, Singapore Sharon!
A quick walk through the streets of "Chinatown"
A view from the waterfront
I finally got trained on MLM--Notebook 1! I'll be training in another country in May...whahoo!
A rooster in the middle of the city?...this is why I carry a camera around ALL the time!
city, country, island...3 weeks and counting...
…I’ve hit the 3-week mark now. 3 weeks in Singapore…the city and the country. What can I say about this place? Its hot, hot, hot. The rain is not coming as frequently and man do we feel the heat! And its not just the weather. The Singaporeans…they love their spicy food. Whenever I order something, its always followed by the question, “You want chili sauce?” One time I said yes and then removed most of it when I got back to the office (its more like a paste, than a sauce and its always a bit on the side of the dish) and it was still too hot for me…so now the answer is always “no.” I don’t even have to think about it any more.
But the weather is definitely bearable with the island breeze blowing some of the time and the clouds covering the sun a bit as well. There’s “aircon” as they call it, in almost every restaurant, store, and even buses…so I’ve adjusted to the weather quite easily.
Unfortunately, with working 5-6 days a week, I haven’t gotten to see many tourist areas of the island. But I’m making plans! I have made it to the big shopping area on Orchard Road…and its definitely the place to be on the weekend nights. Walking the street is like walking the streets of NYC in Times Square. There’s a huge tv screen advertising in the midst of the busy night life of eating, shopping, and running into people you know (that’s what happens when you are on an island!). The population is about 4.5 million, but its not that densely populated surprisingly. There are “suburbs” and the main area of town is in the south. Whenever anyone is giving me directions or anything like that, they always draw the whole country/island and they always draw it as a diamond. So, if you picture the diamond sideways, the dense city part is in the south, I live almost right in the dead center (near McRitchie Reservoir, if you want to google it), the airport is in the east (as well as the very small man-made beach), and there are a lot of residences in the west. So…I’m starting to understand life in a city/country/island and the uniqueness that comes with that! Singapore is so unique that their whole marketing visitors campaign is “Uniquely Singapore”…they’ve hit the nail right on the head!
I’ve moved into my “permanent” residence here with a wonderful lady, Pauline. She has welcomed me in and is making me so at home. She likes to stay up late like me and we have amazing conversations…just today we went out for lunch (finally I have a day off!) and sat and talked for hours. She has a live-in maid (which is fairly common here) and her name is Florence. She is amazing as well and I love talking with her about the Philippines and her life here and she loves to feed me and feed me and feed me. I keep joking with her that she is going to spoil me and send me home fat and wanting my mom to do everything for me!! She laughs a lot with me! There is also a cute dog, named Dexter, and I’m loving getting to have a dog around again. Its in a great location…I walk to work, can take a bus anywhere, and can walk to the Reservoir (which is like a big huge park—you all know how I love nature!) So, life is good and God has been blessing me so much!
I am continuing to be stretched through work and learning more and more about what I like to do and what I don’t and how to deal with a very large workload—complete and desperate dependence on the Lord!! My co-workers are great and I’m having a wonderful time getting to know them and working in a small office. It is looking like I’ll be traveling a bit around Asia…so I will look forward to growing in my knowledge and appreciation of East Asia! Asia is a wonderful place and I hope you all will get to visit here some day. The more you travel, the more you can appreciate God’s love of uniqueness and how creative He is!!
Thank you all for praying for me. Keep it up!! Missing you all and learning and growing a lot!!
But the weather is definitely bearable with the island breeze blowing some of the time and the clouds covering the sun a bit as well. There’s “aircon” as they call it, in almost every restaurant, store, and even buses…so I’ve adjusted to the weather quite easily.
Unfortunately, with working 5-6 days a week, I haven’t gotten to see many tourist areas of the island. But I’m making plans! I have made it to the big shopping area on Orchard Road…and its definitely the place to be on the weekend nights. Walking the street is like walking the streets of NYC in Times Square. There’s a huge tv screen advertising in the midst of the busy night life of eating, shopping, and running into people you know (that’s what happens when you are on an island!). The population is about 4.5 million, but its not that densely populated surprisingly. There are “suburbs” and the main area of town is in the south. Whenever anyone is giving me directions or anything like that, they always draw the whole country/island and they always draw it as a diamond. So, if you picture the diamond sideways, the dense city part is in the south, I live almost right in the dead center (near McRitchie Reservoir, if you want to google it), the airport is in the east (as well as the very small man-made beach), and there are a lot of residences in the west. So…I’m starting to understand life in a city/country/island and the uniqueness that comes with that! Singapore is so unique that their whole marketing visitors campaign is “Uniquely Singapore”…they’ve hit the nail right on the head!
I’ve moved into my “permanent” residence here with a wonderful lady, Pauline. She has welcomed me in and is making me so at home. She likes to stay up late like me and we have amazing conversations…just today we went out for lunch (finally I have a day off!) and sat and talked for hours. She has a live-in maid (which is fairly common here) and her name is Florence. She is amazing as well and I love talking with her about the Philippines and her life here and she loves to feed me and feed me and feed me. I keep joking with her that she is going to spoil me and send me home fat and wanting my mom to do everything for me!! She laughs a lot with me! There is also a cute dog, named Dexter, and I’m loving getting to have a dog around again. Its in a great location…I walk to work, can take a bus anywhere, and can walk to the Reservoir (which is like a big huge park—you all know how I love nature!) So, life is good and God has been blessing me so much!
I am continuing to be stretched through work and learning more and more about what I like to do and what I don’t and how to deal with a very large workload—complete and desperate dependence on the Lord!! My co-workers are great and I’m having a wonderful time getting to know them and working in a small office. It is looking like I’ll be traveling a bit around Asia…so I will look forward to growing in my knowledge and appreciation of East Asia! Asia is a wonderful place and I hope you all will get to visit here some day. The more you travel, the more you can appreciate God’s love of uniqueness and how creative He is!!
Thank you all for praying for me. Keep it up!! Missing you all and learning and growing a lot!!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
sign of the week #2...
...the much awaited
Umm...I'm just going to wait for your comments on this one ;-)
Umm...I'm just going to wait for your comments on this one ;-)
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Week 1: people, food, stretch--life abroad is for me!
…What a whirlwind! How do I even begin to sum-up the last week and a half that I have experienced? Most people are inundated with so many new things when they move to another country where everything is different from their previous surroundings…so much “stimuli,” as I have been referring to it this week. And I am definitely no exception to this. I have been overwhelmed in so many ways, but I can thankfully say that almost all of these have been positive and memorable experiences. I have met the most incredible people, tried exotic new foods, been given the opportunity to be stretched through my work, and had the realization that life abroad is the life for me!
Incredible People: Without a doubt, the last week has been a privilege. I have sat in on meetings and meals with people that I would have never imagined I would meet. Although none of them were “famous” by worldly standards, I can guarantee that their names and handprints are on the sidewalk stars of heaven. Not because of all of the work for the Lord they have done (although that in itself is challenging to say the least), but because their hearts for Jesus and people are overwhelmed with love and a commitment to give their entire lives (and risk it for some) to bring others to greater heights and depths with the Lord. For some, it has meant meeting secretly in their countries to sing and pray together as brothers and sisters…for others it has meant to devote all of their time and resources to traveling all around Asia building relationships to get ministries partnering together…and still for others it has meant going beyond the normality of teaching to tell his students about Christ and begin a church made up of college students. The list goes on and on and on. These are the Heaven Hall of Famers of our time—and God gave me the honor of getting to shake their hands, hug their necks, and take a picture with them. I can hardly begin thanking Him enough for that.
Exotic Foods: My all-time favorite thing to do when I first arrive in any country is EAT! You all know me…I love food. No doubt about that. And what I love about moving abroad is knowing that I will have the chance to try things I never knew existed. After just a week and a half, I am realizing that I am going to have to try several new things each and every day to even scratch the surface of Asian food. Just today, I went to a mall “eatery” where the different booths were labeled according to region/type (like Chicken Rice, Fish Balls, and chinese words I can't remember) and every single thing looked great to me. Its hard to believe that in our eateries at home we usually have just 1-2 staple Asian restaurants (which we most often refer to as “Japanese” or “Chinese”—although I am beginning to doubt if I ever understood the difference. Just to give you an idea, here are some of the new things I’ve tried: Jelly Drink, Chicken Rice (the local special), real Lo Mein, Pau (pronounced “Pow” and translated “steamed buns”), really crazy Squid, lots of things with coconut milk or flavoring (yummy!!), amazing Rice Noodle dishes, tons of different Dumplings (my all-time favorite Chinese food), Yam ice cream (that’s purple!), great Chinese New Year’s cookies, and so so so much more! As you can see, I don’t really know the names for most of it, but I know how to point and whatever I end up with I will eat (although its usually more of a surprise than a known). So…taste buds get ready, because this is just the beginning!
Stretching like an 80s Jane Fonda Workout Video: Well…I wish it were more like physical stretching. That I could handle a lot easier than the mental, emotional, and spiritual stretching that is happening right now…in these very moments…inside of my very being. Coming out here, I knew that I would be working with an incredible leader for a boss. I had heard amazing things and could tell even over the phone that this guy (Mike) was going to take me to new heights through my job. But man…I don’t know if I could have ever guessed that it would be anything like this. It has been a thrill being given so much responsibility for an impacting event that is less than 3 months away. And also a rollercoaster. One minute I am drowning in a sea of tasks and meetings that I feel I can’t handle and then next (usually after I talk to the Lord) I am relaxed, confident, and ready to take on even more that needs to be done. One minute I’m scared, the next minute I’m excited. One minute I doubt my abilities, the next minute I’m boasting in God giving me talents and wisdom. And this ride is exhausting! But I wouldn’t trade in my ticket for anything else in the world right now. This is the place for me and I know God is using this job to prepare me for even bigger adventures in the future—and every piece of knowledge and experience I am receiving right now will play an important role in whatever is next. That’s why I don’t run away when I feel the urge…and I don’t shy away when my flesh says to keep silent…and I don’t let anything stop me from striving for excellence for my God. Every day is important. Every task is meaningful. Every moment is the beginning of yet another. Let’s just pray I can bounce back from the stretch and be stronger for it!
And beyond all of this, God has given me the gift of a huge revelation. You know those moments I’m talking about. Those times when something is made so clear to you that it not only excites you but it puts your heart at peace more than you ever thought possible. God has made this clear to me: I am meant to live in another country. He has designed me for it, given me the desires, and now given me many opportunities. It couldn’t be clearer to me. I love being the minority, embracing new things, and learning other cultures and languages. Its easy and fun for me and the change is a thrill. And more than that…a part of me comes alive when I am living out of my geographical comfort zone…and I like that part of me. (You would too!) So, I am now fully embracing the idea of living abroad for long amounts of time in my life…and peace is what reigns in me. What a gift!
Until next week…enjoy the pics that will be coming soon!
Incredible People: Without a doubt, the last week has been a privilege. I have sat in on meetings and meals with people that I would have never imagined I would meet. Although none of them were “famous” by worldly standards, I can guarantee that their names and handprints are on the sidewalk stars of heaven. Not because of all of the work for the Lord they have done (although that in itself is challenging to say the least), but because their hearts for Jesus and people are overwhelmed with love and a commitment to give their entire lives (and risk it for some) to bring others to greater heights and depths with the Lord. For some, it has meant meeting secretly in their countries to sing and pray together as brothers and sisters…for others it has meant to devote all of their time and resources to traveling all around Asia building relationships to get ministries partnering together…and still for others it has meant going beyond the normality of teaching to tell his students about Christ and begin a church made up of college students. The list goes on and on and on. These are the Heaven Hall of Famers of our time—and God gave me the honor of getting to shake their hands, hug their necks, and take a picture with them. I can hardly begin thanking Him enough for that.
Exotic Foods: My all-time favorite thing to do when I first arrive in any country is EAT! You all know me…I love food. No doubt about that. And what I love about moving abroad is knowing that I will have the chance to try things I never knew existed. After just a week and a half, I am realizing that I am going to have to try several new things each and every day to even scratch the surface of Asian food. Just today, I went to a mall “eatery” where the different booths were labeled according to region/type (like Chicken Rice, Fish Balls, and chinese words I can't remember) and every single thing looked great to me. Its hard to believe that in our eateries at home we usually have just 1-2 staple Asian restaurants (which we most often refer to as “Japanese” or “Chinese”—although I am beginning to doubt if I ever understood the difference. Just to give you an idea, here are some of the new things I’ve tried: Jelly Drink, Chicken Rice (the local special), real Lo Mein, Pau (pronounced “Pow” and translated “steamed buns”), really crazy Squid, lots of things with coconut milk or flavoring (yummy!!), amazing Rice Noodle dishes, tons of different Dumplings (my all-time favorite Chinese food), Yam ice cream (that’s purple!), great Chinese New Year’s cookies, and so so so much more! As you can see, I don’t really know the names for most of it, but I know how to point and whatever I end up with I will eat (although its usually more of a surprise than a known). So…taste buds get ready, because this is just the beginning!
Stretching like an 80s Jane Fonda Workout Video: Well…I wish it were more like physical stretching. That I could handle a lot easier than the mental, emotional, and spiritual stretching that is happening right now…in these very moments…inside of my very being. Coming out here, I knew that I would be working with an incredible leader for a boss. I had heard amazing things and could tell even over the phone that this guy (Mike) was going to take me to new heights through my job. But man…I don’t know if I could have ever guessed that it would be anything like this. It has been a thrill being given so much responsibility for an impacting event that is less than 3 months away. And also a rollercoaster. One minute I am drowning in a sea of tasks and meetings that I feel I can’t handle and then next (usually after I talk to the Lord) I am relaxed, confident, and ready to take on even more that needs to be done. One minute I’m scared, the next minute I’m excited. One minute I doubt my abilities, the next minute I’m boasting in God giving me talents and wisdom. And this ride is exhausting! But I wouldn’t trade in my ticket for anything else in the world right now. This is the place for me and I know God is using this job to prepare me for even bigger adventures in the future—and every piece of knowledge and experience I am receiving right now will play an important role in whatever is next. That’s why I don’t run away when I feel the urge…and I don’t shy away when my flesh says to keep silent…and I don’t let anything stop me from striving for excellence for my God. Every day is important. Every task is meaningful. Every moment is the beginning of yet another. Let’s just pray I can bounce back from the stretch and be stronger for it!
And beyond all of this, God has given me the gift of a huge revelation. You know those moments I’m talking about. Those times when something is made so clear to you that it not only excites you but it puts your heart at peace more than you ever thought possible. God has made this clear to me: I am meant to live in another country. He has designed me for it, given me the desires, and now given me many opportunities. It couldn’t be clearer to me. I love being the minority, embracing new things, and learning other cultures and languages. Its easy and fun for me and the change is a thrill. And more than that…a part of me comes alive when I am living out of my geographical comfort zone…and I like that part of me. (You would too!) So, I am now fully embracing the idea of living abroad for long amounts of time in my life…and peace is what reigns in me. What a gift!
Until next week…enjoy the pics that will be coming soon!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
sign of the week #1...
...I've decided that I am finding way too many signs here to be funny to not be sharing them with all of you. So, every Wednesday I will be posting a "Sign of the Week." I hope they its brings a smile to your face for the middle of the week blues!
I have been spoiled with taking taxis with the couple I'm staying with right now. This was inside of a taxi and made me giggle! I love British English :)
I have been spoiled with taking taxis with the couple I'm staying with right now. This was inside of a taxi and made me giggle! I love British English :)
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
the easiest adjustment in asia...
...I was talking with Mrs. Winnie about Singapore and adjusting to life here. She has been here for almost 2 months with her husband, Doug. We both came to the conclusion that out of all the Asian countries, Singapore is definitely the way to ease into this side of the world. I can only imagine the culture shock from someone who moves from the suburbs of Atlanta to the slums of Cambodia--who knows if anyone could survive that! But Singapore is another story.
Located right smack dab in the middle of Southern Asia, you might miss Singapore unless you make a point to both see it on a map or stop over when hopping around the islands. With a prime central location and a drive for economy, Singapore has become the hub of Asian businessmen..and international businessmen as well. Beyond its location, Singapore provides a gentle transition from western to easter cultures. Being a British colony, it resembles a European city much more than I thought it would (and that's probably why i'm adjusting more easily).
Here are some ways it marries the two cultures:
~Mostly asian foods but with enough European and American restaurants to escape to as well.
~Clothing looks more European than anything (with my favorite stores: Celio, Zara, Bata,etc) but with the Asian touch (shoes are a bit wider and clothes sized for super petite!)
~Signs in both English and Mandarin Chinese
~At least a 90% asian population all driving on the left-hand side of the road! (those brits!!!)
~Bathrooms! - in almost all places you are given the choice of a "squatty potty" or a reg. seat toilet :)
So, if you are willing to take a long flight over to Asia, I reccomend stopping in Singapore first, adjusting a bit to the easter culture and then making your way to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and many more amazing countries!! Singapore is definitely the place to visit!!
Located right smack dab in the middle of Southern Asia, you might miss Singapore unless you make a point to both see it on a map or stop over when hopping around the islands. With a prime central location and a drive for economy, Singapore has become the hub of Asian businessmen..and international businessmen as well. Beyond its location, Singapore provides a gentle transition from western to easter cultures. Being a British colony, it resembles a European city much more than I thought it would (and that's probably why i'm adjusting more easily).
Here are some ways it marries the two cultures:
~Mostly asian foods but with enough European and American restaurants to escape to as well.
~Clothing looks more European than anything (with my favorite stores: Celio, Zara, Bata,etc) but with the Asian touch (shoes are a bit wider and clothes sized for super petite!)
~Signs in both English and Mandarin Chinese
~At least a 90% asian population all driving on the left-hand side of the road! (those brits!!!)
~Bathrooms! - in almost all places you are given the choice of a "squatty potty" or a reg. seat toilet :)
So, if you are willing to take a long flight over to Asia, I reccomend stopping in Singapore first, adjusting a bit to the easter culture and then making your way to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and many more amazing countries!! Singapore is definitely the place to visit!!
snail mail me...
...due to popular demand, i will now leave you with how to reach me via snail mail. the best way will be just to mail things to the ELA office:
Pamela Simpson
Equipping Leaders for Asia
39A Jalan Pemimpin #05-03
Halcyon Building
Singapore 577183
(Singapore is both the city and the country!)
Pamela Simpson
Equipping Leaders for Asia
39A Jalan Pemimpin #05-03
Halcyon Building
Singapore 577183
(Singapore is both the city and the country!)
Saturday, February 24, 2007
just like mastercard...
Looking through singapore money = S$2.00
Gazing at the "dancing ladies" flowers (can you see them?) = Free
Experiencing a moment in the spotlight, feeding and eating fire at the Night Safari Singapore Show on my very first night in Singpore, making an incredible memorable moment and day and more = PRICELESS!
in one piece...
...Hey everyone! I made it to Singapore in one piece!!!! So, after about 27 hours of travel time and basically 2 days of my life (with the time change), I arrived in Singapore at about 1am in the morning here. The time difference is 13 hours...just so you know. Since I will be so far ahead, I'll let you all know what the day will hold;o)
My flights were good. Main memories: very rough landing in Detroit (they were having 40-50 mph wind gusts!!), old old old 747 (35 yrs old to be exact--at least that's what a man told me) on the way to Tokyo and therefore no tvs in individual seats but I slept about 4 hours regardless (which is pretty good), and had a very talkative neighbor who loved to tell me the history of Singapore, cars (he works for GM), and talk politics on the way to Singapore (but the plane was stinkin' nice and I watched at least 3 movies and an episode of The Office (so pumped that was a choice!!). The connections were easy and I didn't have any porblems at security or customs the whole way...and my bags came quickly...so, praise the Lord b/c He made this one easy on me!!!
Thank you for your prayers...I know He heard them and He covered my travels with grace.
Its about 7:50am here (so I got about 5.5 hrs of sleep...also pretty good for jet lag) and I will be getting ready for a work meeting in just a bit. Yes, its a Saturday...but I'm so glad they have me jumping into things so quickly...that's going to help with adjusting. I have wireless in the apt I'm staying in for the next week--yea! I hope I'm busy...I think they have a lot of sightseeing and working planned for me already:)
Yes, its hot and humid...but they have some beautiful flowers and monkeys! What more could a girl ask for?? I think I'm going to like this place.
My flights were good. Main memories: very rough landing in Detroit (they were having 40-50 mph wind gusts!!), old old old 747 (35 yrs old to be exact--at least that's what a man told me) on the way to Tokyo and therefore no tvs in individual seats but I slept about 4 hours regardless (which is pretty good), and had a very talkative neighbor who loved to tell me the history of Singapore, cars (he works for GM), and talk politics on the way to Singapore (but the plane was stinkin' nice and I watched at least 3 movies and an episode of The Office (so pumped that was a choice!!). The connections were easy and I didn't have any porblems at security or customs the whole way...and my bags came quickly...so, praise the Lord b/c He made this one easy on me!!!
Thank you for your prayers...I know He heard them and He covered my travels with grace.
Its about 7:50am here (so I got about 5.5 hrs of sleep...also pretty good for jet lag) and I will be getting ready for a work meeting in just a bit. Yes, its a Saturday...but I'm so glad they have me jumping into things so quickly...that's going to help with adjusting. I have wireless in the apt I'm staying in for the next week--yea! I hope I'm busy...I think they have a lot of sightseeing and working planned for me already:)
Yes, its hot and humid...but they have some beautiful flowers and monkeys! What more could a girl ask for?? I think I'm going to like this place.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
soon and very soon...
...I am off to Singapore! In less than 9 hours I will be on a plane making my way westward from Atlanta to Detroit (2 hrs) to Tokyo (13 hrs) to Singapore (8 hours)...yep, that's a lot of travel time. So, pray I don't go crazy on the plane and that I will have some cool people to sit by and get to know :o)
Thank you all for you love and support over the past 3 weeks of me getting ready to leave. I will miss all of you so much over the next 4 months, but know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Next blog post...from Singapore!!!
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