This morning I spent some time in a coffee shop in my town. While the majority of my time was spent job hunting, I did a bit of people watching as well. I love people watching. My main reason is because you get to know the culture of the place, the nuances of its people, and the realities they face. People's dress, body language, hair, interactions, drink orders, and companions all say something.
Minnesotans are funny people. They are fiercely loyal. They are usually quite nice but it will take years to actually get to know them. They take pride in their ability to live and thrive through four dramatically different seasons. They value family- not just your partner and a few kids- but the whole crew, grandparents to new babies and everyone in between.
I enjoyed watching the mama's in the coffee shop with their faded jeans and printed 3/4 length t-shirts gabbing about their kid's soccer practice and how relieved they are that school just started. I got a kick out of watching the insecure teenage couple who were trying so hard to act confident. The business men in the corner with their legal pads and serious discussions. The Baristas acting way to chipper and friendly while helping their customers feed their addiction to caffeine. Life in a Minnesota Coffee Shop is good. Comical in a way. Removed from the realities of the poverty of the world but still faced with daily battles of living.
So is my life in Minnesota. The routine of job searching, making lunch with my mother and sitting on the deck, followed by errands or reading before dinner must be made. Gone are the days of fearing for my life as I am pushed into an over-crowded taxi in Uganda. Yet I can not complain. Another adventure, I'm sure, is on the horizon in the form of a paid job. In the meantime, I will just sip my coffee, applying for jobs, and enjoy the culture of Minnesota.
07 September 2011
23 April 2011
Where have I been?
I've been gettin' around! Since returning from Uganda I have been to the following places and done the following things:
I spent half a week in Florida, watching my brother and his college baseball team. It was pretty fun! My other brother came down for the weekend, and for the first time in more than seven months, my entire family was together. Unfortunately it was short lived and a day later we all scattered. But I still was able to get quality time in with my brothers!
My mother and I drove to eastern Wisconsin to visit grandparents on both sides. It always amazes me at how different my culture and generation is than theirs. Despite our differences, I always love being with my grandparents. I spent a few days with my mothers parents. We went on a drive through a state park, stopped to climb the watch tower, and then over to meet the park ranger. My grandfather is good friends with her and we had good chat. She then let me hold bird seed in my hand and chickadees landed to feed. It was a thrilling experience to feel their delicate bodies on my fingers.
We then went south a few hours to see my dad's mother. We spent the day going from one quilt shop to the other, looking at fabric. We also stopped at Starbucks where I was able to introduce my grandmother to the coffee chain for the very first time! Her opinion was that it was too expensive and the coffee too strong! Who can blame her when she can go to McDonalds and get a cup of coffee for 50 cents?
A few weeks after my Wisconsin trip I went to Chicago to watch baseball again. This time my wonderful cousin joined my parents and I. We had a great time hanging out, talking about life, and watching baseball!
Directly after Chicago I flew to Boston. I'm tellin' ya- I am getting around this spring! I impulsively purchased a plane ticket, at 2:00AM, with all my delta air miles. I couldn't sleep and I just decided to go for it. I woke up the next morning thinking- what the heck did I do!? For those of you who know me well, I do not buy things, that expensive, on a whim. Well, this impulsive purchase worked out well. I had major writing to do on my thesis and I needed to focus. I was at the school for 12 hours a day, primary working on my paper. It was a huge blessing to be able to just focus and write. It was good to be back in Boston, see friends, and remember that I am still a student despite not being on campus all year long!
This weekend I have been writing and putting the final touches on my paper. It occurred to me today that I successfully was able to take an exciting six months of living in Uganda and turn it into a dry, technical paper. Since I have been back I have been analyzing one particular school I worked with and the community in which it is located. I realized this morning that I got to the point where the soul of the paper had died and that it was just facts on a blank page. I never want to forget the incredible experience I had working and living in Uganda. The people, the smiles, the smells, the food, the passion, the drive to change things- that is what makes up this dear country. Not a bunch of statistics written by an expat.
So where to next?
Chicago in a few weeks for my brother's college graduation.
Boston to present my paper and celebrate my graduation.
Sri Lanka to celebrate a dear friend's wedding.
And then hopefully back to East Africa to continue working. This time it won't be with Fount, but hopefully I will land a job with an equally amazing organization. I will keep you posted!
I spent half a week in Florida, watching my brother and his college baseball team. It was pretty fun! My other brother came down for the weekend, and for the first time in more than seven months, my entire family was together. Unfortunately it was short lived and a day later we all scattered. But I still was able to get quality time in with my brothers!
My mother and I drove to eastern Wisconsin to visit grandparents on both sides. It always amazes me at how different my culture and generation is than theirs. Despite our differences, I always love being with my grandparents. I spent a few days with my mothers parents. We went on a drive through a state park, stopped to climb the watch tower, and then over to meet the park ranger. My grandfather is good friends with her and we had good chat. She then let me hold bird seed in my hand and chickadees landed to feed. It was a thrilling experience to feel their delicate bodies on my fingers.
We then went south a few hours to see my dad's mother. We spent the day going from one quilt shop to the other, looking at fabric. We also stopped at Starbucks where I was able to introduce my grandmother to the coffee chain for the very first time! Her opinion was that it was too expensive and the coffee too strong! Who can blame her when she can go to McDonalds and get a cup of coffee for 50 cents?
A few weeks after my Wisconsin trip I went to Chicago to watch baseball again. This time my wonderful cousin joined my parents and I. We had a great time hanging out, talking about life, and watching baseball!
Directly after Chicago I flew to Boston. I'm tellin' ya- I am getting around this spring! I impulsively purchased a plane ticket, at 2:00AM, with all my delta air miles. I couldn't sleep and I just decided to go for it. I woke up the next morning thinking- what the heck did I do!? For those of you who know me well, I do not buy things, that expensive, on a whim. Well, this impulsive purchase worked out well. I had major writing to do on my thesis and I needed to focus. I was at the school for 12 hours a day, primary working on my paper. It was a huge blessing to be able to just focus and write. It was good to be back in Boston, see friends, and remember that I am still a student despite not being on campus all year long!
This weekend I have been writing and putting the final touches on my paper. It occurred to me today that I successfully was able to take an exciting six months of living in Uganda and turn it into a dry, technical paper. Since I have been back I have been analyzing one particular school I worked with and the community in which it is located. I realized this morning that I got to the point where the soul of the paper had died and that it was just facts on a blank page. I never want to forget the incredible experience I had working and living in Uganda. The people, the smiles, the smells, the food, the passion, the drive to change things- that is what makes up this dear country. Not a bunch of statistics written by an expat.
So where to next?
Chicago in a few weeks for my brother's college graduation.
Boston to present my paper and celebrate my graduation.
Sri Lanka to celebrate a dear friend's wedding.
And then hopefully back to East Africa to continue working. This time it won't be with Fount, but hopefully I will land a job with an equally amazing organization. I will keep you posted!
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