goin crazy in Dun Drum!

David, the man who owns the “Dundrum Holiday Homes” is still trying his hardest (we think) to get us wireless. It’s really extremely hard to not have it in our life constantly…but I know it’s kinda good for us all (not being able to check facebook all the time). BUT there is a lot of work to be down via internet…and so we either don’t do it or…that’s about itJ good excuse.

Saturday culture shock started to set in…it’s not suppose to set in for another month (according to all my intercultural studies) but being stuck in this small town (feels kinda like Siloam Springs) is really getting to us…especially because we are lacking a internet connection with everyone! Things that show culture shock include:

*compulsive eating or drinking (check),

*excessive sleeping (sorta check…naps out in our back yard count I guess),

*boredom (check = identity and any board game),

*physical ailments (almost everyone’s had ‘the cold’ and joey fractured his wrist),

*stereotyping of nationals (seriously, we’ve been reading “The Times” of the UK…they are crazy)

*unexplained weeping (not yet…we are having just too much fun)

We have watched quite a few movies in the evenings after we stuff ourselves with dinner and that’s about it. Jill, Emily and I rode our bikes to the beach on Friday night after I made my wonderful dinner for 15 people (I was proud of myself, especially after everyone told me what a great job I did ha ha). It’s beyond beautiful at the beach…the water is incredible, blue and gorgeous…I love the ocean. There is something about the constant change of the water and depth that intrigues my heart, desires and imagination.

So we’ve found this game show called Identity…there is one similar in the states. Donny Osmond is the host…oh Donny. His smile is something special. Lynn (she was the last contestant) won 10,000 pounds ($20,000)! It was possibly the highlight of our week…next to the tour of the Linen Museum in Lisburn. We watch Identity every day at 5:15. There are like 15 people who stand on podiums and the contestant has to guess their identity out of a selection of identities such as: changed name, new dad, Latino ballroom dancer, atheist…yeah it’s pretty interesting and definitely an interactive part of our day. “STRANGER….is THat your IDentITY?” – get it Donny, we love you even though no game show in the US would take/keep you

We’ve met some interesting people here so far. No one we’ve been able to call up and hang out with…but we are still holding out for those long lost friends in Ireland…here’s to finding them.

It’s interesting the things we do and find interesting when a large group like our own hangs out in the same house together for long extended periods of time. Trival Pursuit (Pop Culture) is a favorite of ours.

Since the group of us spend pretty much all day with each other we are beginning to get to know more things about one another and those little things that make an individual special J For instance, we all shared our most embarrassing moments a few days ago…things like that just bring people close…experiencing a horrible, traumatizing, socially awkward moment together. We spend Sunday evenings at Hadden and Betty Wilson’s church, then go to their house for ‘dinner’…more like snacks. We love love love Betty because she is fabulous and chic and makes us laugh so hard (probably not on purpose). They definitely will miss us when we are gone in December

pictures! finally...just a few

me and Lauren at a castle
at huge mansion we visited
late nights in the houses
family:)

me and Lauren when we got 'detained' in the airport in Ireland
singing in the rain-ish

Derry, the town where Bloody Sunday occured
in a round tower...

we are headed to Maggie Murray's for 'American Country Kareoke Night'....it was an adventure
the young woman on MY left name is Pearl...am I in East Texas?
OH...yes I am in East Texas...look at the flag...we were singing a Garth Brooks song

hello

One week of school down! This semester is definitely not as structured or syllabus orientated as any semester I’ve had before.

Monday – Irish Politics and Society (assignments via internet)

Tuesday – Christian Life (Dr. Hadden Wilson…amazing man who reminds me of Pastor Roher, when he walks into a room his life and love for Christ warms you),

Wednesday – Irish Literature (Professor Derick Bingham: teacher at Queens University in Belfast, brilliant man)

Thursday – Irish Art & Culture @ Queens University (Amanda Croft – her father and mother are both famous Irish artists)

Friday – Philosophy for everyone else, Independent Study Cross-Cultural Communications for me! (study of the process of interpersonal communications and the principles of effective communication within another cultural context (PERFECT for this time in my life & EXACTLY what I love and want to do)

We have class at our little “holiday homes” (if you will) on Mon-Wed, Thurs we go to Queens in Belfast and then back at our homes on Friday. We have a lot of freedom. We have bus passes to where we can go to Belfast (which is a thirty minute drive from Dundrum) and hang out, get free wireless internet, shop! and hang out with college students. Yay for awesome Irish friends.

We’ve already have a lot of reading and studying, but I’m loving every minute of it and all these studies on a different culture help me in my CCC class (cross-cultural communications). Hadden has assigned a book called Streams of Living Water written by Richard Foster and he is wanting it to challenge our understanding of Jesus and how he lived. Since I’ve been here, all 16 of us have become a family. We wake up, run, bike, watch movies, eat meals, study and have great conversations together, and it is such a blessing because our dynamics are strong and very well put together. One of the best things we can do for each other is encourage regular immersion in the Gospel narratives, helping each other understand Jesus’ perceptions into life and his counsels for growth and sharing Jesus’ vision, love, hope, feelings and habits (Streams of Living Water). It is so wonderful to be living in close quarters (and I’m sure I’m going to need to come back and read that again in a few weeks to remind myself) with brothers and sisters who encourage and have troubles the same as me.

We live with our backyard touching the bay (the tide goes completely out twice a day) and an incredible view of the Mountains of Mourne. The beauty here is beyond what words can explain, with green everywhere. Flowers flourish, full of color and life. Soon it’ll be autumn and things will begin to die off, but right now it just is so welcoming. Across the street (which I’m still getting use to everyone driving on the left side of the road) is a pub called “Maggie Murrays” and they have American Country Karaoke Night on Fridays…par-tay! Pubs are interesting. They are family establishments, with food and TVs, where a rugby game is usually playing, and just a time to sit and enjoy each others company…and, despite the stereotype, not everyone in Ireland drinks.

This is one of the first times in my life that I feel focused on where I am. Where my mind is no somewhere else, where I’m wanting to be somewhere else, to be at a different time, where I’m not satisfied in what I have. Over this summer I’ve learned a lot about satisfaction and stability in myself and in God. I’ve always been flighty in a lot of situations involving commitment, mainly because I worry about how my circumstances will change. I really had to evaluate who and what I was putting my stability in and what I was satisfying myself in. Grace is the gift of a foundation that Christ has laid before us, made ready for me to go, it is my choice then of whether or not I actually go through rocky times with stability in God, not myself or others because they will constantly change.

I think about everyone constantly, but I wouldn’t trade anything for this experience and time away, just adding a few more small pieces to my life!

Love!!!

coffee house in Belfast

i'm sittin in a coffee house called The Roast, getting FREE internet on my computer! halleluiah! we are trying really hard to get internet to our homes in Dundrum, but it's taking a while...so i'll just have to get what i need done in a quick manner.
there are only three of us who came to Belfast today, kinda to go shopping and experience life around the city. it's a pretty awesome city. it's high fashion and pretty funky style ALSO there is the big university Queens right around the corner of 'downtown' (which i'll be taking an Art class at every Thursday).
so lets give you a run down of where i'm living and what i'm doing
we live in Dundrum and we have 3 townhomes that are connected. two houses for the girls and one for the boys. Molli is the Resident Director (in charge of the food and taking care of us) and i'm the Resident Assistant (in charge of finances, scheduling and the girls of my house). it's fun. i'm goin to be doing a lot of studying and work for these classes. 
i've got 14 books so far that i'll be using for all my classes...but i'm so excited. i'm also getting to know the 4 girls that are living in my house pretty good, which is a blessing and an answer to prayer. it's actually quite nice NOT to have interenet cause i don't think
or worry about if someone has or hasn't written me back AND i dont' spend my time on it. we were discussing how interesting and quickly it is that our eyes are taken off God and our priorities are skewed when you have a lot to do in live with school, people, job etc. and that 's when it is necessary to take a day of sabbath, of rest, of time out of the ordinary to be with yourself and relax.

i'm really excited about spending some time in the city and meeting knew people and getting to know where i'm goin to be living for another 3 months. woo hoo! so if y'all have any questions about what i'm doing or anything of that nature...go on and shoot ;)

address and some time

loving it here. i don't have internet yet so update and pictures soon...i have to buy a new camera cause i dropped mine. love everyone

#3 Dundrum Holiday Homes
Main Street, Dundrum
Co. Down
Northern Ireland, UK
BT33 OLY

write me

so this week and a half has been SO full of information and history. i don't think i could have learned about the amount of history and politics of Ireland in a classroom over a whole semester that i have this past week by traveling and experiencing and seeing. i'm in charge of a WHOLE lot of stuff here...i'm surprised, but then again they didn't really know who i am before they 'hired' me. i'm keeping track of all the finances of the trip (woo scary) and scheduling of the group and in charge of a whole house with 5 girls in it. i feel privelaged, but then again i sleep downstairs in a two story townhouse. so i'm rooming alone :( there are two rooms upstairs so two girls live in each one. it's ok though...i just will need some love via mail :) hopefully we'll be getting internet in the next few weeks, but if not, i'll have it at least once a week so that'll be sufficient. well love to everyone. and i miss y'all with the deepest part of my heart. but THIS is exactly where i need to be in every aspect of my life i feel. it's amazing. love

I'm here and soakin it in like a SPOUNGE (that's the European way to use a U)

Ok i'm sitting in the Clinton Center Hostel (yes former President Clinton made this hostel or something) and i bought 3 pounds for an hour...so i don't have much time. 1 pound = 2 dollars if y'all are wondering ;) we've been like tourists on cocaine (or Red Diamond ice tea (for those of y'all who get that)) visiting every place in Northern Ireland that could be part of their history. i've learned more about the history of all of Ireland in the span of 5 days than i think most people know about the Civil War...i'm serious. it's amazing history and i love being introduced to everything here. we all went to a pub and watched the first game of the world rugby game and had some Irish dessert (Banoffee)! it was so fun and we stick out like we are wearing bright floresent yellow shirts saying we are Americans. that's ok though, people love talking to us and sharing their culture.
i have found out that one question can lead to an hour of conversation...or more like story telling. it's fun :)

we've stayed in two different hostel's now and they are really interesting. very accomadating (except internet) so just be praying that the internet stuff at our cottages works out. i've been taking lots of notes and when i have more time i'll update more effeciently but bottom line. i love this place. it's perfect weather (right now...apparently very unusual) and the communities are sweet, quaint, Northern Ireland (which is more British than Irish) towns...love it! Miss you tons. seriously

waiting and.....waiting

i'm sitting on the linolium floor of Newarks airport after walking a good 5 minutes to find AH (that means one) plug that works...now that i've found it, i'm facebooking, talking on the phone and of course, like my mom wants: updating my blog.
i've got a 4 hour lay over here. got here at around 4 (New York time) and will be leaving around 8:30....good long time to relax. and talk with lovers on the phone.
there are already about 7 of us JBUers that have met up here and we are already talking and getting really excited. we are living in cottages on the east coast (i'm not a 100% sure that it is even a mailing address, but i'll figure that out in the next few days)
so, not much to update other than i love my friends and family. a lot of my friends come over last night, even  surprise visit from a special somone. it's times like this that i feel the trueness of the care and sincerity of the friendships and relationship i have . there are times when i take them for granted, or when i feel like i'm alone. so thank you to all y'all who have called or texted or emails or facebooked or visited me. it really speaks to my heart. sooooooo i've got a good 3 hours left so feel free to call.
i promise i'm bored ;)

Dundrum Bay Holiday Homes
Main Street Dundrum
Co Down, BT33 OLU