here, there, and everywhere!

Perhaps you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, since I was MIA from this blog for so long.

There isn’t just one answer. Actually, there are three: Belfast, Berlin, and London!!
In the interest of bringing all of us up to speed, I’ll hit ya quick with a highlight from each place. And some pictures to boot. Sound good? Good!

Ready. Set.

BELFAST! Far and away the best part of the Belfast weekend was the Giant’s Causeway. Here’s a snippet from my journal: “We finished off with a visit to the Giant’s Causeway, aka my favorite stop of the day. It didn’t look like anything special until we got close…and then, WONDER! I still don’t know how those stones formed – what kind of geology could arrange the rocks into such perfect hexagonal slates? It was a God-sized mosaic – a natural puzzle, with no piece out of place. It kind of a had the look of Superman’s crystal palace in some places because of how the hexagons formed in long stalk-like cylinders. The ocean waves swelled to reach my height and perform great splashes, sending mist into the air and onto our faces! It was refreshing and powerful, alive and majestic. It was enduring, in a word.”


BERLIN! Let’s see here….highlights include scoping the East Side Gallery, munching my first ever Bratwurst, crashing a world premier at a film festival, chatting with Katie in a café before our movie started, surfing 24 hour public transit, and jamming out karaoke with Katie (“Surfin’ USA” was a big hit…really, it was). There’s probably a lot I could say, but the trouble is…where could I start? Tell you what: I’ll just give you MORE pictures!

LONDON! Late night pizza feast with the girls: after two long walks, two long bus rides, a flight, and Tube navigation, we arrived in London at 11:30pm – hungry. Not much was open, but there was (conveniently enough) a Pizza Hut. The guy who was working either thought we were cute or was trying to get rid of leftover food, because we got two pizzas, a liter Pepsi, cheesy bread, and chicken strips all for the price of one extra large. We walked our feast back to the hostel and ate it on the landing of the top floor by the curved banister with velvet carpet. A classy midnight snack, that’s for sure! Next highlight? Early morning coffee before the mad-map-dash began: I got up before the others and had some quiet/alone time at a nice café before the busy day started. It felt good to get an orientation on the map, to explore, to have distance, and to wake up properly (with a caramel macchiato) before the day even kicked off. Notting Hill and Westminster Abbey both top the chart, as well. By the end of the weekend, I felt as if I’d lived for 2 weeks instead of 2 days in that vibrant, catchy city. I definitely want to make it back there some day :)

So there you have it! Three cities in 500 words. But that’s not including the pictures…which are each worth 1000 words. So really this post makes for an epic narrative, all things considered. Thanks for checking in, by the way! I’ll try to keep these posts coming a little bit more regularly :)

Cheers!

Random Thoughts/Reflections

Titles are hard to come up with!!

Let's begin with an observation concerning the late-teen/early-twenty wardrobe existing here in Galway. Galwegian girls (yes, that's what you call 'em) wear dresses and tights to school in rain/wind/sunshine/but probably rain. However, the "lads" generally wear some sort of sports apparel, or a good 'ol fashioned Hollister hoodie. That's right folks! Hollister almost seems more popular here than in Hollister itself. Somehow, I always get a private laugh when they think they're being all 'surfer west,' when the town of Hollister is actually 40 minutes away from any ocean. Bahaahha! (That's me having a not-so private laugh).

Honestly? I'm feeling a bit nutty today, and I figured I'd try writing this blog "stream of conscious-style," as per homeboy James Joyce. Holla!

But you're probably not super interested in my strange tangents, so let's get down to business, shall we?

To count I've played in three rugby games. We won the first two but lost Wednesday against our fierce rival, University of Limerick. The girls are pretty sure we can beat them in the finals though, so we'll see. Mom will be glad to know that I've sustained no major injuries. Save a few bruises, a jammed finger, and a bloody lip I remain completely whole. But really, the injuries just makes me feel kinda cool. :)

I went on a bus tour to Connemara this past Saturday. Four of my roomies and I romped around the countryside and explored Kylemore Abbey, a beautiful castle nestled away into a fold of mountainside adjacent to the calmest of calm lakes. I've included a few pictures below for your viewing pleasure. My favorite photo-op-stop (yeah rhyme!) on the tour was at a place dubbed "The Oldest Place in the World" by the Normans. Apparently, when the Normans stumbled upon the silent valley they decided that only a place so very old could maintain such a tangible peace. Interestingly enough, they were geologically correct: it is the oldest vista in all of Ireland. I also saw many woolly sheep, glass-topped lakes, and moss-bound trees throughout the day.

This weekend I'm busing out to the Cliffs of Moher, one Ireland's more iconic beauties. The next weekend is full of Belfast, and the weekend after that will take place in Berlin...at the International Film Festival! I'm so excited! I'll letcha know how all of that goes.

My roomies and I have been playing lots of cards lately (SO fun). We've built up quite the game set-list so that we can comfortably rotate between the games to keep the fun "fresh." Our latest addition is "Nerts", a Fletch fam fave - cough Christin cough :) - this addition has actually become an addiction, and the enthusiasm is spreading fast.

One final update item: for my English Service Learning course I get to tutor at a homework club for elementary age students. On Mondays I walk over to Scoil Bhride (pronounced "Skowl - Breegsh") and help with spelling and maths and...usually we end up coloring. :) I've gotten to be in the same classroom for two weeks in a row, and the kids are starting to warm up to me. They get a kick out of my accent and ask charming questions. One little girl asked my friend Katie if she knew Barack Obama. Cute, right?

Alright, ladies and gents. That's all I got for now. Have a good week! Thanks for sticking through to the end of this slightly manic blog post!!!

Some pics and some highlights --

--sorry about those pics that fell over, I can't seem to make them rotate appropriately--


Hello all!
Here are some pictures just to give you a sense of what things look like over here. The first one is of one of Dublin's quaint little streets, and then the rest are of exploratory escapades in Galway. The one by the sign that says "De Burgo" is relatively interesting in terms of heritage. I hail from the Burke clan (removed, of course, by a few generations). BUT, the Burkes were originally called the Burgo's, and it just so happens that the Burgo clan is one of the 14 original tribes that founded Galway city. Go figure.

Okie Dokie...there's so much I could tell you about my time here so far. But perhaps I can save most of that for later, and share a coupla highlights?
My roomies are great - I can already tell that we're going to be friends and get along well. There's five of us total, and we live in the corner apartment of the building - which means my room as TWO windows (holla!).
I've discovered Revive - a quaint cafe and crepery overlooking Shop St, the main cobblestone thoroughfare of the old city centre. I've already claimed three stamps on my frequent visit card. I'm mere steps away from a free mocha. Need I say more?
And I've signed up for more clubs and societies than should be allowed. Just gotta dive head first into the social sphere, is what they say (or should say, I'll wager). I have signed up for the women's rugby team, which I'm sure will be a BLAST if my body survives. At least I know that I can live through a black eye - ask Wendy for that story, it's a good one :) - so I know I'll be able to persevere!
Cheers, everyone!

Hello Again!

Hello friends and family!

Welcome back to the blog...I'm reopening this site so that I might keep you all updated as I explore Ireland, and as I endear myself to Galway - a small city on the west coast of the country where I'll be studying for this spring semester.

Feel free to check back as often as you like - I'll do my best to keep this thing updated, but I can't (in all honesty) promise prompt posts :) Even still, you all mean a lot to me, so I want to keep you in the loop of my thoughts and experiences as best I can...from across the pond!

Okie dokie...that'll do for an intro, I suppose. I'll post something up soon to get the momentum rollin'. But for now, cheers!!!

final post - a reflection

I leave for Wheaton tomorrow; the summer is (nearly) officially over. So how ‘bout that trip to Ashkelon? What did I take away from it all? I’ve had plenty of time to think about it now: and I’ve decided that it really is high time that I let you all tap into my neurons.

Remember those 6 hopes/goals I had for my time in Ashkelon? In case you don’t, here they are:

1.Trip over inspiration
2. Discover something new
3. Initiate or catalyze growth
4. Whet an appetite for the world and the people who live in it
5. Collect some cool stories
6. "Keep in step with the Spirit", as I tread along new roads (Gal 5:25)

This is my “list of potential”…it’s my way of making sure that each moment means something – it keeps my moments from actually being wasted, even if they do look like they are spent in leisure.

So here’s how it’s gonna go down: I will (try to) respond to each of the six points in a succinct and thorough way (after all, there are six points), and that will serve as the flip side of our coin, so to speak. Here we go.

1. Trip over inspiration. I was inspired. It was so hard not to be! Fresh faces, fresh lands, fresh activities tend to do that to you, I think. By the end of the trip I had written 124 pages of new notes, stories, and observations into my journal.
2. Discover something new. Well, I discovered a lot of old things as I dug through ancient dirt. Pots, jewelry, and bones were all great, but what was new? What was fresh? I learned that the old truths hold true everywhere, which was a new lesson for me. Food still brings people together. Being bold can still be extremely rewarding. Letting God be in control is still the wildest but safest bet a person can make.
3. Initiate or catalyze growth. Okay, I learned a LOT. And I would love to share it all, but that would make for a VERY long post. So, I’m gonna say it quick. Ready? I learned (1) that I like to work hard – I mean, really. I had no idea I enjoyed it so much. I went to Israel and picked up a revolutionary work ethic. And I learned (2) that if I want to be a leader, I can be. I always kinda figured myself incapable on this front, but not so. I just need to step up and practice. (And in the words of the Summit, ‘lead where you are – everyone can do it’. That’s really true, guys! If it’s true for me, then it is definitely true for you!)
4. Whet an appetite for the world and the people who live in it. I saw the world at the smallest it’s ever been. A country about the size of New Jersey really is the earth in microcosm. The poor’s scarcity rubs up against the wealthy’s abundance. Daily evidence of thick unrest stares down shalom. Ancient ruins stubbornly stand among modern buildings. They are all met together in a land sewn with blood and fertilized by history. I met people electrically charged with passion by their patriotism and belief. I also met passive, lethargic people. I experienced what you probably already know: that people are people everywhere: that they are either active or passive about life. And as for me, I choose to be ACTIVE!
5. Collect some cool stories. I recently read somewhere an idea about stories. In the book, the author said that our lives are lived out in narrative form. It’s because of this reason that human beings are so drawn to stories, and one reason why (the author suggests) that Jesus taught us through parables. Because they resonate with us in a way that a normal lecture or seminar never could. I didn’t recognize it then, but I think that’s why I was so interested in “collecting cool stories” when I was in Israel…because it’s such a fundamentally human thing. Where life looks different the stories inevitably take on a different shape, but there remains a common base note. Stories are a human hallmark. SO. It was in talking with the people that I gathered these narratives. I have to say, that my cab drivers provided stories that have since become my favorites. The three that stick out in my mind – Loui, Yousef, and Nissan – had things to offer and share and of course many questions to ask (as is only fair). I’m not sure what else I can tell you without going into massive detail….and I don’t think anyone wants that right now. Maybe later though. I will carry the bits of narrative that those men shared with me until I’m able to write them down or something…Maybe. I dunno…Let’s move on!
6. “Keep in step with the Spirit,” as I tread along new roads (Gal 5:25) This was a matter of being who I’m supposed to me and bearing my mark as God’s kid. Simple enough, right? It’s a simple enough sentence, at least. Actually, it’s kind of tough to do (but we all probably knew that already, didn’t we?). Pretty much, “keeping in step with the Spirit” looked like humility for me, this summer. That and remembering who I’m supposed to be and that I really do bear the mark as God’s kid, and that’s no mistake. Those two biggies are the theme-song-thoughts of my summer in Ashkelon. I’d be happy to chat in more depth about it, if you want to know more. But for now I’m kind of proud of how I was actually able to crush those big lessons down into two small sentences (that are also deceptively simple, go figure).

Okeydokey, faithful readers. I guess this is it. For Ashkelon, at least. This experimental blog has been a good thing for me, but next time (if there is a next time) I’ll be a little more consistent at it for your sakes. Thank you, for reading!! I appreciate it, a lot. But now, in the words of the classic Saturday morning cartoons, “That’s all folks!”

Galilee and other shenanigans…

...where can I even start? I filled 18 pages in my journal over the last 2 days alone, and my head is still reelin'!

I just got back from a crash course tour of Galilee and the Dead Sea region.  Maybe you'll let me spare you all the details until a later time if I exchange a couple highlights and pictures?

Okay! Highlight number one: Mt. Tabor. This is the (supposed) sight of Jesus’ Transfiguration. The church and grounds are cleanly kept by the Franciscans, and are perched above the expansive Jezreel valley. The gardens were glorious! Flowers of all colors and sizes and shapes and aromas! Flowers from all over the world, really - each plant had a placard that revealed its native home. In the same garden are plants from India, Korea, Mexico that all shared the same sun and air (which I think is beautifully poetic in a simple way). Also, my camera ran out of battery at Mt. Tabor. This was initially a bummer, until I realized it freed up my hands for my pen and journal! So instead of snapping a whole bunch of pictures, I was able to take down my thoughts in the moment, and not after the fact. And honestly, that was pretty refreshing.

Highlight two. Dead Sea…I floated! And because I didn't need to hold myself up in the water, I could really swim. I can only imagine what Michael Phelps would do in the Dead Sea. Oh! And I made a point to get my feet wet in the Mediterranean Sea before we left that day, and I visited the Sea of Galilee on Friday too. So now I can say I have been in the Dead Sea, the Med Sea, and the Sea of Galilee all on the same day. Maybe that's silly, but I'm enjoying the idea! 

One last highlight: waking up this morning in the Tiberius hostel because the sun gently nudged me awake. I haven't risen with the sun in a few weeks, so it felt especially nice to have the natural alarm clock do what it does best. AND I was allowed to roll over and go back to sleep (even better!) with the anticipation that I was about to live a full, new day!

Alright -- here are a few picks from my time last Saturday at Caesarea. The first is of my friends and me after we got eaten alive by a wave (quite unexpectedly!). The second is just of me, enjoying the sun and Roman architecture. And finally, the third is me chillin' on the top of the Roman aqueduct.

Love you all - goodnight! :)

deep breath

I'm writin' to y'all on the fly tonight - just wanted to pop by before I wind down for bed. :)

It's the Thursday night before the only long weekend here in Ashkelon. We worked until 1 pm (according to our normal schedule) this afternoon, but did not have to scrub pottery at the compound from 4-6. AND, tomorrow we have a field trip to the Dead Sea/Masada/Qumran...so fun times are ahead! AND some of my friends and I have rented a car for the weekend that we'll take North from the Dead Sea into Galilee for the weekend. (!!!) :D

With our free time and our new ride that we picked up from Avis in Ashdod, we explored Lachish - the site of a major siege and epic destruction back around Hezekiah's time. Sennacarib (I think I spelled that right?), an Assyrian king, traveled south to capture all of Judah (he nearly succeeded), and laid siege at Lachish for over a year while he built HUGE siege engines and ramps. Can you imagine what those ancient people living in that city must have felt to be so constantly acquainted with the feeling of inescapable, imminent doom? I might've expected the grounds to feel eerie, but instead the landscape (which sported an EXCELLENT view of the Shephelah and Judean Hill Country) felt at peace. Actually, it felt as if it was waiting for something, almost as if the very stones I was treading upon were dreaming in the middle of a deep sleep. In the words of Cisneros, the land felt "full of a deep breath."

Anywho, I digress.

Post-Lachish we romped for a bit around Bet Guvrin, a tel that sports famous caves. However, we weren't able to romp properly because the park was generally closed, and there was not much to see.

Okay, talk to you soon! Can you tell I'm trying to be much more proactive about this blog? I am! I hope you all have a great couple of days until we meet again.

Peace :)