Tanzania Recap

I'm finally feeling that I'm in a place to discuss the happenings that occurred on the Tanzania trip :)

To say that the trip was an experience is an understatement. It was a phenomenal experience, a rewarding experience, a beautiful experience, and in so many ways an exhausting experience. There has been a lot of professional development in flux in the weeks since our return, but as of today I feel that things are more solidly in order and have returned in many ways to how they originally started out.

The climax of the trip happened early when the trip coordinator became ill, we discovered it was malaria, and as her medical situation deteriorated rapidly in the Tanzanian hospital, she was medically evacuated out of country. She and I had already been in country for eleven days prior to this happening and she became ill on the second day that the students were in country. The experience was definitely daunting, worrisome for her health, taught us a LOT about where policy and program gaps exist that need to be fixed, and also left the coordination of the trip on the shoulders of our boss and myself....The good news is that she's recovered and that we also had individuals in country who were able to assist us with language/transportation/etc. Thank God :)

The daily coordination of multiple details, student advising, travel, programming, etc meant that I had limited moments to myself, slept like a log most nights, and came back home just wanting to sleep for weeks. Since I'm not good at just sleeping for weeks, I actually feel like I'm more tired now almost a month later than I was when I returned....

But on to the good stuff!!

The ten days in country before students arrived, my colleague and I traveled to the various locations where we would be taking students to ensure that lodging, program contacts, travel was all in place and to set up programming activities for students. Since this was my first time ever being in country, it was really great to get acquainted with the locations prior to the arrival of the students. I also discovered that Zanzibar is absolutely beautiful....and I relished the sunrises and watching the morning harvest of seaweed at low tide:

After those ten days, we traveled to Moshi (which is near the base of Mt Kilimanjaro) where our boss joined us and then the students arrived a day later. Moshi was not my favorite town ever. It's a major stop for tourists and climbers thus there are a lot of pushy salespeople and individuals that wander the town hoping to lure tourists. I did however find a great dress shop before the students came where I enjoyed an afternoon chatting with the local women, trying on dresses, and negotiating having a dress made for me. I also took a guy out for lunch who had just come off of Kili and it was great getting his story and seeing his pictures. 

Honestly, it was wonderful having the students finally arrive! We spent two days in a rural mountain village halfway up Mt Kilimanjaro. In the village, we toured the local market & clinic, chatted with individuals about health concerns, played with the kiddos, hiked to a gorgeous waterfall, did a herb walk where we learned about the immense amount of local plants that can be used to treat various ailments, and explored the various parts of the town/water sources/ways of living/etc. This was one of my favorite experiences.

From Moshi we went to Serengeti.....on LONG bumpy roads :) I'm not going to lie...I may have choked back tears from the back of the van watching sunset the first night in Serengeti. I just kept thinking to myself...I'm here...I'm in Africa...dreams truly happen...somehow life truly turned around and it keeps going....etc etc. In Serengeti, we went on three game drives. One in the early morning, mid-morning to mid-day, and then a sunset game drive. Truly words could never do the Serengeti justice. It's dusty as all get out and you're coated in it....but man, it's beautiful and you're looking at the most amazing creatures with your own eyes...truly seeing them in their own gorgeous natural habitat.

From Serengeti we drove all the way back over to the eastern seaboard to spend a few days at a different program site. Honestly the second day of driving there was one of my favorites also. We drove alongside this beautiful fog coated hillside for miles that just called to me to come hike it, the terrain changed drastically, we crossed a river on a tiny ferry, I helped one of the student groups brainstorm ideas for the next day's presentation, and we drove through a multitude of small Muslim towns and along dirt packed roads. 

We spent two days at this program site. One was a day of rest for students. The second was a programming day when they practiced wilderness first aid and held focus groups with local contacts about first aid practices in Tanzania. This site is BEAUTIFUL and we truly only have this contact due to the coordinator's connections. Interestingly the site coordinator/contact ALSO had malaria while we were there so we were unable to do everything we had planned at this particular location. 

From there we drove down to Dar Es Salaam (the capitol) in order to catch the ferry over to Zanzibar....which was an incredible cultural experience in its own right. In Tanzania people don't really line up, so it was a mess of individuals all trying to push through the security door to get into the waiting area to get onto the ferry....in hot, humid weather with sweat running down one's body and hauling our luggage with us...and a couple in our party having horrible flare-ups of traveler's diarrhea. Internally I thought it was an incredibly fun experience that was one of the best cultural exchanges of the trip...but my empathy for others in our group who were struggling was immense too.

Final ten days of the trip with students....Zanzibar...and I have to say....if I fell in love with anywhere on the trip, this was it. Our site location was an hour from Stonetown but we were able to take the group to Stonetown on two different occasions (once for dinner with a public health contact and second for a cultural experience day). Zanzibar is primarily Muslim with a large amount of astonishing poverty that is highly contrasted with the tourist industry that markets its culture, amazing beaches, and incredible water sports opportunities. There was so much in Zanzibar that I didn't get to experience and would have loved, and there were also a lot of amazing potential contacts there for additional programming options for our students. Our ten days there included three days working with a local NGO working with "mamas" (the women of the village) to turn seaweed cultivation & harvest into products to be marketed internationally. We held focus groups with them about particular health areas of concern and then the students developed culturally appropriate suggestions to improve quality of life, etc. We were able to tour and observe in two separate clinics (these students were medical students) and talk about health improvement projects with a NGO representative who is working with the government. We went on a spice tour, saw the Slave Museum, toured Stonetown, had multiple classes, and on our final night we had a traditional goat meal served on mats in the village.

Altogether the experience was pretty incredible and the students made it rewarding in so many ways. I don't know that I truly soaked up as much as I would have if I had been traveling solo nor did I have time to truly process any of what was happening. In so many ways it was just plain surreal though. I already look at pictures and think "I was there?!"

I'm sure there are many more thoughts, reflections, and suggestions, but altogether it was surreal and just plain incredible :)

Mambo from Tanzania!

The best part of this trip so far has been having the opportunity to interact with some of the local Tanzanians. We have local individauls working on our team who have been so wonderful with trying to help me learn parts of the language. Each day I try to learn a few new words or phrases, so that I can at least great individuals and wish them a good evening. Beyond our team members, the staff at one of our locations was also instrumental in expanding my vocabulary and just generally being really welcoming & fun people to interact with. Today I also was able to get away for a few moments by myself and I had a great time trying on dresses and looking at hand bags to purchase. My colleagues pointed out that I probably was given a foreigner price but I definitely don't mind since it was enjoyable interacting with and "just being a woman with other women." Between their limited English and my limited Swahili we worked out a deal for two dresses (one pre-made and one made from a local fabric I chose) and a bag, but it was fun gesturing, exchanging names, and offering womenly compliments to each other.

Yesterday I finally was also able to try some of the local Tanzanian food which is sort of a corn meal porridge along with various types of stews. The one that I had was a lentil soup variety, while the other locals had chicken and veggie stews. The food here is a mix of influences as so much of Tanzania is influenced from local tribes but there is also a large SE Indian/Arab influence (especially along the coast). Since so much of their nation is dependent on tourism, there tends to be a lot of English & American influences with food as well. This morning I also tried one of their standard breakfast fares which is mtori and chapati. The mtori is a beef and raw banana mix, which sort of has the consistency of really runny oatmeal. Over breakfast, we also discussed local practices ranging from learning English (all of their secondary school subjects are in English actually) to marriage practices. I love learning directly from those who live here and are from the country.

In the last week, we have been in four different locations and once students arrive we will return to those same locations plus one other over the course of three weeks. While I have enjoyed having the opportunity to follow a dream to come here and can see where this position could truly open many professional doors going into the future, I've really been struggling with some of the relationship dynamics with and general practices of one of my potential new colleagues to the extent that I am questioning whether I will actually let myself follow through with joining their team as of this fall. I am really looking forward to the arrival of our boss and the students in the next few days and having the opportunity to engage in teaching and interacting with a larger crew of individuals. If I'm additionally honest, I will be more than ready to head home once the program here is complete and at this juncture I am sort of wishing I would have come to Africa under a different context. All that being said, I definitely am grateful for the opportunity to come, the ability to teach in this context, and the assistance that my colleague has provided in country with things like language, etc.

The various sites we have been in have been beautiful in so many ways and we've had the opportunity to travel by Cessna twice which has allowed for aerial views of the land also. To ensure group safety during travel, I'm not disclosing any of the specific areas we're in nor the projects we'll be visiting until I've returned, but it's amazing to see so many individuals truly working to try to bring sustainable programming options to this country. Like many countries, povery abounds but one thing I have witnessed over time is how much joy is visible in areas where less abounds, even when hardship and suffering equally exists. Here (and in the majority of the world) consistent water & electricity access doesn't exist, sanitation standards are lower, and nutritional variety is lacking. (While some research does argue that standard indigenous diets can be healthier than something like the Western diet, lacking nutrition in Tanzania is known to be responsible for stunted growth among other health outcomes.) This is a country where malaria is still prevalent, access to trained physicians & usable medications is almost non-existent, HIV is much more common that readily accounted for, medical & vital records aren't standard, and there are over 120 varying tribes with a wealth of traditional medical knowledge that is not integrated into the Western model of care. While Tanzania in general is a fairly "safe" country for tourists, it's still not a country one would want to be injured in nor one where a visitor would want to enter without being aware of what is standardly culturally appropriate.

Most of what I discussed in that above paragraph is information that I had prior knowledge on and that also translates across to many other developing nations. I have definitely come across many things that I wasn't aware of before coming here however. :) For one, most developing nations I have traveled to were way cheaper than Tanzania :) The inland parts of the country tend to be a bit less expensive than the coastal regions but hotels on the coast were comparable to hotels back home in Oregon, the taxi ride cost about the same, and most locations have a break down of prices that includes citizens, residents, and non-citizen categories. Non-citizen categories have prices in USD$ and things like a nature preserve park entrance are anywhere from $30-60 for non-citizens PER DAY. In comparison, the price for locals is something like 20.000 TSH (Tanzanian shillings) which is currently about $10. Thus just to drive through one park along a highway to get to one destination cost $30/person, which in a sense is a pretty hefty toll tax :) Things like climbing Kilimanjaro are thousands of dollars depending on the route, number of days, etc and definitely weren't in my personal budget for this trip.

Another big thing that I was aware yet unaware of was just how large that the Indian/Arab/Muslim influence is within the country. It definitely makes sense as the coast here was part of the trading route and there are several areas on the coast that are predominantly Muslim. It's currently Ramandan which was also an interesting experience to observe and there were a few times when we had to shove food items/water bottles into our packs in order to be culturally compliant. In terms of dress this means that culturally appropriate clothes include covering legs down past the knees and the upper body should be covered including shoulders (exposing arms is okay). Luckily I was able to get a few days of thrifting in before heading this way (and my amazing aunt altered a few items) so most of my clothes have worked really wonderfully here. The Arab influence is also noticed in some of the words found within Swahili and with local spices, etc. Just like in Hindi and Russian, the word for tea in Swahili is also chai. In every town we have been in (even in the inland areas) the call to prayer has been announced over the loud speakers in the mornings and evenings. A side note to this additional cultural context is that there is also a sub population of people within the country who have Rastafarian tendencies/lifestyles. Thus between the variety of rural local tribes, major urban center of Dar Es Salaam, Muslim & Arab influences, the Rastafarian vibe, and the cultural elements that we might envision as being "typically" African, it's a pretty incredibly amazing melting pot of diversity.

And with all of that I'll wrap up this initial post from the land of Tanzania, where I still have so much more to observe, soak up, and enjoy. Hope each of you is doing well!

Done....& In Progress.

Completed:
Plane Ticket to Tanzania!!
Tentative Pre-Students Travel Plans.
Phone Unlock for International SIM Card.
Travel Vaccinations & Testing.
Travel Prescriptions Picked Up.
Summer Housemates/Cat Sitter Secured. (Arriving tomorrow)
Half Utilities Paid Ahead.
Other Half Set up for Online Payment.
General Outline for Tanzania Course Developed. (& For 2 other courses.)

In Progress:
Basic Swahili Lessons.
Getting to Know Students.
Researching Articles for Tanzania Course.

Happening. So surreal. Dreams & prayers....and 15ish years of a calling...all in motion. Amazing.

An Incredible Sunny Friday

So I've had two really pretty incredible days but today maybe took the cake since it included such an amazingly rewarding variety :)

This morning we had a training from MoxAfrica on how to do moxibustion. Moxibustion is a holistic healing modality that is frequently used in conjunction with acupuncture but can be used solo as well. Today we learned how to make the "cones" of mungwart and then how to apply it to the skin and allow it to burn down into the acupoint. We practiced on little wood boards first and then applied it to our own skin on our forearms (I used the outer gate point near the backside of the wrist) and then on St 36, which is the most frequent point used in their treatment program (and is located sort of near the end of the knee and then "lateral" or out to the side of your leg from there by one or two finger widths). I definitely did feel the "clearing" or reset that can come from acupoint treatments and it's pretty incredible to think of the positive healing effects that something this simple can bring to others who are suffering.

After the training, I drove down to Silverton where I grabbed a coffee and a scone in the town's adorable downtown area...and then drove on to the North Falls Trailhead at Silver Falls State Park. Lauren and I had arranged to meet up today to do a hike and it was so great to finally get to meet her! I'm pretty sure that she's actually the first blogger/IGer that I've met in real life. The day was absolutely beautiful with lots of sunshine and the falls were running with high water volume. Honestly I feel like the almost 9 miles flew by as Lauren and I chatted and got to know each other better. It was so nice to share stories and enjoy the great sunshine.... and I'm hoping it will work out to meet up again! Maybe with Baby Moe in tow :)

Since it was a beautiful day, I decided to drive to the Woodburn Tulip Festival and then take numerous back roads home in order to avoid Friday traffic getting into Portland. At the Tulip Farm, I had a great sausage, sauerkraut, and onion sandwich and then I headed out to snap a few pictures and soak up the sunshine amidst so much natural beauty.

The drive back took me along numerous farm roads I'd never traveled before and it was nice to avoid all of the traffic that would have been found on a Friday afternoon on I-5. One of the roads I went along had this incredible view of the valley below:

Altogether it was a pretty amazing day but I do feel like I should mention that along the drive back from the Falls I came upon an accident that required calling the paramedics, who then called in Life Flight. I haven't been able to find anything online regarding the outcome but if you're the praying type then it wouldn't hurt to offer a little prayer for the woman who had been driving.... Witnessing what I did of that scene made my gratitude for our paramedics and emergency room personnel multiply even more...it takes some pretty strong individuals to handle life altering emergencies on a regular basis...

Highlights as of Late

Happy beautiful February!

I know I've already posted since the start of the month, but it took the end of my exams in order for me to feel like the month had actually begun. Thus over the last week, I've been busy celebrating and "relaxing" in my own way and it's been FABULOUS! And yes, what that means....is I passed! 

My massage license arrived this week and I already scheduled my first three paying clients! (Okay, so one of them is my mom :)) We'll see how all this goes, but I'm attempting to do my own "outcall" business. Since I currently have both of the rooms in my house rented out to others, then I'm going to try to flexibly schedule family/friends in their own houses. I'll bring my table, linens, oil/lotion, etc and give them a massage there. I'm still toying with the idea of eventually transitioning into using one of the rooms here, but ideally I'd love to work 2-3 days in a clinic setting. Since I'm going to be gone several times in the next six months, I'm trying to see if running a business this way might be easier.

The picture above is from the first camelia bloom. It's a SUPER early spring this year although I keep thinking we might get one more major cold spell coming through. Maybe?! The mountain could sure use it...although mentally I've already transitioned to thinking about backpacking season...

....but the first blooms meant that I've been able to do a few days of yardwork already and the chickens are all officially laying! Seriously, they're so fun (well minus their cackles at 7:30am when they want out of the coop....). They have distinct personalities and two of them actually enjoy being petted! 

The new housemate continues to be fun! She also has family in Seattle so she has already spent two weekends up there....and brought me back an Argentine treat which was amazing! It's been so fun to have someone in the house who is from Argentine culture. If I'm honest, I'm really getting to the point where I'm looking forward to the day I can live solo in the house again...but I've also so enjoyed meeting so many of the (mostly) great people who have shared space with me over the last several years.

And since I just received an email with the official job offer, I feel a little more comfortable spilling the beans about Africa. In a nut shell, I walked in to an amazing informational interview and walked out with an offer to join one of the local natural medicine institutions on their student trip this summer to Tanzania with the potential for it to evolve into something more. After additional exchanges about my background and knowledge, the invitation to join the group evolved into an invitation to teach the public health course that is being offered through the program this summer. So I will be joining an incredible institution as adjunct faculty and get to teach in my subject area while pursuing one of my personal dreams. There have been weekly meetings focusing on selections and there is still lots of preparation/details to work through, but can you say: DREAM JOB?! Such an incredible development and I feel immensely blessed! We will be doing a mix of site work (clinic visits, seaweed small business start-ups, trainings, herbal gardens), tourist activities (game reserve tour), and of course the classes themselves. Absolutely amazing opportunity and I am so honored and excited to be a part of it! Amazing things seem to happen when I trust that the Big Man Upstairs knows what He is doing...lots of trusting still ahead!

Additionally, as I've been transitioning to no longer studying, I spent a much needed weekend (after Saturday class) at the family beach cabin, where I also crammed the first long hike of the year in. Hebo Mtn is one that I didn't get to last year, and I loved hiking through a different terrain within the coast range. (This will get it's own post.) After a long month, the dogs were also stoked to get in a 10 mile hike last Thursday and then the 16 mile hike on Sunday. We're all still adapting to increasing mileage after rest month again!

I've also been able to be more social again--wonderful! So I met a few of the gals for happy hour on Thursday---amazing BBQ joint with great cocktails. And then my colleagues and I had our second wine pairings class this last Monday evening. The theme of this one was sweet wines and desserts--which is always my favorite. It was great to get to see one my favorite couples, another former colleague I hadn't seen in two years was also there, and I had convinced my direct supervisor/mentor to join us this time and he had a great time as well. Such a wonderful evening!

In addition to all of that I took a trip to the library were I walked out with a ginormous stack of various non-fiction works and it's been so rewarding to just plow through some titles again finally!

We did get a few additional inches of snow this weekend, so while there wasn't enough snow for Reg D and I to do our winter camping snowshoe trip, there has been enough snow for me to head up tomorrow to try my first official snowboard lesson. Here's hoping it'll be a fun time! :)

So many amazing things as of late! What have been some of the highlights in your neck of the woods?!

Week in Review

Woo...what a full, stressed but also incredible week it's been.

After my first Saturday class (which actually it isn't too bad to teach on a Saturday!), I ended up coming home for a nap and then studying for a bit. I'd been really wanting to see the movie Fury and best bud just ended his relationship, so I convinced him to hit up the cheap theatre with me for movie time and beers and convo after. It ended up being a really fun night and the movie was really well done....but it also made for lots of sleeping and hydration needs on Sunday.

Mom & Granny were supposed to come for lunch on Monday but in the end they didn't. After multiple days of studying for my written massage exam the stress was pretty high, so the dogs and I used the free Monday hours to head to one of our most traveled trails to get a hike in. Much needed and it was so restoring! I realized on trail how insignificant my stressors truly are in the bigger picture and I made myself take time to actually stop and breath deeply and touch the surrounding things in my environment--it was great.

Monday evening was the big National Championship football game and I think most of Oregon was watching to see how UO would do. (We didn't play well...at all.) I also attended the first in a three class series on Wine & Food with my buddy/colleague and his fiance. It was fun to try something different, learn SO much more about how wine is changed by food pairings, and spend time with one of my favorite couples.

I spent the rest of that night chatting with my housemate and offering thoughts and insights. I'd allowed myself the day to NOT study at all....much needed and so well taken! ;)

Tuesday morning held the next Africa meeting....more incredible news and open doors...and as of right now, I'll be joining a group to Tanzania for three weeks in July. A few more things still need to fall into place and I need to apply for the actual slot...but this whole opportunity continues to be just.so.incredible. Dreams in motion...with the potential for it to be even more!

Tuesday & Wednesday evenings I taught, and much of Wednesday afternoon held a mix of studying and grading...and attempting to distract my returning stress.

Today I spent some time researching various options for travel and uh, PhD programs. Yep, don't ask...I don't want to think about it yet....but the potential need for that day might be on the horizon... I'm pretty tired of being a student at this point and really need a break to just enjoy/stabilize/focus.....but if I want to continue in academia and potentially transition to a 4 year institution...then I will eventually need a PhD....and this came to my attention earlier this week...

And then this evening.....I took the worst written exam I have ever had the distinct pleasure of taking...walked out of the test unsure of how I did and finally looked at the results to see that amazingly and thankfully I had passed the needed written exam. Thank God! Woohoo! One of two exams down....two weeks to study and re-memorize all the muscles for the practical exam. I cannot wait for this to be over. :) And I also have a new business idea for once I'm actually licensed that I've been running by people.

Post-exam this evening I headed to dinner & vino time with my nearby aunt and uncle. We haven't had the opportunity to really catch up since late Nov/early Dec, so it was great to check in with them and update them on all the new developments that have been occurring. It was the perfect way to destress after the exam tonight :)

Tomorrow holds a morning date and followed up with a running outing with friends. Dependent on how the day goes, there might be more grading and studying. Saturday morning will be the end of the teaching week with my morning class and I might hit up the gym on campus post-class. There's more grading to be had and more muscles to review over the long weekend, but Sunday night also holds a birthday party for an acquaintance at a wine bar and Monday has a coffee date with a friend and potentially an outdoor outing.

Besides the hike and the awesomeness of the Africa meeting, there were quite a few other moments of joy and excitement this week:

I made it through a Target trip in which I literally walked out empty handed...and with no desire to buy any clothes/shoes/accessories that were on display....pretty amazing.

Newest short term housemate is en route. She will arrive on Monday and should be here as long as all goes well until the beginning of May. She's also originally from Argentina...and I'm so hopeful she might help me brush up my Spanish! :)

Best buddy and I already had discussed a new snowshoe overnight trip for a weekend in February. I wanted to try snow camping but he suggested that we try an open shelter concept first. We're also planning on taking my gal T along and probably at least one other person also. AND THEN I found out the official wedding date for my buddy who is getting married in Alberta this summer and it's looking like I should probably be able to make it, which T and Reg D are wanting in on the trip too. If all worked out like a dream take 2 for the summer, then we'd be able to take a couple week trip to hit Glacier NP in Montana, Jasper NP & Banff NP in Alberta, and perhaps just perhaps swing a couple days in Yellowstone. Still in the dreaming stages BUT dreaming makes me oh.so.happy, even if it doesn't always pan out. AND THEN to add onto the dreaming, Reg D asked if I might be interested in a kayak camping trip to an amazing destination over Spring Break....uh yep, dude, I most.definitely.am. IF all of these amazing dreams work out for this spring/summer then I would literally cross six life goals off the list. Lots of research/planning to do regarding logistics, but the nice thing is that we at least already have most the gear. Here's hoping that the trips can truly work out! Especially since they give me so much to look forward to :)

Beyond all of the various camps of this week, it also dawned on me that I also need to start putting those snowboard lessons on the calendar with my gal and her husband. We're in a weird warm spell so who knows what the rest of "winter" is going to be like this year. I'm also in the process of scheduling a massage workshop at my place for a handful of my classmates and myself with one of our favorite instructors. It's always pretty crazy when the calendar already starts filling up months in advance!

With all that already has been revealing there is a good chance that this year is going to be more full and life re-directing than I ever could have possibly imagined. I never feel like I truly choose the 'word' for the year but rather that the word chooses me. The words already coming to mind for this year are EMBRACE and ACCEPT. We'll see how the rest of the year continues to evolve, but I'm hoping to focus on doing both of those very actions throughout the months ahead.

What's been going on in your neck of the woods?! Hoping you have a restorative weekend ahead!

2015 Goals: Already in Progress

2015 Goals:
1) Blog 5x monthly in 2015
2) Find a spiritual community
3) Truly attempt snowboarding (ie lessons)
4) SERVICE TRIP TO AFRICA
5) Pass massage licensure process & secure secondary employment
6) Reduce (&maintain) credit card balance by 75%
7) Reduce car loan to less than $4000
8) Maintain health & work on regaining balance
9) ENJOY & EMBRACE who & what I already have
10) Continue renting rooms to others
11) Take 2 other people on new outdoor adventures
12) Try hot yoga
13) Take dogs on 2 backpacking trips
14) If possible, road trip to Matt & Haley's wedding

Well the 2015 Goal list has been on the blog for about a month now and there are thoughts for the 2015-2017 goal window also. I decided to focus on some realistic things this year while streamlining back in other areas. My key things for this year are Africa and finances and in this first week of the year there have already been lots of steps taken toward goal achievement.  

The finances will start to come together as I pass massage boards and then secure additional employment. The nice thing about the massage piece is that even if for some reason I don't get a job in a clinic or a desired environment right away, there are a handful of people who have already asked to receive regular massages once I'm licensed. Thus there is a way to make a little extra regardless of secured employment. Today, I registered to take my written licensing exam late next week and then mailed in my application for the practical exam I have to take. I'm hoping to take the practical the first week of February. If I pass both on the first go (which I desperately need to study!!), then I hope to be licensed and seeking employment by the middle of February. 

This term I'm also "overloading" by teaching five courses instead of my usual four (I'm only allowed to do this once an academic year) so I have a slightly higher paycheck Jan-March. I'm set to teach my four regular courses in spring, so let's hope they all fill and are a go. Hopefully by continuing to rent out both rooms in the house (new potential short term housemate is set to arrive on the 19th of this month and stay until May 1st & long term housemate plans to stay through the summer) I might enter the summer hiatus doing okay financially. Hoping! 

I have a follow-up meeting regarding Africa programming in a week. In that meeting I should find out more details regarding expectations and costs. From there I can start to fundraise to help foot the bill of going and I can also begin to make other potential contacts to add on an additional one to two week direct service component in a different way. Today I also mailed in my passport update app in order to have my name legally changed on it. 

The snowboarding lessons were purchased with an amazing deal before Christmas. Mt Hood Meadows was offering a package of three days of rentals, lift tickets (for the easier lifts), and lessons for a total of $99. It would cost that much or more for just one rental and lift ticket, so to get three days of everything at that price was pretty amazing overall. I feel like three days will be enough to make me decide what I really think of it and be enough for this winter anyway. I also had two friends decide to buy the deal also, so the three of us will be making the treks up to the mtn together. 

Physically I'm working on slowing down some actually. I've been super tired lately and so I've been trying to spend more time in bed and just resting in general. I have made several physical jaunts out, but I've kept the runs and hikes short (seriously....2.5 mile max on runs and 4 miles on the hikes). It's important to me to keep in shape this year still and be healthy, but to also be serious about being kinder to my body. Goal number 11 is technically already met though....so maybe instead I should see just how many people I can get out on new adventures?! ;) I also was originally intending to try to maintain higher mileage until I ran in the Shamrock 15k again, but when I went to register I realized that I'm already registered for a new kayaking tour on that day....so I'm trying to figure out which one is calling me the most....probably kayaking.

With my primary focus being on Africa, I know that lots will have to fall into place. I need to secure dog sitters, someone to live in the house & manage it the month I'm gone, pre-pay all the utilities, fundraise funds to cover the flight and program costs, lots of prayer, and I'm hoping that I'll still be able to teach one class when I return in August. Since I'd be gone in the middle of summer, I also know that means that I won't be able to do the type of food preserving or gardening I did last summer and that other summer outdoor adventures will be a minimum. I'm more than open and willing to trading those things in, in order to finally get the opportunity to go to Africa and assist in some way. I'm still also focusing on being open to how all this might evolve for the summer though, while trusting that it will all come together as it should.

Finding spiritual community might take a while, as I need to be willing to branch out to different venues or truly invest in the church where I have been going on occasion. Perhaps I also need to be open to a different idea of what this could look like?

Honestly beyond finding a spiritual community, I think one of the most challenging goals to follow through with is going to be to actually stick to blogging 5x a month. Since I fall off the rocker so to speak (even though I always have so much I want to write about), it's a good goal to have however in order to keep me documenting. Even if all I end up doing is documenting various outdoor excursions, at least I'll have a running record of all sorts of outdoor fun :)

The wedding of my buddy and his fiance is in Alberta, Canada in August. I've been wanting to visit them for years and a road trip up there would have the opportunity for tons of outdoor options, but if I do end up teaching in August then it might not be feasible. I'm also unsure what my financial situation will be when I get back at the end of July. This is something that probably will end up off the table but I'm trying to be open/flexible to what could present. (My other buddy is also getting married in Antigua in April...as beautiful and inviting as a destination wedding to a tropical island sounds...it's just unfortunately not in the financial cards at all this year :()

The one thing that IS readily accessible though is to EMBRACE & ENJOY who & what I already have....because man, if there's one thing that 2013 and 2014 taught me...it's that I have so much. Even when I was as close as I ever hope to be to rock bottom, I had the greatest gifts of all in my life...the people that surrounded me. I have some of the most amazing individuals in my life that remained supportive and lifted me up (sometimes repeatedly and patiently) until I eventually regained some sort of solid ground...including many of you who have read here. As cheesy as it sounds my dogs have also been amazing sources of love & joy while also forcing me to carry on and to sweat life out via running and outdoor pursuits. I'm still so grateful for a functioning vehicle, an education, a job that makes me feel fulfilled, a home with clean water & heat, & the freedoms that do exist in this nation.....but if all that was taken from me....the relationships would continue to matter the most. Thus this year is about continuing to embrace the people and what I do have...and trusting that the big picture will sort itself out in the long run....I've already got the best gifts.

An Epic 24 Hours

Seriously, somebody pinch me....because life is just...well, pretty darn incredible. 

I'm truly starting to believe that what you ask from your heart for the universe to provide...well, sometimes it really does show up...and even more incredibly than you could have imagined. 

Case in point: I've been wanting to go to a Blazer game and a Winterhawks game. Winterhawks game is in progress of being scheduled....but Monday afternoon I randomly got a spontaneous text from a friend asking if I wanted to go to Monday night's Blazer game...in club level seats...for free. Uh..yes, yes I do! :) Seats were better than any I've ever had nor could have imagined...and the game was a blast! I had so much fun and the Blazers even won :) 

Case in point: Tuesday morning I had another meeting regarding Africa and international health career contacts/options...and I'm STILL expecting to be told that I heard that whole conversation/informational interview wrong because what I heard sounded a lot like an offer of how to go to Africa this summer AND that the whole trip/opportunity could potentially lead into an actual job option...in my dream field...at one of my ideal institutions...and that it would also potentially make all my varied career paths come full circle and connect.... Yup, pinch me......because even if it doesn't pan out..I am so incredibly fortunate and grateful for the offer and this.very.moment that life is presenting...

Case in point: After the Tuesday meeting, I had the dogs in tow so we could go explore the rain break/fresh powder that had arrived briefly on the mountain. We checked out some new trails....and for the first time in a long time, I didn't rush us or care about miles. Instead we just wandered down various new trail options, walked a bit on an old historic Oregon wagon road, and then went 2.5 miles on the PCT trail which included so much beautiful hazy fresh powder...that again, I just kept thinking about how this life...this is what I want to be living....this is what makes me feel alive...this.IS.it. I'm currently living that motto that hangs on my wall: "Living the Life I Love" and "Loving the Life I Live." On these trails, I look around at the beauty that surrounds me, I feel the peace in my soul, I hang out with God (and talk or don't talk)...and I just feel good..happy...settled...arrived. This.is.it.

Barlow Pass Highway

Barlow Pass Wagon Road

We discovered a little something special left on the PCT.

Epic, epic 24 hours :)

Africa Calling

Hi all! So you may have noticed that I made some changes to the blog in recent weeks, including updating a variety of sections and including a list of goals for 2015-2017. One of the items that has been on my heart and mind much of the time in the last few weeks/months has been the call that I've felt to "go" and do service work abroad. Thus beyond changing my name back this year, I finally put my dream out there to try to make it happen. I've been working with a life coach to help hold me accountable toward achieving this dream and I also posted on social media asking my various friends & family to help support with prayers, ideas, suggestions.

So how did this all come about? For years I have felt the desire to go to Africa to do direct service work with kiddos or in the health community. If you've read my blog from the very, very beginning then you know that originally I was incredibly moved by the movie Blood Diamond. Moved to the extent that it shook my core, made me take a hard look at everything we take for granted, and really changed my life in a lot of ways. While in high school I felt drawn toward international fields which is what led me to be an exchange student for a year between high school and college (during which time I also did volunteer work while there). My initial intent upon graduation from my undergrad program was to go directly into an international focused MSW program that was on the east coast, but when my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer I curtailed that original plan. The draw toward doing service work abroad and especially in Africa has never dissipated however and when I first got married one of the things I remember telling my ex-husband was how much I wanted us to work toward pursuing his needs/goals but how I also wanted to have the opportunity to follow my dream of volunteering abroad also. Zoom to two years ago when in the height of my separation, I had the money, the time, and I even had a contact at a medical clinic in a region in Africa...but I panicked about the full amount of unknowns in life already facing me and I just didn't follow my heart and do it. The months following that led to some of the darkest parts of my life thus far and in hindsight I wish that I would have trusted something greater than myself and gone on that trip. That same winter on one particular snow shoe outing, I remember feeling so lost and frustrated about life, and on my way back to the car, I sat down on a snow embankment and started just trying to talk to God about what the heck was going on with my life and what I was supposed to do about it. Interestingly, I feel like I never hear a direct line from the dude upstairs...but I swear in that moment all I heard over and over again was "just go." I knew where and what S/He meant...but I've been confused about how to make it happen ever since (financially, pets, rental, work, etc)

Fast forward to this fall, when again, I was pulling myself up by my boot straps and trying to self-assess and make sense of a few things. During that time period, I had someone ask me what my life would look like if I could do anything that my heart desired without anything holding me back...and my response was "Peacecorps like...." I also attended a different church with an acquaintance during that time period that included a sermon about letting go of fear and moving forward (the church was an incredible experience...but that's a post in itself)...and for the first time ever I literally got ballsy and when they asked for people to lay their written burdens down at the cross..I took my slip of paper that included Africa and every other thing weighing on my heart at the moment...and I left it laying at the foot of the cross...trusting that doors will open and prayers of support & encouragement would flow. Big steps and probably the most important one.

Because that afternoon I posted on FB regarding the desire on my heart and asking for support...and I had four people volunteer names and suggestions. I have another friend who put me in touch with at least one of her contacts so far and I know countless people are praying. I also decided that I want to take the next few months to explore career options in the international field to try to see if it's possible to move into that field and if that's what God is calling me to do really and truly. I've been making contacts and arranging meetings/coffee dates. 

The first coffee outing was 2-3 weeks ago with an international field worker with Doctors Without Borders. I have a meeting with the dean of an international health program and a coffee date arranged with a current employee of the Gates Foundation both next week. I'm in email contact with the volunteer placement coordinator at Medical Teams International. I've applied for a part-time position  with one international non-profit in Portland and am currently staring at two other amazing job announcements with another Portland-based international non-profit. My sister's missionary friend who is in Africa is trying to make contacts that might pan out for a 6-8 week placement next year. And I haven't even begun to touch the list of other international non-profits that are located in the general area. I have no doubt that this whole scenario might play out way differently than I could have ever imagined...but I'm continuing to move forward trusting that the right doors will continue to open, certain windows will slide shut, and that I need to just keep shuffling & jumping along to discover just what might be around that next bend. But honestly, I'm so amazed at the movement that has already been happening...and I'm looking forward to what's coming ahead.

Keep ya posted :)