I didn't always want to study abroad. Tulsa became my home away from home very quickly and the idea of spending one of my eight semesters in a different place didn't seem like something I really wanted or needed to do. As time went on I came around to the idea of being adventurous and leaving TU for awhile. I have loved my experience abroad and I can't believe how quickly it's gone by. There are definitely certain things I miss about campus life, but I got to experience some of them this weekend!
My parents skyped me in for the TU/UCLA game. There aren't many things I would willingly do between the hours of 3 am and 6:30 am, but watching Tulsa play in the NCAA tournament is one of them. I don't watch much TV here and I'm pretty disconnected from my teams because of the time change. Since going to games on campus is one of my favorite things about college, this Skype call was a complete blast. I had a huge smile on my face for the first 5 minutes because it felt so good to watch TU play again. Even though the outcome wasn't ideal, I was still so proud of and impressed by this young team. Definitely worth the 3 am wake up call.
This morning I went to church for the first time all semester. I realized this is the longest I have ever gone without attending some kind of worship service or spending time in Christian community. It was really great to worship again! The congregation was so welcoming, friendly and diverse. Plus their love of God was practically palpable. So cool.
I'm involved in UKirk Presbyterian ministry at TU and their worship services on Wednesday and Thursday help me refocus and renew each week. In worship today we sang the Desert Song by Hillsong United and I just about lost it. That's by far my favorite song we sing at Ukirk gatherings. I tried to hold back the tears of joy, but they came in full force anyway. This experience was a reminder that God is so much bigger than First Presbyterian Church of Norman or Sharp Chapel at TU. He works through people in Brussels too and they even sing some of the same songs.
Even though I'm far from home, I am so glad I got to be a true TU fan and a Presbyterian this weekend. Thanks be to God!
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
God Bless the American Embassy
For the most part my time abroad has been smooth sailing. My only setbacks have been minor and fairly entertaining.
Last Thursday was quite the outlier though. In all of the excitement of my boyfriend's visit (and his gift of 3 packages of novelty Oreos you can't buy here in Belgium), I lost my focus and my purse. No wallet, no keys, no iPhone, no nothing. I did my best to stay calm as we tried to track it down, but the search attempt felt like a lost cause. Even though I believe everything happens for a reason, this mistake was frustrating, inconvenient and expensive. It was hard to find the silver lining.
Life got a whole lot sunnier on Friday. I was notified my purse and all of its contents were safe and sound at the U.S. embassy. Hallelujah! I still can't believe how fortunate I am.
Someone found my purse, chose not to steal anything from it and dropped it off at the embassy. If that doesn't restore your faith in humanity I don't know what will.
I'm also extremely grateful I didn't have to deal with this alone. If you ever lose anything of value in a foreign country call on Nathan Pigott for help. He is level-headed, understanding and encouraging. So here's a big thanks to him as well!
And if you need evidence that I have my life back in order, I made it Paris today to visit my cousin and her husband. They surprised me with dinner in the Eiffel Tower. What a treat! Tomorrow we take on Disneyland Paris! Life is good and I promise to try to never lose anything ever again.
Last Thursday was quite the outlier though. In all of the excitement of my boyfriend's visit (and his gift of 3 packages of novelty Oreos you can't buy here in Belgium), I lost my focus and my purse. No wallet, no keys, no iPhone, no nothing. I did my best to stay calm as we tried to track it down, but the search attempt felt like a lost cause. Even though I believe everything happens for a reason, this mistake was frustrating, inconvenient and expensive. It was hard to find the silver lining.
Life got a whole lot sunnier on Friday. I was notified my purse and all of its contents were safe and sound at the U.S. embassy. Hallelujah! I still can't believe how fortunate I am.
Someone found my purse, chose not to steal anything from it and dropped it off at the embassy. If that doesn't restore your faith in humanity I don't know what will.
I'm also extremely grateful I didn't have to deal with this alone. If you ever lose anything of value in a foreign country call on Nathan Pigott for help. He is level-headed, understanding and encouraging. So here's a big thanks to him as well!
And if you need evidence that I have my life back in order, I made it Paris today to visit my cousin and her husband. They surprised me with dinner in the Eiffel Tower. What a treat! Tomorrow we take on Disneyland Paris! Life is good and I promise to try to never lose anything ever again.
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