Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Countdown has begun!!!

15 weeks until graduation! (May 9th)

9 weeks of class left (or 1 quarter from February 2 - April 1)

2 classes left

1 Gigantic Project & Presentation (sometime in mid April)

Wow...I can't believe grad school will be over in just a few weeks! Now I have to figure out what I am going to do with my life- maybe go back to school and get a Ph.D.? The thought has crossed my mind...but I think I would like a break!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

I am a legend in a small village in Thailand

A couple of nights ago I was talking to one the girls who went on a Thailand trip with me a few years ago. She went back to Thailand two Mays ago (or 1 year after I went for 3 months). Anyway, we were talking about Thailand memories and she tells me this story...

She was sitting in her host families hut talking with her host family (through a translator) and they are telling them stories about different things that have happened in the village. I guess the topic got onto when Brad, Shannon and I were living in the village because the host mom starts telling this story about "the tall American girl who fell through the porch of her sister's house into a big pile of mud while the whole village was watching" and another women in the room utters "Erin" (in a Karen accent I am sure). My friend said she almost lost it, because her she is sitting in the middle of nowhere hearing a story (an embarrassing one at that) about someone she knows.

Anyway, I couldn't stop laughing as she told me the story! Of all the stories the villagers tell people I was sort of hoping the one about me falling off a porch into a giant pile of mud (need I mention that I hurt myself really really badly) would be the one they wouldn't tell. Oh well, at least they remember me right?

Friday, January 2, 2009

The Top Eight of 2008

I love lists (once again another reason I am weird I know!) so I thought I would make one about the best things that happened in 2008. (It also seemed like a good idea to reflect on 2008 as I head into 2009) So in no particular order here they are...the highlights of my life for the last year!

1. I ran a half marathon...that's 13.1 miles! (For all of you who run marathons I don't want to here about how that is not all that far...I was proud of myself and really sore for a few days after). The day was blustery to say the least...wind, rain and cold...but it was pretty cool. I will be running the 1/2 marathon again in about 28 days. My goal is to beat my time from last year, which should be interesting since I haven't been able to train much lately because I sprained my ankle (a funny story I will save for another day!)

2. I finished my first year of graduate school! (and as of this writing have about 13 total weeks of class left!!) It is going by so fast, but almost not fast enough now! Please don't ask what I want to do when I finish...I still don't know (but that seems to be the story of my life!). The options (or hopeful options) are...working at APU, working at a non-profit missions organizations, or moving overseas to do something crazy (like live in th jungle).

3. Bangladesh...pretty sure I will not go back, but it was an amazing adventure! From missing flights, hanging out in Hong Kong, incredible heat and humidity (this place beats Thailand any day!), speed boat rides across huge rivers, hanging out with college students, building 10 homes for cyclone vicitms, and hanging out with my boss as she puked her guts out...it was an adventure all the way!

4. Wakeboarded way better than last year! (I still stink but hey I only get to practice about 1 week a year and I was proud of myself!) I love being out on the water...even just being in the boat is good with me. Anyway...this makes my list because I love my time out on the water and it is always a highlight of my year to hang out at the Delta!

5. Went to New York, New York. Had so much fun! Ditched classes (I told my professors so I guess that really isn't ditching) and did all the fun stuff....saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, sat in the 3rd row at an amazing opera house and saw my first opera (I LOVED IT!), rode the subway too much (we need one in LA so bad!), went to the top of the Empire State Building, saw the Statue of Liberty, went to Ellis Island, went to Dean & Deluca (amazing!), hung out in Central Park for a little, and ohhh soo much more. All that to say...NYC is not my favorite place in the world...to hectic and materialistic...but fun to visit!

6. Went to Vermont (this was for school) in the fall....so beautiful! I highly recommend a visit. Sorry not too much to say...I was at a Legal Conference (it was a little boring, but I got out of a huge amount of class work for going...well worth the cost of the plane ticket!)

7. Several of my friends, from my original Thailand team, came out to visit! I got to be a tourist in So. Cal. which was fun! We hung out at the beach, played cards, saw Wicked, and did a whole bunch of relaxing. It was so great!

8. Moved into an amazing apartment with three amazing girls! They are definitely my saniety on nights when school is driving me crazy. I love my house and am sad that in just a few short months we all won't be living there anymore.

There are so many other great moments of 2008! Thanks for letting me share...I wonder what 2009 holds, but I guess we will find out soon enough!