While I have told some of my friends, now that I finally told my last advisor (I have three) I can make the official announcement.
I am going to Israel in June!
Shortly before Christmas I filled out an application to participate in the Bethsaida Excavation in Israel. Right after New Year's I found out I was accepted! I was supposed to go for May Term, but the class got cancelled because there were not enough people signed up. However, I put that the classes that were cancelled were required for my major. I worked with advisor (who was supposed to teach the class) to see what I could do. He connected me with the application and here we are. So this semester, I am working with him on the preparation course as an arranged study. While I am there I will have a couple of courses. With it being just me, it is nice because I can put more focus on the archaeology aspect. This prep course will be a lot more work than a regular half credit course. However, it balances out when I am there getting one and a half credits but it will not feel like it. Like doing my individualized major, doing arranged studies for the courses is more work for me, but it could not be more worth it!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Direction
A couple of weeks ago, one of my closest friends shared that she was starting a personal blog. With her sharing that, I remembered that I had blog. Not that I forgot, I just had not used it since traveling to Tanzania in May. (Hence the last week's post when I realized I had not finished my posts of that trip). So I am going to revive my blog, with a broader direction.
Directions. Life is full of them. The direction I am going to talk about in this post is career direction. Before going to France for May for my minor, I was a biochemistry preference major. However, when I was coming home I was not so sure that was what I wanted to do any more. While at the Gallo-Roman Museum in Lyon, my professor could see how interested I was in the artifacts and asked what my major was and I told him. He responses with "You know they need people to do the scientific research behind this stuff?" I did know that, the thought just had not ever occurred to me, so my response was "oh...yea." That one question was all I needed to start a new journey.
While my advisor was on sabbatical in the fall when classes resumed, I began to plan and research. I decided to attempt to create my own major...in archaeology studies. When he was back in January, I met with him. He was supportive of my decision and we began the official process. In March, I turned in a packet to the Dean of Faculty's office with a concept map and list of classes I would take as my individual major, a rationale with sources, a sheet showing how I would fulfill the essential education requirements, and my advisor's signature, along with two other signatures of professors that I asked to be additional advisor. The decision would be made by the Education Polices Committee.
During finals week, one of the professors going to Tanzania, who sits on the committee, told me that the committee had approved my individualized major. When school started this year, I was officially an individualized major in archaeology studies. While it has been and will continue to be a lot of work, it will be worth it because I feel I am headed in the right direction for what I want to do.
Directions. Life is full of them. The direction I am going to talk about in this post is career direction. Before going to France for May for my minor, I was a biochemistry preference major. However, when I was coming home I was not so sure that was what I wanted to do any more. While at the Gallo-Roman Museum in Lyon, my professor could see how interested I was in the artifacts and asked what my major was and I told him. He responses with "You know they need people to do the scientific research behind this stuff?" I did know that, the thought just had not ever occurred to me, so my response was "oh...yea." That one question was all I needed to start a new journey.
While my advisor was on sabbatical in the fall when classes resumed, I began to plan and research. I decided to attempt to create my own major...in archaeology studies. When he was back in January, I met with him. He was supportive of my decision and we began the official process. In March, I turned in a packet to the Dean of Faculty's office with a concept map and list of classes I would take as my individual major, a rationale with sources, a sheet showing how I would fulfill the essential education requirements, and my advisor's signature, along with two other signatures of professors that I asked to be additional advisor. The decision would be made by the Education Polices Committee.
During finals week, one of the professors going to Tanzania, who sits on the committee, told me that the committee had approved my individualized major. When school started this year, I was officially an individualized major in archaeology studies. While it has been and will continue to be a lot of work, it will be worth it because I feel I am headed in the right direction for what I want to do.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Mungu awe nanyi daima
My sincerest apologies for how late this final post on Tanzania is. I intended to write about the last week all together. However when I returned to the United States, there was a lot going on in my life. I actually thought I had posted about the last week already. I did not realize I had not, until yesterday when one of closest friends messaged me about starting blog, that I remembered I had a blog, a blog I am sad to say has been quite neglected. That is going to change (a separate post will explain). But here it is, six months ago reflection on my final week in Tanzania for May Term 2012:
Mungu awe nanyi. God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again. This hymn is one of my favorites. Whether it is in English or Swahili, I associate it with my trips to Tanzania. For me, it is a blessing to people, memories, and a country that I love.
The day after our return to the seminary was our last. We donated a bunch of school supplies to the school and worked on building the chicken coup. We had a class kickball and followed by a couple pineapples. (I could really go for some fresh pineapple right now.) For supper we went to the Dragonaires again. We split thirteen garlic cheese and one chicken pizza between the fourteen of us. The next morning we had to say goodbye to the friends we had made at the seminary. On our way Dar es Salaam, we went to a village to sing durung the church service. At this church there was a talented girls choir that sang several songs. It was amazing to see how captivated the congregation was when Pastor Herb was speaking. At the auction after the service we bought a couple of chickens to be donated to a family. We were served lunch before getting back on the bus to make our way to Dar.
In the morning, we went to a national museum just a few blocks from the hostel. I loved the museum. There was an exhibit about the ethnographics in Tanzania and a variety of objects from different tribes. I also like the exhibit on human evolution that had a focus on the findings from Olduvai Gorge, a place I went during my first trip to Tanzania. There was one the history of Tanzania as well.
After visiting the museum, it was time to be ready to get on the ferry. It was a gorgeous day so we sat on the upper level. Despite putting on sunscreen, I got a little burnt. After settling into the hotel, we walked to some markets at the old fort near the Sultan's Palace. In the evening, we watched the sunset and bought seafood for supper from the vendors.
The next morning, we visited the Anglican church built where the slave market used to take place. We even had the opportunity to go down into the slave holding chambers, which was an eye opening experience. It was cramped and dark. The ceiling was so low I could barely stand up straight. In the sanctuary, there was a series of paintings showing Jesus bearing the cross. One of the amazing things about the church was being able to see the steeple of the church, next to the tower of a mosque. After the church, we took a tour of a spice farm. We saw nutmeg, lemongrass, cardamon, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, red pepper, hot peppers, cocoa, and coffee. After the tour, we had the opportunity to try different teas and fruits. In the afternoon, we visited Sultan's Palace.
Our last full day, we went to the other side the island to relax at the beach. We went snorkeling. There was a low tide, so we had to go out pretty far. Despite not getting to wear my glasses. I did not have too many problems getting to see the coral and fish. Unfortunately, when I was first getting into the water I got stung by something. (It took a hile to heal; I can still see where I was stung.) I also had difficulties walking back to the beach when we where coming back in because my flip-flops kept getting stuck in the sand, and the side of my foot slid into a sea urchin. The sting actually hurt more than the sea urchin pins. The pins were such a pain to get out though. In the afternoon, we just relaxed on the beach. That night, we had a bonfire and roasted chocolate marshmallows. Some of the hotel works played some music using a drum and a coke bottle and clapping. Even though we put sunscreen on, most of us got a little burnt. The next morning we went out snorkeling again before heading back to Stone Town to the ferry. The sea was not as smooth on the way back so I took some Dramamine and slept most of the ride. At supper, we presented Kadeghe with the money fot his and his sister's schooling as a thank you for everything he had done. We were all sad to say goodbye because he had become such a good friend. On the way to the airport, Kadeghe said "Goodbyes are crazy." When we got to the airport we had the difficulties of saying our final goodbyes. Goodbye to Pastor Herb, to Kadeghe, to Tanzania, and it was the beginning of the goodbye to the trip.
At the airport, we had a good laugh when, after going through security, one girl found a forgotten, giant bottle of sunscreen in her purse. She pulled it out wondering how it went unnoticed. An employee walking by saw her and took it from her saying that it was not allowed. I slept on the way to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, when we were going through security to get on our next plane, most of us had a partial pat-down. Of course, I was the one who got a full pat-down. When we arrived in Minneapolis, our professor who had left early to go to his son's graduation was waiting to pick us up. After spending so much time with everyone, it was odd to have to say goodbye.
In a way, it was kind of nice to go so long without posting this because I was able to read my previous posts and my journal, bring back wonderful memories. I also keep pictures and souvenirs out. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to return to Tanzania.
Mungu awe nanyi daima
Mungu awe nanyi. God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again. This hymn is one of my favorites. Whether it is in English or Swahili, I associate it with my trips to Tanzania. For me, it is a blessing to people, memories, and a country that I love.
The day after our return to the seminary was our last. We donated a bunch of school supplies to the school and worked on building the chicken coup. We had a class kickball and followed by a couple pineapples. (I could really go for some fresh pineapple right now.) For supper we went to the Dragonaires again. We split thirteen garlic cheese and one chicken pizza between the fourteen of us. The next morning we had to say goodbye to the friends we had made at the seminary. On our way Dar es Salaam, we went to a village to sing durung the church service. At this church there was a talented girls choir that sang several songs. It was amazing to see how captivated the congregation was when Pastor Herb was speaking. At the auction after the service we bought a couple of chickens to be donated to a family. We were served lunch before getting back on the bus to make our way to Dar.
In the morning, we went to a national museum just a few blocks from the hostel. I loved the museum. There was an exhibit about the ethnographics in Tanzania and a variety of objects from different tribes. I also like the exhibit on human evolution that had a focus on the findings from Olduvai Gorge, a place I went during my first trip to Tanzania. There was one the history of Tanzania as well.
After visiting the museum, it was time to be ready to get on the ferry. It was a gorgeous day so we sat on the upper level. Despite putting on sunscreen, I got a little burnt. After settling into the hotel, we walked to some markets at the old fort near the Sultan's Palace. In the evening, we watched the sunset and bought seafood for supper from the vendors.
The next morning, we visited the Anglican church built where the slave market used to take place. We even had the opportunity to go down into the slave holding chambers, which was an eye opening experience. It was cramped and dark. The ceiling was so low I could barely stand up straight. In the sanctuary, there was a series of paintings showing Jesus bearing the cross. One of the amazing things about the church was being able to see the steeple of the church, next to the tower of a mosque. After the church, we took a tour of a spice farm. We saw nutmeg, lemongrass, cardamon, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, red pepper, hot peppers, cocoa, and coffee. After the tour, we had the opportunity to try different teas and fruits. In the afternoon, we visited Sultan's Palace.
Our last full day, we went to the other side the island to relax at the beach. We went snorkeling. There was a low tide, so we had to go out pretty far. Despite not getting to wear my glasses. I did not have too many problems getting to see the coral and fish. Unfortunately, when I was first getting into the water I got stung by something. (It took a hile to heal; I can still see where I was stung.) I also had difficulties walking back to the beach when we where coming back in because my flip-flops kept getting stuck in the sand, and the side of my foot slid into a sea urchin. The sting actually hurt more than the sea urchin pins. The pins were such a pain to get out though. In the afternoon, we just relaxed on the beach. That night, we had a bonfire and roasted chocolate marshmallows. Some of the hotel works played some music using a drum and a coke bottle and clapping. Even though we put sunscreen on, most of us got a little burnt. The next morning we went out snorkeling again before heading back to Stone Town to the ferry. The sea was not as smooth on the way back so I took some Dramamine and slept most of the ride. At supper, we presented Kadeghe with the money fot his and his sister's schooling as a thank you for everything he had done. We were all sad to say goodbye because he had become such a good friend. On the way to the airport, Kadeghe said "Goodbyes are crazy." When we got to the airport we had the difficulties of saying our final goodbyes. Goodbye to Pastor Herb, to Kadeghe, to Tanzania, and it was the beginning of the goodbye to the trip.
At the airport, we had a good laugh when, after going through security, one girl found a forgotten, giant bottle of sunscreen in her purse. She pulled it out wondering how it went unnoticed. An employee walking by saw her and took it from her saying that it was not allowed. I slept on the way to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, when we were going through security to get on our next plane, most of us had a partial pat-down. Of course, I was the one who got a full pat-down. When we arrived in Minneapolis, our professor who had left early to go to his son's graduation was waiting to pick us up. After spending so much time with everyone, it was odd to have to say goodbye.
In a way, it was kind of nice to go so long without posting this because I was able to read my previous posts and my journal, bring back wonderful memories. I also keep pictures and souvenirs out. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to return to Tanzania.
Mungu awe nanyi daima
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)