Back on crutches again... this is exactly the reason why I bought a pair years ago. If you're out there and feel like sending up a quick prayer for me, I'd appreciate it. And please also pray that my mouth heals quickly from my surgery... it's been 6 days and I'm still a bit swollen and very sore. It's hard to keep positive about all this; even harder to grasp that God is somehow with me in my pain.

Wisdom Teeth

Recovering from the operation is sooo not enjoyable. Hopefully my mouth heals quickly...

Pray for Flood Victims in Pakistan

The flooding, which began late-July, is still a huge problem for millions of Pakistanis. Relief isn't being brought quickly enough to meet victims' needs, despite the United Nations and several countries pledging aid to this nation. Many fear that diseases are spreading quickly, especially considered the state of hunger/malnutrition many face. Please pray for the people affected by this heavy flooding! It's been 3 weeks and there is so much devastation. Can you imagine losing loved ones, your home, your livelihood, and waiting for food packets? Below are some pictures from MSN-BC (Getty images). Read a recent article here.

Nan :)

This past weekend I met a 65-year old woman who is biking across Canada. Her name is Nan, and she's from British Columbia. I was quite inspired by her, especially since it's my dream to do the same route when I graduate (and with the same tour). She was spending a few nights at my Grandma's bed and breakfast, so I had the opportunity to spend 2 hrs chatting with Nan about her summer. Best of luck with the final stretch, Nan!!

Last Weekend

This past weekend was amazing... I drove up to Cleveland and got to hang out with some friends (Kristin, Emily, Bri, Nikki, Lauren, Blake, etc etc) before the end of summer. I also went out with my friend Abid Khan and his wife Aiman (and their newborn baby Hasaan!). They treated me to Indian food and then had me over for tea. It was wonderful. And then I had a run-in with the police a few hours later (don't even ask). I don't know if I should be offended that I was asked "Do you have any guns or knives in your car?". I'm an innocent, blonde, college-aged female - what do you think?! Of course not! Definitely don't want to relive that experience. After it was established that I was not armed, the officer was actually pretty nice, so I'm thankful it ended well.

Anyway, good luck to Bri and Ryan as they head off to South Korea in the next few weeks - you will be missed. And to the plethora of other people going their own ways, much like a modern day Diaspora - good luck with everything. :)  I can't believe how quickly the years go by.

News Article

Is reliance on foreign cash setting U.S. up for a fall?
Click for Globe & Mail article.

Need a refreshing summer drink? Try mixing a bit of Malibu with crushed pineapple, and then blend with 2 frozen coconut milk ice cubes. Delish. 

Actually, coconut milk is really good for you especially if you buy the light version (no artificial stuff, it's just with less fat). What I do is open a can of coconut milk and pour it into an ice cube tray -- that way I can pop a few cubes into a smoothie or drink. 

Which brings me to a great smoothie recipe. 2 coconut milk ice cubes, a spoonful of flaxseed (ground or whole, doesn't matter which although I've heard ground seeds are easier for the body to digest), some milk, frozen mangoes and berries, a spoonful of vanilla protein powder..... and BLEND to your heart's content. Personally, I love my smoothies very thick (not liquidy at all) so I add very little milk. If you like frothy, creamy smoothies you'd probably enjoy adding 1/2 a banana. 

Last but not least, if you're looking for a refreshing evening wine you've got to try Sangria. I really like Cruz Garcia Real Sangria from Spain... it's fruity (natural citrus flavours), lightbodied, and a delicious red wine. If you are more of a white wine person, try Sangria Blanca. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds promising. :)

A bit of humour...

Workaholic

Today I have fully embraced the fact that I am indeed a workaholic.

And that's okay, because I love work and want to dedicate my life to making a difference in this world.

I am constantly realising that I don't have to feel guilty about what I love or who I am.

I am me, and I love work. 

Yes, I also love fun, but at the end of the day I can't sleep until I feel like I've accomplished something.

Hence the 2:30 a.m. bedtime some nights.

Anyway, I found an interesting article on multi-tasking and how it can be counterproductive. Check it out HERE. :)

I still love the Netherlands... even though we lost to Spain.

Psychic Octopus...

Wow, I can't believe this... but I just read a BBC news article on an octopus in Germany who has predicted a Spanish victory in tomorrow's World Cup game. Check out this link for the story. Craaazy...

I am reading an amazing book called Finding Alice... it's about a female university student who, in her senior year, starts developing signs of schizophrenia-paranoid. As her mental illness progresses, she ends up locking herself in her apartment for weeks and then hitch hiking to another city to live on the streets. It is a heart-wrenching story (fictional, I believe...but it gives you a first-hand idea of what people with this disorder are dealing with) that reminds me of the movie A Beautiful Mind. John Nash, a Nobel prize winner, dealt with the same illness as Alice, the main character in this book. I am not finished it yet, but I can't put the book down!! (Which is not a good thing when this is my only day off this week and I have an economics exam tomorrow night). Anyway, I highly recommend this novel!

(FIFA) Fútbol Update

- Argentina defeated S. Korea 4-1 (I totally predicted this)

- Greece won against Nigeria, 2-1... interesting game.

- Mexico beat France 2-0, which was surprising. Vive Mexico :)

 OLE OLE OLE OLEEEEEEE...

First Dutch Victory

I watched part of the 2nd half of the Netherlands vs. Denmark game this morning... and watched the Orange score their second goal and win the game! Woot!!! For those of you who don't know, all of my grandparents are landed immigrants from Holland. I grew up in a Dutch community and we take our football allegiance very seriously :) Here are a few pics of the team -- from fifa.com. Peace!

Cambodia Project Makes News

The Cambodia "business plan project" I was part of this past semester made the university headlines this past week. :) I am so excited to see the ideas implemented over there. Check out the site for our project partner: People for Care and Learning (PCL) and the news article.

I ♥ Nannying

This summer I'm a part-time nanny for a wonderful 7-yr old boy. It's a great deal of fun -- today we played around outside and went exploring in a forest, made pancakes, went to a bookstore, cruised the neighbourhood in a golf cart, drew some pictures, and dressed up in crazy masks and ran around with BB guns. Love it!

Bowling Balls

If arachnophobia is a fear of spiders, what on earth do you call a "fear of getting your fingers stuck in a 10-pin bowling ball"? Just curious. Not that I suffer from this or anything...

Wedding... now back to class

Classes start tomorrow at KSU... hello Macroeconomics and American Government. Oh well, it's only 8 weeks so I'm sure it will fly by pretty quickly. And I have another wedding to look forward to attend in August (in Canada). My mom and I just spent the weekend in Niagara to attend Michelle's wedding. It was beautiful!! And now she and Brian are on their honeymoon in Panama. : )

Ontario-bound

In less than ten hours, I'll be on a plane headed north. :) It's my cousin's wedding on Saturday, so my mom and I will be spending the weekend in beautiful St. Catherine's, Ontario. Oh, wine country, how I miss you. Seriously, though, it's the most beautiful place to be in the summertime. The whole Niagara-on-the-Lake area is full of vineyards and estates, bike paths along the Niagara River, bed-and-breakfasts, and all sorts of leisurely activities. Picture perfect. Anyway, I'm excited about the getaway, but kind of bummed that I won't be up there longer to visit family and friends. But I'm blessed to get to see the wedding. ♥

10K TRAINING

Today is the day I begin training for a 10K... and however unfit I have become over the past 2 years, this is my "summer of fitness" and I have high hopes for success. I'm joining a group of runners to help keep me motivated and on track. In other news, this weekend is my cousin Michelle's wedding. : )  My mom and I are heading up to St. Catherine's-Niagara Falls area on Friday and I am very excited. Below is a picture of Michelle and I back in 2006.

Moving Out... and Lacrosse

So I moved out of my place in Cleveland this past Saturday. What a job! *whew*
Anyway, I'm back in Kennesaw and trying to enjoy my full week off. :)
Mom and I are leaving for Niagara Falls on Friday to see Michelle's wedding.
Last night I got to see my youngest brother Randy play lacrosse... here are a few pics.

Harrison Bay State Park

One day after work I went on a random drive. Had no clue where I was going. All of a sudden I saw a sign for a state park. I thought, "Hmmmm... I wonder where this goes". So I started heading in the direction the sign pointed me toward. Twenty minutes later, I see a huge body of water and think "NO WAAAY! I had no clue this was here!"

I started exploring, and found a cozy little spot under a tree. It was nice and sunny out, and I fell asleep listening to the birds chirp and the water lap against the rocks. How peaceful. : )
I'm trying to re-learn how to relax. It was definitely a hectic semester.

Art Night

With the exception of two phallic symbols (ahem, Kristin!) our paintings turned out pretty neat. Never a dull moment at Kristin/Bri/Emily's apartment. =)

Camping at Chilhowee

Last Saturday I went camping with some friends (Emily, Kristin, Elisheba, etc etc). We drove up to Chilhowee in hopes of seeing the sunset from the top of the mountain; our plans were dashed, however, by a female police officer who pulled us over for speeding. Thankfully she let us off with a warning. We still missed the sunset though. :( After stopping for a few photos, we found everyone's parked cars, then gathered our gear and walked through the woods to a clearing.

We sat around the campfire, made some s'mores, and discussed Russian politics. Okay, the last one was a lie, but it would've been a fascinating conversation considering the death of Lech Kaczynski.

There were 25 people camping out -- a decent-sized crowd. As the early hours of the morning set in, we "made our beds" under the stars... Yep, no tent. It was really cold -- especially after the dew fell -- but looking up at the stars was well worth it. Here's a photo we took on our trek down the mountain, where we met some sweet ladies from the Wildflower Society.

Move for Uganda

Hey, if you're looking for something to do this weekend, come out to Chattanooga for a RUN to raise money for UGANDA. :) Nothing better than getting some good exercise and helping to raise funds for building schools and educating kids. Hosted by Invisible Children. See the website for more details.

Fish Massage, anyone?

As seen in Siem Reap, Cambodia, at the night market. A "surprise better performance for the people!" Haha.

He is Risen!

Back in the USSR

Actually, I'm back in Atlanta. And it's definitely not as hot as Cambodge, which means I don't have to sweat through my t-shirt before 10am. ;) Happy Easter everyone.

Project 7

Cambodia Collage of Fun

Layovers and Airports and Plane Food, oh my!

Atlanta, USA to Seoul, Korea   --- 3 hour layover ---
Seoul, Korea to Bangkok, Thailand   --- 9 hour layover ---
Bangkok, Thailand to Siem Reap, Cambodia   JET LAG.

Some highlights from our flights and layovers include:

• Eating Seaweed-flavoured Pringles in the Bangkok airport
• Watching Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (a German movie) - I definitely recommend this movie
• Spending the night on a bench in the Bangkok airport
• Eating "Bibimbap" (a Korean dish) and needing a pamphlet on how to assemble it
• Flying over Alaska and Russia... seeing the breathtaking snow-covered mountain ranges
• Free wi-fi in the Incheon (Korean) airport   :)

Leaving for Cambodia...

Tomorrow morning I'm leaving for Cambodia with Katie and Jacob. We're flying to Seoul, South Korea, and then spending the night in Bangkok, Thailand. The next morning we'll fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia. I'm really excited! Please pray for safe travels for us! =)

Nyepi -- Balinese New Year

Today is Nyepi – the Balinese equivalent to our New Years Eve, except with fasting, meditation, and silence. Celebrated from 6am today (Tues) until 6am tomorrow (Wed), this national day of silence is taken very seriously by the locals. The Hindus abide by rituals such as "no working, no self-entertainment, no traveling, no eating, and no fire/light" – all for the purpose of self-reflection. All airports, stores, beaches, and streets are closed to both locals and visitors. 
Nyepi traditionally falls on the day following the dark moon of the spring equinox, opening a new year of the Saka Hindu era which began in 78 A.D.

The day after Nyepi, known as Ngembak Geni, is when social activity picks up again quickly. Families and friends gather to ask forgiveness from one another, and to perform certain religious rituals together. Parades are held in the streets. =)

Hello, Spring Break

Yum, yum yum.

There's just something so refreshing about spending a Friday night with Kristin Mueller, eating sushi (which I have just recently started doing), sipping a margarita, and watching a movie. Spring Break, here we come! Even though I have to work 40 hours in the next few days at Merck (for POM) and CAPS, I will have fun. Dang it, I will have LOTS of fun.

In other news, I have a strong desire to drop out of school and travel the world. Call it a case of the infamous "senioritis", this feeling of restlessness is probably due to my new all-time low of 3hrs sleep a night.Thank you, business classes. The good news is that my amazing new boss, Darla, gave me one of her coffee makers, so I can finally brew some blessed café every morning when I get up at 5.

If you're in the mood for an interesting video, click here. It's less than 2 mins and is really interesting. =)

Makes Me Smile...

Just as I was losing all faith in humanity, I witnessed an act of kindness that left me smiling long after the encounter ended. After hearing that a Lee student had worked over 52 hours in one week -- in addition to school -- a middle-aged man handed the student $40 with the instruction: "Go do something fun".  

It's the little things we do for each other that make the most impact. 

{Even on bystanders.}

Crosby...

An Olympic Gold medal represents an incredible team effort... I am so proud of our Men's Olympic Hockey Team. Way to press on and show us what real determination is. Like one of my American friends said, the Canadians really had to earn this gold (after losing to the US the first time it was hard to imagine making the finals!). That being said, I want to reaffirm my admiration for Sidney Crosby. He scored the game-winning goal on Sunday afternoon and saved us from the horror of being beaten by the Americans at our national sport. In Alyssa Shumaker's words, "Hallelu!" (I guess this will be my formal shout-out to Alyssa, who is spending the semester studying in Cambridge, UK. We miss you!!)

Gold Medal in Women's Hockey

On Thursday night (Feb. 25, 2010), the Canadian Women's Hockey Team defeated the USA 2-0 and won the Gold. Amazing job, ladies! :)  Just one request: next time could you keep the cigars and alcohol off the ice? Try to remember that you are role models for kids and that you represent our country to the world. Thanks a mil.

Mardi Gras / Shrove Tuesday

 

Looks strangely like campus this morning, no?

Insanity

Ever feel like life moves so fast that it's hard to keep up? 

I get this feeling every day. Sometimes I wake up with enough energy and motivation to face the day, and other times I find myself hitting the snooze button for an hour straight. If I even make it to bed. On some nights, like last night, I have the joy of trading in sleep for hours in front of my laptop. In a few years I might look back and say "Wow, that was worth it!" and proudly point to a degree hanging on my wall. Hopefully. Keep your fingers crossed.

In other news, Nelson Mandela was released from prison exactly 20 years ago (on February 11, 1990). He had spent 27 years in a prison on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa, and was sworn into presidency only 4 years later. To read an article on how South Africa is doing now, click HERE. It's pretty interesting -- the article is written by a man who was deported from SA in the 1970s.

Thanks to Cary Edmonson from California for the first picture.

Cambodia

The spring semester has begun! Over two weeks have passed since I willingly dragged myself back to the classroom... and I am beginning to regret my decision. I think I'm just tired, though, so maybe some sleep will help me regain clarity. Or at least help me stay awake during class. Sorry Dr. Wilson.

In other news, I am working with a small group of students on a project aimed at economic development in Cambodia. Under the supervision of Dr. Dewayne Thompson and Mr. Guy DeLoach, we are creating business plans that we hope to implement in the village of Takum, Cambodia. With so many children sold into slavery (mainly sex trafficking), we hope that these businesses will enable locals to provide for their families. Of course, we are emphasizing sustainability, feasibility, and cultural sensitivity in our brainstorming sessions. I am very excited about what will be accomplished at the end of the semester. I pray that God uses our efforts and guides us in our planning. It's all for His glory.

If you're familiar with Cambodia, you might recognise "Tonlé Sap" (Great Lake), which is a combined lake and river system of huge importance to Cambodia. It is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997.

Click here to see pictures of Cambodia. In spite of the extreme poverty here, the people are absolutely wonderful (I used to work with many Cambodians in a Newmarket factory) and the landscapes are beautiful.

Sua s'dei!

Passion 2010

 
So I just attended a 4-day conference in Atlanta called Passion 2010. It was from Jan. 2-5 and I went with some friends from Ontario (we drove down). In attendance were around 21,000 university students from all around the world, and it was cool to worship with such a large group of 18-25 year olds. David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Hillsong United were some of the worship leaders during the conference. My favourite part of these few days was exploring the "Do It Now" area, which was meant to raise awareness for ten different causes around the world. In total, 21,000 "ramen-eating university students" raised well over $660,000 for these causes, and an adult couple decided to match our entire donation. It was incredible. If you're interested in any of these causes, continue reading below and check out their websites. 

1. BLOOD:WATER MISSION: Clean water for African villages. 2 billion people throughout the world still do not have access to clean water.
2. Watoto: Hope and homes for former child soldiers in Gulu (northern Uganda). Because many of these children have no family to return to, Watoto is working to provide permanent housing and restoration for 40 of these children.
3. Not For Sale: Around the world, 27 million people are enslaved today. Join the movement of modern-day abolitionists who are working to stop women and children from being sold into sex trafficking and other forms of slavery. Together, we can end slavery in our lifetime.
4. Africa Renewal: as a result of Africa's longest-running war, thousands of people in northern Uganda have been living in IDP (refugee/displacement) camps -- where the conditions are deplorable. This organisation is working to build villages to resettle as many Ugandans as possible.
5. Make Trade Fair: Millions of people in poor countries are losing out because the rules controlling trade heavily favour the rich nations that set the rules. Oxfam International works to raise awareness about "fair trade" and help consumers make informed decisions. Let's work to help -- not hurt -- our neighbours overseas.
6. World Vision: A Christian humanitarian aid organisation. Sponsor a child or learn about their work in disaster response (think about the recent earthquake in Haiti!), economic development, agriculture, education and literacy.
7. Gobena Coffee: Love coffee? Buy high-quality, fair trade coffee from around the world. The best thing about it? 100% of the profits are being reinvested in the lives of orphan children through charity programs. 
8. The Seed Company: Over 2,000 people groups do not have the Bible in their native language. Help fund the multi-year process of translating the New Testament for people groups worldwide. 

If you're interested in learning about modern-day slavery, there are two quick (<2 mins) videos you can watch: First Video. Second Video.

Olympic Fever!

I just got to watch the official Olympic Torch-bearer run by me in Alliston, ON. It was really neat, waiting with hundreds of other freezing Canadians. In hindsight, I should definitely have put a pair of long-johns on. But I had all my new Canadian Olympic gear on, so at least I looked festive. My toes are still frozen, though. Here are some pictures. I love Sidney Crosby. :)

Costa Rica Pics

Here are a few photos from my recent trip down to Central America. :) Enjoy!