International Taylor

Check out the international scene at Taylor University:

Cool video eh? The reason why I say "um" so much is because I said everything off the top of my head. The video was made by my friend Ian for a class project.

Only one more week of classes!

Internship update!

Some good news: I've gotten my internship approved by the history department. What a relief! I can't say what exactly I will be working on until I get to Lithuania, but what I do know is that I will be helping at the Lithuania Minor Historical Institute with the director, Dr. SilvaPociute . I hear rumors that I will be helping them with a publication/book in English. I might even be listed as a collaborator! Another activity in which I might help out with is writing up international grant proposals. These are all steps (shuffles) towards knowing what I can or can't do, and finding out what I enjoy or don't enjoy doing with history.

Friday is only a day (or two) away.

I need to survive until Friday. I will have turned in three essays and completed two tests this week. I really hope I don't get sick due to my lack of sleep. Friday seems so close...and yet so far away due to the work that I need to complete before then. I really hate staying up late when I can't sleep in but I'm afraid that I'm going to have to push myself if I want to make it. Since I get out of my study abroad meeting at 11 pm, I'm sure the rest of the night will be spent touching up my 16 page paper on the Spanish influence on the Incan culture. Thankfully my friend Rebekka has agreed to stay up to help me. Please pray for a clear and diligent mind.

Back in Indiana

I made it in last night sometime around 1:30 am. To say the least, I'm feeling really tired and have a lot to do this week. I would appreciate it if you could keep me in your prayers these next two weeks. Things due this week: three essays, one test, five current events journals, etc. One of the essays is 15 pages long and worth about 15-20% of my grade.

For videos of my trip to Rhode Island click here.

For photos click here:

Thanksgiving in Rhode Island

If you have any questions concerning the photos just let me know. :)

Lazy Butt

This morning I was awakened by my friend Seth's dad yelling, "TIME TO GET UP YOU SLUGGARDS! TIME TO WORK! Well....not Josh because he is our guest."

:)

I'm here now, finishing up the last touches on my History of England essay and what effect the (affect? effect? Same thing to me!) Corn Laws of 1815 had on the economy, and how they were repealed (not terribly interesting to say the least). This is probably one of the worst essays that I have ever written, but Lithuania is too close for me to concentrate 100% percent.

From where I sit I watch all three sons picking up leaves, taking trash out, cutting wood, etc., in preparation of a party with their youth-group. They look like little ants, preparing for winter. Brr its cold out there: 28 degrees F. It's a nice change to not have to be working my tail off and be in charge to get anything done. I took full advantage (without being a jerk of course) of the Rambikur's willingness to take care of me.

I made four pizzas last night which turned out pretty descent. Some of the girls who were visiting enjoyed putting the toppings on and hearing about my baking experiences. It felt weird, they really thought I was the real deal as far as baking goes. To be honest I was embarrased when the pizza crusts got extremely inflated, which seems to happen quite often with my recipe. Maybe I should look for a new one...

I'm flying out of Boston tomorrow to Indianapolis where my friend Ruwe will be picking me up from the airport. We should be getting into Taylor at around 12:30 am, if all goes well. I have class Monday morning at 8 and I hope to turn my paper in then. I will be posting some photos and videos of my trip as soon as I get some free time, so make sure you check back within the next week.

Thanksgiving in Rhode Island

I hope you are all having a great thanksgiving day! I'm spending mine in Rhode Island and will be here until Sunday. I'll be posting some photos and videos of my trip here as soon as I get back to Indiana. Don't over-eat! Remember guys, gluttony is a sin.

Extra-credit

I had to write a short paragraph (which turned into three short paragraphs) about my trip to the Indianapolis Art Museum. Extra-credit was offered to those who saw the Roman art exhibit. You might think that an extra-credit paragraph should be boring. I think my prof will like mine (this was for History of England):

My trip to the Indianapolis Art Museum was quite interesting and enlightening. What struck me was the proximity of the art without those velvet ropes that so commonly separate me from history. I’m not going to confess to touching some of the pieces, but I’m sure that some people gave in to temptation. I saw one girl actually touch a map while showing her journeys through Greece and Italy. I was about to call security but didn’t, because I soon realized that it was a modern map, not one from the Roman times. It also helped that she was my friend, and I didn’t want her to get into trouble.

Most of the art pieces were of either famous men or women, and sometimes of commoners. They were constructed out of marble, which is why they stayed so well intact through the years. I thought it was intersecting how some people found different pieces of statues and connected them together. One of the first statues that I saw had a head that was not made at the same time as the body but was still connected as one. I also enjoyed the mosaics and marveled at the amount of time that it took to put them together. Even the number of different colors used is quite impressive.

I’m glad I made the long trek to the art museum. The time that I spent there helped me understand the amount of power and influence that the Romans had over the British Isles. Many of the statues were actually found in current day Britain in large Roman villas.

A busy weekend

Some happenings this weekend:

A trip to Paynes, a local coffee shop, to discuss the history of coffee. I had some frozen white chocolate custard with raspberries on top. Yum!



After a trip to the airport to drop off my friend Amy we then went to the Indianapolis Museum of Art where there was en expo of Roman art from the Louvre. As usual, I got got in trouble with one of the security guards. I acted like I didn't speak much English, I think it might of helped. I also walked up to a guard to ask him where the Latin American art was. Poor guy had fallen asleep on his feet and I woke him from his nap. He wasn't too happy about that. ;)

Drinking maté on the way back from the museum. I had forgotten to pack the sugar, but we were still able to enjoy it.

When we (Ben, Ruwe, and myself) got back from the museum we cooked up some Italian ñoquis and potatoes.

Spanglisher

I had one of those days today (make believe this was posted late on Thursday night...not early Friday morning) where everything comes out wrong. Today in the language lab I had the hardest time decided if the conjugated verb was supposed to have an o or a at the end of it. I can´t remember the exact word now...because its one of those days. Was there too much English in my mind today?

Too much of what? I was talking a little bit with my neighbor Amy tonight, and I quote: "Because.........it makes me mixed up with English." Too much Spanish?

See what I mean?

Tomorrow is a new day, maybe I'll be able to speak clearly in both languages again!

Towards the End

Things are starting to wind down.

I'm just about finished with all of my large projects (I have two or three left). It seems like yesterday that I was looking through my syllabuses and filling in all of the project's due dates in my planner. They seemed to be looming over me, always down the road. I expected to be crying from stress, sweating blood and losing weight. I did get a bit nervous about assignments a few times (and have actually lost a few pounds). Overall though, I've survived unscathed and without too much sleep deprivation.

I'm starting to say goodbye to my familiar surroundings and friends. I get a sinking feeling every time people start talking about an event...stop...because they realize that I won't be around to partake in all of their fun and pleasures. This isn't exactly dampening my expectations of Lithuania in any way but it still makes me feel a little bad knowing that I will be missing something that everyone else will be enjoying. It's going to be weird not being in on all of the inside jokes which so frequently surround me.

Another step in life. I'm an old hand at moving and don't always enjoy it. I've sometimes used moving as a way of escaping from something. I get a new beginning. Who will I be in Lithuania? Serious? Nerdy? Foolish U.S. American? Hairy Argentine? Someone who asks too many rhetorical questions? Labas? Viso Gero? No ones knows except you know who... I'm not running from anything now.

It has to happen though. I need to get out of America and see the world. I need to taste new foods, hear cartoons in new languages, and see where my grandparents grew up and had their first kiss. I filled out my visa application yesterday. I had to apply for a student visa to Bolivia once, but that wasn't in a language that I didn't understand.

Things are going to be ok though. I want to know how to balance my friendships. I want to know how to live fully in Lithuania and yet not return to a bunch of people that I used to know 8 months before. I also don't want to leave Lithuania not having truly met anyone after being there a whole semester. My plea to God is that He show me these things, give me peace of heart about leaving loved ones behind, and reassure me about these new steps in life.

Give me this opportunity and I will try with all my might to make the most of it. Watch me.

*I write this as I listen to music from home, sit in my living room in Upland, and dream of being in Europe. Things are starting to pick up...*

Maybe You're Right

One of my favorite Cat Stevens songs...

Now maybe you're right and maybe you're wrong

But I ain't gonna argue with you no more
I've done it for too long.
It was getting so good why then, where did it go?
I can't think about it no more tell me if you know.
You were loving me, I was loving you
But now there aint nothing but regretting
nothing, nothing but regretting everything we do.

I put up with your lies like you put up with mine,
But God knows we should have stopped somewhere,
we could have taken the time,
But time has turned, yes, some call it the end.
So tell me, tell me did you really love me like a friend?
You know you don't have to pretend,
It's all over now It'll never happen again, no no no,
it'll never happen again , it won't happen again
Never, never, never, it'll never happen again
No, no, no, no.....

So maybe you're right, and maybe you're wrong
But I ain't gonna argue with you no more
I've done it for too long.
It was getting so good why then, where did it go?
I can't think about it no more tell me if you know.
You were loving me, I was loving you
But now there aint nothing but regretting
nothing, nothing but regretting everything we do.

The face changes

Over the years... A little experimentation never hurt anyone.

A few of the things that I'm working on...in living color

A few of the challenges that God has placed in front of me:

1) 12-15 pages about how the Spanish Empire has influenced the Incan culture, focusing on religious and socio-political aspects, and mining techniques. I'm currently working with 4 primary sources and 6 secondary sources. I'm trying to focus on the city of Potosí.




2) 10-12 page essay about the Corn Laws (1815-1846) and their effect on English society.


3) An inter-cultural journal where I talk and examine my experience with a person from a different culture (a tck from Africa who was born in Kenya, was raised in Tanzania, and who finished high school in Uganda). I need another entry, plus I need to analyze the way that we've communicated with one another.


4) History and religion of Guyana. I'm doing this as a group with my roommate Jeffery and Ecuadorian friend Francisco. It should total 15 pages or so. We will brainstorming about our presentation which is right before finals.


5) World Politics- test on Friday, paper due the 21 (or so), several current events paragraphs.


6) Trying to figure out what classes to take in Lithuania (I'm currently able to take two).


And there you have it, my life in living color. The list could go on, but I need to get to sleep so that I can start doing research on the Mitas of Potosí. Pray for me!

I'm 'N MK ok?

"Gorillaman85" makes some good points, even though my story has some differences... For one, I didn't have a group of friends to accept me every time I came back. Second, I grew up in a more devolved country with people that looked similar to me (even though I was always the white boy that need a little more of a tan). I still remember feeling angry though that I had been brought up in Argentina because I felt like I had received the short end of the deal. I have experienced so many life shaping things that I wouldn't change for anything.

To be honest, I miss home quite often. I can spend hours on Google Earth and listen to radio stations, catching up on weather reports and Argentine music (yes, even pop). I'm looking forward to going home in June...

Gifts for Lithuania

The right thing to do while visiting another culture is to bring little gifts from one's "home" culture. As I am a poor college student, I can't afford any fancy gifts for my European roommates, hosts, friends, etc. I would love to be able to give people dvds, cds, cakes, Coca Cola, etc and other products from the United States. I need something unique, something useful, and something that would allow them to remember me for months to come. I'm still brainstorming...

This is a little 2 0.z. bottle of Dr. Bronner's magic tea tree soap. I am a fan of Dr. Bronners and their products. They strive to take care of the environment and promote hemp use in everyday products. They have 6 flavors to chose from, which include, almond, baby-mild, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, and tea-tree. Each bottle costs $2.50, with free shipping with orders over $20.

What do you think? What should I take to Europe?

New Favicon, New Name

That is supposed to be me about two years ago. It is a little cartoon drawn by my cousin Beth. I've decided to use as my own Favicon (short of Favorite Icon). You can see it up on the top of your browser where you type in the url address.

Another change is the name of my blog. Random Thoughts is too vague, too random, and too thoughtful. For now I just have my domain name as the title of my blog. I will probably change it as soon as I come up with a better title. If you have any ideas, let me know (nothing too cheesy please!).

Please pray for me as I need to get some serious studying done this week and haven't been able to concentrate that well this week. Its something that I've always struggled with, and it doesn't help when I have pages and pages to read and write. My goal is to get an A in Reformation and at least a B+ in England. I'll let you know if I accomplished those goals when I get my report card.

Geography Lesson- The Giant's Bellybutton

I've fallen in love with Google Earth. Sometimes when I am feeling homesick I can get on Google Earth and retrace steps. Their 3-D views are amazing, as can be seen with the above picture. What are you looking at? When my sister and I were little we would always look for the giant's bellybutton on the road between Tilcara and Huacalera (where my family has a cabin). The bellybutton is a huge hole in the side of the mountain, most likely created by water flowing though there. I've only been up there once, when I was a lot younger. It's cool because you can walk into the hole and actually get under the ledge quite a bit. These hills are great for exploring since there aren't too many people around. I'll be posting more photos from Google Earth as time goes on.