If all the world were travelers...

I recently returned from an amazing year abroad.  It was anything but easy, especially the travelling home part!

Heathrow -Chicago
Chicago - Omaha

Easy, right?

WRONG!

Long story, short.  What should have been a 1705 flight to Omaha turned into a night in Chicago and a 1215 flight to Des Moines and a drive to Omaha.

But I don't want to focus on the awful way that Airline and Airport handled the situation.

I want to focus on 5 amazing people that I met.

Amanda - American living in UK trying to get to a friend's wedding
John - NYC teacher headed to Council Bluffs for RAGBRAI
Leonard - Headed home from Seattle
Charlie & Carla - Headed home

I met Amanda at 6 am.  We were both Standby on the 7:30 am flight to Omaha.  We were both drinking coffee nervously watching the standby list.  Leonard was also hovering near the screen, just waiting.  That's all we could do.

We made small talk.  We put on fake smiles and laughed politely at our jokes about the situation.  We were barely awake.  Amanda and Leonard had slept in the airport, whereas I at least had a bed in a hotel.  They were sore, and extremely tired.

No one made the early flight.  So we said we'd all meet later at the gate for the 1215 flight.

We found each other around 11am.  Complained about our situation. Laughed and smiled thinking we would be on our way to Omaha soon.

Little did we know, tears were coming.  Our flight was cancelled.  Tears of frustration poured out of our eyes. Why now?  I took out my cellphone to redial the number for rebooking, while standing in line for the desk.

No flights to Omaha today.  Earliest is tomorrow.

Are you kidding me?  I just want to go home.  I had to get home so I could turn around and go to Minnesota for a funeral.  I can't just sit here in Chicago!

This is where I met John.  He was standing behind me in line and overhead my end of the phone call.

He asked Leonard, who happened to be next to us, if he was in too.  So we stepped up to the desk together to get tickets to Des Moines.  Amanda was on the flight, and was calling friends to pick her up on their way to Omaha for the wedding.

Leonard and I were on as well, but John was 1st on the standby list.  The four of us walked to the new gate together with new found determination to get to Omaha.

Then we met Charlie and Carla.  They were in the same situation and had a car reserved already in Des Moines.  They offered to let the 3 of us join them in their car for no cost.

I waited nervously as the minutes were ticking away and still we weren't boarding.  Rumors of an hour delay were circling through the crowd.  People were whispering and getting worried.

Finally, boarding commenced and we then waited nervously for John's name to be called for a ticket. IT WAS!  We all boarded together, with real smiles.

Amanda got picked up by a friend and the guys and I went to find Charlie and Carla.  I asked if they were still willing to drive some strangers to the Omaha airport.

We piled in the SUV and began our 3 hour journey.  5 people who met just a few hours ago, became my lifeline.

They understood my situation and my feelings.  We helped each other.  We didn't leave anyone behind.  Charlie and Carla refused our attempt to help pay for gas. Their reason? "We would have had to pay for a car regardless.  You three were excellent entertainment."

*****************

My father told me later that the whole situation made him think about the world.

What if the world treated each other like stranded travelers?

What if we took the time to understand each other? To help each other, not for our own benefit, but because it was the right thing to do?

What if?

What could our world look like if we stopped finding the things that divide us, and instead looked for things that makes us similar?  How amazing would that world be?

So this is me declaring that I want to be like Charlie and Carla, who drive strangers halfway across Iowa.
I want to be like John, who came offered up the idea of sticking together in the first place.
I want to be like Amanda, who asked her friend if he had room for another person in his vehicle, just in case the rental fell through.
I want to be like Leonard, who stayed calm on the outside, even when everything seemed to fall apart around him.

I want the world to change.

~A

An Open Letter from Your Single, Childless Best Friend

Dear Best Friends,

I was there for your Bridal Shower.
Bachelorette Party
Wedding
Baby Shower
Birth of your child(ren)

I will always be there for you.  I love being part of your big moments.  I treasure those moments.

But being your best friend is harder these days.  It feels as though everyone around me is moving on and I'm stuck on a deserted island still searching for a way off.  Don't get me wrong, I love your kids. I love hugging and holding them and they will always have a special place in my heart, but I miss us.

I miss daily texts.
Snapchats.
Movies.
Baking.
Pizza Pockets.
Sitting on the couch talking.
Telling you my secrets.
Getting my hair and makeup done.
Girl's night/weekend.

I know that you have other responsibilities now and I get that you are no longer able to drop everything when I need you. But I miss you.

I don't text because I don't want to interrupt your life.
I don't call because you are probably busy.
I don't show up uninvited, because... well, because it seems rude now.
I don't complain because I feel lucky to have you even just for a little while.

I will try not to think that you don't love me.
I will try not to think that you no longer want to be friends.

It will be hard. I know this.  

I guess, I just wanted you to know that I love you.  I miss you.

And I wouldn't trade you (or your kids - and hubby too, I guess) for anything in the world.

Don't give up on me.

Love always,
Your Single, Childless Best Friend

YAGM for a year!

My life is about change, and you can come along for the ride!  It is with great joy that I announce that I will be living and working in the United Kingdom for a year starting in August!!   I will be working with the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) through their YAGM (Youth And Global Mission) program.

Me and some friends spelling YAGM

This past weekend I attended the DIP (Discernment-Interview-Placement) event in Chicago. What a rollercoaster!  Let me start at the beginning.

*windchime*

January 26, 2015

  
        My dad came home from a church council meeting and told me to go to a website.  I paused and asked why (because naturally I question everything my dad tells me).  He explained the YAGM program vaguely and briefly so I decided to check it out.   After a short while, I got on Facebook and started a conversation with my friend Jake who was about to leave for Albania for 2 years through the Peace Corps.  We chatted for a while and I decided that I needed more information about mission and the possible placement sites.
  
       That is when I contacted my friend Alicia.  We've been friends since middle school and she went to Asia for a year through YWAM (Youth with a Mission).  I asked her about life away from friends, about mission in general, and flat out asked if she thought I would be good at it.  Then it was research time.  I slaved away at my laptop looking up country after country and comparing the possible placement jobs.   After 2 days of intense thought, I had narrowed down the 9 countries to my top 4.  My top 4 kind of chose itself as 2 of the countries made me flat out scared (Jerusalem/West Bank & Rwanda), 2 countries require knowledge of Spanish (Mexico & Argentina/Uruguay), and 1 country I just could picture myself there (Cambodia).

 February 2015

      I finished my application, and pressed Submit.  Immediately a feeling of dread washed over me.  Was I making the right decision?  Would they like me?  Am I really a good fit for mission? It was officially out of my hands.  I continued to pray about it and talk to people I trusted about this possibility for my future.

March 16, 2015

      I checked my email at lunch and nothing.  Today was the day, I could feel it.  I just knew that they would send out the letters today.  I don't know what made me feel so strongly, but I did.  And I was right!  Right after I arrived home from a long day at school, there it was staring me saying, "Open me!"  Suddenly, I was struck with fear.  It was like college acceptance letters all over again!  Do they want me?  Was I good enough?

Dear Aline,

Greetings from Chicago! It is with joy that we write to invite you to join us at the Young Adults in Global Mission Discernment, Interview, Placement (DIP) event, April 16-19, 2015... we believe that the young adult opportunities in the United Kingdom might offer the best placement fit for you.

 United Kingdom. YES!  Wait...one country.  I only have one country.  I thought we were supposed to get two preliminary placements.  Oh my god. They hate me.  They are looking for a reason to get rid of me.  OR, I was super awesome and open and they just know that the UK is the perfect place for me to do God's work.  Let's go with the latter.

April 16-19, 2015 - DIP

     After a month to prepare for the coming days, I woke up early and drove to the airport.  I tried not to think about what was ahead of me, but we all know that when you consciously try to NOT think about something, you end of THINKING about it.   I resigned myself to being the oldest person in the group.  My brain went back to high school and I was suddenly stricken with a fear that I would be so alone during the weekend.  How could 22-24 year olds possibly want to get to know me as a person?  I'm like the mom of the group.

      With that question in my head I boarded the plane that would take me to Chicago!  It was a boring flight (which is a good thing), so I gathered my things and preceded to find some lunch.

Mini Pretzel dogs for the lunch win!

 I grabbed my lunch and searched for the signs to the bus and shuttle center.  An escalator, 7 moving walkways, and an elevator later, I strolled into the center and scanned for a place to sit.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.  5 young people sitting along and yet kind of together.  They have to be YAGMs, I thought to myself.  I debated being brave and asking, but I chickened out because heaven forbid I look silly!  I grabbed a seat at a table, ate my lunch, and broke out my bright pink deck of cards.

"Yaggies!!"  I looked up, startled.  Arlene had arrived to guide us to the buses that would take us to our home for the weekend.  1. 2. 3. 4. 5.  All 5 people I had noticed before were slowly moving together towards Arlene.  I was so right!  Why didn't I just trust myself!?

Our group of 6 became fast friends.  These were the people to whom I found myself clinging during the weekend.  We arrived at Techny Towers in Northbrook, IL and there was no going back.   I got my room key, checked in and for the first time since leaving my house, I began to relax.   I met some more pretty cool people and we headed upstairs for Icebreakers.

"Stand up if you share your birthday with someone famous."  Oh yea. I got this one in the bag. (Apparently it became a competition for me.  It happens when you have an older brother.)

"My name is Aline. I'm from Nebraska, and I share a birthday with Jesus."  BOOM!  The room reacted and at that moment I felt calm inside.  I knew that I could definitely find some true friends here.

Tea, chocolate, and biscuits

Thursday was over as quickly as it had begun.  I slept poorly and awoke desperately needing coffee.  After breakfast, we had our first (my only) country presentation.  Instead of coffee, I received some English Tea.  Now, normally I hate tea.  It tastes like burnt water.  However, today it wasn't awful.  It had milk in it, but no sugar.  I think if I had added sugar I would have chugged the tea.  We also had some chocolate and biscuits (so delicious!).

I learned more about the partner organization and the possible placements I could receive.  I was beginning to feel more excited and more confident in the skills that I could offer.

Then came my interview.  I went in feeling confident, but afterwards I felt as though I hadn't done enough.  The UK was my only option, so if they didn't like me, I could potentially go home.  What a let down.  With my only interview out of the way and hours of down time, I continued to dwell on my interview.  I picked apart every look, every pause, every breath.  I walked with some friends to the gift shop (for the second time that day) and as I looked across the pond I was overcome with an immense feeling of peace (but also terror because I thought the goose was going to chase me).

Scary Goose. Peaceful Pond

I returned to the building with a renewed sense of belonging.  I belonged here.  I was meant to be here, and I was meant to be on this journey.  So I took a deep breath, and walked to dinner.  After dinner and worship, we were asked to hang out either in our rooms or in the plenary space.  I walked upstairs after putting on some comfy pants to find a full blown disco happening.  It was like high school prom all over again.  Here we were, about 20 young people, dancing their hearts out to NSYNC, Spice Girls and many other 90's icons.   It was an amazing way to end our time together.

*windchime*

It's no secret that I was placed in the UK (they liked me, they REALLY liked me!) with 13 other YAGMs.  It was an amazing and intense weekend full of stories, singing, tears, dancing, and laughter.  I can't wait to see these amazing people in August before we all set out to change the world.   Stay tuned for my future adventures!

~~Lina

Christmas Wishes

I am a Christmas baby.  There I said it.  It has plagued me for years and I have finally accepted that my birthday sucks!

WAIT, WHAT?!?

Anytime someone finds out that my birthday is indeed on Christmas Day they ask, "Do you like it? I mean, doesn't it suck?"

Well, no, actually, I LOVE IT!

Let me explain.  It has it's downsides. 

1. I get presents ONCE a year
2. Nothing is open on my birthday
3. There is almost always snow for my  birthday
4. It is freezing

Upsides:

1. I never have to work on my birthday
2. I got DOUBLE presents when I was little
3. There is almost always snow for my birthday (it's both a pro and a con)
4. I am always with my family

My parents and family made my birthday special even though it came at a very busy time of the year.  Christmas Eve was family Christmas present time.  Christmas Morning was Santa present time. and after lunch was my birthday.   It was completely separate.  I was able to celebrate with my school friends, my mom's side, and my dad's side (3 parties a year, hell yea!).  Yes, sometimes it wasn't as special as I wanted it to be, for example:

My "Birthday Cake"

 My 19th birthday - I didn't get to enjoy the day because I knew the next day I was getting my Wisdom teeth out.  Happy Freakin Birthday to Me! 

Or my 20th birthday - when we got caught in a blizzard on the way home from Minnesota and had to spend the night in a hotel.  My birthday cake that evening was 1/4 of a snicker bar with a gummy bear on top from the snack machine down the hall.

But, even those 2 birthdays gave me memories that I will have forever.  I am truly one of the luckiest people in the world.  My birthday is pretty special when you think about it -- for Christians it is the day that Jesus was born (unless you buy that "he was born in August" crap), and for non-Christians,  it is a time to spend with family and friends, reflecting on the past year and thinking about the future.

And who can forget the presents!! :)

~~Later 'tater. Alligator. Don't be a Stranger. Bye!~~