class day 2

I have a very serious prayer request for my trip.  I know for certain that there will be people who pray for our safety and for blessings over our trip, but if someone could PLEASE pray for my camera, I would appreciate it more than you know.  Please make sure that someone prays that my camera will work flawlessly so that I can use the talents that God has given me and be able to share what I see in Armenia and Georgia when I come back to the states.  I know that He has given me a talent for photography, and that I need to use that talent to bring glory to Him, so please pray for that, in addition, of course, to the safety of the members on our trip as well as blessings over our interactions with the people of Armenia and Georgia.

On to other things.  Today in class we made a list of who was going to get engaged, and in what order.  I have photos, but I'm not sure if I should post them.  We'll just have to see what happens.
But what we really did in class today was talk about a book we read called A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch.  We also watched a really long movie on Stalin, who sacrificed his people to create a world power.  He industrialized Russia, certainly, but he lost many citizens in the process.  Russians love powerful leaders, though.  What do we as Americans value in a leader?  I'll think on that one, but I'm pretty sure I would rather have someone concerned with the desires of the people as opposed to satisfying their desires of power and ambition.

Watching the Stalin documentary.

We also had two group presentations.  One presentation was about minorities in Armenia and Georgia, and my group's presentation was about education in the two countries.  It was really helpful to be able to hear all of the information that my peers had gathered about each country.  It was also great that I didn't have to research each topic myself!  I did end up with a topic that I feel really strongly about, though, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Armenian and Georgian citizens have to say about their educational system.

Tomorrow we should have a pretty short class, and then I will be able to go home for an evening before heading to the airport early Thursday morning!  I continue to get more and more excited as the flight approaches, but I'm also still very nervous.  I haven't fully wrapped my head around what it will be like to be out of the country with limited contact with my family and friends for three weeks.  But the truth is, many students have done a trip like this before me, and many will continue to do it after me, and if they can do it, so can I.  This will be a very intense learning experience for me, and I'm hoping to use it to my full advantage.  I just pray that I can keep a positive outlook for the duration of the trip and trust that God will give me the strength to get through the rough spots.  You are invited to pray for these things as well! :)

Also, have I mentioned that I'm really glad that you're reading this blog?  Thank you!  I appreciate your support as I embark on this journey!

it's a journey

I can't sleep.  If you've checked the time-stamp of this post, I guess that's a pretty obvious statement to make.  I'm just way to excited.  I have to be up at 6:15 in the morning so that I can get ready to drive to Mercer for class.  I've been doing a lot of work on my paper, and I've also been gathering information for my group presentation, and now I have no desire to sleep.  I feel like I've done so much this week to prepare for this trip, yet there is STILL so much left to be done.

I have everything packed for the trip.  Now I just have to make it through 3 days of classes, 4 nights of limited sleep, 2 plane rides (with 2 long layovers), and I'll be there!  But I don't want to get ahead of myself.  I have certainly enjoyed the whole process, and I intend to make every minute of this experience count, from packing down to the final ride home after the trip.  I'm excited to be one step closer to being there, but I'm also trying to enjoy the journey itself.  Reading books, writing papers, and packing bags is all part of the experience, and so far it has been a great experience.  Let's hope that continues!

I guess it's time to try to sleep!  I'll leave you with this photo of my packed bag:

more preparations

So Stephanie but Bo the bear in the mail yesterday, and I'm expecting to see him tomorrow or Friday.  I should get my last check from work tomorrow or Friday also, and then I will be able to see exactly what I have to take with me to Armenia and Georgia.

Today my mom, my cousin, and I got out to do some shopping for my trip and for my dorm room next year.  It's such and odd feeling to be preparing to go overseas and back to school at the same time.  It's strange to think about what color I'm decorating my dorm while reading about the Armenian genocide and writing about their education system.  It's the odd combinations of events that keep life interesting.

The other day I found a great thrift deal at Goodwill; I got an adorable teapot/lamp for $3, and Caleb got it for me.  Now Mom and I are going to fix it up, so we went to get a lamp shade at the Dollar General and some ribbon and fabric at JoAnn's to cover it.  Did you know they are doing a 15% college student discount on everything in the store, even sale items, for the month of July?  Awesome, huh?

I also have a ring that I got from my grandmother for my 16th birthday, and I wear it all of the time.  Well, I decided that it might not be wise to take it to Armenia since it's worth a lot, both monetarily and sentimentally.  So I decided that I would get a cheap replacement ring to wear instead because I knew that I would feel odd not wearing anything on that finger.  It sounds kind of strange, but that's the way my mind works.

Anyway, I'm still trying to prepare for Armenia and Georgia.  I'm doing LOTS of reading, which I don't have a problem with.  I'm still researching and writing about the education system, specifically higher education.  So if you come across a particularly interesting article about college in Armenia/Georgia, feel free to post it. :)  I'm also still shopping for last-minute things and trying to get everything together to pack.  It's going to be a very busy and interesting week, so please keep praying that I make it through with my sanity in tact! :)

Oh, I also realized that I will have Wi-Fi access in our hotel in Georgia for the last week of our trip, so I should definitely be able to post pretty regularly then.  If nothing else, you should hear from me often that week.  Awesome!

2 weeks and counting

Two weeks from now I'll be in Warsaw waiting to go to Yerevan, Armenia.  It's hard to imagine that in just 14 days I will find myself in a completely different country far across the ocean.  I'm hoping, as I start this blog, that I'll have time to continue it while I'm in Armenia and Georgia, but I guess we'll just have to see what happens when the time comes.

As the time gets closer, I am trying to prepare myself more and more for this trip, but the best thing that I can do right now is pray for God to continue to prepare my heart for what I will see and experience on this trip.  In the past weeks I have been doing a lot of reading, some for classes, and some for myself, and I have discovered that travel guides are hilarious and very helpful at the same time.  I have learned a lot about Armenia and Georgia, but I know that no amount of reading can prepare me for what I will actually experience there.

I still have so much to do, so please pray for me as I continue to prepare for this trip, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Tomorrow I hope to find some postcards and other things to take from Columbus to share with the friends I make in Armenia and Georgia.  I have some colored pencils to take, but I still need coloring books to take as well.  If you have any suggestions of clever souvenirs from America or places to find them, they would be greatly appreciated!  Your prayers, support, and comments will also be appreciated while I am abroad!