Three Holidays

It's been a whirlwind of a month! Even with the enormous workload I've had this semester, I was pretty good about inserting some fun into my week every now and then. I mentioned a while back that I'm leading a college community group with my church this year. A few weeks ago we set out to the pumpkin patch in hopes of bringing home a bunch to paint/carve, but unfortunately it was 7pm (and dark) by the time we got there and the patch was closed.

Our subsequent pumpkin-shopping spree at the local grocery store resulted in a rather goofy photo shoot and a memorable night. Here's a sample....

(click photos to enlarge)

(I love the expression on the face of the innocent passerby in the background!)

My birthday came sooner than expected and during one of the busiest weeks of my life. Even though I had talked to my mom about it the night before, I actually woke up the next day and made it all the way until 10 o'clock without realizing it was my birthday. It wasn't until my mom called that I remembered!

A big surprise was waiting for me when I got back to my room that afternoon. My mom had sent two huge boxes of presents. That surprised look on my face is completely genuine. It was such a surprising day....seemingly out of the blue it turned out to be my birthday... and presents too?! I think that forgetting your birthday (even after being reminded a few times) is a sign that you have too much on your plate!

My birthday this year was on a Wednesday, so naturally our community group met as usual. One of the guys' birthdays was a few days before mine, and another girl's was just a few days later, so I picked up a cake for them on the way. Little did I know, they had driven all over town looking for a gluten free cake for me! The closest thing to be found was a gluten free apple pie and soy ice cream....I was very appreciative :)

20 years already...I can't believe it!

In the days leading up to Thanksgiving Break I had a few requests from my residents who were leaving town. They all needed fish sitters (fish are the only pets allowed in the dorms, so there's quite the collection around here). Since I was planning on staying here I accepted, and realized that there were probably several more girls who didn't have fish-sitting arrangements for their precious pets. I didn't want any fish casualties on my floor, so I put up a little sign just in case.

Apparently there were a few fishies yet to be farmed out for the weekend, because this is what I found when I got home that night.....

This picture makes me smile :)

My cousin Kelsey and I, being from the West Coast, don't have the privilege of going home for Thanksgiving like our Southern friends, but we were so blessed to spend the day with the Alessi Family in their beautiful home just a few miles south of Nashville. Caleigh (in the pink skirt) and I work together as Resident Assistants in a freshman dorm here at Belmont. We've gotten to spend a lot of time together during the semester and have become good friends. I was so excited when she invited Kelsey and I to her home for Thanksgiving; I could tell that she came from a very welcoming and easygoing family. And I wasn't mistaken! Her entire family was just wonderful and included Kels and I in everything.

It was actually an experience eerily similar to our typical family get-together back in California. The menu was almost identical - and just as delicious - and the family dynamics were great....very, very similar to a Foy-Wilman family get together!

After a delicious Thanksgiving lunch we all sat down to sing carols together. The three aunts with their beautiful voices and soft harmonies were accompanied by a brother on guitar....just like my dad and his three sisters!

Kelsey and I had fun picking out which of Caleigh's relatives corresponded with our own :)

We even performed a duet for the family: "Walking in a Winter Wonderland"

Caleigh and Kelsey singing along...Kelsey inherited the beautiful voice of her mother, and Caleigh is a Musical Theatre major with her own gorgeous voice, so it was truly a pleasure to listen to this sing-along session!

Caleigh's adorable little cousins,

Annabelle (5) and Emiline (7)

Kelsey and I

(I never noticed how much we actually look alike!)

Caleigh and I

All in all, it's been a great month, and a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Caleigh: I am so blessed to have a friend like you!

Out and About in Nashville

After some prompting from my mother this morning, I put down the books, took a day off from my studies, and set out for some "me time" in Nashville. My mom is always encouraging me to look into different events in the community and join the festivities wherever they may be. Her past recommendations include The Great Nashville Duck Race, the Live on the Green free concerts in the park series, and a plethora of other delightfully random events. Usually I'm exhausted by the end of the week and busy myself trying to catch up on sleep and inevitable projects that pop up during the semester. But today I was up for an adventure, and The Intergalactic Bead Show turned out to be just what I needed.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect at an "intergalactic" bead show......alien charms? flying saucer-shaped earrings? Whatever it was going to be, how could I not be intrigued? I grabbed my camera and jumped in the car.

At first it seemed like the standard, run of the mill jewelry exhibition. Cheap imported beads, a few specialty kiosks, heaps and heaps of 50% off bins. The first several vendors I talked to didn't own or manage the products on the table they were manning, didn't know where the beads came from, and a few didn't even know what a crimping bead was (i.e. they obviously had never made a piece of jewelry in their life).

But every now and then, I would come upon something unique, like the father and son duo from Georgia who started out as car mechanics and now create beautiful jewelry, incorporating metal auto parts into their work. I lingered at their table for a while, listening to their story and admiring their art.

After selecting a pendant made from the inner workings of a watch and some matching earrings, I was a bit nervous about assembling my purchase. I don't really see myself as artistically inclined, and it seems like no matter what I make, I always wish I had done it differently when it's all finished. That's okay when you're buying a three-dollar string of beads, but when you specifically select a piece you like and invest some money in it, the stakes get higher.

Lucky for me, Master Jeweler Mike had the tools to make my necklace right then and there, and even did it for free. I love it!

If you like what you see, visit their website at www.alluviumdesign.com.

The pictures on the site don't do the work justice, but they give an idea of the pieces you can order. Each one is one of a kind! :)

Here's another kiosk I liked. These are real leaves dipped in 24k gold, copper, silver, etc.

The copper ones were my favorite!

I met another really nice couple who were selling some beautiful handmade glass beads and got to talking with them about their daughter's work with the Peace Corps in Bolivia and other travels. I love meeting people who are interested and excited about life. This chance meeting was such a great reminder to me that I never need to go far to learn something new or meet someone with a fresh perspective. Sometimes when I'm back in the States I switch out of my "every day brings new and exciting discoveries" mode and into a "no time to explore, must study, must work, must pay bills and get a good job to pay off my student loans" mode. There's really no reason why I can't incorporate both into my daily routine, and re-realizing this brings a smile to my face every time.

I need to go out and explore Nashville like I explored Brussels. Here's what made the difference in my approach to moving to these two cities: In Brussels, I knew I only had a year to do all the things I wanted. I'll admit, during the last few weeks I tried to cram in something like 27 museums that I hadn't quite made it through, but you can be sure that every weekend I spent in Belgium was spent enjoying the country's rich cultural traditions and beautiful landscapes with my host family and friends. On the other hand, my stay in Nashville does not yet have a definitive finish line. I'm counting on staying here till my degree is completed (and probably not much longer), but that still seems so far off. I don't feel pressed to do anything "while I still have the chance" yet. (Although this blog is starting to get me thinking in that direction: there are a ton of historical landmarks I want to visit.)

On my way back to my car, after exiting the Intergalactic Bead Show (p.s.- there was nothing out of the ordinary about this bead show, apparently the company is called "Intergalactic Beads." I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get to meet anybody who was abducted by aliens, like I did in Roswell, but hey, we can't all be abducted.) I passed the entrance to an antique arts and crafts fair. There was no entrance fee, so why not? I cringed as I walked into a room filled to the brim with Christmas decorations. Iiiicccckkk. Can you not wait AT LEAST till after Thanksgiving? It's a sunny 80 degrees outside, for crying out loud! But I restrained myself and went in search of something non-Christmas-y. Not to buy, just to photograph.

(I found out this morning that I have a macro setting on the sweet camera my grandparents sent me, so I've been playing around with that all day.)

One of the first things I ran into was a stand in which all the products consisted of some form of antique silverware. Forks, knives and spoons had been turned into brooches, candle holders, napkin rings, pendants, business card holders, sculptures, and a whole host of whimsical items. I couldn't help but giggle at these decorative plate stands.

Wait a second, isn't the fork supposed to go on top of the plate?

Another creative lady, originally the proud owner of an antique button shop, creatively found a way to reconfigure her product and cater to the demand of the market.

Antique buttons out. Recycled button creations in.

I really liked this old chair, it looked well-worn and comfortable. Too bad it had such a hefty price tag. For what they were asking, I could buy the materials for a brand new chair and hire someone to custom build it for me too.

Okay, I had to throw in one Christmas-y thing. Here it is: the "paper chain."

Although surprise surprise...this one isn't made out of paper. I honestly don't know what kind of metal it was and don't want to embarrass myself trying to identify it, so I will just say that it's made out of a metal that rusts.

When brushed white and decorated with little snowman faces, it's so cute even I would display it in my home...and that's saying something. I think my affinity for paper chains goes back to my childhood. My mom would let us make paper chains at every occasion. Counting down to our birthdays, decorating a fort we just built, sending secret messages to friends, learning Bible verses...all of these activities were enriched by the incorporation of a paper chain :)

That's all for the high points of my art-browsing today. I started to head back to Franklin (where I'm dogsitting for the weekend) at around 3:30, just as the sun was starting to go down. (So early! I am not a fan of Daylight Savings Time.)

I smiled in my car all the way home. Tennessee is absolutely gorgeous in the fall, and I think that today was the most beautiful day Nashville has seen since I moved here a year ago.

This tree was just sitting by the side of the road, waiting for me to come along and snap a photo.

I couldn't let him down. Isn't he gorgeous!

Here's a leaf...just look at that macro magic!

And this is truly random, but I've been creeped out by this place too many times to not mention it, since I drove by on my way home. This is a church called Remnant Fellowship, and it has the creepiest fortress - blockade - castle wall thing I've ever seen. It seems more like a castle to keep things in and keep things out rather than a welcoming church. And "remnant"? That's what you get when the main part of something is gone. I see God as the main part, and I sure don't want to be left behind after he comes.

I've never visited this church (yep, too scared) so I don't want to pass judgment on their teaching...I just want to say that their architecture creeps me out! The End.

All in all, it was a wonderful day of new discoveries and made me feel a tad bit more creative. And by creative, I mean that I picked out my very own jewelry that I didn't even make. It's a big step.

Planning Ahead

I am so blessed. Today during the Academic Preview Day I helped host for prospective freshmen, I had the opportunity to meet and discuss my studies with Jose Gonzalez, an interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship and International Business professor at Belmont.

After the academic session I went up and introduced myself and started to ask some questions about his background, research interests, and current projects. I was delighted to hear that we have a lot of the same interests, and he seems like a really level-headed, intuitive guy. I'm excited now that I'm signed up for his ETP 3700 class next semester.

I told him about my plans to recruit Dr. Schenkel as my tutor for my thesis, and my dilemma at trying to find a topic that I am genuinely interested in but that would also be an appropriate thesis research question and would satisfy Dr. Schenkel's requirement of the topic being something that he has relative expertise in.

I seem to stumble about this subject, not realizing that I've had a pretty clear idea all along of what I want to research. I just haven't let myself accept it because I'm not confident yet in my knowledge of business and I was afraid that I would be rejected or thought to be ridiculous. It's rather immature, but this resistance on my part was completely subconscious until today. I was so intent on living up to the expectations of Dr. Schenkel, on maintaining my good standing in his eyes, that I wouldn't allow myself to express my genuine "uneducated" goals and understanding of the entrepreneurial discipline. It's really a big step - and an important one - that I recognize this shortcoming, because developing and sharing new ideas is the foundation of entrepreneurship. Having identified this weakness (all in a matter of 30 seconds), I decided on the spot to share an idea I've been thinking on for a while with Mr. Gonzalez in hopes of gaining his perspective on the matter. This is more or less what I said:

• Since the Iron Curtain fell in 1991, a generation - my generation - of Russians has grown up in an economic environment very different from any since the advent of communism in 1917. My questions are: What new opportunities and resources are available to 16 to 25 year old aspiring entrepreneurs? How (by what method) do they recognize these opportunities? Which industries are most attractive to young people, and why?
• Although the current economic climate in Russia is more conducive to entrepreneurship now than it has been in recent years, and even with indicators pointing to an upward climb toward a freer, more capitalistic market, entrepreneurs still face red tape when it comes to government regulations. What specific challenges do they face in this area? What other challenges do young Russian entrepreneurs face?
• In short: What opportunities, resources, and challenges are young Russian entrepreneurs dealing with today?

As I explained this, a huge grin started to form on Mr. Gonzalez' face. He instantly replied: "I think this is a brilliant idea, a fantastic research question."

In that instant it was as if a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. My thoughts and ideas had been validated by someone I respect - an expert in the field. His welcoming response immediately boosted my confidence by a few notches. I realized later this evening how many ideas I've had that I've never bothered to write down or attempted to remember in any other way; I've just never thought highly enough of them or thought that they were worth anything.

I left that meeting thinking, It's amazing how a few kind words can have such drastic implications on another's hopes, goals, dreams, and ultimately, their future. Today that person was me.

My plan all along has been to solidify my research questions before leaving to Russia, as I want to take advantage of my extended study abroad to gain experience conducting research that will be useful to me in my thesis writing once I return to Belmont. As of Thursday, that plan seemed to be rapidly deteriorating before my eyes. I was suddenly faced with making this big decision in a matter of 8 days in order to even secure my tutor of choice...one that I will work with closely for the next three years.

This is possibly one of the most fast-paced, interesting, exciting, and engaging few months of my life so far, and I have been nervous all week about the prospect of devoting several hours of research to this subject, who's return will be much more long-term than the coursework due in the coming week. I'm relieved to have finally verbalized my research interests and I'm excited to present my proposal to a few prospective tutors.

Tonight I'm celebrating the joy of learning and growing in an institution in pursuit of excellence and alongside truly encouraging mentors.

"Man makes his plans, but the Lord directs his path." Proverbs 16:9

Are you gluten-free like me?

Oprah.com is now featuring a great article called Gluten-Free: Is it for me?, written by the daughter of the famed and beloved Dr. Oz.

I've done quite a bit of research on gluten, it's role in our diets, and the negative effects it can have for many people since I discovered my gluten intolerance about 8 months ago. This is by far one of the most readable, concise, and comprehensive articles that I've seen. "According to the Center for Celiac Disease at the University of Maryland, one in every 132 people in America has celiac disease, and nearly 15 times that number—up to 15 percent of the world's population, or one in seven people—have a non-celiac gluten intolerance" -- meaning that for most of us, one bagel won't be life threatening, but it may significantly affect our mood, weight, skin, digestion, frequency and intensity of headaches, stomachaches and sinus infections, and our overall quality of life.

Since completely cutting gluten out of my diet I have experienced a significantly higher level of energy, lost weight, and have been surprised at how much it affects my skin. I never knew that my chronic stomachaches were anything out of the ordinary! This simple change of lifestyle has benefited me so much that I'm eager to pass on the word, especially seeing as nearly 15% of us could be feeling so much better by just tweaking our diet a tiny bit! (And honestly, I haven't missed or craved anything since going gluten-free. Worried about not being able to enjoy desserts? Ice cream is a-okay! Frozen yogurt is even better!)

Companies everywhere are catching on to this little nugget of insight into the make-up of their consumer demographic, and they're responding overwhelmingly well. Most grocery stores have a gluten-free section now, and if you can't find a substitute for your favorite gluten-full food there, you're sure to find one online.

If you feel like you might have a slight intolerance to gluten, read the Oprah article, and try a gluten-free diet for just one week. That will be more than enough time to notice a difference if indeed you're slightly allergic.

Meanwhile, look at how easy it can be:

• substitute brown rice pasta for regular pasta, rice cakes or 100% pure corn chips or soy crisps for regular chips, banana with peanut butter and jelly for a pb&j sandwich, most cheeses instead of gorgonzola and bleu cheese, rice crispies or corn flakes for other cereals, 100% pure corn bread for biscuits, buckwheat pancakes and waffles for any other types, lettuce wraps for tortilla wraps, and one of several brands of gluten-free granola bars for bready snacks.

Some of my favorite products:

• Trader Joe's vast array of yummy things....all clearly labeled (click to see list)
• Gluten-Free Corn Chex (they have tons of different kinds though -- click it)
• Nature's Path Buckwheat Wildberry Frozen Waffles

and of course, the internet is a great source of new recipe ideas....I like www.glutenfree.com.

Enjoy, and if you try it let me know what happens! :)

Back to School, and an assortment of little blurbs

Fall break has come to an end, and I've been thrown back into the tumble-jumble of my real life. Most of my friends took off for the weekend, but I was just excited to have four open days to whip out some projects due in the coming few weeks!

Of course, today I realized that I wasn't as rested as I thought I was, and I hadn't actually gotten as much done as I was hoping too....but then again, life isn't all about sleeping and studying. I did get to spend a lot of time with my cousin Kelsey (who's a freshman at Belmont and lives just one floor above me!) and I spent almost an entire day just making fun posters, re-hanging my room decorations, and scheming about new programming for my residents (I'm an RA in a freshman

dorm).

Truly Blessed

As I was up and deep cleaning my room the other day, I couldn't help but think how blessed I am to go to such a nice university and have this RA job that provides me with free housing and a great view!

Not-S0-Rugged Adventure

As the International Student Liaison for Belmont's International Business Society, I had the privilege of joining the International Student Retreat during the first weekend in September. It was such a great opportunity to get off campus, out in nature (i.e. a 30-minute hike), and involved with our visiting students. Here I am all geared up for the overnight escapade:

Thanksgiving at Belmont

With my family on the West Coast, it's not cost effective to fly all the way out there for 4 days during Thanksgiving, come back to Nashville for three weeks, and then return to Oregon for Winter Break. Last year I joined in Thanksgiving with some so-close-they're-practically-family friends and shared an absolutely wonderful day with them, but this year I'm stepping out on my own. As I mentioned before, my cousin Kelsey is here this year, and she's not going home either, so together we devised a little plan for a Thanksgiving of our own. Surely, we thought, there are lots of students from the West Coast, who, along with our new international friends, aren't able to travel home for the short Thanksgiving break. So why not organize a Thanksgiving at Belmont?

That's exactly what we're doing. I'm taking reservations for the Feast -- the admission is $10 in advance, that way we can have it nicely catered -- and Kelsey is organizing the Family Game

Night Activities and Movie. I'm so excited for this opportunity to provide a warm and friendly Thanksgiving for people like Kelsey and me that are far away from home.

Here's a little recap of last year...the wonderful Thanksgiving at the Mays!

Truth be told: I'm scared

This Friday Belmont Residence Life is hosting an event called "Up all Night for All the Right Reasons" -- it's a homelessness awareness program during which students will literally stay up all night - outside on what we call "The Grassy Knoll" in front of our dorm. ResLife will put up a big screen and students will watch a documentary, listen to a guest speaker, and listen to several presentations on different outreach programs and volunteer opportunities in Nashville, given by myself and other RAs. Perhaps some of the students may walk away with a new understanding of homelessness - and that would be great - but that doesn't change the fact that I am completely dreading that night! Being (a) cold and (b) sleep deprived are two situations I try to avoid at all costs. I don't want to desert my teammates out there, but I'm afraid that I'll burst into tears or catch frostbite halfway through the night.

So I did a little negotiating. I'm taking a sleeping bag and a down comforter to wrap myself in, and I'm going to just huddle up in that and wish the hours away til morning. I thought I was all set until this morning: last night was in the low 30's, and Friday's forecast predicts a 70% chance of rain. I'm scared!

Okay, I'm off to study for a test on International Trade. Great stuff.

I hope your Monday is as Happy as Mine! :)

Hey Everybody!

I know I've been out of touch for a while.....coming up on 10 weeks without a new post...eek!

Let this just be a testimony to the grueling honors curriculum at Belmont.

So, while updating this blog is somewhat of an undertaking (that hopefully I'll undertake soon), I do have a slightly more whimsical blog that I update more often with quick little blurbs and mostly pictures.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT!

#1 in my Short Travel Film Series: South Australia

Google's free photo organizer platform, Picasa, has a great little movie maker built in. I love to look through my travel photos and think about all the beautiful places in this world and the wonderful people I've met during my visits, so making these mini-films is a lot of fun! This is the first one I made--a year or so ago--so it's rather low-tech and consists only of a slideshow with music. It still captures a few great moments though!

I was in Australia from March-June 2008 and had the wonderful pleasure of enjoying a South Australian autumn and the first hints of winter. My aunt and uncle generously invited me to stay with them and their two boys during my time there, so you'll see some pictures of them. You'll also see pictures of Vuja Dé, my aunt's restaurant, and the little German village, Hahndorf, where it was located in the Adelaide hills. The wineries included in the slideshow were both the home of several wines on Vuja Dé's menu, and were so much fun to visit! Enjoy :)

Sud d'Australie / South Australia 2008 from shirah-eden on Vimeo.

Vignobles: "The Lane" et "Hahndorf Hills Winery" dans les environs d'Adelaide, la capitale du Sud d'Australie.

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Featuring The Lane and Hahndorf Hills wineries in hills surrounding Adelaide, South Australia's capital.