Life, what is your definition?
Conclusions, journeys, waking up, going to bed, eating food, traveling, talking, expressing, meeting people. Whatever the term, life lately has been a journey in itself lately.
Upon returning to America, I spent two weeks at my parents house, then flew up to the beautiful land of Colorado. Before I left the states, Colorado was the most beautiful place I had ever been, but now it's a geographical landmark holding special memories with family, and self-actualization.
After spending 3 days with my mom in Estes Park, then catching a ride to Fort Collins, thanks to a friend, of a friend, of a friend, I found a place to room to live. The month of September I spent running, exploring, figuring out where the grocery store was, and waiting for certified nursing assisting school to start. This had been my plan since I left New Delhi, India. I wanted to return to the states to work as a nursing assistant, and start going to nursing school.
Last Friday, I graduated from nursing assistant school with flying colors, new friends, and a new certification under my belt, to get a good job. This last week has been a pattern of running, shower, then going out and applying for jobs online, and selling myself in person.
Wednesday I got a call from a Rehab Center, and Friday signed the paperwork. God has provided me a job, and I am extremely excited, and thankful!
As this week marks the first of October, I start a new month in America, yet this month with a job, making USD, cooking Indian food, and being connected to a church body.
I have to say that life back in the USA isn't as exciting as being on the road. Yet never the less, I am extremely thankful and enjoying being able to speak my language, and express myself freely. Someone asked me the other day to tell me about my life, and so I felt the need to return to my blog once again.
Monday's are my favorite days in the week. I wake up at 7am, go for a 40minute run, come back to a bustling house smelling of oatmeal, and cinnamon, with Norma and Jerral (my Mormon adopted parents) getting ready for work. Norma owns a Mormon bookstore with all different self-help proclamations, cleanflixed movies, and various translations of the Book of Mormon. She is from Peru, is around 5 foot 4inches, and has a thick Hispanic accent. There is always something going on in her world, and someone to cook for. She is just leaving to open her bookshop and waves goodbye.
I go in the bathroom, take a shower with my bar of soap, and step out into the chilly morning air to get dressed and make breakfast. Yoghurt and a peach with a cup of tea, I eat breakfast outside on the steps leading up to the front door with my face in the sun. Then leave the house to go to the library, fill out job applications around town, or try to find something useful to do. Now that I have a job, my schedule is getting ready to change which I am glad to finally be busy and working towards my goals.
The hardest thing for me to do is find patience in the waiting. I have made a great friend who's name is Raquel. She just returned back from the USA as well, but after spending 10 years. We get along super well, and both share the perspective that life is so much more than yourself. Her husband works in South Carolina, and she has two sons- one a 21 year old CSU student, and the other a 16 year old high school quarterback who lives in Littleton. She currently is living by herself, and we completed the CNA school together. I feel like God has totally placed her in my life, for support, and to share with.
Yesterday we went to a Nepalese restaurant together and had some Indian Naan bread. Just sharing in the simple things in life, and having something besides rice and beans was an incredible experience. The Nepalese guy who owned the shop was called Dawa. Dawa kept offering us more and more chai tea, and needless to say that night I didn't sleep a wink. When we left, my heart and belly were full of love and warmth.
I often get lonely up here and am really missing my family, but will see then soon for Thanksgiving. I have to keep in mind there are seasons for everything, and this is the season to work, and better myself so I can better help other people. Yes there is time for enjoyment, and that means going running all day, or singing my heart out at a live music jam in a little coffee house up here. Besides that, I try to stay close to central Fort Collins, to save money.
It's really odd coming back.... At first my reality was the world in the middle east. Yet as time passes and I look at pictures, and recall stories, my whole year almost seems like a dream. It's like I've visited the land of OZ, but returned with the red slippers. I've visited the world, and returned a new person. Now how do I live? Every day for me now is in the USA, and keeping in perspective that I am making a choice to be here helps me stay focused on my goals.
I have to help myself now, in order to help others later. That means after I start my job I am going to be working on my prerequisites to attend nursing school, and most of all, living in the here and now and enjoying every day, every moment, and living life to the fullest.
Sikk. It was really cool to talk with her about India, and her religion. For a brief moment in the day I feel my soul come alive again, and be sparked by the warmth of culture and love. I think the things that bother me the most about being back is the lack of eye-contact with the people, and the quietness.
Sometimes it is so quiet here I feel as if I'm going mad. Everyone is in their own world, and mentally so focused on their own life that they have no time or cares for the enjoyment of life, or to learn about another being. I actually feel sorry for the exchange students who come to study here. They must feel so isolated. The American culture isn't like India. But although it's not the most friendly place to live, and yes the healthcare system is screwed, I still feel an overwhelming gratitude to be an American.
Looking forward to tomorrow, and need to go to the grocery store (no longer the market). I made two friends who are LDS, and they came over for dinner last night. I made them Indian rice and beans, and made them eat with their hands. We all sat under a blanket outside, and ate our dinner by candlelight. It was great fun, I always enjoy meeting new people.
Since returning to the states, God has provided EVERYTHING I need, and more than I could ever want. He is faithful, he is faithful, he is faithful. I cannot understand how someone could even doubt the existence of God. He is everywhere. And his love is always with us.
Loving life and embarking on this new inquisitive journey, trying to change the world- starting with my community. Forever love.
Conclusions, journeys, waking up, going to bed, eating food, traveling, talking, expressing, meeting people. Whatever the term, life lately has been a journey in itself lately.
Upon returning to America, I spent two weeks at my parents house, then flew up to the beautiful land of Colorado. Before I left the states, Colorado was the most beautiful place I had ever been, but now it's a geographical landmark holding special memories with family, and self-actualization.
After spending 3 days with my mom in Estes Park, then catching a ride to Fort Collins, thanks to a friend, of a friend, of a friend, I found a place to room to live. The month of September I spent running, exploring, figuring out where the grocery store was, and waiting for certified nursing assisting school to start. This had been my plan since I left New Delhi, India. I wanted to return to the states to work as a nursing assistant, and start going to nursing school.
Last Friday, I graduated from nursing assistant school with flying colors, new friends, and a new certification under my belt, to get a good job. This last week has been a pattern of running, shower, then going out and applying for jobs online, and selling myself in person.
Wednesday I got a call from a Rehab Center, and Friday signed the paperwork. God has provided me a job, and I am extremely excited, and thankful!
As this week marks the first of October, I start a new month in America, yet this month with a job, making USD, cooking Indian food, and being connected to a church body.
I have to say that life back in the USA isn't as exciting as being on the road. Yet never the less, I am extremely thankful and enjoying being able to speak my language, and express myself freely. Someone asked me the other day to tell me about my life, and so I felt the need to return to my blog once again.
Monday's are my favorite days in the week. I wake up at 7am, go for a 40minute run, come back to a bustling house smelling of oatmeal, and cinnamon, with Norma and Jerral (my Mormon adopted parents) getting ready for work. Norma owns a Mormon bookstore with all different self-help proclamations, cleanflixed movies, and various translations of the Book of Mormon. She is from Peru, is around 5 foot 4inches, and has a thick Hispanic accent. There is always something going on in her world, and someone to cook for. She is just leaving to open her bookshop and waves goodbye.
I go in the bathroom, take a shower with my bar of soap, and step out into the chilly morning air to get dressed and make breakfast. Yoghurt and a peach with a cup of tea, I eat breakfast outside on the steps leading up to the front door with my face in the sun. Then leave the house to go to the library, fill out job applications around town, or try to find something useful to do. Now that I have a job, my schedule is getting ready to change which I am glad to finally be busy and working towards my goals.
The hardest thing for me to do is find patience in the waiting. I have made a great friend who's name is Raquel. She just returned back from the USA as well, but after spending 10 years. We get along super well, and both share the perspective that life is so much more than yourself. Her husband works in South Carolina, and she has two sons- one a 21 year old CSU student, and the other a 16 year old high school quarterback who lives in Littleton. She currently is living by herself, and we completed the CNA school together. I feel like God has totally placed her in my life, for support, and to share with.
Yesterday we went to a Nepalese restaurant together and had some Indian Naan bread. Just sharing in the simple things in life, and having something besides rice and beans was an incredible experience. The Nepalese guy who owned the shop was called Dawa. Dawa kept offering us more and more chai tea, and needless to say that night I didn't sleep a wink. When we left, my heart and belly were full of love and warmth.
I often get lonely up here and am really missing my family, but will see then soon for Thanksgiving. I have to keep in mind there are seasons for everything, and this is the season to work, and better myself so I can better help other people. Yes there is time for enjoyment, and that means going running all day, or singing my heart out at a live music jam in a little coffee house up here. Besides that, I try to stay close to central Fort Collins, to save money.
It's really odd coming back.... At first my reality was the world in the middle east. Yet as time passes and I look at pictures, and recall stories, my whole year almost seems like a dream. It's like I've visited the land of OZ, but returned with the red slippers. I've visited the world, and returned a new person. Now how do I live? Every day for me now is in the USA, and keeping in perspective that I am making a choice to be here helps me stay focused on my goals.
I have to help myself now, in order to help others later. That means after I start my job I am going to be working on my prerequisites to attend nursing school, and most of all, living in the here and now and enjoying every day, every moment, and living life to the fullest.
Sikk. It was really cool to talk with her about India, and her religion. For a brief moment in the day I feel my soul come alive again, and be sparked by the warmth of culture and love. I think the things that bother me the most about being back is the lack of eye-contact with the people, and the quietness.
Sometimes it is so quiet here I feel as if I'm going mad. Everyone is in their own world, and mentally so focused on their own life that they have no time or cares for the enjoyment of life, or to learn about another being. I actually feel sorry for the exchange students who come to study here. They must feel so isolated. The American culture isn't like India. But although it's not the most friendly place to live, and yes the healthcare system is screwed, I still feel an overwhelming gratitude to be an American.
Looking forward to tomorrow, and need to go to the grocery store (no longer the market). I made two friends who are LDS, and they came over for dinner last night. I made them Indian rice and beans, and made them eat with their hands. We all sat under a blanket outside, and ate our dinner by candlelight. It was great fun, I always enjoy meeting new people.
Since returning to the states, God has provided EVERYTHING I need, and more than I could ever want. He is faithful, he is faithful, he is faithful. I cannot understand how someone could even doubt the existence of God. He is everywhere. And his love is always with us.
Loving life and embarking on this new inquisitive journey, trying to change the world- starting with my community. Forever love.
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