Including Whittier

Australia has come and past and it has been two years this month since returning to the states after that adventure. It was incredible and continues to evoke in me heartwarming memories of excitement and anticipation of new place. The beautiful thing about life, though, is that life is an adventure so even when one event ends another begins, and boy did I jump head first into a new big one.

Post grad life has in and of itself been the transition to beat all transitions but because I love taking on multiple things at one time I decided to throw being a newlywed into the mix. So in May I graduated with my Psychology bachelors degree and less than a month later, the first of June, I married my best friend and high school sweetheart and moved to good ol Whittier, California. Although compared to Australia, this move seems significantly less exciting and for sure less off a change in culture, I see already how God is going to transform my small expectations.

I am slowly- because everything in my life takes me a while to catch on to- realizing that perhaps being asked to stay local is a greater challenge than transferring life to thousands of miles away. Don't get me wrong, there are tons of details, preparations, expenses, differences to learn about and work through when moving or traveling anywhere, but when asked to be at peace with the everyday and the mundanely ordinary of moving virtually next door is difficult to say the least. Wanderlust is real and especially after taking that first big leap of traveling overseas the restlessness increases as the opportunity decreases. Although logical, tell that to my heart that is aching for adventure and the chance to learn and grow by further engulfing my entire entity in another people's living.

Inexplicably fascinating, then, is staying here with no plans to change and learning to find beauty in the people I am surrounded by. Here in lies the rum, so to speak; here God has blown my simplistic decidings of how life will be into vast endless opportunities to be explored. Whether that be the mom of four in my bible study or the business man who comes every day for a grande Starbucks dark roast or the struggling college student simply in need of a listener. In every area of life, in every state and town and in every season, people are living. Even though this sounds and really is rather simple, the truth behind it is filled with unending possibility which then reignites this learner's fire for life, as the Creator knew it would.

It is easy to just do life, but we are called to be so much more than a being that does. We are given life so that we may live and make the most of the time here; in every city whether that be Sydney, London, New York, or even Whittier, I am deciding today will be an adventure filled with opportunities to love and live generously.

Finally Culture Shock

It has been over a year since returning from Australia so I thought it due time to reflect on the year, and what a year it has been. This was probably the most crazy, hectic, ridiculously busy year I have ever had. And I don't usually say overstatements like that often. The last two semesters (and I am two weeks away from finals for this one) have been overwhelming, God has shown me His grace in huge ways, but it has been completely overwhelming. Last semester, my first semester back in the states, I took off a bit too much to chew. I decided to take 16 units which was five classes and a choir that met 6 hours a week and performed every other Sunday. Then, because that was not enough, I starting working at not just one, but two part time jobs and towards the end of the semester I was working somewhere around 30 hours a week... yes, we all needed to breathe at this point. So this semester I made the difficult choice to not be in choir for the first time in just about eight years and although difficult, it has allowed me the space I needed to thrive instead of just survive. But, as most of you are smart, you probably note that means I still am taking 16 units and working at my two jobs mainly with the drive to get married this next June and be self-sufficient. Whew, time to breathe again.

And part of me wonders if this crazy year was due to my study abroad experience. In Australia I had the time of my life. I was challenged, pushed, independent, adventurous, frustrated, lonely, overjoyed, awestruck, and thriving. So why come back to create a schedule for myself that is overwhelming, difficult, and burdening? It is so interesting the almost instant pressure that occur upon my arrival back in the states. Suddenly I needed to be an adult again, one who thought about the future and how I would become great and achieve the high American ideals of success. But could it have been such a rough transition due to culture shock? Because I was doing all these things- 5-6 classes with a choir and a job of about 15 hours a week- before I left for Australia and given I did take on too much last semester, I saw and felt my breaking point daily, but maybe it was even more difficult because of the change in pace from the Australian life.

Americans never stop. Ever. We just go and go and go. I had a "break" this summer and decided to stay home the whole time but what did I do? Worked 20 hours a week and had an internship. And although I had a lot of down time and was deeply fulfilled by all my work and activities through my job and internship, there was always a pressure to complete and be busy. I don't think I am truly able to be at peace with being alone and to stop. I am an extrovert; it is how God made me to be fueled off people and in social situations but there is a difference between extroversion and being a busybody; a distinction I have yet to comprehend or live healthily. And our society does nothing but encourage such active lifestyle. Take college for example. We are pressured with finishing school in four years because it cost so dang expensive, so as a result we want to make the most of every single moment because we are Americans and have worked hard for our money so we must get each pennies worth. So we are encouraged (or forced) to take 5-6 classes and must retain all that information in order to thrive in the work force and be able to show that we have a degree because Heaven forbid we not know the answer to a question about our major. Not just that but we must make friends and have a great social life while volunteering in our community, going to chapel, having a perfect relationship with God, and getting straight A's all on three hours of sleep. And then we are surprised to find we have grey hair.

All this to say, cultures are weird. Each one has its distinct quirk and frustration but I think it is fascinating to see how leaving, being independent as a traveler and going outside our comfort zone impacts us at such a deep level. I wouldn't trade my experience or really my life for anything. I am so so incredibly blessed with my family, my friends, and my homes, so I don't want that to be a moral of this rather lengthy rant. But rather that whether we like it or not, studying abroad or immersing ourselves in another culture and places impacts us. Even though I had two months to readjust, I didn't take the time to process or recognize and it has really been on my heart lately. It has finally just started raining here in SoCal and this time last year in this weather I was in Australia, listening to music in my host home while drinking tea and doing homework and remembering that gives me such a peace. I always knew I was slow but I didn't know I was that slow that it would take a year to truly appreciate my experience and remember it for the beauty that it was. And I am 21. Haha, I am so grateful to have a God who remembers me and knows me as beautiful and isn't slow to realize me as such. AND that He promises no matter where I go, what culture shock I feel, or how I experience life that He will be with me every step and every moment. Ah, and were back where we started, time to breathe.

Almost there

October 11, 2012

Time is such a crazy thing! It seems to go so fast and then slow and then there are times when were just living and being in the moment. I have been here for a little over three months now and have exactly one month today left in Australia. It blows my mind every time I think about it. I feel like I have been learning so much so there is so much to write about but I’m not sure where to even begin. So I think ill just fill in what has happened in the past month or so. School has been busy lately, so it feels as if I am just doing school and this is just another place to do that, not Australia. In the month of October alone I have already written three 8 page papers (which they do word count here so 2500 word papers) and have three more to go and an exam left for the next two weeks. The set up in school structure is so different in that way since now all these papers that are due are worth like 40% of my overall grade. I have still been able to take some adventures and see more of Australia besides Sydney and Drummoyne but for the most part it’s been focused around school.

I have been so blessed by the fellowship here. I’ve been attending a bible study at St. James Anglican church and they have really welcomed me and a couple other Americans into their group and allowed us to feel at home there. It has been so good loving and learning about the fellow Americans here as well, there are such beautiful people who decided to study here like I did and they have challenged me and loved me in ways that continually bless me and remind me of how good God is. It has been difficult being away from home this long though, not because of a lack of love for Australia, because it is completely wonderful here and I love it, but just because I miss being in community with my family and friends. Thankfully it has not taken away from my time here and I have been able to still be present here thanks be to God, He answered my prayers in that way.

It’s been so good to have technology, I have been more thankful for facebook and skype than I have ever been before because it has allowed me to see the pictures of weddings I’ve missed and stay in contact with people through messaging which has been a great blessing. And as this program comes to a close I can see how God is again preparing me for the next stages of life by being home for a couple months then heading back to APU. We have been talking about the difference between being a pilgrim- someone who is traveling and exploring the world- and being a monk –someone who is able to be hospitable to those traveling- and so I am excited to be able to be a monk again, to open my home to people and be a stable place for those who are traveling since I have spent time as a pilgrim so much. And this is just one of the ways this semester has been opening my eyes to new perspectives and changing my mindset for the better, allowing me to have a new found excitement to go home and bring my new knowledge with me to be able to apply it and teach others. I’m sure it won’t be easy but it will be good and am feeling so blessed to have grown in confidence with Christ as well to know that even when it is difficult, I am never alone.

So just a quick update between papers, I’m not gonna be able to stop talking about everything when I get back home so you all will have to stay patient with meJ Thanks for continually praying for me in this journey, I have felt that love and support from here. Please keep me and the other students in your prayers as we mentally try to prepare to come back home, and have to pack up everything and go through culture shock again once back in the United States again. Also there have been a few people in my life having big life events happening back home and although I can’t give the details, just keep praying for people in your community and mine if it comes into your mind.

I recently memorized this verse and it has contributed in my mind transforming process:

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. This life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved and gave Himself for me.”

Peace of Christ be with you. Live life freely because you have been set free through that sacrifice on the cross.

Silly Australians

Blog six September 20th

Ok so I’ve adjusted to using Celsius for the weather, I’m getting used to all the different Australian lingo, I’ve got public transportation down, and I’ve even adjusted to getting into the left side of the car for the passenger seat, but what I still can’t seem to understand is some of the food choices Australians make. For the most part their food is very similar to what you’d find in the States. They have McDonalds, Subways, and KFCs, and for dinner my host mom makes various types of pasta or chicken with rice and every Friday makes spaghetti. But then you walk into the grocery store and you can find some of the oddest things. Let’s take chips for example, you walk to the chip isle and you find nacho cheese flavored and barbeque and sour cream and onion and honey baked ham. Then you stop because not only do they have honey baked ham, but they have bbq rip, chicken, and sweet and sour chili flavored. And at first I was like ok that’s interesting maybe they taste similar, they taste like you have just bitten into whatever meat that is. Try explaining that to your mouth that this thin potato product has the same flavor as a hunk of meat. Needless to say, it’s just too weird for me. But I think the most unusual thing I have found in Australia is Vegimite. Vegimite is a spread that most of the time is only put on toast usually with butter which sounds normal, but vegimite is made up of salt, and yeast extract. That’s it. When I tried it plain, because I didn’t know how to eat it “the right way,” I felt like gagging. And I even tried it again on a piece of toast with butter and it has almost a bitter taste and then an overwhelming amount of saltiness attacks the tongue leaving you with a why me expression on your face. The crazy thing is Australians love it, and are willing to defend it against any critique. I have yet to meet an Australian who doesn’t love the stuff.

Regardless of our differences, I’m having an incredible time here. As some of you may know I just got back from a trip to the outback with my American class and then ended the week off of school by going to a town in North Australia called Cairns (pronounced Cans) to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef. It was an awesome week, probably one of the best spring breaks I’ve ever had. I was struck over and over about the vastness and beauty of our God. In the outback it was incredible to be driving through a red dirt road and look out the window to see wild kangaroos and emus running/jumping through the grass. And then at night to look up at a huge sky covered in thousands of stars was really really amazing. At the Great Barrier, there were 9 of us total who went and we got on a little cruz boat and went to two different locations on the Reef to snorkel and I literally swam with the fishes for hours! And talk about seeing God’s creativity, there were so many different kinds of fish and the Reef was made up of so many different living organisms. I wish I could have gone out and snorkeled every single day. We even found an anemone (this one was green) that had different colored clown fish in it so yes, we found Nemo too. Just an incredible week to see God in a new way and to build great relationships with good people.

So for those of you praying, thank you. I feel the support and love from thousands of miles away. Continue to keep me and the students here in your prayers for good health and strengthening in character through God’s continual pruning. For me, just to seize the moment here in Australia and take in every minute for the next month and a half that I’m here. Also to not let financial concerns become my sole focus but to rely on God that He will provide like He always has.

May the peace and love of Christ be on your minds, comforting you in whatever stage of life you’re in.

Ps just for the fun of it, here are just a few of the differences I’ve found. There are probably more but I’m now already used to it so I don’t think of them as differences:

·         Instead of yield signs they have Give Way signs
·         They call baby strollers Prams instead
·         There is no such thing as a garbage can or having garbage, everything garbage related is called rubbish
·         When someone is in the Carpark, they are in what we know as a parking lot.
·         They have mateship and men use the word mate all the time but I have yet to hear anyone referred to as Sheila.
·         When using the term biscuit, they could be meaning a small cookie or they could be meaning a specific type of cracker. But then they also have crackers that they call plain crackers that you put cheese on and they also have cookies but those are the big and soft cookies that usually are chocolate chips. (yeah this one has taken me a while to understand)
·         You can’t refer to a kiwi fruit as a kiwi because that is what people here call someone who is from New Zealand, when referring to the fruit you have to say I am eating a kiwi fruit (adding the word fruit at the end is necessary here).
 ·         Then there are some that are little differences like a holiday is a vacation, someone can ring you up not call you, and they have hen and buck parties not bachelorette and bachelor parties.

Gaining a New Perspective

Blog five- August 22, 2012

These are my roommates. I have spent the past 5 weeks living with these crazy people and it has been such an adventure each day. Besides being a foot taller than all of me, it hasn’t ceased to amaze me how different one group of people can be, and this is just four of us! So let me tell you a bit about us. On the left is Heather. Heather is a rock climber, champion bowler who also juggles from Pennsylvania. Next you see Gleb (don’t worry, he stays in his own room across the hall) and he is a 17 year old Russian who is in Australia to learn and practice English before heading back to Russia to finish his 11^th and final year of school. Afton is next to me and she goes to Westmont as you can see by her sweatshirt but was born in Texas and raised in Florida, is taking technical music class here but is a business major wanting to move to LA and start a company in the music business there. Then you find me and well, im just the short tag along ready to have an adventure.

As you might be able to guess, we have some great but weird conversations sometimes especially over dinner. Here is a snap shot of a normal dinner conversation. Gerry, our generous host mom, makes dinner and we come in to keep her company and talk with her about our days. We sit down at dinner and she calls in her two sons and the seven (sometimes 8 if Gerry’s brother joins us) of us sit down and begin eating. Now our conversations tend to revolve around cultural differences like how education is different in America than it is in Australia and then we have to figure out a simple way to slowly ask our Russian (as we refer to him as) how it is in Russia. Or we will talk about money and how each culture is greedy in different ways; sometimes we even get into the politics of each country which usually involves some discussion on guns in America, Julia Gillard running Australia, or the Russian mafia that can do whatever they want whenever they want. It really is so interesting to see how different we all are and how we happened to end up all at one table is really something only God could have made occur.

Usually by this time an interesting thing happens and we find that each of us Americans have a different opinion or totally different experience altogether because we come from opposite side of the country. I mean I knew each state was different but I didn’t know that we have totally different foods, language, and lifestyles. Needless to say there is never a boring moment in the Rastall home on any night.

It truly fascinates me how different God has made each of us to be yet we can all sit together and enjoy a meal together. I have loved learning about so many different cultures and that has already far surpassed my expectations on what I’d be learning about people. Because now I not only am learning about Australians like I expected but about the people who live in Russia and Florida and Pennsylvania. Then God continues blowing my mind by allowing me to learn about the tower of Babel (or babe-le as they pronounce it here) in bible study and that in once instance all these differences were formed by the snap of God’s fingers. Giving us the opportunity now, thousands of years later to learn and be able to understand people outside our own bubble. It’s a perspective change that’s for sure and a much needed one to get out of my own little issues and own life and see the people who God has created and cares about just as much as He does for me.

Ah, I just can’t wait to continue to learn and grow in perspective by looking through this new lens God has blessed me with. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds each day.

Continue to live in the freedom of His grace.

His promise: Philippians 4:6-8
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

A day in the life of an American Australian Student

Blog 4- August 7th

I am happy to say i have made it to week three of classes and am starting to get into a routine. Now each day is totally different but i wanted to give anyone reading this a look into my normal, weekly schedule.

Mondays begin with catching public transportaton to St Mary MacKillop Care retirement home where i help women (about half who are retired nuns) with giving them tea and coffee then play bingo with them. So far i have met and talked with women from Australia, Italy, and Egypt. Then i go to school to take my photography class which i have learned so much already and Ive only had three classes. Each class here is once a week for three hours so after attending that class i usually go to or right outside the library to try to get in contact with my family and friends through facebook and skype. From school i go home to have dinner with my host family and roommates then we watch tv or play cards till 9/10 then proceed to our rooms to either go to sleep or read/listen to music.
The rest of the week the daily schedule is relatively similar and the evening time is exactly the same. Tuesdays i have two classes one with the american group called A View from Australia followed by Theological Foundations totally 6 hours of school for that day which is always a lot especially by the end of the theological class. Wednesday i have no classes but do have a chapel like event called The Gathering at one but that is a main skyping/facebook day to reconnect with those back home. Thursday i also have no classes along with my friend Madelline so it is our adventure day that will surely provoke much more to write about as more thursdays pass. Fridays we have another american class for three hours in the morning called Indigenous Cultures taught by a quirky Aboriginal woman. Then we have an hour break and the next 4 hours are to be set aside for field trips and hands on application of either of our american ASC classes.

This is a day in the life of an Australian American student. Plenty going on yet a good amount of down time too so it appears to be very laid back, that is until papers begin being due. I am also taking a class independently that will only meet when we choose to do so and it had three papers due each month. So like i said, its fine right now but i know i will be needing those days off as the semester gets going.

Thank you for your prayers and love, i know procrastination will be a huge temptation so continuing to keep all of us in the program in pray for staying on top of our work would be much appreciated. I am encouraged to skim through facebook to stay updated on what is going on in the states and in your lives. I continue to keep you in my prayers as well.

May you be reminded of our Father's incredible Grace throughout today and the rest of this week.

A verse that is slowly changing my life:
Colossians 3:23-24: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

I want to know You

Blog three july 23, 2012

I have my first day of classes today! Time to begin a semester of work but it turns out I have five classes: two of Australian history, one theology, bible, and photography course. With all the wonderful-ness of Australia (note picture on left, focus on teh beautiful background, not my face) it’s hard to remember that I am here for school but I’m sure as soon as classes start I will remember.

God is so good. Already I am seeing Him work and move within me and within the Australians and Americans at Wesley (which is the school I’m at). We got a chance to go to Hillsong church in the city’s college group last night and it was so good to see people so far from home worshipping the same God I do. Being united with that commonality is such an inspiring event. There were a couple songs that I really loved and wanted to share. The first was a Hillsong song called I Surrender:

“Here I am
Down on my knees again
Surrendering all
Surrendering all

Find me here
Lord as You draw me near
Desperate for You
Desperate for You

I surrender

Drench my soul
As mercy and grace unfold
I hunger and thirst
I hunger and thirst

With arms stretched wide
I know You hear my cry
Speak to me now
Speak to me now

I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more
[x2]

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me”

Letting those words over take my heart was huge for me, this is what I want my prayer to be this semester for myself and also for my friends and fellow students. Ultimately it’s about having the desire to surrender all, purely wanting to know Him more, and then allowing Him to have His way in us. The minute that becomes my heart’s prayer is when God promises He will show up. I was reading a passage over again that Kimberly, who is in charge of the program, said during orientation from Jeremiah 29:4-14 and found that verses 12-14 applied specifically to this concept when it says “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.^” It’s beautiful really. The Hillsong worship team followed that song by repeating the end of a Jesus Culture song: “I want to know you, let your Spirit overwhelm me, let your presence overtake my heart.” It was just an incredible time of surrendering my will over to His once again. This will probably end up having to be a day by day surrender as I continue on with this semester.

Anyways, take those words as you will, maybe give the songs a listen as you start your day because they are the best kind to be stuck in your head for the day as a constant reminder.

Please be praying for peace among personalities in the program, there have not been any conflicts but with any group of people it is easy to have personality quirks wear on you after a while. Please also be praying for my brothers as they begin college in about a month, and tag along with that pray for my parents as my mom hopefully will begin working again and they become empty nesters. My heart is heavy for the family I miss back home and flourishing with the relationships I have been making here as my family of friends grows.

May the ever abounding grace of our Savior be with you this week.