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."