In the Midst of Things

I am so happy that I harnessed the crazy energy that is trapped in my brain and finally made the jump into the pastry world. I have now been in school for a little over 6 months. In that time, I have made pies, tarts, cream puffs, eclairs, European tortes, American style cakes, ice cream, sorbet, cookies, plated desserts, chocolate work (truffles, rochers, etc.), pastillage, nougatine, breads and so much more! I wish I had more time though! We have so much to learn yet sometimes I think I could spend more time on more sections! So this is where my blog comes in. I want to keep up my learning outside of class and documenting on here keeps me accountable to my schedule. So while I will discuss things that I create in class, I will primarily focus the blog on things I want to improve upon or just try to make for the first time!

The rest of this month is pretty crazy for me. I am competing in my first pastry competition through the  American Culinary Federation. I am competing in the cold-plated dessert section. What I think I am most worried about is time. I have really enjoyed coming up with this plate and I believe I now have finished my flavor profile. What is more terrifying is the lack of time I have to practice now that the competition is looming at the end of this month. I never realized how much time I like to take on a project. I appreciate my attention to detail most times but it has really slowed me down in the kitchen sometimes. I thought I would show you guys some of the pictures of my plated dessert in progress. It is in no way finished in these pictures. I just thought some of you might like to see a little bit of the process and play!

My cold dessert plate includes caramelized pistachios, cardamom ice cream, a frozen lemon mousse, yellow chiffon cake, and creme anglaise. I have now revised my plate to include a prickly pear puree and a white chocolate ganache. I will probably dedicate a whole post to the competition and pictures of the final plated dessert!

 Now I would have had this post out sooner but my lovely dog, Carlisle (Kreacher :)), decided that he would take the cord that use to upload the photos and he hid under the bed which is probably his favorite spot. I think its because he thinks he can get away with mischief where no one can see him there!

Indecisive Sometimes Has A Nice Ring To It

So I finally decided to make that big jump. I fully realized that I was not ready for it after just coming back to the US two and a half years ago. My priority at the time was my family and that was where I focused. I became frustrated later when most of my friends seemed to have it all figured out and I was still stuck trying to find any path that seemed somewhat clear. I like to do things spontaneously but figuring out what I truly was passionate about and wanted for a career? That is one big pot that took forever to boil! I just wasn't sure I was capable of jumping in. When the word recession lurks at every corner and your decision requires you to step off that firm footing of a full-time job, it is slightly terrifying. So here it is, I am going back to school, pastry school that is.

A Couple of Things Have Happened...

So its been a while since I wrote on this lovely blog, so I thought it was time for an update. I have been enjoying it warming up here finally. It is actually in the high 70s! I have really been missing Northern Ireland recently but I know that this is where I am supposed to be right now. I have started working at a preschool as an assistant teacher in a 4 year old class. They are super cute and so smart! I have also been training for a full marathon at the end of May. I am doing it with Team in Training and raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I love running and it makes me even happier that I will be running in a marathon to help cure cancer!

What? Where? Why? How?

Life has been pretty hectic since I got back to the US. I loved feeling the heat and humidity in the southeast visiting with my mom. I also got a chance to reconnect with the other volunteers that served not only internationally but also in the US. We had a retreat in Ghost Ranch that was fantastic and helped continue the transitioning. I can't say that I am or will ever be fully transitioned back into the US culture. This past year gave me insight that I don't want to lose but I have enjoyed finding comfort in familiar things of home. I made the decision before I left Belfast to move to Indianapolis, IN.

During the middle of september, I had packed my car and drove two hours north to stay with a friend to make the 12 hour drive reduced to 10 hour in one day. Well, that was the plan until my car was having trouble driving up hills and I knew I would be encoutering mountains also before arriving at my destination. I took the car to the shop. The news was dreadful. The car needed 2,600 dollars in repair to make it right. This caused a chain of events which led me to unloading my packed car in 95 degree heat and loading it into my mom's car so that she could drive me home. Things were not looking like the way I had planned them. We sold the car to one of the mechanics. Thankfully, one of them liked it.

Anyway, I was now stuck on an island with no transportation and ironically not walking friendly. My mom and I went car shopping that following weekend. I was able to get a car! So I repacked my new car (well, new to me anyway!). I drove to Indianapolis. I moved in with my grandparents. I got settled somewhat. Then my grandpa went the hospital. Then he had open heart surgery. While, my grandmother on the other hand is now legally blind and has terminal cancer. As this is going on, I am also job searching. I am working on the virtues patience and humility right now. On the upside I joined the local YMCA and have been enjoying spending time with my family and being able to be there for them. I have taken up playing volleyball and taken a liking to spinning class. I look forward to spending thanksgiving this year with family but will always remember one of the volunteers heating up custard and just having it in a bowl for desert.

Saying Goodbye, no really, for real this time!

How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye seem impossible? So for all the brilliant people I have met this year, I will say " see you later"!


So I have been saying goodbye to people for months now, so much so that it has become a running joke. It has made it feel like I am not really leaving tomorrow morning. The funny thing is that coming to Belfast the end of August last year sometimes feels like ages ago but yet I can't imagine that this year is over. I am excited to tell my friends and family all about my year here in this dramatically beautiful country. It has been such a year of discovery for me and I have so many people to thank for it. I will definitely think back each day knowing which activities will be going on at either organization I worked with. The kids that I worked with will be a year ahead, quite a few of them heading off to secondary school. Its the small things that I will miss, like the wee chats with the mums at mums & tots. I will also miss seeing people I know when I walk to work or am walking to the grocery store.

Speaking of walking, I was given the opportunity to do quite a bit of walking as I had missed the bus in North Belfast to take me to city centre. So I walked to city centre. Well, once I got there I realized if I waited for the bus to East Belfast where I worked then I would be extremely late to my last service. So I kept on walking, something that I thoroughly enjoy thankfully. I made it with about ten minutes to spare and was quite impressed with myself because I was walking in sandals and a dress. After I had greeted and talked to quite a few people at the church doors, I took my seat and watched as the service started. They picked quite a couple of my favorite songs to sing and then the minister asked me to help serve communion with him. I was doing really well and was grateful to get the opportunity to serve the church one last time. Well as the second line of people came to be served communion, one of the pensioners collapsed. I have worked with her all year and have really enjoyed her spritely personality. Her face was ashen, one color I have never seen pale. After seeing her so frail, I suddenly began to cry. I couldn't help it and as I tried to prevent more tears, I started to sob. It felt good though. It was awkward as I gave the bread and said the wee message through sobs but it felt quite cathartic. It gave me a chance to let those walls down that I think I hold in so close now. I was able to finish helping serve and watched as she was wheeled out of the church. I pray that she is okay and that it was a scare. As I type this I also have to look forward because in a couple of hours I will be thrown into a sort of a reverse culture shock. I have told many people over here that I think it might just be harder adjusting to the US after being gone than leaving to welcome a new culture. Either way it will be there waiting for me to return, so I must deal with it in some capacity.

Plans- as of now finding a job would be nice. One that isn't 8-9 hours at a desk would also be preferable. Suggestion? Comments? Let me know!

Goodbye from Belfast one last time,
Sally

You and I will meet again, When we're least expecting it, One day in some far off place, I will recognize your face, I won't say goodbye my friend

I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. ~Gilda Radner


Never Stopping

To be honest, I have tried hard to think at what would be the best to tell you about as my year here comes to a close. I am still quite busy and as usual feel like I am just barely being able to fit everything in. The sermon yesterday was titled "re-ordering disorder". I find that disorder wreaks havoc on my life and yet so many times I have let it. I have struggled to make intentional time to read and find focus. Now mind you, I have done plenty of reading but I don't know that Jane Austen counts as prayer time. I am a queen of tangents and distractions as many can attest. So as I work through my last full month in Northern Ireland, I am taking the effort to find focus and be in that moment. There is still plenty for me to do here though before I leave. I will be working in the new cafe at East Belfast Mission this week and the last week of July. In between that time I will be working at a quasi VBS/Summer Camp/Montreat in Cranfield, right under the Mourne Mountains. Cranfield is on the beach. The thing is if its raining, we will be leading the programs in the rain and if I haven't mentioned it before; it rains in Northern Ireland. It rains quite a lot. So while the rest of the programs that I have been doing have ended, the summer has sure provided plenty to keep me busy.

Blooper:
I was washing up after one of the pensioner's weekly meetings and was holding the teapot. Well, before I disposed of the used tea bags, I sniffed the inside of the teapot. I heard one of the guys that works in the office come in telling me that Americans are weird. I look up at him and probably blushed, while I explained that I was curious as to how it smelled when only the used tea bags were left. He just smiled, shook his head and walked back up to his office. I knew it was just my luck that someone would catch me doing something silly like that.

Oh to be a Monk

Passage: a path made for somebody through an obstruction; a section of a piece of writing, speech, or music; change of place or condition; process of time passing; a journey, especially one made by sea or air; the fact of traveling to a place or of being allowed to enter or pass through it.

These definitions all have had vital importance for me in the past month of May.

The last retreat with the other volunteers to Iona off the coast of Scotland, encapsulates many of the definitions given above. For those who have not heard, Europe had been inundated with ash clouds from Iceland that forced the airlines to cancel a week of flights and left many stranded with very few options. Instead of flying to Glasgow and making our way from there, we borrowed the minibus from my roommate's church and drove most of the way. Now wait, you say, "I know my geography and you can't just drive to Iona!" Well, you are correct. We took a ferry which escorted us to Scotland with the minibus included. Then we drove for quite a bit until we reached the picturesque Loch Lomond. There is a quite famous song about that particular loch, ask me about it if you are interested. After lunch with the famous view, we continued our drive (catching signs along the way saying HASTE YE BACK) to Oban, where we took our second ferry and left the minibus. We then took a bus and the last ferry. After 13 hours we had made it to Iona.

There were no miraculous healing fountains, no gimmicks or tracts. It was there just as it has been for hundreds of years. We went to the morning and evening worship. That was also a small walk from where we were staying and gave us some time to appreciate walking some more. The second day we were there we made a seven mile pilgrimage around the island. It was extremely enjoyable even if my neck and chest were sunburnt because of it. We stayed at a hostel on the island which had an acre of green grass that was extremely soft and led to an incredible beach with stunning views all around. I was able to run around in the grass, throw a frisbee around and sit with a cup of tea one morning on the grass taking in the beauty that surrounded me.

Now as a history major knowing that several Scottish and Norwegian kings were buried on Iona was pretty interesting. The monks of Iona were most famously known for the Book of Kells (800 AD) which is on display at Trinity College in Dublin. They fled because of the Viking attacks. They fled to an area not too far from Dublin called Slane, which I got to visit when my mom and aunt were here in late March/early April.

Newgrange, is another mecca for those who love Iona, anthropology, or archaeology. I have to be honest, I wasn't excited about going there at first. My mom was definitely the one to push that one. It turned out to be one of the more spiritually moving places for me. We were the last tour of that day and it had snowed that morning and was mizzly. We were pretty tired at that point. The guide explained the history and some of the theories surrounding what Newgrange was for. We were told no cameras or video devices were allowed. We had to snuggle into the passage way and were careful not touch the sides of entrance which was quite narrow. This was quite ironic to the whole group of us because as you can see in photos, Newgrange is big on the outside. I like though that they don't allow pictures, not just for the conservation of this 4,500 year old structure but also because it made the experience much more moving for me. The guide showed us what the winter solstice would be like for those who would come to sit in the dark and wait for the light to come into the tomb like structure. It was humbling to hear that the light wouldn't come every year because of cloud cover or the like. That these people would leave their own shelter and wait in the cold dark place for a light that might not even come showed a dedication that certainly wowed me and many others. I felt very privileged being able to see something that they held so dearly even though there are only theories behind what Newgrange meant to them.

Like the monks, I am also on a journey or passage. No, I am not being chased by vikings, nor have I written anything like the Book of Kells and I certainly don't have the same routine as they would have. What I see is that my passage continues even when I leave Belfast, though the passage might look different.

Apologies: Pictures don't seem to want to load right now, hopefully I will be able to get more up later!

Time to put away the winter jackets?

'Bout ye ? And I reply cheekily with, 'just trying to plan the rest of my life'. There goes the conversation that I have had recently with quite a bit of people. I sincerely apologize for my lack of writing the last 2 months, it has put me to shame. Forthwith, I will try to provide a couple extra posts in the next wee couple of days to assuage any readers that might have felt slightly abandoned. Or sure because I have been gone for so long I have so much to write. You might not want to read anymore after I have written all that I can write!

So since I last wrote, I have celebrated both St. Paddy's Day and Easter in the months of March and April. I have been able to spend time with my mom and aunt here in Belfast and was able to travel with them and another YAV. It has been very busy!

St. Paddy's was quite interesting for me in Northern Ireland. While it is a Bank Holiday here, in East Belfast it was very hard to recognize it. While catholic schools were off for the day, the integrated (both catholic and protestant attending) schools either had a half day or were off and the protestant schools did not have it off. I had to work that morning and early afternoon before going to celebrate with some of the other volunteers in the city centre. As I was walking to work wearing a green scarf I realized I would probably be one of the few wearing green around East Belfast, however when I arrived in city centre I was bombarded with people wearing the tricolour flag as a cape. I also witnessed lots of green sequined cowboy hats. There was a very jovial atmosphere about. I was happy to run into some people from East Belfast knowing that they were also celebrating.

I was able to celebrate holy week with my mom and aunt in Ireland and London. They were able to see some sights and experience the hospitality of Belfast, while also getting to travel with me. It was really nice for me to introduce them to the people I work with and the kids I work with. The kids still ask me if my mom and aunt are going to come back and visit soon.

There are so many traveling stories so instead of me telling a couple on here, when I get back to the States in August we can hang out and trade stories. There are definitely some brilliant ones but are much better told in person.

Cheers,

Sally

Taking one for the kids

I watched her struggle with dispensing the hospital grade anti-bacterial gel to the kids (3yr. olds), waiting to have their snack (milk and toast). It just was not coming out. She unscrewed the bottle from its unmanageable dispenser but she didn't have a good grip on the bottle. I watched it fall and then slightly bounce, while some of that intense liquid made it into my left eye. Thankfully, the kids who were sitting right near did not get hit, though I was standing up and a step back got an eye full of it. I rushed into the kitchen before I said any words that the kids could repeat later. Thankfully, the burning sensation in my eye had dissipated in about ten minutes. As I used a soaking paper towel to get the liquid out of my eye, all I could think of was that this would have been the perfect opportunity to use those eye sinks that they had in the science labs. I was always curious about them but unfortunately even with a great excuse none were within my reach that morning. Moral of the story: anti-bacterial in the eye=extremely painful and would not suggest it

Summer: safety question material for class?

It's February? Already? Really?

So its February now, that seems amazing. A year ago, I was hoping and praying that I would be doing what I am doing today. Well, not exactly, because I definitely did not imagine or nor could I have imagined what this year was going to be exactly.

The other eight YAVs and I went to the Inishowen Peninsula for our second retreat of this year. It was nice to be with the group again and feel that community that we have with each other. We were able to go to Malin Head, Derry/Londonderry and the Giant's Causeway. All of these really deserve their own post but I am afraid that I would not ever get to them since my time has seemed to escape me even more. I will have to say though that what I enjoyed the most was sitting on the Causeway and listening to the waves crash against the beautiful rock formation. It has become my favorite sound and view for that matter. Rarely, will I take the time to sit and listen, because if you know me well, I am usually behind schedule. I really appreciated that time to recharge and devote some time to just being, rather than doing. I have to also mention that there was no rain and it was sunny, the three days we were there. That is quite amazing.

I find that my best moments to reflect are when I am with a group out in nature and isolate myself for a bit. While I was in Utah, two years ago, climbing canyons with a group I let myself fall a bit behind. I saw no one behind or before me. It had only been more than a month after losing my dad and Beatles songs began to creep into my head. So as I was finishing climbing that particular canyon that day, I sang songs that my dad would always listen to and cried. It was a chance for me to breathe, which is ironic because that altitude and lack of humidity was killing me. So Thursday as I saw the Causeway, I climbed until I found the perfect place to perch and was able to sit, watch and listen. The waves became the music for me. I did not have the raw feelings that I did, when climbing that canyon two years ago but I certainly was able to have that necessary time to reflect. It was only until sitting there that I realized that I really needed that time.

I am considering so many things after this year of service, that it is kind of overwhelming. I don't know where I am headed but now after being here for half a year, I know it will be even harder because I will have another family to say goodbye to.

Word of the Week: knackered- exhausted

PS. Sorry for such a delayed post, its just hectic and I have just felt like rubbish with allergies, so free time that I had at home consisted of sleeping! And the flowers in the picture were bulbs we planted in our front garden and are now blooming a couple of months early!

Turning the Page

There have been many new traditions for me here in Belfast. One that I think that you might find interesting would be New Years' Eve services. Now when they occur at 11pm, they are called Watch Night Services. I on the other hand, went to East Belfast Mission's Fading of Light service which is held at 3:30pm. To put it into context, it is quite dark by 4:30pm. In previous years the service would celebrate the setting of the sun on the last day of the year. This year was quite a bit different. When I walked into the church that afternoon, I saw five caskets at the front near the pulpit. At that point, I thought that I had come at the wrong time and walked in on a really tragic funeral. After I took a minute, I realized that these caskets were the remains of the people that were buried near the church. They had been dug up because they had been previously covered over after the blitz when the church was rebuilt. They also walk behind the hearses after a funeral to their final resting place but in the past it would have been only men. This time the whole congregation walked behind the five hearses till we reached the undertakers office down the road. It was a surreal experience for me as I was not expecting to ever walk behind a hearse.

The video gives a visual to what I just mentioned and if you look closely, you can find me in the video.

Word of the Week: Scundered - has lots of meanings but normally has been used when someone was surprised

Christmas Time

The Christmas tree is decorated and lit. It sits on the top of our bookshelf so that all can see from the front window. The presents sit nearby around a decorative fireplace. The Christmas crackers sit on the mantle with a picture of all the volunteers. The stockings are hung on the mantle with care. The heat is on to keep us warm. There is even tinsel hanging on our hallway mirror. I certainly have all the material things that I would have every other year at Christmas, except that the Christmas crackers are new. What makes this year different? Family. This year I will be spending Christmas with new families. I will be going to multiple houses which should be fun to see how they celebrate Christmas. The second family I am visiting has two boys 6 and11 yrs. old, 3 dogs and a big fat bunny. That is sure to be mayhem but lots of fun.

While living in Belfast, I have been amazed at how much of life here now just feels so second nature. It has been a running theme between the volunteers that we need to remind ourselves that we are in Belfast. That this is new and different. There are a lot of traditions that are the same here but others that

are quite different. One that I have noticed particularly here at Strand Presbyterian Church is that they don't do the advent wreath or candles. Now the other church that I work with East Belfast Missi

on, which is Methodist, does do the advent wreath along with a lot of other Presbyterian and Methodist churches around Belfast. Many protestant churches would also not do a Christmas Eve service but they would do a New Year's Eve service called a watch service. Now Catholic churches will have a Christmas Eve service and I will be going to a monastery for Christmas Eve and will certainly document the event.

Another tradition around December is pantomimes. I went to a Cinderella pantomime

and it was fantastic. It is for all ages but most families go because it is a big treat for the kids. The fairy god mother and the evil stepmother were both in

drag and that is the mark of a pantomime. There is a lot of audience interaction. For instance when the evil stepmother, Ms. Lush, said "mark my words" the audience was asked to respond with "aye, dead on". I love that they teach sarcasm at such a young age. I was sitting with one of the moms from mums & tots and her husband and son. Her son, Thomas, is two years old and is absolutely adorable, and he just learned the word boo and was probably the cutest thing trying to say boo. He really enjoyed it when you said it back to him. I think it was the facial expression that it created that he liked so much.

Snow has come to Belfast. It has allowed for some beautiful but cold sights! The mountains you see behind the houses are the Mournes where are C.S. Lewis got his idea for the world of Narnia.

PS. yes, you do see two boxed sets of twilight under EBM's christmas tree for gifts for those who are in need this year.

He Wore His Religion Well

As Christmas is quickly approaching, the cold has definitely set in. So grab a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy a little bit of the story that continues for me in Belfast.

On one particular afternoon a week, I get to help lead an after school program for kids in inner east Belfast. It is one of the many times I work with kids that age but it specifically makes me anxious. I remember feeling so glad the first time it finished. The kids didn't listen and were generally were insane that day. I love working with kids but that group surely tested me. I have been a camp counselor for two years along with babysitting for over ten years. I thought I knew how to deal with any kid. HA! How wrong I was. I began to dread going a couple of hours before it would start. I just couldn't understand what I was doing wrong, but I knew that it was somewhere that I needed to be. This past week, I had a brief meditation with some of the leaders before we left along with a game plan. I felt a lot more calm going into the school that day for the after school program. Two of the boys actually listened to me that day and did what I said, right after I asked them. It felt like the sun came out and was shining upon me right at that moment. Note: it was already dark outside because it was 4pm.

Now don't let me mislead you, there were plenty of slurs that were uttered, huffiness, and cheeky behavior. The kids had been testing us for weeks and that day I believe they realized we weren't going to leave them even if they were being really cheeky. That particular school has been fighting to stay there because all the kids are right from that area and walk to school. It only has 58 students, which would range from kindergarten to sixth grade. They would refer to it as p1 to p7. I know I will still struggle sometimes with that group but they seem to accept me. That is a truly comforting thought knowing I have put so much work into trying to get to know them.

I heard a visiting minister recently talk about a man "wearing his religion well". That after school program for me, kicks out the complacency that assumes I have it all right. I think without that and some of the other challenges I face during the week and the rest of year here in Belfast, I certainly well could become that person who just wears his religion for everyone to see but does not put it into practice. Its easy to work with people that you are comfortable with. I urge you now though to seek out those places that need some attention. It won't be that easy instant gratification that makes you feel good after doing it. The hard work though will show. It might not be that week or month and it might not look like what you thought it would. It will though cause you to see the world a bit differently even if it just a 20-minute walk from your door.

Word of the Week: Cheeky-mouthing off or being rude or disrespectful, there are different levels of cheekiness of course

Running in Some Direction

It's foreign on this side,
But it feels like I'm home again.
There's no place to hide
But I don't think I'm scared.

As Thanksgiving being tomorrow, I find like many others, that I think of family. Now this isn't the first Thanksgiving I have spent away from family but it is the first away from the US. The lyrics above come from a Nickel Creek song called This Side. It fits how I feel here with the people. I know that I am so blessed to be here.

In the US, the rain would taunt me. Now here in Belfast, the rain is a part of life that I have come to enjoy for the most part. It is a common occurrence, when I run in the morning or walk down the road to work, the rain tends to greet me. Now remember this is the person who loves humidity and enjoys getting in a car that has been baking in the South Carolina sun all day. So this rain I believe is just a trade for me. Of course, I keep my anorak (raincoat) with me most of the time so that I can enjoy the rain. Side note: no peripheral vision when wearing said anorak because of the hood. It becomes quite funny when trying to talk to the person beside you.

As I mentioned in the last post, I started training for the Belfast Marathon. This will definitely get harder to do as it gets dark now at 4pm and stays dark in the morning. I have unfortunately had to give up running on the greenway and have switched to the city running because it is so dark in the morning (aka path covered by foliage on both sides=really creepy when its dark). People keep saying its going to get colder here and that kind of scares me because I just wore my winter coat the other day and it just kept me warm enough. I don't know if I can wear anymore layers!

Word of the Week: manky, the US equivalent would be funky but I really love the way the word manky sounds. Apparently it comes from Scotland/ Northern England but is a common word over here.

Item I Miss From Home: New England Clam Chowder

ps. thanks Andy for the video idea

Where I am supposed to be

I think the question I still get the most often is, "are you settling in well"? It has been more than two months now and I seem to think that this is part of their extremely welcoming personality that they keep asking. I have been settling in well and have been witnessing/accomplishing some firsts this week.

I went to my first Remembrance Day service today. They brought in the flags at the start of the service. I believe the flags were military flags since the day was about remembering those who served in the armed forces. We also had the Boys Brigade enrollment during the service. BB as many like to call it here is like the scouts but with marching and teaching from the Bible every week. They also sang the National Anthem (God Save the Queen) twice. I had the privilege of being able to listen to a packed church singing it because I didn't know the words. People in the UK have also been wearing poppies (paper) to raise money for the British Legion. During part of the service this morning, a few in uniform circled the congregation to come to the front and lay their poppies down on the table. It was a very symbolic gesture for me, like the laying down of lives. It was something so simple but yet powerful in one right.

Another large first for me this coming week is that I will be teaching the parable of the five thousand at one of the primary schools that I work at. I am quite nervous at how it will go over but am excited to spend more time with the children. I only work with that school for two and a half hours on thursdays. I have realized that I enjoy working as a classroom assistant. The last two thursdays, I have worked with a P5 (approximately 4th grade) class and had them read stories to me. That gives them a chance to read in a smaller group and they get more attention. I love doing this and it gives me a sense of achievement knowing that this will help them in the classroom and outside of it. I am an avid reader, so by having the kids read to me and improve, I hope that they will be encouraged to read more.

The last and probably biggest first for those who know me is that I have started training for the Belfast City Marathon. I still can't believe I agreed to do it. I had previously been running off and on in the morning within the city or on the greenway. Now it has had to become more regimented so that I will keep up with it. Feel free to give me tips!

Blooper of the Week: not getting laundry done in time because I forgot we didn't have a dryer here. Things hanging up to dry tend to take much longer, I have realized and have hopefully somewhat cured me of a bit of my procrastination.

Word of the Week: Gherkins, they are pickles in the United States. I gave the woman behind the counter making a sandwich, quite an odd face when she asked me if I wanted any. Thankfully, one of my friends that I work with at Playgroup let me know that she was asking me if I wanted any pickles.

Picture of the Week: Me on the top of Slieve League (a mountain) in Donegal. As you can tell from the hair it was quite galey and mizzly.

A few pictures of my time in Donegal

Yeat's Grave in County Sligo, I recited one of his poems while staring at his grave and basically stood in awe. His grave is among others and is not encased by itself like a shrine. One of the other gravestones cited the person's name and that he fell asleep, rather than saying he died on such date. I thought it quite interesting and unusual, mind you I haven't visited too many cemeteries.
Wool! And a spinning wheel of course.
One of the few places left that does this by hand
Donegal's crest

Its Just an Ordinary Day

As I have been settling in Belfast, it has come to my attention on how much I rely on routine. It came up because of the lack of routine I can now rely on. I think that I have needed that though. We all can have trouble reacting to change. I was ready for change of atmosphere but then was not prepared for the constant change within my environment. I will also experiencing with both congregations that I work with, the tearing down of their churches and facilities. This will happen right after Christmas. I will discuss later the magnitude of this for both congregations as they will have times to celebrate and remember the times shared in those buildings. It will always keep me guessing and never complacent hopefully. Well, since I work with two very different places, I thought to show 2 days in the life of a YAV in East Belfast. This post will be one of those days.

Tuesday

7:00-745am run around East Belfast normally running part of the greenway which is a 7-mile pathway of greenery lined with tons of blackberry bushes. I tend to smell the local bakery on the way back to my house on one of the large roads that I run through.

7:45-845am get ready for the day, which normally means making breakfast, turning on the water heater for the shower and dishes from breakfast, and of course getting dressed

9am I arrive at the offices of East Belfast Mission, where I sign in and then go to a weekly prayer meeting where most of the office meets for reflection and prayers

9:30-11:30am Pastoral Meeting- where the pastors meet and discuss the life of the church and the programs that go on, its kind of the behind-the-scenes for me and is a crash course for me in some ways of how the church functions through another angle.

11:30-1pm Office work, that constantly changes depending on what programs need some administrative work. Soon that time will be used to work on Christmas projects!

1pm-1:30pm Lunch at the Mission Cafe, a place within the East Belfast Mission family to provide people a place to eat at an affordable price and also supports a program called Meals on Wheels

1:30-3:00pm more office work of various sorts

3-4:30pm football (soccer) at Orangefield High School, a club just started by East Belfast Mission. Orangefield is a high school located in inner East Belfast. It doesn't get much funding so hopefully this will bring more attention and help to the school. I am not sure what my role will be there as I won't start that until the middle of November.

5:15-6:45pm go back to the house to make dinner and have a little time to relax by watching some tv or reading the local paper. It is a 20-minute walk back to my place and I am normally surrounded by the hustle and bustle of people trying to get home. I pass by my local library, my GP's office (doctor's office), the local butcher's shop and the smell of the fish and chips shop. Chips in Northern Ireland would be a french fries but thicker. If you want chips, you would ask for crisps. And if asking for a fry, you will get breakfast fare. I love everything being so local, the feel of the community is fantastic.

7pm chaperone two girls from inner East Belfast up to Dundonald on the metro bus to Re:act, a youth group that meets at one of EBM's member's houses

7:45-9:30pm Re:act, which I help facilitate with a couple from that live in Dundonald and are a part of East Belfast Mission (the church, rather than specifically the organization).

10pm I usually have a cup of tea and talk with my roommate Patricia about the day before going to bed not too much later, as I have to get up even earlier for the chance to run on Wednesdays.

Blooper of the Week: I remembered and set my clock back today but then still was late 5 minutes for church. The doors were closed and I had to go to the side entrance, which was locked but I had a key. I was forced either to wait where later I would do creche (nursery) or go through the door from creche to the door at the front of the sanctuary. Naturally, I waited in the creche room, rather than making a grand entrance in the front for all to see I was late (no one comes in through that door, only leaves).

Word of the Week: Chuffed, means happy and since its been a while I will give a couple more words common around here:

Pram is a stroller (which a lot more guys push around here, no matter the age, which I think is fantastic), Hob is the stovetop, Plaster is a band-aid, and Pavement is the sidewalk

Photo of the Week: they have many sayings and stories about the Titanic being built but my favorite that I have heard recently is, "The Irish built it but an Englishman sunk it."

With that I bid you a good week and it might be a while before I can write again as I will be away for the next two weeks in Donegal.

Work at East Belfast Mission

I now have been settling in for over a month. It does not feel like a very odd vacation or tour anymore. I am making friends and truly connecting with the congregations and the other people that I work with. When you feel out of place, it is truly disconcerting when someone expects you to cope like you have been there for ages. Thankfully, the pastoral team at East Belfast Mission has been extremely accommodating and understood that I would be out of sorts and slowly brought me up to speed. They invited me to join in their weekly meetings so that I could get an understanding of how the church worked from their viewpoint and how they help move the life of the church forward. 

The first Sunday of the month, I spend at EBM. They of course have already thrown me in the morning service by asking me to sing in the praise band. Sunday was my first time singing in a praise band and I quite enjoyed it. I had been worried as I had woken up with a sore throat that morning but all was well by the time the service started with the help of some ibuprofen. This was also their Harvest Sunday. Harvest Sunday is a day that they celebrate the harvest and what has been done for them. Churches normally pick one of the Sundays in October to celebrate this. The decorations around the church reminded me of Thanksgiving at home and made me realize how quickly that is approaching. Since I have been here, I have noticed that time has passed me by so quickly and many times I have worried that a year is too short for me. I know that probably sounds pretty crazy. Anyhow, to get back to the thoughts at hand I will explain what else happens at EBM that I work with. Note: there are many other programs that EBM does, that I do not work with because of time but they are extremely important and quite interesting. I would encourage you to check them out by clicking on the link if you are interested. 

Ok, well back on topic now. I used to think that Mondays were a big drag but now I truly enjoy them. That might have to do with the fact that I help out with Dance Nation on Monday nights. Dance Nation is a hip-hop/breakdancing class. The first hour is for 8 to 11 yr. olds while the second hour is for the older kids. The teacher is a freelance dancer/choreographer/teacher and while not working with Dance Nation, she works with bbc, films and tons of other stuff. She is fantastic at what she does. I never thought I would be over here learning to breakdance or dabble in hip-hop but I would not trade it for anything. I love seeing the guys and girls in the class so engaged and truly appreciative. This class is also free and open to the community, which is fantastic. That is something that a lot of churches here in Belfast are concerned about. They understand that the community needs outlets and they try to accommodate and cater to the concerns of the community.  While Tuesday nights, I hang out with some Form 1 girls which means they are around 12 years old. They help show me what is cool for their age and have helped me understand the schooling system here. Yes, there are prefects here. 

Blooper of the Week: On Sunday I made baked potatoes for dinner and had to quickly eat one before I had to be back at the church that night. As I tried to swallow one of the last bites of the potato, I realized that the particular section that I was eating hadn't been cooked through and was a little hard. This wouldn't have meant too much to me except that it got stuck in my throat and my flat-mate Patricia was out of the house. Well, thankfully I was able to swallow it after a little bit. As I walked to Strand Presbyterian that night, I thought how ridiculous the headline would have read had I not lived through it. It would have said something like American Volunteer dies by choking on a POTATO in Northern Ireland. I mentioned this to some of the church members that night and they found it just as funny as I did, if not more. The irony was just too much.

Word of the Week: trainers, this would be tennis shoes or sneakers in the US. I have used these most mornings to run because it has been beautiful!

A wee bit of this and a wee bit of that

The statue is of C. S. Lewis and the wardrobe that he writes about in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I will write more about him because he will get his own post seeing as this is where he grew up! Oh and if you didn't know this already I am a huge fan of his work, particularly his Narnia series.
On Thursday afternoon, I get the opportunity to go to Victoria Primary, which is what we would call an elementary school with sixth graders, included depending on their age. I help with homework club, which allows them to get homework done with other kids around, so they don't feel like they are the only ones that have to do it. It also gives them the opportunity to ask questions to people whose main concern is helping them finish and understand it and don't have other tasks right at that moment. That relieves the stress of the parents and gives them less headaches hopefully. Last Thursday, one of the kids told me that he has visited America on holiday. I asked where in the US and he asked me if I knew where Walmart was. I told him after I stopped giggling, that giving me Walmart as a location was like telling me he visited TESCO (a local supermarket chain). The kids thought that was pretty funny. I then assumed he went to Florida, which I have found that is where a good amount of  people from Northern Ireland go when they go on holiday to the US. He had gone to Florida, I found out later.

Drop-in is a Friday night activity where local youth can come to the church hall and play ping-pong, play Wii, use the laptops, grab a soda and sweets, and just talk. Correction: our drop-in is on a Friday night but they can be held any night. I was anxious my first Friday and felt really awkward adding myself to the mix and trying to start conversations when they were playing a game so intensely. This past Friday though I was much more comfortable and really enjoyed it. The highlight of the night though was when I saw one of the girls from the homework club. She is a P7 which basically means that she has this year and then she enters secondary school. So she was the youngest one there and did not know anyone there except me. She reminded me of myself the previous week, so I invited her to play wii bowling with me and then I had her come with me and sit where some other girls were sitting. I didn't know the other girls but because I was from the US and generally interested in what they had to say they were very interested in talking to me and equally included the girl in our conversations. I thought about it later how my insecurities were later used to help identify another girl who was new and helped her make friends. That moment was another reminder of why I am here and certainly will remind me when I don't feel up to something, that what I do can have an impact on others whether good or bad.

Word of the Week: Bap is what people in the US would call a hamburger or sandwich bun