It's Not What You Pay, It's Who You Know

This is my belated Valentine's Day post of something I love.

I love Mavericks Basketball! So when my union offered up cheaper tickets on cheap seats, I convinced Eric and a friend to jump at the chance. Not only was it basketball, but the Mavs were in town, which made it all the better. On the way downtown to meet Eric for the game, my friend happened to call her friend. Going to the game came up in conversation, so my friend's friend called her friend who had the connections to get us a-maz-ing seats! If I was a children's author it would go something like this:

This is the friend who scored the seats
To help out a friend
To give to her friend
So that her friend could watch Dirk in style.
(or something like that)

We sat in folding chairs people. We were that close. It really made it feel like a high school basketball game (a poor analogy to watching the Mavs I know).

I guess I should also mention that the Nuggets won (on a buzzer shot). I guess Texas can't always be bigger and better.

The One I'm too Full to Write

I am so full of a mixture of joy and happiness and excitement (and a little bit of trepidation).

The idea for this post has been on my mental backburner for a few months now. I've alluded to it several times. And if you're lucky enough to live close by, you're probably tired of me talking about it. In fact, the absolutely awful break from my new streak of better blogging is because of it. I knew this was the next post I needed to write, so I've been putting it off.

dum. dum. DUM. -que dramatic music-

I will be in Sierra Leone for most of June and July this summer!

- que the celebratory-

After working full time last summer to save for this, I am missing this country in West Africa like crazy and am so excited to return. And by country, I really mean people and the stretching toward the Prize that is happening there. I will be returning with this year's teacher team- this time as team leader/team host (re: trepidation). I will be working with two international people who are much, much more knowledgeable than me and who know Salone in a much deeper way, which is quite encouraging. And I know this will probably be a sweet and stretching time coming into a leadership role. But it will be so good. So good to see Janet. And Aunty Miatta. And Aunty Khadi. And Aminata. And Joseph. And so many others- I hope they're there. And it will be different. Life always is. But it will be so good. This is why this post is challenging. Because my heart is so full, it's hard not to stare at this box I'm typing in and just smile. mmm. More to follow.

Butterfly in the Sky

and now it's time for a book recommendation!

While my January attempt at reading Love in the Time of Cholera was starting to look like it would take more than 100 years of solitude, today I was able to pick up and re-read this book in only a couple of hours.

I first read this book before my return trip to Sierra Leone. While reading it then for SL was helpful, my real aha! moment came when I realized why living in Alabama was such a foreign experience. The author, who has lived in a combination of European, American, South American, and Middle Eastern cultures, outlines that people generally fall into two groups:

Hot-climate cultures and cold-climate cultures.

Those favoring "Hot" tend to be all about the group, are relationally focused, indirect communicators, as well as several other things.

Those favoring "Cold" tend to prize individualism, are task-driven, very direct communicators, as well as several other things.

Each of these broad cultural approaches brings with it many good things, however miscommunication and the fall-out from this abounds when cultures who do not understand each other mix.

For example, I can identify mostly with cold-cultural traits, but the U.S. "South" is mostly a "hot" culture. AHA!

This time as I reread Foreign to Familiar, however, I was reading for more than nostalgically diagnosing my differences with our southern countrymen. This summer I am preparing to go back to Sierra Leone to work with the national teachers there. This time leading the team. And since it's been a long year and a half since I was there, I wanted to spend some time reading and reflecting about how to use the cultural differences God has blessed us with to best communicate and help each other and help the Sierra Leonean children. But all this deserves its own post.

For now- know this. If you travel for service, business, or pleasure internationally or work with people from different cultures nationally, read. this. book. Especially if you like to see lightbulbs popping up above your head. And recommend it to your international friends. This book equally explains both sides of the cultural coin.

Ah, ha, ha, ha

Thought you should know:

The fish are still breathing via their gills.

Spoiled Happy

This month has been amazing! My dear friend, Sarah, has returned from working with teachers in Sierra Leone and has been gracing us with her presence in Denver during January. It has been wonderful to have good talks without resorting to book-length emails or Skype calls that average 5 - 10 disconnects per conversation. And it has been so good to talk about Sierra Leone together.

It has been great to have some college friend time too. I have some pretty amazing friendships that began in undergrad and that have just grown over the years. Some of us JBUers went out to hike in Boulder on Saturday. We also hit up the Celestial Seasonings factory for some free tea. If you weren't with us- we missed you!

Repeat After Me...

Fish are friends. Not food.

Day one with pets was a success. They went into the aquarium at 1:30. When I left at 3:30, they were still alive. We'll know more come Monday. Until then, let's hope they don't plan any great escapes.

Tomorrow Could Be Bad

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the day when live animals are entering my room, specifically fish. I have made it five and 1/2 years into teaching without having to deal with "pets" but that stops tomorrow.

I am freaked out.

They're fish you say. Yes, and I didn't even keep my cats.

But fish are low maintenance you retort. Yes, and they probably die easily.

Folks, there is a reason I have been a "No Pet Zone." When my students in the past have said, "Second grade has baby chicks." or "But they have a hamster up in fourth grade," I have replied with a "Won't that be fun when you get there" line.

Basically, I like to avoid the topic of death in Kindergarten. And having no pets greatly helps that plan.

However, the science curriculum calls for it. The fish are out in the hallway til tomorrow.

At least it's still a day away.