So I know it has been a while since I have updated my blog. So I will do my best to catch everyone up on what’s been going on!
November- Time was spent at Methodist Disneyland (aka Lake Junalaska) with the Connectional Table. I spent a few glorious days there relaxing and having meeting from sun up to sun down!!! Back in San Fran I continued to work on the development of an afterschool program that is scheduled to begin January 5th, 2010…hardly any time to plan but we’re making it work. Thanksgiving was spent with lovely friends out in Livermore, CA about a 45 minute BART (Bay Area Rapid Transpot) away. It was nice to be with my dear friend Amanda (from college at Eastern U) and to meet her husband James. We went to a family in her church’s house for dinner and it was great to get out of San Fran and just relax with an old friend.
December- More planning and more planning for this afterschool program. We began to interview families and enroll students. One thing that I still don’t understand is how this program that we’re offering here is free, while the families are more affluent than those in Chinatown…and the families in Chinatown have to pay tuition to attend the program. Tell me how that makes any sense city of San Fran…In addition to the work put in to the afterschool program the Chinatown afterschool program’s teacher and teacher’s assistants all took a trip to Tahoe, California. Yes there was much discussion between my mother and I as to whether I was in Nevada or in California. I assured her that I was still in California, but still to this day I don’t think she believes Tahoe is in California…Anyways, so we took a nice 4+ hour ride to Tahoe through about 1-3 feet of newly falling snow. It was great to be back in the driver’s seat of a car! Oh how i missed it. The snow was intense! Nothing like snow in NJ. I mean I have seen snow, but I haven’t seen snow like that in a LONG time. It was a great weekend…there were a few hiccups along the way and some learning about things I did not understand, but I made it through. I still may not understand them, but eh it’s over and differences are what makes the world beautiful.
So later in the month, we had our annual AWRC Christmas party where all the Parent Child Program (PCP) kids and their parents and the TA’s go to a party at Far East (where else) and enjoy a visit from Santa, some performances by classes, and get this LINE DANCING to Michael Jackson’s Billy Jean. I believe that last part will make Michael turn over in his grave, but hey…it seems that the Chinese LOVE line dancing. It was quite interesting…Fun though…
Oh and then the 22nd came around…and do we all know what that means??? I WENT HOME TO NJ FOR CHRISTMAS!!! I have never been more incredibly happy to go home in my entire life! I had the LONGEST flight ever…here let me recap, San Fran to Houston- Houston to Chicago- Chicago to Cleveland- Cleveland to Philadelphia…yes that is 4 flights my friends…it was well spent relaxing and hanging with my family. It was nice to be in my home church for Christmas Eve service and to be with my mom! I had a lovely get together with my friends at my house on Sunday. It was great to see friends that I hadn’t seen in forever!
As soon as I got back to San Fran I was busy busy busy!!! We were only a few days away from beginning our afterschool program- The Learning Place. At the agency we were also preparing for our United Way Benefit DInner/Gala. This dinner is a collaborative effort between 12 agencies in the San Francisco area. Every agency contributes something towards the event and in the end all of them share in the profits from the dinner.
New Years Eve I worked until 6 as it was not a half day for us. I went down to the Cheesecake Factory to get some take out to ring in the New Year. Yes, i am pathetic but the Red Velvet Cheesecake was definitely not, it so DELISH!!! Spent the evening trying not to fall asleep before 12 AM. Man, does this mean I am getting old? Ha.
SO the New Year has now rung in and I’m thinking that things are going to be better than the last. I am letting go of old baggage and looking to the new opportunities that I will have this new year. Things to come are great like Exec DMYP Table Meeting in Feb, NOLA/BR in March, Philippines in April, Brother’s wedding in June, and Germany in July!
So please keep praying for me and my work out here in San Francisco. Things are not always easy and the culture is definitely challenging. I am lonely sometimes while I am out here as I haven’t made any real friends that live close by. So please continue to pray for strength and patience. Love to you all.
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- Snow snow snow!!!
