I Lie, So Sue Me

So, by tomorrow I really meant 7 days later. Whoops.

This is our living/dining room...except you can't really see the "dining area," but its like bathrooms...you've seen one, you've seen them all.  Also, notice the piano.  I don't play, but it adds class and my housemates do.

I'm pretty sure our kitchen is wonderful and actually has a dishwasher!

Last but not least, my bedroom.  Now this was taken with my computer, so you need to use your imagination with this photo.  Everything is actually backwards, so yeah.  My bed is the unoccupied one and that's my roommate Allison...she's A+ material.  Also, in case you were wondering...those are sheets on our windows.  We enjoy living in a non-light existent cave.  

Nelson and Winnie Mandela House

House pictures for the curious!  Inside pictures to be posted tomorrow.

Front of house. Followed by backyard view of 20 by 40 foot garden with lots of veggies and produce, apple trees, and blackberry bushes.  Finally, also in backyard, plum trees and giant tractor tires

Here comes the part I know that you really want to hear about...Tacoma.

I arrived in Seattle/Tacoma late on Friday night after a remarkably uneventful flight from Minneapolis.  In the 15 minutes prior to landing I was able to see Mt. St. Helen's, Mt. Rainier, the Puget Sound, and one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.  After arriving at my new house I almost immediately went to bed and slept in as long as I could. 

Saturday was a rather sleepy day with my housemates arriving periodically throughout the day.  In case you didn't know, I live with three other girls (Molly, Allison, and Alayna) and two guys (Ian and Mike) in a wonderful four bedroom house literally a hop, skip, and jump away from both an Albertson's grocery store and Lutheran church (the home is actually owned by the church).  Most of Saturday was spent taking walks around our neighborhood in order to get used to the surroundings, unsuccessfully trying to make my body adjust to the Pacific Time Zone, and meeting an older Lutheran lady named J.B. who welcomed us to  the church that we live next to by busting our chops about volunteering in places "that put the tax dollars into the hands of the city and the people have no say."  Haha. We think this means that she likes us...maybe?  

Oh yeah, and I found a purple and yellow 2 story house that looks like a box...literally.  We met the owner/builder Steve, who informed us that this house was his first building project and it was a box house.  He also pointed out the boards on the windows which were a result of not using a leveler, so nothing matched up.  I liked Steve.  He was shirtless, chubby, and had a case of the startled shakes, but he was nice.  

Now we come to Sunday Sunday.  Allison (or Al...she's my roommate) followed the advice of Google search and visited a local church close by our house.  Let's just say that I will now be switching to Bing search engines.  I really enjoyed the people, but overall, no thanks.  However, on the bright side, we got to go to a BBQ at American Lake in a nearby city about 15 minutes outside of Tacoma.  It was hosted by the LSC's (Lutheran Support Committee) that look after us.  It was an evening of skipping stones with kids, chasing ducks, lots of people meeting, and touring rooftop gardens (to keep away the deer!).  

Pictures: Molly in the garden and the lake.

Today was spent on a city tour with our LSC leader, Ray.  We learned that our house is located in the area of the city that is considered "disputed gang territory between the Bloods and the Crips."  Sorry Mom and Dad!  It is comforting to learn though that neither are prevalent in the area because it doesn't actually belong to either.  Not to worry because our doors are always locked and we live in a very public location.

The city is awesome and filled with hills that may kill me if I attempt to ride a bicycle down them.  I got to see some Tacoma must-see tourist attractions.  For example, Stadium High School (as seen in 10 Things I Hate About You) or as Ray referred to it as "Stay Dumb and High School."  We also saw Pt. Defiance which is is a park on the Puget Sound that is 2nd in the nation in terms of public parks.  It follows Central Park in New York, no big deal.  Finally, it was clear enough to see Mt. Rainier!  

I really could go on about today, but its getting quite late and I am spending the day in Seattle!   

Pictures: "Clear Rainier" and "Blue Rainier" and the Puget Sound (look closely)

From the Mall of America to the Puget Sound

Hello All!  I am writing to you from my new home in Tacoma, Washington!

However, before I get to Tacoma, let me update you on this past week....

From the 20th till the 25th I was in St.Paul/Minneapolis, MN for LVC Orientation.  Basically, my days began at 7:00am (blah) and lasted until about 8:00pm and were quite busy.  Our days were spent with learning about the Lutheran Volunteer Corps as an organization, ways to live in intentional community, anti-racism training, and so on.  I appreciated the time that was spent at Orientation, but there were a lot of times that I would have rather been elsewhere.

However, well I was in the Twin Cities I was able to make a pilgrimage to the heartland of American consumerism, the Mall of America.  It was everything that I thought it would be...overwhelming, huge, and filled with hundreds of stores that (while unnecessary) were an experience.  It was 4 levels of shopping extravaganza with each wing decorated in a different manner and a Nickelodeon amusement park in the center.  For example. the wing with stores like Coach, Burberry, and Hugo Boss was very classy with floor to ceiling white decoration (paint, tiles, etc) and very brightly lit.  In contrast, some of the areas with bars and restaurants was lower lighting, darker paint, and carpet.  Overall, it was an adventure and yet another item to check off my bucket list.

What's to Come: An Overview

Greetings!  As you may or may not know, I will be spending the next 11 months living and volunteering in Tacoma, Washington with the Lutheran Volunteer Corps.  This is a simple and sustainable non-profit organization that is dedicated to spreading faith, living in intentional community, and servitude.  I will be placed at an organization called the Nativity House.  NH is a day shelter for the homeless peoples of Pierce County.  I will be serving as a "Staff Member" which basically means that I will be building personal relationships with guests, offering counseling services, cooking and serving meals, helping with a street newspaper, exploring art therapy, and whatever else happens to occur that day.

This upcoming year will be like nothing I have ever experienced.  There is no doubt that it will be filled with laughter and love, but also tears and sadness.  I have never had to spend this much consecutive time away from the people that I care about the most.  However, I am excited about the growing of self and my relationship with God that I am confident I will experience.  So, I have one simple request for whomever decides to read and or follow this.  I ask that myself, my housemates, and my placement be kept in your prayers.  And this will not be a one-way street relationship.  I can guarantee that you will also be in mine.

I will let you know how Orientation goes.

Blessings!