Update letter

I recently wrote a friend an update letter. It gave me a moment to reflect on my life more recently so I want to share. No worries more to come!

I am still going strong here in Nantes, it's my home. I may have chosen to come here randomly but there is nothing random with God. He was the one who brought me here and it's clear that this is where he wants me to stay for the moment. I am engaged in so many projects here that I feel like it's giving me a firm foot on the ground. I have moved around so much in the last 7 years and it's nice to feel planted. I see that there is a need for my gifts and I am finding more ways to use them. In my church, I get to serve using my social skills and artistic talents. I am apart of the GBU (Groupe biblique universitaire), which a student bible study I snuck into. I am praying and hoping that I can host a GBU bible study in home next semester. It's all in God's hand's because I don't have place, I am staying with a friend. I just have so many desires to serve and open my home to students. I am also on a team that organizes youth nights every couple months. It's called PULSE (Prière Unité Louange Service Édification) or (Prayer Unity Worship Service Edification). Our vision is basically to do all these five acts in our walk in Christ and encourage the youth in their faith. God is sneaky because he is making me a missionary in my local church and to students without me even realizing it. ;) I love it! What's really amazing is I love what I am doing and I am using my gifts. So for me this is all very natural. God is so faithful. I just sent in my paperwork for my long-stay visa. I am praying that it will be accepted and I won't have to get extensions anymore. Not having a visa and only extensions makes me feel not-quite-settled. I know this is where I should be so I have faith that God will finalize all the details.

I would like to add this image as a dedication to my friend Anne. You will be truly missed. Love you!

Holly, Anne, Ji, me

Always faithful

A new year is quickly speeding by. I am so thankful that I am still in Nantes, I have so much to be thankful for. This week has been tough because I am sick but I still try to count my blessings. I have a place to live, food to eat, great friends and more importantly I have a faith that doesn't disappoint. I know that it's sounds crazy but everyday I face difficult challenges. It's only by the grace of God that I can wake up each day and fight against hopelessness and discouragement. There is a force inside me that is so much stronger than anything I could imagine.

So what do I do with this gift? Well, I thank God daily. All my struggles are for a reason and I know that they push me towards the greater things yet to come. Whether you are a believer or not, this verse still remains true: the best is yet to come.

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" Philippians 3:13

Another quote I would love to share is one from a friend. I believe he has the same vision for his life. It just keeps getting better and better...

"There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind." C.S. Lewis
Don't look back, keep going...

Pondering mustache

Friends!

Good food

A place to lie down

Awkward

Happy December! It's been a long time since I have posted about my adventures in Nantes. I hope this one gives you some perspective and makes you feel a little uncomfortable...

Awkward. It's a word that we use in uncomfortable situations. At times I feel my life is surrounded by the awkward. For me, avoiding the awkwardness is almost impossible. Recently I have been trying to embrace the awkward. My friend Holly has a hand gesture to communicate that a situation is awkward. She is like me and finds herself in awkward moments all the time.

One day while I was walking to a restaurant, I held up my hand in the air for no reason. When we passed a bar while walking and this man waved at me. So I thought that I should wave back. The awkwardness came when we had to pass by the same place again only minutes later. I hoped he wouldn't come out.

More awkward moments:

-Strange frenchman hitting on me in bars, on the street or in other public areas..

-People staring when I speak english with my friends

-Giving the bises (kiss for greeting) but accidentally nose rubbing

-Inappropriate sex talk

-The french critiquing americans

-Little boys peeing in public without warning

-Men peeing in public like little boys

-Not knowing someone's name when they just said yours

-Brutal honesty: the bitter, honest truth (no one really wants to know)

-Fanny packs

-People noticing me sing out of tune

-Sweat pants

30 years of life

Yesterday, I celebrated my 30^th birthday. Most americans feel like the big 3-0 is daunting and bittersweet. The day of my birthday was neither. In fact, I had absolutely no expectations. I woke up as usual to have breakfast with Ji, then we read some bible verses, sung and prayed. I planned to have a normal day and do the activities I enjoy. I went to the market and had lunch with my friend Ophelie in a nice quite park across the street from her workplace. I did some work and then went to pick up Ayoub from school. He is one of my favorite men in my life right now. We learn english together and play. Did I mention he is 6 years old? After I left his home, I went across town to my favorite pizzeria to pick up dinner. I planned to dine with a few friends and eat some cake. It took an hour to get there and back home. I have no doubt that it was worth every minute. When I arrived home I found Holly and Ji with smiling faces. I was so excited. I hopped around while we prepared to eat. Ji made the salad and served the pizza. We ate, talked and laughed. A little while later Joseph came and then Anne. It was so lovely to be with friends.

Being in Nantes for my birthday was all I could ask for. All I wanted was to speak french and have good friends. My contentment was confirmed by the smiling faces and joy in the air. I could not have asked for a better birthday. The great news is there is more to come. This is not the end. I have arrived at another decade in my life and I cannot be more excited. I know that God has great plans for me. I may not know them completely but I know that I am on the right path. I have nothing but praises for this life that I honestly do not deserve. It's humbling to know. I have a peace in my heart that is unexplainable and for that reason I know it's not from me but from God. I have more than I could have ever wanted or asked for. I am truly amazed and impressed.

Le mot pour l'année: impressionné

Waiting

Waiting.

Have you ever felt like you were waiting for the unknown? The wait is so excruciatingly painful because you have no idea what could happen. You are in a line of one, no one is front or behind. You can hope and pray that the wait will be over soon because waiting is the worse part.

That describes my life right now. I am waiting for a sign of relief, of hope. What am I waiting for? For the french government to tell me whether or not I can stay in their country. It's the end and the beginning for me. The end of my student visa and the beginning of whatever else will come. Thinking of where I will be this coming year scares me. I have so few options because I have my heart set on staying in France. I want to help people here by creating a place where they can obtain information for learning english as well as connecting with the arts. My vision is to inform people and not force them to pay or struggle to gain knownlegde. I want to share my experiences of becoming culturally sensitive while finding my own cultural identity.

Everything I have learned up until this moment has been for a reason. I am writing a book of my experiences living among other cultures and finding my passion. I have been so inspired this last year with these projects. No matter what happens I know there is a great plan for me. I have faith that God will put all the pieces together.

For now I wait. I wait with hope and joy. Everything is for a reason and I know that God doesn't disappoint.

Small successes

It's always good to count every success in life no matter how small. My latest was simply mastering the chopsticks and not while eating (I got that down). They have mastered my hair (a.k.a. "the beast"). If you are looking at the photos and asking yourself: Are those chopsticks really holding Nia's hair? The answer is yes! They are still in my hair while writing this post. Miraculously they are still together. I can only imagine them breaking apart because "the beast" has an incredible strength, don't ask me where it came from. Honestly, I really don't work out that much. I have always wanted to wear chopsticks in my hair. So this has nothing to do with France, but it happened in France. I don't want any disappointed readers so here is a side note... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I am going to Vendee on Friday with a friend who is from there. I didn't know it was a region, I thought it was a city, which means I don't know exactly where I am going. A bunch of us will celebrate her 30th birthday with un grand fête. Le thême est autour le monde. I find this very ironic, therefore I look forward to participating.

Another success that I almost forgot to mention. This is for the spiritually minded but all can appreciate this. I prayed out loud twice during church. Normally everyone has the opportunity and I had the faith to prayer a scripture and say a few words. This scared me and made me shake, but it was so exhilarating to do because I know God helped me say the words. I know I have an accent but the success is being understood. A pat on the back for me. Trying new things is so exciting no matter where you are, especially doing the things that scare you. It's almost like we are meant to do them just to prove that fear cannot control us. ¡Caution! Use distinction because not everything is meant to be done, especially when people or animals may be harmed.

That's all for this week. The chopsticks are still holding so I will have to manually remove them.
Bises!

Un hérisson

Un hérisson (distant shot)

I have to begin this story with an image. There is always a good opportunity for a photo to tell the story instead of the storyteller. If the story is boring, at least, you get to see an interesting photo. I hope one or both facts are true in this case.

One day, I was in the garden and right before my eyes was a creature. I had only seen it in books, never in real life. I couldn't quite remember what it was called. I settled on porcupine because it had spikes. I watched the creature slowly walk from one side of our yard to the other. I noticed it was limping. It's leg was wounded, and I thought that maybe it had moved into our yard to seek refuge. Still I was in awe of the little creature that seemed to be kind and gentle (for a wild animal). I took the photos and then respected his privacy. I hoped that we would be friends, and that every now and then I would see him slowly roaming around. There is plenty to eat in our garden and I think life would be agreeable for any animal.

The next days went by fast and I forgot about our new neighbor. On the following Saturday, it was nice out so one of my housemates went to cut the grass. To his surprise he found the creature but not in the way I was hoping. All I remember was Annie, my other housemate, had said "Eric a tué un hérisson!" She was fleeing the scene with a disgusted looked on her face. From then on I realized that my friendship with the"porcupine" would not continue.

A few days after, I was reading a book with a little boy. The book had all kinds of animals and I found the creature. He wasn't a porcupine as I had thought, he was a hedgehog. Poor little hedgehog, he didn't have a chance living with us. I guess there is not safe place. I thought of a name for him, maybe it's my way of mourning. Mike. I would have called him Mike.

La Fin

Un hérisson (close up)