on the eve of my birthday

Tomorrow I finish up the last of my finals.
Tomorrow I complete my undergrad classes.
Tomorrow is my 22nd birthday.
Tomorrow's date is also 12.12.12.
Guess what that means?
Tomorrow is going to be EPIC.
And I, my friends, will be the Princess.

However, I am one really lucky girl
because my friends and family are all
spread out throughout the country now
but soon they will all start to trickle home.
And when they do we will continue to
celebrate my birthday - over and over again!
Can you say birthday month?!! :)
I am one happy and excited princess!

miss pouty face

Today marks the end quite a bittersweet week.

No more undergraduate classes for this girl.

No more working for Admissions every week.
No more homeschooling precious littles either.
My life has completely changed over night...

[Freeze: I feel like these years just flew by!

so the fact that I have to admit that I'm old

enough to be leaving college is absurd to me.]

But this means that now I get to go out and

apply everything my wise and caring professors

have taught me over the past 3.5 years next semester.

I am not graduating (that is officially on May 18!),

but I won't be coming to my beautiful campus everyday.

I will drive to a new school and be the teacher

to a bunch of littles that are all looking at me now!

And to best honest... I. Cannot. Wait!!!

But today I'm a little sad because even though I'm 

running on less than four hours of sleep I am still

able to acknowledge great education when I see it. 

And I have received a great education! I can feel it too.

My professors and peers have changed every fiber in me.

Whaattt?! I know it sounds crazy but I'm truly a better

person because of the education that I received here.

So tonight as I crawl into bed nice and early,

I will say an extra thanks to God for allowing me

to study under some of the most incredible people.

And I will thank Him for bringing me to a school that

has completely transformed my life and heart through

the wonderful people He brought into my life.

ten am

For over three years I have spent the ten o'clock hour of

every single Monday, Wednesday and Friday surrounded
by my closest friends, classmates, professors, visitors, and
the other wonderful people who keep my school ticking.
We stand and sit around a decent sized room for an hour.
We laugh, cry, sing, talk, pray, rejoice, and come together.
We are one community of believers around these parts and
we support one another in astonishing ways during this hour.

I have seen my professors at their lowest points in life.
I have seen my friends glow at their highest points in life.
I have been a part of hundreds of voices crying out "why?"
I have been a part of hundreds of prayers saying "thanks."

I have taken this hour three times a week for granted.
This opportunity is one that I will never experience again
in quite the same way after this week is over.
I will move off campus and begin the next chapter of life.
I will begin to teach in various classrooms, and instead
of walking into a chapel at ten am I will most likely
be teaching children something incredibly interesting and fun.

But a part of me will always be in that chapel at ten am because
that is where I really got to know my professors and peers.
We were completely transparent and raw with one another.
We came together in a way that is so rare in life.


Today I prepare to hear our President talk to us for the final
time this semester about how to be a cairn in someone else's life
or how to look back in life and see the cairns built by others.
I will sing, pray, laugh, and listen with everyone around me.
I'll leave the chapel different (in a good way) from when I walked in
because that is the impact that it has on me - every single time.

And I'm so grateful for the lessons I have soaked in over the years.

They have truly changed my life in more ways than I can list.

rain, wind, and trees

We're all aware of the fact that Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast.
All my friends and family are safe, and I'm so thankful for that.
I have been happy about not having school for the past few days though!
We did have some casualties though... some trees of our went down.
But thankfully this 35' tree fell away from the back of our house.

So many people are still trying to recover from the storm, especially NJ.
Keep them in your prayers, friends. They could really use them.

make kids smile

Last year I posted about Operation Christmas Child.
Well it is that time of year again and I am starting to buy
some goodies and pack up shoe boxes to send to kids!!
I want to encourage you all to get involved this year.
Take that coffee or fun spending money one week and
go to the dollar store or Target and buy some fun stuff :)
You will change the life of a child forever! Oh and don't
forget to put a picture of yourself in the box. They love it!
Watch this video if you need a little more convincing and
wait until you see these kids smile. They melt your heart.



Go make some kids smile :)

fall color palette

I love fall colors and smells.

The colors of the leaves.

The smell of wood burning.

The colors of fall clothing.

The smell of looking adorable.

So it is really really all about

the rich colors of fall that get me.

I love fall activities but you cannot

do them without looking adorable!

Tips for looking adorable this fall:

1. Layers: cardigans, sweaters, and jackets.

2. Textures: sweaters, cardigans, and scarves.

3. Prints: stripes, floral, animal print, and tribal.

4. Accessories: jewelry, scarves, belts, and nails.

5. Boots: anklets, tall boots, and everything in between.

Better believe that I am fully embracing these fall clothing tips

and I will definitely be posting some pictures soon!

Below are my absolute favorite colors!

They are even great to mix and match together. Enjoy!

mid-semester slump

It is that time in the semester when midterms are just about over
and the second half of the semester has quickly come upon us.
A lot of times this means that girls and guys stop trying to look
nice for each other and start just being comfortable and warm.

Well my friends, I want to urge you to not allow yourself to
fall into the mid-semester slump and keep looking adorable.

How? Why? Is is really necessary?
It's simple. It's worth it. Yes.

Scenario #1: 
You stay up late to write papers and read books.
Your alarm doesn't goes off and you're running late to class.
[Happens to me at least once a week. I still look cute.]

Outfit:
Jeans, a plain tshirt, scarf, and boots. Time: 1 minute
Hair:
Side braid or rock the natural look. Time: 0 - 2 minutes.
Makeup:
Mascara, eyeliner, lip balm, and a hint of bronzer. Time: 1 minute.
Total time: about 5 minutes. Now that isn't so hard is it?!

Scenario #2:
You are freezing and don't want to get out of bed in the morning.
[Happens to me on a daily basis. I still never wear sweatpants.]

Outfit:
Jeans and an knit sweater or tshirt and cardigan. Time: Under a minute.
Hair:
Bun, braid, or whatever you have time for. Time: Varies.
Makeup:
The basics- mascara, eyeliner, blush, and lip balm. Time: 2 minutes.
Total time: about 5 minutes. Again, not so bad!

Okay so notice the trend? The basics don't take that long.
Throwing on a tshirt or sweater with an accessory like a scarf
or a long necklace with a cute braid or bun goes a long way and
it takes little to no time at all. Obviously, if you obsess over your
hair or makeup it will take you longer but it is possible to do quickly!

Today I woke up at 7:29am. I had to be out of my house at 7:30am.
I was able to shower, get dressed (business casual) and put makeup on!
Oh plus get coffee and pack my lunch of course.
Guess how long it took me? 23 minutes. No lie. Ask my mom.

I was in the car turning my key to start the engine after 23 minutes.
What did I sacrifice? A hot shower. Mine was freezing.
I am blessed with naturally wavy hair so throwing it in a bun works
and then I let it down when I get to my destination and [bam!] it's cute!

Even though I woke up late, skipping class or 
wearing sweats was never an option.
As a senior, I believe that it is even more 
important to look my best at all times.
I'm sitting under professors with doctorates
and head out to student teach in 3 months. 
So looking like a slob is not going to convey 
to my professors that I am serious about 
teaching or that I'm a professional person. 
And both are important when looking for a job!

Tips: 
Play around with your makeup and hair when you have free time.
This will ensure that you know the easiest and most important things
to apply and do. I have to put on eyeliner and mascara everyday,
but some of you might prefer eye shadow and bronzer instead.
Likewise, I can rock my natural hair most days but some of you
might need to straighten it or pull it back. Know your hair.

And for those random guys reading this, I love you all and thanks
for sticking with me through all of this! But wearing a nice tshirt
and jeans can go a long way. Polos are always a win in my book!

At the end of the day, wearing sweatpants to class will actually only 
hurt your performance in class as well as your reputation.

more on professionalism another day...

PS. I wore a sweatshirt ONE day to class last year and was called
out by so many people that I will never do that again. true fact.

be kind

top tweets

Check out last week's top tweets along with these babies:)
And please follow me on twitter - you won't regret it!

1. You think that your so funny when you bash people by name on twitter, but we all think you're an ass and hope you get called out #truth
2. I guarantee you that professors talk about us as much as we talk about them #newsflash
3. Dear people in cars, we can see you so please watch what you do because I am embarrassed for you. Love everyone #awkward
4. I'm wearing pink to celebrate the fact that this year October 3rd is a Wednesday!!! #ultimateday #NationalMeanGirlsDay
5. I just told my class about the time I was traumatized when I rode an elephant and it almost threw me off #throwback

Sorry that I haven't been around enough this week. But I hope you have a wonderful Friday and check back this weekend for some rockin' posts!

living with the ring intro

So people have been wondering about the tab
"Living with the Ring"

First things first, I am not engaged.
And don't have plans on being engaged soon.
*Gasps*Shocks*Screams*Gasps*
I can officially say I plan to graduate college ring-less.

So why have part of my blog titled Living with the Ring?!
Well my roommate is engaged and I have so many
friends who are engaged right now as well...
so I am literally living with lots of rings all around me.

This part of the blog will be all about the funny stories,
the horror stories, tips on what to do next, where to look
for the latest wedding ideas, and so much more brought
to you by me and my other friends living with rings as well!

All stories will be anonymous and coming from many sources.
So sit back and enjoy all the stories that are to follow! :)

top tweets

So for those of you who aren't on twitter, I want to bring you some of my top tweets from this week! I am loving twitter more and more each day! And it keeps getting better as more of my friends start using it and speaking their minds. So if you're on twitter - follow me and if you're funny or cool then I'll follow back. Enjoy friends :)

My tweets:
1. Security acts like they are the FBI around here. You're working for a small Christian college. Not the government. Get a life.
2. Why are people so awkward?! Just give the girl a peck goodbye instead of eating her face. You'll live for 50 minutes until you see her again
3. Why do people sit in class for an hour holding their backpacks? Why dont you stay awhile and maybe take notes
4. Telling a bunch of college students to shush is not the way to 1. gain their respect and 2. model good classroom management #getmeouttahere
5. Awkward student central up in here #getmeouttahere

Check out my twitter feed and then click on my favorites to see some of my favorite tweets from this week! I want to get permission from these folks in the future to post their tweets on here so stay tuned for some awesome stuff because my friends are so funny :)

i believe...

I have seen a few posts around the blogosphere that have been entitled "what i believe..." and I felt like today would be a good day to write about this because it's rainy and I'm stuck inside.

I believe in making a wish at 11:11, when I blow my candles out, and on a shooting star. Because even though I'm not 5 anymore, saying my wishes to myself makes me remember what it is like to be a kid again. However, it also reminds me of what my dreams are in life.

I believe in retail therapy. Now don't go thinking that I'm all materialistic because I'm not. I like to buy things for others as well as myself. But sometimes retail therapy is the best way to get over my crisis and I believe wholeheartedly that sometimes a new pair of shoes, a necklace, a new scarf, or a gift for a friend is the only way to break out of my funk. Oh, and it benefits my wardrobe and no girl can complain about that.

I believe in education. I might think that America's education system is not the best way to educate our children, but I still think that education is essential. I believe that reading to your children is the best way to jump start their education. I believe that good teachers make the world go round. I believe in higher education because there is always more for you to learn. I believe that educating yourself in basically every general area is something that is priceless and you will never regret. And if you want to learn a little more about our education system and the areas that I believe need to be changed in order to help our children, watch Waiting for Superman. 

I believe that facebook is out and twitter is in. Get with the times friends.

I believe in keeping in classy. Girls need to stop thinking that more is better and calm it down. Our culture keeps telling girls that fewer morals and more skin is the way to a boy's heart. Well I want to let you know that I landed my man with plenty of morals and tons of skin covered. It is possible - promise! So keep it classy ladies because everyone around you will thank you and you will love yourself more for it.

I believe in running. Healthy body + healthy mind + healthy habits = healthy life.

I believe that passive aggressiveness is one of the worst traits a person can possess. I keep my distance from it because I believe in being direct and honest (and being nice about it too).

I believe that there is always a Karen in every group. - Dane Cook

I believe in friendship. I cannot imagine my life without my best friends. The ones who have stuck with me through thick and thin - they are family to me and I would do anything for them. I'm one of those people who will stand by my friends and be loyal to a tee. However, I'll be real and honest with my friends - always. Just ask them.

I believe in family and that home is where the heart is.

I believe that fresh air, salt water, and sand between my toes can fix any problem.

I believe that traveling is a priceless investment. I have traveled a lot and have some big plans coming up! Traveling is something that is extremely priceless because there is nothing more exciting than experiencing the culture, customs, food, language, and sights of a faraway land. I encourage everyone to get a passport and get outside of your country. There are 6 other continents and over 100 countries that you can visit - do it. Live life and make friends all around the world. You will never regret it!

I believe that Wawa is a little piece of Heaven.

And above all things, I believe in love. - Moulin Rouge

what do you want

I want to through this out there for you all:
are there any topics, questions, ideas that
you want me to post about or answer?!

Let me know :)

P.S. It feels and smells like fall outside. I'm happy!
My boots are feeling the love now after being
tucked away in my closet for way too long.

national singles week

[Note: travelling to Indiana, friends, family, papers, and random internet connection are to blame for this being a day late. So sorry.]

You read it right - this week is national singles week.
And even though I'm not single, just dating a handsome guy,
I know that going to 13 weddings every summer is kind of
a drag when you are on the very single market.

The reason why I wanted to bring this up is because
1. it is NOT the end of the world to be single and
2. the weekend is around the corner aka game time!

So number one...it is not the end of the world to be single.
Here are the top 3 reasons why being single is great:
1. You get to do what you want when you want.
2. You get to spend your money on who you want (aka you).
3. You have plenty of time to be with your friends.

Being single at my school is hard. I have never been single
in college so I don't completely know how it feels,
but I see with my own eyes that it is really tough.
People around me get engaged at 18/19 and married at 21/22.
So pretty much if you graduate college without a ring or two you're
an old maid and everyone asks when you want to settle down.
What?! There is nothing weird about not settling down at 22.
And you are definitely not alone. There are lots of single people.

You are young and beautiful/handsome and have a whole life to live.
Get out there and date different people. Take your time. Live life.
It is really not the end of the world to be single...you will live - promise.

So number two...the weekend is around the corner aka game time.
So you are single and you want to get out there. Meet people. Have fun.
Don't put any pressure on yourself or others - be you and let loose.
Go somewhere fun and new and up and coming to meet new people.
Put yourself out there to have fun and don't worry about turning it
into a relationship or anything complicated because that's silly.


My mom encouraged me go on dates and have fun with guys in
high school and have friends that were guys. It was one of the best
pieces of advice she game me because I wasn't tied down and I lived!
No guy 'owned' me and I called all my shots. Obviously I gave that up
(and it was hard) to start dating a wonderful guy but I knew the
type of guy I wanted to date before we were boyfriend and girlfriend.
I had fun and I will never regret my single, wild, and free years!


3 Awesome Facts about American Singles:
1. 22% of Americans were single in 1950. Now over 50% are single.
Commitment issues and too many fish in the sea have played into this.
With the divorce rate on the rise, more people are hesitate to get married.
2. For every 100 single women there are 89 single men.
3. 62% of people who are single over 18 have never been married.

So happy National Singles Week friends!
Respect yourself. Love yourself. Be single. Have fun. Life life.

PS. I have single friends if you want date one ;)

what's new around here

Well friends... I'm sure you've notice some changes around here!

I want to bring in up to speed on the new updates.

First things first, the crew that made this possible:

These two really helped me with every aspect of my relaunch.

Thank you Mike and Eric for making my vision possible!

Secondly, my blog's name: the NEW URL -

alittlethisthatblog.blogspot.com

Make sure you update the link so you come here!

There is a blog that is alittlethisthat.blogspot.com

but if you go there - you'll end up at some

thirty something year old man's site.

Make sure you have it right! I don't wanna lose anyone.

My about me and contact information are also updated.

I have a new email to match the blog's url so make that switch too!

Sorry for all the changes but it is easier to just switch it now.

You have probably noticed some interesting links on the right.

Well all but two of them are linked up to old posts that fit the category.

The other two will be coming very soon! Sorry no hints though.

Look around and check back tomorrow to see...

what our nation is celebrating this week!

The Freshman Twenty

We all know about the awful freshman twenty.
Which has replaced the freshman fifteen for like years now.

The freshman twenty hangs over every freshman's head.
Whether you want to admit it or not - it probably happened to you.
And around the magic number of twenty, you started to freak out.

Wait, I think we're talking about 2 different things.
You are probably thinking of gaining weight - right?!
Ohh. My bad. I'm actually talking about DATING.

You heard me. I'm talking about the freshman twenty
in regards to how many DAYS girls and guys feel like
they have from when college starts until they should
meet and start dating The One.

So before we talk more about the freshman twenty,
we need to talk about what happened to the freshman fifteen.

.....................................................................................................
Commitment. Options. Opportunities. Threats.

Each day there are more and more opportunities that present themselves to us as being the best one. You walk into a coffee shop and there are many different flavors. But then you see the manager's choice blend, the new blend, and the customer's favorite blend; all three options are the best to someone, so which one do you pick? You are 17 years old and looking at colleges. Each one you visit and look into gives you the same pitch about being the place for you to attend.

Dating is not much different.

Boys: You look at the girls in the cafeteria and you always think that the next one to walk past your table is prettier, more spiritual, smarter, or more likely to earn millions than the girl that is sitting next to you.

Girls: You are browsing through various guys' twitter accounts and think that the next one you go to is going to be funnier, more godly, handsomer, or more likely to score the winning touchdown at Saturday's game than the last boy.

There are too many options. This leads to a lack of commitment from boys and girls. So the freshman fifteen is simply not enough time to pick the one. This is one reason why society has been forced to add almost an entire week to the process.

There are also more opportunities that await you once you reach college. There are opportunities to be involved in drama, sports teams, the school newspaper, and other clubs. Well each opportunity unlocks a new batch of girls and guys to meet and get to know before settling down on the one. There are simply too many events to attend and people to meet in fifteen days; therefore, twenty days is required in order to determine if he or she has been found.

Needless to say, the one is becoming harder to locate and date within fifteen to twenty days because of all these threats. Kids these days are born with commitment issues. No one ever has to commit to anything because there is always something new and more exciting that is coming out soon or just around the corner. And if you do decide to commit to something, there is no shame in abandoning the person a few weeks into the relationship when things get rocky because there is someone out there that is sure to be more agreeable.

The problem is that freshman twenty is a real feeling that young people experience because everyone (or a good majority of everyone) wants to tell their children that mommy and daddy met the first __(event,class,week)__ of college. So there are hunters out there, but now we have all of these variables in the mix which lead many people to remain single past the freshman twenty deadline.

So in the twenty-first century, American college students have officially moved out of the freshman fifteen and into the freshman twenty. How long will this last?! That my friends, is the question. Can you commit to the one in the first twenty days of freshman year? That is the answer. [note: answers may vary]

And once you commit to the one - this is what happens next.

Note: If you start college while dating your high school sweetheart, the freshman twenty will be a time period where you completely pick apart your relationship and determine your level of commitment and seriousness because the days are ticking and your true and only one may be whisked away by another boy or girl.

relaunch coming soon

This little blog will be relaunched soon :) It will be epic. New style. New ideas. Same ole me.
Check back next week to see the new blog!

Rwanda Update: One week left!

Hi friends! Here is my most recent update! Enjoy :)

It has been a whirlwind of a week for me! My mom was able to update everyone on the car accident I was involved in Monday morning. I greatly appreciate all of your prayers! I am doing much better today after resting for the last two days. My neck and shoulder are still stiff and sore and I do have occasional headaches but nothing serious so I am beyond thankful for that. God definitely had his hand over me and the others in the accident because no one was seriously injured and the accident had the potential to be very bad. I am also reminded how God has blessed me with great people around me, near and far, to help me through the last few days! Thank you again for all your prayers. They mean the world to me!

The truck that rear-ended our car sending us into the car in front of us! And yes the amount of stuff in this truck is illegal because he never had a shot at stopping!

Okay on to the happy stuff! I spent a fantastic weekend in Gesinyi with Pangras and his family. He has four children, three boys and one girl, and I can honestly say that they are family to me now. Noheli is the oldest and he works for ALARM in Kigali so he became my travel companion and big brother over the weekend. Saturday I had the honor of meeting Celestin and Pangras’ mother. She is the mother and grandmother of some of my dearest Rwandan friends and family! She was such a humble and amazing woman. She wants me to learn Kinyarwanda because she is too old to learn English! We had a great hour together! Below is a picture of me and Mama J

Gesinyi is in the western part of the country and it definitely brings a new meaning to “Rwanda: Land of 1000 hills!” It is absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking as you wind in and out of the hills. I was able to spend the rest of the day out in Gesinyi with Noheli and Danny (the youngest in the family). They took me to Lake Kivu (picture below), the market, and their favorite local restaurant where we spent the afternoon and evening with many of their friends! I met so many wonderful people. It was so great to just get away and relax for the weekend and enjoy the beauty of the land and the people J

Sunday morning Pangras took me on an hour ride on dirt roads and through the hills to his church. There are many different sister churches that have all stemmed from the main church. We visited a sister church on Saturday but attended church at the main church. There are about 1000 members of this church alone. It was a worship service so it was about 4 hours of singing! It was so amazing to hear a thousand voices filling the thousand hills of Rwanda. We sang and danced for hours together! We enjoyed a wonderful meal with Pangras and his family after church, and then we made the hour ride back down all of the hills to the bus station where Noheli and I took the bus back to Kigali. Below are pictures of the church with Pangras and some of his family and hills around Lake Kivu!

I can’t believe I have less than a week left here! The teachers and the girls are so amazing and I can’t believe that I have been able to spend a month here teaching and loving them. They keep telling me that I need to move here so I can teach with them all the time. In the pictures below: Amani the English teacher showing off his style! Silvey (French teacher), me, and Noa (Biology and Chemistry teacher)! And then me and Claire (the Kinyarwanda and Swahili teacher)! These are just some of the teachers J

Thanks again for all of your prayers! I can’t believe how amazing this opportunity is and how blessed I am to be enjoying God’s creation and people here in Rwanda. I want to share a Bible verse that I came across during my devotions this past week. It is a good reminder to me about why I’m here and that my flesh will get tired but God will always provide me with strength when I am doing His work!

Galatians 6:9-10

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at a proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

And I will close with another quote that comes from a song I heard while I was here. I love this song because it reminds me over and over again that my hands and my heart are to serve God in everything I do because I have given my life to Him!
 “Two hands. One heart. One life to offer you.”

I hope you are all doing well J Thanks for all your thoughts, prayers, and support that you each continue to give me! I look forward to seeing all of you when I return home in a week.

God Bless,

Uwitonze Keza Kelsey

This is Maja! She’s my roommate and dear friend who I’ve been staying and teaching with at IWE J

Rwanda Update: Half way

This update was from last week:

Hello everyone!

Well, I have reached my halfway point in this trip. Every single day I wake up and thank God for this opportunity because it truly has been life changing. He has blessed with a wonderful roommate, housekeeper, friends and new family! Everyone here has been loving on me just as much as I am loving on them. I can honestly say that I have a Rwandan family now J

I continue to be amazed at how quickly the teachers and girls are picking up English. Before I arrived, Maja (my roommate) informed me that most of the teachers never spoke English. Today I can officially say that all of them can speak and understand English incredibly well. They are still learning each and every day but they are smiling and hopeful because of their new English skills. They soak up everything Maja and I can give them in a day and we go home completely exhausted. Yesterday, one of the teachers, Silivia, took me to get my nails done at a local salon. I was able to get a full manicure and pedicure for less than $2! She has been the most timid with her English but held an awesome conversation with me all afternoon. We are very close in age so it is nice for her to have me around! We’ve become very close in the last two weeks! The teachers have been wonderful to me and today they informed me that they will cry very hard when I have to leave them. They say that they don’t know what they will do at IWE without Maja and me when we leave. I really have made some amazing friends here and look forward to joining many of the teachers for dinner at their homes in the upcoming week!

The girls are also learning a lot of English. However, it is common in many African cultures that when someone asks you if you understand something that you rely yes because you want to please the person. It can become very frustrating as a teacher who doesn’t speak their language because sometimes I never know if they really understand a word, phrase or concept because they tell me they do but then cannot use the words or perform the task. One of our main goals has been giving the girls success experiences in order to boost their confidence when speaking English. Maja and I have been bringing fun games and songs into the classroom to teach them more English words and vocabulary. The girls are definitely much bolder with their English than ever before! Many of them can even hold lengthy conversations with me throughout the day. They have also been teaching me a lot about their culture! I am able to hold small conversations in Kinyarwanda and can even sing a few songs. They are very impressed!

I am looking forward to a long three day weekend in the North Western past of Rwanda this upcoming weekend! I will spend time with some family friends in Gisenyi near Lake Kiva. Celestin is the president of ALARM Inc., the organization that runs IWE and who I am here with, and I will be staying at the home of his brother, Pangress, this weekend. My parents and brother met Pangress back in 2005 when they were here so I am excited to meet him as well! Lake Kiva is a huge tourist spot in Rwanda and I’ve heard that it is just beautiful! Many of the teachers from IWE were born out in Gisenyi and have told me many wonderful things about the area.

Please, continue to pray for strength and wisdom as I move into the last two weeks of my adventure here in Rwanda. I’ve had some trouble sleeping at night because even though it is the dry season it still rains periodically. The rain storms here are very intense, and trying to sleep in a house with a tin roof in the middle of a monsoon is pretty much impossible! And if the rain isn’t keeping me up, the crows are! They are so incredibly loud on the roof and they scare me to death sometimes. So please pray that I will get some much needed rest! Also pray for safety as I travel a lot in the next few days. Finally, pray that God will continue to bless IWE and that the teachers will continue to change the lives of these girls everyday! I truly love every minute of it and am so blessed to see God working in the lives of the teachers and students at IWE.

Thank you all for the support, love and prayers!

Kelsey (Uwitonze Keza)

I wrote this quote on my journal so I see it every day and wanted to share it with you all. It has reminded me every single day that God is my strength and I’m here to be His hands and feet!

“When I fail to pray, the best I can do is the best I can do. I forfeit my spiritual potential. But when I pray, the best I can do is no longer the best I can do. The best I can do is the best God can do.”

Rwanda Update!

Hi everyone!

I am sorry that it has taken this long to actually write to you but my motto here tends to be “This is Africa!” And for those of you who are unfamiliar with that motto, it means anything can happen at any point and you just have to go with it. Time and material aspects do not run this culture – the people do! I attempted to get on the internet at a local hotel earlier this week a few times but was informed that the internet throughout the entire country is down. I’m not sure how that is possible, but “This is Africa!” I’m going to make this update as detailed as possible since I don’t know when I’ll be able to send another one and I want all of you to know what is going on in my life here in Rwanda.

 

(Me outside my African house in Rwamagana)

I landed in Kigali and met ALARM’s country representative, Benjamin, at the airport Saturday night. I later met up with my roommate and fellow teacher, Maja, and her daughter, Charissa. Maja has been teaching at IWE (Institute of Women’s Excellence) for a month now and I am living with her near the school. Charissa has been in Rwanda for almost 3 years because she was involved in the Peace Corps and then was offered a teaching job at a school in Kigali but she’s heading back to America for good next week. It was great to be in Kigali with them because they know the lay of the land. Sunday I was able to go to church with Benjamin at a local school that trains teachers. Then Charissa showed me around Kigali. We walked around so I could take in city life in Rwanda and then I was able to buy a phone. Phones seem to be almost more important here than in America sometimes because that is the only way to communicate with people and since “this is Africa” people are never where they say they will be at the time they wanted to be there. Most people don’t have access to the internet so phones really become the way to get in touch with people. I’m very thankful to have a phone since apparently the internet goes down country wide out here and communication with all of you is important!

(The path up the the school)

I arrived safely in Rwamagana and visited the school Monday. Thaddy is the Chaplain at the school and Theopiste is the head mistress. They declared themselves to be my African parents while I am here and have taken such good care of me! They gave me the name Uwitonze (wit-tone-z) which means gentle and kind and the teachers gave me the name Keza (key-za) which means beautiful baby girl or young girl. So they call me Uwitonze keza Kelsey or one of those three now! They gave me a tour of the school and later made sure I was safe and comfortable at home by checking on my throughout the day Monday and Tuesday! IWE has over 400 girls and about 10 teachers. There are six grades here – senior 1 through senior 6 (that is like grades 7-12). However, there are 12 through 16 year olds in senior 1 so the age doesn’t matter of the girls. Whenever you come into the school is what counts. IWE was founded to help orphaned and poor girls who have suffered from the genocide and AIDS.  However, the younger grades consist more of girls who just want to come to IWE for an education and they do have families that live in Rwanda, Uganda or Congo. The first three years the girls learn everything and then they pick a track in senior 4. They can pick from 2 combinations to study: math, economics, and geography as one or math, physics and chemistry as another. However, the class sizes are getting bigger and bigger and there is no more room for the girls so they have the senior 5 class in the chemistry lab but soon (like next semester) there will need to be about 5 more classrooms to accommodate all the of the students and they don’t know where all of that space and money is going to come from.

(The classrooms)

The girls were so shy on the first two days and would just giggle if I tried to talk to them. The teachers were fairly shy as well. Wednesday was a huge turning point and most of the girls attempt to speak English with me now. The teachers are very eager students and ask me a lot of questions about English and how to say certain words. The President decided that the country’s new language this year would be English. It was French in the past but he wanted everyone to learn English so now all classes must be held in English.  However, the teachers do not know enough English to teach the students so they become intimidated by the language. Maja has been working with them and I speak to them a lot in between classes and at lunch. They are coming out of their shells and starting to smile and speak in English more frequently. They joke with me and tell me stories about their families and life in Rwanda.

(Me with the Senior 1B girls - ages 12-16)

Two of the teachers, Silivia and Noah, have really been a blessing to me. Silivia comes over on Tuesday mornings for English lessons and this week we really hit it off. The reason she comes on Tuesdays is because all teachers have 1 day off from classes because the school can only afford to have them for 4 out of the 5 days. So Maja and I have off and so does Siliva. She is 22 and is the French teacher at IWE. She walks us home sometimes and we have had some wonderful talks about life. Maja told me that she would not even speak English before last week and she knows a lot but is just not confident in her skills. She is improving everyday and she has even decided to teach me some Kinyarwanda, their native language. Noah overheard her teaching me and decided to start joking with me and asking me different questions in Kinyarwanda. We laughed and he told me to try harder and study every night so that we can joke in English and in Kinyarwanda. I’m trying but it is hard! I know some basic phrases and want them to teach me as much as possible since I am teaching them. Noah has had an extremely difficult life and must live away from his family because it is not safe for them to live in Rwamagana with him. However, learning English has finally given him hope again and a spark back in his life. He also walks us home at night after school since it gets dark at 6 and it is unsafe to be alone after that. He is very protective and insists that I stay with him on the roads so nothing will happen! It really is so great to have these amazing teachers at IWE who are so dedicated to their students and learning the language!

IWE’s main English teacher is Amani. He is a wonderful teacher but is still learning aspects of English as well. His big dream is to come to America to study law so that he can come back to Rwanda and create a system of laws that will benefit the country and bring their economy up. His life has also been difficult but he is a very godly man. He lives just around the corner from us so we see him quite often!

Life in Africa is quite different from what I’m used to be again, “this is Africa!” I went to Zambia for almost 2 months when I was 14 and lived the lifestyle there but this is very different. I am living in the bush here (aka the middle of nowhere with dirt roads and lights and water on a good day). The weather here is nice most off the time. It is awesome when there is a cool breeze but it gets so hot in the classrooms when there is no breeze. But overall, there is no humidity and it is in the high 70s to mid 80s every day. It is the end of the rainy season and beginning of the dry season so we still get some rain but not too much. The roads are mostly dirt in Rwamagana but are all paved or cobble stone in Kigali. Overall, the country is extremely clean and beautiful! Maja and I live in a three bedroom house that is surrounded by a gate, which everyone has in Africa. There is electricity and running water but both can go out at any time. We have to sleep with mosquito nets over our beds and tucked under the mattresses so that we don’t get eaten alive at night. We have been blessed with an amazing housekeeper, Regina. Hiring housekeepers is also normal in Africa. She comes at 7am to make us breakfast before we leave for school. During the day, she gets anything we need from the market or other stores, buys more electricity when we run out (you pay before you receive the electricity here), cleans the house, and prepares our dinner for when we return between 6 and 7 at night after school. Breakfast foods consist of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fruit or sometimes eggs. We eat lunch at the school and that is rice and beans or maize and beans every day. Maze is corn that they dry and then ground up into this sticky mush to be honest but it is so good with their sauces. It was my favorite in Zambia! Our dinners are random foods as well but we usually have fruit salad, rice and beans or a type of pasta with veggies. Their tea here is amazing and I probably drink about eight cups a day! Regina makes a large pot of it for me and keeps it hot in a thermos for me at night.

Maja and I leave for school around 7:30 every morning and walk a half hour on dirt roads to school. When we are running late, we take motor-taxis (motorcycles) to the school and pay about 40 or 50 cents for the 3 minute ride. The school is on top of a hill that overlooks a beautiful valley and hills in the distance. The view is absolutely breathtaking and pictures don’t do it justice. Maja and I teach English classes based on the needs of the students since there isn’t a curriculum to go from really and it is hard because they don’t have enough English vocabulary to keep up with anything other than vocabulary lessons and basic aspects of conversations. We begin at 8 and teach through 12:30. We sometimes teach with the English teacher, Amani, or we teach little break out groups for those students who are struggling with the general English classes. At 12:30 we break for lunch. There is not enough room for all the girls to eat in the dining hall so they have shifts. Lunch is over around 2 and then classes continue until 4:30. We teach the teachers English after school or teach a sewing class to some of the girls. I am usually available after school to just chat with the girls and work on their English. They ask me funny questions like, “Have you ever seen with your eyes Chris Brown (the singer)?” And when I tell them I haven’t they do not understand because we are both from America. So I try to explain but then they ask what other singers I have seen with my eyes and if Justin Beiber and I are friends. I just laugh at this point and then they continue to obsess over my hair! They have never seen anything like it and are completely fascinated by it. Around 6 the girls go back into the classrooms to study their notes and review the lessons from the day so we finally take the half hour walk home if we haven’t already started to make our way home. We have long days but they are great ones. God is using me in some really amazing ways here! I am so blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people.

(The girls in Senior 1B answering Teacher Amani's questions)

I know this was a long letter but I wanted to thoroughly inform you about my trip so far – thanks for sticking with me! And thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers! Please, pray for IWE as they are struggling to accommodate all the students this year and teach them a new language. Also, pray for the teachers who are trying to learn English themselves so they can pour as much into the students as possible. Pray for the school as a whole as they are trying to manage all of these girls and there are more and more that come to school each term and there is no more space for anyone to sleep, eat or study. Those are my main prayer requests but if you could pray for me as I continue to teach and love these people that would be great!

I hope you all are doing well. I could not be here without all of you so thanks again for all of the support, love and prayers! 

twelve months

Here is a break down of my next year (it's a whirlwind):

1 month doing my pre-student teaching in a local Christian school...
1 month teaching English overseas in Rwanda, Africa at a women's school...
2 months of summer with my best friends and family...
4 months attending my last semester of undergraduate classes...
2 months student teaching in a local public school...
2 months student teaching in Prague at an International school...
and then I will graduate college a year early in one year and four days from today!
BAM. May 11, 2013 - I see you :)

Let's get moving friends!

finals

Finals week. Enough said. I will be back in a few days after my life settles down a bit!

a royal anniversary

A year ago I woke up to watch a wedding that captured the hearts of people around the world. I spent the wee hours of that Friday morning relaxing with some tea and British desserts watching a beautiful princess marry her princess charming with the rest of the world. It was a whirl wind of media reports and rumors over this extravagant event but when the flower petals settled and twitter was working again after Pippa's butt crashed it - the new "It couple" emerged. A woman as the new fashion queen. A man as the heart throb future King. A couple who's match was clearly made in heaven. Happy 1st anniversary to the royal couple! With many more to come I hope :)

end of the semester...

This is how I would describe my feelings about school right now...

There is an end in sight! I can see it. I can feel it.

Summer is in the air my friends :)

I am wrapping up this spring semester in a week.

Then I'm doing some student teaching for 3 weeks.

And then I jet off to the other side of the world to teach.

Now to make it all happen... stay tuned :)

The Christian Hunters

First off - How to Date at a Christian College
went viral really fast and I loved all the feedback!
You all went crazy over the hysterical yet true story.
So on to the next part of the dating series...

One thing comes to mind whenever anyone

talks about hunting these days- The Hunger Games.

My favorites: Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss and Liam Hemsworth as Gale.

They are going to be my Christian Hunters in today's post.

First of all - you're probably wondering who a "Christian Hunter" is.

Christian Hunters are people who are intensely looking for

a boy/girl to be their husband/wife immediately.

Yes, these people actually do exist!

I run into tons of them every single year.

There is something in their eyes that tips me off,

and then they open their mouth and I have them labeled instantly.

It is so clear and obvious when a person is desperately hunting a spouse.

And unfortunately, they keep coming out of nowhere and appearing everywhere!

So Jennifer and Liam are going to portray the classic things that Christian Hunters 

say, do and think while trying to date on a Christian college campus.

Signs to Identify Christian Hunters:

-Began college at or over the age of 21.

-Upperclassman status: Juniors: kinda desperate. Seniors: extremely desperate.

-Every other word out of their mouth is marriage.

-They say that they like to take walks around campus.

-They want to go into ministry soon (aka pastor needs a wife to be hired - "fact.")

The Christians Hunters' Top Goals:

Proposal within first year.

Marriage within a year and a half.

So how do Jennifer and Liam track down "the chosen one?"

Well here are their intense, stereotypical, and completely true tactics

that are now being revealed as the ultimate hunting techniques.

Jennifer's strategy to snag a hubby:

(Nickname: Husband Hunter)

-Appear put together and reserved at all times.

-Never plays hard-to-get because there is no time to waste.

-Asks all friends and family members about potential guys to date.

-Yet never appears to be too desperate - right level of desperation required.

-Engages in activities where there is bound to be husband potential.

-Knows the spiritual and commitment level of each guy on campus.

-Tweets short daily devotional lessons with a journal picture.

-Prays to God hourly for Him to reveal "the solemate."

-Picks out a ring style at a variety of different prices and places.

-Has hair highlighted and cut before spring break,

and has nails done weekly for the impending "ring by spring."

-Has a binder with most of the wedding plans completed - 

Just be ready to insert the groom.

-Informs all friends of future wedding date.

-Preps parents for their future son-in-law's arrival any day now.

Note: Ring by Spring - it is a phrase that is associated with young Christians who 

are very eager to get married right after graduation. Therefore, they must have a 

ring before the spring of their senior year in order for this dream to come true!

Warning: This fever is contagious and can be very dangerous causing hallucinations.

Liam's strategy to marry quickly:

(Nickname: Creepy Wifey Hunter)

-Befriends every girl on campus but just as 'friends.'

-Don't want to appear too desperate so hide all intentions of marriage at first.

-Yet comes off as very put together and ready to settle down at any moment.

-Gathers information on all potential girls - taken and single.

-Stalking might have to be considered in order to determine wife potential.

-Takes most likely girl on a walk and determines relationship status by end.

-Picks out the engagement ring within first three months of "the walk."

-Keeps the relationship consistently moving at a light-speed pace.

-Shows commitment by spending every moment with 'the chosen one.'

-Keeps the relationship constantly focused on marriage.

-Every other sentence begins with "when we're married..."

-Throws around terms like "soulmate"  and "God's will" a lot.

-Find mentor then starts pre-martial counseling after 6 months.

-Proposes within first year on or on one year anniversary,

but be sure it is in the spring time cause all girls want the "ring by spring."

-Clears schedule for weekend after classes are done or graduation - wedding day!

Hunters' Pet Peeve Sayings:

Girl: "If I don't get married right after college or by the time I turn 23, 

then God must want me to be single for the rest of my life."

-Not true ladies! The average age for a woman marrying for the 1st time is 26.

Boy: "I need to marry her within the first year because it's God's will."

-What does that even mean? And slow down you have time guys!

The average age for men marrying for the first time is 28.

Both: "There is only one person out there for me and God will reveal to

me the instant we meet that that it is His will for us to be together."

-Show me the text from God when you get it. I'd love to see it! But really?! Come on.

I'm not bashing anyone for marrying young or saying it is wrong.

But so often I hear my friends who are 20 and 21 thinking they are old maids

because they're not dating anyone or receiving a ring within the next few months.

This is just craziness to me! Why is it such a big deal among Christians?

The national average for first time marriages falls in the mid to upper 20s.

So why are "kids" in their early 20s feeling behind the game?

Marriage is a huge commitment and you can't trade it in.

So do people really know what they're getting in to?

Because of education and college, adolescence has been extended

up into the mid-20s. Most people move back home after graduation

because the economy is so poor that no one can afford to live out

on their own and pay back all of their school loans after graduation.

Therefore, finding out who you really are happens around 25.

(Obviously some people know before this - but that is an average)

So now we have a bunch of 'adolescences' who have 

never discovered who they really are getting married.

Now this is just not everyone - 

but there is research to back up what I said.

Adolescence across the board has been extended into the 20s

and kids today are not as independent as their parents were.

Disclaimer: This can be disastrous when 

attempting to "hunt a spouse."

PS. Did you know that Christians marry 6 years 

younger than non-Christians?!