Tonight we decided to go for our second Coloradan Adventure.
We drove downtown, hopped out of the car, and started running (we were a little late so we missed the official starting point).
The event is put on by Jack Quinn's Running Club, which is an Irish pub and restaurant that hosts a 5K every week of the year. I don't know how many people ran tonight, but last week there were 933 runners. The starting and ending point of the loop is the restaurant. After the run, everyone goes upstairs for free appetizers (spaghetti, salad, garlic bread) and a lot of people drink a cheap pint of beer. (Personally, I don't like beer, but if I did, I can't imagine downing a pint right after a 5K run.) We waited too long to grab food and it was mostly gone, so we went next door to Chipotle, one of our favorite Mexican restaurants.
Our new goal is to run the loop nine more times so we get a free Jack Quinn's t-shirt. So, we may try to run this on Tuesday nights and the Manitou Incline on Thursday mornings. I was pretty happy with my time, but I definitely felt the altitude more than I did last Thursday hiking the Incline.
We're doing our best to adapt to the Coloradan lifestyle. :)
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Our First Coloradan Adventure
View from the Parking Lot.
This morning Michael and I hiked the Manitou Incline with Tim, our brother-in-law.
We didn't really know what we were getting into, except that a hiker died on Sunday from a heart attack as he climbed.
It was tough, but rewarding at the top. What a view! And we were both really pleased with our times. Michael did the climb in less than 39 minutes, and I finished in less than 48. The incline is one mile with a very steep grade (just look at the pictures), and the trail itself was an old cog railway, so there were some steep steps. The trail back down is another four (just a regular path). We're thinking we may join Tim and his co-workers every Thursday morning.
Fired up and ready to go at the bottom.
It's a loooooooong way up there. Plus, the "top" you see here is a false summit. You get to that point and still have another quarter of the trail to hike. Fortunately, Tim warned us or we would have been pretty surprised.
Only a few more steps...
The Summit! We did it!
And now for the decline.
Hiking back down.
If you don't feel like this at the end, you're crazy. Sort of like the people who reached the summit, ran to the bottom, and hiked the Incline a second time. Or, the guy who got to the top and lit up a cigarette.
So, if anyone comes to visit us we know where to take you! We felt initiated into the intense outdoor life of Coloradans.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
We're in Colorado
I can't say an exact number, but there have been plenty of times over the past two months when I've thought of a blog post, or thought of an update that I've wanted to write on our blog. It just never happened.
I could try to catch up over the past two months, but I think it would be almost impossible.
Highlights?
Returned from Africa.
Lived with our pastor's family for two weeks.
Moved into our own apartment.
I worked as a substitute.
Michael volunteered at an organization in downtown Portland.
Michael found a lot of odd jobs and applied for jobs all over the country.
None of the said jobs worked out, and we reevaluated our current living situation.
We decided to move to Colorado Springs and live with Michael's sister.
We went to Costa Rica for a week.
After Costa Rica, we decided to push up moving a couple weeks to get here for potential job interviews. We packed up and headed out a week later.
After two days of driving, we made it on Monday night.
We're mostly unpacked and settled in, and praying for jobs.
I guess it wasn't impossible to summarize the last two months. More to come.
I could try to catch up over the past two months, but I think it would be almost impossible.
Highlights?
Returned from Africa.
Lived with our pastor's family for two weeks.
Moved into our own apartment.
I worked as a substitute.
Michael volunteered at an organization in downtown Portland.
Michael found a lot of odd jobs and applied for jobs all over the country.
None of the said jobs worked out, and we reevaluated our current living situation.
We decided to move to Colorado Springs and live with Michael's sister.
We went to Costa Rica for a week.
After Costa Rica, we decided to push up moving a couple weeks to get here for potential job interviews. We packed up and headed out a week later.
After two days of driving, we made it on Monday night.
We're mostly unpacked and settled in, and praying for jobs.
I guess it wasn't impossible to summarize the last two months. More to come.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Home Sweet Home
We're home!
We had a great time relaxing and transitioning back to western culture with our friends in Germany over the weekend.
We arrived at PDX Monday with all of our luggage, a definite praise, and are settling back into life here in Newberg.
Our plan for the next couple of months is to find an apartment, which we think we've found (also a huge praise because it is month-to-month and we don't have to sign a lease), while I work and Michael continues to work on job applications.
Fortunately, I am still in the substitute systems here and already worked my first sub job yesterday (despite some jet lag still lagging...) We are hoping I will be able to work a lot throughout the rest of the school year, so hopefully a lot of teachers will be using their sick days and personal days.
Michael has applied to development-type jobs all over the country, and we are waiting to see where the Lord will lead us next. The first thing we heard on the radio when we got into our car on Monday was about how Oregon's unemployment rate is up to 12%, the highest in years, and one of the highest in the entire country. It was a great "welcome back to Oregon" moment for us. Our prayer for now is that something will open up that will be a good use of Michael's skills, knowledge, and degrees.
In the meantime, we are thankful to be back to our home church, where we've already felt so welcomed and taken care of (including a place to stay while we find an apartment). We are continuing to process our time in Rwanda and all the ways the Lord has spoke to us, stretched us, and challenged us, and will continue to share some of those thoughts as they come.
We had a great time relaxing and transitioning back to western culture with our friends in Germany over the weekend.
We arrived at PDX Monday with all of our luggage, a definite praise, and are settling back into life here in Newberg.
Our plan for the next couple of months is to find an apartment, which we think we've found (also a huge praise because it is month-to-month and we don't have to sign a lease), while I work and Michael continues to work on job applications.
Fortunately, I am still in the substitute systems here and already worked my first sub job yesterday (despite some jet lag still lagging...) We are hoping I will be able to work a lot throughout the rest of the school year, so hopefully a lot of teachers will be using their sick days and personal days.
Michael has applied to development-type jobs all over the country, and we are waiting to see where the Lord will lead us next. The first thing we heard on the radio when we got into our car on Monday was about how Oregon's unemployment rate is up to 12%, the highest in years, and one of the highest in the entire country. It was a great "welcome back to Oregon" moment for us. Our prayer for now is that something will open up that will be a good use of Michael's skills, knowledge, and degrees.
In the meantime, we are thankful to be back to our home church, where we've already felt so welcomed and taken care of (including a place to stay while we find an apartment). We are continuing to process our time in Rwanda and all the ways the Lord has spoke to us, stretched us, and challenged us, and will continue to share some of those thoughts as they come.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Hitching in Kigali
This weekend our Burundian friends came to visit. We had a great weekend showing them around.
On Saturday we were walking down to the taxi park to grab a mutatu (bus) into town. Buses cost around 30 cents, so it's our transportation of choice. We weren't quite to the station and a guy pulled up to an intersection and offered us a ride asking, "Where are you going?" My immediate response was, "No thanks, we don't need a taxi." He told us he wasn't a taxi and was just offering us a ride into town. If we had been going to town we would have probably declined still, but we had decided to venture off the beaten path to a part of town (up a huge hill) where buses don't go. The four of us hopped in and met Arthur, a Rwandan man who was living in Dallas, Texas since the genocide, but returned 6 months ago. We found out that he manages the Union Trade Center (the most high end retail building in Rwanda)... so he's clearly doing well. He was happy to take us up the crazy hill and drop us where we needed to go. We got out of the car amazed that we had just experienced our first free ride from a stranger.
Fast-forward 8 hours past all of the shopping, bartering, walking, coffeeing, and taxiing we did, to the other side of the city and the nicest Italian restaurant in town. As we finished up dinner we made our way to the very busy street (that Parliament, all embassies, and various government ministries occupy) to flag down a cab home. We waited and waved our hands, but only motorcycles were stopping (no thanks). Finally a car pulled a u-turn around the median and pulled over. "Can I help you?" the man said through the window. "Are you a taxi?" I asked. "No I'm not a taxi, I'm just offering to help you."
What? Twice in one day?!?! This is crazy.
We weren't going to turn this one down since there was no prospect of catching a cab. We shook Antoine's hand and told him where we were going. After a brief stop at the pharmacy for some aspirin, Antoine informed us that he works for the UN in the area of water resource management. I basically flipped out in the passenger's seat since the busines I'm working with is struggling to solve its water issues. I asked if he does anything with irrigation. He told me he specializes in irrigation and swamps (again, exactly what the business is dealing with). He was happy to give me his number and offered to give any advice that would be helpful. Then he informed us that on the side of his UN work, he has written computer software to help businesses calculate VAT (sales tax)........ yet another issue we're in the middle of solving.
I told him I think God wanted him to pick us up. That's when he flipped out. "You Christian? I am Christian. I'm saved," he informed us.
Twice in one day, no thumbs were ever pointed into the street.
On Saturday we were walking down to the taxi park to grab a mutatu (bus) into town. Buses cost around 30 cents, so it's our transportation of choice. We weren't quite to the station and a guy pulled up to an intersection and offered us a ride asking, "Where are you going?" My immediate response was, "No thanks, we don't need a taxi." He told us he wasn't a taxi and was just offering us a ride into town. If we had been going to town we would have probably declined still, but we had decided to venture off the beaten path to a part of town (up a huge hill) where buses don't go. The four of us hopped in and met Arthur, a Rwandan man who was living in Dallas, Texas since the genocide, but returned 6 months ago. We found out that he manages the Union Trade Center (the most high end retail building in Rwanda)... so he's clearly doing well. He was happy to take us up the crazy hill and drop us where we needed to go. We got out of the car amazed that we had just experienced our first free ride from a stranger.
Fast-forward 8 hours past all of the shopping, bartering, walking, coffeeing, and taxiing we did, to the other side of the city and the nicest Italian restaurant in town. As we finished up dinner we made our way to the very busy street (that Parliament, all embassies, and various government ministries occupy) to flag down a cab home. We waited and waved our hands, but only motorcycles were stopping (no thanks). Finally a car pulled a u-turn around the median and pulled over. "Can I help you?" the man said through the window. "Are you a taxi?" I asked. "No I'm not a taxi, I'm just offering to help you."
What? Twice in one day?!?! This is crazy.
We weren't going to turn this one down since there was no prospect of catching a cab. We shook Antoine's hand and told him where we were going. After a brief stop at the pharmacy for some aspirin, Antoine informed us that he works for the UN in the area of water resource management. I basically flipped out in the passenger's seat since the busines I'm working with is struggling to solve its water issues. I asked if he does anything with irrigation. He told me he specializes in irrigation and swamps (again, exactly what the business is dealing with). He was happy to give me his number and offered to give any advice that would be helpful. Then he informed us that on the side of his UN work, he has written computer software to help businesses calculate VAT (sales tax)........ yet another issue we're in the middle of solving.
I told him I think God wanted him to pick us up. That's when he flipped out. "You Christian? I am Christian. I'm saved," he informed us.
Twice in one day, no thumbs were ever pointed into the street.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Culturisms #8, 9, and 10
Culturism #8-Modesty
In Rwanda, it is immodest for a woman to show her knees. It's no problem, however, to nurse your child in public, during meetings or during a church service (without any covering). Children are fed this way for as long as possible, and it's common, especially as you get out into the countryside, to see kids who are walking around still nursing. They just walk up to their mom, lift up her shirt, and start in on their meal. I know this because I've seen it myself.
Culturism #9-Rain
When it rains here in Kigali, it is a great excuse to stay put. Yesterday, I had only two students show up to class because it was raining, and these two work at the school. I asked one student why Rwandans are afraid of the rain, and he said that when he was in primary (elementary) school, he remembers his teacher telling the students to never go out in the rain. He thinks it could be to keep clothes nice (See blog post with Culturism #6-Clothes). All I know is that I have to have an alternate lesson plan on rainy days because I know I will have many absent students.
Culturism #10- Dogs
Many, many Rwandans are afraid of dogs. As a result, dogs make great guards. Within our small compound there are four dogs. The Thomases have two dogs, and the school has two. Rwandans who need to speak to the Thomases will often stand outside the gate/fence because they are afraid of the dogs barking. Once, when our internet was down, a man came to fix it. He came into the house, and we left the door open. The man just stared out the door at the dogs and wouldn't move until we closed the door. Another time, a friend needed to speak to the Thomases, and I told him to go over to their house because I thought they'd be home. He said, "But, they have dogs!" I tried to assure him that the dogs wouldn't harm him, but he wasn't convinced.
In Rwanda, it is immodest for a woman to show her knees. It's no problem, however, to nurse your child in public, during meetings or during a church service (without any covering). Children are fed this way for as long as possible, and it's common, especially as you get out into the countryside, to see kids who are walking around still nursing. They just walk up to their mom, lift up her shirt, and start in on their meal. I know this because I've seen it myself.
Culturism #9-Rain
When it rains here in Kigali, it is a great excuse to stay put. Yesterday, I had only two students show up to class because it was raining, and these two work at the school. I asked one student why Rwandans are afraid of the rain, and he said that when he was in primary (elementary) school, he remembers his teacher telling the students to never go out in the rain. He thinks it could be to keep clothes nice (See blog post with Culturism #6-Clothes). All I know is that I have to have an alternate lesson plan on rainy days because I know I will have many absent students.
Culturism #10- Dogs
Many, many Rwandans are afraid of dogs. As a result, dogs make great guards. Within our small compound there are four dogs. The Thomases have two dogs, and the school has two. Rwandans who need to speak to the Thomases will often stand outside the gate/fence because they are afraid of the dogs barking. Once, when our internet was down, a man came to fix it. He came into the house, and we left the door open. The man just stared out the door at the dogs and wouldn't move until we closed the door. Another time, a friend needed to speak to the Thomases, and I told him to go over to their house because I thought they'd be home. He said, "But, they have dogs!" I tried to assure him that the dogs wouldn't harm him, but he wasn't convinced.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Simplicity: Food
The idea of living a life of intentional simplicity has been on my mind lately. I don't have it anywhere close to figured out (and I'm sure I won't ever have it all figured out), but I have been thinking about how Michael and I can live more simply. It begins with the following, in regards to food:
For the first time Michael and I have chosen real New Year's Resolutions. The purposes behind them are many.
The first Resolution is to not eat meat. While in in Philadelphia last year we began to toy with the idea of becoming vegetarian. Now, I could go into the multiple reasons and thoughts behind this with all the statistics to back it up, but I won't. I will give an overly simplistic reason, and that's that a lot of resources go into feeding cattle, specifically and especially in the United States beef industry, and these resources could spread a lot further to feed a lot more people if they weren't used on cattle. As we began looking at this idea, I also began to read about the meat industry in general, and the slaughterhouses, chicken farms, and even pig farms, and I was, frankly, disgusted. Again, I'll spare you meat-lovers the details (for now), but I am just not convinced that eating meat from these places is being a good steward of resources, let alone the issue of treating not only animals humane (which is a big argument for many vegetarians, but truthfully is not something I'm as convicted about), but the people who are working for minimum wages in absolutely horrific conditions in places like American slaughterhouses.
Because of the way meat is raised here in Rwanda, and the low levels of meat that are used, we have chosen to eat meat when it is presented to us and not be legalistic about this personal choice. We do plan to stick to this no-meat regimen when we return to the States.
Our second Resolution is to not eat desserts...all year. Yes, we are crazy. Actually, there are specific reasons behind this choice as well. I am a sweet tooth. A HUGE sweet tooth. And, I have realized that when it comes to most foods, but especially sweets/desserts, I have virtually no self-control. I just can't stop eating them and daily, sometimes hourly, crave sweets. In the past few years I've attempted to give up sugar and/or sweets at various times, but have always failed. I usually give up after a few days, deciding it's not necessary or that I can just try to limit my consumption, or that I can't do it when my husband is eating Tillamook ice cream in front of me while I'm watching and drooling and trying to abstain. This inability to give up sweets began to convict me that maybe I really do have an issue with self-control, almost as a spiritual issue. I began to see it as more like a fast, where I give it up to practice a spiritual discipline. So, this time, Michael has agreed to join me on this quest for self-control. We have made it almost three months without eating a single dessert, though the opportunity has presented itself to us many times. Of course, the health aspect is an added bonus, but not the main purpose for this fast.
So, as we have been processing what it's been like to not eat meat or sweets, I have also started to be convinced that there are many issues revolving around the types of food we eat and how to be better stewards of food. I recently came across a cookbook put out by the Mennonites, called "Less is More." It has many articles about the over-consumption of food, especially processed food and sugar, and how it is really poor stewardship to be hooked on convenient packaging and quick "easy" meals that cost a fortune compared to buying in bulk, planning, and preparing meals that are healthy and don't require a lot of ingredients. I even thought recently that something as simple as not taking seconds or eating appropriate portions of food is not only healthier, but better stewardship of food resources as well as money (having enough leftovers for another entire meal saves money, food, and time).
I'm still working out some of these issues, but I'm thinking about them. And, I am looking forward to buying this cookbook when I get home. If you're interested in any of this, I definitely recommend this cookbook. Besides recipes, 1/3 of the 1976 cookbook is devoted to explaining these issues and the Christian responsibilities of eating simply. As the website says, the book was, "written to challenge North Americans to consume less so others could eat enough."
For the first time Michael and I have chosen real New Year's Resolutions. The purposes behind them are many.
The first Resolution is to not eat meat. While in in Philadelphia last year we began to toy with the idea of becoming vegetarian. Now, I could go into the multiple reasons and thoughts behind this with all the statistics to back it up, but I won't. I will give an overly simplistic reason, and that's that a lot of resources go into feeding cattle, specifically and especially in the United States beef industry, and these resources could spread a lot further to feed a lot more people if they weren't used on cattle. As we began looking at this idea, I also began to read about the meat industry in general, and the slaughterhouses, chicken farms, and even pig farms, and I was, frankly, disgusted. Again, I'll spare you meat-lovers the details (for now), but I am just not convinced that eating meat from these places is being a good steward of resources, let alone the issue of treating not only animals humane (which is a big argument for many vegetarians, but truthfully is not something I'm as convicted about), but the people who are working for minimum wages in absolutely horrific conditions in places like American slaughterhouses.
Because of the way meat is raised here in Rwanda, and the low levels of meat that are used, we have chosen to eat meat when it is presented to us and not be legalistic about this personal choice. We do plan to stick to this no-meat regimen when we return to the States.
Our second Resolution is to not eat desserts...all year. Yes, we are crazy. Actually, there are specific reasons behind this choice as well. I am a sweet tooth. A HUGE sweet tooth. And, I have realized that when it comes to most foods, but especially sweets/desserts, I have virtually no self-control. I just can't stop eating them and daily, sometimes hourly, crave sweets. In the past few years I've attempted to give up sugar and/or sweets at various times, but have always failed. I usually give up after a few days, deciding it's not necessary or that I can just try to limit my consumption, or that I can't do it when my husband is eating Tillamook ice cream in front of me while I'm watching and drooling and trying to abstain. This inability to give up sweets began to convict me that maybe I really do have an issue with self-control, almost as a spiritual issue. I began to see it as more like a fast, where I give it up to practice a spiritual discipline. So, this time, Michael has agreed to join me on this quest for self-control. We have made it almost three months without eating a single dessert, though the opportunity has presented itself to us many times. Of course, the health aspect is an added bonus, but not the main purpose for this fast.
So, as we have been processing what it's been like to not eat meat or sweets, I have also started to be convinced that there are many issues revolving around the types of food we eat and how to be better stewards of food. I recently came across a cookbook put out by the Mennonites, called "Less is More." It has many articles about the over-consumption of food, especially processed food and sugar, and how it is really poor stewardship to be hooked on convenient packaging and quick "easy" meals that cost a fortune compared to buying in bulk, planning, and preparing meals that are healthy and don't require a lot of ingredients. I even thought recently that something as simple as not taking seconds or eating appropriate portions of food is not only healthier, but better stewardship of food resources as well as money (having enough leftovers for another entire meal saves money, food, and time).
I'm still working out some of these issues, but I'm thinking about them. And, I am looking forward to buying this cookbook when I get home. If you're interested in any of this, I definitely recommend this cookbook. Besides recipes, 1/3 of the 1976 cookbook is devoted to explaining these issues and the Christian responsibilities of eating simply. As the website says, the book was, "written to challenge North Americans to consume less so others could eat enough."
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