adventures.

home now

2009-10-02T13:34:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in the last few months..flippin crazy.
Greece. falcon camp. goodbyes with friends and family in England. flying home and the crazy mix of emotions that comes with it all.
trying to figure my life out. realising i just have to wait it out. getting a job. numerous catch ups with friends. trying to figure out whether i can just fit right back into my old life at home or whether i got to change it up somehow.
and through it all God has been so faithful even when I've been lousy as..My great missing pangs of England still come and go. and I hope one day I'm taken back there. But for now I realise I just have to take each day as it comes. and live in the here and now. and realise that no matter whether i like my average clothing store job or not God provided it for me with a reason...even if it is just to make some money..or meet a certain group of people..
and Ive totally been really challenged by that bit in the bible that says whatever you work at you should work as hard as if you were serving the Lord...even if I am just selling clothes..
And due to all this new-ness Ive got a new blog..

http://this-and-that-jess.blogspot.com/

which will be updated ever now and again. so feel free to check it out.
xx

AMAZING

2009-08-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Check this out.
If there's a presentation in your country or town seriously go check it out.
We are totally called to help human kind and we can do our part to end world poverty..so much easier and less impossible than we think.

www.global povertyproject.com

The number of people who are living in extreme poverty has HALVED since 2000.
Man how amazing would it be if we were the generation to completely eradicate it?!

hello london old friend.

2009-07-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

Yes Ive been in London again. Do I ever leave?! and yes it is the city that always draws me back..so much to do, see and LOVE. This time though it wasnt just for a pleasant visit..it was for an amazing 3 day stay..with all the other YFC volunteers who have done the year out with me. Oh my word. so much to do and catch up on and see and chat and SO little time. It was just such a time of hanging out, reflecting on what Gods done for us in the year, what we've done and learnt, laughing at all the hilarious stories, and seeing how much the other volunteers have totally grown this year. It was so inspirational and so amazing..and the curveball of tears on the last day. Why will i miss it so?! ahh
The first hour of the first day we all were arriving into London on different trains and after the confusion of a London guy not understanding my accent when asking what train i needed to catch, I was in West London ready to meet everyone..oh my word hugs all round and just a general buzz of chatter. Then games (classic) and an amazing talk by Gavin Calver whose the new director of National YFC..Then to our hotel where we would be staying. This was a sight and after getting over how bright yellow the bathroom was and wondering what was crusted on the pillows, we were off out to dinner at PIZZA HUT (yeah they have them here too)..was so good just to sit and chat to the girls that I missed so much and totally have experienced what was going on this year.
Next day, day two, was a scavenger hunt day in London. So much fun. It took us to Buck palace, Leicester square, embankment..and all over the place. And funnily enough I was the NZ tourguide, expert on London haha Navigating the underground and whatnot. SO FUN.
And the evening was just ABSOLUTELY MAGICAL. movie moment. We all took a cruise on the river thames at night..4 hours of dinner, dancing, drinks and watching the lights of London by water..so beautiful..and so surreal. There was just this moment of me dancing on the deck of the boat surrounded by loads of amazing friends whilst going past the big ben and houses of parliament all lit up, where I thought 'Oh my word this is amazing' and couldnt get over that I had actually done this and God has brought me on such an adventure to ENGLAND. was so amazing (this word is being used alot but there is no other word to describe it).
And then goodbye the next day. I didnt realise how sad this would make me. and i totally admit to crying. Theres some people Ive met who seriously I have no other word for it but have a 'God bond' with. Just one of those friendships where no matter how long since weve talked it all just is so natural when we see each other again. and so hard to let it go and think i dont know when im gunna see them again. oh dear. Me just walking through the tube station bawling..awful.
But it has been such a nice few days. Love them all.

Another thing that Ive been really challenged with lately aswell is the idea of just letting go of the young people I work with (because I love them so immensly) and just trusting that God will get through to them, and that he'll bring someone along to love them and care for them just as he brought me along, even after Ive left..and Im just having to hold onto that trust, because Im finding it so hard leaving..so hard. We had Mcdonalds with some of the girls I LOVE tonight..and it was just so cool just hanging and chatting and generally sharing life. I m going to miss them so much. ah well. I know God has my best interests at heart, so no matter how hard it is leaving I know God has something so amazing for me in the future.
Also struggling with this thought of what the worlds idea of success is and whether that will be the plan for my life. Money, education, a stable job. And Im wondering whether this is what God wants me to live like. Or whether hes got another plan that totally goes against the worlds idea of success. Which would be amazing. But I dont know how i would cope with peoples thoughts. trust and faith i think. We'll see when this arises. I know it will be an ADVENTURE though.

One of my friends said to me today out of the blue 'Im so excited to see where God takes you next year' and I honestly could say me too. Literally scary but so exciting.

oh camden my love.

2009-07-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

Today I fell in love. Not with a person because Ive pretty much been by myself all day..but with a town and markets..Camden markets..oh my word they were amazing..Its like they decided to cater to EVERYTHING that I love and put it all in one place..and I dont even think I got around all 5 markets..

There's so much culture, vintage shops, tumble down stalls brimming with treasures, young fashion designer stalls, bustle, ethnic food, amazing tea shops, everyone with their own individual style..LOVE IT. Seriously if I could live in Camden I would. I can imagine meandering through the narrow alleys lined with stalls every weekend sipping tea. Oh that would be living the dream.

Not such a fan of my early morning this morning though. 6:30am I got up to catch the first train from Gillingham to London..only to find that there were loads of underground closures so i had to negotiate my route to Camden round them..minor setback but I think it didnt effect my trip too much. Then got a coffee (yes coffee!!) and meandered down camden high street and watched the market come to life..the stall owners were setting up and showing their wares.. And so i stumbled into this amazing shop, probably my favourite shop of the day, which was lined outside with vintage boots and handbags..and inside was just a beautiful muddle of patterns and decades of vintage clothes..it was amazing..i just wanted to buy out the whole shop..serious.

And the rest of the day was spent meandering and exploring all that camden markets had to offer. I got stopped at this one stall where I was looking at old belts and eating a samosa (£1 bargain!!) ..just browsing for nothing in particular...and the lady (who I later found out was Jamaican) started chatting to me about food..and cakes..and the white lady who taught her to cook..and how she doesnt share her cakes with Jamaican people because they didnt teach her to cook..and how she doesnt like talking to some women from her church so she gives them the 'Jamaican hate look'..which I learnt so now I know if a Jamaican person hates me..hahaha and this lasted for about 20 minutes..while I was trying to make excuses not to buy anything and just carry on...it was hilarious..she finally stopped talking when she realised I really wasnt going to buy something..haha oh dear. It was just such an amazing day.

Tomorrow Im off to London again for 3 days for End of year bash. yes.

i want to go to the seaside.

2009-07-11T15:08:00.001-07:00

Today I went to the seaside with some people from a home group at church. They are all so lovely and it was amazing them just inviting me and including me as part of them!!

Today consisted of beach cricket (which i seriously have a sore shoulder from), swimming that I didnt partake in, English rain, barbecues, fish and chips on the promenade, attack of the mangy seagulls..i seriously thought they were going to get me..to the point where i was crouching on the ground in the foetal position trying to hide my food so they wouldnt kill me..haha and so many more lovely things.

Tomorrow, camden market. cannot wait.

life oh life.

2009-07-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

Weeks just fly by when you don't want them too...and by the time you realise whats happening youve only got 5 drop ins left before your year officially finishes with Youth For Christ..oh my word this is my situation..so busy that its only been today as Dave and I were walking to a lunch club that we realised that I have 5 more drop ins in England EVER...and then i will be done..I seriously could not believe it..and so many of the kids I love...Today it is officially 2 weeks until Im done with YFC.
Next week is a bit of a crazy week..The first 3 days Im away in London on what YFC like to call End of Year Bash..now as aggressive as this sounds, dont worry I wont be coming back covered in bruises and bumps, but is merely a way of getting all the volunteers together and celebrating what we've done and seen God do over the year..and have a big party..LONDON BABY! One of my all time favourite english places also and with Tuesday all dedicated to exploring im well up for it. And seeing all the faces I miss will be amazing. Tuesday night we're gunna have a big party with a Westend theatre theme..but at the same time formal?! hmm yeah i didnt get that one either..and so ive been fretting really bad about what I can go as..Being foreign I have little knowledge of the westend and what it entails..so google was a huge help. Thank goodness. Sister act?! That is all im going to say. And maybe that i found out that my host mum somehow has a nuns headress thing...these two go perfectly into the westend theme. I might be having a very 'holy' tuesday evening haha I have no time to find anything else at all!! haha I hear other peoples costumes are brilliant too..
Then Wednesday evening I come home..Thursday straight back into work where that evening we're taking some of the girls to London to see a theatre production of Wicked..which will be amazing (tick two things off my 'must do before i leave' box)..and I just cannot wait.
Then Friday we have normal work..then our end of year team meal..everything is getting so scarily ending..I think i may be a mess of tears by the end of it..oh dear.
But I think maybe, as much as I love it here and as much as Ive bonded with some of the young people andd team here and will always love them and keep in touch, I think Gods totally preparing me to come home..like slowly and surely making me look forward to seeing everyone and being back in my home country. Thankyou God but I know he's gunna have to do a whole lot of work when Im back home to stop me being a mess and missing here.

This weekend holds a bundle of excitement in store for me. Tomorrow Im going to the seaside with some lovely people from church. Then Sunday getting up so early and hitting London for Camden markets. I cannot wait. Photos will be taken.

oh long weekend.

2009-07-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

This is where we ate on Sunday. Jamie Olivers restaurant. Was Amazing.

So I am now living in a house that has people in it..Finally after 10 days, my host family came home on Thursday night..oh the joy of not waking up and hearing the cat and convincing myself that there is someone trying to break into the house..I'm liking it..However the 3 year old making a lot of noise does start to wear thin..haha However we are tight at the minute after me having taken him on an adventure on Saturday so that Martha could sort things out for her party..
I took him into Chatham and after being distracted by a pet shop and a toy shop (for 40 minutes) and having him asking if I could buy numerous toys I hopped us both onto the bus to come back to Gillingham..the WRONG bus..so instead of taking us to Gillingham it took us out of Gillingham..And theres me having to sheepishly ask the driver if he could take us back..oh dear. It took a little bit longer than we first expected..but we got home in the end. And it was an exciting adventure.

Saturday night was Marthas 30th birthday party..Underground theme..so everyone had to dress up as one of the London underground stops..I was so impressed with how much effort was put into this..People came dressed up as tennis players for Wimbledon, Bakers for Baker st, Liverpool supporters as Liverpool street, Arsenal player as Arsenal, Barbie and Ken as Barbican, Festival dancers as Notting Hill, 70's style as Waterloo..and then there was me..with my whistle around my neck for Tooting..oh my word..it was hilarious. And a good night had by all.

And Sunday was a dream. We went to Jamie Olivers restaurant in London, Fifteen. It was AMAZING. The food was perfect and the interior was so nice..It was literally so good. AMAZING. I am so lucky to live with the family I do otherwise I wouldnt be able to do half the things I am doing..
And today was another day off. I slept until lunchtime. then mooched about. watched telly. and tonight Im goign round to Daves and we're gunna watch the inbetweeners..the most hilarious british program ever..LOVE IT. I'm very excited.

And I have set this Sunday as the day I will do Camden markets and all the other markets in hopes of being immersed in the amazing culture and atmosphere..and maybe finding a few lovely cheap vintage pieces. I would love that.
And a week until End of Year Bash. Man this year has sped.

july you have crept up on me.

2009-07-02T10:00:00.001-07:00

Since when was it July?! oh my word its crazy how time flies..and a little bit scary..actually ALOT scary..only 3 more weeks left of my work with Gillingham Youth For Christ..oh my word. And as much as I'm looking forward to Greece I don't want to wish my time here away in order for my holiday to get here sooner...So many things Im looking forward to this month. And so many I'm not. But I think the looking forward to's outweigh the rest.

These things I am looking forward to:

End of Year Bash. which is for all the YFC volunteers in London. 3 days of livin' the dream in the capital city. Hopefully we'll do some exploring, culture, and just general hanging out with nice people. There's a themed night one of the nights..Westend..and weve got to dress formal..might need to save my pennies and go shopping for something nice.

Camden Market. I haven't scheduled it in but it IS GOING TO happen. I cannot leave England having not done possibly the coolest thing in Britain. So many vintage stalls, up and coming fashion designers and loads of culture and different ethnicities. AMAZING. i must put it in my diary soon. MUST.

Westend Theatre Trip. Hopefully we'll be taking some of our girlies from drop in to a westend theatre production of 'Wicked' in a theatre in London just outside Victoria Staion. I hope we can do it. I really want to see a show and I know the girls would love it.

The huge Number of Drop ins that are stretched before me. I do 4 a week in the evenings and LOVE every one of them. The older kids are truly something else and I love them so much. I'm going to make the most of it while I can.

My long weekend. This starts tomorrow and I have no idea how I'm going to spend it. Im thinking maybe London. Or Camden. I dont know but I want to use the small number of pennies I have to go and do something exciting.

My host mums birthday. Which is this Saturday. She's turning 30 and is having a themed party 'Underground theme' so you have to go dressed up creatively as one of the names of the London Underground. I'm still undecided as to what Im going to go as. Olympia maybe? And make a toga out of a sheet. Then Sunday we're going to have lunch at a posh restaurant in London near London Bridge. Ooh La La it should be nice.

Greece. Me and Bee are going to a Greek Island called Corfu on July the 27th. Even though our flight is ridiculously early it will be amazing. 7 days of sun and sea and culture. I cannot wait.

Alpha away weekend. We're doing youth alpha at the moment with some of the kids from our evening drop ins and I love it. They're a bunch of rascals and are so noisy but God is totally working on them. So we're gunna do an away day where we just have fun with them, play games and do some intense sessions on what Jesus has done for them. It will be epic.

This is what my July holds. and I know it will hold so much more aswell. Amazing. Cannot wait to see how it all unfolds.

today yesterday and everything in between.

2009-06-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

So one good thing about my host family being away is that I can blowdry my hair at any time of the day or night and not worry about waking them...Now this may seem like a small pleasure to you but to me this is a treat.
And I'm taking full advantage of having baths at 1 in the morning and tidying my room and the house at crazy times..No need to be quiet because no one is home apart from me. The silence is weird though. No 3 year old alfie tearing around the house begging me to play with him or making me watch silly kids television programs (which secretly are quite entertaining). Its been nice being home alone just chilling and doing whatever the heck I want but it will be nice having a populated house again on Thursday...And Ive totally scored in the cooking department..literally have only cooked for myself less than half the nights that theyve been away..oh my! Ive been invited round to peoples for dinner and everything..amazing what pity does for people lol

Today has been such a wonderful day..Like really nice..First of all the weather was amazing!! like so hot..(sorry to all you new zealanders who are having the coldest winter in all records)..
We played football down at the cage in a community with some of the kids that come to our drop ins and live there...and seeing as Dave (our resident football fanatic) was out of action due to a sore shoulder I was encouraged to step up and make my football skills known..or not..theres me with all these young people who play football every day of their lives..All I could do was run after them and occasionally put the odd elbow in to let me get the ball..haha And then there was the issue of me being goalie..let me just tell you a quick story from the last time i was a goalie in football back at school..I literally stood there and cried until half time in goal coz I didnt want to do it..and that was in year 13..oh the shame.. so today I braved my fear and had footballs hurtling at me at all kinds of speed.. literally I have purple bruises all over my legs from using my body to get in the way of the goal..and my knee is seriously got a dent in it..oh my word. But it was so fun and so good to be doing something that the kids love and making an effort.

Then round to Dave and Lauries for dinner..while Dave cooked, me and Laurie did a clubland workout video (after we jibbed off going to the gym coz it was too hot)..This was hilarious..all manner of tight outfits on the video and gyrating to trance music..too funny and we just collapsed in giggles on the floor..I dont know how much toning it did for us..haha And I got introduced to the UK series 'the inbetweeners'..seriously amazing..just so cringy about these kids who are trying to become popular in a high school and its just so funny and awkard in so many places..amazing..the only setback is the swearing and one guy who is literally just so full of hormones and goes after anything that walks haha check it out. funny.

Today has just been lovely. work. friends. football. love it.

oh james.

2009-06-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

One of the opening acts. A band from Australia. The bow on her head was epic.

encore.

his amazing band.

beautiful.

It was amazing. truly.

Vagabond was an opening act. too cool.

tambourine time.

Kirsty and me. It rained.

these few days.

2009-06-28T05:34:00.000-07:00

The past week my attitude has been awful. Complaining all the time, being distant from the kids, just not really caring. And I hated it. I dont want my last 4 weeks at work to be like that. 4 weeks is such a long time and I can totally make a difference in that time, get to know the kids even better and just love them even more. I realised on Friday it was because I think subconciously I know that I'm leaving soon and I know how hard it will be so I think itll just be easier to detach now. But I so dont want that. Because I want to leave the kids with an even better relationship than a few weeks ago. I love them all and I wanna put all my effort into being there for them, getting to know them more and just serving God with all I can. After some much needed Jesus time I realised that right now I need to live for the here and now, not think about coming home, but seeing each day as a new opportunity and making the most of it. And not relying on my own strength but totally relying on God. I'm still learning and growing.
These next weeks are going to be amazing I know it.

Yesterday I had such a wonderful day. I took an amazing young girl I work with for lunch. Mcdonalds it just had to be. Then mooched around the chops in Chatham for a bit.
And then for James Morrison with Kirstie, Ruby and Cheryl. We took the train to canterbury and after a few delays we cued up outside the cricket grounds where it was being held. It was such a nice day. Rainy at times but that was just an excuse for hilarious green ponchos. And the support acts were amazing!! A band called Vagabond played (who I'd walked past earlier on the way to the portaloo and decided they must be in a band coz they looked way too cool) and just made me want to dance. And a girl from australia who had the largest amount of style ive ever seen. Look 'em up on myspace or something. AMAZING. James Morrison played loads of songs and was epic. PERFECT. and the sun even made an appearance. haha

This week holds just the normal for me. But I'm going to try and make the most of each day.

alfie.

2009-06-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

Today after work I came home and there was alfie eating a melon. It was too cute.

Alfie is three years old and wakes up really early but is such a joy to live with and tells the most hilarious stories and says the funniest things. The other day he likened his singing voice to that of Joss stone. It was hilarious.

I got to say prayers with him the other night and he taught me a lesson on how to pray. He used the word 'bum' and 'smelly bottom' alot and waved his hands around in some kind of dance move action when he said the word amen. Too cute.

I'm going to miss him LOADS when I come home. Maybe not so much the tantrums though.

I like countryside.

2009-06-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

Today is Sunday..Fathers day in England to be exact..and I'm so hoping its not Fathers day in New Zealand too because I haven't given my dad any special recognition at all..and if it is I shall just blame the time difference for the confusion haha or maybe use the excuse that I don't want to celebrate it while I'm in another country so I'm waiting till I get home to give him a huge fathers day surprise? or tell the truth haha we'll see what happens.

Today has been so lovely though..Helped with a group of young people at my church called 'Pathfinders' (loving the cheesy Christian name)..By helping I don't mean having to do anything that actually involves me putting effort in..The definition of helping in this context involves me sitting on a comfortable chair and generally chatting to the well behaved polite Christian kids and occasionally having to contribute to useful conversation that is happening with the other leaders..haha it's quite nice.

Then I left early (just another definition of how hard I work on this haha) and went for lunch with my host family and marthas stepmum, dad and sister in this quaint little town. The drive there was beautiful. Through little lanes and roads with trees making an archway over them, old houses with fields..oh was such a change from the scenery of Gillingham. And the place we went for lunch (apart from the fact we had to wait like an hour for our food) was so cute..It's a place called Cafe Rouge and its a dinky french restaurant with amazing food and music that makes you feel like youre in paris somewhere..LOVELY..Although its always awkward trying to order things off the menu that are blatantly french..It usually starts with me making a really poor attempt (usually in a low voice so noone can hear what an ass I sound like) at pronouncing the french word then ends with me just stabbing my finger at the menu so the waiter can see what I am ordering..awkward. But such a nice place.
Followed by a trip to Martha's dads house which is the converted stables of an old manor house..which is HUGE..like literally the manor house is on the same property and is literally like an old english manor but so beautiful..so beautiful. Strawberries and cream (very english) and then the drive back home through the amazing countryside. PERFECT.
Such a lovely day and I am SO blessed to have a host family that just include me in their outings and make me feel so at home. yes thankyou.

Another thing I want to do before I come home that I need to add to my list is take a day trip to France. My host family have said we need to book a date in July for us all to go to the French coast..Oh my word I am so blessed. SO FLIPPIN' BLESSED.
Oh and exciting news. My host mum, Martha is pregnant..YAY. so cool. But on Tuesday theyre going away on holiday to cornwall, on the seaside, for like 1o days..so I will have to fend for myself. we'll see how that goes. Miss Independant.

This weekend has been lovely.

2009-06-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

tonight.

2009-06-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

Tonight is a Saturday night and I have nothing planned at all.. and Ive realised that blogging is a good constructive way to fill time..I havent done a lot today either which has been SO nice coz my last few weekends have been extreme busy..but doing nothing doesnt come naturally to me..I always feel as if i should be doing SOMETHING no matter what that something is. This is how i came to blog.
MY achievement of the day however is I have been to the GYM..yes I know..the GYM..It is a rather foreign place for me to be..but today I decided it was necessary and seeing as I didnt have anything better to do it was perfect..maybe if more often I didnt have anything to do I would find myself a wee bit skinnier having gone to the gym a bit more..i guess we will never know.
It's just so weird though because my gym is a unisex gym..so there's all these guys 'pumping iron' and being all hard while little old me is red faced and sweaty trying my hardest to lift like 5kg..oh my word.

Yesterday was a rather interesting day. Claire (our support person from head office) came down to do my end of year interview..END OF YEAR?! I'm freaking out about having to finish my year here..everything will be okay though I know God has a plan for me and whether its in New Zealand or somewhere else he'll reveal it to me. hopefully soon. I'm just gunna chill for quite awhile when I get home..take up a few hobbies..get back into photography, maybe start sewing...read alot..and just relax.

THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I COME HOME:

Go and visit the stonehenge in Salisbury. until I got here I always thought the stonehenge was in Ireland..who knew it was actually in England?!
Camden Markets. all things markety, cultural and vintage in Camden. I cannot wait to go and spend the day parousing through all the market stalls and then continue onto other markets and vintage shops throughout the day...
Having another day out in London with friends being shown the exciting and little secret places that are cool.
Go to somewhere sunny in europe. Me and Bee are hopefully booking our holiday to Greece next week sometime so I'm hoping the tickets are still there. I want some Mediteranian culture and sun.
Go on the London eye at night. I would love to look out over London with all the lights and the thames and tower bridge..oh i must do it.
Go to see a Westend show in London. I must do this. Everyone keeps telling me I need to but I havent gotten around to it. I will sort it out.
Host a New Zealand themed night at drop in. Im thinking pavlovas, the national anthem, kiwifruit carving, flags strung up everywhere and me just in stubbies and a rugby top. Perfect. Any other ideas?
Take some of the girls from drop in to a west end show in london. They all so want to go but they just dont really have the money or will maybe never get to see one otherwise. I hope it works out.

So many things to do, so little time. I'm praying that it will all come together and I can do all these things. yes please.

soon i will say goodbye.

2009-06-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

So I'm starting to freak out a little bit..I know its 9 weeks until I leave..
BUT there was me in my room earlier stuffing everything into my suitcase..trying to get a rough idea of how much over weight my bag will be on the 16th of August at Gatwick airport..and how I will explain to the lady at the desk that i cant take anymore luggage out..because I dont want to..I hope she understands..
Ive already given a load of clothes away to some of the young girls I work with to try and lighten the load..But its still like 10kg over..oh dear..and that's without my underwear and things in the bag (which are quite important I would say) and if I don't buy one more thing until I leave..
oh dear.
I need to find a cheap removal company that will sail my stuff across the sea without much charge. I am praying for this.

Also I'm getting so excited. Before I leave I want to sort out a few projects with the kids. We've got a wall out the back of drop in that was graffitied on ages ago..and I want the kids to do some kind of amazing artwork over it so it makes it look nice..Although the flip side is that the paint will just get all over everyone..me just coming back to new zealand stained neon green from an unfortunate graffiti accident lol And we're gunna put photos and artwork on the walls of drop in so it doesnt look so dull...It may sound sad that I'm getting excited. But this place needs to be nice for these kids.

Also and this is the icing on the virtual cake..I'm gunna do a New Zealand drop in one night before i leave. This will be everything New Zealand. I am bringing NZ to Gillingham for one night only.
Im thinking the national anthem playing..maybe skip the feature of 'once were warriors'..but have NZ food and drink..and carving new zealand things out of kiwifruits..and loads of other things. Any ideas from you New Zealand kids for this?! I want to make it cool. yes?

yes another post.

2009-06-18T02:21:00.000-07:00

So Ive just been reading over a few of the blogs that I wrote when I first arrived here...
Lets just put a few things straight for those of you who have been following this from day one..In an earlier post I claim that because I have a gym membership I will look like a supermodel when I get back..Let me just put a disclaimer with that : will only work if I actually went to the gym..So for all of you who were waiting for some kind of Kate Moss look alike to arrive at the airport in my place I'm afraid this won't happen.
Also I did earlier state that I will get better at football as I am in a country that's main sport is football...disclaimer: that would be only if I had a natural talent for it. which I dont. So don't go joining me up to play for the NZ team just yet.
I also stated that I have my tea with milk and one sugar. I no longer take sugar. Now this is important information if when I get home you want to invite me around for a drink.
Also no matter how long I've been here for I can't get over the fact that all the shops are ENORMOUS..seriously no matter what you want to buy (unless you go to Gillingham High street which has a 97p store, a 99p store and a few other equally rundown shops) you have to walk through a myriad of things you dont want to buy to get it..The clothes shops literally are enough to get lost in..so overwhelming..you go into buy one thing..you come out with something completely different because its such a confusing experience..but would be an amazing experience if I actually got paid. haha not bitter at all.

Which leads me to my next point. I have been promoted. Not an ordinary promotion where you get lifted up into a position that truly has advantages. But a GYFC promotion where I no longer am a volunteer but am now considered to be a STAFF member. Yeah get me. STAFF.
What does this mean for me you ask? It means I still don't get paid, I still do exactly the same thing, EXCEPT (heres the big one) I have to come into work an hour earlier on a Friday morning for STAFF meeting..hahahah But I do like to think I'm held in higher esteem in my colleagues (lol) minds...haha

Also another big change..The other volunteer that was based in Gillingham has had to finish his year early..so we are a team member down..which is why we've been so crazy busy the last few weeks..but thats okay..the new staff member will surely be able to take things on lol

Anything else I want to leave you with? Oh yeah I'm trying to figure out how to bring all my luggage home. Not only did my mum send over a whole bunch of stuff that didnt fit in my suitcase when I first came over. But I have also somehow accumulated loads of stuff in the 10 months Ive been here. And Ive looked into shipping it home and its gunna cost at least £130 ..which could basically buy me everything I would send home and more when I got home..So for the past few nights Ive been trying to cull my wardrobe and many other bits that I want to come home..and trying to decide what the best way to do this is..sell on ebay? give away? or just strap it to someones back and get them to swim it over? Sheesh. who knew?!
Oh and I got to tell the boy who nicked that phone in drop in last year about Jesus last night and no matter what he does he'll still be loved. AMAZING. So God. Thankyou. He just stood outside all night with the cutest puppy that he is planning on training to be a weapon. So I just cuddled it and told it not to let him turn it mean hahaha hopefully it will remember that.

And on the 27th of June. I am going to see James Morrison perform live in Canterbury. I am so excited. I am so blessed to have been able to do things like this while Ive been over here.
If only I could have gone to Glastonbury. ah well. We can only do so much :)

The next few weeks will be so exciting.

oh my word.

2009-06-16T16:40:00.000-07:00

I have such mixed feelings at the moment. In 9 weeks I'll be coming home. AMAZING for the fact that I get to see everyone i know and love. TRAGIC for the fact that I am leaving a years worth of friends, relationships with the young people, and most possibly luggage (if i dont manage to eliminate enough to fit into 20kg of suitcase) across the other side of the world. It's just plain weird (or maybe God?!) that I have come to love Gillingham, known for its 'chavs,' pregnant teenagers, less than perfect football team, chewing gum covered footpaths and large use of the words 'innit bruv'...But I have..and I have fallen in love with the kids..and built relationships with them that I'm going to have to try and carry on from New Zealand..and met such an awesome team..a second family almost..So many blessings. So very mixed feelings at the moment..and just trusting that God knows what he's doing and if Im meant to be back in Gillingham or England then when the time is right I will come back. Please soon.

Seriously, I love the kids I work with. They are truly amazing. The things theyve had to grow up with, put up with and figure out are way too much for any kid to handle...and sure they get in trouble with the police, tell me their birthday is in a few days so I will make them a cake and then find out its not, get angry, get annoying, lash out, smoke..But all they want is people to love them and take them for who they are..and they have taught me such a HUGE lesson in love this year..But we've seen so much change..A girl that I absolutely adore has totally softened up since shes started coming in to drop ins..Kids at the youth alpha session tonight asked us and other kids to tell their stories, tell them what God has done in our lives..and they just sat in awe and listened...God is working..and I so expect more before I go home..I cant wait to come back in a few years and see them grown up a bit..will be amazing. Oh my word the things Ive learnt. I dont know what I'm gunna do with myself when i get home.

So many things are all lined up though for before I go..YFC end of year retreat at the beginning of July..I finish work on the 26th July..Hopefully sometime in July I will have a weekend in London with some new friends..and try to get on a diet to get down to my pre-england size haha too many chips.
And before then I'm hoping to take some of the girls to a show in london..get a project going so they can spraypaint the back wall of drop in to make it look amazing..this may need censoring otherwise there may be cussing and swearing spread across the concrete...loads of end of year stuff..saying goodbye to the kids..I will cry...
Then my friend Bee and I will fly out to Corfu in Greece for a weeks holiday..ahh sun and beaches and hopefully tanning..
Then to do a camp with some of the kids..which will be interesting as some of the young people who are coming may make some trouble..and theyve been put in my dorm to look after lol
Then fly out of England on the 16th. to arrive home on the 19th.
Oh my word its going to take some time to adjust and process the crazy year.

oh sweet weekend.

2009-06-15T13:09:00.001-07:00

The sun was shining. The people were lovely.

I almost wanted to go swimming.

Brighton I love you. lovely Saturday with lovely people.

perfect day.

2009-06-08T17:32:00.000-07:00

Today has been perfect. Just what I have needed after a hugely massive few weeks and a small stint of being ill..a Monday to do what I please with. And what did I please? London most definitely.

I mooched about South Kensington. Had a coffee and read a book. Did a bit of shopping in the extensive and large shops of Oxford Circus. Met my friend Mike and went to Covent Garden. Had another coffee and nearly got attacked by pigeons. Mooched about a bit more. Danced around a CD store to Black Eyed Peas. We then met my friend Jordan and a lovely girl called Sarah at an amazingly cute tea place on Bond street called Tea Orient. Devised a plan for the evening. Went to an amazing asian place called Wagamamas for dinner and tried my best to eat with chopsticks and talked deep about God and forgiveness. amazing. Then went to a part of the city filled with culture and drank mint tea over more hilarious conversation. Truly a day dreams are made of. So sad to have to say goodbye to it at Victoria station in the late hours of the night.

But tomorrow is work. and youth alpha. and getting to see the kids I work with. Which are all good things. Youth Alpha has been going amazingly. A guy last week that Ive been praying for heaps and that I know God has really put on my heart totally surprised us and said that God had spoken to him. Flipping heck. And we doubt God because..? totally blew me away.

The last few days have been full of pretty places. Possibly the most peaceful place Ive ever been. Saturday was a youth event at Ealesford priory which is a place that is still used for monks to live in. Just old buildings and amazingly beautiful gardens and monks sauntering about in their brown robes. perfect.

Next weekend may be a visit to Brighton. Have always wanted to go and Sarah invited me to go with her. exciting. we'll see.

these things happen.

2009-04-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

I just have this amazing feeling of joy inside of me.
I prayed and found my MP3 player which has been missing for over a month. Just because I couldnt sleep and wanted to listen to Brooke Fraser. and there it was..And I know he didnt answer it because it was the biggest deal or need in the world..but because it was important to me..and he cares about every little or big thing that we do.
My 5 day weekend has sorted out after me praying about it. I'm heading off to Nuneaton on an incredibly cheap train ticket to surprise a friend for her birthday.
I tell you prayer works. even in small cases.
Ive been praying about getting closer to these two girls that have just started coming into drop in and chatting to them..because they are difficult to talk to and dont make it easy for me..but i know i wanna get to know them a bit more.
But tonight we talked and laughed. and it was so natural. it was amazing.
I tell you prayer works.
There are so many kids that I work with that are close to my heart and I can feel amazing things are going to happen in the next few months.
Im so excited. I really am.

And I can't believe I havent even blogged about easter and going away.
I will soon I promise s you're all in the know.

read.

2009-04-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already.

Read Run Baby Run.
Autobiography of Nicky Cruz.

Oh my word. I finished reading it in a day..which is unheard of.
And seriously has inspired me for life.
You won't regret it.

tonight was crazy.

2009-04-20T15:18:00.000-07:00

Tonight has been rather interesting...We had our girls group...and now I feel like Ive been run over by train..or 7 trains..each with a girls name on that came tonight!! Oh my word..and we had a guy from a supermarket (some bigwig I think) who had given our drop ins quite a large sum of money to fund them and our work..and he was bringing a photographer to come and take pictures of our kids and us and where we work for the newspaper they bring out to show what a good investment it was..I feel we should have warned them both..and maybe paid our kids to be on their best behaviour.
Let me just paint a scene for you, theres this guy (who you can tell has no affiliation with teenagers as he expects them to sit down when he tells them to and be very quiet) and then theres about 15 crazy teenagers running around outside of drop in, one standing on the windowsill and a few refusing to be photographed..whilst the photographer is trying to get a decent photo out of it all...In the midst of this I'm trying to figure out why a girl is crying whilst she has a shouting and swearing match across the street with another girl who is threatening to smack her head in whilst another of the girls tries to mediate..The photographer is desperately trying to pull this shambles into a picture of the kids..The leaders then have to have a photo whilst the kids are running riot behind them..all of us hoping the photo is quick so that we can go and sort out whatever could be happening..This should have been an indication of the rest of the night for us.

This was pretty much the tone of the rest of the night. The girls made a few phone calls to a girl who none of the other girls like at the moment to tell her to come down to youth club where there was going to be a fight apparently, hints of going outside to take drugs, girls trying to meet the boys by going outside every 2 seconds for a cigarette break and just running upstairs to hassle the boys group, then throwing glitter everywhere..and although we tried to discourage all this it didnt seem to work..sheesh it was quite a night...

and for the past hour Ive been thinking that this was such a task and how bad for me to have to put up with this..But Ive been mulling over it..and even though they were being a pain..I really should have acted differently..and loved them..not huffed around and felt sorry for myself having to put up with it..But seriously asking God to be in the situation and shared the journey with them of talking through what was the matter...These are the kids, these are their lives..and just because they werent amazing tonight and I didnt have a fantastic time with them, doesnt mean that I can feel okay about complaining..I cant choose to love them when theyre cool and then totally have enough of them when theyre harder to deal with..It should be a 24 hour 7 days a week love and tolerance for them..

I dont think There's any pointONLY loving people and being nice to people that just do the same for you coz it doesnt put you out at all ..There's a huge point and amount of character in loving the kids that dont always treat you amazingly and can stretch you to your limits..forgeting what theyve done and get on with it..even though this is harder..because this is what Jesus did..Jesus loves these kids..He thinks theyre amazing..and I should too...and if Im going to work with them..I need to understand this and make it part of who I am...not just on the good nights.
but boy can it be hard sometimes..a journey I am on that is forever up and down.
x

this took awhile in the making.

2009-04-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

Flippin heck. Here is the happenings in my life over easter which are pretty much now out of date.

But Jason Mraz was amazing. just as I imagined the show to be. PERFECT.

Over my easter break I went to Swindon to visit my friend Bee. We went to Bath, a town where the Roman influence in England was, which means they still have Roman Baths (hence the name..lol) We went to the fashion museum and the Roman Baths..both of which had these amazingly hilarious walkie talkie tour guide things (credit crunch staff cuts?) that you were meant to hang round your neck and listen to what it was saying about each thing..However interesting the information was, it was just too funny looking around the tourist attractions and seeing all these people walking round with these walkie talkies strung round their necks and listening really hard...And the bonus was we got in half price to all the attractions..and got a half price lunch..which was so God..coz I really didnt have much money to take me through the trip and I was thinking this is going to get me nowhere..
Bee just so happened to be looking on the internet..and found half price tickets to these Bath attractions..which was so amazing..coz otherwise I would never have been able to see what I saw..which really made me realise that God cares about the little things..like my trip to Bath..Bath is beautiful.
While I was in Swindon with Bee we also went to the park and played rounders with some of her friends..was so child like but so amazing..and im going to try and bring this sport to new zealand..lol Theres me just trying to swing and hit the ball with the bat..and failing miserably..HILARIOUS..

And in the mix of these things was also a lot of just relaxing. re generating. and appreciating the time away. And going to Bee's nieces birthday party in London. was so cute..all these little kids running around stealing presents off the present pile, eating way too much food, playing party games. It was amazing. I think parties should still be like that. haha

The week after I got home from Swindon I was back to work..well I say work but this week was literally the least work-like week Ive ever had..even since Wunderland, where i just sat at the desk on facebook and occasionally served someone who came into the shop.
The kids we work with were all on school holidays, so apart from not being able to go into town without bumping into one of these little ones, we had some outings they could sign up for to keep them from boredom. I think I was more excited about this than anyone else. We got to go to the london zoo!! I pretty much leapt for joy. This trip consisted of us keeping the kids occupied on the train by playing a game that they love, much to the dismay of some of the passengers. It is called the 'to save the world' game and is very childish yet highly amusing.
It goes a little like this
kid: 'To save the world would you rather eat a smelly sock or a toenail?'
Then as the trip goes on it usually needs taming down. I have to say i think the kids enjoyed it more than the other passengers. All in good fun.

Apart from the fact it was raining and most of the animals were in hiding in their houses, and we missed the penguin feeding because we failed to read the signs, it was amazing! Apparently the biggest zoo in Europe..so i hear. And any zoo trip wouldnt be complete with the 'original' quips of pointing at monkeys and saying 'hey look theres you' classic kids. just classic.

And on the trip back on the train me and one of the kids, Daisy (who is a real sweetheart), sat next to this overly talkative man who had just been interviewed to be on deal or no deal. So we played cards with him in hopes that when he did go on deal or no deal and won big he would remember how nice we were and maybe split the money or donate it to a good cause. haha.
Work but definitely not work at the same time.

We also did a sleepover for some of the kids. which involved very little sleep. and us making them pancakes in the morning. classic.

And that was how my life over easter went.

stretched before me.

2009-04-04T07:09:00.001-07:00

Tonight I am going to London Town (yes the 3rd time in 2 weeks) to go and see Jason Mraz live at the Hammersmith apollo...and I'm so excited...It should be amazing..In approximately 2 hours I will be walking down to the train station to meet Simon, Sarah and Rosie and off we will go..to an evening of bliss..music to my ears...I CAN'T WAIT..! Hopefully it will be everything that I ever dreamed. Although I'm not entirely confident about the company..as I don't know many of the people I am going with..Hopefully the common ground of our love for Jason Mraz will spur along the friendship..and if not we will just sing the songs loudly together and everything will be okay..so looking forward to it.

Also stretched before me is an entire 10 days holiday..which is EXACTLY what I need..some time to sleep, think and do whatever the heck I want. What I want to do however I don't know yet. I have so many options that I just dont know what to do with myself..and I dont want to plan loads and then be worn out by the end. So I have simply planned a few things with a few lovely people and will be relaxed and satisfied with that. Until Tuesday I am free to do as I wish..walk the high street of Gillingham, perhaps start a much needed exercise regime, maybe do some baking, or walk the streets looking for kids to hangout with (this is only if I miss not working haha).

TUESDAY will be the day that I'm thinking of going to visit my friend Kirsty in Reading. Kirsty has just finished up her 8 months of YFC work in Swindon so I wanna hangout with her coz she wont be at any other YFC things. She has probably my favourite English accent and is very creative. I am looking forward to seeing her.

TUESDAY NIGHT I will make my way on the train to Swindon..where I will meet the lovely Bee..and we will go on day trips to places near Swindon (as the only attraction in Swindon is a 5 part roundabout) such as Bath and the seaside which will be amazing!! Everyone is telling me how beautiful Bath is..and I cant wait to see it. Then Saturday we will hit up London (AGAIN) and will go to Camden Markets..This will be brilliant!! Apparently its just markets with loads of different knik nak stalls and budding clothing designers and vintage things..I am going to be in my element..

This is my easter break sorted. And I'm looking forward to all of it...! Right, now Im going to figure out what to wear tonight (which may take a while) haha

x

i may as well live there.

2009-03-29T14:57:00.001-07:00

Yes I have been to London yet again..Oh the joys of living so close to such an immense city and having a direct train line there..It was rather an impromptu and spontaneous visit to the great city on Sunday. My friend Dan who is usually in Edinburgh is down in the South for a few days..and seeing as I havent managed to take the MASSIVE coach journey up to Edinburgh just yet, London was a far closer option for me..so there we met with a plan to go to Hillsong church in London and then go and see the rather prestigious annual rowing race with Cambridge University vs. Oxford University..and all for the cost of a train ticket..perfect for a volunteers wage!

Hillsong church was EPIC..like actually so big that I nearly got lost trying to find my way to the toilet..and so many people EVERYWHERE..so overwhelming..but good at the same time...It's like a church that have thousands who go every week, 4 services every Sunday to accomodate the people who want to go, hire out a theatre for the venue, and spend hours every Sunday setting up the lights and getting ready for the day. Truly a mission. It was such an experience though coz I had heard so much about it from different people..and it was cool to be able to come and see for myself what a MEGA church like this was like..very big, very pretty people on stage, and free tea..not bad at all..I dont think i could have it as my home church..like a weekly one..But was good to see what goes on haha It was an interesting experience and one that definitely has given me some things to think about..So funny though coz all 4 of the people that came up to talk were Australian..so weird being in London and having this totally different accent up the front..me just cringing in the front hoping that my accent isnt quite like that lol
And then navigating our way to the tube station that would get us to the rowing race...

Apparently this rowing race is actually quite a big deal and started in 1844 (i didnt even know they had rowing boats back then?!) lol and so was a perfect thing for a tourist like me to attend..We saw the beginning..the boats setting off and all the rowers straining hard out trying to win..apparently its a VERY big deal if either team wins..and then we went to the pub to watch the finish of the race on tv..And Oxford won..which apparently (according to the Oxford fan standing next to me) always happens..and that it hasnt been a proper competition for a few years lol oh dear. It was an event for the prestigious though..all the posh Londoners, Oxford people and Cambridge people all in one place in their tweed jackets and crisp shirts and ties..And then theres me and Dan in our jeans ..was classic..We even tried to get into one of the rowing clubs..it was so obvious we hadnt been invited..but was classic. Even more classic when a boat went past everyone standing beside the Thames..and the waves washed up over the pavement sending everyone fleeing from the tide..was a bit funny...Then we just wandered around London..was such a nice day!! And on the same train home as me was 2 guys dressed as mustard bottles..hahaha nozzles on their heads and everything..was so funny coz they casually hopped out at Bromley south station and waddled across the platform..me just imagining them meeting a massive hot dog outside lol only in London huh.

It was such a busy weekend though coz the day before I had trained from Gillingham to Birmingham and then back again all on the Saturday!! 8 hours travelling on a train..with no book..and no mp3 player..awful..But I took one of our part time volunteers up to head office for a day where people who want to do what I'm doing this year can find out about stuff and get interviewed..Was quite funny talking to the parents of the kids and answering all their questions about what im doing and where I am..and then answering peoples questions about NZ..lol always the NZ questions.
That was my weekend..

And next week I am off for Easter..a whole week and a half stretched before me free..Im not sure what Im going to do yet..I feel as if I need to go away because I need to see the country..not sure where I wanna go though!! ah well. This coming Saturday I am in London again to see JASON MRAZ perform at the Hammersmith Apollo with some friends from church..I am so looking forward to it. love him. That is all my plans for now. I will update as my adventure progresses.

x

sheesh.

2009-03-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

So I have just realised three things..one that its a ridiculously late time of night..two that I really shouldnt have tried to fake tan..and three that I havent updated my blog (like properly updated it with things that I have done) for over a month..I was looking over the 2nd to last blog about all the things I hoped to blog about soon and all those things seem like forever ago..and as the smell of fake tan wafts up from my neck of all places (where I think i may have scarily put a coat more than anywhere else I sprayed) I shall try remember the events that have happened without making this post too epic and hefty..to help with this I will use subtitles (which I have been taught that in essays help to keep peoples attention..lets hope this is what happens here..yes?)
Just quickly for the record its been really sunny here the past few days..Ive been able to rid of a few layers..I have hope that spring is on the way..

TRAINING IN BIRMINGHAM.
Man this happened ages ago..It must have been the end of february I think..I ventured my own way up on the train to YFC head office in Birmingham to a Proclamation Evanglism 2 day training thing (of which I didnt really understand what proclamation evangalism was..) and wondered whether a 4 hour train journey one day there and a 4 hour return journey back to Gillingham was really worth it..especcially with my lack of ability to make myself stress less about missing trains and walking to other stations..yadayadayada..ANYWAY..let me just tell you it was amazing!! A guy who works for YFC but who is originally from Australia took it..and apart from the occasional jibe at NZ and the only new zealander in the room..it was really good..! It basically just went over the need to go out into the community and what mission was and how we could better do it and things like that.. and was an opportunity to catch up with the other volunteers which is the closest thing Ive had to a social occasion in ages..Let me just say over here my social life really isn't at its peak..haha Gillingham is not really known for people my own age lol

GREENWICH
I have decided I LOVE GREENWICH..! It is such a beautiful place, so full of culture and prettiness..I was so happy that my friend Ellie suggested that her parents took us on a day trip there because I'd never been..and all I knew was that I had learnt in maths that that was the place where time was invented (Greenwich mean time)..So with this knowledge under my belt off I went..and what I found was far more interesting than anything I had ever heard in maths..First of all I think it was the first day that I had actually felt the sun since we had been in Rome..Second of all we started off in Greenwich park...Its such a nice park with squirrels running everywhere and people rollerblading..and just so fresh and open spaced (which there's not alot of in England)..We strolled through the park and up to the top of the hill there which gives the most amazing outlook over the River Thames and all of London..So pretty!! And this is where a funny man in an olden day costume grabbed our attention and began to tell us all about Greenwich mean time and the Meridian line..which was a bit of a laugh..and then THE MARKETS..oh the joys of the markets..this is where the culture begins..wee little shops, bustling vintage markets, antique kind of stores, vintage shops, shops selling amazing different bits and bobs..cultural markets selling amazing food from different countries..we spent ages strolling round the markets and shops..I definitely want to do it again!! It was such a good day...such a treat and so relaxing. Just what I needed.

BLACKLION COMMUNITY EVENT
This was so amazing..Basically the church that I am with over here do an event every year where they serve the community and put on a massive free event for anyone and everyone. This year they hired out a community leisure centre with gyms, swimming pools, tennis courts, kids rooms and crafts and all sorts and anyone could just come in for free and just use all these things..It was so cool..so many people turned up and we were able to serve them and get to know heaps of different people...give out cake and tea...let the kids go wild on the bouncy castles..and heaps of the kids from drop in came with their families! It was so cool just to be part of something bigger..and to meet all the people that we must walk past everyday and not even notice..was amazing and gave heaps of people the chance to serve.

MIDYEAR RETREAT
This is basically what it says..a retreat in the middle of our year out..lol No really though...All the volunteers who are doing a year out with YFC get 4 days off to go to Kidderminster to a holiday centre thing for a retreat..Its so cool coz you just get to chill and hangout and reflect on the first half of the year and look forward to the next half whilst getting to see all the other volunteers..This is all I thought it was..But God totally had other ideas for me..haha While we were there we had seminars and prayer meetings and creative bits and pieces we could get involved in which was cool..and a whole day focused on what we were going to be doing after we finished our gap year..and God really challenged me to think about a few different options for that..and really pray into them..I hate thinking about the future coz I totally dont know what God has in store for me..But I know that Im staying the full year with YFC..so that ends in the end of July..and then I'll be coming home on the 14th of August (I know the date seems to be getting further and further away..but I think this is the last change lol)
It was so amazing actually because literally I so wanted to stay on but I couldnt afford the extra money at all..and the head guy, Dave Newton, came over to me on the last morning of the retreat and said that YFC would sort out the finance for the last 4 months of my stay!! It was such a blessing and I'm so happy about it..I get to stay with the kids till the end of July! yus but I know by then I think I will be ready to come home..England is good for a wee while..but New Zealand just blows me away..I love my homeland..

That brings me up to date until halfway through march..hmm I might just leave it there..

except to say..that I'm going to see Jason Mraz Live in London on the 4th of April..and following that I have over a weeks holiday so im gunna find some exciting things to do in it...not quite sure yet..maybe a trip to france? or a tiki tour around england? we'll see where it takes me..
love x

so right.

2009-03-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

Some people just have it SO RIGHT. Some people capture the very heart and essence of community and serving Jesus by serving people. I'm ill at the moment so have taken an afternoon off work..and have found myself browsing the internet for drop in centres and community organisations back home in New Zealand..And I am totally blown away and in awe...All I can say is that some people just have hit the nail on the head with their focus and their want to build community with ANYONE and EVERYONE who needs it..people who are in the lower parts of society..
This one organisation 'Urban Vision' (www.urbanvision.org.nz) is totally all about living in community and welcoming those who are poor or marginalised into that community...Moving into flats and places where they know there is people in need..migrants, refugees and such..and establishing a community among them where they can have their needs met and can build amazing relationships..
These people have it SO RIGHT..They describe who they are as 'those who believe Jesus call to love beyond the church walls, and join with others in pioneering expressions of love in neighbourhoods of need'..is this not what Jesus called us to do? take care of the broken, put ourselves in places so we can help those in need...did Jesus not hang out with the down and outers? those that others didnt want to be associated with or who others thought were unimportant? This is totally what Jesus wants..a missional community..misseo-dei (as I learned at one training) is going and doing in a community..and I totally believe this is the way to go whether it just be in your own community where you live and getting to know your neighbours, inviting them round for a meal or helping to fix their fence or something..Jesus called his followers to be DOING..
When I was living back home in Hamilton I didn't see much need..but I think my eyes weren't open to it..but behind every gang, every troubled teenager, every poorer community is need..and we are called as Christians to meet that need..Not because we will then be able to tell them about God in hopes of them becoming a follower..but because that is what Jesus would have wanted..he never intended people to be hungry, cold, broken, fighting..
I bet when I go home I will see where I live in such a different way..and I pray that I will be able to do something about it.

Theres another story I came across aswell.

About a guy who has devoted his time to making a community in an area of Hamilton that is known for its gang violence, graffiti and lack of money..The kids go to school hungry and there was a massive gang issue because the kids were seeking a sense of belonging and community that the actual community couldnt provide..this guy has set up a community centre that picks up the kids in the community really early so they can go and have breakfast at the centre, then get walked to school with a packed lunch..then they provide afterschool clubs and dinner clubs so the kids are able to be involved and have fun in a positive environment..This guy has seen the need for a real community and for these kids and families... and has seen the number of kids in gangs decrease and these kids know what its like to have people who care about whether they go to school hungry ..and as far as i can see he's not a christian..Man we need to step it up..we need to start seeking areas where the community needs us and fill them. I am so inspired and challenged by these people.

"What life have we if we have not a life together?
There is no life not lived in a community."
T.S Elliot

What do you think?

i have not forgotten..

2009-03-02T15:57:00.000-08:00

Waiting at the train station in Birmingham with some other volunteers.

I will blog very soon i promise.

There are so many things I would like to write about. But just dont feel I have the time.
.the saga of whether I will stay longer in England or not
.my day trip to Greenwich
.the amazing community event
.how cool my young people are
.the up coming midyear retreat in Kidderminster
.the manic week ahead of me
.how I got tickets to go and see Jason Mraz in London
.the chance to dress up like a mexican for a night

So you could say this is an advertisement or a promo, per say, for my next blog.
It will blow your mind. well not really but might be of a bit of interest.
x

addiction.

2009-02-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

So Ive decided that I'm more of a sporadic blogger than a constant blogger...I blog heaps..then dont blog for ages..then blog heaps..then dont blog for ages..then blog..then not..and so on and so on..Its almost an addiction..But at the moment Ive got a wee (a word ive picked up while ive been here?) bit of time so I may aswell make the most of it..At the moment Im sitting in one of the drop ins by myself and its pouring down with rain outside (mm classic english weather) so Ive decided to be a classic english person, get some chips from the chippie (yes yet another unhealthy option on my part but oh so necessary and convenient) and decided to sit here listening to the music channel until the girls arrive for girls group...so now you know my situation i can continue to blog..

This weekend has been a bit of a toughie for me..and it has continued to today..I dont know why..But I been feeling homesickness intensely..and it almost feels as if it would be easier if I was home in my comfort zone doing what I always used to do..But instead I'm in a foreign country which is totally not my comfort zone..and believe me most of the time it is amazing..but not when I feel like this..everything is just so much harder..and I feel God challenging me..and I just feel as though I cant take a challenge at the moment..but even though im not feeling it at the moment I am a hundred percent CERTAIN that this is where God wants me and all the things I am going through now..all the things I am feeling are just part of life..and will help me to grow..and that he is with me through it..he never gives us anything that he knows we cant deal with..and I know tomorrow or the next day I will wake up and everything will feel okay again..I know that..and while I wait for everything to feel right again I will try and restrain from eating copious amounts of chocolate to comfort myself at this moment..haha Its not the kids, or the team I work with, its just doing it in a place and in a kind of work where I am out of my comfort zone.. But then I guess it gives me more of an opportunity to press into God and just trust.

x

Roma Italia

2009-02-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

ROME and new jeans..

2009-02-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

I have had the laziest day ever today and it has been amazing, with possibly the only productive thing being going shopping for new jeans..I like to tell myself the reason that my jeans always get worn away on the thighs and get holes in them is because I walk everywhere and the natural rubbing of the fabric creates the holes...and definitely not because I have put on a bit of chub due to my ever increasing love for chocolate..and the large incredible numbers of take-out places in Gillingham...so today I decided I needed to be rid of my jeans with holes in them (as they may not be the most appropriate things to wear whilst working with youth) and go and find some new ones..By being rid of them I mean that I am going to send them home for my mum to fix because quite frankly my sewing skills are so poor and the jeans would most likely end up being butchered if i tried to mend them..Now jean shopping has never been something that I enjoy..Its always so tricky trying to find the right style and fit and size because they all just seem so different..and what made it more tricky is Gillingham has one decent clothing store..so if i couldnt find any there I would have to stay 'holy' with my old jeans..So theres me in this store with like 50 pairs of jeans carefully scrutinising them..and hating every minute of it..so many styles..hipster flare? flare? boyfriend jeans? bootleg? mid rise? lowcut? skinny? straight? wide leg? what? i ended up with 2 pairs..one of which i will take back tomorrow (not so successfull) and hopefully get a refund haha that took up a large proportion of my day...and then i debated going to the gym...but am still aching from my intense gym session a few nights back where i felt a little too over enthusastic about exercise and proceeded to do a tad too much..which in turn has made every part of my body hurt haha and walking up stairs has become rather interesting..lol Nothing like watching a bit of American idol to keep the blogging alive..lol And now for the long awaited blog on...ROME..Italy Oh my word it was amazing!!

If there was one place in the world that Ive seen so far that I would prefer to live over New Zealand it would definitely be Rome. The people, the language, the culture, the old buildings, the history and the food is all just such an experience. I spent the whole day feeling like everything was just so surreal..and so dream-like...It was so brilliant!

I just couldnt believe that it was close enought that we could just pop over there for the day...The day started at 5:55am when I had to wake up..This was where I was considering flagging the whole trip and just staying in bed lol but a girls gotta look good for rome so i decided to drag myself out of bed..and man am i ever glad i did..We then had to drive to the airport..which took awhile and our flight was at 9:30..the leg room in the plane was amazing! way better than my flight to england..We arrived in Campiano (about an hour away from Rome) just in time for lunch..and as Luke (the dad of my host family) found us a car to hire martha, mum and me found the time to have an italian cappacino which i am so glad i didnt have to order because italian sounds like such a tricky language.. apparently it is frowned upon to order a milky coffee after 11:30am in Italy..i think we were just in the safe and I have to say it was the most amazing coffee i have had..im not sure whether it was just the fact we were in italy..or the fact the sun was actually out and i didnt have to wear a coat..or the fact that we had the cutest little italian car (a red fiat 500) to drive around in..but the day started off perfectly!!
Luke was the delegated driver as he had driven in italy before and seeing as they drive on the other side of the road and are actually mental erratic drivers i am so glad he did..Its so funny coz it seems that there are no road rules..if you can fit in a space in the traffic you go there, if you stop for a second at a green light all the cars behind take it upon themselves to toot the horn incessantly in case you were just pausing for breath, and just in general the cars pull out whenever they want..Its hilarious.! And theres heaps of those little smart cars all over the place..classic

We parked the car and took on Rome by foot..which is totally the best way to do it coz theres so much to see that would be missed if you drove everywhere..I actually just cant even put into words the atmosphere thats in Rome and the amazingness of it all..First stop was the colloseum..it was like a dream come true..this amazing thing that iev seen in magazines and on tv and never actually thought i would see in real life for ages..it was crazy because its so immense..and you can just imagine people in the olden days 'rome-ing' (haha pun) around these places and just seeing them as normal buildings..and it was so funny coz there were these kids playing 5 aside football next to the colloseum totally unfazed by this massive old theatre that people come from all over the world to see that just sat beside them.

It was so funny to see people trying to make money dressed as roman soldiers and olden day people asking in italian if you want to have a photo taken with them and then find out that you have to pay for it lol its hilarious though coz there were these 2 dressed up soldiers having a fag and coffee break all dressed up next to the colloseum..hilarious..so we walked around and ate pizza and pastries (italians know how to make food) oh my word..ive decided i am going to marry an italian..just for the language and the cooking ability..and being able to live somewhere as cool as Italy..lol

We had our little guide book and martha was frantically flicking through it everytime we saw something that we wanted to know what it was..we were like our own tour guides..And the language is just like a whole nother thing..Theres me trying to say simple italian sentences like please and thankyou and excuse me..and mixing them with english and just sounding like such a fool haha Which makes me realise before I go back I want to actually learn the language si that I dont sound like a stupid toursit (which was exactly what I was) lol

We also saw:

-The Roman forum which is like this amazing old roman city with like market places and pillars and amazing architecture and all the up to date inventions of the romans at that time..this was like ages ago and the romans had figured out how to put water pipes under everything..these guys were smart! haha It was just so crazy seeing all these things..and it all looks so historic and ancient..its actually just like a dream..Im being so vague with my descriptions but its so hard to explain something so amazing..!

-The Pantheon which was this amazing building with pillars..I think it was some kind of church because we got kicked out because mass was about to begin..but there was amazing artwork and gold gilding nd everything decorating the inside..It was actually mindblowing..Im gunna try do a blog after this with just photos of these things so its not just me blabbing about them..haha

-The trevilles fountain was also so stunning and so crowded with people..it was like bright white and is like everything you see in the pictures..Apparently if you throw a penny in the fountain over your shoulder you are definitely going to return to Rome one day..so i threw 2 pennies in for double luck haha and also because i think one of my pennies hit a tourist instead of going into the fountain lol i had to play it safe haha

and the atmosphere was just amazing..it was like the feelingof summer but all year round..little cobbled streets with narrow roads and markets selling scarves and bangles and all sorts of amazing things..there were old buildings everywhere and all the houses were old and european..and it was just such a picture..I am so going back there again..i have to!

For dinner we went to this Italian pizza restaurant where the waiter talked to us in Italian..while I tried my hardest to figure out what he was saying and respond to him lol until a waiter started speaking english..he was my favourite because of it lol But Italian pizza is amazing...and they expect you to eat a whole pizza that was like 3 times the size of my face..even my stomach couldnt handle it and I had to leave some but it was so classic..and the best pizza ive ever had..followed by an espresso shot..which made me want to choke..Hilarious though because in Italy if you go out for dinner you dress up really fancy..and theres us in our day clothes surrounded by italians in heels and fur coats and sequined dresses..lol it was such an experience.
It was like a dream day..We got back to the airport ready for our flight home at 10:30pm..arriving in England at midnight..funnily enough in England it was icy cold..goodbye rome hello reality..

and we woke up in England on Sunday morning to snow..and it all felt like such a dream. the best dream ever.

Grace.

2009-02-05T16:44:00.001-08:00

I love that each day I wake up knowing that I will stuff up...Knowing that in that day that lies ahead of me I will fall short somehow...but also knowing that with Gods grace this doesn't matter...That he will come in and make up the rest that I fall short of..
This is such a weird concept to the world. Because with everything if you stuff up you suffer the consequences. Its what we like to call justice. But in the past month or so the concept of grace and the AMAZINGNESS of grace has really stood out to me in what people have said and what Ive read.
I just cant get over that NO MATTER what we do, no matter how much I stuff up, no matter how may times I do something wrong or bad or something that im ashamed of...God still comes in with his grace and doesnt punish but forgives..No matter how ashamed I am, no matter if its the 674th time I have done the same thing..he gives us yet another chance, knowing full well that we will disappoint him..But his grace, the thing that we will never earn or deserve, comes in and helps me to continue..and what have I done to deserve this? nothing at all and i never will be able to..there is no way humanly possible of earning something as amazing as this..But he extends it to us for free each and every day..oh my word its mindblowing.

'in spite of the crazy times we're in, there's a lot to be thankful for. second chances. third chances. 734th chances. sunsets. sunrises. And the passing of time begins to make a lot more sense to me in the context of grace instead of karma. Under a rule where love triumphs over justice.'
-Jon Foreman

man im still figuring these things out but this hit me at staff conference, never really having fully understood grace, and its truly amazing and so freeing.

oh my..what a whirlwind

2009-02-05T15:23:00.000-08:00

As I sit here eating porridge and its nearing midnight I know that I really don't want to start this blog because there is so much that I need to put in..and so much that ive done and new places Ive been that I am a little worried that this post may run on forever and you may get a little tired of reading the latest happenings (some that will be not so recent as I havent updated in forever) of my life..But I have started and already feel as if I am rambling as my fingers run over the keys..so I will continue and hope the rambling ceases and things are put into precise sentences that make sense..and not jibber jabber..

The last few weeks have been an amazing whirlwinf and dream-like that I can't say I remember many exact things that happened..But I'll try..The most exciting thing that has happened was that about 2 weeks ago my mum came to visit me in this amazing town of Gillingham..I must say the day that she was supposed to arrive I didnt do much work..I tried to focus in the office but I couldnt and kept peering out the window with my boss saying with a knowing tone 'oh jess why would you be looking out the window so much? are you expecting someone?!' haha and then i heard a clatter at the front door downstairs..me and the whole team went thumping down, only to find that it was one of the young people we work with..I must say i felt bad that i looked so dissapointed to see him (i think i may have said OH MAN, groaned and then slumped down ont he stairs) for which i apologised later..but then behind him pulled up a white van which held MY MUM...haha it was like a movie scene..me running up to the van with my arms open and enveloping her in a massive hug..haha to which the crowds gathered on the street clapped and cheered..wel they didnt really but how cool would that have been?! haha
But after that we pretty much hung out as much as we could..and it made me realise how much I actually missed her!!..It was so weird my two worlds colliding though..like my home life and this life..

HIGHLIGHTS OF HER VISIT

-We went to london for a long weekend and stayed in this hotel that had the rudest french people working there...It was too funny because me and mum just had to laugh at how rude they were to us.. mum asks 'oh excuse me are there phones in the rooms?' and the guy at the reception just laughed and said 'madame even the worst hotels have phones in the rooms' in a patronising tone..to which we just laughed all the way to our room..

-Trying to find our way around London was also quite a laugh..I'm not a good person to have around when directions are needed..and neither is she..and in a big city this is really unhelpful..haha but i must say i managed to zoom us around everywhere and decipher the tube maps..and manged to get us to Buck palace in time for changing of the guards..to which mum climbed up on the fence and swung off it to see over everyones heads..ahhhaha oh my word i had to laugh otherwise I probably would have died from embarrasment

-Going to Harrods department store in London... A little over my price range..try £1000 pounds for a pot of caviar..I bet it wasnt even that nice..and for all you New Zealanders..thats like $3000..oh my word..some people have far too much money

-We also went on this hilarious bus tour that was so crammed and was stuck in traffic so we didnt see ANYTHING...and everyone was hopping off and catching the tubes instead lol it was so tragic..but funny..and we did go on an amazing river cruise..it was so cool!!

-Madame Tusaauds wax museum..all the famous celebrities models made out of wax..It was so epic..I couldnt believe how life like they were..not that ive ever seen any of the celebrities in real life but i can imagine..There were some there that were a tad poorly done which must be the b-list celebrities..But apparently once a celebrity loses popularity they melt their model down and make another one haha how bad would you feel.

-We went to the seaside..Its not like a sandy beach..But it was actually sunny (i know what a miracle) and the beach is all pebbly and cute..with these colourful beach huts along it..and an amazing little seaside town..It was too cute..Ive got heaps of photos of it all on facebook.

-Also ROME..we went to Rome which was the ABSOLUTE highlight of it all..It was so surreal and beautiful..and I think it deserves a post all to itself..so I'll leave it at that..until the next post..

It was so amazing having my mum here and she got to meet the amazing kids I work with..And got to hangout with them and laugh and joke with them..and actually see why I would love these kids so much and why I would give a year out to hangout with them..And with her seeing how amazing they were it made me realise the even greater need just to love these kids and NO MATTER WHAT, no matter what theyve done, how annoying they can be sometimes, whether Im tired, just invest time in them, see how they are, talk to them and just hangout..because if Jesus was here in person thats what he would be doing..and I know that he looks down on the kids and the drop ins and smiles.
And it is so obvious he is just doing some amazing things in their lives. whether they know it or not. and whether they acknowledge it or not. And I love that my mum got to see that.

love to all
Ill tell you all of my adventures in rome soon
x

summer..what is that?!

2009-01-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

So it feels a bit unusual..because every year at home I look forward to summer..and then parachute (a music festival where you tent and hangout and get sunburnt most of the time but its flipping amazing)..and always before parachute I go around to Chrissy's house and highlight every thing we are going to see..and go over EVERY possible detail we will ever need to know for our 3 day stay in a tent..and then me and Esther usually start an orderly list of what we will cook (as we usually end up cooking for a load of boys who just so happen to be around at dinner time every night) and then decide exactly the best place to pitch our tent..and this year this is all happening without me..
But my mum is coming tomorrow which makes me so excited
and its not TOO cold today
and i love the kids that i work with
and im going to london for a long weekend this weekend
and apparently im ghetting better at football
and God is amazing

more later
x

staff conference.

2009-01-10T03:46:00.001-08:00

This was amazing. SO GOOD. Not only did we get to stay in a castle that had been converted into a hotel that served 3 course meals..But the seminars and the teachings were just AMAZING...there is so much that really hit home about it..and I got to see friends and make new ones...so exciting..

a new kind of new year.

2009-01-02T15:19:00.000-08:00

A new year always seems to give me the 'tingles' which is the only word that I can use to describe the feeling I get when I think about a whole year stretched before me..It is a similar feeling to that of the one I get in the spring..the fresh air and the knowing that summer and the warmth is getting closer and closer..the excitement and anticipation of what summer is going to bring..what will happen and what I will do..and I think this is so appropriate for the new year..
Ive never really gotten into the fuss of the new year..I have in the past just seen it as time going by as it always has with us not being able to do anything about it..But as I looked over 2008 I found myself thinking, and knowing, that I have never had a year quite like this one..I have never had a year with such new-ness and adventure than 2008...and this has seriously stirred something up in me for 2009..It is as if I look into this next year expecting more..But I just dont seem to know what that MORE is..
I even found myself at 2am on New Years morning, after all the hype of the countdown and fireworks had subsided, with this excitement and this determination that this year can be so full of dreams that actually become a reality, that this year there will be so many new opportunities that I can take up...and this led me to write down a few things that I will put effort into doing this year..not so much resolutions but improvements...dreams, thoughts and goals..as I called the list...

I hope to be nice to people I dont know. Strike up conversations with strangers. I wont limit my dreams and goals because I know that things that we find impossible CAN happen. Find at least one exercise that I enjoy. Smile more. Put more effort into keeping in contact with friends. Look out for opportunities where I can be of help. Take time out to think and ponder. Take risks. Make the most of each day and sieze every opportunity. Keep up to date with whats happening in the world And most of all I am going to give each day to God and let him do with it as he wishes.

I expect big things from this year. I know it will be amazing. I just have that tingly feeling. I don't want to look back on this year and see it as just another year.

Welcome 2009.

A different kind of Christmas..

2009-01-01T05:31:00.000-08:00

This year Christmas was nothing like I have ever had before..but it was new and amazing all the same..I family hopped..to Gillingham, then to Cambridge..then to Reading..new faces and places everywhere..and more chilly outlook on Christmas than Ive had before..as in the weather got below freezing..no sun and salads on Christmas day for me..It was roast meals, cups of tea and copious amounts of uno this year..
It started in Cambridge, after dragging my tons of luggage through the London stations up stairs and everywhere, I met up with my friend Bee and we adventured the last leg of the journey to Cambridge together...I'm pretty much a pro at the public transport system in England now...I just hop on the trains and they take me where I want to go..haha Although there is definitly still the initial fear once hopping on a train that I have in fact hopped on the wrong train and will be whizzing somewhere that I dont know how to get back from..It is yet to happen to me though..lol

HIGHLIGHTS OF CAMBRIDGE:

The cute carol service we went to on the first night we were in Cambridge: Dans mum was in a choir so we went to see them perform..The event of the night however was someone in the front row of the choir fainting halfway through the performance..She was fine but it was definitely eventful haha Also this is when I realised as long as I am in England I will be introduced as 'This is Jess. Shes from New Zealand..' haha in case people mistook my glamourous accent for some kind of secluded English town accent..lol
The German Festival: It just so happened that a German festival had come to town while we were staying there...It would be rude of us not to check it out..lol They sold amazing hats with ear flaps that look straight out of a Russian film..and reindeer skins? I was trying so hard not to tell the kid next to the stall that rudolph wouldnt be pulling the sleigh this year haha I have realised also that the funiest thing to do is watch people ice skating..the expressions and the classic arms flailing as they whizz around the rink trying to maintain balance haha
Cueing up for over 6 hours to see a choir performance on Christmas Eve: So Dan and I decided that we should go and see a choir performance at the Kings chapel as it is apparently broadcast all over the world and is amazing..The thing was people had been cueing for 4 days to get tickets and a guy even travels over from America every year for it...me and dan just rocked up on the morning of the performance and ended up cueing for 6 hours..But we were succesful! and it was so nice..So eery being in this warm cathedral with amazing choir music and candlelight..Once in a lifetime opportunity..Such an amazing way to spend Christmas eve..
The amazing welcoming of the Droy family: It was so lovely being so far away from home on a usually family occasion and just being so warmly welcomed into a family..They got me presents and Dans Nanna knitted me a wooly hat...and it was just so amazing..! We spent Christmas morning at church..then had a roast lunch with Dan, his mum and dad, and his nana and Grandad (who are just so lovely) and then we spent the day watching classic christmas films and playing uno...so relaxed and nice..

I was so lucky to have such a good Christmas..and even though I couldnt help but miss home it was just such an amazing time..
Im about to pop off to the seaside with my host family..I am so lucky!
I'll tell the rest of my adventures later..
xx

just quickly...

2008-12-19T02:28:00.000-08:00

before I am due in at work at 11am...Today is the last drop in before we finish for Christmas..and Ive already been here for a whole term!!! wow its crazy thinking about where I was when I first came here and now, only 3 months later, I'm loving it and totally settled..And I really cant imagine leaving the kids in a few more months when Im supposed to be coming home...It would be so weird because they would just carry on doing what they do without me...and there wouldnt be any closure per say (haha sounds like a rocky breakup)..so at this moment I am really truly considering staying on unitl my visa runs out at the end of July..which is the end of the English school year and when all the other volunteers finish theire placements as well..I will definitely know by the middle of January whether Im staying or not so I will let you all know..and as much as I totally miss everyone and everything back home I feel I probably will stay..

Things have been crazy busy the past few weeks with all the Christmas things..I must say we throw a pretty good Christmas party at the drop ins..haha however the way we decorate leaves much to be desired..I did the best I could with christmas tree baubles, minus the christmas tree, and a few strings of tinsel..which ended up in the drop in looking like a Christmas tree had thrown up and spat decorations all over the place..however it was cosy and very nice..These parties included christmas mince pies, hot chocolates for the kids, games, raffles, competitions and pool tournaments..and at the Skinner street party we had the owner of a gym in the area come and talk to us about how he had played int he football FA cup final in 1978...it was truly amazing..and the kids loved it..

On Tuesday night we had our staff Christmas dinner at a really nice restaurant called the spyglass and kettle..amazing food..amazing company..and just good fun all round..

On Sunday Im heading off to Cambridge to go and have Christmas with Dan..then on the 28th Im going to stay with my friend Kirsty in Reading and go to her sisters 21st..then come back to Gillingham on the 31st and then go away again to staff conference in Wales where we get to stay in a castle!!!!
cant wait
x

things are good.

2008-12-09T11:16:00.000-08:00

So things right now are looking pretty swell..sorry for the use of that word but it seriously was the first word that came into my mind to describe my current feeling and how everything is nicely fitting into place in this town that I call Gillingham (actually everyone else calls it that too)...About half an hour we finished our last youth alpha session with all the kids deciding on their own that they wanted to pray..this was amazing coz theyve been really uncomfortable about it and its just so cool to see them growing and finding things out for themselves without us having forced it upon them..All I hope is that they continue to think about the things that we've said and that God has put in their hearts and make up their own minds about what they believe..Its actually such priviledge to be able to be in their lives and to be walking alongsie them in their journey..this makes me so happy..and feel so lucky..

This is one of the reasons that life is swell..Another reason is the team I work with...

Honestly The GYFC team are just so amazing..I really truly feel like we are a family..we bicker, laugh at each other, laugh with each other, are mean to each other, annoy each other, tell each other lame jokes, share our thoughts and ideas with each other and watch hilarious videos on youtube when we're meant to be working..and its just so cool that I'm so far from home but I still feel like I fit in and am welcomed somewhere where it could have been the complete opposite..Such a blessing..And my boss is so not even like my boss..When I had my handbag stolen him and his wife invited me around for dinner and to watch x-factor coz they knew I would be upset..It truly is like a family..amazing!

This is another reason why life is swell...Another reason is because two songs that I love have just been on the music channel..a not so meaningful reason but a reason all the same..

Take that - greatest day of our lives

Leona Lewis - run

check them out..as the english say 'CHOOOOOOON!' when they hear a song they like..haha its like an adaptation of the word TUNE...and shows they really like a song..I have been trying hard not to pick this up..and its worked so far haha

Another reason is that its nearly Christmas..! And this is a time of the year that I get so excited like a 5 year old..I LOVE everything about Christmas..the carols..the busy shops..the decorations..buying and giving gifts..i just love it..and this Christmas, even though im not at home, Im going to stay with Dan in Cambridge...Its going to be amazing..one of the plans discussed is going to watch the Cambridge choir perform..not because we want to see the choir..but because you have to cue outside all night to get tickets and it will be so fun!! haha oh the joy...And we've got heaps of drop in Christmas parties coming up which makes things so fun..and also we have our work Christmas doo..love it cant wait!! this next few weeks will be busy busy with Christmas things!!

I'm loving where Im at right now with life and work and things..
and Im so thankful that Gods brought me to this place!!
x

this too shall pass...

2008-11-30T14:18:00.000-08:00

So the major event of the week...Because of my love of shoes I got my handbag stolen..well not quite but I was trying on shoes and my handbag did get stolen..much to my dismay...
There I was in Chatham just minding my own business, taking myself out for a day of window shopping alone (which takes a bit of effort to start with..) and I spot a shoe shop....I walk in..this is normal...I look at some shoes..this is normal..I notice an enticing rack of sale boots..Still normal..I ummed and aahed for AGES deciding whether I was going to try them on and then temptaion gave in..very normal..I found myself slipping off my shoes and putting on these boots which were amazingly £10...But to do this one must put a handbag down..a normal thing to do...I did put it just beside where I was sitting..I honestly stood up, walked to the mirror which was a metre away, taking my eye off my bag, and examined the boots..I look back..and my bag has gone..This is where the story loses normality..This is when i began to panic..I still replay in my mind looking up and seeing a lady walk out with a what I thought was black bag, but thinking back it was probably just the silhouette of mine..The only thing that stopped me from runing out of the shop, onto the sidewalk and tackling anyone in the vicinity of the store with a handbag was the fact I was still wearing the shops shoes..And a vision of being tackled by security guards and shop assistants kept me back..
What followed this was me, what I thought calmly but looking back it was probably slightly hysterical, telling the shop assistant my bag had been nicked..and then a search for a security guard began..and then myriads of advice on cancelling my credit cards (which was the least of my worries seeing as I'm a poor volunteer)...So the police were notified..But I would expect that my bag will never be seen again..I have had to say goodbye to my mp3 player, camera, phone, at least £40, my nz drivers license, my gym membership (not such a hard thing to let go of lol), and my travelex card (which yes, is now cancelled) and my house keys..SO UNBELIEVABLY GUTTED..especcially because half the stuff wont be of any use or value to them...

But it was also just my luck that Martha and Luke, my host parents, were away this weekend..so not only had I lost my keys but there was no one to let me in the house...A few scenarios ran through my head, many involving me kicking the door in or trying to climb through a 2nd story window before I remembered the neighbour has a spare key..boy was I praying that he was home..and he was..Thank Goodness..So my mum recieved a call at 1am NZ time from a very upset me...Its such a weird feeling...

Moral of the story: putting your bag down is a bad idea anywhere let alone in Chatham... but being a naive young foreigner I was no wiser...

But this too shall pass

what else to do when sleep wont come?!

2008-11-20T17:24:00.000-08:00

Answer: write a blog.
So at the moment sleep just wont come to me..I have tried I swear..But it just seems to be avoiding me..it may be the copious number of cups of tea I managed to fit into one day, which I need to learn does not go well just before bed..I have developed a very strong liking for this hot drink that, if you had of asked me 4 months ago whether I would have enjoyed it, I would have sharply replied 'no. Why would I?'..I have come so far from my first experience with tea at Starbucks many months ago where my dear friend Georgie convinced me I would like it and proceeded to buy me a cup that i swear was at least a litre of the hot stuff..I managed to finish it, never mind the complaining that could be heard each mouthful I took...oh if he could see me now..He would be so proud..!! I've decided I'm going to start a tea-revival when I get back to new zealand..start a whole new era of tea drinkers..and that will be the great contribution to society that will have come out of my gap year doing volunteer youthwork in England..haha

Oh dear me... I do hope, and know, that what will come out of this 8 months will be far greater than that..I dont know how or what is going to happen..or what God will do or not do..But I know that this will be the start of many amazing things..I have since had a realisation that is this time in England is not about what I can get out of it, about what God can give me, about what I can do or achieve, about how I will get 'fed' or about how much I can grow..But it is simply about how much I can give and it may be that just that I have been put here simply to serve and learn from serving, that this is my number one and I really need to devote my all to it...whether I gain something from this time, which I am sure God will show me, will just be an added bonus..whether I will see nothing visible happen or whether I will see miracles I know that God will and is using me for exactly what he wants..I am where he wants me to be..and I need to put my effort and heart into it because these are kids and things that God has a heart for..
It is all good saying that it is what I can give, but in everything there is a little selfish human desire to get something out of it aswell..and I know God is showing me new things and new ways of thinking that I will take home with me..
It's so weird because I've been here nearly 3 months...and so much has happened..But Im so looking forward to the next 5 months..because so much can happen..and I know God can do so much in that time...
so as much as I will bring the revival of tea with me back home I know I will bring so many experiences and stuff aswell...

Seeing as London is just a stones throw away I'm able to catch a train and go there for the day..which is actually so surreal..like this place that Ive only ever thought about visiting, one of the most well known cities in the world, and I can just pop up there on my weekends off..Which is exactly what I did last weekend..My dear friend Kirsty and I frolicked (it makes it sound like we pranced) around London with nothing planned and little to do..it was so amazing because we just walked around, caught up, looked around shops and did whatever we wanted to without getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of London..Just a word of warning to tourists: If someone in London smacks into you or swiftly pushes past you in the street and doesnt turn around and say sorry, dont worry, its just the way the big city goes..dont feel you have to chase them down the street or hold it against them...Its funny because even though ive been there a few times im still not used to it..everytime i bump into someone i turn around and say 'oops sorry'..Maybe if I stay here long enough and become a real Londoner I will learn to be a little more callous, rugby tackling them in the street haha see how they like that..lol But I have to admit i still am one of those tourists that stops in the middle of the hustle and bustle to check where I'm going, proceeding to hold up the and inconvenience the large amount of people walking behind me haha sorry.
On this day I also met a homeless lady at the underground station who smiled at me and which i can honestly say was THE MOST beautiful thing I have ever experienced...truly I will never forget her face..It was one of those things that you just feel so priviledged to have been in that moment...

The other day in the office it was too funny (yes Dave, TOO funny)...I was being quizzed on phrases that are used on the television program 'Neighbours' and asked whether we use them in New Zealand..Although I point out that this show is AUSTRALIAN I still feel there is some sort of link in everyones brain between these two countries..This is slightly how the conversation went..
'what about 'see you this arvo'..do you use that?'
'no thats just crass shortening afternoon to arvo'
'what about 'throw some shrimps on the barbie!'
'nope'
'what about calling people drongoes?'
'What is a drongo?!'
'oh they use it on neighbours sometimes' lol
This conversation provided a distraction from work that was meant to be done and also provided me,and dave and ben, with a large amount of laughter..and now the word drongo has become a part of our conversation..usually accompanied by a really bad australian accent..lol the joys of being foreign..I have been wondering recently how Im going to manage when I go back to new zealand and no longer have an accent..im going to actually have to think of amusing and witty ways to grab peoples attention instead of relying on my nationality haha

Oh last night I went to a church up the road and did a bible study with a group of 'wrinklies'..as in a group of 7 elderly..It was so lovely..They faff about so much..as soon as i arrived and sat down i was asked to move by one of the old ladies (Edna) because that chair was closest to the piano and it only makes sense for her to hav that chair because she plays the piano for the hymns...she then proceeded to complain that her chair was too high...and managed to walk the room testing out different chairs before deciding on one that was the right height haha But they were all so lovely..and as they talked and shared it was so amazing to think that they had once been young and experienced different things..and how much things must have changed since they were young..i have to admit i had to chuckle when they used 'the youth of today.....' as a sentence starter...too classic haha it really was such a diferent but cool experience..

According to the weather forecast it's going to snow on Sunday...I hope thats true...everyone said it will be sleet..but im sure it will be good snow haha
This weekend doesnt hold much in store for me..a bit of Christmas shopping..church on Sunday..and whatever else pops up..

miss all of you at home x

my how time flys..

2008-11-10T05:32:00.000-08:00

This month has just been pretty much like normal...and every time i think of writing a blog..I put it off coz I just cant even begin to remember what Ive been doing the last few weeks without some serious brain stretch..and in my old age that is getting pretty much impossible..lol But this has left me with the dilemma that even as Im writing this blog I just dont even know what is going to be in it..this should be interesting..

Everyone here assumes that we dont have guy fawkes in New Zealand..its a bit mad really and truly hilarious when you see the shocked looks on their faces when I say we celebrate it every year...Oh my word maybe God called me over here just to educate the English on the ways of New Zealand..Ive already smashed the conclusion that Maori still live in huts, that we eat kiwis, and now that we dont celebrate guy fawkes..lol they have much to learn..

Last Saturday though I went to the most amazing fire works display I have ever seen...except it wasnt like a public one it was one in someones backyard..Martha and Luke took me along to The Whittakers (a lovely family from church) and told me to expect an amazing fireworks display..i thought how amazing could a home fireworks display be...silly silly me...I swear it was like 20 minutes long of non stop massive fireworks..some that were so bright you had to close your eyes (a bit pointless i must admit but impressive nevertheless lol)...after that sparklers seemed a little over rated haha But there were like heaps of people from church there and HEAPS of little kids..haha i walked into the living room when i arrived and it was over run with kids under the age of 14..too funny coz the boys were just being boys..and yelling 'bundle' to which they jump on top of someone and then everyone else piles on top..haha they nearly got me too until tom was like 'nah shes a bit too new to do that too' lol it was a classic good night..

What else have i experienced since my last blog??

Oh well we had an 18+ group that i went to..well i didnt actually go to it coz it was at my house but i was there..It was for St Marks church (which is the church that theyve decided to base me in) and it was really good coz i got to drink a bit of wine, watch some more (lame) fireworks and meet heaps of new people..this seems to be a regular occurence lol

And Phil and Me went to the ladies group that prays for us..! it was too cute coz all these older ladies just asking us these questions..and then we made chocolates..it was amazing!! And then there are those classic ones that once you start a conversation with them you never hear the end of it..you're still there an hour later trying to figure out how to make a polite exit haha oh the task of being a youth worker lol

this blog was written ages ago but i saved it coz i thought i had more to add..i don't haha
But I will start a fresh post in a tick.
x

hmmmm..where do i begin

2008-11-01T03:10:00.000-07:00

so i havent blogged for ages...time has really just gotten away on me and i dont really remember what ive been doing since the last blog..maybe i need to update it a little more often..hmm

At the moment i have found a spare few minutes as i am sitting in the office on a saturday waiting for a computer guy to come and check whats wrong with all the computers..then i can go home..this i s what i woke up early on my saturday morning for..and hes LATE..not impressed..

But I guess good things (such as this blog) come out of other peoples tardiness lol Last week was half term which means all the kiddies are off school and have a one week holiday..which means we had some time off too..so good...we had monday off and then phil and I had a modular training course in Birmingham on tuesday and wednesday...But what a mission we had getting there..haha So the morning didnt start off well when i ran out of the house, paranoid we were going to miss the train, only to find that halfway down the road i didnt have the tickets..so lugging all 2 days worth of my luggage plus a sleeping bag i threw myself back down the road only to find that the tickets had fallen out of my pocket and were lying on the floor of the house..lol so that was one problem solved...I walked as fast as i could, sometimes even breaking into a mad dash, to the station..only to get there 15 minutes early..lol no need for all that earlier kafuffle lol So we boarded all 4/5 of our trains well that day...just went a little bit wrong at the last station lol

We met up with some other people from yfc at the last station and boarded a train which we thought was going to the station we needed...at the last minute the conductor came into our carriage and shouted something then went back out and closed the doors..he had said that the train was not stopping but going straight to its final destination..lol but we didnt hear that...it was too funny coz we ended up going THROUGH the station we needed but ended up ages away at another station..lol

We ended up taking another train closer to the station we were meant to be at and then got picked up and taken to yfc head office..thank the Lord lol as it was getting rather frozen outside...and all i could think about is summer in nz..lol

AND THEN IT SNOWED...as we were sitting in on training listening about working with hard to reach young people..it started snowing...me just getting so excited and not being able to listen to a word he said coz i was so distracted lol
So during break time I was of course one of the first to run outside..the novelty soon wore off though as the snow melted and it got cold and wet lol but amazing all the same..

It was so good seeing everyone...and the training was really good too coz sometimes I feel a bit lost with some of these kids and how to deal with them...But it was so good to hear that God equips us for EVERY situation he puts us in..so if we come into it as if God is in us and we are merely what he is using to get his love for them across then we should have more confidence in approaching kids and working with them...it was so cool just to hear that and even though it was omething i already kknew there is something different about knowing it in your mind...and TRULY knowing it in your heart..
Also it totally came up again that instead of putting ourselves above the kids God calls us to love and care for these kids as they are..meeting them where they are, not judging them and then treating them as the amazingly loved kids of God that they are...

Also I'm reading an amazing book at the moment called THE SHACK...you have to read it if you havent..my word God shows up in so many amazing ways..its just so cool..and totally changes your views on everything...AMAZING

Yesterday I met my mentor..Her names Chris Pinner and she is so lovely..we sat in her front room for 2 hours yesterday talking, eating cake and drinking tea...perfect..we will meet more often..

I miss New Zealand and summer though..and im totally trying to work on that coz i really dont want to waste my time here by wishing I was back home...when I know this is where I am meant to be for the moment...

Tonight Im going to a massive fireworks display..which should be so exciting..

Love love xxx

and just because I have figured out how to I am going to put some pics on this blog of my London trip with Rach and lots of other random bits.. :)
it didnt work..dang

back to day to day life..

2008-10-21T02:28:00.001-07:00

so back to the day to day life in Gillingham...and ive come to the conclusion that I love the work I do here and I love the kids I work with..and I love the team at GYFC..Its just the fact that im away from home and my family and friends that I dont love..and that sometimes makes me question my work here...But no more questioning coz i know its not the youthwork that i dont like..Its just the distance between new zealand and england..
If somehow we could close the gap between the two countries it would be perfect..! Or some kind of 'new zealand post' advert scenario where the letter gets sent and the person gets sent with it..lol hmm maybe a little unrealistic..false advertising?! lol
Sunday we had a youth service at St.Marks church..which was really cool coz the youth basically get together and plan it..It was on being a church outside of the church..as in like helping people out in the community..which i love the idea of..So me and Phil had to answer a few questions and do a little bit for that which was cool...except i still havent gotten over my intense fear of public speaking lol i like shake and i can tell my voice is going all quivery..and i seriously considered all the exits and thought about leaving the building before they called us up so i wouldnt have to stand up and talk in front of all those people..lol ah well...i put it down as one of my areas i want to grow in this year..which means more opportunities to speak in front of crowds..lol great. But i totally know i'll be better of for it and I do really want to become more confident in it..before you know it ill be volunteering to speak in front of crowds of thousands..lol hardly.

Yesterday we had morning team meeting...which ended up with me in tears..lol we had to make these fish out of paper and put them in this aquariam that had been drawn on a whiteboard and explain where we thought we were in the team at the moment..and i had no idea..because i kinda feel like im meant to be here but at the same time torn between new zealand and here radaradarada...and then Malcolm, our gyfc director, was like 'oh are you really finding it tough being away from home...coz you wouldnt know from the way you are round the office..' and then i just cracked..and cried and said it was difficult..lol so i ended up blubbing while they prayed for me..But it was so nice cz it kinda felt like a supporting family you know..lol but i do usually try not to cry in front of people..lol ah well...so many surprises..haha
But in the afternoon it was so good coz instead of doing community time me, dave and Helen just went to the park (which apparently you dont go to at night coz ben had his head kicked in like the week of beginning to volunteer at gyfc..gangs hang out there and stuff..thats gillingham for you..) and had quiet time with God...it was so nice and relaxing..
And went to the gym last night...pumped some iron..lol too funny though coz its a guys and girls gym..so the guys are doing all the weights and then checking themselves out in the mirrors...lol its so cringe worthy to watch..lol

Tomorrow Claire, our line manager and possibly the most lovely person in the world, is coming down to have a visit with me and phil..yay

x

the city called me back..

2008-10-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

I might have taken another trip to London on Saturday...If there is a possibility you could be addicted to a city, London would be it for me..I LOVE IT...It's like hustle and bustle and everything you could ever imagine..you can spend up large or you can just look and picnic in the park and its still just as cool..In the daytime or the night time..its amazing...! They should pay me for doing some sort of tourist pitch ..lol

It was my friend Simons (who volunteers at yfc in Swindon) birthday last week so we all decided it would be a good idea for a group of us to meet in London and just hangout coz its like halfway in between Swindon and Gillingham..and plus its the best city ever..lol So I organised the perfect time for me and phil to take the train to get to London..slight problem though...As we were waiting on the platform to get on the train...Phil remembered that he had forgotten his ticket to the delerious gig he was going to in London that night (organisation is not one of Phils strong points lol)...so as he ran home to get it (and our train came and went without us on it) I waited outside the train station..where possibly the weirdest 20 minutes of my life began to take shape..

As I was minding my own business waiting...A man came up to me (there were a whole heap of other people wandering around so i dont know why specifically me) and started explaining that he hadbeen sleeping on the streets and hasnt eaten and its been really cold at night (which it has!!) and asked me for 30p to buy some food with...Knowing never to give homeless people money if they want food (as everyone says they mite just want drugs lol) I took him over to the shop and bought him some lunch...As we stood there i asked him a bit about himself and found out that he was visiting his mother in a mental institute that he hasnt seen for over 20 years...oh my word..it was just so odd..just to meet this person that i would never have even known existed and whose story i would never have heard if i had hopped on the train we had planned on catching..or if he hadnt come up to me and asked..so random..and then Phil called saying he was at the station and where was i?! lol so i ran off to catch the train..pondering whether there was something in the way i look or act that attracts people who need help..who knows?!

We met Simon birthday boy, Kirsty (both based in swindon), Bex, Beckie and Josh (who has an identical twin brother that confuses me and also reminds me so much of Danid Molloy) at Victoria Station...where we then wandered the streets of London...walked around in a few circles..NOTE: Beckie and Kirsty really dont know where they're going..especcially when trying to find a park to have a picnic in..

ME: 'Hey im sure we've just been around in a circle...?'
KIRSTY: 'ssshh we dont want anyone to notice!'
BECKIE: 'I think it might be this way.......?'
and supposedly beckie has been to London many a time lol

We had lunch in some park...after walking for ages and finding HAMLEYS...This is honestly the worlds best and biggest toy store...5 floors of commotion...clowns, people dressed in costumes, all the toys you can play with...Im gunna make a day trip to London just to go there and play all day...its amazing...truly brilliant..

The rest of the afternoon consisted of more walking...starbucks, random photoshoots on monuments and just general fun...Josh, me and Kirsty who were supposed to be going to get money out got totally distracted by St. Pauls Cathedral..and ended up sitting in on a service..oh my word its the most beautiful cathedral ever...The walls and domes are painted with detailed artwork like the ones you see in the art history books..There's gold leaf and detailing everywhere..and the choir is singing beautiful songs...it was so eery as we sat there..like we just didnt talk coz it was so amazing...One of the nicest placest ive been so far..
We went for dinner at this place called 'tinseltown' which is like an american burger and milkshake bar..where they make milkshakes out of anything you want..truly brilliant..im going to be like 50 kgs heavier by the time i get home...size42 pants anyone?! lol

And then i experienced Camdem..This place is so cool...Martha and Luke (the couple that im staying with) were at a doo in a bar in Camdem so they said that i could meet them there so i didnt have to use the dodge trains all the way back to Gillingham by myself..
I got kind of worried when as I left to tube to Camdem everyone was like 'Now people will offer you all sorts of things when you hop out of the tube station..JUST SAY NO and keep walking..there'll be lots of people but just say no..' lol which got me a little bit freaked out but apparently its known for its night life and drug habits...which is why its where Amy Winehouse is usually seen lol
But I met Martha and Luke..and they were at a doo of one of Marthas friends (who goes out with a guy called Chris Moyles brother)..Now for all reading this from New Zealand I will explain who Chris Moyles is coz i had no idea until someone told me about a week ago..Chris Moyles is the breakfast host of like the most popular radio show in England..and he was at this party...and I watched him play guitar hero..lol The whole event was completely wasted on me though coz everyone kept saying how many celebrities were there..and I looked around the room and saw none..coz none of them are famous in New Zealand..I was so annoyed coz i at least wanted to know them so i could say i had met them lol Maybe drop a few names to get a few friends lol

But the night ended in the early hours of the morning running through victoria station, up escalators and to the train platform so we wouldnt miss it..lol and just a word of wanring..never take the last train back to Gillingham on a Saturday night..its when all the drunks and weird people take it (and we didnt fit into either one of those categories) lol too funny
Such a good day all round..

x

Coventry and the week that has been

2008-10-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

So after getting like 6 hours sleep on the night I return from London I am then woken on Saturday morning to go to Coventry and partake in commissioning..This is when all of us volunteers get welcomed into YFC (like 4 weeks after we've actually been in our placements..go figure) lol
I just slept in the car on the way there (in my true style of elegance when id just met the guy who was driving us that day) and my host mum Martha came with us to support me coz everyone else's families were going to be there..and i would just be the foreigner who has no family lol But I had a plan to test out each family there and adopt one that i thought would be suitable to claim for the year lol
It was so good though coz I got to see all the other volunteers that I hadnt seen for ages..so weird coz they feel like my family coz we all went through so much at training and have been kinda doing the same thing so it was kinda like a family reunion lol So good especcially to see my girls..
(yes ive made friends that i can call my girls lol yay)
Too funny though making small talk with other peoples families there..i am now an expert lol

Sunday we went to church and then went for a curry afterwards (the English love their curry) which i am ashamed to say was the first of 2 currys i had in 2 days lol Monday we had plnned that after team bible study we were going out for another curry to celebrate my birthday..lol Oh how in that moment of Indian meals I missed my dad who always manages to order the hottest dish on the menu because he's been to India and 'can handle it' then sits and sweats and goes red the whole way through trying to eat it but trying not to show the strain lol EVERY TIME..lol

But weve had a bit of a touch week in drop-ins..just stuff has been getting nicked..and kids have been getting into fights and swearing matches on the streets with other kids parents..its all a bit crazy really..something out of Jeremy Kyle..lol

But you know what Ive been struggling with loving these kids and having a want to hang out with them but now these things have happened i see a total need..Like getting to know the kids is like sharing their lives with them and caring for them and helping them through things..and that is such a priviledge that our massive God and the kids themselves are letting us do life with them..even if they're playing up or nicking phones..weve still gotta love them, not judge them and understand them..Its not easy but there's some kids you just feel for and your heart goes out to them..and you catch a glimpse into the awful-ness of their home lives and you know that what you're doing is so worth it and so necessary..coz more than anything these kids just need love and the love of Jesus who unjudgingly will walk through everything with them and just be there and believe in them when no one else seems to...
It's weird because this is just so different to Hamilton..and I think its totally changing my views and my outlook on life..and its totally opening my eyes and giving me a bigger world view of what goes on and what some people live with..

And a note for anyone who ever steals a phone:
DONT ANSWER THE PHONE AND SPEAK -its a dead giveaway that youve taken it
and when asked to bring the phone back after just having answered the phone dont ever say 'BUT I AINT GOT IT'..its just silly..some thiefs arent that bright lol
love these kids though
x

big cities

2008-10-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

As i begin to write this 3 year old that i live with is bouncing a bunny rabbit that he made at playgroup out of paper all over my head and my arms..these are the hurdles i must jump to write this blog..and learn the valuable lesson of multi tasking - entertaining a 3 year old and writing the tellings of my trip to London...and the Jeremy Kyle like scene that happened outside 133 drop in yesterday afternoon...it was classic Jeremy kyle scene - yelling, swearing, threatening...But anyway lets get back to London..which was the most intense packed day of my life..but all so amazing

Im sure im a master of the train system by now..im an expert at buying tickets, boarding the train, and if not sure, asking where the train is coming in (which has happened every journey i've been on lol i like to think of it not so much as asking for directions, but testing those who should know where they're going and see whether they know the answer lol) but apparently i havnt mastered the art of finding first class and economy class...
WARNING FOR TRAINS: If there are empty seats do not assume you can sit in them, even if they look like every other seat. These may indeed be first class seats in disguise. As I found out. The conductor comes round through the journey and checks your ticket to make sure you're not trying to skive a lift to London. Me being very happy with having got on the right train and merrily on my way to London I handed my ticket proudly over to the guy, who just starts looking at it and tapping things into his little hand held computer thing.. Next thing i hear is 'that will be 10 punds please' me just quivering and being like 'why?'
The conductor then informs me I am sitting infirst class (note: the seats are just as bad as the economy ones and you dont even get more room..) an i have to pay extra..thats like $30..so gutted..i just handed the money over but getting all bitter and twisted on the inside lol

I met Rach ( a friend from church in NZ) in the train station and after much hugging and exclaiming over the new happenings and how we couldnt believe we were meeting in london radaradara we she led me on my way to seeing everything London had to offer...
First stop was the London Tower and while I was trying to conjure up any knowledge i had left in my brain from history last year she bought me breakfast and coffee and we sat looking at the tower bridge (and beign such tourists snapping away) and planning the rest of the day..
We fitted in so much..and i think i must have had a blatant label on me saying tourist coz everyone kept coming up to me and asking me to take photos of them by different monuments..lol show off my world class photography skills

She took me to the tower of London, London Bridge,
Buckingham Palace (not as impressive as first hoped but we saw the changing of the guards), Leicester square (where all the big movie premieres are held - HSM3 premier had been there 2 days before and so had ZAC EFRON ahhh),
Oxford Street (the most amazing street for shopping ever)
Piccadilly circus (which has the New Zealand house and a shop that stocks nz treats that arent sold in normal stores like black forest chocolate and pineapple lumps..),
St. James park (where we fed squirrels peanuts and became closely acquainted with the wildlife),
Horse Guards palace (where all the gaurds on horses are and the home of millions of statues),
Westminster Abby,
The London Eye (which I think was my favourite), AND
Covent Garden markets

So funny though coz when we were in St. James park Rachel was showing me how friendly the squirrels were..they just come up to you..so there's me prettending ive got peanuts in my hand trying to get these squirrels to come closer to me and me making these high pitched noises hoping that somehow this would make a difference lol this worked for a little while..until all of them clicked on that i didnt acually have peanuts..so they all kept well away..except for this one that leapt on my leg and clung to my tights..this just freaked me out so im jumping around shrieking trying to shake it off, much to the enjoyment of the others in the park..and it shook off and ran off..im sure it gave me rabies coz it was the mangiest one of the lot..had like a stub of a tail and stuff lol ive still got scratches on my leg..lol

Also at the Changing of the guards there are guards on horses that ride past aswell..and theres one at the front that blows a trumpet in this tune thats meant to sound all royal..anyway this one guys horse was totally playing up so he was trying to keep his pride, blow the trumpet and keep his horse under control at the same time..which wasnt really working oout for him at all..the trumpet was so awful and out of pitch and wrong as he was trying to control his horse..and that is my memory of the horse guards that ill keep forever lol everyone was trying to control their giggles coz there were so many tourists there watching..oh poor chap..

But I do have to say that London is quite possibly the most amazing place ever at night...(and might i add the perfect night date city?! hmm) because the lights are all on and there's so many amazing things to see...from the bridge you can see the London eye all lit up and the city and all th amazing buildings and things lit up..We went down to the London eye because I really wanted to see it at night and go for a ride on it (it does a complete circle kindof like a ferris wheel that takes about 20 minutes and yousee the whole of the city from high up) but we got there just as it was on its last round..so disappointing but we walked down by the river on the little promenade with the fairy lights and all the benches and things whihc was just so cool..
We then went again to Covent Garden..its like an outdoor area with heaps of dining places and old buildings and street performers and we just sat on the cobbles and listened to this street performer guy sing cute songs..it was truly perfect...i want to go there again..

I ended up catching the train back at 11:10pm abd managed to catch the train that stopped at EVERY station all the way back to Gillingham so instead of taking 50 minutes it took about an hour and a half..lol good times..

Its so crazy though coz even then i was exposed to a totally different way of living coz this guy in really scruffy clothes came up to me and was like 'ello darling. you care to spare a few coins so i can have a place to sleep tonight'..so i gave him some change..to which he proceeded up the train to continue his begging..Its really sad coz i dont know whether back home things like that would have happened..or whether its just that here im in a situation where im more aware of things like that...i just dont know but it does make me kind of sad..
Because initially I was thinking that they guy probably only wanted the money for booze or drugs..But even if there was the slightest chance that any one person giving a few coins could improve this guys quality of life then why dont we do it?!

So that was my day trip to London.
It is a city I love.
And a city I will no doubt return to.
x

Home sweet home

2008-10-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

So as I am finding it difficult to google crime statistics in England (for youth alpha im running tonight not just out of interest sake lol) and am wondering where everyone in the office has disappeared to I decided I am going to update my blog...because i feel i have a lot to say about anything and everything..and for once during my England trip I have a small social life to share...

First of all I am truly missing New Zealand..I dont know if I'm thinking about it way too much so the thought of the country is a little more extravagant than it really is but all i can think about is beautiful beaches, waterfalls, trees, snowy mountains and forests and cursing England for its lack of countryside other than a few paddocks and trees...when really when i think about it Hamilton had not a pretty place in sight really...and maybe seeing the extreme 'pure new zealand' adverts over here have made things worse..showing the best parts of New Zealand..and drawing me back to my home country lol But I really do miss home and people..BUT im waiting for the day when i decide that i might stay longer, which everyone is telling me will happen soon...waiting..waiting...still waiting lol

Last Wednesday was my birthday..and i could finally rip into the pile of pressies that were on my dressing table..which alfie happily helped with..so cute he just ripped into them..Martha, my host mum, made me a cake in the shape of a kiwi bird...it was amazing and tasted brilliant (the gym calls?!)..Alfie made us stick a candle in it at the breakfast table and blow it out before i went to work..lol yes work on my birthday..no rest for the wicked i say..But really by work i mean a little but of photocopying (at which the lady in the church office said 'oh its your birthday isnt it? must be SO sad to be away from your loved ones!' thanks lady for making me feel just great. This was followed by a phonecall to my mum and maybe a little moisture of the eyes...lol) But Dave, Ben, Malcolm, Abby, Kirstie and Phil (the Gillingham Youth For Christ Team) had made me a cake and gave me the Vera Wang perfume which was so lovely and cheered me right up..nothing like a good present to do that..couldnt figure out whether they were trying to hint whether i smelt or not lol So basically all we did was sit in the office and eat cake..and laugh at the english culture and slang book that esther and bridgie gave me for my birthday (thanks guys i can now speak the language and they understand me lol)...

Things they dont have in England that Im seriously thinking about importing

- Black Forest Chocolate..Are they nuts?! this is like the best chocolate in the world..My mum sent over blocks of it coz ive been raving to people about how good it is..and everyone loves it..there is definitely a hole in the English market for it..lol I could make myself a fortune..volunteer work?! with a job on the side lol

- Summer music - no black seeds, tiki taane, Fat Freddys drop..summer where have you gone?!

disappointing..
But then they do have cherry coke, jaffa cakes (the most amazing things ever), London and amazing shopping..so i might let them off lol

xxxx
Ive been to london too..But so much happened that ill write a whole blog devoted to it...it really deserves it..

oh happy day...

2008-10-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

oh happy day...Its my birthday tomorrow..actually technically if you're in New Zealand my birthday is today...so im trying to figure out that since i gained a day..does that mean that I am forever going to be a day older than i say i am..will i forever celebrate my birthday a day later than i should? hmm this is confusing...if you understand me..
Ive managed to hold off from opening the large array of presents thats sitting on my dressing table that ave slowly been accruing over the past few days..oh i did open my dads present early..But one out of about 6 is definitely a large accomplishment lol Its kinda funny though coz im not really doing anything for my birthday...just going to work at yfc same as usual..But itll still be so exciting..im such a little kid about birthdays..
We just finished our first youth alpha session about half an hour ago..Its like a little group thing that want to learn more about God and stuff and we just hangout and have dinner (an amazing lasagne cooked by bens wife)..and for some reason i just had a fit of giggles..this one kid told the funniest joke in the entire world..Im just going to have to share..

A dyselxic man walked into a bra...ouch! hahahahahahaha
oh my word had me in fits

i have to go coz some kids have turned up for drop in. Ill do a longer update later
xxx

And now for an english lesson..

2008-10-04T15:56:00.001-07:00

MING, SKANKY or MANKY
These are all words used by English people to describe when something is dirty or yuck.
eg. Not having a shower for 3 days is skanky.
A gross dinner could be 'manky'

LUSH or ACE
These are words to be used instead of cool
eg. You're ace

FIT
Can be used in more ways than one so can get confusing.
1. To describe a goodlooking boy/girl
eg. That guy is so fit
2. To describe someone personal health
eg. You are so fit.
3. To describe the general coolness of something
eg. That was so fit!

LADS
Another word for boys but its used heaps over here!

A BREW
a cup of tea

'ELLO LOVE, YOU 'RITE?'
this is a general greeting of hello

and they say that we talk the same language as the english..dont believe it for a second..

And my postal address for those of you who want it is
42 York Street
Gillingham
Kent
ME7 5JG
England

x

Let me just start on the weather once more...

2008-10-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

So now its not only cold..but its rainy, and not that normal rain but the miserbale drizzly rain, AND its so windy that i would actually not be able to go outside without being blown halfway up the street (and this is not an easy feat..especcially not after the copious amounts of chocolate i have been consuming..)..and i just walked home in that weather..its enough to put a downer on anyones mood..HOWEVER i now have an mp3 player (thanks dad) to listen to with loads of summer music on it..black seeds, jack johnson, paulo nutini..which makes me a lot happier..pleases my ears a lot..
The mp3 player may have been a birthday present sent over from nz that i may have opened before my birthday (last night) hoping that the excitement would counteract the fact that i was home alone on a friday night with my biggest excitement being facebook and hoping people would come online to talk...this in itself was a sad moment..in which i took it upon myself to bond with the mother country by looking up pictures of new zealand on the web and picturing myself in these scenes..lol me at a waterfall, me on a mountain...you get the picture lol
Today it was so cool though..a girl i met at ST.MARKS church a few weekends ago arranged for us to go to canterbury (yeah new zealand stole all the english place names..i have yet to find a taupo or a te awamutu in england though) for the day..so we took a train (im getting so pro at the train rides..) and took off for the day...the most amazing cathedral..like i think its the biggest in England and i payed 7 pounds to get in..(thats like 21 nz dollars..) but it was so worth it..inside it was so beautiful with all the stained glass and the detailing and the figurines..and outside (if the weather wasnt dampening my mood) it was amazing too..
Too funny though coz the streets are all cobbled and really narrow and lined with really cute sweet shops and card shops..and there's this one shop thats lasted from the tudor times but as the time has passed the building has moved and slanted itself..so the door is like on a total angle..i actually laughed out loud..and was such a tourist taking heaps of my photos (see facebook)..so cool..anyway was so nice to get out of Gillingham and look around..!

OH YEAH ONE OTHER BIG THING..I started using my free gym membership on Friday..a gym that is filled with people who just are immaculate even when they work out..like no sweat or red face or anything..me just puffing and panting and getting red and sweaty lol...Me thinking that its not that bad..until i woke up the next morning and was aching all over..lol couldnt even walk up the work stairs without dying a little inside lol But its my mission to go to the gym at least every second day..you wont even recognise me when i get back..lol

Honestly though something ive really been struggling with is the lives that the kids we work with have..and they just dont see any way out or that theres anything wrong with them..dont see the point in trying to have a good future..there's tis one boy thats totally been on my heart in the last few days..
Hes only 13
has been in juveile detention centres at least twice
continuously smokes weed
has been kicked out of every school hes been at for fighting
his brothers are all in jail
steals stuff all the time..
and has no want to change
and he brags about all this..when you say what about the future he just doesnt care..

Honestly it really gets me coz i know that the only way that this kid will turn around is with a total new look from God..like a total miracle and for God to come in and completely change him..which i know is possible..and the only way that I can possibly help this is juts by meeting kids like him where they are, hanging out with them, loving on them and just seek God for them and with them..Its so hard coz I'm like why doesnt God just come in and sort it out for them before their lives spiral out of control? and to be honest with you i just dont know and its something that im gunna have to seek God about..or maybe his plan is to put people like me and the other GYFC people in his life to slowly show him how he can turn his life around..hmmm I'm just going to have to trust that God has it all under control..

But I love the drop ins..and the kids that come to the drop ins..
and i totally know that this will only grow over the year im here..

xxxx

the last few days = cool

2008-09-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

oh my word...the weather has been amazing..i just had to say that coz i never thought i would be able to write that about England..Im gunna even go as far as saying it may have been better weather in England than in New Zealand the past few days!

Highlight of my weekend has definitely been the trip to Cambridge to visit Daniel Droy..!! The only down point of Saturday was spilling coffee all down me even before I got off the train into Cambridge and had to disguise it by doing my cardigan up..it so happened that it was a beautiful day and so hot..and i couldnt unveil my coffee stain..lol and maybe the 6:29am train was also a bit of an issue..but it was so worth it!

So I started writing this blog yesterday coz there's so much to say and i never have large spaces of time when im free..so i kind of do the news in installments lol And since yesterday morning i take all that complimenting the english weather back..it clouded over today..and got so cold and windy..that I actually would do ANYTHING for it to be summer...and apparently this is typical autumn weather...kill me now lol But I was on community time this afternoon and we went on a bit of a prayer walk around the community..me just not being able to concentrate coz i was shivering so much..lol But it was cool coz one of the older kids came with us!
Im going to have to wear all my clothes at one time..we'll see how that works out..ill update you as that story unfolds haha

Thursday I talked to Dan and he said he was gunna be in Cambridge for the weekend and i should come and visit..taking into account my lack of train and underground knowledge and the fact there would be various different train changes on the journey i was a little apprehensive..But I decided to go for it..The worst that could happen was I could hop on the wrong train and end up halfway across the other side of the country with no way and no money to get back..not too bad i would say lol

Friday night we had girls group..really cool..like 6 girls came and i made them dress up in bin bags..always a way to win them over lol But they're amazing girls..and we do the group every 2 weeks..so thats exciting..

Saturday was the day that I ventured off at 6:29 am on the train to London Victoria station, then travlled on the tube to Kings Cross Station and then hopped on another train to Cambridge.. (somehow managing to walk on to First class) lol Me just being paranoid that i would miss my train i got up at 5am..what a geek..so i had to wait around for ages for the taxi to take me to the station lol Dan and his girlfriend Bee picked me up from the train station in Cambridge..in Dans amazing car with 'Commander' written across the front and his less than perfect driving skills lol
Dan and some of his friends from Edinburgh uni had been in London the night before at a Brooke Fraser concert (random huh)..so we all went into Cambridge and had a look around the shops..Then decided on going punting..whihc was AMAZING...haha It was too funny...We got two punting boats and none of us were experienced punters at all..too funny having collisions with posh old Cambridge people who scowled as if we were larrakins of the water..pirates i would call ourselves for that day..lol
Then the train ride all the way back..on a train that sounded like it was about to fall apart..I was seriously worried i would be stranded in the middle of nowhere lol Sitting behind a group of older people saying inappropriate things obviously having come from a work doo..lol But I got back to Gillingham station safe and sound..!
Sunday was Alfie (my 3 year old host brother) birthday...woke up early, went to church and then met the whole family for lunch at this amazing chinese buffet...so much food..and so many people I didnt know..which was a little overwhelming but good..then to Alfie's little kid party where there was this hilarious kid who would pop all the balloons any way possible (teeth?! biting them?! standing on them?! jumping on them?! body slamming them?!) then go into hysterics..lol he was also the child who ran around in circles and such lol too funny.
Had to leave the party early to go to this thing called 'Angel Space' at Rochester Cathedral (this amazing old cathedral with stained glass and old architecture) where Gillingham YFC helped out at the cafe..It was so amazing though coz it was a youth event in this old cathedral that usually is filled with old people..But this was amazing..Its happening again in November too so im so excited for that..

But in all seriousness I've been really challenged the past few days with the passage in Matthew of 'feeding the hungry,helping the poor, giving water to the thirsty' (chapter 25?)..coz thats totally what Jesus did and if we are all his people why not help those out how he did and how we should treat those around us who arent so well off...Totally tested me today..There was this lady selling 'big issue' (which is a magazine the government gives to people who are struggling to sell so they can make some money) as I was in town..I thought id help her out and buy one..feeling pretty chuffed with myself for being a good person I went into the bakery to buy a sandwich..It was so weird coz i felt this gripping of my heart and Im sure it was God was like 'why not buy her lunch' as if he was totally testing me on what Ive been challenged with lately..I was trying to excuse it coz i didnt want to look weird..But I went out and offered her some lunch...and she gave me the biggest hug and said thankyou...My word it was one of those moments where you store away in your mind and just totally praise God for what he does..Im hoping my eyes are opened to more little things I can do for people..It wasnt a lot but I just totally want to humble myself and serve people...

And next Friday I'm going to London for the day (yaya day off) and Im gunna meet Rachel Klinkenberg and hangout with her for the day..see some sights..do some shopping..probably for coats and warm things or i will die...im so excited..! another early morning train ride..im gunna go plan my tickets now lol

My birthdays in 8 days! (8th of October) so excited..

xxxx

Lets take a holiday..

2008-09-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight is my night off..which im quite happy about..Although I need to do some planning for girls group tomorrow night I must admit I probably wont touch that until tomorrow..haha
Nothing really exciting has happened..
except i saw some amazing shoes in a shop here haha
except on Saturday Im taking a day trip to Cambridge to see Daniel Droy...a load of his university friends and me are gunna do some tourist things..me just with my camera out all the time..
I'm missing everyone heaps...
HEAPS
xxx

come to me in a dream summer

2008-09-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

so im looking outside and its dark and rainy and cold..i think i might have to get used to this..so people keep telling me..after asking a gazillion questions about the weather situation in New Zealand and whether its hotter or colder...to which i mention with a sad tone that its coming into summer back home and when I get back i will proceed to continue with 3 winters in a row..oh what fun...i'll be the palest kid around
But I am definitel thankful I bought an umbrella in Nottingham...it will probably the most used item this year..
However a couple of days ago i did manage to wear shorts and a singlet..this is considered an epic day in England..I think i may have climatised coz i managed to go without a cardigan for most of the day...which scares me a little bit coz when i come back home I will probably have heatstroke continuously even though it'll be coming into winter lol I may just have to wear like bright as clothes all winter to shake away the blues (oh my word what was that sentence about?!) lol But all in all England is pretty good and im considering travelling to every European country that has hot weather before I come home...!
Today has also been a bad day for home sickness...But it all ended when I played football with some of the kids and one of the kids said 'wow you're getting pretty good at this' lol made my day! When I get home I'll pretty much go pro football..lol
Tonight I'm going to a bible study at Gillingham Youth for Christ...it should be good..Phillipians which is what ive been trying to read lately so thatll be cool!
xx

i like this..

2008-09-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

People are often unreasonable,illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, People may accuse you ofselfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win somefalse friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank,people may cheat you;
honest and frank anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness,they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today,people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have,and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis,it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

-Mother Teresa

: )

2008-09-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

So ive decided that the reason why i dont update this blog as much as some people would like is because I dont feel like I'm doing anything exciting enough to blog about...but then after much thought I realised that I'm in another country so that in itself is pretty exciting...although it kinda just feels like im doing everything i normally do at home but in another country..and without my mum (a bit of an issue today, may be a bit homesick, but im still tough) lol

As I update this blog I'm watching an English kids program (not just for English kids but a program made in England for kids lol)..I'm actually enjoying having a 2 year old host brother around coz i get to play with toys and make puzzles and watch little kids programs and no one questions it...although it does get alittle tiresome when he takes large toys like scooters and baby buggies into town then doesnt want to carry them so i end up carrying them through malls and all the way home lol We have just finished having a massive tickle fight which mainly consisted of him scratching rather than tickling lol hes a little master fighter..I'm gunna have to wise up to this technique..But alfie is really truly cute..

The tupperware party was actually pretty good...hosted in a massive house...one scary moment of the nite was when i thought i locked myself in the bathroom and i couldnt get out..me just trying to figure out how to get attention to open the door without looking like a fool..But after like 5 minutes of jiggling the lock it worked..me just coming out to find everyone laughing..lol But i met heaps of people that go to the church im going to in Gillingham which was nice coz when i went there this morning i recognised people..!

Yesterday I moved in with Martha, Luke and Alfie..and could actually unpack my suitcase properly for the first time since I been here...I have been a suitcase kid and there have been clothes i just havent been able to wear coz theyve been scrunched up in my bag for way too long and were basically the most creased you would ever see..But that is no more! I've got a wardrobe and drawers and everything! They did the room up for me and suggested i put things on the walls..you can imagine I was in there and put up all my photos..so my friends from home are all on my wall...kinda freaky watching me while i sleep lol But it feels a bit more like home..so thats nice..We also had a visit to chatham (a close by town) yesterday to look around..and stopped in a park on the way there so alfie could play on the playground..and me..lol I got little too excited about seeing squirrels..the first time I'd ever seen one close up..haha
Then last night we went to a Executive Youth for Christ social..which was basically just food and hanging out with everyone who supports youth for Christ in Gillingham..Except one of the main sponsors was there who owns a gym and I could just imagine him working out how much time at the gym i would need to put in to counteract everything i ate..lol But hes given us a free gym membership for the whole year..access to saunas, the gym,jacuzzis, sunbeds..so Im hoping to start this week...We'll see what happens lol

This morning I woke up feeling pretty rubbish (another English word that seems to have caught on)..missing home and such..But Martha and I went to St. Marks church..very traditional..hymns and a lot of older people..very unlike church back home but it was still good and I'm going to a youth service tonite so we'll see what thats like..also met a few girls who decided that sometime in the next few weekends theyre gunna take me to London to shop and see the sights! they seem lovely!
I been sampling fine english traditional food..lol scones, trifle, chicken roasts, fish and chips...all not very healthy but oh so amazing...and also another reason for the starting of the gym! lol
We went to Rochester this afternoon which is such a cute little village with little streets and tudor style houses..with a castle and a city wall thrown in there aswell..lol they're everywhere! It was so cute..!

I miss everyone...
love x

another change..

2008-09-19T04:04:00.000-07:00

Another change is in store for me tomorrow, surprise surprise lol
I'm moving in with my new host family..a young couple with a 3 year old son called Alfie..they seem amazing and I'm so glad that I'm moving in with them..
I met Alfie on Sunday night...i like this kid already, especcially because of the sweets lol and the massive hug goodbye he gave me at the end of the night...aw bless (this is my new favourite english saying..one that i hope I will naturally pick up before i come home) lol
The past few days have been pretty relaxed..Just been helping with the drop in centres and also did night time community time which, when you're not totally comfortable in the dark and your director says 'oh yeah this is a place you definitely wouldnt go on your own,' is a very scary thing..haha me just nervously scanning every house and footpath for a sign of people with sharp objects or mean looks in their eyes..haha But night community time is cool coz the past few times we've just been walking around the streets and checking what the youth are doing..whether there are a lot out, just hanging around the streets and stuff..which is good to know whether we're gonna need to develop an activity or club or something for them to hangout in...
I LOVE THIS KIND OF WORK...coz its not forcing anything on anyone but its meeting the kids where they are at, in their community, and just showing them what its like to love them and love Jesus...amazing..!

Tonight I'm going to a tupperware party with Wendy (my temporary host mum) which is too funny!!
Ive gone through so much phone credit since I been here!
xx

Gillingham and beyond..

2008-09-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

I am such a slack blogger..Ive been getting harassed by many people telling me to update my blog...so even though this section of the day on my timetable is reserved for 'admin' I will continue...Its quite a trial coz the keyboard im on at the Youth for Christ centre doesnt have a 'u' key so I have to frantically stab at the key to make it work..which may look a little aggressive to those watching haha and ive been sitting here trying to figure out why someone wouls take just one letter...

Our 2 weeks of Training in Nottingham officially finished last Friday...so sad coz we'd all gotten so close as we had been living in each others pockets for two weeks, sharing hilarious stories over lunch (cough* tom getting a pool ball stuck in his mouth and having to go to a&e) and having team bonding playing 4 square in the rain then proceeding to splash in the puddles....all in good fun..We had really busy days (as in we sat and ate then sat and ate then sat and ate some more..)..but the sitting was like 6 hour theology lectures..some interesting and some that i was very glad when we began to pray because i could close my eyes and have a power nap...haha nothing holier than a nap..

But in all seriousness we had celebration services every 2nd nite which were like church services and had guest speakers and stuff...God showed up in so many amazing ways..I dont think Ive ever felt his presence like in the past 2 weeks...But not before giving me a bit of a dry patch to figure things out for myself and then coming through and totally affirming it for me...

Its weird coz all the kids we are working with come from totally broken backgrounds and i think in a way we all needed to be broken so we'd really have a passion to help them out and love them like we know Jesus does and know that whatever amazing things happen we are merely the hands and feet not the power, i think humility is the word im looking for..lol

HIGHLIGHTS OF TRAINING

-Being asked a gazillion questions about New Zealand...some of these included 'do the Maoris still live in huts?'...and 'oh thats the place where Lord of the Rings was filmed?'..and 'do you have birds in New Zealand?'..I think these English people need to do some research

-Teaching 3 people the game 4 square in a moment of boredom and having it spread to be the official game of the 2 weeks of training...each day at every break a hoard of people would be out there playing..i have to admit it got competitive..a 4 square committee was even appointed to make decisions lol

-Karaoke and disco night..this speaks for itself

So Saturday was the day of leaving Nottingham Uni to go and fend for ourselves in our new centres all over the place..and also the day I lost my NZ phone..and all the photos and songs on it...I'm still hoping that it turns up and some nice student hands it into reception..All those contacts, music and photos all gone..! so if you text me and i havent replied its not coz i got too posh for you now im in england..I only have my english cellphone now..!

Saturday me and Phil's (a friend from training who I'm working with in Gillingham and who also interestingly has a large afro) brother picked us up and took us to their house in Lincoln (dont ask me where abouts in England it is coz i dont even know..) and Phil showed me round Lincoln..Palaces, cathedrals, the only 2 hills that are in lincoln, and castles..! so cool! Except people kept frowning at me coz i was taking photos in the cathedral..with my flash on..which may have been a little inappropriate..ah well..
Sunday we turned up in Gillingham where we gonna be based for the next 7 months...turned up to a 'meeting' which was just a massive 'meet everyone get together'...with a lot of food..they know how New Zealanders roll...lol
I'm staying with a family until Saturday in a room thats about the size of the average cupboard..literally room for a bed, a dresser and a suitcase and I have to squeeze myself into a space as i open or close the door..haha Then I'm moving in with my actual host family, a young couple with a 3 year old son called..wait for it..ALFIE..! only the cutest name in the entire world..haha and he came up to me and was like 'we have sweets for you'..love him already haha But theyre all lovely!!
Turned up at the office on Monday at 10am (my earliest start) and mooched around...then went to have community time..where we just go and hang with the kids in the community (which is quite rough)..we played football..me just being totally rubbish..all the kids laughing..im really going to have to learn how to play better...and also learn football (soccor?!) knowledge..everyone talks about it here..EVERYONE!
Gillingham YFC also has 2 drop in centres in 2 different parts of town that are open in the afternoons and evenings where kids can just come and hang out with us (who wouldnt want to?haha) and play xbox and wii and get a positive influence..! Its actually so amazing and i think this is where my heart is..coz we're just reaching out with no expectation but for God to come through for us and touch them..and just hangout..!
We also do detached work (which im doing tonight)which is usually walking the streets at night (yeah im tough) and seeing where the young kids are hanging out, what theyre doing and what they would want to be doing and also just chatting to them..this is so we can show the council who might support us opening up activites for them so they dont cause trouble...
Its actually just so perfect for where my heart is at the moment and I know Gods gonna do some amazing things..and totally put me here for a reason..

Funny story for this blog:
(background knowledge needed: english people call underwear 'pants' and pants 'trousers')
I went into a shop today needing to buy black trousers...unbeknown to me i was about to make a fool out of myself..me just going up to the shop assistant 'i need some black pants for work..' this is where she gets confused 'what sort of black pants?' me just being like 'oh umm more like formal ones, kinda dressy material..' her just looking a bit distraight as i dig myself a hole..then realise what im saying as she says 'OH TROUSERS!'...and that is the story how it may have sonded like i was working on a street corner haha

Also my mum might be coming to visit for my birthday (8TH OF OCTOBER lol)then staying on for my commissioning day (where we all get welcomed into YFC) ...so excited! cant wait to see her!

And i have developed a fondness for tea...milk with one sugar...which is what I have put down to being the reason i am putting on stacks of weight haha not the chocolate or the lollies at all...lol BUT one of the trustees of GYFC is the owner of the local leisure centre (pools, gym, saunas etc.) and has given us all a free years membership!!! pity it takes like 20 minutes to walk there haha so im going to look like a supermodel by the time i get back..lol watch this space...xxx

NOTTINGHAM

2008-09-05T15:58:00.001-07:00

oh my word...so much has happened...and my memory is failing me so forgive me if i forget to add things in and if i dont give you a total blow by blow account of my last week here...

I'm in Nottingham at the moment staying with the other 40 volunteers in the Univeristy Halls...its so good coz we eachhave our own rooms and we can kick each other out of our rooms at any time..However I have learnt that when you're getting ready in the morning and someone knocks on the door you do not assume it is one of the other girls on your floor and you definitely dont shout out 'IM NOT READY YET!!!' because it most likely is the little old lady who changes the sheets on the beds..so awkward.. me just standing in my towel while I throw my sheets out the door and try and apologise for my rudeness..haha
Also NEVER turn your alarm clock off and think you're going to doze until you really need to get up..Because you will sleep in and get woken up to all the girls, already dressed, waiting for you to come down to breakfast....me just rushing around my room getting ready.. normal lifein England

But Nottingham..! my my my! robin hood?! and that is their claim to fame!! everything is named after or has a picture of robin hood or something to do with the story...The souvenir shop is packed with mini merry men figurines, robin hood outfits and hats (which i have to admit that we all bought and took great joy in wearing them round..)...But im such a tourist, taking photos and going nuts in the souvenir shop..haha

Longer blog later

Oh yeah and just for the record .. they dont use the word FAR OUT here as an exclamation..and they take great joy in mocking me for it...in a slight australian accent..so crass...haha

and how many times can i ask if im australian? haha

But everyones lovely and im settling in really well!!!

xxx

sorry no blog today!

2008-09-02T14:51:00.000-07:00

im addicted to blogging..but i just dont have the time to do it right now!!

bloggy blog blog

2008-08-28T01:33:00.001-07:00

So day two of my blog..this is going well...I didnt know I would be so organised to blog consecutive days...
Just thought I would let you know that I nearly had a heart attack coz i didnt think that Mochachinos existed in England..! I looked all over for them coz there arent many cafes in Halesowen where Im staying, more like pubs and bakeries haha those English...
But when I found a cafe that sold them and my heart sung I looked at the price.. £2.40 for a mocha...which is like OVER 7 DOLLARS!!! Im seriously going to have to give up coffee..sad but true..I'll just have to sleep like every other person to get my energy and maybe on special occasions such as my birthday i can splash out..hopefully its worth it...But here's me secretly planning to go into town this morning and get one..I mean ive gotta be upbeat for meeting all these new people dont I...excuses for everything...

More observations:
white pants are very popular in England..Im not a fan but then I wasnt a fan of straight leg jeans and then here I am wearing them..so who knows...I mite be wearing white cotton pants when I get back...i hope not.

There's a store here totally devoted to Disney memorabilia..and not just the new movies..EVERY DISNEY MOVIE POSSIBLY EVER MADE...! Its like a kids dream..well actually to be honest i wasnt too un-excited myself about it..which was shown by Erin (the American girl that flew in at the same time as me) suggested that if they had one of the disney princess costumes in my size that she would have bought it for me..I was a little disappointed they didnt..and enough highschool musical stuff to make Israel happy for life...

Double decker buses still manage to excite me no matter how much everyone tells me that its just a normal thing in England...

This is such a God journey though, on a more serious note, I'm just gunna have to keep trusting that he KNOWS my situation and is with me through my homesickness, doubts and fears of meeting all these new people...I totally believe that Im meant to be over here and God wouldnt have put me over here and just left me to fend on my own...so i will hold onto that ALWAYS!!

One last thing...I miss mum!! If you see her give her a hug from me please xxx

England so far...

2008-08-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

So I can't believe I'm actually in another country...Its so crazy and new and so many things are different..
Ive never had a blog before so I'll probably ramble on about this and that and not actually ever hit a proper point in any of my posts but Im sure whoever reads them will hopefully bear (speaking of beer PUBS are so popular in England) with me...coz I'll update this often coz I hate doing those mass emails...with a passion..
I'll start with my plane trip...
Did i hear someone say 30 hours on a plane is actually enough to drive someone mad?! Stop over in Brisbane, Singapore, Dubai then Birmingham...Dubai airport totally freaked me out (43 degrees when we landed?!)..so crowded and people lined up everyhwere waiting for their planes..Me just a little white girl without a turban or a beard wandering through the airport hoping to find my plane haha I did luckily even though I got weird looks as I had shed a few tears at this stage haha But im still tough as
Judy Lloyd, a lady from YFC picked me and this girl called Erin from the USA up and took us to a pub for lunch..which i was so surprised by..but apparently its so normal...so if i come back and ask you to come to the pub with me dont expect me to have turned into an alcoholic..haha
Ive slept so much since Ive been here...waking up a lot in the night though real homesick which sucks...Have managed to chow through over $200 of phone credit so far...Thanks mum and dad...so embarrasing..
The town of Halesowen where Im staying (in this hostel that has dodgy shower curtains) has the coolest town center..classic english with cobbled paths and union jack flags strung up all over the place..too funny...and a church clock that chimes at midnight (yes I woke up to it) haha I mite need to talk to the council about that and get it fixed haha not a good tourist attraction..so many amazing thrift stores too...
and some observations i have found:

policemen ride around on bicycles..this made me laugh so much coz its so not intimidating!! But apparently they're so fast!! I might test their speed out one day..maybe hassle them a bit and then see if I can outrun them! haha

There's a petshop in the city that has real live massive iguanas in the window..I was so shocked...I bought one for a pet..lol nah i didnt but i wish!!!

And i found krispy kreme donuts..my new vice..and the reason i will come back 30kgs heavier haha (sorry bob)

So this is my first post...and ive got to go coz these two little english boys want to use the computer..I could fight them anyday but I dont want to haha
miss home a bit...so glad I didnt write this blog this morning coz it would have been a depressing one and one MASSIVE MOAN!!

I start training tomorrow...with like 60 others.. (most of them boys..ahhhhh scary)!!