Thoughts on 2010

Even though I see my fellow Cambodia MCCers everyday, we all still seem to keep up on each other's blogs. Silly, I know, but we've got some good writers here! This blog post idea I'm stealing from Grace, the newest 3 year member of the team and my coworker at our partner, Peace Bridges.

2010 has come to a close, and it was a big year for me. I mean college graduation and moving to Cambodia- seriously how much change can one year actually contain?! So now is the time for reflection. Below you'll find some of my highlights from 2010 in no particular order:

1) Graduating from Whitworth. Concluding a great season of life with many wonderful conversations, much celebration, and a real sense of accomplishment. Those few weeks leading up to graduation are some of the best I've ever had- filled with great one on one times, group reminiscing, laughter, bittersweet goodbyes, and hope for the future. Its a wonderful thing to take time to give a season the goodbye it deserves.

2) Helping to organize and participating in a flash mob in Whitworth's cafeteria. Life goal achieved. And what better song is there than You Can't Stop the Beat from Hairspray?

3) Living in the Shalom Community Center at Whitworth. Building relationships with many lovely, caring, Christ like people. Learning what it means to love and be loved in community. Endless games of Settlers of Catan, dance parties in the kitchen, prayer times, and all around goofiness. Not to mention writing our fears and insecurities on notecards, putting them in a pinata, and watching it burn- our animal sacrifice, giving those fears up to God

4) SALT orientation. A great week in Pennsylvania meeting not only the other Cambodia SALTers, but also SALTers heading around the world. Being mutually encouraged and endlessly excited together. Feeling like part of an international MCC family. Looking at the faces of people from around the world and knowing that peace is possible, because I could see it everyone person's eyes.

5) The feeling I had as we flew into Phnom Penh after 30 hours of travel. Searching for Khmer looking architecture out the window of the plane. Trying to imagine calling this place home. The glorious anticipation of it all.

6) A farewell party in Seattle with my 5 best friends in the world. These are the people who I would walk on water for, who are an incredible support even when I am 10,000 miles away. Its amazing thing to have so many beautiful, lifelong friends. There wasn't anyone in that room I've known for less than 10 years and we're only 22.

7) The endless moments here in Phnom Penh where I realize that I have the best host family ever. It happens as we sit on the floor in the kitchen eating rice. It happens when we all go out dancing. It happens when I see them defend me when someone tries to overcharge me because I'm a foreigner. It happens when we watch Korean Pop videos for hours. It happens in all those little moments where I am so lovingly included in their day to day lives.

8) Seeing Angkor Wat and a passel of other ancient temples. They didn't make the most recent 7 Wonders of the World list, but I don't see why.

9) A trip to San Francisco over spring break with Chelsea and Amanda. Being complete tourists, almost throwing up after eating Ghiradelhi sundaes and climbing to see the crooked road, pretending to be in jail at Alcatraz, including Mee-la in the trip by buying a spatula with a smilie face on it, taking pictures with it everywhere, and tagging Mee-la on facebook. Knowing that though all our lives are changing rapidly, something in our friendship is solid no matter how much we and our different circumstances change.

10) The day I found out I was going to Cambodia. I came home from my internship to Shalom. Claire was in the hall. It was the exact moment I imagined. I screamed that I got in, everyone came out into the hall, and we danced and screamed and hugged for 15 minutes. The perfect celebration.

11) Discovering that the other 3 Cambodia SALTers would indeed by great friends. We've formed a wonderful team/family to fall back on whenever we need it. I'm blessed to have great people to share this year with.

12) My brother's wedding. Welcoming Karen into the family, plus I got to wear a pretty dress : )

13) Two day trips, just my mom and I, to the beach this last summer. A sort of bonding and farewell time walking and laughing and playing giant tic tac toe in the sand.

And that about sums it up. A good year- full of ups and downs, but good nonetheless.