life online

I was supposed to watch friends of mine getting married today via the internet. She has been one of my role models since I was 12 and though I haven't known him nearly as long there is something sincere, compassionate, and direct that comes from every conversation I have had with him. They are both such authentic and uplifitng individuals and I was excited when they got engaged a few months ago. My excitement waned a bit, replaced by the sadness that comes with leaving and missing out on the lives of those I love.

They have friends and family everywhere- India, Colombia, California... Virginia. Their wedding and reception was open- no RSVPs, everyone invited to share in this special day. And so they decided to broadcast it, live online.

I am not a fan of facebook, youtube, email, or even blogging- it is necessary and has a lot of potential, but I am a rare user (as most of you already know).

But I was all ready to watch the wedding online, by myself.

Instead I ended up watching a loop of their pre-wedding pictures, walking down the beach. I was wondering when the wedding was going to start- after all it was taking place in Hialeah and a thirty minute delay is still early. And then a text told me that they were already at the altar. All this time there were tweets in english and spanish on the left side that I was trying to ignore. I read through them and everyone was trying to figure out if the wedding had started. So I wrote what I knew. And before I knew it I was chatting away. My sister sent me updates and I posted them. We became our own community, unable to see or share in the wedding but united by our relationships to this couple and our frustration at distance and technology.

I would have preferred to be there, to be sitting in the aisle, hearing her voice break while she gave her vows and to see her tears as she started crying. I would have been crying too, just like my sister.

But there was something unique and interesting about sharing life that way. I think that part of me denies the reality of a virtual life- of the possibility of any authentic life transmitting through cyberspace. That's partly why I'm barely on Facebook and why I barely post. SInce I can't be everywhere I want to be then I'm going to have to really start getting used to this idea of living life online. I will always be old-fashioned, preferring letters to emails and I will not allow technology to live for me but sharing the wedding of people I love and miss with people I don't really know gave me a different sense of community and life that I am not opposed to.

Judios y Parabolas

This is one of the videos they used here to introduce language learning



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I am one of the very few here who does not have to learn a new language. I have to adapt to a different accent and pick up a lisp but I speak the language. My friends here are in the process of learning arabic, german, french, russian, spanish, languages I can't even spell, and right next to me a friend is laughing at the thought of having to learn gaelic. Some have said that it is not fair as they struggle with their language learning or even say that I picked the easy route. But I did not pick where I was born or where I grew up and the languages that I would learn. I grew up in a bilingual culture and God is humorous enough to send me to Spain. Why humorous? Because at some point growing up I stopped speaking in Spanish. I knew the language but I did not want to use it. Then I went to school in the midwest where I picked it up as I explored who it is that I was and who I was becoming. My mom laughs at me remembering when I could not pronounce the accent on the right syllable and would say "judios" or "para-bola." And here I am ready to be completely immersed in my native language for the first time since I was three. So to those friends back home, embrace your native language you never know why or when you'll need it. And never say never- as in "I'm never going to live in Europe." Isn't it great to have a God with a sense of humor?

Quiet Streams

            

                                      

I had forgotten how much I enjoy nature.  The campus where I am has a lake with catfish (though I doubt I will take any advantage of this) and woods.  These past few days have been beautiful with bright blue skies.  After the sessions end, at about 3 I rush to my room, change and practically skip to this one spot that I have found.  It's a bit secluded and I can often have this corner of the world to myself.  The lake narrows to a stream and I just sit on the rocks and think.  After being with people all day my introvert side is really ready for some quality alone time.  

On Sunday mornings we have small group worship in the late morning but my body likes to get me up at 7am.  So today, after breakfast I wondered over to my spot and spent about two hours there singing, dancing, and jumping from rock to rock.  It surprises me that I only slipped once. Apparently wet rocks are slippery. So much for being smart :)

During one of my songs, and I am so glad none of this was recorded, I was looking around and the light breeze was making leafs gently float and it was one of those moments when you are so grateful for God's creation and just really enjoying it.