Senior

Well I'm officially a senior at BYU. Weird. This is my 7th semester (not counting study abroad or my field study) so I think it's safe to say I have the whole college thing down! My Anthro lab this semester that I'm teaching is full of freshmen, and I definitely feel a lot older than them (they look so little!). One boy came up to me after class and said...um I was just wondering, what's the SWKT? So I explained it was the tallest building on campus, and that I was sure he could find it on the map...etc. haha, oh lost little freshmen... It should be good though, freshmen usually care about their grades, so they might actually participate and do the readings this semester. Oh, the joys of being a TA, haha. But as much as I fake-complain about it I really do like my job! I miss all my fellow TA's who have graduated though, we have so many new ones.

As for my classes, I am taking my last ever French class, Literary Analysis (340) . I'm actually pretty excited about it, my French isn't as rusty as I thought, and my professor seems pretty cool. Plus we get to read Voltaire and Molière! I'm also taking data analysis and thesis of course, and it's kind of weird that those are my only Anthro classes. What else....oh marriage prep. Before you laugh, it's actually an awesome class. Dance 380, which is going to be a challenge, but really fun...and an Honors class. So not bad. The most work will be my thesis, but I planned accordingly, so I'm not really worried about it. Surprisingly enough I'm excited to finally start writing it.

In other news, my mission papers are officially in!! I should get my call either this week or next, and I can't wait. I really want to know where I'm going to be for the next year and a half of my life. Any guesses?

Other things... my ward is awesome, I love it. I've made so many new friends in the first week and I can already tell this semester is going to be so fun. My new roommates are cool, they love to travel too, so we are going to put up a map and mark everywhere we've been, plus take a trip to Ikea once we all get our paychecks on Friday haha. Oh and my freshman ward is having a reunion this next weekend, so it will be good to see everybody after 2 years!

Life is good.

A Last Hurrah

One more week of summer...I'm sad it's almost over. Especially because my summer didn't really start until July, so it was really missing two months. It's definitely been eventful, and I accomplished a lot, which I'm proud of. It definitely wasn't one of those lazy summers that's fun for a little while but then boring, that's for sure!

This week has been pretty eventful too, with moving and organizing and finishing my 495 field project, and running back-to-school errands. But I'm super happy to say that I finished my 495 project early (it's not due until September 1st). 

The finished product!

And here's the Table of Contents. It's a little hard to read, but you get the gist. It's over 200 pages long, and proof of how much work I did while in Guernsey! Phew. So glad that's over! Now for a week break before I start my thesis...

Table of contents

In other news, I moved up a floor! I now have my own room, which is pretty exciting. I also managed to take my shelves off the wall in my old room and put them up, so now my room has a little more character. That was an adventure, complete with a trip to Home Depot! And as of today I'm officially moved in, since I finished all of my kitchen stuff. 

My room!

Tomorrow I'm off to Montana for my last summer hurrah! I can't wait. I'm meeting my family friends Nick and Jessie (they are really more like an aunt and uncle) and we're driving up to Rexburg where my family is meeting us, and then I'll head up to Montana to see my real aunt and uncle and their adorable girls. So excited. The last time I was there was super fun, Montana is sooo beautiful! I'm almost packed, complete with road trip snacks and some books on tape. 

Big Sky Country

Friends

Today I got to go to one of my freshman friend's mission homecomings. He's engaged and they're adorable and it was awesome seeing everybody. (Don't worry they've been dating for years). I'm super excited to see everyone else in the Fall, even though we'll probably only see each other once, other than running into each other on campus. We are planning a reunion party, so that's happening for sure. But I'm still super excited about it--I can't really explain why, only that's it's just great to see old friends. It's fun to see how much they've changed and how much I've changed yet we're still the same people, just a little more grown up. 2 years somehow manages to be a ridiculously long time, and at the same time go by really fast. Time is weird sometimes. I feel so different from my freshman year self, but I'm the same person. I can't imagine what's it's like to look back at yourself 20 years later.

Time is going by super slowly right now for me, since I'm currently the only one living in my apartment and waiting to move upstairs on Wednesday. I'm also waiting to go to Montana in a week, waiting for school to start, waiting for most of my friends to get back in town and going crazy waiting to turn in my mission papers because they are completely finished (except uploading a picture of myself) but I still have to wait like 2 weeks to submit them. Gah. I'm feeling very impatient about it, I really really want to know where I'm going so I have something in my head to picture where I'll be for the next year and a half. Plus it will make it official, which means I can't panic and back out of it. But I'm determined that won't happen because I'm really excited about going. But since I've done everything but submit them time has slowed down considerably. Oh well. Hopefully finishing up my research and buying books and things this week will distract me!

On the bright side, I've halfway packed up my apartment, had an awesome 3 hour conversation with my sis last night (one of those oops-it's-1-in-the-morning-and-I-didn't-notice conversations), I'm running a lot which I'm actually enjoying, my research is almost finished, and it's still summer, which means I'm not working or swamped with homework yet, and I have time to read for fun. Oh and I have internet when I thought I wasn't going to for a week, which was a really great surprise. So I'm trying to enjoy all the extra time I have instead of being bored, because I know as soon as school starts I'll be crazy busy. Ah well, c'est la vie.

Summer goodness

So...it's been forever since I've blogged whoops. Summer does that to me, it's just so refreshing to not be in school. So this might turn into a novel of a post.

I just found this post that I started the day after I got back to the U.S:

I'm back in Provo finally! I know it seems bizarre that I'm happy to be in the U.S. instead of Europe, but I truly am. It feels so good to be home. It's only been a day, but I can already tell that this summer is going to be amazing. Yesterday I:

• met my new roommate
• made an awesome 4th of July cake with Lorraine
• got food, did laundry, unpacked
• went to my ward's bbq
• let off fireworks
• watched Stadium of Fire for free from a hillside in North Provo, with an awesome view
• went swimming

Sounds like the perfect summers day to me.

That week was crazy fun, we did all sorts of things, and I loved the freedom of not being productive with my research every single day. It was great. After a week in Provo, I packed up again and headed back to Oregon for the first time in 6 MONTHS. I couldn't believe it had been that long, but it sure felt like it. I got to see my parents back in March when we went to Guatemala, but I hadn't seen Brigit or Ethan or Buster or Eugene in half a year. It was pretty crazy, they've totally grown into teenagers, and it's sooo weird. They'll both be in middle school next year, I can't believe it, in my head they are the same age as when I left for college, going on 4 years ago. (Oh yeah, I'm starting my senior year. No big deal.)

Being home was awesome. I had missed my family sooo much, and I just love Eugene anyway. It was great. I hung out with them pretty much all the time and got back into shape (which I am super excited about by the way, I'm actually enjoying running. who knew?) I really wish I had taken some pictures, but even though I brought my camera I guess I was just having too much fun. So... cue list of things I did in Oregon:

• Went to my friend Michelle's wedding. We grew up next door to each other, so it was really great that I got to go, I was going to miss it originally. 
• Went running all the time, and got this awesome watch that measures my heart rate and actually motivates me to go running. This is quite a feat. 
• Went swimming, I love our pool. 
• Helped my dad try out his new "big green egg". (that's actually the name). It's basically a cross between a pizza oven, a smoker, and a grill. It was fun to see him all excited about it, and I have to admit, the food was really good.  
• Got a haircut
• oh yeah I have bangs again, which is fun.
• Discovered the joys of shopping at St Vincent's.
• Annica loves it, and it is a lot better than Goodwill or DI for that matter. Plus it's cheap and you can find some pretty great stuff.
• Went to Off the Waffle. mmmm.
• Started my mission papers--halfway done! 
• I'm super excited about this, I almost just want to skip Fall semester, but I know I can't. Oh well, at least I get to turn them in at the end of the month!
• Hung out with Ethan and Annica for half a week while everybody else went on the Trek
• Turned 21! 
•  I actually feel like more of an adult now that it's official, which was kind of strange because birthdays usually don't feel any different to me. Besides as my dad explained: 18 doesn't count anyway, it's just a construct of the Vietnam War, because they didn't think it was fair to be sent to die without being able to vote. 21 has been the official birthday for much longer.
• It's always great seeing your facebook fill up with birthday wishes, and my lovely friend Anna wrote me a this awesome birthday post
• Saw my grandparents. They came out for the weekend, and it was really good to get to talk to them, it's been a while.

Aaand that's all I can think of at the moment. I'm sure I'm forgetting something. But overall July was an awesome month, super fun, and I loved it. Hopefully August will be just as good. I'm back in Provo, which is sort of a bummer, but I know I would have gotten too bored at home if I was there for the rest of summer, and it is good to see my friends again. My friend Erin (from Study Abroad) went into the MTC on Wednesday, which is super exciting for her, but I'm sad she won't be around this fall. Well, I guess that's what letters are for. And who knows, maybe I'll accidentally run into her at Conference (she's serving on Temple Square).

 So. On the agenda for August is: tubing down the Provo river tomorrow, powering through the rest of my research so that it's done, hanging out with friends (me and Anna want to plan an epic road trip and various other exciting things when she gets back next week), and going to Montana in 3 weeks. I'm pretty excited about that, because my family is going too, and we get to see our family friends the Browns who are awesome, and Leif and Monica (my aunt and uncle). Plus it's Montana, which is so beautiful. As much as I like BYU, I still haven't gotten over the ugliness of Utah County. Despite the pretty mountains, everything is just very brown. Anyways, it should be pretty great, and my sister is coming back with me, which means I'll have family around again! (She's living only a block away, so this fall should be fun.) 

Oh! I almost forgot. I've been watching the Olympics too. And they are awesome, as usual. There's something about seeing all those athletes work so hard that is really inspiring. They are amazing. Plus it's just cool to see countries competing against each other in peace and cooperation. Somehow they seem to rise above the politics of it all. 

Some ramblings

You know those people who, instead of being excited for you, happy for you or well-wishing, seem to enjoy bursting your bubble? I will never understand that. They say say things like "well plans don't always work out" (yes someone actually said this to me when learning that I decided to go on a mission). People are already telling my sister "oh you are totally going to get married first". Well that might be true, but is it really necessary to point it out? It's like saying "no I don't believe in your dreams at all, so let me point out all the worst case scenarios that might happen to you because I'm sure they haven't occurred to you yet." Or better yet: "I'm a pessimist and I want you to be one too, even when you are happy and excited at the moment." No one ever says that, but that's what it feels like. It's like the person, who when you mention you love swimming in the ocean or something feel the need to start quoting stories about shark attacks. I've been trying to think of a witty/funny-but-gets-the-point-across comeback, but sadly I'm all out of then at the moment. Any ideas? It's usually after the fact that I think of them. The French call it "l'esprit de l'escalier", or the spirit of the staircase. In other words, it's the feeling, when you are halfway down the stairs after a conversation when you suddenly realize "oh I should have said that! It would have been perfect!" It definitely happens to me all the time.

In other news, it was my moms birthday yesterday (well it technically still is, because I'm eight hours ahead and I'm awake absurdly early because my roommate needed the phone at 6:45 am, and my host was really loud getting up at 5:30 in the morning. So now I'm awake, and suddenly wanted to blog, even though I'll probably (hopefully) go back to sleep). Annnyways. It was my moms birthday, and I'm bummed that I'm halfway across the world for it. Don't get me wrong, my research is interesting and all, but I only have 3 weeks left, and I'm getting to that point when I want to go home and enjoy summer, without writing down every little thing I observe. So, cue list of things I'm excited about for summer:

• Seeing my family
• Going home for the first time since Christmas
• Reading books for fun
• Hanging out with friends
• Starting my papers
• Swimming!!
• Walking my dog
• Getting some sun (it's still 55 here and raining half the time.)
• Driving my car instead of taking a bus
• Seeing how much my siblings have grown

Basically I can't wait. Luckily the days go by quickly here, so soon enough it will be over, and I'll get to Provo (anyone want to pick me up from the airport?) and then a week later I'll be going home! The first thing I'm going to eat is a burrito with Yumm sauce. They don't have any mexican food over here. (or any flavor at all, they only use salt and pepper. It's either really bland or way too spicy. Or seafood. What happened to using herbs??)

Happiness

Today I went to the French market that comes to Guernsey on Bank Holidays and fell in love with France all over again. I ordered in French and it was so natural, and it made me sooo happy. Plus I found rhubarb jam and chestnut butter--the two things I absolutely LOVED in France. I ate them everyday for breakfast. I kept thinking I would be able to find them here, but I guess it's a French thing. Anyway...I found them. And I'm going to ban myself from opening them until I get home haha. It was funny, walking through the market took me back to France a year ago. Even the yellow and green bags they give you your purchases in were the exact same ones they had in the market outside our apartment. The only thing that would have made it better is if they had fresh bread--I really miss that too. Oh it was wonderful. And it made me miss France so much it hurt. I'm not exaggerating--that's actually how it felt, a little painful. I don't know what it is about France but I absolutely love it. England just isn't the same for me. Maybe because of the happy memories I have there, but also I think it's just France itself. The language, the culture...I just love it. So I decided I really want to take a day trip to St Malo. The ferry ride is only an hour and I am soooo close to France. It probably won't be until the second to last week of June. But I'll be happy even if I just go into a boulangerie or walk around. I don't even have to do anything touristy, it will still be worth it. But I might go to Jersey instead...we'll see.

The other reason I'm really happy today..... (drum roll please)


I've decided to go on a mission!!!


It's true. I've been stressing out over the decision for a while now, and have been praying about it. I realized that I felt good about it, so I thought, ok I really think I'm supposed to go. I'm going to do it. And then I woke up the next morning super cheerful and happy and I felt SO much better. I have been so worried about what to do with my life next year, and now that I know what to do I'm not worried and stressed anymore. It's the best feeling ever. And I am so excited to serve the people of wherever I will go. Strangely I'm not really too worried about that. I know that I'll go where I'm supposed to, and that's that. (Although I must admit, I would be thrilled to get called to France). But we'll see where I end up--I'll start my papers when I get back in July. I don't want to wait, but alas, I have to. Aaaaah I'm so excited! Honestly these last two days I've been happier than I have in a really long time. It's great. My research is going well, I've figured out what to do with my life... Life is good.

Juin

I feel like I should say something momentous since it's now June already. I can't believe it. Almost halfway through my field study. My research is actually going much better--this week, I've had 4 interviews, which is quite a lot. And I'm gathering quite a bit of good data, so I'm happy about that, hopefully I'll be able to write a good paper. There's not too much to say about it, it's not like France where I was going to really cool places everyday (I really really miss that--I had a pain au raisin for breakfast this morning, brought back some goooood memories.)

Some more British/Guernseyisms:

on Wednesday, I had to get out to the lady's house to interview her. She lives in St Pierre du Bois, which is one of the really rural parishes. The directions to her house looked like this:

• You know the cup-and-saucer? Ok, take the first left after that. (Except I was coming the opposite way by bus, so I had to figure out which road was the one right before Fort Grey)
• Keep going quite a ways until you get to a fork in the road, stay in the middle.
• Keep walking all the way until you see a house on the left, we're by ourselves, a cottage with an addition, and a lean-to greenhouse. (Fine, except practically ALL the houses in the rural parishes look like that...so I was a bit worried)

I asked her if there was a street name or something, and she said, oh yes, it's Rue de Clercs. I soon figured out why she hadn't given me the name, because there are no road signs. (You can never tell with Guernsey, sometimes there are, sometimes there aren't any.) I did look her phone number up in this wonderful book Sheila has, and found out that her house is called Le Tablet, so that was a relief when I saw the sign above the door. (Houses here don't have numbers, they have names. Which I always thought was a lovely idea--reminded me of Anne of Green Gables. But it makes it a bit dodgy with directions). But hey, I found it! Exactly as she had described it. So I was quite proud of myself haha. 

Another British thing: our professor's idea of a "quick lunch" is NOT the American version. I was thinking, oh I'll make a sandwich, grab an apple and run out the door. But no, "quick lunch" meant taking an hour to prepare meat, potatoes and vegetables, setting the table and sitting down to a proper meal. hahaha, I don't think I'll ever get used to that, I eat too many of my meals on the way out the door. 

I've noticed I've started using some British words--you can probably tell from reading this. I use "bit" and "quite" and "lift" and "flat" now, I'm almost used to it. Oh and "lovely" instead of beautiful. They also seem to use "fantastic" a lot, maybe that's just a Guernsey thing. 

Oh--embarrassing moment of the week: we were at church on Sunday, and one of the visiting elders noticed me and Peter sitting there (Amy's in Germany for the week). So after the meeting he asked if I was Peter's wife. hahaha. I was like uh, no, we are both BYU students. He wasn't even flustered, he just took it in stride, oh ok, what are you studying, type thing. Oh it was funny. And really awkward. 

Well that's about all I can think of to share from the last week--I didn't even go to a museum or anything. Next week the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations start, so I'm really excited about that, should be lots to do. I did finally get the jubilee thing explained to me the other day. I knew they were every 10 years(ish) to celebrate how long the monarch has been on the throne, but I didn't know it corresponded to wedding years. Apparently if you've been married for sixty years, it's your diamond wedding, fifty is golden, forty is pearl, and then there's a ruby for either thirty or 25, I can't remember. Anyway, so that's where it started. The current queen of England is having her diamond jubilee this week, since she was crowned in 1952. One of the ladies I was talking to said they think she wants to beat Queen Victoria, so she has to last 4 1/2 more years. I must say I'm very American, in that I don't really get the whole royalty thing. It's very serious for them. And every former British colony is having jubilee celebrations as well--Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand. Except us haha. Of course, we would NEVER refer to ourselves as a "former British colony", even though if you think about it, we are. That had never occurred to me before, as funny as it sounds. 

There's nothing like living in another country to make you realize things about your own. Some things I really miss, just because they are familiar, and others I think we should be more like Europe in. The same lady I was talking to on Wednesday told me she'd never been to America (you'd be surprised at how many people have here) even though she goes to France all the time, and has been to Australia and Canada and various other places. She told me that she just feels like America is too big, and dangerous. (That's another Britishism, they refer to it as America, never the States, or the United States. Oh and it's the war of American Independence, not the Revolutionary War). Her daughter was an exchange student in Pennsylvania I think, and absolutely loved it. But she said she just worried and worried about her. Traditional Guernsey is very very safe. The town isn't anymore, but in the smaller parishes you still get that small-town feeling. Strangers offer to give you rides, stop to help lost tourists and there is nothing suspicious about it. They are just friendly and want to help. As if to prove her point, her husband offered me a lift to the bus stop so I wouldn't miss it. At home I would have NEVER, first off, gone to someone's house I didn't know by myself in the middle of the country (and they wouldn't have invited me over the phone) and I would not accept a ride from a stranger I just met 5 minutes before. But it's different here, people genuinely want to help you out. They never used to lock their doors or cars and nothing got stolen. That's changed now, but I feel like I got a glimpse of how things used to be, all over the world really. It was really really nice. And it's a shame that we can't be more trusting like that anymore. If everyone was honest, things could go back to the way they were. Ah well, c'est la vie.