Things I Like...

To follow up Chris’ list of things he misses here is a list of things I am growing to like about So Cal.


1. The Beach. Ok, so this may not really count because I love any beach I go to . . . But it’s a start (see pics below from my first trip with Jennifer last week)!

2. The Convenience. For the first time in my life I live within close proximity to everything I need. There is a shopping center, literally, across the street from our apartment. The shopping center includes: Target, Vons (a grocery store---equivalent to Ukrops or Publics---it’s a nice one), Sears, Kohls, JCPenny, Panera, PetsMart, World Market, Dippin’ Dots, Edible Arrangements, and other assorted stores and eating establishments.

3. The Sale Papers. To go along with the convenience aspect of it all I really like the fact that the sale papers here have coupons in them! Each Tuesday the mail man brings a stack of sale papers. In that stack are precious coupons and sales for all of the local grocery stores . . . I comb through them, clip coupons, and store hop. It creates a great deal of savings----which I love!

4. The Weather. I really like the southern California weather, so far anyway. You just can’t beat sunny and 70’s everyday! I’m sure this will begin to get on my nerves come December and I feel the need to wear a warm, fussy sweater and pea coat . . . But we’ll see.

5. The Need for Speed. While I have not fully experienced the hectic driving of So Cal (because I have yet to drive more than 5 miles the interstates), I do appreciate the “go go go” attitude!

6. The Tourism Opportunities. I really like all the options we have to see and do new things. A few things I’m looking forward to include:

Disney Land San Diego Zoo Hollywood

Downtown LA Riding Route 1 Visiting ALL the local beaches.

7. The Time to Study. In spite of the fact that I don’t necessarily love all of my classes at present I do appreciate the opportunity to read, study, and reflect. I also appreciate the sacrifices Chris is making so that can happen.

8. The Foliage. I love all the palm trees! I like how they are everywhere here and constantly remind me how close I am to the beach!

9. The Diversity. I really appreciate the diversity that is present in Southern California. I appreciate the diversity within our apartment complex, community, and within my classes. It is so nice to see different cultures first hand on a daily basis.

10. But Most of all I Appreciate Sharing it all with Chris (and Mo). It would not be nearly as easy to find ten things I liked about Southern California if I didn’t have my husband and friend along with me! I cannot imagine how difficult things are for the men and women in my program that came here all alone. Nor can I imagine the loneliness they must feel and how much harder the transition has been for them! But, I am so thankful for my husband and doggie! Mo is the best study buddy ever! And he always greets us with puppy kisses and excitement!

--Megan

Things I Miss

NOTE: I started this post a few weeks back, and slowly have added to it.  I decided to go ahead and post, because I'm sure this list will continue to grow.


Random Things That I Miss...

1) Good, quality SWEET TEA! : Here, we still make sweet tea, but the water from the tap is just plain nasty. The first few attempts, the tea did not taste right. At least we have learned that if we only use water from our Brita pitcher in the "tea-making process" then it comes out close to what it should.

2) High school football: I went to my first high school game here at Poly last Friday and was expecting the same type of atmosphere.  Poly (the school where I work) has about 2800 kids, so I was expecting a stadium like Dorman, Gaffney, etc. because it is a stadium that several schools in the district share.  It was a brand new facility, but I swear it was smaller than Chesnee's stadium.  Don't get me wrong, it was nice, field turf on the field, but the stands weren't full.  It lacked that normal "Friday Night feel".

3)ESPN: We decided to buy a digital antenna so we could maybe pick up a few channels and at least use our TV.  We have still decided against getting cable.  One, having the long drive that I do, I normally go to bed quite early, so I don't have a lot of time to watch anyway.  Two, Megan doesn't want HGTV and such to be a distraction.  Three, any good games these days will be on ESPN3, so I can just watch them online.  We finally got the antenna situated just right where we can get all of the major stations (ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX, and only about 60 other stations that are in a different language.

4) Speaking of ESPN:  Still haven't quite gotten use to getting up at 9:00 am on a Saturday to see college football on ESPN3.  The one nice thing are the big games that normally start at 7 or 8, and are typically done by that time.  Now, if only they would put College GameDay on ESPN3, I'd be set!

5) My Church Family:  We have still been on the hunt for a church, and it is not easy.  While none of them are bad, it's all just so new.  It is hard to "know" that you are in the right place after one visit, and we don't want to start going to small groups until we know that is the church we want to attend.  We are also still struggling (or I am at least) on whether or not we should get back involved with high schoolers in the church setting again right away.

6) Chesnee High School (and extracurriculars):  I am very thankful for my job! But the school environments are just not the same.  Not necessarily good or bad, just different.  I miss the small family atmosphere at Chesnee.  I miss the Annex, and my tiny, air conditioning unit filled room.  I miss hearing two lessons going on simultaneously while I try to teach mine. (Thanks Coach Fogle and Coach Luedeman! I learned a ton about US History from my free lessons!)  Most of all, I miss the sports and extracurriculars.  I miss not being able to go watch the Lady Eagles try to repeat as region champs in volleyball this year.  I miss Friday Nights, listening to the band, and watching the games.  I miss Beta Club, and talking with Ritchie and Stephanie about ideas, props, budget, and such.  I miss the students, and I miss seeing familiar faces in the halls.  Quite frankly, I miss halls in general.  The school layout here is quite different.

7)Thunderstorms:  It hasn't rained AT ALL since we've been here.  The weather is nice, very little humidity, and here in Whittier, where we live the temperatures are great.  In Riverside, where I work, it reminds me a lot more of South Carolina.  It normally is about 10-15 degrees warmer there than at our apartment.  I hear there is a rainy season, and that I will be eating my words then, but I want it to rain!

8) Cheap Gas:  I took for granted that SC has the cheapest gas in the country.  Now that I am driving 90 miles and two hours each day,  I am feeling the full effect of California gas.  I normally can get gas for under $2.90, but occasionally, the best I can find is just over $3.00.  Even after being out here over a month, it still hurts to see over $3.00 a gallon.

9) Stars:  I use to love when I had to take Mo out late at night at the parsonage, just standing and staring at the sky.  Away from the city lights of Gaffney (I know, don't laugh) you could see what seemed like every star in the sky.  I could stand for what seemed like an hour and simply stand in awe and at just how magnificent our God really is.  It is at a moment like that where you can feel so small, so insignificant, and yet, at the same time, as small as you feel, know that you still matter that much to God.  An amazing feeling.

10) There are a lot of things I could have put in this tenth spot...like I said, my list could probably go on for a while.  The thing that gets me is how many things on this list I took for granted before.  I'd love to hear from ya'll (see, I still say it) what things you would miss the most if you had to leave your current life.  Maybe by thinking about it, it will keep you from taking it for granted as well.  Just leave it as a comment... I'd love to read it!!

Being Intentional

This week for some reason I've really missed the "old" life.  It isn't like anything is wrong here, or that things are going poorly.  I just have missed my home more than usual this week.  Part of it is following posts of former students and seeing about the "happenings" at Chesnee and what is going on in their lives.  After three years at the school, this years seniors was the group that I have known since they got to Chesnee.  Last years graduating class was probably the group I was closest to in my short time there, because many of them I had in my first few classes at Chesnee.  The great thing about teaching is you get an opportunity to see kids grow and develop, and that is just what I had done with the Class of '11 at Chesnee.  Now I must watch them cross the finish line from a long way away. 

I am horrible at keeping up with friends.  I always have been, and most likely always will.  By nature, I'm not an extreme extrovert...and while I don't consider myself an introvert either, I'm not someone who goes out seeking contact.  I enjoy time to myself, but really enjoy quality time with those I respect and love.  Maybe I need to do a better job of that, but one of my biggest fears during these three to four years is that I will lose touch with some of the people that Megan and I have grown closest to.  It has happened with many of my closest friends from high school, and starting to happen with some of my friends from college.  To all of those people, I am sorry.  Now, I can't use the excuse that they live just an hour away and at any point, we might decide to hang out.  I must be more intentional about cultivating these relationships that I care so much about. 

A Few Good Men

I have officially completed a full week (almost 2 at this point) of classes! And with ~30 required chapters of reading, 5 written assignments, ~10 chapters of “optional reading,” and ~14 pages of reading notes down I’m ready to do it all over again this week!

Aside from all the reading and work, I really do like most of my classes and I’m adjusting, fairly well, to the work load. However, as I read, take notes, study, and complete assignments my mind constantly goes to my international student colleges. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for them! Some of the reading is well beyond my knowledge base . . . and let’s not even discuss vocabulary! The internationals among me here at Talbot, and across the globe, have my utmost respect! I know I couldn’t do what they are doing and am beyond grateful that I have accredited institutions of higher learning that I can attend in my native tongue.

Classes and educational ponderings aside I am finding it more difficult than I anticipated to adjust on a relational level to those around me. Those of you that know me well know that I am, at my core, an introverted person. I take longer than the average person to open up and I certainly do not like putting myself in uncomfortable social situations. With such introversion in mind, many of the individuals in my program are, well, significantly older than me; which is not all together an issue it just makes finding quality friends (within the same life-stage) more challenging. At the same time, it seems awkward to participate in the MDiv/MA program’s social activities because, well, I’m not in those programs! It really puts me in an awkward place. I know it seems trivial but things just shouldn’t be this problematic. However, as I ponder such things I am forced to reflect back upon my transition from undergraduate studies to MDiv studies and from MDiv studies to the present . . .

My first semester of MDiv work I was caught in the middle of two worlds . . . Undergrad life and graduate life. I was in the MDiv classes but still “supposed to be” in the undergraduate world (if you don’t know, I finished my undergrad work in December of my senior year and began my master’s work in January). It took me nearly a year to fully adjust to the change in educational status. My first semester of MDiv work I avoided all things MDiv related, because it was awkward. I didn’t know the people. I didn’t fit in with them. I felt so much younger! And I am not good at making the extra effort! Thankfully, a “few good men” (Stuart and Mike) stepped up to be my friends and drug me, sometimes kicking and screaming, to functions that forced me to meet new people and step outside of my comfort zone. Ultimately, my sophomore year I decided to go on the Holy Land trip and that pushed me over the edge. I got to know some new people I didn’t know previously and developed some great friendships that got me through my final year of Div school . . . My regret is that it took me so long to develop those friendships!

As I graduated I, again, felt awkward in the next phase of my life. Adjusting to life without school and friends all around me, on a regular basis, was hard. And now, I find myself at the next juncture in my journey. I hope a “few good men” (or women) will come my way and help me though the awkwardness of it all . . .but I fear if I don’t grow up, step out, and force myself into situations of discomfort I may find good friends later in my journey than necessary (or not at all).

With all that said, those of you that are my friends---thanks! I know I don’t always keep in touch like I should but know I think of you often and really do treasure the gift that you are! Those that are yet to enter my life----be patient with me, like the “few good men” of my past, I’ll come around.

--Megan

Doppelgangers

As I start my second week at Riverside Poly this week (and a short week at that...thank you Labor Day!), it is beginning to hit me that I have the same students as I had last year.  I know what you are thinking, I live on the other side of the country, went from rural to outside L.A., it couldn't be any different.  And you are right, cultures are completely different.  However, as I've started to get to know some of my kids and see their personalities, they as individuals remind me so much of students that I've had in the past or even some of my friends.  Some of them being eerily similar. 

School is going well.  Still trying to adjust to the new school, learn the new rules, both formal and informal, and mainly trying to get use to this crazy schedule.  It still makes no sense to me why on earth they offer a class at 6:55 AM!  It is no wonder that I have a ton of tardies in that class.  I can't say that I blame them.  I really enjoy the AP classes, the kids are pretty cool.  Teenagers never cease to amaze me at how well they can adjust and adapt to a new situation. 

It will take some time, and I will always miss Chesnee.  Even though I was only there three years, it was the kind of school that I could have saw myself at 20 or 30 years down the road.  It was the kind of school where I could have grown and developed as the teacher and mentor to teenagers that I want to be.  Just like a kid that moves, now I need to back up, pause, and find my new niche here.  I hate not being involved in anything outside of school, but I have my plate full.  Plus, adding on a two hour commute round trip is going to make it even harder and more of a sacrifice to get involved, but, things will improve, and I am confident I will find some way to get involved.  That is just my nature.

Until then, I'll cling to the doppelgangers in my classes.  They remind me of a past world, one I still dearly miss.  And these doppelgangers will ease the transition.  Slowly, while I won't forget of the doubles on the East Coast, they won't be the first thing that comes to mind when I see my students, and I will think of their West Coast partners first.  Then, they will no longer be each other doppelgangers in my mind, but they will hold their own special place in my life.