hold fast

So, less than two weeks after saying goodbye to Northern Ireland, to my parents, Dan, the dog, all the rest of you, I'm saying goodbye again. PFO, pre-field orientation. A cynic by nature I was dubious of how useful it would be. I could've stayed at home for longer - my goodbyes could've waited an extra month. PFO was just going to be going over stuff we already knew, or the really boring stuff, like all that fun orientation you do for every other job. I was so very wrong, and I am incredibly thankful. Lucky charms for breakfast, always good. What in goodness name is this? That is not  a biscuit. Why have I spent so much time in Memphis and still not seen Justin Timberlake? Baseball is rounders, and there is a reason we don't play it professionally. I thought Tesco was big, in what universe could you ever have a need for a Walmart this gigantic?! Chick-fil-A is amazing. Send it to the UK, or better yet, Bolivia. You appear to be driving on the wr...

I am in the States, in Mississippi, for pre-field orientation, or PFO if you prefer. I'm now into day three, but as I just received a third message asking if I was in the States, and why, I thought I should probably do an update. My sending agency is the Network of International Christian Schools, or NICS. They're based in Southaven, Mississippi, which is like 20 minutes from Memphis, Tennessee (where this guy is from - #babe). Each year they run PFO for their teachers who are going out to the field to serve in one of their 19 schools. You can find out more about NICS here - the video is long, but I heard the story yesterday and it's totally worth a listen! PFO is basically a lot of lectures, broken up by a lot of food, and some sport (not for me, obvs). It's been really great so far, to be honest, way more useful than I was expecting because I am a cynic by nature. We've done some self-awareness stuff, a lot of personality tests and stuff, which have only con...

- while it is financially advantageous to make the most of your hand luggage, and its complete lack of weight restriction, 26kg is a lot  to pull through airports behind you. - living out of your suitcase is a doddle in comparison to living out of four suitcases/bags which you're afraid to touch out of fear that in 10 days all those things will never. fit. back. in. - outside should not be warmer than inside. Take notes Mississippi. - jetlag is a killer.

For someone who didn’t leave the UK until 16 I’m making up for it now. With connections, 8 flights - just to get myself to Bolivia. (I do have some stops to make, however.) So, primarily for my mother, but also anyone else who cares (or wants to pray, please!) - here’s my “itinerary”. 20th June Dublin - Toronto (WestJet - apparently they’re legit, and I probably won’t die.) 21st June Toronto - Memphis (Delta) Then I have Pre-Field Orientation - in Mississippi. So look forward to many pictures of me wildly sunburnt. And whatever else people do in Mississippi. (Also, one day I may be able to write Mississippi without spelling it in my head. Such a satisfying word to spell.) So after 10 days of sun avoidance and seminars and apparently there’s a talent show and lots of other fun things (a trip to Chick-Fil-A, fingers crossed) I get to fly more. #yay #jokes Get ready for the most connections of anyone’s life, ever. 1st July Memphis...