Chaos

I must apologize for the delay in writing, and not responding to emails that several people sent to me after my last post. I couldn't respond due to the nature of what is going on in my life... until now.

To make a long story short, my parents have split up and my father has recently taken a new job in San Diego, CA. Since I have been out of the house for 2 years already and now that financially my parents can't help me go to college , I am dropping out of Wooster to move to Columbus, OH. There, I have found a part-time job working as a pharmacy technician and I am moving in with my grandmother. If I can save up enough money, I might be able to go to a community college there in Columbus.

Currently, I am doing research in the chemistry department of the College of Wooster. Here, I am making glass that expands about 4x when oils are added to it. Since it is a new invention (of my teacher) I am helping to figure out it's molecular structure and all the things that it can and/or potentially do. It is amazing fun! I could seriously imagine myself doing this kind of research for the rest of my life. It is unfortunate that leaving Wooster also means leaving behind a career in the sciences and/or medicine (which is what I have always wanted to do...its long and complicated why I can't pursue the sciences). So, I guess you could say I am searching for a new direction in life, already!

... things have been very difficult for me these past 6 months. In addition, my "sickness" that brought me down has not ceased, rather I have discovered that it is related to my diet. So, I have to cook nearly everything I eat from scratch. There could be worse things in life! At least I'm a good cook!

My spare time after work has given me much time to think about things and to do some reading. Most everyone has left campus for the summer. I hope that my time in Columbus will be as exciting and inspiring as the last 2 years have been abroad and then here at Wooster. Each of those years, successively, has been the best year of my life.

Exams

so.... exams are coming up. Only a week left of school, then exam week. Then I leave Wooster. :( I totally can't sleep right now. Its 3 am. I'm a bit sad to say goodbye to everyone, yet I'm excited about doing research for 10 weeks.

Here at Wooster I have met lots of people, especially interesting ones from all over the world. Yet, I don't feel as if I have learned as much as I did in Germany. Sure.... textbook smarts, and a bit about myself actually living on my own this time... but the excitement of exploration and curiosity and appreciation of life's little things that Europe treasures so much is missing here. I hope to move to a bigger city soon where more people are. I have become frustrated with the United States and it's small town life.

One bit of good news... I'm getting a car next week!!! It should be lots of fun. Life sure is full of surprises!

it has been forever since I have written. Life is simply hard. School is coming to an end. This summer I am taking a research position here at the college and thereafter I am moving to Columbus so that I may work for a couple of years and save some money to go back to school. If I can afford it, I may try to complete some of my courses at a community college there. I would like to get a license in massage therapy so that I can work my way through school.

pictures of campus!!!

This is the lovely view I see everyday from the cafeteria which is on the thrid floor above the student union! It is much prettier in person. A wonderful reason why you should come visit me! (even the food is pretty good here too)







From left to right.... Aneeb (Pakistan), Rashmi (India), me, Erum (Tanzania)







This is part of the Academic Quad... with the Chemistry building first and the Biology one sort of behind.







This is my hallway. My door is the 2nd on the left, sort of in that shadow area behind the white column. I have a single room!! My floor is in the basement, so our windows have pretty views of a concrete wall. But at least they are big to let in the wandering rays of sunshine that actually make it into the "trench" like thing that surround the building.






Aneeb and I

pyrex?

ok... so guess what.... Becky is finally well enough for longer than a week to get a chance to write TWICE in her blog in one week. Can you believe it?!?!

Break is slowingly coming to an end. Although I didn't get as much done as I had hoped, I feel like I have been given a chance to get back on my feet and start fresh (and with a running start!) with a new semester at school.

This break time has also given me a chance to get back in contact with the many many people that I fell out of contact with. I feel so blessed because so many of my friends are scattered all over the world. Well... its a blessing and a curse. I don't ever want to loose those contacts. Its so much fun to hear from them.

I'm excited to get started on my new classes. I'm taking all sciences. Biology and Chemistry. with lots of labs! I'm also working at my job (Alcohol and Drug awareness coordinator) and hopefully starting a reasearch position on Sol-gels... a special engineered glass. I guess pyrex is one kind. Excepting this kind is expandable when given an organic solevant. weird! My EMS First Responder shifts should start sometime too. yippie!

This sunday I made a presentation with Nicole Smith at church. We are trying to raise funds to go to Mexico on a medical missionary trip with David & Mary Kay Ness and Bertha Guild. It sounds like an amazing oportunity. The scary part is that we are leaving in 6 weeks and I have to pack, like, this week because I won't be home again between now and then. EEEEEE!!

I hope that anyone still reading my blog had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for reading!!!!

Winter break

It doesn't seem like I can keep up to date on these blogs like I could in Germany! I want to blame it on the Lyme Disease, but in a way, the US just doesn't put the awe and inspiration into my every thought like so much of Europe did. My discoveries now are limited to biology and chemisty and my other classes and getting to know other people on campus, especially the internationals in my dorm. When I'm not crashing from lack of sleep (school related and illness related!) i'm just trying to get by. I passed all of my classes and exams with a 3.2 overall average and I am very pleased, considering.

Aneeb and I are together and very happy. I love learning so much about South Asia and I have made many other friends from India and Pakistan as well. Even though my studies are very focused, I feel that I am still getting a very varied liberal arts education from just being around other people learning other things.

We have been out of school for 3 weeks now and I still have a week left. Life has been busy during break. I brought a lot of work home that am behind on from my job. I took almost a month off when I was going through treatment.

I can't wait to start my classes next week. I have a very busy schedule. For now, I am trying to sleep as much as I can before things start up again. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!