Killer Koalas!

So I’m at the Sydney Wildlife World with my aunt and her daughter in-law, Madeline, and we’re having a great time checking out the animals and just walking around. The Koala Bear section is at the top on the roof and they basically rip you off by secluding the Koalas, however you can get a better look if you decide to pay to get a photo with them. Madeline wants me to get my picture taken with the Koalas and insists on paying for it as her gift to me. I think it’s sweet, I like the Koalas, and a cheesy photo sounds like a deal. So they have 2 little Koalas in a tree, one on the right which you CANNOT touch, and one on the left which you CAN pet, but only on it’s back. I learn that Koalas are nocturnal and so the photographer tells me that they have a span of 5 minutes before these Koalas totally crash and there’s a line of people waiting for their photo with the little guys, so it’s a very quick in and out sorta thing. I stand next to the tree like I’m told and she says, in a very Aussie accent of course, “you can touch it’s back, but not it’s head, and it’s only this one that you can touch”…. “great!” I reply enthusiastically as I place my hand on the little sleepy guy’s back and pet it. He’s soft and wicked cuute!! I then move my hand and just touch the branch above his soft little back when all of a sudden, the little dude on the right who’s a bit more awake and alert, slowly bends his head down and bites me!!!!! I quickly move my hand and shriek then laugh hysterically. Seriously, it was so quick and yet in slow motion, the oddest thing ever! He really didn’t bite me hard, it was just a quick little bitey ☺ I think for a second maybe he thought I was some fancy leaf, but he was so chill about it, didn’t even react at all, it was hilarious in my opinion!! The photographer of course is like freaking out and worried, probably because she should be as there are liability issues and people are watching, but I assure her that I’m fine although I’m a bit surprised by it. She finally takes the picture, and I leave, still laughing. If I’m gonna get bit, I want it to be a something real and dramatic, an adventurous story…like surviving a shark attack…but a who gets bit by a Koala?? So lame! It wasn’t even a bite, it was like a nibble/finger massage….only me. You can’t take me anywhere ☺

What the Crap?!!...No, Really, What is this Crap??

It’s Tuesday, March 18, 2008 and I’m at the Botanical Gardens. The weather is incredible! It’s hot, sunny, and windy…and I love it! I’m totally sunburned yet again…this is with sun block friends, the sun here is killer!! Anywho, I’m walking around by myself taking pictures and once I’m in the creative groove, sometimes I loose track of time, surroundings, and general happenings. I’m totally into this little fountain that’s near the Governor’s House in the Garden, the little pond has these really cool looking leaves growing out from underneath and few really interesting looking flowers. I lay down on the edge and I’m basically hanging over the ledge trying to capture the beauty before me. As I’m desperately trying not to fall in, yet wanting to reach as far as I can for just the right photo…you all know how I am when it comes to photography, I love it and have been sort of an amateur photographer since my freshman year in High School. It’s one of my favorite artistic vises and so I’m really lost in wanting to capture this really interesting fountain, leaves, flowers, and filthy pond. I’m disturbed by these weirdo looking birds that happen to fly over inches away from me and begin drinking from the fountain. Immediately I shift my attention to them and quietly move enough to take a picture without scaring them away, as I shift, I all of sudden feel something mushy and warm under my left hand. I slowly left my hand in time to see that I had planted myself in some weirdo animal’s doo doo. I’m totally grossed out, but I’m cracking up of course, and get up to see that it’s also on my left leg…ewe! Needless to say the photo session came to a halt. I’m afraid to touch anything because I’m covered in some kinda bird poop…I’m also desperately praying that’s bird poop and not some dude who got lazy and decided to just go on the side of this pond…you never know folks, people have done crazier things! I look down and notice that a nice chuck of yellow-brown mush is also on my light blue shirt…awesome. Although I have relinquished my idea of wanting to marry a Hot British Musician, I have since opened up the possibility that a Hot Aussie Musician would do…in this tragic case however, yellow funk from some bird’s trunk is not going to get you any dude, Hot or Not! I start to casually check the rest of my outfit without looking like I’m a total idiot. Nothing on the skirt, right leg looks good…ok; it’s just the left hand, leg, and bottom of my shirt. My immediate response is to just dip my nastified hand into the pond, only to gross myself even more, because seriously dude, it’s like a Petri Dish of animal fesses and funktified who-knows-what in there! I secretly pray that I don’t catch gonorrhea and move quickly in the direction of a bathroom paying close attention to not touch anything so that I don’t get this stuff smeared all over the camera and my purse. I walk and walk and can’t find a flippin’ restroom, but I do find a tiny water fountain…that’s right, I totally washed my hand as best as I could in that water fountain while feeling guilty that others after me would be drinking from the same fountain…I know, I’m an awful person!! But seriously, the poops were getting crusty in the heat and like drying on my skin, what would you do?! It was a very quick wash, sprits if you will, just enough to hold me till I could find a real place or rest. For the love of God, where’s the restroom?? I walk 20 minutes or so to the Opera House, so embarrassing, walk in their nice bathroom and wash away. I must’ve washed my hands at least 3 times, then scrubbed my poop crusted leg, washed my hands again, then washed the corner of my shirt, washed my hands again, then casually walked out. But since I used their facility, I felt guilty and obligated to purchase something, so I decided to go on the guided tour of the Opera House that’s about to start in 5 minutes. It’s the least that I can do since I practically half-bathed in their really nice restroom. $32 dollars later, and poopie free…although the origin of this poo poo is still a mystery…I would have to say that this was the most expensive half-bath ever and this flippin’ animal better be almost extinct or really cute, because honestly, spas are cheaper! I would highly recommend the Opera House guided tour though ☺ I’m happy to report that the Opera House is glorious, one of the most incredible structures, and has the most TREMEDOUS theatre space I’ve ever seen! Acting is my passion friends, and this space is phenomenonal…gorgeous and incredibly unique Theatre and Music space. I’m such a sucker for the Arts…all of it…*sigh*

So the moral of the story is this kids, Creative is good, Crap is bad. In any Country, in any shape, form, or smell…it’s just never been good. And it does get crusty if it’s really hot out, which makes it even worse. So get creative, don’t get crap, and if you do, wash off immediately and preferably not in a public drinking fountain.

What do you see?

I just finished watching this movie called "Freedom Writers"...well, I sorta walked in halfway through, but it was enough to get me thinking. In the movie this teacher, Miss G, inspires her class of at risk students to see past their junk and to see their full potential. She sees past their behavior problems, attitude, and hard exterior into the real them...she looks at them with great hope, care, and love.

After I graduated from Penn State I got accepted into a program called Teach For America, this program focuses on educational inequality and purposefully places teachers in urban and rural areas that are extremely rough. These are some of the worst schools in the U.S. and in some of the toughest parts. I was placed in a school that had a 50% dropout rate in the projects and was primarily made of Black and some Hispanic students. The area was number one in AIDS/HIV, teenage pregnancy, and drug trafficking. Filled with extreme poverty, some major drug problems, as well as violence.... the community as a whole was in a very desperate condition. I was placed in a behavioral classroom because none of the other teachers would teach these students. They were known as the worst of the worst, and in a place this rough, that's pretty bad! Their ages ranged from 14 to 21, and I was 22 years young and fresh out of college. By law they needed to be served till the age of 21 because of their severe behavioral and emotional problems.

As I watched this movie, it made me really miss my students. It took me back to that time and that place that seems stuck somewhere in my mind. To this day I've never really figured out how to translate my experience and how to share it with others. It took me to a time where I thought, "God I so desperately want to make a difference in these students' lives, but where in the world do I begin? And how?" I can remember all their faces, names, looks, and ridiculous behaviors. Most importantly, I can relate to her desire to see them succeed and having eyes to see them as so much more than they've ever seen themselves as. I have plenty of insane stories, memories of things that seem completely surreal and just plain outrageous! I remember the very first fight that broke out in my class and how terrified I was...how in the world do I stop a 6 foot dude from punching a 5 foot girl in the face?? I couldn't even believe that physical fights broke out between guys and girls; I figured it would be at least same gender. But I can also remember that same guy thanking me when he passed his exam that would allow him the chance to graduate, something that he never thought he could achieve. He didn't even really know how to thank me, he sorta stuttered and said something along the lines of "Ay, Miss A., I just wanna say...you know, I'm just sayin', you know...thanks". I remember telling him that I had nothing to do with his success, that he was able to achieve this because he worked hard and that he was able to accomplish even greater things. I told him that I was extremely proud of him and that he needed to go home and tell his mom how well he's done...and that he now has a chance to graduate. It was one the most cherished moments for me and I will forever remember it. I have many hard stories mixed in with many wonderful ones too and several things that I learned as I journeyed alongside some of these so-called "behavioral students". But one of the greatest things that I learned was that we need to look at people with great hope, anticipation, and that we need push them to reach their full potential. Many had given up on these students and many viewed me as "the young naive teacher who's way too idealistic and just doesn't know any better". I'd rather fall under that banner time and time again, then land where so many have landed...in hopelessness and giving up on these incredible students.

You see, God sees people...He really SEES THEM!! They matter to Him. He looks at you and me and sees us where we're at, but also where we can be and could be. He looks at me with eyes full of GREAT HOPE, POTENTIAL, and HE CHEERS FOR ME EVEN WHEN I'M NOT PLAYING!!!!!! His unfailing love pushes us to be the people that we've never thought we could be, His love says "I know you, I know where you're right in this moment, I know your mess ups and mistakes, and I also know who you can be...and who you are. YOU ARE NOT DISPOSABLE. You are my child, I delight over you, you bring me joy, I sing over you because you make my heart skip when I see you...I not only love you, but I really, really like you too! I'm crazy about you, you matter, and you are good...so, so incredibly good. Regardless of your past, your future is FULL of new and promising things; life changing things! I just can't wait for you to see yourself as you really are."

One thing that would stick in my mind every morning before my students walked into the room was this crazy statement that I heard in my training...."For every bad or negative thing that a person hears, seven positive or good things need to be communicated to that person in order to just bring them back to square one." This basically means that I need to meaningfully and truthfully articulate seven positive things to them in order to just bring them back to equilibrium, to bring them back to the starting point. It's not even a compliment; it's just the basic starting grounds! I thought about that everyday as my students would walk in and I would wonder, "How many bad things were said to you today? How many awful things were hurled in your direction?" And I would make it a point to celebrate them, to sincerely point out the good that I saw and make sure to name it specifically...to speak HOPE into them! They thought I was crazy..."Dag Miss A, you always say this crazy stuff, you exaggerate". You see, they didn't believe that there was any good in them, they were taught for so long that they were disposable and "bad", and they sadly believed it. Then I come around and say the exact opposite because I know that God sees them as not just "ok or good, but GREAT!"...He sees them with eyes of Hope! It took a while for them to believe it, but they slowly began to change and for some of them it was the first time that anyone has ever believe in them or thought anything good about them. By the end of the year, these so-called "failures" stunned an Administration by passing the exam that had kept them from graduating time and again. No students had passed it the year before me, and there were 15 teachers in and out of that room, I was the first EVER full-time teacher that they had! By the end of my first year teaching, 32 students passed, setting the highest number of "bad" kids passing this exam in the entire history of the school!! They had never, ever seen that happened.

I don't share this to "toot my own horn"; in fact, it's the complete opposite. I share this as a testimony to what GOD can do when we allow Him to use us and when we begin to see people through HIS EYES! When we begin to ask for His Perspective, His Hope, and His Love...He changes us and those around us as well because He unveils our eyes to see the worth of people, the value, and the great, great potential and hope. He brings beauty to the ashes that surround us. He makes us a sweet fragrance in a place that can seem dry, sour, and harsh. I'm not this amazing teacher, I just loved these students like crazy and they knew that I deeply cared for them. I just bought into what God says about people...they matter and they are good and not one single one is disposable or hopeless. Every single person matters to Him and therefore should matter to us. I hope that God continues to unveil our eyes to see the great beauty around us, His greatest treasure, His greatest masterpiece, His greatest love...people.

you choose

It's around 6:30am and I've been up for quite some time because I couldn't really sleep. Partly because since I came back from Rwanda my internal clock's been totally off. And partly because I'm just off, period. Rwanda has messed me up folks! It was a wonderful experience to go and work with street children in Rwanda (I was there from May 24-June 6), but it's also been extremely difficult adjusting back here. In so many ways God has been tremendously gracious with me as I make my way back home and I am grateful for all that He's showing and teaching me.

There are many stories to tell and many thoughts that are floating around my head. But for the sake of the blog world, I'll narrow this story to just one for right now. We were in Rwanda working at a boys home that was set-up for boys who used to live on the streets because they were orphaned by the genocide, AIDS/HIV, or extreme poverty. The man who established and runs that home is a genocide survivor who has a heart for reaching street children. They are AMAZING people and incredibly full of life and beauty!!

One of the days when we were at the boys home, we bought a bale of clothing and shoes to give to the villagers living in the surrounding area. The people who are living in the area are extremely poor and their living conditions are pretty awful. Most of the kids are filthy and have tattered clothing (if any). It's a hard thing to take in because they are the most beautiful children, with lively spirits, contagious laughter, and winning smiles. I just adore them!

In less than 10 minutes, the entire village had somehow heard about the clothing giveaway and was camped outside the boys home. I guess word travels fast when it comes to free clothes and shoes…and this is without the use of cell phones and internet ? It was quite the scene, people of all ages standing outside waiting to be called in 5 at a time to get clothes for either themselves or their kids. We would take the kids and walk them through the makeshift clothing stations…first get a shirt, then go get some pants, and lastly get some shoes and then we'd circle again with a different kid. The oddest thing that I kept noticing was as I would take the kids around and ask them "do you want the pink or red shirt?" and they would just nod or stare at me. I couldn't understand why it was so hard for them to choose. Was it the language? No, because I would hold two shirts up and point to them…using grandiose non-verbal gestures and actions, it was a pretty clear mime. Yet, I couldn't get any one of my kids to choose ever. At one point I just stopped and looked around and noticed that it was the same with the rest of my team…not one of us could get them to just pick between two items. It then all made sense. I'm not sure if you've ever experienced that before, but all of a sudden I had this acute sense of clarity. All the pieces fit. I realized then that they didn't know how to choose because they've never had to before. You see, they've never been given the opportunity or privilege to choose between items before. They owned one shirt. Maybe one pair of pants (maybe). And most were barefoot. There was never a choice! Here we are then, coming in and pointing to two shirts and saying "which one?" and they're just staring or nodding yes, not sure how to respond to such a question. It seemed absurd and just odd to make such an inquiry. I stopped asking right then and would just literally place shirts and pants in their hands and wrap their arms around it. I realized at that exact moment the gift of choice. You see, we are so incredibly privileged that choice is not even something we consider a gift. We wake up each and every morning and choose which shirt to wear with what pants or skirt. We choose what shoes to match the outfit, and what accessories would go with the rest of the ensemble. We choose the cologne, perfume, or body spray. All these choices most of us make daily and sub-consciously…and its all one big huge gift!! Crazy huh? …To think that our ability to choose speaks to the level of affluence that we have and I bet that most of us don't even realize or see it as such. I know I didn't. Our ability to choose, pick, select is a huge blessing in and of itself. Just the fact that you can choose is a gift!

So instead of being frustrated sometimes because of having to make those choices of what to wear, where to eat, where to go, etc…thank God for the opportunity and Gift of Choice. And let's go make some other good choices that make lasting impressions.

What will you choose today?