I Don't Drink. I Don't Smoke.

I wasn't expecting to be challenged or questioned or asked or whatever you want to call it for my faith so soon when all of a sudden I had someone asking me if I was one of those Christians. One of the American Christians. One who didn't drink or smoke. One who didn't have fun. I hardly had a chance to tell her my name, major and where I was from before she launched into her questions.

My reply was pretty simple, "Well, yeah. I am...but I have fun".  As I type the words I know it sounds forced and stale, but would like to think if you were there, you would have seen a smile and a laugh, creating a definite answer yet space for her to respond. And oh did she respond. 

How can you have fun? You don't dance? You don't go to clubs? You don't drink? How are you supposed to have fun here? Tell me: what are you going to do for fun?

My question exactly. I paused, and told her I didn't really know. She laughed at me and I did too. 

She talked about how by the end of the semester she was going to change me, get me to drink, and I said game on, try your hardest. 

Here's the thing - and I told her this not in these words but close enough: It's my opinion that drinking and dancing aren't bad in themselves. Not at all - get a drink and have a good time if you want, be responsible. But I signed my name to a contract saying I wouldn't drink. I plan on abiding in my decision - you can do what you want. 

We wrestled with it for a few more minutes and moved on.

There's no judgement on others who decide to do otherwise - that's not my place. See here and here and here for my reasoning on that. Hopefully I'm not taking it out of context. 

I want to draw a bold line between expressing an opinion and an a judgement - too many become offended when one side of an argument expresses their opinion, for which the opposing side mistakes as a condemning judgement. I want to buck the idea that opinion requires condemnation, making it clear that one can have a solid opinion without judging another for their action. 

Anyways - that went a different direction than I originally thought but I just wanted to make it clear: just because I don't do something doesn't mean another is judged because they choose to do otherwise. You probably have another opinion, but I believe that's a part of the beauty of freedom we have been granted. 

...
So get that I loved talking with my new friend, she's friendly and loud and outgoing and a lot of fun. While sometimes I felt a little put on the spot, she had fair questions and I hope I gave her something different.

Lighter post on deck for tomorrow ;)

Here

I'm here. Lithuania.

The thought of going to Lithuania began as a whim sophomore year that managed to hang around until the application process opened for spring 2014 - last semester of my senior year. Coming to Taylor, I knew I wanted (needed?) to study abroad once and this was my last chance.

I look at it almost like graduating early. I so miss my roommates, friends, profs, even just the feel of walking across Taylor's campus. However, simply put - ten years down the road, the regret of not going would be greater than going. 

Today marks a week since boarding the plane, and yep, it's difficult. Insert the cliche, "nothing important was ever easy" or something like that - you get it. 

Anyways, I'm trying not to look at what I'm missing and instead focus on experiences gained. This list will basically catch you up:

• arrived in the capital, Vilnius, last Tuesday - dropped off luggage and they had us moving with a nonstop tour of the city for the next couple days
• loaded up on a bus Thursday morning, stopped by Lithuania's one and only castle, kept truckin' to Klaipeda (pronounced kind of like clay-pe-da)
• oriented to LCC's campus/student life/rules etc etc etc on Friday
• toured Klaipeda on Saturday, a neighboring town(s) on Sunday
• met roommates from Albania Sunday night
• started classes on Monday

So the schedule has been crazy to this point, but a routine is beginning to settle in and the kick to explore is starting to return. 

Before we venture to that, the FAQ:

What language to they speak in Lithuania? Lithuanian, closely followed by Russian. LCC is an international school where English is spoken in the classroom, though the dorms are filled with languages from the 26 countries represented by the students.

Why Lithuania? Complete whim at first. As one of the few programs with easily-transferable business courses, I knew it could be fit into my schedule relatively easily (as a sophomore). The fact that I waited until senior year threw some curveballs, but after some strikeouts I managed first...only a home run until I walk across the stage.

And where is it? See this map. And as long as you're at it, Lithuania has such a rich history. This is a pretty basic overview, but what really interests me is the implications of the Nazi/Soviet occupations.  I'm only beginning to get a grasp of their impact.

You're going last semester of senior year.  Like I said, 10 years down the road, the regret will be bigger if I don't go than if I do. Easy decision from there.

What classes are you taking? Introduction to Lithuanian, Service Marketing, New Product Development, Introduction to Theology, Cross Cultural, and an online Microeconomics course. The Lithuanian course is primarily language focused, and was chosen based on my opinion that if you're going to live somewhere, you need to learn the language. Microeconomics was one of those curveballs that I thought could be taken care of here, but wasn't offered. Online class it is. The other classes are just those last few TU requirements.

Are you going to travel a lot? Where? At first, this was a big pull to the program. They really encourage traveling and seeing all there is to see. However, the study abroad director from Taylor made a great point: we won't get many opportunities to actually live abroad. So, while we're here, invest in the community. Be a part of it. Live here. Maybe I'll change my mind halfway through, but at this point I'm thinking maybe one or two trips in addition to the study abroad itinerary (St. Petersburg, Moscow, Riga, Tallin). As for where -- wherever is cheapest. There's no way I could pick with so many places so close.

When do you come back? May 22 I land in Chicago. The fambam will pick me up, and we'll go straight to Taylor to walk on the 24th. Talk about a whirlwind.

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If you get anything from this post, get that I'm excited. Maybe I don't quite sound like it quite yet, but believe me, I am. This is an incredible opportunity to explore not only my surroundings, but who I am outside of the norms I have come to know and rest on over the past few years - so pumped for it to unfold. 

Emails are always a treat: sarah.e.davis1@gmail.com and snail mail is great too:

Sarah Davis

LCC International University

Kretingos g. 36

Klaipeda 92307

{Wash} Bon Iver

- We nearly forfeit. -

{Dots}

"You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."

Steve Jobs

Thinking about this as I look forward to what happens after graduation (coming May 2014) and what it means. The words "don't settle" have stuck with me the past couple of days as I've been sitting on this quote, the idea. The world seems so big, and the possibilities literally endless. I feel just like a sailboat.

Yet another thought clashes with the idea of endless possibilities - and that the endless possibilities do not exist. Our strengths, our passions, our histories and everything else adds up to a line of work that we were built for - designed to do in and out every day. And not to say this means the same job day after day, but that we were built for a specific path, not to explore the endless possibilities. Instead, look to where your passions and talents line up, and go for it, that's all. Don't worry about not pursuing this or that if you're not truly made for it.

As I look forward, I try and connect the dots. Except, Jobs has another look at it:

"...you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future."

Do I trust?

Inspired By:
Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Speech - June 12, 2005

{Telling}

So about this idea of story. It's an ongoing thing.

Don Miller writes about it, has even started a movement behind sharing. Seth Godin and other marketers argue that this is what sells. Open up the website of Brene Brown, researcher and storyteller and read the bold words: "Maybe stories are just data with a soul." Read any one of Shauna Niequist's books, the ones that seem to be stacked on the bedside tables of my floor mates, and it's one story after another sharing beautiful bits of life that crackle and pop.

The beautiful thing about story is, in my mind, is not only the intricacies in which we find ourselves able to relate with one another - but also the uniqueness - those parts we find ourselves shaking our heads to in wonder and awe. No two snowflakes, no two fingerprints, no two stories or souls are the same and within telling your story, within the vulnerability that requires, there is a resolve that speaks so incredibly clearly to the individual, yet corporate, human spirit.

How do we tell our story with this in mind? What even makes a good story? Many may answer, well, just forget about trying to live a good story or with sharing it...put down the journal, the recorder, the camera...instead focus on the living part. 

Except, at this point, I think I would reply that it takes discipline and intentionality to live a good story. And a good story doesn't depend on others' definition of "good". As far as sharing - what's the point if we cannot capture, reflect, learn and share our lives? What's the point of the pain and suffering, joy and good if we cannot pass the lessons forward to another?

I don't know. Just some thoughts.

{On the Edge}

There is this feeling of being on the edge of something great that keeps hovering around, yet can never be caught. Professors allude, TED ignites, friends talk, and my mind wanters to the potential we are all standing upon. 

The kicker? Everything I know of has been done before.

It's the unknown, the gift that our story brings to the table which holds the potential of greatness. And it takes a lot of guts to share that gift, because it is so unlike anyone else's. Craving familiarity and comfort and stability I cling to what has always been instead of reaching out to what could be.

In the thick of the pursuit, I am trying to pin down exactly what my story is and how it's going to play out. What is my gift going to be and how can I harness it for the greatest good?

Ultimately, will I be satisfied with the story my life has told?

The answer at this point is no. What needs to be for this answer to be yes each and every day? For me to wake up in the morning, and even before anything is checked off the checklist for me to say, yes - I am satisfied with the story with my life has told.

{To Be}

what are you to be today and how can you make it true

so the sun shines through your freckled face and

brings out all that good

how are you living in the world

making your place, finding your space

and what does it mean to you

look back look back and see

everything was and is and is to be

but what of this world will last past the setting sun

why does the time go as it does

marching on and on and on

yet never going quick enough until the day is done

anonymous