Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow

It's funny how this season, although filled with uncharted territory and new routine is similar to many of the previous ones where I knew exactly what the next step held. I may walk without knowledge of what the future holds but that is not to say that I walk in uncertainty of who holds it. Jesus, you are the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. You were the same when You gave me the map to my current season and there was no doubt in what my actions were or meant. Jesus you are the same today when questions of my very being and purpose cross my mind. Jesus you will be the same when I finally meet up with whatever tomorrow contains. I trust in you. I know you have hopes, plans, and steps for my future that will not bring me pain. Sorry if I ever thought otherwise and let my self-created fears get the best of me.

you deserve I'm 23 years old. I'm black. I'm a woman. There are so many statistics in between those very words that sadly, to some people it would be a surprise to hear of how I just graduated with a master's degree from a really good school. However, all that withstanding I'm happy and so privileged to say that I live in a society where (higher) education is not only welcomed, it's encouraged and celebrated. I'm happy that my stats are not stats at all but badges of honor I get to don proudly because of the places and way I was raised.

So to those who are told you can't because of you're background or current situation, that your dreams don't suit the color of your skin or your gender, remember that you can either carry your traits like a ball and chain around your ankle or diamonds around your neck.

It doesn't matter what hasn't worked for others before if it works for you now - just go for it! To the meanies (yes, I said meanies) who tell you no, pay them no mind. Focus on yourself and using your own badges of honor to help you cross that finish line. Know that when you are ready I and a few others will be waiting to cheer you on - roses and all. Anyone who takes the time out to go for their goals should be celebrated.

You are worthy of celebration.

 

 

Today I will walk across a stage to say I have officially finished graduate school with my very own a master's degree and honestly I'm not looking forward to my ceremony because it's of little importance to me. What is though are all the moments that preceded this very day.


It's the encouragement I received from my twin brother who told me life can be bigger than we dreamed.
The example my sister set before me of being a young woman wanting to make her unique impact on the world.
The way my older brothers constantly and consistently persevered through everything to get where they are.
The constant support and patience my aunts and uncles gave me during some of my most confusing and lowest times of my educational career (and life).
My friends who never forgot to check in and say a warm "hi" even when work and school took me away from keeping in contact.
The surprising moments during the day that my parents would call to tell me how much they love me no matter how weird they thought my goals were.


I'm not looking forward to graduation because I've been too consumed with relishing in these moments and those who make it that much better. It's all those things that eclipse graduating because without them there would be no today.


Yes, I'm excited to finally be done with school and I'm happy that there is a day specifically set aside to celebrate and commemorate that chapter but partaking in it is more so of a makeshift gift for everyone that has contributed to the bettering of my life is someway no matter  how small.


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To you all I say thank you from the bottom of my heart and every other crevice it has. Thank you. I will not walk across that stage alone but rather with every moment, word, and prayer you've blessed me with in mind. I walk with those thoughts just as I will for the rest of my life.  I will always be aware that my life is mine to own but it is not mine to keep solely to myself. Just as it was built by all of us I will promise to help others grow and build theirs. No matter where I go or what I do I promise to give just as I have been given to.


So I guess a congrats is also in order too - we made it! Yes yes y'all, we made it!

The Free Woman: Making The Most Of Life’s In-Between Seasons

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"Don’t think because nothing is happening right away that nothing will happen at all. It doesn’t take one day for a rock to turn into a ruby, and you my dear were born to glow brightly."

- An excerpt from my piece,  Making The Most Of Life’s In-Between Seasons. Take a look at the rest of my piece on  The Free Woman. Happy Readings!

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Leaving home for home.

As much as I love America, for all some reason I couldn’t call it home anymore. I felt like by calling it that I was somehow negating everything God had done for me in Australia. As if I was rejecting all Australia had now meant to me. However, on my last trip I realized America will always be home to me. No matter where I go it will always be that way. My love and longing for that bit of land will never take over or take away from my love for where I currently am - they are  all separate entities. Just like Australia, or Nigeria, I will love America dearly and immensely but separately.

So without further adieu, here are (some, definitely not all) pictures from my time spent back at home:

 

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All photos with the exception of bridal party were taken by either me, a few friends or family. Wedding photosd were taken by Mary Gowen (She's good y'all! Check out her work here).

West Coast (will secretly always be the) Best Coast

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It’s been a few weeks since I’ve flown back to Sydney but I must say Oregon, you’ve done it yet again. You’ve managed to leave me with nothing but sweet memories and a heart that longs for more. There were still people I wanted to meet and places I wanted to go but at some point I had to stop trying to squeeze everything in.  My dear friend and cousin had to remind me to just go with the flow. If I preoccupy myself with trying to plan life I will definitely miss living it.

So, with that said, thank you so much Oregon for one of the best (and shortest) weeks I’ve had in a while. Miss you heaps. Here’s to another (and hopefully soon) merge in our paths.

Stay golden.

Grace Works

tumblr_inline_n9jzh5Men31qe80vk The thing I love about grace is not only its ability to get you to the next point but also its ability to get you through the current one.

You’re probably thinking, duh, if God’s grace can get you to it can definitely get you through it. However, as obvious as that statement is I don’t think a lot of people knew that. If you did, then great! But if you didn’t don’t be too bummed, the present is always the perfect time to learn from the past.
I think over the course our lives we’ve become accustomed to looking forward to for the next big moment and in doing so we end up scrutinizing and regretting our current situation as if it’s a first draft on some essay.
"Lord, if you can just get me through to the next thing…"
"I messed this up but can you help me be better next time?" 
"God, help me to last so I can make it to another day."
or even,
"Give me the strength to endure what I’m doing."
They are all good and valid but why don’t we leave room for God to show off a little? Don’t wait for another chance to come along when He can make the best out of the one you’re in. Ask Him to make this time not only bearable but enjoyable. Seek out His help to make this season, this day, this moment the most awesome yet. Then you can see for yourself how He shows up in every way you could have never imagined.

Beyond My Borders: Joe George

My name is Joe Varghese George and I have been living in Sydney for close to 6 years now. I have to take a deep breath when people here ask me where I’m from as I prepare to elaborate. I know my skin colour gives away my Indian decent but I also know that  peoples lack of knowledge of the part of the world I’m from can throw them off with what I’m about to say next. So I don’t wait around to risk misjudgment and begin my longer-than-needed explanation that starts with the fact that I was born and raised in a place called Qatar. For the ones that have a confused look at this point or the Oh-yeah-I’ve-heard-Calcutta look, I have to clarify that it’s not Calcutta but rather a separate country, an Arab one, close to Dubai. And usually after the utterance of the name Dubai, everyone starts feeling at ease and that we’re making progress. From there I move on to clarify that I’m not Arab but I am originally from India. In fact, I come from a state called Kerala in the south of India. It is sooo beautiful that you have to look it up soon after reading this.

I chose to come study at the University of New South Wales after my high school. To me it was an exciting prospect. Living life on my own terms, growing into a real man, going to this fascinating new place and meeting new people, were all the fun things I was looking forward to as an 18 year old. The first year went by so quickly. I enjoyed the thrill of being challenged with many things that I never had to do before like finding my own place to live, managing my own expenses and COOKING! Not everything was rosy all the time. In fact, I got ganged up on and beat up by a bunch of teens one day while trying to mug me in my first visit to the city. It was all so new to me, you know this attacking-you-in-public thing. I came from Qatar, I’d believed the number of educated people in Australia was more than that in Qatar, yet I had never experienced such behaviour over there. I was left traumatized for a while after that incident.  But soon after I got a job in the city, a night shift at that. It helped me slowly overcome my fears and to be bolder and better prepared to act if it ever happened again. And I guess it brings me to the best part of living in a new country all by yourself….it is the realization that life moves on and you can chose to curl up in fear or overcome it and keep up and move on to better days. Since I knew I couldn’t afford to do the former, I had to start moving again. Yeah trust me that took many moments of being stuck, being scared and being alone, feeling far from home, to be this bold. I’m grateful for all of it.

Anyway, after my first year in Sydney I went back to visit my family and other important people and I must admit it was difficult to go back to living on my own, at least on the flight back it felt terrible. But I knew that I had things to get done so I kept at it. So, through many dangers, toils and snares, I finally got over with Uni… the reason I’d come to Sydney, and I had a choice to make of what was next for me. But I soon realized that I had found a home, away from home. In fact, I’m still confused of where “home” is. I realized that over these 6 years I’ve made some great friends that I can see myself doing life with. I’ve realized that when you let yourself to be vulnerable, you find friends. You find family. Over the course of events I had to really define my beliefs and something that was important to me…I had to ask myself who God was to me and how I really saw him. I had to taste God for myself and I can say honestly, how good he has been! I’ve become my own person in Sydney, albeit my foundations were shaken and re-cast. As cliché as it sounds, I found myself. I know more about me today, than I would have ever known in the comfort of my home.

Soooooooooooo…. The big finish! Get out there while you are still young! If anything, we grow! Why not grow with some great experiences, good and bad. Experiences that make you think about the way you see others; Experiences that make you think who about you want to be; Experiences that make you appreciate life and the people in it. So I say to anyone contemplating moving out beyond your borders, whatever that may be to you, be excited about new things, excited about discovering new places, discovering new people and more interestingly discovering yourself in the process. These experiences open up your mind to see things differently. So I say to you, in the words of princess Elsa, let it go….let it go…don’t hold back any more.

Beyond My Borders:Matthew & Crystal Espie

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In high school, Matthew and Crystal Espie both dreamed of heading east for college. When the high school sweethearts met in their AP Environmental Science class at Aloha High School in Beaverton, OR, they found that their college and career plans were similar. Both were interested in governance in one form or another. While Crystal was more interested in public administration, Matthew wanted to pursue a career in environmental work. During their senior years of high school, they were each admitted to American University, located in Washington, DC.

American University (AU) was appealing because of the programs it offered and its location in the US capital. AU offers strong programs in political science, international relations, environmental policy, public administration, economics, and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. These are all topics that are of interest to Crystal and/or Matthew. By the end of 2014, Matthew and Crystal will have each earned a Bachelor’s degrees and a Master’s degree from AU. The decision to attend a university so far from home was not easy. Both knew that they would be leaving the friends and family that had supported them their entire lives, and would be moving to a city where they knew no one.

While Matthew and Crystal each had reservations about moving across the country, they knew that this choice would give them phenomenal opportunities. Crystal was able to pursue a double major in her undergraduate studies, intern for Senators Ron Wyden and Patty Murray, complete a fellowship with the Women’s Campaign Fund, and serve on the District of Columbia Commission for Women. Matthew had the opportunity to intern with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the UN Environment Program, and the District Department of the Environment. Matthew and Crystal also enjoy other aspects of living in the District of Columbia, including being able to participate in protests, attend President Obama’s second inauguration, and visit museums and national landmarks.

Crystal and Matthew still visit Oregon often to spend time with family and friends. One day, they plan to move back. For now, though, they enjoy the educational and professional opportunities they have in the District of Columbia. After finishing his graduate studies at American University, Matthew secured a job at the District Department of the Environment. Crystal is completing a Master’s of Public Administration while simultaneously working at AARP and serving in her third year on the DC Commission for Women.

Matthew and Crystal would encourage others who want to move away from home for college or work to go for it. They both found opportunities in the District of Columbia that they would not have had if they had chosen to attend universities closer to home. For the fields of work they wanted to pursue, DC offered the best educational and career opportunities, and they are glad that they chose to move to Washington, DC, after high school.

Beyond My Borders: Marissa Rodriguez

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Backgorund: Marissa Rodriguez, age 24, graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism specializing in Electronic Media and Advertising with a minor in Business.

Applied for Teach For America not really knowing what it was, only that it was an opportunity to move to a new part of the country and it was going to be a good stable job right out of college. I applied with no hesitation, completely unaware how big the organization was, or how hard it is to get in. By the grace of God I was accepted and placed in the Rio Grande Valley down here in the most southern part of Texas. The border is literally less than 30 minutes away. Sometimes it truly feels like I am not living in America. This usually has more positives (culture/food/language) than negatives.

I spent the year teaching a 10th grade an intervention Writing class. Some of my students started the year with a 6th grade reading level. The best way Ive heard describing your first year teaching is learning how to fly a plane while in the air. It was a whirlwind with many ups and downs but truly I cannot stress enough how much I was able to grow in just a year by being completely out of my element, pushing my level of comfort and trying something I had no prior experience in.

My hopes for the future are to continue a career that will allow me to move around and see different parts of the country, perhaps even the world. I am unsure what will happen after my two year commitment to teaching but if I could offer any advice to someone moving to a far away place I would advise them to completely accept the conditions you have found yourself and allow yourself to become immersed in your environment. Eat the food, meet the locals, make friends with locals. Adapt and mold yourself. Try new things. There is so much out there in the world, so many ways of doing the most simple things. The best thing you could ever do for yourself as a person is to put on someone else’s glasses and see the world from their perspective.

Beyond My Borders: Musu Ofosu

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My name is Musu Ofosu I’m now 21. I am an African American, literally, who was born in London but grew up in Portland, Oregon. In September 2013 I left Oregon to get a fresh start in London by finishing university here and also pursue a modelling career. My hopes for the future would include living under my own roof for the first time and also not only graduating university with a first class degree but in one way or another starting my own business catered towards black youth and young adults. I want to start a company and a movement that empowers black people by redefining the standards of beauty for people of color in media, entertainment and society as a whole.

My advice to anyone moving to any new country especially England would be to do tons of research on everything. Research everything from your future means of transportation to what food you’ll eat. Coming from the US you’ll find that the culture here is completely different in every single way. For example, I haven’t had good sushi in 9 months and I’m going nuts now lol. Also, people here pride themselves on the way they dress, which may would seem pretty normal if it weren’t for the fact that I come from a place where people only get dressed up if they have to. Basically look into everything that could potentially impact your life so that when you do arrive you’ll be fully prepared. Lastly the most important advice I could give someone moving to London for the first time is join a gym as soon as you arrive, trust me you’ll thank me later.

Beyond My Borders: Madeleine Dreyfuss

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When I was 21 years old, I left home rather innocently, with no intentions of relocating permanently. The 2010 World Cup buzz and a promising summer internship lured me to Cape Town, a slice of paradise in a country pulsing with a compelling history and a contagious energy.  I spent ten weeks in the art department of a small publishing company, designing layouts and desperately trying to keep up with the local banter. While my interning peers came home with stories about delivering babies and counseling AIDS survivors, my head was spinning to validate my passion of media, art, and design. Eight weeks into my stay, I met my reason for staying in South Africa,  packed up, moved back to Eugene, Oregon to graduate from the University of Oregon school of Journalism and Communication, and a week after graduation was on a plane back to Cape Town.

To feel most of what you know slip out from under you for someone you love is an experience that is as beautiful as it is difficult. I feel that now I have two homes, am so closely connected with the people and places in two different parts of the world that no matter where I am, I will always miss the other.  I’ve been fortunate enough to make steady advances in my career in graphic design as Cape Town is a bustling design capital. I’ve also met some of the most genuine and interesting people I’ve come across, some of which I’ve been able to travel across the country with.  I’ve also been able to evolve and explore the greatest friendship I’ve known with my other half.

I refused to be comfortable, to be stagnant, to rest on what I wasn’t content with and because of that leap, I’m here. 10,231 miles away from family and friends but surrounded by support and love and new friendships. It’s taken time to get settled and every day presents itself with something new, something uncomfortable, or something I’m not familiar with but I can’t get enough of the adventure. I don’t know how long I’ll stay, or what the distant future holds for me, but coming here has been one of the best decisions I’ve made and I’m eager to see where it takes me.

The only advice I have for those thinking about taking a leap is to trust yourself, have faith in your own strength, and remember that it’s okay to feel uncertain or uncomfortable because of what you will undoubtedly learn along the way.

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You can catch more of her travels here on her blog!