How is everyone doing?!? Moi, I am better than I've been doing during the first couple of days here. I have wireless internet connection this weekend, but it is still up in the air whether I will have it after Sunday, just fyi.
My first week here has been very routine. I am now taking the bus to and fro work, and i've found that if i don't catch the super early bus to get me to work super early-- it will take me 30 minutes instead of 12 minutes or i will be late or both.
The first couple of nights I woke up around 2 AM and wasn't able to go back to sleep (due to jet lag), so i'd stay up all night and then go to work at 8 AM. Tues and Wed. I really almost passed out at my desk after lunch because of this lack of sleep, so on those days I would have to take my heels off, assume a plank position, and do 20 push ups under my desk to wake myself up-- in sets of 10 of course :) I am now sleeping during the night. Praise God!
The work has been great! Yesterday, was Friday, and I'd been dressing up business professional just without the suit jacket, but for some reason on Friday i decided to be a little more casual and wear a sweater dress and my snow boots because my calves were sore from wearing heels all week. I got to work around 9 AM, began finishing up some articles, and at 10:15 AM, one of my co-workers at the consulate came in and said "Grace, let's go, get in the van!". . I was thinking. . . [why is she telling me to get in a van?]. . . , but i threw my jacket on, grabbed my stuff and briskly walked out to this van where four other ladies that work at the consulate were waiting. We jumped into the van and Plamen (our driver) drove us to a little town outside of Marseille, Cassis. IT WAS BEAUTFUL! Like what you would see "little french towns" to be in the movies! So vibrant, quaint, and relaxing!
Turns out that our acting consul Richards, was receiving a medal from the mayor of Cassis that morning, so we took the morning off to go and surprise him by being there for this honor. We went into one of the houses there where they'd set up hors-d'oeuvres, wine and other drinks, and some chairs. There was the cutest and most exciting market right outside that I am determined to go back and visit during my spare time one weekend in April (i'll take more Pics of the town of Cassis then). Anyways, because i didn't know about this "surprise" trip to Cassis, I was not dressed appropriately! Everyone was in their best suit, and even women were dressed in suit jackets and heels even with dresses on. They awarded Philip with the medal and then everyone began to mingle. Most everyone seemed to know each other. Most were French and some Americans. If y'all know me, and know how awkward I can be even around my closest friends, just imagine what this social gathering/cocktail situation would've been like for me. Yes, I mostly stood by the table with the food-- the shrimp was delish. and since i don't drink, i had two glasses of orange juice. I did get to meet Doug, who works in the NCIS dept. of our consulate, and the directors of the camargo foundation founded by an American and based out of this town, Cassis; one of them def. flashed the longhorn symbol with his hand when i said i was from TX. Unfortunately, I didn't hiss like I normally don't, and he knew I was an Aggie by the end of our conversation. I also met the lawyer of the foundation, Ron, and he was just delightful.
We got back around 1 PM, and i worked in my office for the rest of the day. After work, I went with Josette, public affairs, to her house and met the study abroad student, who is staying at Josette's house. Elizabeth and her friend from CSU, who was visiting (Alexandre), were awesome. I spent Friday night going around the town with them and 5 other people from their program. After dinner, I caught my bus, missed my stop, found a taxi, and came home.
I've been lonely and almost depressed being alone here. I am the only intern, which means everyone else that i work with are definitely a lot older than me and most have their own families. And other than my boss, the consul, there are no other Americans. However, after much prayer and "me time", God has been providing opportunities to meet friends like last night! Praise God! I also found a baptist church! I will be going to service on Sunday and am SO excited to find fellowship and a time to worship with other believers.
My prayer request would be to find fellowship. To be protected from spiritual attacks in terms of fear of anything other than God. I am finding that it takes a lot more courage to explore and venture out into the city all alone. Praying for this courage to get out and explore. Pray for humility and courage (again) to try to speak french more confidently-- how can we get better at a language if we don't try and make mistakes, right? Pride has definitely got in the way this week.
Praise God for boldness. At dinner with all those new friends last night, it was obvious that most seemed to either not believe or they are not living out their faith considering talk about going out to do certain activities. Knowing this, when they asked me what I was doing this weekend, I, Grace Hojin Hwang, in my flesh, confess to you right now that I did not want to talk about how excited I was to go to this church service on Sunday because I was afraid of rejection (considering how lonely i'd been all week); nonetheless, by God's grace, I talked about church! and I talked about LHBCB and the ministries that God is at work in! and I shared my faith as God also allowed me to bring up Malawi!
I don't know if i'll see them again, but Praise God for boldness and for an unwavering faith in this situation. Our faith isn't a one time "done deal" type of thing. Living it out requires us to put on the armor of God DAILY. Choose to follow God in every situation, in every second of every decision of every day. It is a battle that we must fight 24/7. And fighting means that we are not idle, sitting back just going with the flow of this world, finding pleasure for ourselves in whatever, making choices to feel good and do what we want. Fighting means seeking and pursuing the Lord every day, it means us stopping and not thinking about ourselves for once, for just one minute (and for the next minute and so on) and setting our eyes on Him, that we may be equipped every second of every day to choose Him, follow Him, and be used for His Kingdom and glory here on Earth. And yes, we are all going to mess up, but there is grace. By actively and sincerely pursuing God every day, He allows us to see through His eyes more and more in different and even the same type of situations that come into our lives and gives us the power to say no to ungodliness, to kick away sin that we maybe used to have more than less trouble kicking away as we are refined into being more like Christ in this process called sanctification. God is so good, and the Holy Spirit definitely didn't let me in my flesh and desire for acceptance not be true to who God his molding me to be in Christ! To God be all the glory!
Jess- I miss you too, and i, too, wish that that was me in the car that you saw! Feel free to fill me in on what's going on with you! I want to know how you're doing!
Sarah- It is truly weird having a room, an apt., to myself! I wish you were here or i was there still. It's ok though because God has a plan, and I will definitely see you at your wedding/house in 9 weeks!!! I love you and want to know how you're doing as well!!
I am praying for you all. Friends, family (including my church family), and all brothers and sisters in Christ. It brings me joy and encouragement to know that we share in this inheritance, and God is bringing y'all up as I pray and keep myself updated on the City and email. Thanks be to God for you all, and I cannot wait to see you all again soon!
Love,
Grace
Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heartand my portion forever."
Gracie grace! I didn't expect to see such long posts, they they are good! (Take pics too!) I'm glad to hear you're getting settled (sorta) and I'm excited for you and your time there.
ReplyDeleteI got back from Colorado a few days ago and......Texas just can't compare. Plus, CK isn't here in TX :( Anyway, check out the pics on facebook! Later gator!