

7 Housekeeping Tips for Leaving Home
So, you think you’re ready to leave? I thought so, too. However, in the last month of preparation I realized there is a lot more that I needed to do than just make sure my passport doesn’t expire in the next few years. So, here’s a list of 7 things (in no particular order) that might’ve slipped your mind because they definitely slipped mine: 1. Check your state driver's license requirements. My license will expire during my 2 years out of country, and I was unsure if that meant I needed to scramble to get a new one or take a driver's test when I get back home. Turns out… Read more >>
Project Activities Notebook
My organization does approximately 3-4 weeks of training at their headquarters and a more specialized cultural training in southern Colorado at The Refuge. The cultural training is an intense one-week period of class. The Refuge is run by former cross-cultural workers and is used as a ministry for training and retreats. During my time here, we focused on a variety of things that are necessary for exiting your culture and entering a new one. Fortunately, I received some special attention because I was the only new cross-cultural apprentice that attended with my organization.… Read more >>
Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL)
This month I took a certification course in TESOL to help prepare me for teaching medical English in Laos. My organization recommended that I take the Oxford Seminars: TESOL/TESL/TEFL Course. The course is two parts consisting of an “in-person” class and an online component earning you a 120-hour certificate. Because of COVID, all of the in-person classes were moved online to a Zoom format. For three consecutive weekends, I sat on a Zoom meeting from 9 AM- 6 PM. Thankfully, my professor (Laura Wilkinson) and classmates made the time enjoyable. Since I’ve… Read more >>
The Gift of Rest (Pt. 2)
Before my full-time job became support raising, I didn't practice a day of rest or Sabbath. I didn't know what it looked like to rest for a day, and quite frankly, I'm still trying to figure that out every week. (If you have favorite ways you find rest on the Sabbath, please send them my way!) It's been a struggle for me to figure out what to do on these days and not waste them by sleeping in or binging Netflix all day. A couple weeks ago, I realized I needed more than just one day to truly rest in… Read more >>