On the Way!

The past few days have been a crazy blur.
Christmas came and went, and I suddenly realized that I would be going to Taiwan in less than five days.
A couple of weeks ago, I went through all of my clothes and thought I did a good job of sorting them into piles of keep, pack, and donate, but when it finally came time to pack I realized that I have a TON of clothes.
It's ridiculous, really.
I truly believe that I have enough clothes to clothe a small nation.
Luckily, I had my best friend, Dayna, to help me sort and resort and pack and repack. I don't know what I would've done without her.
Dayna and I went to Taiwan together last year, so she had an idea of what I am getting myself into weather-wise. I could not have packed without her, of that I am certain.
(If my verb tenses in this blog seem weird, I apologize. I'm writing this in the Minneapolis airport terminal while waiting for my flight to Chicago.)
When I found out that I would be flying out of Minneapolis at 7:40am, my parents and I decided that we should rent a hotel room so we wouldn't have to drive in the middle of the night.
It was really nice being able to stay at the hotel because we could order Papa John's (that's right, that was my last "American" meal) and Jill (my good friend from college) came to hang out and catch up.
We got some free drink tickets from the front desk because I "have balls!" for going to live overseas (haha!) and enjoyed them while playing bingo (because apparently that's the thing to do at the Eagan Green Mill)
I stayed up all night so that I'm more on the Taiwan time zone (they are 14 hours ahead of Wisconsin) and we left for the airport at 4am...And now, here I sit, waiting for my flight to Chicago. I'm proud of myself for two things so far:
1. Both of my checked bags were exactly 50lbs (the weight limit is 50lbs!)
2. I made it through security without my bags or me being stopped! Hopefully, I'll make it through Tokyo too! :)

I've been remembering this passage as I go through this adventure:
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."  -Joshua 1:9

To Taiwan!
-Lauren.

In the Beginning...

I don't even know how to begin this post. 
Honestly, I've been waiting and waiting to be able to finally post some good news, and when it's finally come, I'm completely at a loss. 
I suppose I'll just start at the beginning...
I was born on a warm May day in 19... Wait, I suppose that's too far back...
:)
As long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a teacher. I know that's a cliche thing to say, but it's true. 
Except for a short period of time in fourth grade when I wanted to be a zoo nutritionist (why? I don't know. I liked the idea of feeding tigers and penguins, I guess.)...
I never knew what kind of teacher I wanted to be... I just knew that I was going to be a teacher. 
(I've always been a "big picture" kind of person)
After discovering my love for grammar, I decided that being an English teacher fit. I stayed in that mindset until I took a Spanish class in high school. 
I realized that the act of learning a new language is something so complex and interesting that I could never get bored with it. So, I set out to find a job that combined teaching and new languages. 
I found ESL (English as a Second Language) education, and I've never looked back. 
It suffices to say that I am a nerd. 
I absolutely LOVED college. The whole idea of getting to go to school every day and choosing classes that I was actually interested in was even better than penguins (and I love penguins). 
At college, I met people who challenged my thinking and made me strive to understand and investigate. I also worked at a tutoring center for ESL students where I learned about many different cultures and languages.
It was at the ESL Center that I encountered Taiwanese people for the first time. 
If you're like how I was, you know "Made in Taiwan" and that's, embarrassingly, it. 
Here's a quick guide to Taiwan...
-Taiwan's a small island country east of China and southish of Japan and South Korea (you picturing it now?).

-It's not just factories. In fact, most of Taiwan is GORGEOUS mountains and bustling cities!

Ain't no factories in dem mountains!

Night Market!

-Taiwanese people speak Chinese. Some also speak Taiwanese. From what I understand, you could liken this situation to Native Americans. Almost all Native Americans speak English, and some also speak their native language. Some may only speak their native language. Make sense?
-Taiwanese children go to rigorous schooling. And I mean rigorous. Many children go to after-school schools (called buxibans "boo-she-bahns") when they are done with regular schooling for the day. 
-Taiwan's government is a democracy and they have a president (and I've read that he was baptized Catholic! Woot!).
(Here's a really good website that explains better than I can:http://www.taiwanese-secrets.com/facts-about-taiwan.html)
That's really all I can think of for a glimpse at Taiwan. 
Oh, I forgot to mention that Taiwanese people are amazing. 
(Yes, I know that's a generalization. No, I don't care.) 
Seriously. 
I have met very few (like maaaybe one) Taiwanese people whom I didn't like or I found to be rude.  They're a fabulous bunch.
I became more interested in Taiwan when I learned about my university's study abroad opportunity there. This blog was started when I went on that study abroad trip. 
After I returned from Taiwan, I was in love. 
I couldn't think of anything but Taiwan (and finishing my teaching licensure...). 
Before going on the trip, I had been learning more about Peace Corps and various Catholic missions because I thought that'd be a pretty neat way to spend my early adulthood.
I decided that I would apply to them and see where the good Lord led me...
Well, that path ended with me sitting on the couch in my house at college screaming at my computer because it kept deleting my applications. 
After several deep cleansing breaths, my roommate, Margo, gave me some wise words of advice... "MAAAAAAAAYBE, this isn't what God wants you to be doing... JUS' SAYIN'... it's obviously not working, but you're too stubborn to quit trying." 
Oh that Margo, always the voice of reason. :)
So, I decided to stop going down that road and look into voyaging out on a solo journey.
A journey that would, hopefully, by God's will, end in Taiwan...
(ooo suspense...)

True Love

I've always wondered what true love is. 

It just never made sense to me. 

Love has always seemed to me to be an unnecessary dependency to someone else. And, since I am and have always been an independent kind of person (I blame America), I've never really understood why a person would want to give up a part of him or herself in order to win what seems to be something very unsure. 

Frankly, I always thought that completely giving in to love is stupid.

The only times I have really been able to understand the meaning of love is through God and through my family. I witness what He has done for me through the beauty of nature; I feel His love during Mass and when I am talking about Him with friends; and I can see His undying love for me through the sacrifice of His son. True love has always been a holy thing to me. 

I firmly believe that I have the best family in the universe. I have never doubted their love for me nor my love for them. It's always been a given. Something that I didn't have to worry about or even think about. (Yes, I realize how flippin' lucky I am. I truly do.) 

Even though I've always known love through God and my family, I've never been able to understand how two normal human beings can truly love each other. 

It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago at Mass that it hit me.

Instead of just normal Mass, The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick was thrown in as well (BONUSSSS!). 

Back in the day, Anointing of the Sick was called the Last Rite. Basically, if you were allllmost dead, one of your family members would call the priest and he would come over to bless you with holy oil and give you eucharist. 

Nowadays, it's looked at as more of (this is my opinion, btdubs) a blessing for those who are unwell, that the Lord will protect them and be with them during the trying time they are going through. 

That Sunday, I had happened to stay up very late the night before (watching Kdramas...I'm addicted.), so I was tired in church. When Father asked for the people who wanted to receive the sacrament to stay standing, I didn't really pay attention, but I sat down 'cause I've been feeling just fine as of late. When I looked up, I realized how many people were still standing. 

I was shocked. 

The average age of a Sacred Heart (that's the church I go to) parishioner is...I would say... 65-75. (There are a LOT of old people) But I never thought that these people would be in pain.

Seeing so many people walk up to receive the sacrament brought tears to my eyes. How could I be blind to the people who were hurting around me. 

That's when I saw what I believe to be true love. 

There's this old couple in church who always come in and sit in the same general vicinity of my family. I know who they are, but I've never talked to them. The wife has had difficulty walking for some time now, so her husband always helps her to their pew and to communion. 

As he gingerly guided her up to receive the sacrament and then watched carefully to make sure that the priest properly blessed her, it hit me. 

True love is forgetting your selfish independence and caring for another person's well-being. 

True love is sacrificing for your loved one and trusting that they will sacrifice for you. 

It's embarrassing that I am 23 years old, and it took me this long to figure this out. 

I'm also jealous of the people my age who figure this out waaaay before me. 

Those lucky ducks.

I guess I have some catching up to do :)