Tonight I dared again tonight to reinvolve myself in a social circle I tentatively attempted two-years or so ago.

The Victorian Missionary Kids Network (erm, or rather TCK’s to introduce you the Third Culture Kid terminology).

A very good experience and I hope to continue going to whatever they do to catch up.

Fantastic to hear a vast number of accents, the meal was prayed for in Spanish! I didn’t really know anyone – Christine I’ve met, and Carrie (the one that did work experience where you are Paul). I spent the first half of the night talking to Kathryn (MK from Benin, West Africa) she’s 17 I think, and much of the other half to Luke who was in South Africa for a while (and I’d guess mid-late 20’s)

Lots of good food, all a little international.

It was more specifically a ‘thanksgiving’ (yes thats right) dinner and a good excuse to get together. Complete with turkey (yum) and pumpkin pie (YUM except I’ve probably had better).

It’s really hard to explain, but I feel vastly more comfortable in an environment like that than say an Australian party/social gathering. There is an entirely different feel – we have a common ground maybe (?), despite many having been in Australia for quite some time and their vast age range.

First questions you get asked aside from your name, “Where were you?/What country?” and “How long have you been back?” There is this fantastic collision of similar experiences of returning and what you miss etc.

It is something I’ve thought about on and off, not for ages and am glad I guess to be re-involved. I shall endeavor to go on their next camp which wont be until 2006 sometime.

Did it make me think of the Solomons? Yes. Did it make me homesick? Not really.

I do miss hearing American accents.

How to keep going the way I have this year, next year.

Which equates to exponential growth, despite not feeling entirely changed or different.
To let people enrich my life.
To ‘walk in step’ with the Spirit (re: Romans 8:1-17)

This has come up today.

Through this morning’s ‘brunch’ where I sat outside on the verhanda, lazily journalled around the Romans passage and ate my out of habit fruit breakfast (toast all the way normally). I didn’t pick the passage specifically, more opened Bible randomly found a bit I’d underlined and checked it out to see why. Familiarity as the verses were used a fair bit this year particularly in Warwick’s classes. I threw a few questions in the air and tried to answer them by unpicking what was there. Was good, not intentional but I think/hope I got something out of it.

Then tonight after getting home from YITS hangout BBQ at Jess VW’s and I went outside to feed Job. I read a letter Jessmyn gave me, thought a bit about the year and what these people have each meant to me. Looked up at the stars and talked to God for a bit mostly about letting him have next year.

Sometimes when I write stuff like the above, it sounds ridiculously pious. Which is annoying, because it is not, far from it. I shouldn’t have to be concerned about that anyway. Blah, whatever I’m crapping on about I’m just writing what’s in my head.

So next year. Profoundity in that: wanting to continue good habits but still move on so I am not eternally Rebecca of 2005? No probably not. I am different to what I was at the start of this year although exactly how I’m not sure.

I was surprised today when I got to speak to Josh on msn. It’s been what, nearly four years now? Strange having someone you knew but now don’t know. (This is a Solomons person, my future brother-in-law’s brother I asked him, “So do you think you’ve changed?”, “Oh, probably”

I could answer that question with a definite YES.
But ask me to delve deeper, that would require a lot more defragmenting. The how.

Change, change, change.

It is a good thing.
From which to what?
We are shape shifters.

BBQ with the Mellows today, at our place. Was good to catch up with them. Talked a lot, laughed much, played some cards.

Kevin (14)

Leon (14)

Phillip (17)

Australians are bigots.

At least when it comes to Americans.

Nothing frustrates me more when certain people I know complain about American’s as if they were all ‘George Bush’ etc. How they tie everything back to Hollywood and America’s responsibility for world deconstruction.

I don’t like generalisations: which means I have to take back the first line of this blog. Oh I’m sure I make them all the time.

I cannot wipe myself from the blame I do it myself. Cultures don’t understand eachother.

Emily dumped a book in my lap tonight (borrowed from Emma). ‘God Chicks’ by Holly Wagner. I gave it a random flicking. ‘Too Hollywood’. Overuse of the word Destiny and Awesome. Chicks. I hate that phrase. So not for me. Simple. I don’t read it.

Phillip Ashley and his fiance sent a webpage link thing to us tonight. The Ashely’s are SITAG people. American’s yes. It is quite amusing, so vastly different from what most Aussies would do. It’s not what I would do. Okay so there – someone I know would say, “Thats so typically American”. Not to bag the Ashey’s, they are great people. I didn’t get to know Phillip very well (more so his sister Susan) as they left the Solomons before us. Uncle James has the best fudge recipe in the world. Extremely hospitable. Karen is from the deep south. Hey this is the way they do things.

Contrast one American family with another. My future inlaws… well not mine exactly. Sister’s potential. They wouldn’t dream of doing something like that. John would die of shame (that and Laura wouldn’t let him).

I don’t really know where this blog is actually going.

The Carters. Have I talked about them before? Surely.

John Carter. One day (we all hope) will get enough money together to come over and marry Laura. Meanwhile. I was thinking about this tonight not sure why. John’s a mountain climbing kind of guy. Quiet. Insanely sensible. A thinker. No fuss. Wouldn’t even tell someone it was his birthday if he could get away with no celebration. I know him enough, but I’ve heard enough from Laura to know this kind of stuff. I know Kristen and Josh far better.

Hrm, is this relevant to anything before. I guess I’ll tie up a loose end by saying. American families contrast sharply just like Australian or any other nationality families do.

Their family is practically our family. Now just to make things legal.

Josh added me to his msn the other night. Haven’t caught him online yet, but that’s what time differences will do to you. That’ll be interesting. Kristen’s a few years younger than me. Hanna and Joseph younger still.

Bob and Dad are like best mates (and colleages, oh that’s right, Dad’s back now).

Mum and Amy are good friends.

Hanna and Hannah are like ‘this’.

Kristen, Em, Josh and I are/were all fairly close.

Joseph well he just fits in somehow.

and Laura and John. Well! I don’t need to say anything.

The people I want to see…

Lunchtime today, I got a craving to go see the ocean. So I went. I had to walk really fast to make it there and back and only got about 5 minutes down there. I needed to find the space, I needed to see somewhere with a clear horizon. Talked to God a bit, and just um let myself live the moment. I walked to the water’s edge and stood on there. The beach was almost empty. A couple were walking further down, aside from that, it was just me in this expanse.

I’ve always seen the sea as this place that isn’t really tied to any country.

20 minutes later I was back behind a desk.