Thursday 17 October 2013

Oppression and TK Maxx

If you know me, you know that Music, TV and Film have played huge roles in my growing up, and truthfully they have taught me a lot. Obviously I have not blindly followed what the media tells me, but I have paid close attention to the way the world works and thinks, and I have made choices for and against these ideologies. I had a particular interest in stories of oppression, which I found in the lyrics of Eminem, Kanye West and Jay-Z, in films like “The Help” and scattered across the pages of my two favourite man-made works, “Les Miserables” and “Harry Potter”. Secretly, I would have moments when I would be annoyed that I had such a cushy life, living in Clarkston, going to an amazing school, having loyal and kind friends, being part of a strong and functional family and knowing an all-powerful God who would forgive me at every turn. I wanted to have “life experience”, wanted to be down in the gutter and work my way up, prove to myself and everyone around me that I didn’t need a leg-up in life, that I could do it all on my own. 

I was an idiot. I realise this now. At the ripe old age of 20, I have been put out of a house. If you want to know details, feel free to ask me but that’s not my point here. Due to miscommunication and, to be perfectly honest, a lack of effort on my part, I finally know what it feels like to live uncomfortably. And yet, I still find myself with some semblance of money in the bank, with good friends who I know will be praying for me, with a family who are a better support system than I deserve, and with a roof over my head. Us poshies don’t have the faintest idea what it’s like to be truly oppressed. We cry when we’re not allowed on the Xbox because we didn’t eat enough of the hot dinner that was made and placed in front of us. We lash out when our parents don’t let us go on the £900 ski trip with the school because they need the money to feed and clothe us, or when they do let us go but we have to buy our own equipment with the pocket money they have given us which, while we’re at it, we never think is enough for a young person to live off. I don’t mean to offend and these are definitely not situations I have witnessed, but what I’m saying is we, living in first world countries, can at times forget to be thankful for everything.

I know this is not a new way of thinking, but I realise now more than ever how good I’ve had it, and how much I failed at times to appreciate that. It’s funny the way that works, recently a friend posted a quote that sums it up: "Character can not be developed in ease and quiet; only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened."

There have been few times in my life that I have realised this and when I think back they have all been times that I have been metaphorically chucked out of the Casa de Cushy Life. The death of my Aunt, Kairos Summer Households 2012 when we talked and prayed with a woman who had been suicidal for several years, and when my boss at TK Maxx said I couldn’t have time off to visit my friends in Dublin. Obviously, these times have varied in gravity, but the same effect came from them as has come from the situation I find myself in now.

Paul wrote in a letter to the Philippians “11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

I understand him now. My contentment comes from Christ, and only Christ. In that ultimate sacrifice, He showed me that He can overcome anything thrown my way, and this knowledge is what I live by. And this is why I am sitting here smiling. I could write a lot more but I’ll be surprised if you’re all still reading by this point. I hope you’ve found some joy/assurance through what I’ve written.

So today, be thankful for something you’ve taken for granted. Thank God, a parent, a teacher, a friend for giving you something that has improved your life in any way. God is Love, Rev Run. Lol.

Another list:

1. People keep talking to me and being like "you're the Scottish girl teaching at the school?" and I'm like famous basically guys xo.

2. I went on my first adventure ramble (I walked in one direction until I wanted to turn back) and it was amazing, photos will be on FaceyB.

3. For the first time in my life, school is fun. I actually look forward to my classes and the kids are awesome.

4. I made friends!!! One of the classes I help is full of people my age and they seem to have accepted me cos they invited me to a party so wooooo.

5. I am still overwhelmed by God's protection and I have to thank you all again for your thoughts and prayers and general greatness.

Dios te bendiga,

Eilidh

Wednesday 9 October 2013

Hope and Chorizo

This week I heard a Gallego poem by Rosalia De Castro that struck a chord and I wanted to share it:

Adiós rios, adios fontes.                           Good-bye Rivers, Good-bye                                                                                  Fountains.


Adiós, ríos; adios, fontes;                     Good-bye rivers, good-bye fountains;
adios, regatos pequenos;                      
Good-bye, little rills;
adios, vista dos meus ollos:                  
Good-bye, sight of my eyes:
non sei cando nos veremos...    
            Don’t know when we’ll see each other
¡Adios groria! ¡Adios contento!               again...
¡Deixo a casa onde nacín,                    
Good-bye, heaven! Good-bye,
deixo a aldea que conozo                      
happiness!
por un mundo que non vin!                    
I leave the house of my birth,
Deixo amigos por estraños,                   
I leave the hamlet that I know
deixo a veiga polo mar,                        
For a world I haven’t seen!
deixo, en fin, canto ben quero…             
I leave friends for strangers,
voume soio, sin arrimo…                       
I leave the lowland for the sea,
¡Miña terra, ¡adios!, ¡adios!                   
I leave, in short, what I well love…
¡Adios tamén, queridiña!…                    
I part alone without a friend…
¡Adios por sempre quizais!…                
Good-bye land of mine, good-bye!
Dígoche este adios chorando                 
Farewell to you too, little darling…!
desde a beiriña do mar.                        
Farewell forever perhaps…!
Non me olvides, queridiña...                 
I send you this farewell crying
¡Miña casiña!,¡meu lar!                         From the precious coastline.                                                                       Don’t forget me, little darling...
                                                          My dear house! My home!

My point is that this leaving home business is tricky. It has more unexpected twists and turns than a good season of Grey's Anatomy. As I experienced some of this turbulence recently, I turned to self pity (and whisky, but not like an alcoholic, I just had a dram cos I missed home...just to be clear). Then, yet again, God intervened. I saw this video and got thinking about those less fortunate than myself, specifically the millions of people who are forced to leave their homes, everything and everyone they know, because of something that they did not choose. war, famine, epidemic, poverty, abuse, abandonment...sadly, the list goes on. 

This is why it is so important to me to live in hope. Because, even when I am lucky enough to be living a comfortable and happy life, I have brothers and sisters who are not, and it is my duty to live in hope for them. Hope is not an easy thing to see. It can be blurred, even to those of us with 20/20 vision. This blurring generally occurs when and where hope is needed most, and that's no coincidence. This is why it is so important that we see it clearly for each other. I'm sure you have all had a friend come to you worrying about a situation and seeing no way out, and I'm sure at times you were able to see a way out where they couldn't. We live in hope, not only for ourselves, but for one another. Life is not a 1-Player game.

This may seem super deep for an Erasmus Student's blog, but one of the biggest benefits of my time here in Spain has been having the time to actually think about these things. I am growing as a person because I have nothing and no one to hide behind, and I am at a stage where I have to choose a life of hope. It's not a one time thing, but rather a daily choice.

Here is another list of things that happened this week:

1. The father of the family I'm staying with calls everyone in government a "chorizo" and as we watched the news the other night, he hit out with one of the best lines I've heard so far. "There is not enough bread in this country for the amount of chorizos."

2. I have a flat! I will be moving in next friday and I'm reeeeeally looking forward to living on my own and having more adventures! side note: it's right next to an amazing beach and I know we're entering winter, but visitors are always welcome!

3. I met a girl who lives in East Kilbride, which is 10/15 minutes from where I live at home! She's doing the same thing as me in the same region and we're hoping to meet up soon. It's a small world after all.

4. It's 9th October and it was 27 degrees today. life is tough...

Thank you all again for reading and praying for me and everything else you've done.

Dios te bendiga,

Eilidh

Friday 4 October 2013

Skeeters and Soundies

What's up yo? What is happening? What is the 411?? First, I must apologise to everyone who cares that I haven't yet been directly in contact, I am still in the process of getting the internet and so I only have small windows of time online right now. This is going to change in the next week or so, and hopefully that will mean I can skype etc. :) Also, due to a complaint from an unnamed source (it came in the mail and was written in letters cut out from a magazine) I have rejigged the settings on the blog, thus making it more reader friendly. So you're welcome...you being whoever was bored enough to click on here.

Ok, on to the exciting stuff...I started work, and I know it's early days, but I really see the merit in this line of work. I'm the English Language Assistant in a high school, and in my first 2 days I have: explained the referendum situation to a class of students my age, used a bit of improv to run a class of 12 year olds whose teacher had a doctor appointment which I wasn't given a heads up about, and tapped into the far reaches of my memory to help (or mislead) a maths class. The students are all really interested in me and they apply themselves to learning English in a way that puts us to shame when compared to the huge amount of English speakers who see no need for anything but one language.

I am learning a whole lot about the job, the language and myself. For example, I discovered that mosquitoes must really like the smell of my blood. I have 23 bites and counting. This is not cool. What is cool is that I now recognise landmarks and can navigate around the area with some ease.

Since I've made lists a thing on this blog, here's some more things that are things:

1. I love the rain here. I don't know what our problem is but the rain in Scotland is just annoying. Here though, it laaaashes rain, like the drops are huge and it hammers down and I've taken to standing under a shelter outside when it rains, just to marvel at it. I can't quite explain the affect it has, but all I know is that every time it rains like that, I'm reminded of God's power.

2. I went back and bought all the Irn Bru they had. I planned on keeping it for special occasions/particularly bad bouts of homesickness, but to be honest I'm just working through them. It's like tasting Scotland when you can't be there. Magic.

3. I took a grown up step and bought myself a proper watch. It's full on analogue and everything.

4. Thanks to years of Sentry dramas, impromptu games, and a burning desire to make a joke at every turn, I have almost mastered the art of making things up on the spot. This comes in very handy when you have no idea what you're doing.

5. I am going to be attending Zumba classes. God help me.

Thank you all a million times over for your prayers and support, I really feel it through God's protection and overwhelming love.

Oh and if there's anything specific you want to hear about, drop me a note and I'll tell all or put it in the next blog! Cheers for reading!

Dios te bendiga,

Eilidh