Patchwork thoughts

I just finished a 4-day weekend in Vienna.  A friend I met through swing dancing at APU came to visit, as he's just finished a semester at Oxford and is traveling around before he heads back home.  It was pretty exciting to have a piece of college here in Austria.

We mapped out places to show Wes, but we also explored by hopping on the U-Bahn, getting off somewhere that sounded exciting, climbing back to ground level, and wandering the streets there.  We found a few places I didn't even know about, and saw a bunch of places that I've been meaning to go see, but hadn't yet.  We scavenged the Naschmarkt, went swing dancing, and ate Wiener schnitzel at Cafe Einstein.

Because we weren't on any time frame (and because your feet get tired exploring a city mostly by foot), we got to spend a lot of time sitting and people watching in cafes, parks, and the Museums Quartier. I had a lot of reflection time this weekend, with nothing to force us to pay attention to clocks.

So here are a few things on my mind.  They are in no particular order.  The majority of them are completely unrelated.  Some are shallow; some are deeper.  Most of them are unrefined and unfinished.  

-I really need to start working out my upper body again.  Not because I'm worried about how it looks, but because after a single night of swing dancing, I was sore--just my right bicep, which is where the connection to my lead is, but still.  I had to laugh at myself.

-People will let me down.  And I will let other people down.  I am imperfect.  All I can do is try to act with integrity--then pray for forgiveness and grace when I fail, and pray for healing and strength when others fail me.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:26).

-Vienna has replaced Valencia as my favorite European city.  (It's possible that being able to understand people here helped knock it up to first place, as my Spanish is lightyears from par.)  The buildings are beautiful, the food is delicious, the parks beg you to come for picnics and the Danube teases me and makes me long for hot days and swimming on the Danube Island.

-I'm getting more and more familiar with Vienna.  I helped tourists on 2 occasions this weekend find their destinations!  It doesn't sound like much, but it's certainly a confidence boost.

-I love mail!  I got a letter/postcard from my friend who just moved to Laos.  It's so much more fun to hold that paper that's been on the other side of the world, and to touch the handwriting of someone I care about than to read a message on Facebook.  I definitely meant to write him first, but I'll just have to make mine cooler than his.  Ideas, anyone?

-I like speaking German with foreigners.  So much less pressure. 

That's enough for now.  At the moment, I'll leave the rest in my head.

Grace and peace,

Hilary

P.S.  Here are some glimpses of the last few days:

At Schloss (Palace) Schönbrunn

At a memorial for the Soviet soldiers who fell to free Austria from fascism 

It was perfect weather for an afternoon at the park today

It's getting greener!

7,056 words

We had another themed dinner with YAG--Asian food night this time.  We got together, caught up, ate delicious food, played games, and sang songs.  I could say more, but a picture is worth a thousand words.  So here are a few thousand:

Andrea will have my hide for that last one.

Grace and peace,
Hilary

Why I'm excited to move to Corvallis, and why you should be excited to visit me there

Since my super exciting e-mail a couple weeks ago admitting me to Oregon State's graduate school, I've spent almost every free web-minute researching OSU and Corvallis in general.  I did all of this during the waiting process as well, but it's even more exciting now that I know I'm moving there for sure.  I'm learning about my future home, and getting happier about it by the minute as I become more familiar with it.

Source

Now indulge me, and let me tell you some of the top things I like about the area.  Did you know...

...that Corvallis was named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation, and they have 47 public parks within the city limits?
...that all public transit in Corvallis is FREE?
...that Corvallis is Oregon's most bike-friendly city, and 10% of commuters go by bike?
...that Corvallis buys more power from renewable sources than any other city in the NATION?
...that the Benton County Library in Corvallis is one of the 10 best public libraries in the nation in relation to population?  And library cards are free to Benton County residents!
...that there are 2 farmers markets each week during market season?
...each July, Corvallis hosts da Vinci Days, a science, art, and music festival featuring the Graand Kinetic Challenge, based on the original Kinetic Grand Championship of my sweet Humboldt County, California?  (And I'm planning on going this year!)
...that Frommer's Travel Guide ranked Corvallis as the 10th best city of ANY size in the country?
...that Farmer's Insurance has named Corvallis as America's safest small city multiple times?  (That one's for you, Mom.)

Source

Before you turn as green as Corvallis with envy, here is your invitation to come visit me.  An open one.  So don't be jealous.  Just plan a road trip.

Source

Grace and peace,
Hilary

P.S.  Another reason Oregon rocks: they pump your gas for you.  Especially useful information for potential road trippers!  ;)

My very exciting news

Oh hey, friends and family!

I've been sitting on my bed in a sea of tissues, coughing and sneezing and sniffling and head-aching, but it is with a light heart that I write this post.  You see, I received some very exciting news last week, and it's time to share it!

I HAVE A PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR!  Finally!  And it feels so good.

During my freshman year of college, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.  I was in this new place, with new people, discovering and defining who they are and what they believed.  There were students from all over the state, country, and world.  Different beliefs, different political opinions, different hobbies and interests.  It was fascinating.  I got involved in leadership on campus by being my hall's Living Area Council member.  I worked with my RA and each LAC member from my dorm to put on hall events and dorm events.  It was my first peek at what would later fuel my love for college.

UP Staff '08-'09

Sophomore year was my first year in Residence Life.  I was hired as a Resident Advisor.  My staff was incredible.  They supported me like no other group in which I'd ever found myself.  They showed me love, encouragement, and grace when I needed it most.  My second staff senior year was no different.  I cannot imagine a better way to have ended my undergraduate time than with those 9 other women by my side.  I was poured into by mentors and peers, and was tugged at and shaped and developed.

Adams Staff '10-'11

That second year in college was when I decided I want to be on a university campus even after graduation.  I wanted to take the love I'd received from my mentors, and be for future students what those mentors were for me.  I knew I wanted to work in student affairs.  So I had a goal, but no details worked out.

Once graduation rolled around, I wasn't ready for 2 more years of papers and studying quite yet.  On top of that, I had the travel itch again (after all, I'd been in the country for over 11 consecutive months). Naturally, I took off to work in Europe for a year.

Once I got here, I started doing my serious grad school research.  I found schools I was interested in all over the country--from Pennsylvania and North Carolina to Colorado to all up and down the West Coast.  By the time my research was done, I had my heart set on the College Student Services Administration program at Oregon State University in Corvallis.

It's not too far from home (at least compared to Los Angeles or Austria), it's in GORGEOUS Oregon, the school has so much Beaver Pride, and I wouldn't have to take out student loans to go there.  Sounds like a good recipe for me.

Photo from the OSU website

I finished my application weeks ahead of time and waited (very) impatiently for the first round of reviews, my Skype interview, and my final acceptance.

From OSU's photo blog

And I received my letter last Thursday!  So I'm in!  On top of that, I already have my first graduate assistantship offer.  I'm still walking on air.

From OSU's photo blog

So if you didn't come visit me in Austria this year, you can make it up to me by visiting Corvallis in the next 2 years!  Deal?

Grace and peace,
Hilary

Cheat sheet for life

I found this great list entitled "17 Ways to Make Your Life Easier."  When these tips become relevant to me, I'm sure I'll never be able to find the list again, so I'm going to share a few of the useful ones here a) so you can benefit from them, and b) so I can find them again when I need them!  For all 17 of them, click that link above.  I'm going to share my favorite ones here!

1. Pizza leftovers:
If you're not a weirdo like me who enjoys cold pizza, heat your pizza in a skillet on med-low instead of the microwave.  Then the crust stays crispy and no soggy pizza flop for you!

2. Expanding frosting:
I'm always scraping for the last bit of frosting in those cans when I'm trying to cover a cake, and I always wish I had just a little bit more (or maybe I need to lay off the spoonfools here and there while frosting).  If you put the frosting in a bowl and whip it with an electric mixer, you'll end up with about twice the volume of frosting.  And since you're adding so much air, you're eating less sugar and fat per bite (or your kids are, which could be even better news).

3. Reheating refrigerated bread products:
Throw a small cup of water in the microwave with pancakes, bread, or muffins.  It'll help them retain their moisture!

4. Mosquito fighter
Stick a dryer sheet in your pocket!  I'm dying to try this!

5. Un-cling your skirt:
To avoid static cling, attach a safety pin to the inside seam near the hem of a skirt, pants, shirt, or slip.

6. Preventing sticky measuring cups:
Rinse your measuring cups with hot water before filling them with peanut butter, honey, butter, or other sticky ingredients--they'll slip out more easily!

7. Foggy windshield:
Apparently, a chalkboard eraser will get rid of the foggy inside better than a towel!

8. Fruit flies:
Fill a cup with a half inch of apple cider vinegar and a couple drops of dishwashing liquid.  It'll attract the flies to their doom.

9. Pesky ants:
The answer to this sounds too simple.  Put cornmeal where you've seen them!  They'll take it home, eat it, and can't digest it, so it'll kill them.

10. Dryer:
Even though your lint trap is "cleaned" as often as you do a load, the residue from the waxy sheets stays on the mesh!  You can't see it, but pull out the lint trap and try to run water through it.  If the water pools on top, wash it with soap and a toothbrush or something to get rid if the gunk.  (You know how dryer sheets are kind of waxy when you put them in, and soft when they come out?  That's where the gunk comes from).  Keeping the lint trip clean will keep your heating element working for longer!

I hope these hacks make life easier!

Grace and peace,
Hilary

"Where you live shouldn't determine whether you live"

If your Facebook newsfeed hasn't been bombed with these link shares already, I would encourage you to watch this quick film.

I was really surprised to find out that a lot of the world doesn't know who Joseph Kony is.  If you don't know, he's been kidnapping children and turning them into soldiers and sex objects for more than 2 1/2 decades.

There's been a little bit of controversy since the film has gone viral, and I want to note that here as well, though I've not educated myself enough on this part of the topic to give more than the link to this blog post.

(UPDATE: When I woke up this morning, I had a message from my old roommate and several shares on Invisible Children's response to the above post.  Very interesting and answers a lot of questions.)

The way I see it, if we can at least make the world more aware of Kony, the #1 most wanted international criminal, that's at least a step in the right direction.


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With Africa on the mind and dreaming of making a difference in the world, I'm trying to spread awareness of The Belwop Project as well.  An alumni of my alma mater works on this project, and The Belwop Rescue Center has the chance to win $50,000.

The center currently provides food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and an education for 22 children in Nyeri, Kenya.  If they win the money, they can build a facility that will raise that number up to 100.

And here's the simple, no-excuse-not-to action you can take.  Click on THIS LINK RIGHT HERE, click "vote for this cause," and then click "log in with Facebook" or create your own username and password.  The entire process takes less than 15 seconds.  Then repeat it every day until the end of March.  Heck, if you're feeling extra generous, share it with your friends, and ask them to commit to voting every day as well.

Logging in with Facebook will NOT add you to any lists so you won't be getting any e-mails you don't want.  Promise.

This morning we were only 67 votes ahead of the 2nd place cause.  That gap is far too small for comfort.  If you like, I will personally send you a daily reminder to vote for them--I already do this for my mom and aunt.

Grace and peace to you from a hopeful heart,
Hilary

Zulu in Vienna, book cafe, and an Irish pub birthday

Bad, Hilary.  I told my grandmother I'd have a new post up last week.  I'm sorry Gran!  Please forgive me and don't cancel our July lunch date for that new Loleta cafe!

So, can someone please explain to me how it is March 7th already?  The last couple weeks were so wonderful.  The weather has been stunning.  Winter is retreating and spring is giving us glimpse of her sunshine.

Last week was warm enough to spend some time at the park.  The skies have been clear and blue.  In the sun, it's almost too warm in a jacket.  It's just so relaxing.

The girls of my church's young adults group had a little sleepover at the end of February.  That weekend was so incredibly energizing!  We cooked a delicious dinner, made friendship bracelets (because what else do you do at a girls' night?), and (my favorite part!) sang songs together.

The only picture taken at Girls' Night.  Once we got started, we forgot about the camera.

You see, one of the girls at the sleepover was from Cape Town, South Africa (for my SA semester friends, she knew Kalk Bay and we even talked about one of the fish and chip places on the water!).  She's a white African, and doesn't speak any of the tribal languages, but they were brought to my mind regardless.  Then I realized that Angel, our friend from Namibia might know the songs--and she did!

So I spent the evening singing Zulu praise songs, bringing me so vividly back to Esther House, the battered women's shelter I served at during study abroad.  Singing loud and strong, in this beautiful language, about a beautiful Creator...I could have cried from how happy I felt.

After church that weekend, we went to my new favorite spot in Vienna.  Phil is a cafe with book-lined walls, mis-matched old furniture, and old lamps hanging all over the ceiling.  We enjoyed some salad and toasted sandwiches with wine on the comfy sofa and lounge chairs, with great conversation and plenty of laughter.    I shall be returning there in the next few months.

I'll leave you with these last few pictures from Andrea's 24th birthday party at Molly Darcy's Irish Pub, where we went Saturday to listen to some FANTASTIC live music!

With Jessie, my American

The birthday girl

He was SO good!

Grace and peace,
Hilary