Friday Nights

It's Friday night. Sabbath day for most of us. I mean, it's rest and recreation day. The Div school is encouraging students to go to the State Fair. My friend is having a pizza dinner at his place. There's an opening party at the Dillo patio. Where did I go? To the Dillo Patio. Everybody else went as a group to those other activities but I went alone to the Dillo Patio. Why? Well, the state fair requires one to buy a ticket to be able to enter the fair. I don't have the money to buy a ticket, so can't go there. The dinner was supposed to be a potluck or bring a donation (monetary or food). Again, I don't have money and I don't have any food to bring, so can't go there. The Dillo? They were having a grand opening and so food was free. Now, that's something I can do. Just show up and have free food. The free food lasted only till 8pm so that's a plus for me. That means, I won't have to stay late. See, not everything is bad. God's grace is always abundant. God always has better plans for me... a free dinner and an extra time to relax... that's my kind of Friday night.

International Luncheon Meet

All the international students in the Divinity School and the Religion Department gathered for a fellowship lunch today. I was hoping that it would be an organizational meeting for an international students group but no one raised it. However, we had a great time just meeting new friends, having fellowship with each other and learning more from each other. Some of the students voiced out their concerns, problems and joys since we came in here. I was particularly touched by Beth's testimony on her struggle to reach out and help other international students without offending them. I understand how difficult it is to try to help someone without sounding so invasive and demeaning to the other person. I could also relate to Sam's story about delayed scholarships. It has always and is continuously happening to me. Like for me, I have been expecting since last month that my Methodist scholarship will arrive but have not even until now. So, basically students like us who rely on scholarship for our daily expenses have no money to buy food. I don't know how I am able to survive this situation for the last two months, I think only by God's grace. But I guess it was Judy's words that best say how international students feel alienated here. It also describes how lonely it could be for international students to be away from home. She said, "it is not in being by myself in my room that I feel lonely, actually that is where I find solace... but it is being amongst all the other students here in the school that i feel most alone."