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isaac . the blog
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meet my friends
read my archives
mail me at iphillips@gmail.com
eat my RSS/XML.
see myspace
I want to...
G E T O U T O F T H E U S A.Everyone talks to me about nice places:
1. My dad is in Mexico for the fourth or fifth time in a few months...
2. Diego is going to have breakfast in Sanborns ... (so jealous)
3. Flavie is enjoying a four day weekend in Paris - I love Paris in May.
4. etc
5. etc
I'm in class at 8am... It's raining in Denver
Update on Life
I got in from Maryland last night. The trip was supposed to be a week, but I ended up staying a few more days to finish the project. Besides the video we made, I also created the website for Speak New Words.I'll be home for the next six days before I'm off to Paris, Nîmes, and Barcelona. I have to prepare some stuff for the FIABCI Congress and build Speak New Words advertisements for YouTube. It'll be a busy week.
A few days ago I called the American University of Beirut about my application status. I had some communication problems with the front desk: the secretary apparently only broken English. Fortunately, her French was a little bit better, and she eventually connected me to the admissions office. The person who I spoke to in admissions informed me that transfer students aren't accepted before June ... another month of waiting. I also need to find the way to get this semester's transcript to Beirut as soon as possible. Even though the university is technically American, I'm becoming afraid that they don't get a lot of transfer students.
I'm still not sure what God is saying about next year. Back in December, I felt that God was leading me to AUB in Lebanon, but now I'm a little bit more confused. Two weeks ago, when I was in Mexico, I visited Ibero, a prominent university. My brother, sister-in-law, and I have been discussing moving to Mexico. I would go to school, and Joel, Jenn, and I would work with a church down there as well as work on some real estate ventures. The idea sounds great ... But I still can't figure out what God is saying.
I finally finished Che Guevara's travel diary in the plane yesterday. There's something about his spirit of freedom and compassion that inspires me. Even though he was from an upper middle class family, he learned to love the common people of South America. As he experienced poverty, hunger, and cold, he began to change. Something inside of me desires to get out and write my own 'motorcycle diary'. Maybe I wouldn't buy a motorcycle, but I'd at least spend a year or two traveling on a microscopic budget. (Oh wait... that's what I did last year in Paris, isn't it?) Do we all have a desire to go out and experience the bigger world?
At the end of the book there is a quote where Che says:
Through special circumstances, and perhaps also because of my character, after receiving my degree I began to travel through Latin America, and I came to know it intimately.
I don't know why - whether it's because of my personality or because of the way I was brought up or because of something God has put in me - but I have a desire to go and know some place intimately. What's ironic, is that this was supposed to happen last year in Paris. I went there to have an experience with God and to learn a culture and language intimately. But the desire is back.
When I heard God speak to me in December, he told me that there was something important that was going to happen to me Lebanon. I keep thinking of Che Guevara ... Maybe there's going to some life-defining moment that's supposed to happen to me there.
Sorry if that didn't make sense. I just felt like talking about what I've thinking about lately.
cheers!
Maryland Again
I'm in Maryland again, working for the ASF. I just got in last night, after a marathon of papers and finals. The semester technically ends Friday, but with the exception of a few essays, I'm finished. :D Miraculously, I have managed to get good grades despite my travels and my often busy schedule. Thnx for your help, God. :)God is trying to work some stuff in my life, and I finally starting to hear his voice. The last few months have been difficult for me, and I've probably made some bad decisions, yet God's grace is astounding me yet again. I don't know how he manages to use my situation for the good of those who believes, but he seems to do it so often. I often wonder if God will soon get tired of my excuses and antics, but his grace seems to be never-ending, and his lovingkindness new every morning.
I have a lot of big decisions coming up over the next few months. I'd appreciate anyone's prayers. Pray that I will be able to hear him clearly and that I will have the strength to follow him. It appears God may be leading in some unexpected ways, but perhaps that's the way he likes to do it. haha... It seems to be true in my life.
Next week I'll go back to Frisco, Colorado for about ten days, and then I'm off to Paris and Barcelona for a few weeks. I'll be in Barca for the FIABCI congress. I've never been to Spain, so I'm excited to explore a new city. Miriam will be there and hopefully will have time to show me around a bit. Anyone else want to meet up?
I'm going to bed, and I won't take the time to proofread. Plz excuse my typos and rambling. ;)
( ( The Teenagers ) )
Cruz Verde
Last week we stayed at the Prats 's house in Magdalena Contreras. It's near Vista Hermosa, the house I lived in as a child. I don't remember the streets well, but since my brother, Joel was there, we took an afternoon to walk around the old streets. Vista Hermosa is on the street Cruz Verde. In the picture above, I'm walking up the (very steep) Cruz Verde. On a clear day when there's not much pollution, you can see downtown Mexico City from there.
Cruz Verde seems to have changed a lot. It's more modern, and there are more privadas - or private neighborhoods. Vista Hermosa is destroyed, and in its place are five apartments. I spoke with the gatekeeper, who assures me he sees my dog Joya's ghost at night. Joya died from rat poison when I was four or five years old. What freaked me out was that he knew exactly where she was buried.
I'm back home for the week ... It's finals. My last class ends at 15h30 next Tuesday, and I'll fly out to Maryland at 18h30 to work for Speak*New*Words* for a week. I'll come back for a week and then will leave for Paris/Barcelone on the 17th of May. Should be a busy month!
In other news, I'm worth 6 921 200€. haha...
Je vaux 6 921 200 € sur HumainAVendre.com, et vous ?
Life in Colorado
I'm back in Colorado for at least the next few weeks. I was in BMore, Maryland this weekend for my aunt's fiftieth birthday party. Pics will be posted as soon as I find someone's camera.
Colorado is good. The snow is melting quickly, but the skiing is still good. The Outback at Keystone was excellent this morning. There was probably six inches of fresh in North Bowl. :D Since it's snowing hard right now, I'm hoping that the ski season is far from over.
My mum is still in Maryland, so my dad and I are trying to survive and keep nourished. Since we're both busy, neither of us have ventured out to buy groceries. Tonight's nourishments included Nutella ... which was a staple for me when I lived in France. I'd forgotten how delicious it is. :D
( I think this was a futile attempt to avoid homework ... )
( ( Listening to : Release by Timbaland and JT ... I'm out of control ) )
Working with the ASF
I just got back from ten days volunteering with the American Students Fund in Baltimore. Above, you can see LJ and Amanda - two people I worked with.
ASF is a character education program that encourages young people to exhibit good character. I worked mostly in a school called Dunbar, in inner city Baltimore. We launched the TSS-13 initiative, which stands for 'Think ... Speak ... Stand for the School's Thirteen Character Traits". The student body has chosen thirteen different core values they want to focus on. After a student assembly, the students began to start each class with a three minute focus on character. They talk about why they feel the trait is important, and how to show character practically.
Above are two students (some what dip-set, no?) presenting respect. They had written a poem/rap about practical respect. My role was largely technical. I worked on video, and filmed the student assembly and some of the student presentations. I also spent a lot of time sprucing up the website.
I stayed with my family in Maryland, so I got to spend a lot of time with my cousins, my grandma, my aunt, and uncle. It was a fun ten days, but I'm glad to be back in Colorado. In the last three weeks, I have slept two nights in my bed ... And I've only been to two classes. Anyway ... I should probably start catching up on homework. ;)
Why I haven't Posted
I haven't been blogging much this week, but that's because I've been so busy. In company of the most diverse group of people imaginable, I've spent the last five nights in five different beds, and slept in three different cities.In Maryland, I'm working with the ASF in some urban schools. We're promiting character education in highschools. I'm filming and helping out in any way I can. The program is fascinating, and it is giving me a chance to experience a part of American culture that I've never been a part of. I've only been here one day, and already I can see it will be fun.
Here's what my life has looked like over the last few days:
Friday:
15h00 Lunch with Monica Lemus in Polanco
20h00 Dinner with the Casaubons in Santa Fe. They're a Mexican family from French descent.
23h30 Blank with Natalie Casauban in Bosques de las Lomas ...
4h00 Go to bed chew Casauban
Saturday
12h00 Meet at the Prats' house in Tlalpan for a Pueblo de Fe reunion after a tasty breakfast with the Casaubans ... It was surreal to speak French in a plush Mexican garden.
22h30 Meet my best friend from Elementary school - Diego Casas Galindo - for dinner in San Angel ...
4h30 Fall asleep at Diego's house in Herradura
Sunday
10h00 Hang out with Diego and his family ...
18h30 Pick up Cristina and head south ...
19h30 Meet Sofia (a friend from Paris) at Starbucks on Altavista, the Mexican equivalent of Rodeo Drive.
20h30 Go bowling with the Prats in Tlalpan
2h00 Finally go to sleep in Tlalpan after a movie and packing
Monday
7h00 Leave for the airport.
13h00 Arrive in Houston's airport and eat at Papidoux ... mm .. Cajun food. :D
18h00 Arrive in Denver
21h15 Go with Ben to lunch in Breckenridge.
0h00 Starting doing homework and packing.
3h00 Go to bed in Frisco
Tuesday
8h45 Stop by Brianna's house to chat
9h30 Calculus Class
12h00 Lunch with calculus buddies ... while writing a speech
13h00 Speech class ... while finishing the speech
14h00 Give speech, say thanks and run out the door to airport
17h25 Flight out of Denver (again)
21h00 Talk Mexican real estate with a pilot in Chicago
00h25 Arrive in Baltimore, Maryland
2h00 Go to bed in Baltimore
Wednesday
7h30 Wake up and get ready to go to work with the ASF at Dunbar highschool.
In the mood to travel
To take a walk through Covent Gardens with ChrisOr maybe to go north to Leicester to visit Dan and Rach
We would play guitar and probably visit all their crazy cousins
To walk by the Seine with Flavie and then sit in Luxumburg and talk
I'd wander up to Clichy and have dinner with Beair on his patio
We'd talk and pray, and look at Sacré Coeur as the sun sets
To take a boat with Leanne and Noraly through Amsterdam
Then we'd go out to eat anything but dutch food
I'd stop by Rotterdam and have a drink with Carla
To go south to Monterrey to have un cafe with Luly
Or maybe we'd go out en antro
We'd laugh about the tech and talk about family
I'd keep on going south and watch a movie with Diego
Guadalajara! Home of mariachi and many tequilas ...
K haremos diego? lo k tu kieres.
To walk through Alameda in Mexico City
I'd play video games with Chris and laugh with Michelle
Maybe we'd go to la hacienda antigua and eat chilequiles
To see the Château in Saint Germain en Laye
To play the guitar in the park with Pierre-Elie
and to smoke a chicha with Justine aux champs
To see the sky rises of Hong Kong
To eat a hotpot with Maggie and Richard
We'd take pictures in weird poses and make cheesy smiles
Je veux aller à belleville aussi
Jouer la guitare avec Pierre-Nicolas
et nettoyer un peu avec Anne Sylvie
Y por ir a España ... a sevilla y barcelona
Hablar con Jonas y ir a la playa con miriam.
si porque no voy a españa?
Or maybe to promenade down the promenade
Santa Monica, Jenn! what do you think?
We'd talk about Jonny and laugh at how we've changed
hmm... I want to go on a trip
Labels: travel
Home Again
I'm home now ... It's 4h36, and I've unpacked, walked my dog, and now I'm going to bed.
Paris: le retour
I've been in the Paris area since yesterday afternoon. The experience is a bit surreal. Sometimes I forget that I ever left: walking into Starbucks at Odéon seems like it's normal. Other things remind me of that I no longer live here. As I walked through the sixth this afternoon, I kind of wanted to go back to the Alliance Française were I went to school last year, but I knew it wasn't worth it. Walking into the caféteria would have been disappointing - I don't know anyone anymore.Everyone I see asks me what I'm doing in Paris. I'm not quite sure what to answer. Our purpose in Paris is a bit of a mystery to be honest. God clearly brought us ... He supernaturally provided the finances and the support for us, and we feel like it's important to spend time in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, but specific goals are not defined. I guess the most important thing is that we find out from God what the next step is.
When Immanuel Fellowship had a large team of twenty people here last May, it was easy to define our objectives. Even if little else happened, the whole church was invisioned and Saint-Germain was covered in prayer. Also, everyone covered their own expenses, so cost was little. This trip is different. The church is paying, and everyone has more concrete expectations ... Please keep us in your prayers.
anyway... i have to meet a friend in a little bit. plz pardon any spelling errors - i'm on a french keyboard.
ciao
12 hours
I leave for Paris in less than twelve hours. I need to:- Eat with my friends, and have housechurch
- Finish a website (including a bunch of php confusion!)
- Pack
- Finish getting some gifts
- Walk Joby, my dog ... and find someone to take care of him for the next ten days
- Sleep a little bit...
