Back in a familiar neck of the woods

I started my day by going to my CPR class, but then I drove out to Goleta to meet someone for coffee. The trip, while seemingly simple, was quite eye opening. By being in Goleta, I am always overcome by all the memories from last year...before I had gone to Chile, after my crazy sophomore year, and while I was loving life living with my sister. I will never be able to walk into Costco, Albertsons, or even the laundry place without thinking of last year and how memorable it was. Gosh, I am just so thankful for all of those amazing memories.

But now time has passed. I have been to Chile and back again. I know more about the world. I know more about myself. I have new memories that are layered on top of the old ones and even though I am back in Santa Barbara, I am living a totally different live. I am downtown...without my sister...in new classes...close to graduation...etc etc etc. Life is funny like that. Even though I feel so different inside, I am, at the same time, the same person that I have always been. I think that I have been a little too hard on myself these past three months that I have been back. This is for many different reasons, which I will not go into detail about. But I have to keep reminding myself that after all the changes that I have been through...all the times that I have had to adapt to my surroundings no matter how difficult it was...I am always there to support my inner self. I have to always be strong to support myself because in the end, it is us against this world.

The last thing that I want to add is that I have come to the realization that thinking too much can easily breed sadness. Sometimes it helps to just not think too much...to not beat ourselves up about every little thing...to just veg out from time to time. I have to remember that. OK well the nostalgic smell of coffee beans mixed with smooth jazz has successfully overwhelmed me. Thus I shall retire with a nice cup of tea while I await my friend. My new friend. One amongst the many that I have already made within these three months of being back. Oh this life is unpredictable. With a positive attitude and a smile, I will continue to push forward and let myself be surprised by all the things I can discover. Chao!

I am a thinker. I want to learn about everything and be an educated member of society so that I have something to contribute to the common good. I am on the brink of becoming an actual 'adult' because I will be graduating for UCSB soon with a major & two minors. Life without school will be different because it is what I have known for the past 16 years of my life without pause! However, I can't wait to live for ME for a while and learn all that I have not had the opportunity to learn thus far.

I am currently trying to readjust to life in the states after my 6 month study abroad experience in Chile. While I was living in Santiago, I saw, felt, lived a plethora of experiences--many of which were the most challenging experiences of my life. I am convinced that over the last 6 months, I did things that not many people would be able to do. I thank God for the abilities he has bestowed in me. I also have my family and friends to thank for their unwavering support.

I am worried for and ever-vigilant of the generation that we are growing up in. There have been so many changes in our society due to the overwhelming and rapid advances of technology. I have seen enough futuristic movies to know that we are following in the footsteps that directors have laid out for us time & time again. I know that I can be dramatic with my thinking...but what I see is that we don't listen to each other as much anymore. We don't touch as much or look at each other as much. And often we don't appreciate the present moment enough. I feel like we are becoming a disconnected world. As Linda Stone says: "One's full attention will be the aphrodisiac of the future."

Awareness is the first step to being the positive change. I recommend the movie 'Idiocracy' if you want an eye-opener to what our society COULD become one day. So...get off the cell phone, take off the huge headphones, give people the respect they deserve, hold the door open for ladies, offer your seat to someone on the bus that is less able than yourself, don't tell lies, LISTEN instead of talking, and just be content to walk down the street with nothing but the sound of life to keep you entertained.

I Love Words!

will-o'-the-wisp (noun):

1 : a light that appears at night over marshy ground

*2 : a misleading or elusive goal or hope

*=Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence):

Example: Though her friends think she's chasing a will-o'-the-wisp, Alexis is determined to quit her job and follow her dream of becoming a pop music star.

Cool Facts: The will-o'-the-wisp is a flame-like phosphorescence caused by gases from decaying plants in marshy areas. In olden days, it was personified as "Will with the wisp," a sprite who carried a fleeting "wisp" of light. Foolish travelers were said to try to follow the light and were then led astray into the marsh. (An 18th-century fairy tale described Will as one "who bears the wispy fire to trail the swains among the mire.") The light was first known, and still also is, as "Ignis Fatuus," which in Latin means "foolish fire." Eventually, the name "will-o'-the-wisp" was extended to any impractical or unattainable goal.

Teachings of Jesus

Excerpt from Jaroslav Pelikan's "Jesus Through the Centuries":

"Asserting that not reason but faith was the foundation of "our most holy religion," he concluded with the argument that faith was itself the greatest miracle, and indeed the only miracle:

'On the whole, we may conclude that the Christian Religion not only was at first attended with miracles, but even at this day cannot be believed by any reasonable person without one. Mere reason is insufficient to convince us of its veracity: And whoever is moved by Faith to assent to it, is conscious of a continued miracle in his own person, which subverts all the principles of his understanding, and gives him a determination to believe that is most contrary to custom and experience.' " --David Hume

------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a world dominated by the importance of science, cold-hard facts, and reason, I find myself looking more enviously on those around me whose faith is strong enough to not be rumbled by the question of "evidence". I think that is what makes faith such a beautiful thing. It is the ability to believe in something unseen....to be certain of something without evidence....to commit yourself to a cause that you will never be 100% sure of but in your heart you know it will bring you divine happiness. My best friend Megan told me in Chile one morning which we were stretching together that she understands that she can live without religion in her life...people do it every day, and both she and them get up each morning and go to bed each night after a long day. But then she said to me: "I could live without it...but why would I? Doing everything with the love and support of Jesus makes it all so much more worthwhile."

I challenge you today to think about where you are with your own thoughts on faith in this very moment. I, personally, am still on the journey from naive believer to skeptical college student to theologically-educated adult. It's been a journey of almost 22 years, but I thank the lord that he has patience and that he has put such strong believers in my life to guide me through. If you read this and you want to share your thoughts with me, send me an email at roselinehan@umail.ucsb.edu. And have a blessed and enlightened day! :)

Pictures from my fun weekend

Leigh Anne, I am posting the last of the pics from this weekend on here because my email is so moody and keeps canceling the uploads. Enjoy!

My Last Weeks of School & Studies

A little photo montage of Rose's
last few weeks of school and
special study projects...

Yeah....I wrote a LOT of really long papers
while I was here...and in Spanish too. Craaazy.

The coolest school in the whole world

My mentor for my special study project with the Gastronomy class. This is Paola and she was my first friend at the school. She is also the school nurse and a completely amazing person. When I said goodbye to her, she put her hand on my heart and said that I have a good heart and would be blessed in my life for being such a caring person. What a lovely lady....

This is Mariela who teaches English and
speaks it like perfectly! We're gonna

hang out when I get back to Santiago
in December after my big trip!

Tomas who was one of the patients in
my study for Medical Anthropology

with his psychologist Patty
who I interviewed for the final paper

Me with Tomas and his mother
Paulina who works at the school

My goodness....that investigation was a lot of
work but it was also SUCH an opportunity. Wow.

Me and the occupational therapist Erick
who I worked with for the investigation
for the past 3 months!

Maria Jose, the other patient in the
study who was Blanca Nieves
at her Halloween party :)

One of my absolute proudest moments during my time in Chile...This is me with my teacher Michelle Sadler who taught me about a branch of Anthropology that I knew nothing about before: Medical Anthropology. As you can see, this was before I gave my 20 minute presentation about my investigation with the two kids at the school. It was all in Spanish. I am very proud of myself. Bring on the next challenges, Life. I am SO ready after all I have done in these 5 months.

Michelle is 2 months pregnant! We were all so happy for her when she told us the news. I love this picture because she said she was going to hold her guatita and I said: oh ok I'll hold mine too. My Chilean guatita. haha Guata means stomach...guaton is pot-belly...guatita is a little something extra. Not gonna lie...knowledge is not the only thing I have gained while I've been in Chile. haha Come back to me Santa Barbara!!

After my successful presentation...another moment of victory that I had to capture. Little by little, I am closing all of my chapters in Santiago...getting everything done. Now I only have one more test for my bioarcheology class and then I am finally free. I LOVE victories...especially after how hard I have pushed myself during my time here. Rock star material. hehe

SUCH a feeling of relief! After this, I took my favorite walk to the bus from the school. Every time I have made that walk, I have always felt so accomplished... whether it was just for attending a class with all Chilean students and remaining poised through it all OR turning in my 15 page bioarchaeology research paper OR doing a 20 minute presentation in front of my classmates. I will feel this same feeling tomorrow when I make the walk for the last time.

Wish me luck. I am going to go study. With hard work comes great rewards. I have to remember that. Lord give me strength. I love you guys so much!!! See you December 28th!

This made me smile...

Thanks for the entertaining email, Dad :) Proof that all Linehan's--and not just me--are goofballs:

Howdy Young Lady,

Fun Day in Dog City.

"Hot Dog's" were not on the picnic menu.

No "Collar'a outbreaks" observed.

Ma and "Paw" had a great day.

Mom and Dad