Pre-Field Orientation and Building the RAFTs

It's 8:36am in O'Hare Chicago Airport (layovers are the best time to blog), and I've been awake since July 7th. It's not that I haven't closed my eyes for a 7 or 8 hours each night: it's that I haven't really slept. I've been moving from one thing to the next all summer long, and the blur of activity has meant less processing. Well, this is me processing! I should have made a post after the Pre-Field Orientation in Houghton, NY, so let's cover that first.

Because PFO was three weeks ago and I've had many thoughts since then, I'm just going to share with you the self-report we were asked to make to explain what we learned from the conference. 

1. Before PFO, I was concerned mostly with checking boxes, both literal and figurative. I applied for a visa, packed my things, and gathered information for unit/lesson-planning. I hadn't considered how I would be changing in the coming months of transition. In my mind, I was preparing the only things in my life that would change. I didn't realize that I am giving up a sense of being fully "at home" by leaving for Taiwan. I'm giving up being within driving distance of most of my family. To be clear, that knowledge changes nothing about my calling. Christ has called me to go to Taiwan, and I'm following that call. However, I'm realizing the need to take care of my heart and mind, to prepare myself to lean on Christ more than I ever have before, to be purified by the fires of transition and my faith refined as a result. I may be losing the ability to crash at my grandmother's house for a coffee, but I will be gaining a new community. I may be leaving the life I've known, but I'm going to be in a new stage that God has called me to go through. I can already tell it's going to hurt, but I know it's going to be good. God has a purpose for Candace Brown in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and I'm going to seek it out.

2. Secondly, PFO has given me insight into the TCK ("Third Culture Kid": a child who is growing up in a different culture than their parents' passport culture, thus not feeling a sense of belonging in either culture). I feel that I can better understand a third culture kid because of the struggles shared by the TCKs during the panel and the introduction to the shortcomings and strengths of TCKs. It didn't really occur to me how difficult it is for Taiwanese students who come to Morrison to adjust to either the school or adjust back to their home environments. For example, I knew that students might be Christians while their parents are not, but I hadn't considered that the way I may expect students to interact with me in class might be outside of their expected roles as sons and daughters. I now understand that each of my students will be coming from different backgrounds, different passport cultures, and different experiences, and they may be going through different stages of grief with different worldviews (even as MKs). Knowing that prepares me to differentiate in how I relate to each student, not just in how I teach but how I connect to them as individuals.

3. The last issue that has impacted me in PFO is Christian schooling. Before I came to PFO, I had preconceived notions of what makes a Christian school. As a public school graduate with student teaching experience in public schools only, I only knew what Christian schools in Arkansas looked like to the community. I was worried that I wouldn’t know how to integrate curriculum Biblically.  Now, I have a more clear picture of what I can do so that the curriculum becomes an opportunity to teach a Biblical worldview rather than a hindrance from it.

Aaaaand now for the pictures! Believe me, I've trimmed down on the many dozens of photos we took over the 2 weeks of the conference. Under each picture, I've shared a quote from each person pictured (we called this my "quote book" and people would ask me to write down the funny things that were said while I wasn't around):

PFO Memories

Quotes from Ben LaPiana (left) and James Taylor (right):


"Since I got married, I do eat less off the floor."

"A true friend would recognize him by his legs."-Ben, speaking of James playing in the worship band.

"There are other preventative measures. I have two years of knowledge."

"What bodacious hair you have."

(Kelly, Ben's wonderful wife, managed to escape the week unscathed by saying no funny quotes!)

Quotes for Julie, a teacher from Georgia at Taipei campus:

"When you're Asian, you can be racist to yourself."

"God can fly!"-Julie, during the hilarious Codename game.

*chinese speakers sing *haha** "What's 'haha'?"-Nick. "Tt means... haha."-Julie

*walking in the road in canada* Julie, I don't want you to die!"-Sarai. "If I die, I die in CANADA."-Julie, with *double fist pump*

I don't have a quote for her, but here's Esther (right)! She's an incredible Mandarin Chinese teacher and was highly encouraging as I mumbled through "Where is the bathroom?" for two weeks straight.

Quotes for Frances (to the left of me):

"Asians and math; it's a serious business."

"I just eat grass."-Frances, about her salad habits.

(Frances called herself my #1 Fan: she's the best)

Quotes for Nick, a teacher going to China whom we adopted into our Morrison group picture(see end of PFO section):

"Oh my gosh. That's an UGLY face."-Nick, looking at Julie doing the face in the picture above.

"I need a man buddy, not like a women buddy. I need a muddy."

"Relationships that work? That's a gift."

Quotes from Sarai, a TCK teacher going to China:

"Julie! What are you?! Delinquent?!"

"I work best under pressure.-Nick. "Everyone works best under pressure because they have no choice."-Sarai

"I fear for her life in the mornings. When she wakes up, she stumbles down the hall like a one-legged pirate."

I only have one quote from Caryanne, a TCK teaching in the UAE:

"People in my program were always complaining about writing 1-2 page papers. You can SNEEZE and a 1-2 page paper comes out."

I have only two quotes from Caitlyn, a TCK whose parents are missionaries in China (she knows how to constantly affirm and be kind to all):

*Caitlyn orders an erin condren planner, and upon seeing it, says this: "This is what love is like."

"Goats can be attractive."

(Caitlyn is on the far right in this polaroid picture)

Again, only two quotes for Mckenzie (working in the Resource Center at MAK) who was my roommate at the conference and, as of last week, is married to James(congrats!):

"You're gonna get cooties."-me. "... I have them. They are here."-Machenzie

"You think you're ugly, but you're cute."-Mckenzie, reassuring James.

(Obviously, Mckenzie doesn't say as many ridiculous things because she has a quiet spirit... and then there's James)

 James, another teacher at MAK:
"You could pick your teeth with that."

"Pants are fun."

"My middle name's diggity dog."

"Saraiously?!?"-James, talking to our friend, Sarai.

"I always find it unfortunate that the first 3 letters of funeral are fun."

"Take a sparkler, Frances. Welcome to the nation of freedom."-James (Frances is Canadian).

"There's no such thing as one-too-many Canadian jokes."

"Hey guys! Let's throw around a plastic UFO."

"Which is your favorite party?"-Tim, our superintendent. "Birthday party."-James

Sadly, my copy of our group photo is a bit blurry, but the other new hires that I haven't mentioned yet are Josh and his Yunna, Stephanie and Gary Lee, Judson and Debbie Kadow, and all the kids of all the above!   

         

This is Josh (middle) and Gary (left) with a few of their kids participating in the Dad Contest during the talent show!

Here's another picture from the improv skit during the talent show. I regret that I never did improv in college; it's a blast!

Here's a picture (originally taken at the local ice cream shop) of us in an upscale Mexican restaurant. Ben is excellent at PhotoShop.

We played loads of Rumi Cub!

Oh, did I mention we went to Niagara Falls?

I'm so pumped to see these people again soon!

My wonderful Floridian friend, Nicole! 

A group of future servants of Christian schools on our last night together (8 of these are new hires at Morrison- note: I'm on the back row because I will be a giant in Taiwan)

Alright, now for the sappy stuff.

It's been difficult to say goodbye to friends and family, but that difficulty is made easier by another thing I learned at PFO: the concept of "RAFT-building." 

Reconciliation
Affirmation
Farewell
Think Destination

I went through and attempted to have lunch or dinner with close friends and family in my area (other than a friend who drove up from Conway to have lunch with me and me getting a haircut just to see my favorite hair stylist and hug her neck). At every meal, I asked forgiveness if there was a wrong committed, affirmed the things I love about them and the character of Christ in them, said goodbye (with lots of hugs and tears), and answered any questions they had about my destination, Taiwan!

My wonderful and thoughtful mother! She had many of our family and friends write notes of encouragement that she stuck into the back of this teddy bear for me to read! Can you tell we've been bawling?

My "little" brother, Connor, and my sister, Brittany, on Facetime!

My best friend from childhood on: THE Hailey Bean! 

My dad, who is coming to visit me in October! Thanks for all the advice and traveling tips and love and edification and much more, Dad!

On a normal night in the Brown house, we read from a devotional book after dinner. This was a necessary piece to my last night in Arkansas!

My lovely cousins, Gracie and Audrey: y'all are the best and I'll see you in December!

My wise and lively Grandad! He gave me many blessings and the pleasure of a long lunch with him. He went to Taiwan on business once! My wonderful grandmother also took me to lunch, but I forgot to take a picture during ours! Love you, Manna!

My sister and I trying out this cool camera lense add-on for my phone. I went to visit her in Nashville,  TN, two weeks ago, and she came down to visit me in Rogers last weekend too!

I'm pretty emotionally drained right now, but I wanted to get this down before my flight to Hong Kong:

I am blessed to have such prayer warriors interceding for me and many loving hands ready to hold me tight when I come back to visit. I'm anxious to be in Kaohsiung soon, and I am so thankful that I could spend my last weeks in the US sharing time with so many friends and family (and I'm so sorry that I couldn't see every one of you)!

To wrap this up, let me pray that John 15:3-5 would become more and more real to you and to me as I go through what I learned is called "transitioning" into this new phase of life. 

Lord, may I abide in you. I pray that I am unable to do anything without you and that I lean on you for my strength and hope and the fruit that can only come from your renewal of my heart. I love you, Lord. Amen.