I'm on a new Journey and I'm liking it!

I arrived in Fairfield on Tuesday afternoon, earlier than planned, after driving through some beautiful country.  Those fantastically green rolling hills and brightest blue skies comforted my sacred heart.   

When I got into town, I stopped at 2nd Street Coffeehouse to have a London Fog - enjoyable place .  My Admissions Counselor called and had made arrangements for me for the night so I didn't have to spend any extra money on a motel room.  Thanks Sheer-el!!! 


I got all moved into my dorm and started the "orientation" process on Wednesday.  We had quite the busy schedule for the first few days...tiring, but I'm so glad they have this introduction and welcoming process because it helped to provide information that would not have otherwise been understood so quickly, while providing social opportunities as well.  I wish I would have taken a picture of the cafeteria during those first few days...it reminded us of HOGWARTS (except not so elaborate) since there are all these new student from all over the world joining together to get the same kind of education; lots of free-flowing energy and love; deep conversations and similar thought process.  It really is a beautiful place! Even a little magical  =)

There are a number of us from the February Visitor Weekend attending this Fall.  I think at least six of us - pretty cool to see familiar faces right from the start.  

February Visitors group (parents included)

To give you an idea of Hildenbrand Hall, where most of the female dorms are located...we have a phone room, an ironing room, TV room, a laundry room, study room, a regular-size refrigerator on each floor and a full kitchen in the basement.  Guys are not allowed in the halls or rooms, there is one lounge area they may spend time in while visiting one of the ladies.  There is a window A/C unit in each room,gas heating panels for the winter.  

If you are interested in a bit more about the student campus housing - go HERE 

Hildenbrand Hall

It became apparent that my room started inspiring others from the start when quite a few girls would stop by my open door, peek in, and go "ohhhhhhhh!  nice!!!"  I have moved so many times in my life that I have the ability to NEST pretty quickly.  It's my home, so I want it to feel like that all the time.  The first day, after I'd unloaded my stuff, the Hall Security woman totally pegged me as a work-a-holic.  Shucks!  Is it that obvious?  Well, yes.  I shall embrace that part of me....

Here are some pictures of my dorm room

bedroom

kitchen & creative arts area

changing area

study

I landed a work-study job pretty quickly and feel lucky about that.  I started training on Tuesday evening and will work two-hour shifts, three days a week.  My job is at the REC Center here on campus, which resembles the Family Sports Center in  Kerrville where I worked for two years when I was 21 years old.  My current job entails customer service (front desk), as well as organization and janitorial duties.  I'm happy I'll be meeting some new faces there! 


Homework is something I'm still struggling a bit with.  We have it every evening.  It's something I haven't done in many years.  But I do my best and try to do it early enough in the day that I can have some down time without having to worry about "work to do."
     


TRAINS!  yes...there are 70 trains that pass through Fairfield every day and night.  Sometimes they wake me up at night, but most of the time I sleep right through them.  

  Saturday morning I went to the Farmer's Market in the park.  Lovely veggies, baked goods, arts/crafts, raw foods, juices, and free kittens!  The walk was nice and the people were friendly.  I hope to make it down there before class on Saturday mornings  :)


Wednesday (tonight), I'm going to audition for a community play.  I'm having a lot of fun re-capturing all the things I let go of when I got into Emergency Medicine. 




I must end with sharing this last piece...I continue to be simply AMAZED about the ways God has been preparing me for this part of my journey.  I'm not surprised (because that's the way It works), but have so much gratitude that I can now see & partly understand what's been taking place.  The possibilities of my future are endless!!!

“It is good to have an end to journey towards; 

but it is the journey that matters, not the end.”

                                              ― Ursula K. LeGuin

Not much longer!

It's 5AM Tuesday morning while I write....  My body is sore from the eleven-hour day on the road yesterday and there is an abundant amount of excitement coursing through my veins.  
I'll take you back to DAY 1 of my move:  I rolled out of Austin about 1:30pm, ended up stopping in Round Rock to see my good friend, Jean, then hit the road for Dallas about 3:30p.  The going was slow for a while since I was getting used to pulling the 4x8 Uhaul trailer, plus all the Sunday evening traffic.  Arrived in the "Big D" about 7pm, secured my car at Rafael's, then headed to Kalachandji's for a fabulous dinner!  

courtyard at Kalachandji's 

The couch-surfing and company was great  :)
One unfortunate event occurred when I doused my iPod with water;  it hasn't worked since, but I'm hoping it will decided it wants to after having a day or two to dry out!


DAY 2:  getting out of Dallas was a bit more stressful Monday around 11am.  Luckily, I'd rested for a good ten hours - so I was fresh!  I unexpectedly made a personal detour from my expected route and ended up going through Denton.  See...I attended University of North Texas in 1994/5; still very young and not particularly enthused about attending college, I didn't do well there. Still, it was cool to see how the town had and had not changed.  I actually stopped at a Uhaul place there to get some help with my chains b/c they'd come off a number of times btwn since Austin.  Twice, some very nice people on I-35 alerted me that they were dragging.  After they were re-secured in Denton, I've had no problems since :)


So I traveled up the eastern side of Oklahoma where there are more trees and bodies of water than I imagined.  Sad though, it looks like Fall b/c of the drought and all the brush fires along the highways.  Still 105 degrees, I haven't reached cooler temps yet!  But the beautiful clear blue skies keep me inspired while I listened to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance on my Kindle (good thing my audiobooks are loaded on it since my iPod is out of commission).

As I made it to the Oklahoma/Missouri border, the sun began to set and the towns got smaller so I decided to start looking for a Motel 6 since I hadn't secured a couch for the night, nor were there anything but RV parks to camp in.  Apparently, this is Harry S. Truman area around here...I passed his birthplace in Lamar (Barton county), a coincidental reminder of Austin.  

Well, I never found a Motel 6 and I got past Kansas City in the dark - I was ready to stop for the night after 11 hours in the car!  The cheapest place in Liberty, MO was a Super 8 and that's where I sit now...


Looking forward to the day, but going back to bed for another nap first.  The note I posted in my car reminds me that The BEST is yet to Be 

Joplin, Missouri

P.S. Travel Tip: stop at the Visitor Center - Rest Stop at state borders for free maps!  

Peace Out! Austin

I'm headed out with a happy heart and a u-haul trailer loaded, ready to go!  Today, I'll leave Austin about 2pm, will stop in Dallas, have dinner and spend the night at a friend's place.  Then, I'm planning on Missouri (poss. Kansas City area) for some rest Monday night.  Tuesday, I'll be as close to Fairfield as possible so I can get up Wednesday morning to start meeting people, moving in my dorm room and registering for classes.  YaY!!!  Very excited to start my journey at Maharishi University in Fairfield, IA.

The past two months have certainly been instrumental in my personal growth.  I took part in 5 re-birthing sessions, moved, left my job of almost 12 years, spent time with many friends, and made it to all my favorite places around Austin.  

I even opened to a guy I've known for a few years - it didn't amount to anything, though my ego got a bit trampled on.

Important thing is that I stayed whole.  

Guys: women aren't the only ones who send mixed signals!  

I must say, that was all quite confusing.  Luckily, I no longer deal with a damaged sense of self.  I'm just glad we're able to continue our friendship.
So in the words of Paulo Coelho:

Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us. When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us. When we try to understand it, it leaves us feeling lost and confused

Speaking of friends again...I LOVE my Friends!  I have so many wonderful people in my life who are loving, kind, and supportive.  We've had a hard time with the "good-bye" - remember, I'm not severing any relationships, running or going away forever!

 I'm just going back to school :)  

It's been such a blessing to have an opportunity to visit with my "distant relatives" and many of my dearest friends - my world has literally exploded with the purest of Love.

*hugs & gratitude*

P.S. If you haven't already, please subscribe / "Follow by Email" in the top left corner if you'd like to hear about my upcoming adventures  :)