The Past

It is fun being reflective and visiting moments from your past.  I tend to do this by looking at pictures, telling or hearing stories, or revisiting music or books.  What I love about books or different mediums of the written word, including music, is that I associate literature and music with time periods of my life, specific people, emotions, or events.  I stumbled upon the final chapter of A. A. Milne's book, The House at Pooh Corner, and it made reflect on growing up, my current life position, and on my past.

I don't want to write more than I have to, but I recommend that anyone with a sentimental heart and an appreciation for good writing reads the chapter linked above.  It is truly moving, remarkable writing, and as I read it now it carries so much more weight than my five-year-old self understood when it was read to me when I was younger.

The transitional periods of our lives, whether they are after or between school(ing); before, after, or between jobs; after retirement, and so on, are truly monumental moments and beautiful times in our lives.

Life is a journey.  I have always loved the analogy of comparing stages of life to "chapters."  People come and go, things change, but it all happens for a reason and it is all beautiful.  It is important to sometimes do nothing and to digest and reflect on life and on everything that surrounds us.

I find the following sentiments beautifully put by Christopher Robin in A. A. Milne's The House at Pooh Corner :

"...but what I like doing best is Nothing."

"How do you do  Nothing?"  asked  Pooh,  after  he  had

wondered for a long time.

"Well,  it's when people call out at you just as you're

going off to do it 'What  are  you  going  to  do,  Christopher

Robin?' and you say 'Oh, nothing,' and then you go and do it."

At this point in the story, Pooh and Christopher Robin proceed to explore the forest they are entering, symbolic of the unknown, and have conversations that symbolize Christopher Robin growing up, growing interested in the external world or the "real" world that surrounds him, transitioning out of young adolescence, no longer needing the comfort of his stuff animals, and entering a world where creativity is sometimes stifled. Christopher acknowledges his coming-of-age and states to Pooh:

Things change, but there is beauty in it all.  Life wouldn't be worth it if things always stayed the same.

Embracing new, unique experiences, but hold fondly the memories of your past.

Past few Weeks

I feel SO neglectful for not having posted in a while.  Life has been busy and amazing and there is a lot to share including some BIG news...

In my last entry I stated that my next would be an answer to the following two questions:

#1: What do you really want to get out of life?

#2: What can you offer the world that no one else can?

I am going to use my artistic license to postpone this answer because I arrived home in Pennsylvania from an amazing road trip on February 18th and so many big things have happened in the past two weeks that I need to write about!

The road trip my friend Justice and I took was phenomenal and so many great things happened on the trip. On our first day, Friday, February 10th we made stops in Charleston, West Virginia, where we saw the Capitol building and scored loads of free food at a college fair that was occurring; Lexington, Kentucky, where we checked out the city, read up on some horse-racing history, and ate at a great burger joint with amazing service, Sawyers Downtown; and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where we caught up with my friend Ryan who is stationed there until his service in the army is done in September.  

On the second day, Ryan, Justice, and I drove to Nashville, Tennessee, and spent the day and night there. We checked out the Capitol building, a Tennessee war history museum, and Music Row.  We had a great night going out on Music Row, hearing different bands and DJs play; and meeting up and going out with three of Ryan's friends from the army.

On Sunday, the 12th, we made a stop in Birmingham, Alabama, where we got some amazing soul food at Mrs. B's on Forth and experienced true southern hospitality, and then headed towards our final destination, New Orleans, Louisiana.  (Below: Meatloaf, Macaroni, Candied Yams, Corn bread, and Sweet Tea from Mrs. B's.)

New Orleans is where the true magic happened and where I learned of some awesome and exciting news that I will share in a moment.  The city is unique and unlike any other American city; it truly does seem to have some sort of mysticism and magic about it.  I loved the French/Spanish architecture, the cajun and creole food, and the music lacing through every street. I could write for hours about the beauty of New Orleans and my experiences there, but the purpose of this entry is really to share some news and a story about how the news I have to share came to fruition.

On Wednesday, February 15th, Justice and I took a trolly ride up to the Garden District of New Orleans.  There we checked out Audubon Park, Tulane University, and Loyala University. While on the two college campuses, we walked around checking different buildings out, grabbed a bite to eat, and thanks to Justice's gift of gab, talked to many, many strangers.  One person in particular named Madelyn, was playing her guitar on a hill on Loyola's campus.  Justice and I sat and listened to her play a great original song and we then chatted with her about the university, the city, and the powerful energy about it all.  We had an insightful conversation about interacting with people and music, but some conversation points that affected me the most dealt with the "magical" qualities of the New Orleans.  Justice and I had only been in New Orleans for 4 days at this point and it had truly sucked us in.  Madelyn agreed that it is a unique city with so much to offer and that it, as she explained, seems to be run and dictated by fate and destiny.  She stated that in New Orleans, you always seem to "be at the right place at the right time and meet the right people at the right time." It is hard to me to put this experience into words and to explain what I felt, but something inside me understood the magnitude of what she was saying.

Here is where I take a break in the story to explain some other relevant details, which will make what happened after Justice and I parted ways with Madelyn seem so amazing, and has confirmed for me the power of the inner voice within myself, or my intuition.  

Before leaving for New Orleans, I found an advertisement for a teaching opportunity in China through an organization called China Project Hope.  I sent them my resume and cover letter and heard back from them asking for a laundry list of material to send them including an application form that I was sent to complete.  I called the Chief Operations Officer, Dr. Johnson, and asked for clarifications about some things because I had to send my material within 48 hours to be considered for the job in time.  Dr. Johnson told me once they received all of my material (via e-mail) they would review it and call me back within a day or two to set up a Skype interview if I was qualified/considered a good candidate.  I sent my material in on February 7th. I really wanted this to happen.  I left for New Orleans on February 10th.  I hadn't heard back from Dr. Johnson yet.  Disappointed, I let it go.    

Flash back to New Orleans, Wednesday, February 15th.  Justice and I say goodbye to Madelyn and thank her for her music and for sharing her deep thoughts.  We begin to walk away from Tulane and Loyola university, which are connected, and we head towards downtown New Orleans.  Something inside myself cannot go ignored.  The conversation with Madelyn about something higher being at work seemed to have unlocked something within myself, and for some reason I was being told to call Dr. Johnson.  I distinctly remember this feeling and saying to Justice, "I just had an intuition that I need to call Dr. Johnson."  I didn't ignore this intuition, and I grabbed my phone from my pocket and made the phone call.  Dr. Johnson answered and I greeted him stating, "Hey Dr. Johnson, it's Dave Brown, I was just calling you to see if you've reviewed my application or if you have moved on with the application process."  He sounded excited to hear from me, but told me he hadn't ever received my application.  I was confused.  I told him that I had sent it to the same e-mail address that he had sent me my application packet from.   That's when he realized the mix-up.  On the application, a different e-mail address was listed as the address to send my completed application, transcripts, reference letters, passport photocopy, and pictures of myself to.  He checked his other e-mail address and he did indeed have it.  What he then told me blew my mind.  "I am glad you called, our final review of all applicant is taking place in 40 minutes.  We will review your application at the meeting and call you back later if we'd like to set up a Skype interview."

40 minutes.  If Justice and I had not taken the trolly, had not checked out Tulane and Loyola, had not initiated conversations with strangers, had not talked to Madelyn, then I do not think I would have had the intuition to call Dr. Johnson.  I began to realize the weight of what Madelyn said about being at the right place at the right time.  Fate or something higher seemed to be at work here.

But it gets better.

I expressed my excitement to Dr. Johnson and was really relieved to hear that I was not counted out yet.  I told him that I was on vacation and unable to check my e-mail, so another reason I was calling was to make sure he had not contacted me through e-mail.  He asked where I was and I told him New Orleans, to which he stated, "Oh! New Orleans!  That place will suck you in, what an amazing city."  I exclaimed that I loved it and he said he did too and told me that he had lived there for 6 years.  "Awesome!" I replied.  "Yes it was a great time, I studied at Tulane University; really enjoyed it" he said. 

I looked at Justice with wonderment and amazement in my eyes, I then looked behind me and saw Tulane University, only a football-filed length away.  "I am at Tulane University right now!" I said bewildered.  Being at the right place at the right time REALLY made sense now.  Dr. Johnson and I wrapped up our conversation and he told me he would call me later to set up a Skype interview if they were satisfied with my application material.

I was beaming, so much so that I asked Justice to take a picture of me to preserve this moment:

Later that evening when Justice and I were back in New Orleans, we were walking and I was saying to him that I had a really good feeling about China Project Hope and that I thought I would get an interview.  While stating this, hands in my pockets, my phone began to buzz.  I puled out my phone and on the display screen it read "Dr. Johnson."  Justice said "are you kidding me?!"  The coincidences continued.  Needless to say, Dr. Johnson told me they would like to set up an interview.  That interview occurred on Sunday, February 19th, and I am now GOING TO CHINA!  I leave on March 20th and return on June 5th (unless I stick around longer...I have a 6 month visa).

I am still so in awe of the situation and feel so lucky and blessed.  I also have been fully taking stock in what my heart and gut are telling me and learned first hand the power of intuition.  

Some other cool things that have been happening:

• While in New Orleans, Justice and I pool hopped at a hotel in the French Quarter and met some awesome people there, including some Cirque Du Soliel dancers on the Michael Jackson Immortal World tour.  We got to see them cause every jaw to drop in some bars as they danced and an acrobat, Thomas, was super generous and hooked us up with tickets to see the Michael Jackson Immortal show!  This is another instance of being in the right place at the right time. The show was great and it was a real pleasure meeting them.  You can see their dance crew in the video below.

Below: Displaying my ticket and guest pass :)

• Justice and I saw 3 Mardi Gras parades.  During one we had a contest to see who could collet the most beads.  I won't share how we acquired them all.  Just kidding.  But seriously.  

• On Friday, February 17th, Justice and I left New Orleans at 3am and drove for 21 hours back to Pennsylvania. I arrived at my parent's house at exactly 12:00am on February 18th, my brother's 21st birthday.  I quickly showered and headed to the bar he was at and surprised him.  My mom and aunt even came with me to the bar and stayed for it a bit and it was a blast.  Later that day my brother and I saw a matinee Philadelphia Flyers game. We scoped out and moved into some nice ice-level seats too:

• In a previous blog I mentioned that I was going to sign up for a TEFL course.  That course took place this past weekend in New York city and it was truly inspiring and fun.  I am also bewildered at how this has all worked out, because I signed up for this course before I had even seen the advertisement for the teaching position in China, and the way that signing up for the TEFL course came about was very coincidental and it seemed to be a sign that it was something I needed to do (read my previous post mentioned above to hear about that).  

• While in New York City I also got to see Justice perform two stand-up shows and hang out backstage with some comics, which was fun and gave me some insight into the world of stand-up comedy.

• I visited my good friend Mark in Kutztown on Tuesday, March 6th, and we sang "Summer Girls" by LFO and "Semi-charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind at Karaoke night at a bar called Shorty's.  Unbeknownst to us, there was a competition going on...and we won it!  We are now in the running to win at least $500!  We need to be at the final round to compete against other winners; at first I thought I wouldn't be able to make it because my flight to China was planned to be on March 14th, but now I am leaving on the 20th...Hmmmm, doesn't it seem like things happen for a reason?  It will be interesting to see how this plays out--I'd have no problem with visiting Kutztown again before leaving for China, especially if it entails earning some extra spending money while doing something I love.  

Until Next time,

Adios!