Hello From Princeton

Yep that's right! I am currently writing to you from the computer lab of Erdman Hall on the campus of Princeton Theological Seminary. How did I get here? Well, I heard vague bits of information about a discernment event hosted by the Fund for Theological Education (FTE), told my site coordinator I was interested, and the next thing I knew I was on a plane to Newark, NJ with my roommate Allison who was just as well informed as I. Upon arriving at the airport we met up with several other people coming from a variety of faith based year-long volunteer programs, all of whom had been informed of a free trip to Princeton Seminary, and a day trip to New York to visit Urban Ministry organizations there. Upon later investigation only one person had the opportunity to sign up early and actually knew exactly why she was here, the rest of us were left to huddle together for heat speculating as to what cruel person would pay for us to fly to New Jersey and wait for a bus to Princeton that may never actually show up. None of us could possibly have expected the reception we received today.

Upon arrival at the seminary there were apologies right and left for a mix-up with the bus service sent to come get us, a gourmet meal was prepared for us... maybe it wasn't gourmet, but for once I wasn't eating a meal prepared on my meager grocery budget, it was absolutely amazing, and don't even get me started on dessert. We were each given our own individual room and bathroom in Erdman Hall, a very nice shoulder bag filled with a variety of things, a book describing experiences while working in Urban Ministry in New York (the Author of which we will meet on Tuesday), a 2008 catalog of seminaries in the US, a notepad, pencil, etc. We held worship in the chapel which had wonderful acoustics and the music director had our group sounding like a choir of angels in no time.

Tomorrow will be spent at the seminary with a variety of speakers and seminars, a little free time, and a little worship all thrown in together. I wish I could tell you all more about this, but I've just arrived and the trip all came together so quickly I can hardly believe I'm here! Allison and I got off the plane and exclaimed "LOOK! Deciduous trees! REAL grass! It's SOO green here! I bet the dirt is REAL too, the real brown stuff that grows things!! Oh look a HILL!!" I love my work in Miami and my community there, but I do miss the landscape and plant life that is so severely lacks. I hope to fill you in on more when it happens, but it's 1am and we have things to do tomorrow!