Greetings from Boston!
This past Wednesday made three weeks since I have been in Massachusetts. It still amazes me that I made it here after almost not making it here. It was no one but God that allowed me to travel this far and start on a new journey.
My first week was filled with exploration of the city and adjustments. I didn't have class until September 10, so I attended orientation, met some people in my department, and realized how many staff members knew I was. I did not think that they were paying attention to my various posts in the Facebook group of accepted students, but I was recognized right off the bat. I felt a little famous!
I started to get settled into my new home on Newbury St. Since I didn't bring all of the crazy amounts of stuff with me, I was fully unpacked my first day in. Now that a few weeks have passed, I miss some of my little knick-knacks. I also discovered that I left my belt, along with a few other little things, all the way back in Houston. I might have some things sent to me, mainly my craft box and posters. Those truly had me feel at home. My magazines would be great too.
Last Monday night was my first class of grad school! I was a little nervous because of the impending workload upping the ante on my little educational journey. I went from scattered classes throughout the week to Monday and Tuesday evenings only. Oh, but don't let that fool you. I have reading on top of reading, on top of editing, on top of future research, a presentation, and some papers. What stood out to me was the fact that no time was wasted. The classes within the program are practices that occur in the present day in the publishing industry. Core classes in undergrad always annoyed me because they didn't seem to fit into what I was going to learn later. Not here, though. I spend my week reading and learning, and during class we discuss/work on exercises. This is what I have been waiting for!
Under the excitement of school and my not one, but TWO jobs at Emerson, I am learning to be an adult. I am finding out what works for me as far as food and travel. No one from my close circle is here to make sure I'm okay, but I have been seeking others in different ways.
I found a church I really like, Charles River Church, south of town. The small congregation was very welcoming to me, and the sermons are very penetrating to my spirit. Though I am new in town, I want to be able to impact my sphere of influence, somehow, someway, and reflect Christ as much as I possibly can. It's weird how I tend to come off as a woman of quiet strength and courage among believers. I visited the church after four days of being in Boston and shared my testimony! God had done so much for me and through me over the summer that I had to share and praise Him actively for his work.
I would say I am about half-culture shocked from being here. I live close to downtown, so many visitors flock to this area to shop, eat, and do business. There are also a multitude of students from across the country and across the world. It's exciting to see and slightly off-putting at the same time. I like to explore the true essence of a city, in its regular neighborhoods with regular people. It is my hope to explore the different areas of Boston further during my time here, including less expensive eateries :)
I am amazed at myself for getting quite a bit accomplished in such a short period of time, and I'm only just beginning. October is just around the corner, and so is fall, and I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for me during this new busy season of my life.
Dwelling in a foreign land,
Shondrika
P.S. Football is not a very big deal here. I don't know how I feel about it.
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