I think there needs to be a word like `librarian' for people who are always at the library. But that word is already taken by the occupation. You could still use the word to describe the dwellers of the library. Anyways, I have been spending a lot of time here, hanging with the Kazakhstanis for the last several weeks and it's been a lot of fun, and become kind of a new community that I've gotten pulled into. In my four years at Grinnell, I spent about three hours total in the library aside from when I worked in the computer lab. The culture at the library is interesting because it's always the same people. The Turkish guys. Even the same Americans and Japanese and Koreans. It is not terrible condusive to studying on the 3rd floor of Anschutz Library, but you can get stuff done when you need to. People are here 24 hours a day. I guess I get less sleep because of it sometimes, but it beats being alone at the apartment fiddling around on the computer at night.
Deas Veil is playing through my headphones into my ears at the moment. Dreamy and smooth. It brings me back to Cornerstone this past summer. It doesn't feel like it's almost been a year since then. The perfect weather camping out. Sleeping better than I do at home in my own bed. Doses of sad realities such as Zach's cousin dying in a car wreck mixed in with some really broken times of worship. Hanging out with Lester Badenoch and talking with JPUSA folks about homeless ministry. Lester is probably one of the biggest influences in my life since our summer in urban St. Louis with our Harambee project. I was a pretty scared kid back then four years ago. Has it been four years? But Lester is a man who strives toward the Cause unlike anyone I've ever seen. He loves and sacrifices along with his family to love kids who are hurting in the city. Reflecting on all that, I'm seeing how much my focus has shifted away from homeless folks since then is kind of awful, but the ministry of our church in that area kind of dried up during the winter. Or at least got put on hold until the weather got better. But complacency tends to lead to complacency, I think. I always feel cut off from those sorts of decisions at church anyways. It's blatantly uncomfortable to interact with homeless people. Especially when they are getting into arguments or going on incomprehensible tirades about something. I must take a few moments to remember that these people are my neighbors. Let it sink in deeply.
Today I applied for a job in the International Student & Scholar Services offices for the fall. I don't know if it would pay for my tuition or not, but it may be better than nothing. Not sure if my position will be back open by the time I return, but LSS is in trouble without me. I don't mean that to sound arrogant, but they aren't so good with the Apple computers. Maybe, the anthropology GRA position will turn up something which would be sweet, but judging by the professors lack of response, I find it to be unlikely.
I need to figure out plans for China. Right now I don't know what I'm doing when I get off the airplane.
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