Today i met up with a girlfriend from “Intercultural Communication” class to study before our 2pm midterm. another classmate, whom I recognized but did not know well, was also there when I arrived. Let’s just call him “Joe.” Joe and Catherine and I studied for a while, and then we got to talking about our big Case Study project, in which we detail a specific culture and all the elaborate communication codes within that culture. Joe told me that he planned to detail an African tribe. immediately, this sparked my interest (surprise, surprise). Here’s how our conversation went:
Me: “Oh, wow! How did you pick the African tribe?”
Joe: “Well, I lived in Africa for over 5 years when I was younger.”
Me: “Oh, really? That’s cool. Where did you live?”
Joe: “Uganda.”
Me: “Nuh-uhh! I am going to Uganda in January! Why did you live in Uganda?”
Joe: “Well, my parents are medical missionaries, and so I went with them. I also went to school in Kenya at a boarding school.”
Me, thinking to myself: this would be really weird if it was Rift Valley Academy….
Me: “Really? What was the name of the school?”
Joe: “Rift Valley Academy.”
Me, oogling with delight and surprise: “Wow, this is a really small world. I am GOING to stay at Rift Valley Academy after I go to Uganda! You’ll have to tell me all about it…”
Joe: Really? That’s crazy! Yea, I loved Rift Valley. It is my favorite place in the world. I went to middle school there, and then graduated from high-school there, too. Who do you know there?”
Me: “Well, my distant cousins are dorm-parents there—Paul and Carolyn Koning. Do you know them?”
Joe: “Noo, I don’t think so.”
Me: “Well, you’ll have to tell me all about Rift Valley…I am so excited about going!”
*Our conversation continued, as we briefly touched on why the Konings are there, as well as what Joe’s parents do as missionaries. He then proceeded to tell me that his family was looking for a church in the area, and hadn’t settled on one yet, but were thinking about Redland Baptist, a church nearby to Covenant Life. So, I told him about our Singles ministry, and invited him out to one of our Friday night meetings. When I asked him if he knew who Josh Harris was, and the book “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” he recognized it, too.
To say the least, it was quite an exciting aspect of my day!
I also ate Falafel for lunch, which drew me into thoughts of African cuisine. Falafel is a vegetarian dish, high in protein and fiber and made primarily out of chickpeas and dehydrated vegetables. It is popular throughout different regions of Africa as a “scooper.” The locals press a thumb-print into a little Falafel ball to make an indentation, and then scoop it into various sauces and dips. The box mix is SO easy to make. Just add water to the mix, let it soak, and then round them into little patties. After brushing them with olive oil, you broil them-3 minutes per side- and eat them like a hamburger. I put them on a little wrap, with romaine lettuce, and then drizzled Greek yogurt with dill on top. Delicious.
wow good story. that’s so cool emily!!