9cairns

Blogging di Napoli

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 06:59:48 PDT

I haven't blogged in over a month. I feel sad to neglect a blog that I started over five years ago. Maybe this fall I will begin to write again.

At the moment, I'm sitting in my friend Francesco's house in Naples. Since the house is situated on top of a mountain, I can see the catacombs, the Mediterranean Sea, and the volcano on the other side of Naples. It is absolutely beautiful. The temperatures are very hot - almost 38 degrees celcius, but Francesco's house has air conditioning. Since our arrival last night, Fra's mother has cooked twice. Carbonara, Parmagiano, Carpese, and Pepperoni - all delicious.

The last few days I was in Rome where I met up with Francesco and Alessandro, two friends from my university, and before that I was in Munich and Zurich. As I've travelled in Europe for the first time in a year, I'm struck by the life in the streets. American streets mediums of transportation, but the streets of Europe seem to be the life of the cities. Young people congregate in the streets to talk, to eat, to drink, and to live. I miss the life in the streets when I'm back in America.

Skype Telemarketing/Spam

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:06:56 PDT

I just got a telemarketing call on skype. What is this world coming to?

Much Needed Update

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:19:42 PDT

As of 7 June 2008, I'm now a senior at DU. It seems like it was only yesterday that I went to my first class last September, but during these nine months I have changed in so many ways, met so many people, and learned a lot. I've had four roommates: one from Istanbul, one from Hamburg, and two from the French Alps. I've had dozens of friends come and then leave. I probably won't ever seen half or two thirds of them again. But some of them will be friends forever.

Without going into boring details, I think that I've had an amazing year. I was hesitant about coming to DU. Actually, when I interviewed to get into the school, I expressed concern about coming to such a predominantly white, affluent school. Fortunately, my friends have been some of the most interesting. The most important thing I've learned this year: pick your friends carefully. Though I can't say I've lived by this rule very well this year, I have managed to choose a group of people that have helped mold and shape me to be someone who's more "mondain" (rough translation: worldly, but not the way the religious use it) and more thoughtful, perhaps even more creative.

Nine months later, I'm sitting in my bed in Frisco, Colorado. I have not been here for a month, and as I was walking my dog tonight, I was marveled at the silence. I love big cities (preferably bigger than Denver) - the hustle, the noise, the architecture, the restaurants, the diversity, the clubs, the art, etc. But there's something nice about coming to a small town where everything is quiet ... where you can here yourself think and where the air tastes clean and fresh.

In other news, I'm seeing a beautiful girl named Lam.

And I'm quite happy.

( ( Listening to: �?��?�賽�?��?�, JS ) )

I Love Outsourcing

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:22:30 PDT

jajajaja

I want to...

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Wed, 07 May 2008 07:30:32 PDT

G E T O U T O F T H E U S A.

Everyone talks to me about nice places:

1. My dad is in Mexico for the fourth or fifth time in a few months...
2. Diego is going to have breakfast in Sanborns ... (so jealous)
3. Flavie is enjoying a four day weekend in Paris - I love Paris in May.
4. etc
5. etc

I'm in class at 8am... It's raining in Denver

Manolete

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:52:04 PDT

I want to see Manolete, the new film staring Adrien Brodie and Penelope Cruz. The trailer is here. I quite like Tauromachie - the art of bull fighting, even though I've only been to one bull fight. The culture surrounding it - often Gypsy - is amazing. I love the wine, the cheese, the sevillanas, and the way people dance in the streets.

I also want this shirt.

Islam in Denver

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:37:18 PDT

When I lived in Belleville, Paris, the Muslims living in the apartment next to me were quite religious and I often heard the "Allaabu Akbar" prayers from next door. This wasn't strange, since I had traveled in Islamic countries before. In fact, it seemed normal for Europe and Asia. But I had never lived near many Muslims in the US. Perhaps this was because I lived in a small mountain community, but I think it was fairly normal for the US.

Today, only a few years later, Muslims are more and more common in the United States. A few minutes ago, a fully veiled woman walked past my house pushing a stroller. I'm not sure where she was from, but she could have been pulled directly out of the grand bazaar in Istanbul. At first, it didn't even strike me as odd ... But with more reflection, it is a bit shocking. Here in the heart of the US - conservative haven for white Christians - I'm surrounded by Muslims. Here are few experiences I've had since I moved to Denver:

Ozgun, my former Turkish roommate, was culturally Muslim.

Many of my class mates are Kuwaiti, Saudi, and Bahraini.

I frequent several clubs in downtown Denver that are owned by Lebanese and Saudis.

I eat kebabs, hummus, and other Muslim food at local Muslim owned restaurants regularly.

On Monday night, I went to a chicha bar where I talked with "Bob" from Tripoli. Though Libya is often regarded as one of the most anti-American states, Bob told me that there is a large Libyan community in Denver. On a side note, he said that all of his university classes in Tripoli were taught from American text books... I found that ironic.

My recently played music includes Abd al Malik, Cheb Khaled, Killa Hakan, and Neset Ertas - all Muslim artists from Turkey, Algeria, and the Congo.

None of this really seems out of the ordinary ... And I'm living in Denver - smack in the middle of the US. Until now, US interest in Islam and Muslims has been focused on issues in the Middle East: investments in Dubai, the war in Iraq, concern about Iran, Middle Eastern oil prices, etc. Europe on the other hand, is culturally confronted by Islam at home. Mosques, Arabs, Pakistanis, Berbers, and kebabs have been commonplace for years, and the clash of cultural complications are evident. Recent discussion about the film Fitna is one clear example.

I wonder if (or when) the US will have to deal these issues. Will Islamic culture slowly be integrated in American culture, or will there eventually be a clash? Will we have to fight the threat of internally based terrorism (like in Europe)?

Any thoughts?

Emo Bullying in Mexico

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:33:10 PDT

I know that this is a serious subject, but I find the anti-emo riots in Mexico rather humourous. Read about it here.

Broken Fountain

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:56:18 PDT

I just found this picture my mum took last year at our old home, Vista Hermosa, in Mexico City. When I was little, the fountain rarely worked, but it was much more useful to my sister and me when it wasn't full of water. Once we put the yellow ducklings my mum bought us at the Tianguis market inside the dry fountain. We thought this would help protect them from the dogs. It worked for a while, but eventually the dogs caught and ate the ducklings. On other occasions, the dry fountain served other purposes. It was pirate ship! Hannah and I would take the fountain to the high seas of our imagination and capture treasure. It was a beautiful garden, now it's overgrown with weeds.

In background, you can see the ruins of old house. The property was almost half a hectare, and the garden was terraced. From the house - located on the top terrace, you could see downtown Mexico City. That's why it it was called "Vista Hermosa" - the beautiful view" ... Today the property is being developed. In the picture above, you can still see the ruins of our house, but there are also four or five expensive condos on the property with BMW's and Ashton Martins guarded by private security. The only things that are still the same are the view and security guard hut ... and the fountain is still there.

Finished

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:09:00 PDT

I just took the fourth of four finals today. I got up at six to get ready, and by seven - before the sun was out - I was in class taking accounting. Four exams in one day is a lot, but I have survived.

**breaths relief**

( ( One Night in Rio ... Two days in LA ... A short stop in Moscow ... ) )

Latin (United States of) America

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:59:29 PST

�??You can build all the walls you want, but this country is going to have a Hispanic majority by 2050. �?? - Inspired by the California Department of Finance

From Fast Company

Sin City: Denver

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:38:21 PST

I just read an interesting article in Forbes magazine entitled America's Most Sinful Cities. The article divides sinful cities into the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, avarice, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. Denver makes the list twice.

Apparently, Denver is the most lustful city in the United States and the fourth most greedy. The sales of over-the-counter contraceptives and condoms in grocery markets and convenience stores is 189% higher than the average American city. Denver also has one of the highest percentages of ultra rich. According to the article, .69 people per 100,000 people are on Forbes richest 400 - quite high if you think about it.

What the fact that Denver is one of the "most sinful" cities mean to us as citizens? How should Christians react to this? Personally, I think of CT Studd: "Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell." Living in Denver doesn't feel like camping out a "yard from hell", but it isn't the Methodist stronghold it once was. I wonder how churches would respond to this article? How are they addressing the issues at hand?

Why I love Real Estate

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:27:16 PST

I'm with a group of mostly masters students at DU listening to Tom Gougeon, Continuum Partners' Principal and Chief Development Officer. They've driven a lot of the biggest projects in Denver over the last few years. The projects involve thousands of people, the city, the state, and public officials, as well as many financial institutions.

The income is phenomenal: urban renewal, city make-over, (re)creating community. They take large tracts of land and build in parks, community centers, museums, retail, office, and residential units: value in a mixed use property.

In the Denver area, lifestyles are changing rapidly. Instead of wanting to buy suburban homes with a large lawn and a two car garage, people today desire to live in a mixed use neighborhood. Retail and work places can be a few blocks away, rather than a twenty minute drive to a more commercial center.

I love the idea of building value into a neighborhood or city. I hope one day I can participate in a project like this.

(this is horribly written... I should stop writing during lectures!)

A Quiet Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:12:04 PST

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I today is the first time that I've visited Le Trompeau - a French bakery down the street. It's not quite seven on February 5th, and I've just enjoyed a truly délicieux walnut croissant. I made some stove-top espresso for my Limoges coffee cup and put on a bit of Nouvelle Vague music. Life seems so sweet.

The 5th of February - I'll be twenty one in less than forty eight hours. Time flies... It seems like it was only yesterday that the quarter was starting, but now I'm midterms. It seems like last week I was enjoying Arab-made croissants in Belleville with Pierre-Nicolas.

I went up to the mountains this weekend with Chase. We went to Keystone to do some skiing, but since Chase forgot his jacket, we ended up in the pub after only a few runs. Over a few Blue Moons, we discussed tax mitigation and politics. After a few more (very cold) runs, I went back to my parents house.

Joel and Jenn are preparing to leave for Mexico City this week, so we had a "send-off Sunday" at Immanuel on Sunday morning. Check out his blog for pictures. The whole event went very well. The church has come behind the team in an unprecedented way. A few weeks ago, the finances were extremely concerning, but generosity and a heart for missions overcame, and they're only a few thousand dollars behind. Thanks, God. ;)

My nephew, Caleb, is now three - the age I was when our family moved to Mexico in 1990, and my niece, Keira will be going into the first grade in a private Mexican school. Pray for them as they begin a new life in the largest city in the world. Pray for protection, and that they will grow to love Mexican culture just like me and my siblings did 18 years ago.

anyway ..... I have a midterm later today, so I'd best do some studying.

( ( Listening to I Just Can't Get Enough - Nouvelle Vague ) )

( ( ( Check out Theology Network - a site Dan Hames is running. Excellent content ) ) )

Huckabee, God Politics, and God Tube

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:53:20 PST

Warning: This post was written in my management class ... so coherence is not guaranteed. ;) Thnx.

I just read an article in Wired magazine about a recent comment by Huckabee about GodTube and Christians. Here is the quote:

Well, the reason GodTube is an important part of the election process is because this myth that Christians ought to keep to themselves in the church, and never get outside -- that's like saying, let's never let the salt get onto things that are spoiling. Let's never let the light actually show up in a dark places to illuminate the path...

So GodTube is helping to be that bridge to get people from the world of the spiritual into the mission field of politics. [sic]

I agree with Reverend Huckabee's idea. I agree that Christians shouldn't keep the salt in clean places or the light in bright places, but I don't see how his example fits the moral. I'm not familiar with GodTube, but the whole concept bothers me. If Christians shouldn't hide in the Christian places, why should we upload our videos to an (exclusively) Christian website? Even the name GodTube is a cheesy knock-off of better, nonChristian website (YouTube). It reminds me Christian Rock, it's a genre created to imitate the world, but it ends up being redundant and uninnovative.

Though I like some of Huckabee's ideas about health and immigration, it worries me that Americans are considering electing a man who can't even figure out how to practically apply his own values.

On Sunday, I spoke with a pastor about Huckabee. Like many American Evangelicals, the pastor said he wanted one of the Republicans to win the election. I asked him about Huckabee, and he implied that he liked some of his ideas but was a bit concerned about his fiscal policy. When I asked him what he thought about a pastor leading the world's only superpower, he said that it didn't bother him. I'm not sure I agree. Maybe it's a result of spending too much time discussing policy with Europeans, but I'm not sure that having a pastor as president is a wise country.

In the developed world, I notice that people are becoming more critical of fundamentalist religion. According to a recent article in the Economist, religion will play a more important role in the twenty-first century than in the twentieth century. Beneath the title, the heading reads: "Faith will unsettle politics everywhere this century; it will do so least when it is separated from the state". I agree. In the past, when politics and religion have mixed, the results have been biased, bigoted, and sometimes even bloody.

As the world becomes skeptical of religion mixed with politics, electing an ordained minister in the United States is unwise. Many of the United States most important roles involve diplomacy and international relations. Would an ordained president who refers to the political world as a "mission field" have questionable motives in Muslim countries? It seems likely to me. I'm a son of a missionary and have worked as a missionary: I certainly believe in reaching out in mission fields, but the President of United States should not have secondary motives. Why? Because of precedence. If the United States can elect a fundamental pastor, why shouldn't Iran be led by an Imam? Or Afghanistan by the fundamentalist Taliban? Further, the war against terrorism could easily be interpreted as a war against Islam.

Anyway .. I should focus on class again. It's getting interesting. ;)

No Fat Clips

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:28:27 PST

Check this out...

Life in 2008

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:02:41 PST

Two weeks into the new year, it seems like my life has changed quickly. Most of my closest friends at university were exchange students last quarter, so many of them returned to their home countries. In some ways, this is convenient. A lot of my new years resolutions involved achieving a better balance between my social life and my personal activities. Having fewer friends at my house every night is sad, but it gives me a chance to focus on my studies, reading, and remodeling the house.

My heat went out this weekend just as a cold front moved into Colorado. I swear that the temperature in my house wasn't above forty degrees Fahrenheit on Monday morning. I made good use of the down comforter that Ozgun left me, and stayed in bed or out of the house. Fortunately, the heat started working again on Monday afternoon, and my house is warm again.

I'm expecting a new roommate in February. Tobias is a doctorate student from Germany. We met last quarter and got on well, so I'm looking forward to his arrival. I'm not sure I like living alone... It's nice to have someone with whom to talk and eat. The only negative side is that German food is much worse than Turkish food. hehe.. Miss you, Ozzy.

Tobias will stay two months, and then a friend's boyfriend will move in through June. Though I have not met him, Agathe assures me that is he fun, kind, and that we will have a good time. He's from Paris, and so it will be good for my French. Agathe promises to come over and cook for us. It should be good, and I'm sure the French contingent at the university will be at my house a lot.

Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:44:39 PST

Blog more... (whups. I seem to have forgotten this blog lately)

Read more. I'd like to read some biographies, some culture stuff, and

Learn another language: I would like to learn Arabic, but I'm thinking that Italian or Portuguese would be much easier. Any thoughts?

Read the Bible more

Play music again

Wake up earlier

Be more disciplined

(listening to St Patrick's Day .. John Mayer)

The Best Music of 2007

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:42:26 PST

Here is what I have been listening to this year... Though a lot of it wasn't released this year, it represents what I have enjoyed listening and playing of the last twelve months. I've done this for the last few years, and as always, I think I forget about the songs I listened to at the beginning of the year... Oh well, here it goes. (For earlier lists: 2004, 2005, and 2006.)

Neverland (Minor Piano Variation) - Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
This song from the Finding Neverland soundtrack has been a favourite of mine for the last several years, but this year it made my top five played songs. I listen to it a lot when I'm pensive or a bit down.

Djobi, Djoba - The Gypsy Kings
I developed a greater interest in the Gypsy Kings this spring when I went to their homeland with BR to see the bullfights. Djobi, Djoba is classic, and I intend to name my next dog Djoba - at the suggestion of my friend Jonathan Cassoni. Then when I call my dogs, I'll sing: Joby, Djoba! hehe... Classic. It's also the best music for a party. "Nothing gets these people going not even Gypsy Kings." - Gogol Bordello

Stronger - Kanye West
The first single from Kanye's new album is the best song on the album. The Daft Punk sample is excellent, and Kanye's lyrics are clever. Despite his overbearing pride, he talks about his weaknesses in this song.

Como te extraño - La Revolución de Emiliano Zapata
I discovered this old Mexican group who was popular in the 70's on some old soundtrack. I like their sound, and this one is their best. They also sang in English, and became popular in Europe through their song "Nasty Sex".

I Need Your Love - Tom Slinger & Dan Hames
Tom and Dan performed this song several times when they were here in September... It's the only recording I have of them playing together, and I love the song. Excellent composition, boys.

El Ultimo Beso - Vicente Fernandez
I have decided that I love Rancheras, and no one plays it better than Vicente, fondly called "Chente" by many Mexicans. This song is one of the best, with a nice tempo, some nice pizzicato, and fun pauses...

Zahadim - Neset Ertas
Ertas is a folk singer from central Turkey and is often considered one of the best ba�?lama players in the world. Zahadim is full of the emotion and dynamics that I love in near and middle eastern music. This song is just the ba�?lama and Ertas' powerful voice... Truly classic.

Inside of Love - Nada Surf
This band is a bit older, but I found myself listening to this song a lot this summer. Dan Hames introduced me to the band a few years ago, but I started listening to them a lot more in France, and this year I listened to this album on repeat for a few months. Great song, and as always for Nada Surf, great though somewhat introspective lyrics.

That Was a Crazy Game of Poker - Of A Revolution
"Johnny doubled up with a royal flush, I had three jacks and a pair of nines..." O.A.R.'s poker theme: it was played a lot at my house over many international poker games this autumn. Along with the movie "Rounders", this song has probably become somewhat of an classic for Texas Hold 'Em players... Good song.

D.A.N.C.E. - Justice
I've talked about this song before, and it was definitely one of the favourites this year... I heard it a lot in Barcelona, Paris, and even in the United States... This has got to be one of the best dancing songs of the year... The beats, the lyrics, and the feel of the song feel more uplifting than other dance songs.

Sensuelle et Sans Suite - Serge Gainsbourg
This is one of my favourite Gainsbourg songs ... The catchy piano riff, the simple bass line, and Serge's mellow voice mixed with the repetitive onomatopoeias. I love it...

Laisser Tomber Les Filles - France Gall
This song is actually by Gainsbourg as well, but the feel is completely different. It feels like a French, new wave film to me, and the attitude is much more defiant and prideful. It is more of a playful party song in my opinion.

Anilar - Coskun Sabah
Coskun Sabah is a Suriani singer from south eastern Turkey. I didn't really know that the Suriani arts were popular in mainstream Turkey, but Ozgun informs that he is very well known.

Si Mi Delito es Rockear - Moderatto
Moderatto is a Mexican pop/rock start known for his strange dress and 80's style falsetto. Though too much of his music annoys me, I've listened to this song a lot, and I can see it all the way thru.

Aisha - Cheb Khaled
This Algerian song has become one of the most famous North African songs ... Though this song mostly in French, it still has a distinctly Maghrebian sound. Ozgun and I listened to this song, and it became 'our song' after many, many listens. Elle est passé à coté de moi!!!

The Way I Are - Timbaland
Timbaland's album was one of the best hip-hop albums of the year, and I felt like it really changed the way the genre was heading. His producing talent mixes traditional styles and makes a fresh sound. This one if probably one of the best of the year.

Save Tonight - Eagle Eye Cherry
I think that Justine was the first person to introduce me to Swedish singer Eagle Eye Cherry. She said that I sounded like him, which I found quite offensive after listening to him. After a few more listens, I've discovered I quite like his style and his realist lyrics. Oddly, though he sings in English, I've never heard an Anglophone talk about him.

Love Will Tear Us Apart Again - José González
I liked this artist before I knew that he was actually Swedish - yes two Swedish singers in a row. José González is of an Argentinian background, but he has lived in Sweden his whole life... This song is full of the opposite emotions of the New Order cover of the song, and I think it restores some of the desperation that Joy Division intended for the song.

Brotherhood

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:32:00 PST

Here's to brotherhood. Thanks Joel. ;)

Scattered Around the World

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:52:02 PST

Rob Foxell and I had a discussion recently about the advantages and disadvantages making friends around the world. Rob is English, and like me, he has done several programs abroad where he has made many good friends. Sometimes it makes me sad: I develop deep friendships with people, and then after separation, I wonder if we'll ever see each other again.

Fifty years ago, people often lived in the same place for most of their lives, and a move was a defining event. Thus the people who attended your graduation went to your marriage, and possibly your funeral! Today, our relationships are scattered around the world, and we are forced to communicate with our friends with skype, messenger, and facebook. This bothers me a lot, and sometimes I hunger for deeper relationships with more permanence. Yet Rob reminded me that as travel becomes cheaper and more common, this we will see each other often. Also, he brought up that using technology, we can support more relationships. It is said that we can only have 12 deep friends, and around 100 other acquaintances. Today, I think that is changing. I keep in touch with hundreds of acquaintances, and I have more than 12 close friends. Applications like facebook allow us to know what's happening with our friends no matter where they are. Skype allows us to talk with them for free wherever there is an internet connection.

Here's an example: last week I went to Monterrey, Mexico for a few days with a group from my church. Though I've never spent time there before, I already had good friends there. Above is Luly Uribe, a student at the Tech in Monterrey. We studied together in Paris at the Alliance Française. We became quite close over after-class coffees and weekend excursions around Paris. Though I haven't seen her since May 2006, I have kept in touch with her via occasional phone calls and messages on facebook. Further more, I have spent time with Christopher, a friend of Luly's from Monterrey. Christopher is studying in Boulder, and we've spent a few weekends together in Denver and up in mountains.

Despite its disadvantages, I'd rather have my friends scattered around the world. Though we don't get to see each other as often as I'd like, our relationships are deepened through cross-cultural experiences. Technology helps us maintain these friendships, and cheaper travel lets us spend time together - despite the distance.

(i can't believe I just wrote something cheesy!)

A Quarter of International Studies

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:20:06 PST

At school, I meet lots of international studies students. The University of Denver is known for its department of international studies, and when I was in high school, I wanted to study some sort of international studies or relations. So sometimes when I meet students studying this, I feel jealous. While I sit through classes about CIO's, CFO's, and business law, they get to learn about international policies and different cultures. Yet this quarter, God gave me amazing friends and an incredible experience.

It started with my roommate. I met Ozgun Zeki Celenk on Facebook. He was still in Turkey, and he had posted something about looking for a roommate in Denver. I responded, and we moved into my house in September. I wasn't quite sure what to expect: he was a long haired Turk who listened to metal and talked a lot about poker. Talking afterwards, he said he had his own fears - I was a white American from a very religious Christian family studying business. Yet over the quarter, we became brothers. He taught me to play poker. I made salsa, and he cooked Turkish sausage. We talked about everything from music to religion, and genocide to marriage. Ozzy was just amazing.

Ozgun had met all of the exchange students at Denver during orientation. Soon he introduced me to them, and our friends included people from all over the world. Since we were the only two students who have a house instead of a dorm, our place became an international lounge. An average night would involve a couple of Italians, several English people, a few French, two or three Turks, a Korean, a German or two, a guy from Luxumbourg, and sometimes a few of my Latino friends. Sometimes twelve or thirteen nationalities would be represented at my house! For example, in the picture above ten nationalities are represented.

Sometimes I find it ironic to meet these white American students learning international studies from white American professors. They seem to be tourists. Though I didn't have classes on international policy or diverse cultures this quarter, I lived in a mélange of cultures and our discussions were in many languages and were always about international issues.

Instead of learning about the issues involving the US Congress and the supposed Armenian genocide from professors, I discussed the issues with a Kurd, two Turks, and an Armenian. Instead of learning studying how difficult it is about to build an European Union - why not discuss it with students from all over the Europe?

In a recent conversation with my good American friend Max, we noted that out of the entire student population at the university, we had stumbled upon the best group of friends. The diversity made our conversations interesting, and we constantly learned new traditions from cultures around the world. Friends - Thanks for hanging out this quarter! :D

Unfortunately, since most of the students were on exchange, they have now gone back to their home countries. Though it's sad to say goodbye, I think that I'll see most of them again. I feel like I have a home in a dozen countries around the world, and good friends scattered around the globe. Thanks guys. You're amazing.

Muse and Life

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 21:34:36 PST

I'm sitting in my living room listening to a bit of Serge Gainsbourg... The last month has flown by, and it's hard to believe that my first quarter in Denver is almost over. Ozgun, my Turkish roommate will leave in fifteen days. I have made some amazing friends since I've been here, but unfortunately a lot of them will be leaving in the next month since they're transfer students. Why do my best friends always end up scattered around the world?

I've been thinking a lot about balance. How do I balance between my church life and my social/school life. Unfortunately, there's seems to be a great disparity between these two lives. I don't think that's the way it should be: I firmly believe that shouldn't be a separation from our secular lives and from our 'spiritual lives'. How do I reconcile these two lives?

Most Christians seem content to live their 'Christian world' - a safe place with few confrontations and no risk. They listen to soft, kind music and seem to stay within their secure group of friends who all believe the same as they do. While I acknowledge that we all need strong, Christian friends, I think that Jesus lived outside the safety of the religious community. He wasn't afraid to associate with different kinds of people.

I try to bridge these two lives, but it is nothing heroic. I unfortunately get pulled down and become hypocritical. I make bad mistakes that I regret. Should I give up - running back to the false safety of the 'church culture' or should I keep trying to live a godly life in the world? I think a lot about Daniel Bourguet's teaching about the world being our sanctuary and battlefield. He teaches that our place of worship is in the world that so many Christians stay away from, but when I try to practice this, I find myself alone and vulnerable.

Occasionally, I find Christians who manage godly lives in the world. But they always live far away from me ... they prefer to live in other countries and across the oceans. I pray that God would give me good friends who would encourage me to live godly lives, and who would be willing to engage in a conversation with the world, and not just with safe 'Christian' environment.

Sorry for the rambling... I haven't posted much lately, and tonight - a sick boy in my living room, I was in the mood to write and rant about some of my frustrations. The last few weeks have been crazy: church retreat, the Prats in Frisco. I took a group of seven exchange students to Frisco a few weeks ago - which was fun. I quite like Denver, I have met a lot of good people. To be honest, I don't like most of the kids at Denver University - but I have found the most amazing group of friends. An average night at my house can involve Indians, Koreans, Chinese, French people, Italians, English, Venezuelans, Turks, and sometimes some hipped Americans.

Anyway .. I'm sick. So i'm going to bed. Let me know if you're looking for a roommate in Denver.

((une histoire sensuelle et sans suite))

My Brother

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:40:23 PDT

Yesterday I walked into the gas station across the street from my house in Denver. As I approached the counter, the mid-oriental man at the cashier looked at me a strangely. I asked for twenty dollars of gas, and he agreed, and then he asked me if I was from Norway or Sweden.

I was a bit surprised, and I thought that maybe he was Scandinavian, so I threw a few phrases at him with a horrible accent ... He realized I wasn't Norwegian or Swedish and proceeded to ask me where I was from. I responded saying I was born in the US, and responded politely by asking him the same. He was from Palestine. The University of Denver has a large Arab population, so I wasn't too surprised ... We chatted for a few minutes, and then as I was about to leave, he asked what my name was.

"My Name is Isaac. It was very nice to meet you."

"Isaac? My name is Ishmael."

Moved

noreply@blogger.com (desaparecido) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:59:02 PDT

Today I officially moved to Denver. Though I will still be in Summit County on the weekends, I will be spending a lot of time here on East Evans Avenue. Please address all postcards, packages, and gifts to the following address:

Phillips, Isaac
1520 East Evans Avenue
Denver, CO 80210

lol... anyway. The house is a wreck, but it certainly seems salvageable. I'm living here with Ozgun from Istanbul. He's been living in a hostel for the last few weeks, and I've been commuting from Frisco. Needless to say, we're both content to be living in a house near DU - even if it's not in great condition. Feel free to stop by and contribute to our remodeling efforts.

cheers.