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gugletu

my school provided us with the opportunity to visit a local family who opened their homes to us and made us a home cooked meal. this was in a township which is a designated area originally set up by the government during the apartheid that segregated the blacks, it is still nearly 100% blacks and very poverty stricken. a majority of the townships are shacks and the rest are run down homes. this being said, they still welcomed us with warm arms and were so glad to host us. it was such a cool and humbling experience. we sat and chatted and eat good food. they showed us around the neighborhood. we played three sticks and danced with the younger children and even got to play with new born puppies! 

Yamie is a 21 year old South African. her and her sisters were so warm to us and treated us like their new sisters. they even want to go out with us one night. Yamie loved my shoes I was wearing. the first thing she said was about how much she loved them. she kept pointing them out to everyone. she asked to try them on and when they fit and she looked so happy in them I, without hesitation said “do you want them?!”. it was kind of just a reaction. I wasn’t really thinking but she certainly loved them more than I did. to me they were just shoes, to her they were a complete confident booster and gave a smile that I swear didn’t leave her face the rest of the afternoon. after all, I am fortunate enough to get myself a new pair of shoes if I want and these were very special to her. 

this experience was pretty surreal. it’s humbling and gives me all the emotions experiencing days like today. these people were so full of joy regardless of their situation. it doesn’t take going to a neighborhood to know how blessed we are, but more so just a reminder. this is how the world should be. 

love does

11.10.2019

madi-gavin
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love does

I began reading “Love Does” by Bob Goff when I left the US. “love does”, love does what? I didn’t know what he meant by this at first. it took some time to fully understand this saying “love does”. I just finished the book. it took seven weeks but these past seven weeks have been busy ones. my time of rest and reflection were orientated around this book. it seemed like every time I picked up the book Bob himself was speaking to me through the pages. when I was stuck in Vienna I read how life is an adventure not a program and how when things don’t go as planned thats okay, and it was perfect timing because things were not at all going as planned in that moment. I liked this saying so much I actually named this blog after it. life should be treated as an adventure, this current adventure has been a surreal one. im constantly reminding myself that this life is too short to try and program everything into my schedule but to simple go with where the wind takes me, thats where the best experiences usually generate from anyways. 

another time I read “Love Does”, he wrote about how sometimes God takes away people from our life not to strip “the bad ones” of people but because they don’t need you. we have a lot of power in who we choose to do life with. Bob relates it to hitchhiking, why jump in a car with someone who is going somewhere completely different than you? it’s often times hard to truly know where one is intending on going in life and what they intend to do with you in their life, so ask. and if it isn’t where you need to be, keep waiting on the highway a bit longer, someone will come along that is going the same place as you. this an analogy that you can interpret your own way, I interpreted in my past relationships. there are some that I wish I had kept waiting on the side of the highway with my thumb out. I also relate it to my current relationships, are we on the same road in life? these are answers I seek out everyday. life is all about who you choose to do it with, why do it with people who aren’t going in the same direction as you?

the overlying theme is love, duh. but the kind of love that is shown to everyone. the kind that leaves everyone you interact with a bit sore by how much love you give away. the kind of love you share like you’re made of it. I’d like to think that this is an impact I can leave on others, that I can leave people walking away a bit more loved than before. 

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ciao roma

I arrived in rome, italy, i’ve been here three days and im already blown away by this city. the beauty is actually every where. every corner, alley way and street has these tall amazing buildings and intricate sculptures, it is crazy to think humans made these buildings and art years and years ago its very minimal tools. mind blowing. 

our classes are held in a nunnery, it was odd at first only because I hadn’t ever experienced anything like that but its very neat, seems very italian. my apartment is tucked between the Vatican the city center. the neighborhood is actually a newer part of Rome and by new I mean 1800s. the apartment is quant and cozy and within walking distance to my classes and the major parts of the city.

I went to the Vatican, twice actually, but haven’t gone into any churches or museums yet. the exterior is magnificent. I actually cant even out into words how beautiful this city is, words or pictures dont do any of it justice.

we went on a walking tour with my art history teacher. he showed us around and was very informative. he showed us the bridge of angels. theres sculptures running down both sides of the bridge and each holding a part of the story of the crucifixion of Christ and at the front of the bridge St. Paul and St. Peter are placed. Peter is holding the “keys to heaven”. Vatican City is shaped like a key hole in reference to the Peter’s keys. I thought that was cool. I thought it was even more cool that prior to coming to Rome Austin had told me about how he had gone into the prison cell of Paul and Peter where they were held for spreading christianity in which they were executed for. they had actually baptized roman guards and continued to spread the gospel even knowing they were being persecuted for it. they were known for bringing christianity to Rome which is why the bridge of angels is dedicated to them and the story of christ that they had brought with them. 

any ways, thats my history lesson for the day. Rome is full of history which is a major reason why I chose to go to Rome. I love history and learning about everything, I eat that ish up. I cant wait to learn even more about this incredible city.

09.25.2019