Mid-Year

A few weeks ago I was at critical melt down point. It wasn’t fun. But, shortly after, like two days after, I was headed to a Stint Mid-year conference. I suppose for those who don’t know I should say, my time here in France is known as a Stint. A short term of service rather than being on fulltime staff. Every year in September my organization holds a briefing where all the Stinters gather before being flung out into the foreign land, they were headed towards. Then, after a few short months later, (that seem never endingly long) in January they hold a Mid year conference to check in and see how everyone is surviving and how they can last the remaining time thriving.

Now, my situation is a bit unique, in that all other Stinters are on a team. Most teams have about 5 or 6 other young twenty something’s on their team and they go through the whole process serving, living, and working abroad together. They meet each other in September and then from the briefing head out to their new homelands and return to the U.S.A in June or July. I am different in that I started my Stint last January, and have not yet set a return home date. I am also different in that I do not have a team of other Stinters with me here in Paris. I have staff families but no other “youngsters” living and learning all together.

The night before leaving for Mid-year I was on the phone with my mom and she started asking Mom like questions:

Mom: “Well, are you going to have a roommate.”

Me: “ yeah… I am sure they will set me up with someone.”

Mom: “um… are they going to have ice breakers, (pause) so you can you know … meet people.”

Me: “Mom, are you worried I am not going to make friends? I have been living overseas for one year without any American 20 something English speakers! and you are worried about your daughter who at age 5 went door to door searching for friends? Please! Don’t worry about me, worry about them.”

The next morning I boarded the plane at Charle de Gaule and had a layover is Switzerland. I wandered the airport and then headed to my gate. Walking up to the gate I saw 6 young Americans and thought, “Jackpot! My first group of friends!” I sat in their area and struck up a conversation with the two girls sitting across from me. Yup- I guessed it, they were headed to mid-year too! Six new friends and 200 more to come! This is gonna be A-mazing!

We stayed in a place that was beautiful. And quite deserted because it’s not quite beach season, but it was beautiful none the less. I am sure for those serving in quite hot, ugly, desert places- this was a dream location for them. But for me, it was the dream surrounding of people for me. I was immediately energized by all the people and the stories they had to tell. It was incredible to be with 200 people who knew EXACTLY, I mean EXACTLY what I have been going through. Those I work with in France are so incredible, encouraging, and understanding, and I couldn’t ask for more. But there was something at a heart level of peace and comfort all of these people could give me that was unexplainable. I didn’t need them to tell me they understood or that it was okay, because you could hear it in their voices and see it in their expressions, that they did get it. Even without talking about it, they got it. They knew the joys, and they knew the struggles, and it’s not a memory for them, but something they are experiencing full throttle in the moment now too.

In France and at work, it’s not that I am all that different from everyone else. But at the same time, there are just small differences, that I see no where else, but with me. It was amusing for me to see I am not so abnormal or the only one with my similar interests. What’s interesting they are all traits or characteristics I didn’t ever realized were held by others around me, until I came to a place where I was suddenly so similar to everyone around me. Apparently the composition of a girl in her young twenties living overseas comes with: Journals, giant sunglasses, nose rings, flip flops or ballet slippers, funky jewelry, and reusable water bottles.

Girls from Mid-year

Mid-year for me was exactly what it was meant to be, spiritually, emotionally, and physically renewing. I was refreshed in a good dose of social life, doing hair, talking about nothing, taking pictures and at the same time being encouraged. Knowing that somewhere else in this world away from home, though I am technically alone and without a team, there are many others out there, living and adjusting to life abroad, and doing what it takes to make this time, the best that it can be.