GMW - G = MW

When I left San Diego on June 17, it was the last time that GMW would be together for 2008. At the airport, as Grace & Wury were dropped me off, Grace got out of the car and demanded, "Wo yao baobao." (I want a hug.) Usually, I'd high five or do something of the like but remembering that I didn't give her a hug to send her off to Argentina last year and also knowing that I wouldn't see her until January 2009, I muttered, "Gei ni baobao," (I will give you a hug.) and hugged her.

It was weird.

The day before, Wury and I rushed back from Resolved, missing out on what sounded like an epic CJ Mahaney sermon and another sermon from John Piper, so that we could spend our last moments with Grace. I made jjajangmyung which we ended up eating with one of our subletters and one of Cesar's coworkers ('cause she needed a place to stay). Not exactly the cozy GMW meal that I had in mind but it didn't bother me too much.

Then we to take those sticky pictures at WOW! pictures. Wury kept on saying that it would be like an exam, to see if I understood what the machine was saying. I couldn't read any of the characters on the screen and it was too noisy to hear what the machine was saying to us. ;o; All I could read was, "Be careful for the curtain!" We didn't know what it meant until a curtain came flying out of the machine a few times. Then it took pictures kind of by random so we didn't have time to pose for them. Still, it was a lot of spontaneous fun. :) Then we decorated the pictures for what seemed like 20 minutes.

It was Berries & Beans next. We sat there, talking and eating. We didn't talk about anything deep or super important. I think that if anything, we were relishing the normalcy of the time that we were spending together. There didn't seem to be a rush to talk about last minute "What are you scared about?" kind of things. It was really relaxed and slow paced.

Then we headed to Wury's and sat in the jacuzzi for a little bit. Then we really started talking. Then we got kicked out by security. D:

Wury came to our place and slept over. I was busy packing so Grace & Wury fell asleep. I was crazy tired from Resolved and from driving. The day had worn me down a bit too. I wish I could say that I looked at Grace & Wury asleep in the living room and prayed or treasured that moment but to be honest, I knocked out. Hahahaha.

It really is weird. I'm so used to seeing these two girls all the time. And to be honest, when I see them, it gives me a lot of relief. Kind of like when you see a familiar face in the crowd, you know? These two ladies have provided so much friendship, love, and care for me and to know that I won't have that during the summer and my time in Japan, Lord willing, is really weird. It helps to think, though, that I have all eternity to spend in perfect fellowship with these ladies. ;)

I don't want this post to sound like a farewell post but at the same time, the reality of the situation's finally starting to sink its teeth into me. Grace is leaving in less than twelve hours. Wury's leaving in a month. Then I'll peace out three weeks after her.

It's going to be difficult. I know that it will be difficult. There's no one that I really know who's going to Japan but for Grace and Wury, they REALLY don't know anyone going with them to their respective countries. They'll be in their countries longer than I will be. Loneliness is a big struggle abroad, I hear, and I know that I'll probably be hit with it-- and I'm praying that Grace and Wury won't.

Now I am at that awkward place where I don't know how to end this entry so I will end it right here. But please pray for us. I think that the reality of studying abroad, of it actually happening now, is making me consider things that I didn't really hit me before. We need prayer desperately!

EAP Japan ICU Fall

Since I'm working on my lab report and am in need of a break every now and then, I'll be writing a brief (hah... hah...) post on the application process for EAP Japan & then the application process for ICU itself.

So for y'all that don't know, I will be attending International Christian University in the fall, Lord willing. It's in the suburbs of Tokyo. Or something like that. I just remember that it takes an hour to go to downtown. Anyway, this is the entire process that I went through (if anyone is interested in applying for this program or for EAP in general, feel free to ask one of us -- we'll be more than happy to assist you):

1. Sign up for first steps. It's a pretty short informational session that equips you with the things you need to know in order to find not only the program that is right for you (OAP or EAP?) but also universities in the countries that interest you. What's crazier is that you can see classes that students took before and got UC credit for.
2. Go online and do your application. They give you the link for it at the first steps seminar. It's pretty thorough and time consuming. ... Well, I guess that the whole application process is thorough and time consuming. D:
3. Get a letter of rec.
4. Get 2987928749238 signatures (ok, maybe just 3-5, depending on if you're going to take classes that count for something at UCSD).
5. Write a statement of intent.
6. Turn it in. (I might be missing something here o_o)
7. Wait for about a month.
8. Find out if you're in the program of not! If you get rejected from the program, please proceed to the last paragraph. If you get accepted, continue onto number 9.

9. Get a travel appointment & UC health clearance. That means that depending on your country, you need to get a blood test, urinalysis, immunizations & x-rays. Travel appointments and UC health clearance appointments are necessary for every student going abroad through EAP.
10. Apply to your host university. I don't know if other countries do this but for ICU, I had to apply to the actual university itself. This application process was more laborious than the EAP application process but they both are laborious in their own special ways. To apply for EAP, you have to get a letter of rec, write a statement of intent, and then run around and get some signatures. For ICU, I had to get a confirmation of financial resources (had to go to the bank for this), print out probably 20-some, 30-some pages of paper for all the different forms that I had to fill out, an x-ray of my lungs, and then 12 passport pictures that I had to cut down to 4cmx3cm.
10. Mail your stuff in! I had to express mail mine in yesterday. It costed me $16.25. WOW. I can buy a week's worth of groceries for that amount. Or half a tank of gas. @_@;;;

What's next? I guess that I'm just waiting around for my certificiate of eligibility. ICU is going to apply for me in getting that and after I get that, I can go up to the Japan consulate in LA and get my student visa. After that is chill time with the whole process.

I will also be looking for a church in Tokyo. Grace recommended Tokyo Evangelical and I checked out their website -- their statement of faith seems pretty right on but I read their gospel presentation and they don't mention God being holy... D: I'll listen to a few of their sermons to see.

So yes, that's probably the biggest thing for GMW -- finding a church abroad. Please pray for us as we look into churches and do a thorough investigation before we go abroad.

Ok, that's all. :D Bye. (G & W, update with your experiences with the application process too.)