I've learned some interesting things being out in California for almost a month. It is definitely not what I expected, even though I had a similar experience last summer when I interned at Dow Corning in Midland, MI.
California is probably one of the most talked up places when you live in Michigan. Most people who grow up in Michigan get "bored," and say that they want to move out, go somewhere where the weather is nice and there are more things to do. What I find interesting about that though, is that fact that almost everything that is fun to do, especially outdoors, is virtually pointless if you don't know anyone.
I'll take golf as an example. I've been playing golf since about 2nd grade and anyone who knows me knows that golf is a pretty big part of my life. I played in high school, I played tournaments growing up, and it's something that is a part of my identity. Being in California is perfect for that. Whereas Michigan only has about 5 months of quality golf weather (May-September), in California you can pretty much golf year round. The weather doesn't change that much and it never gets cold. But for some reason, I haven't really had any strong desire to go and play golf since I moved. If I were in Michigan, I'd probably be playing once or even twice a week right now.
What's the difference? Well growing up, the only time I played golf other than in high school was with my dad. I played with my brother a little bit, but from middle school through college, I almost exclusively played with my dad. I enjoyed playing with friends my age, but I didn't enjoy it as much as playing with my dad. There was something about that father-son bond, something about knowing that he always understood when I wasn't playing well and always helped me have a better attitude. Now that I'm in California, I don't have that opportunity anymore, and I might never really have that experience of playing every week during the summer with my dad again. It makes wanting to play golf almost seem trivial, because what's the point if I don't get to go out with my dad?
That's just one personal example, but the theory can be applied to other activities too. Take a minute and think about yourself. What are the things you really enjoy doing? If you had 3-4 hours of free time, what would you do? Think about all the things you could do or places you could visit if you lived in a place like California. Now think about if you would still do those things if you didn't have anyone to do them with. I'm guessing almost everything you came up with, you had a close friend in mind or a group of friends that you associated with that activity. For me, the list goes something like, watching a movie, playing basketball, going somewhere to eat, and.. oh yeah.. spending time with Iris or hanging out with friends. I can't even list 5 things that I like to do that don't involve spending time with people I care about, and 2 of those things on the list directly involve people close to me. Simply put, the only reason we enjoy the things we enjoy is because of the people we get to enjoy them with (that's a tongue-twister).
Currently, I'm still in the process of finding a community. I've found people that I can talk to and have a good conversation with, but haven't really made any close "friends" yet. I'm also still looking for a church that I can call my home. I've been to 3 different churches so far, and all of them have their strengths and weaknesses. I've met 2 young adult groups so far as well and have been able to spend a little bit of time with each of them. Still, I am far from that feeling of "home" here. It's definitely a journey and a difficult one, but I still have faith that God has a plan for me. I've learned a lot about myself already, especially my weaknesses, and I know being in California will continue to help me to rely on and trust in God even more.
So if you remember me in your prayers, just pray that I'll make some friends.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Never Forget Where You Came From
The title of this post alludes to my feeling so far being in California. I have realized that this phrase, "never forget where you came from" has had true significance to me here. Although people talk up California a lot and how amazing it is, I never realized how much I would miss Michigan and how out of place I would feel here. There's just something about not seeing a Meijer, or a Kroger, that makes me miss back home. Every time I see something that reminds me of Michigan, I can't help but feel like I'm away from home. In many ways, I am. In many ways, I always will be.
That being said, I have really enjoyed my time here in California. I started work last Monday, and I can tell that I'm going to really enjoy my job. Although right now, it's quite overwhelming and I realize I know close to nothing. I know I'm going to have a lot of responsibility, being in charge of the very first unit in the refinery (meaning everything that comes out of my unit affects everything we make in the refinery), and I know I'm going to have to make a lot of decisions off of very little knowledge. It will be humbling when people ask me questions and I don't know the answer, but I'm excited for the challenge and excited to be given the opportunity to succeed by being surrounded with really nice people who are willing to help.
Last Wednesday, our group did a "team building" experience and went bike riding in Napa Valley. It was a really fun experience, getting to know other members of the team, and simply biking in the beautiful Napa Valley. The scenery was amazing, the wine was good (Baldacci and Clos du Val), and I got paid to do it! Over the weekend, I ended up playing basketball with one of my colleagues (who is Chinese, and is also a Christian), and he later had me over for dinner. We had a really good conversation about what it's like being Chinese in the workplace, and what it's like being a Christian. It gave me really good perspective on the cultural and spiritual differences that take place and how that can make working life difficult. I was so thankful though to be able to meet with a fellow brother and also thankful that he was Chinese.
On Sunday, I ended up going to his church which is a Chinese church called Contra Costa Gospel Church. Originally I was planning on going to a different church, but it worked out well for me because Steve (my colleague) was able to introduce me to a lot of people. I was able to meet a few of the young adults, and I will actually be going to a BBQ/pool party tomorrow for the 4th of July to hang out with them. It was quite a blessing to meet some young adults, and to simply be at church and to worship was something I really needed. Reflecting on all the emotions of moving and transitioning, it was one of the few times that I actually shed some tears during the worship service.
Later on Sunday, I went to sort of an AIV reunion with some older folks from AIV. Arthur, Jenny, Steven, Enid and her husband Eric, and Michelle Liang. It was a lot of fun; we BBQ'ed, went to a park and played home run derby, ate craw fish at Craw Daddy, and then went to play at an elementary school play structure.
All that being said, even with all the exciting opportunities and times I've had in just a week or so in California, I can't help but miss Michigan, and feel like I'm still "not at home." That's why I've titled this post "never forget where you came from." There's a part of me (a large part) that will always remember Michigan as home. I lived there for about 18 years of my life, virtually all of my friends are there, my parents are there, and it's a part of who I am. I get the feeling that even if I live in California the rest of my life, I will always consider myself a Michigan native, no matter what.
Additionally, however, in the bigger picture the phrase "never forget where you came from" has different implications. It stems from the fact that I'll always have this unsettling feeling while I'm out here, not because necessarily I miss Michigan or I don't like living in California, but because this is not where my home is. Philippians 3:20 says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." Ultimately I know this unsettling feeling, this feeling of longing to be back in Michigan and to be with my friends, has in some ways little to do with the fact that I actually miss Michigan. It has more to do with the fact that I'm looking for a place where I belong, and I don't feel like I belong in California. However, I don't really belong in Michigan either. I belong in heaven, with Jesus Christ.
It's unsettling, in some ways very unsettling, but in a sense it's also extremely freeing. It means that no matter how much I search for a "home" here, I'll ultimately never find it. The only home that I have is in Christ. And luckily, Christ has blessed me with his Spirit to give me comfort until I see him face to face. It doesn't mean that being here isn't difficult, or that I don't miss being "home," but it does mean that I know I have a place that I belong, a place that I will one day truly call home.
For now, I guess I'll just have to deal with being in California.
That being said, I have really enjoyed my time here in California. I started work last Monday, and I can tell that I'm going to really enjoy my job. Although right now, it's quite overwhelming and I realize I know close to nothing. I know I'm going to have a lot of responsibility, being in charge of the very first unit in the refinery (meaning everything that comes out of my unit affects everything we make in the refinery), and I know I'm going to have to make a lot of decisions off of very little knowledge. It will be humbling when people ask me questions and I don't know the answer, but I'm excited for the challenge and excited to be given the opportunity to succeed by being surrounded with really nice people who are willing to help.
Last Wednesday, our group did a "team building" experience and went bike riding in Napa Valley. It was a really fun experience, getting to know other members of the team, and simply biking in the beautiful Napa Valley. The scenery was amazing, the wine was good (Baldacci and Clos du Val), and I got paid to do it! Over the weekend, I ended up playing basketball with one of my colleagues (who is Chinese, and is also a Christian), and he later had me over for dinner. We had a really good conversation about what it's like being Chinese in the workplace, and what it's like being a Christian. It gave me really good perspective on the cultural and spiritual differences that take place and how that can make working life difficult. I was so thankful though to be able to meet with a fellow brother and also thankful that he was Chinese.
On Sunday, I ended up going to his church which is a Chinese church called Contra Costa Gospel Church. Originally I was planning on going to a different church, but it worked out well for me because Steve (my colleague) was able to introduce me to a lot of people. I was able to meet a few of the young adults, and I will actually be going to a BBQ/pool party tomorrow for the 4th of July to hang out with them. It was quite a blessing to meet some young adults, and to simply be at church and to worship was something I really needed. Reflecting on all the emotions of moving and transitioning, it was one of the few times that I actually shed some tears during the worship service.
Later on Sunday, I went to sort of an AIV reunion with some older folks from AIV. Arthur, Jenny, Steven, Enid and her husband Eric, and Michelle Liang. It was a lot of fun; we BBQ'ed, went to a park and played home run derby, ate craw fish at Craw Daddy, and then went to play at an elementary school play structure.
All that being said, even with all the exciting opportunities and times I've had in just a week or so in California, I can't help but miss Michigan, and feel like I'm still "not at home." That's why I've titled this post "never forget where you came from." There's a part of me (a large part) that will always remember Michigan as home. I lived there for about 18 years of my life, virtually all of my friends are there, my parents are there, and it's a part of who I am. I get the feeling that even if I live in California the rest of my life, I will always consider myself a Michigan native, no matter what.
Additionally, however, in the bigger picture the phrase "never forget where you came from" has different implications. It stems from the fact that I'll always have this unsettling feeling while I'm out here, not because necessarily I miss Michigan or I don't like living in California, but because this is not where my home is. Philippians 3:20 says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." Ultimately I know this unsettling feeling, this feeling of longing to be back in Michigan and to be with my friends, has in some ways little to do with the fact that I actually miss Michigan. It has more to do with the fact that I'm looking for a place where I belong, and I don't feel like I belong in California. However, I don't really belong in Michigan either. I belong in heaven, with Jesus Christ.
It's unsettling, in some ways very unsettling, but in a sense it's also extremely freeing. It means that no matter how much I search for a "home" here, I'll ultimately never find it. The only home that I have is in Christ. And luckily, Christ has blessed me with his Spirit to give me comfort until I see him face to face. It doesn't mean that being here isn't difficult, or that I don't miss being "home," but it does mean that I know I have a place that I belong, a place that I will one day truly call home.
For now, I guess I'll just have to deal with being in California.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Growing Pains
Growing up is hard.
I thought it would be a piece of cake. I transitioned from High School to College, I mean how much more difficult could it be? To make it worse, I didn't even realize it until my parents left yesterday night. Then it hit me like a truck.
I'm alone.
Not alone in the sense that I have no friends I can call or talk to, or that I can't simply call my parents. But for the first time, I am in a completely new state, with no close friends nearby, away from my parents, and living completely by myself. In college I started out at the dorm, where my meals were cooked for me and everything was paid for so I didn't have to worry about expenses or anything like that. When I moved to an apartment, my roommates were always around and I could talk to them or I was always with friends at school. Now I'm living by myself (my roommate is still in Europe and will be coming back 7/14), paying for everything myself (someone my age should not normally be thinking about 401(K)'s or pension plans), and making REAL decisions. Not the college decisions like, should I stay up past midnight playing super smash bros, but REAL decisions like, What kind of medical insurance should I get? What doctor should I chose? How should I invest my money for the future?
For some reason, the work seems a bit more overwhelming too. As an intern, my responsibilities were limited. I had a couple projects I was working on, had a specific deadline, and I knew I would be done after 12 weeks. Now I'm in charge of two units in the refinery, which are at the very beginning of the line (meaning almost everything we make comes through my units), and I'm here... indefinitely. I haven't even gotten into the nitty gritty of the job yet.
All this being sad, I've had a really difficult transition. I felt it a little bit once I got here, but my parents were still around and a part of me still felt like I was on vacation or at home. However, this time my parents just left without me, and I'm stuck in a foreign place, with no one I really know and close to I can talk to.
Everyone always asked me if I had friends/family in California and why I was moving there. I figured since it was a job offer and California is such a nice place, it wouldn't be so bad. Now I'm convinced that this has truly been a test from God, a reminder that I cannot do this on my own. That apart from God, I can do nothing. But with him, I can do anything. California is a reminder to me that the only reason I am here is because God wants me to be here. It's a reminder for me to rely on God's strength and not my own.
It's a test that I'm supposed to fail, in order to "win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
I thought it would be a piece of cake. I transitioned from High School to College, I mean how much more difficult could it be? To make it worse, I didn't even realize it until my parents left yesterday night. Then it hit me like a truck.
I'm alone.
Not alone in the sense that I have no friends I can call or talk to, or that I can't simply call my parents. But for the first time, I am in a completely new state, with no close friends nearby, away from my parents, and living completely by myself. In college I started out at the dorm, where my meals were cooked for me and everything was paid for so I didn't have to worry about expenses or anything like that. When I moved to an apartment, my roommates were always around and I could talk to them or I was always with friends at school. Now I'm living by myself (my roommate is still in Europe and will be coming back 7/14), paying for everything myself (someone my age should not normally be thinking about 401(K)'s or pension plans), and making REAL decisions. Not the college decisions like, should I stay up past midnight playing super smash bros, but REAL decisions like, What kind of medical insurance should I get? What doctor should I chose? How should I invest my money for the future?
For some reason, the work seems a bit more overwhelming too. As an intern, my responsibilities were limited. I had a couple projects I was working on, had a specific deadline, and I knew I would be done after 12 weeks. Now I'm in charge of two units in the refinery, which are at the very beginning of the line (meaning almost everything we make comes through my units), and I'm here... indefinitely. I haven't even gotten into the nitty gritty of the job yet.
All this being sad, I've had a really difficult transition. I felt it a little bit once I got here, but my parents were still around and a part of me still felt like I was on vacation or at home. However, this time my parents just left without me, and I'm stuck in a foreign place, with no one I really know and close to I can talk to.
Everyone always asked me if I had friends/family in California and why I was moving there. I figured since it was a job offer and California is such a nice place, it wouldn't be so bad. Now I'm convinced that this has truly been a test from God, a reminder that I cannot do this on my own. That apart from God, I can do nothing. But with him, I can do anything. California is a reminder to me that the only reason I am here is because God wants me to be here. It's a reminder for me to rely on God's strength and not my own.
It's a test that I'm supposed to fail, in order to "win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Friday, June 22, 2012
Fun at the DMV
Who thought a trip to the DMV could be so exciting? I guess if you define "exciting" as stressful and complicated. I'll explain...
Moving to California meant that I needed to get a new California driver's license, get my car registered in the state, and register to vote. The first two items could both be done at the DMV (department of motor vehicles. Michigan just has Secretary of State offices, which California doesn't have), so I figured it wouldn't be too complicated. The website was hard to completely understand, but it seemed you just had to make an appointment, fill out some forms, and you'd be all set. It turned out to be a little bit more complicated...
We went this morning at 9am which was when I scheduled my appointment. The appointment system is nice so you don't have to wait behind a lot of people; you get priority. I filled out a form for my driver's license, was called up, and then got my picture taken as well as take a short 36-question written test to get my license. The process was fairly simple, minus the written test, but it wasn't bad (as long as you know that animals must be properly restrained if you're transporting them in the back of a truck).
I went back to get my car registration, and that's when the fun happened. First the representative was saying that my car wasn't eligible for the gift tax exemption because we had already transferred it; then I had to go get my vehicle inspected, so I went outside to get it inspected. After coming back, since my car doesn't meet "California standards" (even new cars have a different "California" version to meet their specific requirements), and it was considered a "new car" (under 7500 miles), she was saying that my car wasn't even eligible to be driven in California. We kept telling her that the car was a gift, so it should be exempt from that... so she finally had my dad fill out some paperwork stating that he gave me the car as a gift. I then had to get it smog certified because it wasn't exempt. However, she first asked me to give her my license plate, and then go out and get it checked for smog regulations. Therefore, I ended up driving a couple miles to the nearest test center,without a license plate. My dad told me not to worry, but passing two police cars along the road didn't calm my nerves. Luckily I wasn't pulled over even though I didn't have a license plate. The car passed the smog test, and then we went back to the DMV.
Once we got back, we finally were able to finalize everything and my car was officially registered! The whole process took about 2.5 hours and about $300. Thankfully, it's all done now and I now have official California license plates. I also got to register to vote when I registered for my driver's license, which was a plus. All that is left now is to get my stuff, which is supposed to come on Sunday!
Moving to California meant that I needed to get a new California driver's license, get my car registered in the state, and register to vote. The first two items could both be done at the DMV (department of motor vehicles. Michigan just has Secretary of State offices, which California doesn't have), so I figured it wouldn't be too complicated. The website was hard to completely understand, but it seemed you just had to make an appointment, fill out some forms, and you'd be all set. It turned out to be a little bit more complicated...
We went this morning at 9am which was when I scheduled my appointment. The appointment system is nice so you don't have to wait behind a lot of people; you get priority. I filled out a form for my driver's license, was called up, and then got my picture taken as well as take a short 36-question written test to get my license. The process was fairly simple, minus the written test, but it wasn't bad (as long as you know that animals must be properly restrained if you're transporting them in the back of a truck).
I went back to get my car registration, and that's when the fun happened. First the representative was saying that my car wasn't eligible for the gift tax exemption because we had already transferred it; then I had to go get my vehicle inspected, so I went outside to get it inspected. After coming back, since my car doesn't meet "California standards" (even new cars have a different "California" version to meet their specific requirements), and it was considered a "new car" (under 7500 miles), she was saying that my car wasn't even eligible to be driven in California. We kept telling her that the car was a gift, so it should be exempt from that... so she finally had my dad fill out some paperwork stating that he gave me the car as a gift. I then had to get it smog certified because it wasn't exempt. However, she first asked me to give her my license plate, and then go out and get it checked for smog regulations. Therefore, I ended up driving a couple miles to the nearest test center,without a license plate. My dad told me not to worry, but passing two police cars along the road didn't calm my nerves. Luckily I wasn't pulled over even though I didn't have a license plate. The car passed the smog test, and then we went back to the DMV.
Once we got back, we finally were able to finalize everything and my car was officially registered! The whole process took about 2.5 hours and about $300. Thankfully, it's all done now and I now have official California license plates. I also got to register to vote when I registered for my driver's license, which was a plus. All that is left now is to get my stuff, which is supposed to come on Sunday!
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