Life Together

This won't be an epic, I'd just like to give you some things I'm learning about living in community (some particular to Christian community, but not all).

Its easier to be real. When you live AND work with the same people, its hard to fool them. Makes for greater accountability though.

Its harder to get perspective. Lee Abbey is a mini-world, even more so than my university was, and you can easily be sucked in to thinking that the whole world has the same problems and solutions and people as this little world does. Which is why the admin people here STRESS that you have to take your days off seriously and go out - see London, see England, spend time with a friend who doesn't live here, etc. If you don't take holiday within four months, they have a little chat with you :)

Its easier to bond with the staff than the students. The staff have a common passion (for Christ) a common purpose (to serve) and a common situation (dealing with the same responsibilities and benefits). To be honest, the diverse cultures only serves to bond us closer in what really matters. The students are not here most of the day and take much more effort to make friendships with.

Its harder to live a structured day. Being on Office team, my shift schedule changes weekly and its never predictable. I can't say that I will always have a quiet time at a certain time of day, or reserve a certain day for doing laundry. I find that several days may pass and I'll realize that I haven't taken personal time to get things done, clean my room, or spend time in personal enrichment. I have to schedule it in my life ahead of time, and stick to it when friends want to grab me to go hang out.

Its amazing to work and live in this place - to have a Christian community of support co-existing with a mission field. The balance is what is most challenging.

Oh, and I have a new roommate! Her name is Ok Ran Lee, but she goes by "Lan" (or "Ran", hard to tell with Korean accents :) She's adorable, several years older than me, but very friendly and independent. Just my kind of roommate . . .