A farmers market and The Case of the Pinched Book

This morning, I went grocery shopping at a Farmers Market.  The nearest market (on Saturdays at least) is 20 minutes away, which is an average distance by Texas standards, but it's quite far considering that my  house is within a 5 min driving radius from 3 major grocery stores.  Six booths were set-up selling a variety of things: bread, veggies, eggs, lamb meat, fish, shrimp, goat cheese, goat-milk ice cream, organic soaps, and flowers.  Everyone was very friendly and happy to talk about their farm and how they operate.  The sponsoring organization, Hill Country Farmers  Market Association, even hired a guitarist to play mellow country songs to entertain the shoppers and sellers alike!   Very quaint...  Today, I bought red onions, yellow squash, red potatoes, fish, shrimp, and a loaf of honey wheat bread.  The bread was amazing toasted with peanut butter!  Can't wait to try everything else!

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A  few days ago, I received a textbook in the mail that I had ordered online.  When I opened the package, I noticed a Dewey decimal sticker on the front cover.  Then, I looked on the back and noticed a bar code with small print lining the bottom, "Georgetown College Library".  I thought, "Surely, this can't be a current library book," but thought I should do some investigating.  As I scrolled through the college's online library catalog, I found this book... the very book that I was holding had been overdue since May of this year.  Someone sold me a stolen library book!  Just to make sure, I called the library and the director confirmed my suspicions.  I immediately email the company (Alibris.com) and a representative from Customer Service sent me an email stating, "I can assure you that the book you received was not stolen from a library."  Really? Are you serious?!  So I asked the librarian to write a letter stating that the book was in fact stolen...

Craziness. 

Graduate School!

Class List:
Cancer Biology I
Cancer Biochemistry Seminar
Molecular Biology Seminar
DNA Lab Techniques 
plus a Lab Internship working with cancer research


Essentially, my life will soon be inundated with all sorts of cancer biology knowledge!  I have been dreaming about this opportunity for years and now my dream is finally being fulfilled, but rather unexpectedly.  See, in the beginning of the year, my plan was to enter the University of Texas Health Science Center (a medical school) as a Master's student, take oodles of cancer courses and learn how research is being actively translated into clinical treatments.  After interviewing with a researcher at the university, I was informed that their master's program only accepted 3 to 5 students (about 5% of the applicant pool).  Statistically speaking, my chances of getting accepted were very low, so I begrudgingly applied to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).  I didn't think UTSA had much cancer research nor offered cancer courses, so I was pretty bummed to say the least when I did not get into the Health Science Center.  Nevertheless, I was optimistic that God was leading the way.


Now that I am studying at UTSA, I can see that God was directing me toward my goals (and hopefully His) all along.  Not only am I taking two cancer courses, but I am also working in a laboratory that researches cancer, specifically TGFb1 signaling in human osteosarcoma cells (how cool is that?!).  UTSA also offers a traditional campus life that the medical school doesn't offer - a Recreation Center, hundreds of student organizations, and a beautiful campus!  There is a definite sense of community here - in my lab, between the bio Master's students, and throughout the university.  Turns out, this university is exactly what I was looking for...without knowing it.


picture above is osteosarcoma cell from micro.magnet.fsu.edu

Surprise

The next-door neighbor made me brownies!  Her name is Julie - she is the daughter-in-law of Magdalena (my partner in tocallo).  How thoughtful!

On the Border

After visiting Mexico and learning about the country's current political and economic status for myself, I began to understand (as only an outsider can) why Mexicans risk their lives and thus the lives of their families to illegally cross the border into America. 

A. Drug cartels have infiltrated Mexico (and the media) by silencing opposition with threats and heinous acts of violence.

B. 18.2% of Mexicans live below the poverty line (that's 20 million people, by the way).  The CIA World Factbook mentioned that "rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations."  So I'm guessing their poverty looks a bit different than American poverty.  America's response to the poverty =NAFTA.  However, many people criticize NAFTA  for crippling farmers in Mexico by forcing them to compete with cheap (due to subsidies) high-yielding GM corn crops in America.  I believe there is a definite connection between the poverty level and NAFTA.

Partner in Tocallo

So I made more cookies and knocked on more doors!  The first family I visited (well, I only met the daughter) recently moved to San Antonio from a little town in east California.  The daughter attends UTSA full-time and is working towards a Bachelors of Arts in sociology with the desire to become a social worker in high schools.  She said people discourage her because social worker salaries are low.  Isn't that unfortunate?  Where would our society be if everyone discouraged future firefighters, police officers, teachers, and social workers from pursuing their passion and source of fulfillment?

The other neighbor introduced herself as Magdalena, the grandmother of the house.  She is living with her son, his wife, and their son.  When I told her my name, she said, "Oh! We are tocallo!   That is the Spanish word for two people who share the same name."  I was astonished that there was actually a word for that.  I love foreign languages!  While I didn't get the chance to meet the rest of her family, I am excited to learn more about my partner in "tocallo".

A new beginning...again

Let's face it, transitions are rough and always on our doorstep.  Actually, life is a steady stream of transitions.  At some point, we either learn how to cope with change or we waste our energy desperately trying to paddle upstream.  So I've decided to embrace the unknown path before me with God as my trusty navigator and the Holy Spirit as the current that will carry me when I have no idea where we are going.

My "adjustment" plan begins with integration into local communities - neighborhood, church, UTSA. 

I. The neighbors:In order to start building friendships here, I  thought I would meet the neighbors first.  So, I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies and went knocking on doors!  My first stop was the house diagonal to ours (to the r ight).  A timid young girl slowly opened the door and said, "Hello?"  I introduced myself and then the mother arrived at the door and welcomed me into their house to chat.  Deb and Daniel have 4 children (Steven, Torri, Danny, and Nicki...in that order).  Daniel is currently deployed to a Naval base in Germany while Deb looks after the kiddos and manages the household.  I truly admire military families.  


Then, the house directly across from us.  This family was incredibly welcoming!  After I rang the door bell, Shirley (the grandmother) opened the door with a big smile on her face saying, "Hi! Come on in!"  before I could even fully introduce myself.  This woman had no idea who I was (only that I was a neighbor) and still she welcomed me into her home with open arms.  That level of trust is dwindling in our world today.  Although I was carrying a plate of chocolate chip cookies... maybe that's the secret!


Today, I hope to bake one more batch of cookies and meet the two remaining neighbors.  I'll let you know how it goes!

Psalm 138

                         I
I thank you, LORD, with all my heart;
      before the angels to you I sing. 
I bow low toward your holy temple; 
      I praise your name for your fidelity and love.  
For you have exalted over all
      your name and your promise.
When I cried out, you answered;
      you strengthened my spirit.