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um... I'm back in good ol' America. Right in the dead center. no ocean.

so, I'm done with this blog...but my other one will be full of my profound thoughts.

lucky you.

London, another place I'm going to have to live...

Here are several pictures from my time in London. I absolutely loved it! But then again...why wouldn't I like it?

We only had about three days in England and spent most of one day in Oxford. The trip was quick but they let us run and explore the city on our own...so it was great. Not much sleep but I feel like I saw a lot. One of my favorite things was going to the Westminster Abby evensong service. There was the all male choir that sang. Some of the boys were maybe six years old...singing the most beautiful songs I had ever heard. The voices of the choir echoed through out the church and sounded like angels.

I also went to Tate Modern. Which is a modern art museum. I loved seeing all the art and learning and growing from it. There were many other things that I was able to do, like find Brick Lane, with my friend Emily. Its like the China town in London, except all Indians. I loved it. Little India! Emily and I ate some great Indian Curry. There friends in the picture above are Emily, Elizabeth, and Luke. I had great fun with them too.

Well, more stories when I get home. I fly out tomorrow! Crazy...Right now its my last day in Northern Ireland and I'm sitting in bed...feeling sick. Yeah, my body must be fighting the change. Well, I'm going to have to leave Europe whether I'm sick or not...so hopefully my body gets the memo.

See you all very soon! Pray that I make my connecting flight home...I only have an hour in Newark to go through customs and security...we will see when I actually get home...and then I'm coming down to JBU on Monday...yeah, on Jet lag. I know, I'm crazy. But hey you're only young once.

Northern Ireland has been hard at times but I loved it. I am going to miss it. Mostly the city, but I will miss waking up to the mountains and ocean!

see you soon!

Spending some of the Holiday in Dublin and Belfast...

This last Tuesday we went to Dublin for the first time. It was really fun. We went to the National Art Gallery in the morning and then had the rest of the day to ourselves. My roommate Jordan and I shopped and saw a movie. The lights were on and the streets were crowded. I love the city! I thought Dublin really was a great place. I may have like it more than here. The picture of the rainbow is from Dublin. The other pictures are from last night. Since we are in Northern Ireland and not America. we still had class on Thursday. We did however get to spend the evening in Belfast after our art class at Queens. The whole city hall and city center was lit up. They had a huge Christmas tree and a Ferris Wheel that was huge and really nice. I rode it and it was my first time! Around city hall they had a fair, but it was more of a world fair and not as redneck and the ones I am use to. There were Indian Curry stations, Fudge shops, cider and wine, Greek food, licorice from Holland, sausages and burgers from all over, and the best most authentic Turkish Delight I have ever had. (Below is a picture of my and my bag of different varieties). Anyways, the whole night was very fun and the Christmas Cheer was grand. I really like both Dublin and Belfast and will miss the feel of the European city. I will be flying home in two weeks from tomorrow...crazy! I am ready to see family and friends but I know there will be things I will miss. I may not miss the socially slow weekend nights of Dundrum....but walking around Belfast during Christmas time is one of my new favorites! Miss and love you guys! oh...and there is also a picture of my school, Queens at night. Pretty huh?

A few good things

Well, to be honest...the last couple of weeks back from Rome have been a little hard. I keep telling everyone that I love being in another country and the people and culture, but the circumstances of the program are frusterating at times. I do miss my friends and family, and also miss my days of independence. But things are still going. I did something amazing today. I went to the records library in Belfast. It was there that I was able to look up and ask for Amy Carmichael's letters from India to home. I sat and held her very own hand written and a hundred year old letters. I also looked through "Amma's photos." It was all of the pictures Amy had taken of her time in India. So, tons of black and white photos of little Indian babies.

For those of you who don't know...Amy Carmichael was a missionary from Ireland to India. She lived and worked in India for over 50 years of her life. She is an amazing women of God and my spiritual hero...so this was a great day. I held the very letter she wrote on a ship on her way to Japan in March of 1893. I read her words as she described seeing "the gleaming of the long coast line of Darkest Africa." I read on in amazement at the love she had for the Lord. This is something I copied down from one of her letters:

"The light-bearers so few and far between that today millions and millions whom Jesus died to win, are left to live and die unwon. Oh that His bride might awaken to the heart desire of her Bridge groom. E're the cry rings down 'Go ye forth to meet Him.' Truely if we go on leaving 'the voiceless silence of despair' unanswered, the heathen who we might tell, untold, we shall have to 'shrek in shame before Him at His coming.'"

I don't think I could say I would write a letter like that on a ship infested with cockroaches, rolling over the crazy ocean waves on my way to Japan in 1893... Reading through letters written on thin Indian paper, seeing the heart and soul behind this woman was both encouraging and convicting.

I also put up a video of Jill and I in Rome. And here are a few pictures! Love and miss you guys! I will be home in like 26 days...wow.

Late Nights, Bella Calls, and Amazing Gelati...

Well, I'm back from Rome. I have a lot more pictures but here are a few... Rome was beautiful and a lovely holiday. : ) I loved the late night dinners and being able to walk all over Rome. No one eats dinner until late in Italy. Most of the time 8:30-9 and even later when its hot in the summer. I ate amazing Italian food every night and had Gelati atleast once a day...I also had some of the best coffee and chocolates I had ever had. Italy, you have so much of my heart. Well, besides the food...Jill and I went and stayed with a friend's uncle and aunt who are missionaries in Rome. They had been missionaries through the International Mission Board....cool huh? So we hung out with Carrie's (our friend) uncle since her aunt was in the states. He (David) showed us good places to eat and helped us when it came to reading the map... Jill and I saw most of the major things...although we are coming back one day, to see the things we missed. It was very relaxing. Having three full days there, we had time to see things but also just walk the streets, get lost, and see what Italy is all about. I loved the busy city life, Romans walking to and from, shopping, all the motorcycles (which many driving were girls...) and the beautiful Italian men. Haha. You can't forget the tons of groups touring, all wearing matching scarfs....oh well. Sunday we went to David's church. It is a "multicultural church" so it was great. Tons of people from all over the world, sitting in church in Rome. They were celebrating their African Fellowship that day. So we had great music and an African lunch. Jill and I also met three Christian girls (picture above). The blonde is from Finland working in Rome and the other two are Americans studying in Rome. So we all went out to eat our last night in Rome together. It was really fun. Overall, the time there was pretty much perfect. A few blisters from walking so much, but we connected fine on all of our flights and buses on the way there and back. My time in Rome was so fun and also very beautiful. I threw my coin in the Trevi fountain, so I will be back. The picture of the square above is the view from my window at night. Below were tons of restaurants with people eating late into the night. The picture of the church has a prison below. Its where Paul was kept and also where he wrote II Timothy. Pretty cool. Anyways, Thursday starts the first day of the last full month I'm in Ireland. I know it will go fast...

For my Mum

Thanks so much mummy...for my new boots. I feel a tad spoiled...I really had no intention of you actually getting them for me. But you did... so, just for you (and only you) is my first day of school picture. Jeran Nicole, age 21. Picture taken in Dundrum, Northern Ireland...

love you and miss you!

Here in Northern Ireland...

Life across the ocean is going rather well. I think the shock of being away from home has passed. Not that I don't still miss everyone...but things seem to be going better. I have made a few friends. I went to a Bible study last night and met a couple people that seem interested in rescuing me from Dundrum... This week should be lots of fun. I am going into Belfast Wednesday to hang out with my friend Laura, from Queens. We will probably shop a little...and then the next morning Jill an I (in the picture) are taking a bus from Belfast to Dublin. We are then flying to Rome! We will be staying with a friend's aunt and uncle. They live right by the Spanish steps. We will be there for four days. So, hopefully I will have a good update next week to tell you of my time in Italy. life going well. Lots I could tell you...but maybe I can leave some exciting things for when I get home. If anyone even reads this...I never get any comments....

haha, Northern Ireland is just great. First class if I do say so.