Thursday, August 13, 2009

Life in Virginia (August '08-'09)


I can't believe it. I can't believe that I have been living in Virginia for one year. I truly can't. Never, in my entire life, did I think I would leave California or my parents! (Or my GRANDMA!) Life is so surprising!

Today, I spent all day giving my room a makeover and it dawned on me how much has happened this past year.

When I moved out here last August, I was pretty lonely being new to the area. I spent a lot of time stressing out (It was my first semester in graduate school after all!) and visiting my sister at the River House in Crownsville, Maryland. I have a real affection for Annapolis now. Our friend Natalie came to visit in August and our friend Marc came to visit during Halloween. (We watched The Corpse Bride.) Mom and Dad came for Thanksgiving. It was the first time we spent a holiday with just the four of us. I really enjoy living in Alexandria and especially being only fifteen minutes from Old Town!

The best part about living here is the Catholic community. The Arlington diocese is amazing!

Here's some fun stuff I've done this year:

1. Experienced my first Tridentine mass at St. John the Beloved in McLean, VA.
2. Watched a live taping of The World Over with Raymond Arroyo for EWTN.
3. Spent my birthday in Jerusalem. :)
4. Went on a boat tour of Boston and attended an "Evening with Haydn and Mozart" concert performed by the Metro Chamber Orchestra at the Education Conference. As a result of that...
5. Started a School of Community (www.clonline.org) with a friend at my graduate school!
6. Visited the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. Father Fisher took a group of us to visit. Before he was ordained he asked St. Elizabeth to help him become a priest and in return he promised to bring people to her shrine.
7. Visited Michigan for the first time to attend the Acton Institute. www.acton.org. Faith and Economics: My new found interest!
8. Sang in the church choir at my parish.
9. Go to the Faith Discussion Dinners almost every month: www.faithdiscussion.org
10. Attend bi-monthly John Witherspoon Society meetings!
11. Visited the National Gallery of Art with the intention of viewing all the Raphaels. This trip was inspired by a Crossroads Cultural Center event: "Raphael and the Divine Harmony: A Window on the Renaissance."
12. Attended a concert dedicated to Krzysztof Penderecki's 75th birthday at the John Paul II Cultural Center. The musicians were violinist Patrycja Piekutowska (one of the most renowned in Poland) and Beata Bilinkska, a leading Polish pianist.
13. Took thirty youth group kids (25 of those were boys) to King's Dominion!
14. Completed ten theology classes.
15. Started a blog!

P.S. I miss the beach, though!

7 comments:

Brent said...

A whole year, huh? Cool list, btw. Do you have one more semester of school left?

Simone said...

Thanks, Brent! It's completely out of chronological order. I have one year, plus comprehensive exams left. After that, the direction of my life remains a mystery.

Brent said...

I say might as well stick around and get your PhD...CUA is a good school. Just an idea. :)

Simone said...

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll look into it! :)

Simone said...

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll look into it! :)

Jasmin said...

P.S. I miss YOU, come back.

Unknown said...

Awwwww, it's Evan! I think that photo was taken in Maryland Heights, if you want to get technical. But who cares -- it's a cute photo. And ditto Jasmin -- California needs people with sense like you! We shouldn't all migrate to the East Coast, even though the guys are better (;

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