Hello Friend

Friday, April 29

Sterling Visit--Making Plans for June!

I just spoke with the most lovely woman! Her name is Phyllis (which I immediately have an adoration for) and she runs the Bricabode bed and breakfast and art gallery that is literally walking distance from Sterling College.

I contacted her as I'm starting to plan my visit for June and started to get a little worried because all the other places/websites I had researched offered accommodations but nothing under $80 a night! I take that back, there is ONE place in town (and believe me, I searched all the way out to Morrisville looking at a sketchy motel) that offers a bunk bed in the "kids room" for $60 a night. Please, I'm a college student looking at Sterling, not an inexpensive education but well worth the investment; this doesn't change the fact that I'm still on a very tight and strict budget! And nothing advertised up front any sort of perspective or even student discounts!

So I made the call, not really expecting anybody to answer; it's what, 5 in the evening there on a Friday? And once you know the size of the town, it's pretty much guaranteed it's a quiet evening. Phyllis and I chatted as though we were sharing a pot of tea in her backyard garden for over 20 minutes; she is just a wonderfully sweet and spunky woman whom I cannot wait to meet!

Longer story shorter, she's offered me not only a room of my own while I'm there (at a fair discounted rate) but a new friend in the area as well as comforting words regarding some of the anxieties I've been coping with. Since this whole adventure started (yes, I'm calling it an adventure because there's just no other way to look at it--it's a life changing experience that I wholly believe will be enriching and perfectly fulfilling all while being exhilarating--just as any adventure should be) I've been stressing about employment while in school up there. Realistically, there's just no way I can go to this college without working as much as possible to put money toward the loans I'm definitely going to have to pull out to make this happen. And the amount I'm going to be borrowing will be utterly crippling if I don't work my tush off to at least make payments throughout this educational experience.

So the fantastically wonderful, great news is that I can work a little of my accommodation costs off while at Bricabode in June, can potentially rent a room from Phyllis for the school semester (and again, at a possibly discounted/work exchange rate; because for as much as I would love to take advantage of the community building relationships that I assume are aided by life in the dorms, I am 27 after all and undeniably, like MY space), and will be able to find plenty of employment opportunities at the local organic farms which offer paid internships! I will quite literally be able to live, work, play, eat, sleep, and breathe my organic farm dreams!

Thank you Lord, for without You, none of this would be possible. I only hope that I can honor You and this wonderful gift You have provided me in every day of my life.
Love.