Hi there everybody!

 

My name is Julia and I just finished up my sophomore year at Point Park University as a Global Cultural Studies major. I had a really great year, with some really great classes. One class, specifically my regional studies course on India, was one of several experiences and encounters that became the inspiration to become part of this trip. I'm ever astounded at how God continues to draw me in and how true obedience and submission to His will, though not usually the easy way, always end up being the better way.  I'm also really glad to be staying home for pretty much the whole summer for the first time in a long time. I'm glad and grateful for the chance to spend time with my family and friends, who I tend to miss a lot while at school in Pennsylvania which is over 600 miles from my hometown, a suburb outside of Chicago.

 

Some other snapshots about me; I am an avid reader but still feel I am perpetually adding to my ever-growing "to read" list. I love the arts whether it's music, a musical, impressionist paintings, poetry or dance. I believe that art is one of the most fundamental experiences of the human soul; it is a way to keep our creative channels open, which is perhaps one of the truest expressions of us being made in God's image- the ability to create. I write poetry, take pictures with my Pentax and dance- as a sort of way to bring stability and consistency in my life. Trees, (yes, just trees) simply fascinate me and I'm a huge advocate of the environment. I love being outdoors, whether for a walk or extended backpacking trips, I feel centered, calm and connected to God in the back country. I love being politically involved and also love traveling.

I have come to really embrace change in the last year, recognizing God's grace in the ebb and flow, welcoming new challenges, especially the unexpected ones. :)

 

I also love finding good quotes, by my favorite philosophers and writers, so it seems fitting to close out with one of my favorites: