What on earth ARE you doing??
It is official. By the end of today, I will have flown 3,000 miles through multiple time zones, leaving behind what Alaskans call “The Lower 48” with 7 hours of contrails. Ahh, North to Alaska (yes, I listened to that Elvis song to get myself pumped for the move!).
Since this will be my first blog entry, I wanted to recap what I will be doing for the next year and also explain my purposes for this blog. My next entry will include my travel stories from today, so be prepared for multiple posts this evening!
In order to share with you about what I will be doing this year, I just have to share the crazy backstory of how I became enrolled in this amazing program. When I entered my senior year of college at DePaul, I was enamored with the idea of adventure, post-graduation. If you kept up with my blog entries from Peru, you actually know that I was toying around with the idea of moving down there to continue my great experiences of playing and teaching that I had in Trujillo. I had fallen in love with Peru and liked the idea of picking up and moving somewhere so fresh and different. However, as I began to think of what it would entail to move to a different country (including moving all my things, becoming fluent in Spanish, figuring out how to work and live in a country in which I wasn’t a citizen, and being on a different continent from my family), I decided to leave that as a daydream that may just become one of those stories I share with my grandchildren with starry eyes, as I talk about that time I spent two summers in Peru and wanted to move there.
Once Peru was off the list, I began to consider Chicago. I love Chicago. The music scene is incredibly vibrant, and I had been able to find good playing and teaching gigs. I also really valued the friendships I had made and felt like I had found a great church community. I was playing in an indie folk band, The Diving Bell, with church friends and was diving more into genres such as those as a cellist. It excited me. As someone who had moved around all throughout my childhood, the idea of staying in one place sounded terrifying to me but also exhilarating. Finally putting down roots seemed like an intriguing, foreign idea. On top of gigging with orchestras and bands and teaching, I was really interested in continuing my involvement with InterVarsity, the student Christian campus ministry with which I had worked that had provided me the opportunity to lead a Bible study for artists at DePaul. So with all of this in mind, I went through the lengthy process of applying and interviewing for InterVarsity staff in order to have a part-time, year-long job that could supplement my freelancing income.
But I didn’t want to give up on the adventurous part of myself just yet. I decided to apply for a Master’s program in LA for El Sistema education I had learned about last summer. El Sistema has become a passion for me throughout my time teaching with various El Sistema programs in Chicago and Peru the past four years. I was also taking a class about El Sistema’s history and philosophies at another school, North Park University, my whole senior year, and it fascinated me. I always felt giggly and energized when I left that class. I lit up when I thought about working with children from other areas and cultures and providing them with a hope of a brighter future and a loving, learning-filled present. The problem was, leading Bible studies and mentoring people spiritually also lit me up and got me excited. So I applied to this LA program and IV at the same time and waited. Then winter came, and a completely unexpected door both appeared and blew wide open. When I eventually found out I was accepted into the El Sistema Master’s program in LA, I was actually no longer considering it as an option. After talking to a couple current students and with colleagues who knew about it, I felt like it was not the right fit for me, financially or educationally. I had also realized throughout the Fall that I was really not interested in moving to Los Angeles; it has just never been my kind of scene. Actually, I was feeling a strong desire to leave the city life- the rush, the constant noise and busyness- and try someplace totally different….
So I focused my attention on being on staff with InterVarsity, as I was feeling pretty set on staying in Chicago. But I wasn’t completely sure if that was what I actually wanted. I was faced with these two gifts I had (teaching music and being a college campus missionary)- both involving working with and helping others, both challenging in different ways- and wasn’t sure which part of myself to continue to nurture in a serious way for the next year.
And then my dad swooped in and saved the day. That sounds dramatic, but I mean, he actually sort of did. He emailed one of his colleagues who is well-known in the El Sistema world, asking about the LA program to help me finalize my decision about it and completely close that door, and she reaffirmed my opinions. But at the end of that email, she casually mentioned that there is a brand new program starting this summer in Juneau, Alaska with a similar timeline but very different structure and emphasis that I might want to look into.
My initial thoughts: “Psh- Alaska?! Yeah, right! I have no interest in going there. That’s just too nuts” (if you’re from Alaska, I’m sorry!! I’ve obviously been converted since then). I had just never given that state any thought, so it was very hard to imagine myself living there. But I humored my dad and looked up this program. I immediately noticed the beautiful pictures on this website that outlined the JAMM (Juneau, Alaska Music Matters) program and was shocked by the complete beauty of the city and college campus. And then I began to read about the program and its founder, Lorrie Heagy. I watched videos and read articles and was in complete awe when I saw Lorrie, a woman with such a big heart and infectious laugh, seemingly working miracles with these adorable Alaskan children. I was taken aback when I read about JAMM’s progress since it began: the program now exists in three different schools, providing free music education to 150 children. My interest was piqued, and I emailed Lorrie. Within four hours, she had replied and we had scheduled a Skype date the next morning- at my 9am and her 6am. She was just as friendly as I had expected and began to tell me all about the program. I remember hanging up from that call and speed-walking to a chamber music rehearsal (because I was late!!), beaming. I walked into my group’s rehearsal room, still glowing, and said to my violinist and pianist, “Guys...I think I’m going to apply to go to school in Alaska…!”. I don’t think they were quite as excited about it as I was, which is understandable because I was late and it was early in the morning! But I just could not get it off my mind. So as soon as I could, I went for it and applied for the Master of Arts in Secondary Teaching program with University of Alaska Southeast.
If you go to that wonderful website that began it all here, you can read more about the program. But in a nutshell, I will be getting my Master’s in music education in one year. At the end of this, I will be certified to teach music in public schools, K-12, and will have student taught under Lorrie at her three El Sistema school programs. In addition to this (and this is something I LOVE about this program!), I will be the cellist of a Quartet-in-Residence with the Juneau Symphony as part of my scholarship and will also be playing in all of the Symphony’s concerts. So...I get to teach and learn under Lorrie, play in a quartet and an orchestra, and live in a beautiful place! All of my classes at UAS will be online, so I can structure my schedule the way I need to. The more I learned about the program, the more it seemed to be the perfect fit for me. Financially, this program is so affordable. Only the four of us were accepted, as we receive scholarship funding from the Juneau Symphony. I was granted in-state tuition as well because we are part of the first class. So I am getting my Master’s for essentially nothing. What?!?! I’m still in shock. As I said, this entire program was unknown to me until winter, and yet now I can’t imagine doing anything else this next year.
It was still a tough decision to make, as I was choosing to move across the country and start over again. It was difficult to face leaving Chicago and turning down being on staff with IV because that did seem like a neat opportunity that would help me grow so much as a leader and Christian. The application process for Alaska was also intense for me, as I was in Finals week when everything was due and was also finishing applying for IV at the same time! And since I was applying to work in the Alaskan public school system, I had to pass a standardized test as well as get fingerprinted. So I ran around the city a little bit to get it all done, but the end of that week wrapped up with my IV interview, and I felt so relieved afterward.
So in summary, if you are reading this blog to find out more information about the program because you’re interested in participating in it or simply hearing about a new and exciting advancement in El Sistema education, great! Do not feel guilty if you skip over the personal stuff. No hard feelings. If you are mainly reading this to see how I am doing on those winter days where I will only see sunlight for six hours, I totally understand. You have a right to be concerned. I am also. So embrace all the feelings that will likely be poured out on this page. Everybody, prepare yourselves!
Either way, I am really excited to begin this journey and am incredibly thankful to the people who helped me get here. I know that is often said so casually, but it is true. Without the support, guidance, and education of so many people, I wouldn’t have felt equipped or brave enough to do this. I was offered the InterVarsity job a few days after my interview and had a couple weeks to decide which path to take the next year. I had to make this decision the weekend of my Senior recital...Talk about everything happening at the same time! But after a lot of prayer and thinking, I just knew that I had to take this amazing opportunity in Alaska. And the moment I decided and committed to it, I felt like I turned toward that beautiful state, started walking, and never looked back. I know that I made the right choice and have never once questioned it. It’s just perfect, and I know that this was always in God’s plan, even when I couldn’t see it. And it really feels like it is so me!
Another crazy thing that has happened since deciding to move to Alaska is my housing situation. Long story short, I was planning on living on campus because I wasn’t sure where else to go, but that was going to make it difficult for me because campus is twenty minutes from downtown, where I will be teaching and playing and where all the grocery stores are, and I am hoping to not buy a car. However, the public bus system apparently does not allow cellos onboard...so I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do. Thankfully, Lorrie, being the amazing person she is, asked her friends around the downtown area to see if anyone was renting out a room. And lo and behold, she set me up with two great families with whom I will be living. I will be in one house the first month and another for the rest of my time, and both are beautiful and seem to have very kind hosts. I am very excited to live so close to downtown (I’ll be walking- distance from it!!) and to get to know the people around me. My housing arrangement was another unexpected gift.
So now that you have a better grasp on what I will be doing and how I came upon this significant life change, I wanted to explain my purposes for keeping this blog. As I began to reveal to friends, family, classmates, and colleagues my plans for after graduation, I received a host of different reactions, comments, questions, and tips (from those who have actually been to Alaska...unlike me!). Many people were incredibly jealous of me because of the beauty that is about to surround me. There were definitely a few who were puzzled; I couldn’t tell if it was because they couldn’t imagine me in the wilderness or if they were just projecting and couldn’t imagine themselves in the wilderness! Many people were interested to learn more about this program, since it is in its first year and seems fantastic. And others just wanted to hear how I will be doing through such a big, scary change (yes, I definitely fluctuate between panicking and jumping up and down). So this blog is for everyone I listed above. Even for the skeptics! I want it to not only be a way for me to record everything I am doing for others to read, but it will also be a good way for me to sit down and reflect during this whirlwind adventure. I’ve always been able to process through writing; it makes me feel centered and brings me such joy. So to have an excuse to write sounds good to me! I will try to be honest and detailed, and I will also try to be consistent! My current goal is to write at least once a week. Keyword: goal. I don’t yet have a grasp on the amount of free time I will have, what with taking 4 online classes a semester, playing in a quartet and a symphony, and student teaching at 3 or more schools, AND hiking and whale watching (I’m jealous of myself).
So, everybody, thank you for being with me as I begin...my adventure to Alaska!!!
It is official. By the end of today, I will have flown 3,000 miles through multiple time zones, leaving behind what Alaskans call “The Lower 48” with 7 hours of contrails. Ahh, North to Alaska (yes, I listened to that Elvis song to get myself pumped for the move!).
Since this will be my first blog entry, I wanted to recap what I will be doing for the next year and also explain my purposes for this blog. My next entry will include my travel stories from today, so be prepared for multiple posts this evening!
In order to share with you about what I will be doing this year, I just have to share the crazy backstory of how I became enrolled in this amazing program. When I entered my senior year of college at DePaul, I was enamored with the idea of adventure, post-graduation. If you kept up with my blog entries from Peru, you actually know that I was toying around with the idea of moving down there to continue my great experiences of playing and teaching that I had in Trujillo. I had fallen in love with Peru and liked the idea of picking up and moving somewhere so fresh and different. However, as I began to think of what it would entail to move to a different country (including moving all my things, becoming fluent in Spanish, figuring out how to work and live in a country in which I wasn’t a citizen, and being on a different continent from my family), I decided to leave that as a daydream that may just become one of those stories I share with my grandchildren with starry eyes, as I talk about that time I spent two summers in Peru and wanted to move there.
Once Peru was off the list, I began to consider Chicago. I love Chicago. The music scene is incredibly vibrant, and I had been able to find good playing and teaching gigs. I also really valued the friendships I had made and felt like I had found a great church community. I was playing in an indie folk band, The Diving Bell, with church friends and was diving more into genres such as those as a cellist. It excited me. As someone who had moved around all throughout my childhood, the idea of staying in one place sounded terrifying to me but also exhilarating. Finally putting down roots seemed like an intriguing, foreign idea. On top of gigging with orchestras and bands and teaching, I was really interested in continuing my involvement with InterVarsity, the student Christian campus ministry with which I had worked that had provided me the opportunity to lead a Bible study for artists at DePaul. So with all of this in mind, I went through the lengthy process of applying and interviewing for InterVarsity staff in order to have a part-time, year-long job that could supplement my freelancing income.
But I didn’t want to give up on the adventurous part of myself just yet. I decided to apply for a Master’s program in LA for El Sistema education I had learned about last summer. El Sistema has become a passion for me throughout my time teaching with various El Sistema programs in Chicago and Peru the past four years. I was also taking a class about El Sistema’s history and philosophies at another school, North Park University, my whole senior year, and it fascinated me. I always felt giggly and energized when I left that class. I lit up when I thought about working with children from other areas and cultures and providing them with a hope of a brighter future and a loving, learning-filled present. The problem was, leading Bible studies and mentoring people spiritually also lit me up and got me excited. So I applied to this LA program and IV at the same time and waited. Then winter came, and a completely unexpected door both appeared and blew wide open. When I eventually found out I was accepted into the El Sistema Master’s program in LA, I was actually no longer considering it as an option. After talking to a couple current students and with colleagues who knew about it, I felt like it was not the right fit for me, financially or educationally. I had also realized throughout the Fall that I was really not interested in moving to Los Angeles; it has just never been my kind of scene. Actually, I was feeling a strong desire to leave the city life- the rush, the constant noise and busyness- and try someplace totally different….
So I focused my attention on being on staff with InterVarsity, as I was feeling pretty set on staying in Chicago. But I wasn’t completely sure if that was what I actually wanted. I was faced with these two gifts I had (teaching music and being a college campus missionary)- both involving working with and helping others, both challenging in different ways- and wasn’t sure which part of myself to continue to nurture in a serious way for the next year.
And then my dad swooped in and saved the day. That sounds dramatic, but I mean, he actually sort of did. He emailed one of his colleagues who is well-known in the El Sistema world, asking about the LA program to help me finalize my decision about it and completely close that door, and she reaffirmed my opinions. But at the end of that email, she casually mentioned that there is a brand new program starting this summer in Juneau, Alaska with a similar timeline but very different structure and emphasis that I might want to look into.
My initial thoughts: “Psh- Alaska?! Yeah, right! I have no interest in going there. That’s just too nuts” (if you’re from Alaska, I’m sorry!! I’ve obviously been converted since then). I had just never given that state any thought, so it was very hard to imagine myself living there. But I humored my dad and looked up this program. I immediately noticed the beautiful pictures on this website that outlined the JAMM (Juneau, Alaska Music Matters) program and was shocked by the complete beauty of the city and college campus. And then I began to read about the program and its founder, Lorrie Heagy. I watched videos and read articles and was in complete awe when I saw Lorrie, a woman with such a big heart and infectious laugh, seemingly working miracles with these adorable Alaskan children. I was taken aback when I read about JAMM’s progress since it began: the program now exists in three different schools, providing free music education to 150 children. My interest was piqued, and I emailed Lorrie. Within four hours, she had replied and we had scheduled a Skype date the next morning- at my 9am and her 6am. She was just as friendly as I had expected and began to tell me all about the program. I remember hanging up from that call and speed-walking to a chamber music rehearsal (because I was late!!), beaming. I walked into my group’s rehearsal room, still glowing, and said to my violinist and pianist, “Guys...I think I’m going to apply to go to school in Alaska…!”. I don’t think they were quite as excited about it as I was, which is understandable because I was late and it was early in the morning! But I just could not get it off my mind. So as soon as I could, I went for it and applied for the Master of Arts in Secondary Teaching program with University of Alaska Southeast.
If you go to that wonderful website that began it all here, you can read more about the program. But in a nutshell, I will be getting my Master’s in music education in one year. At the end of this, I will be certified to teach music in public schools, K-12, and will have student taught under Lorrie at her three El Sistema school programs. In addition to this (and this is something I LOVE about this program!), I will be the cellist of a Quartet-in-Residence with the Juneau Symphony as part of my scholarship and will also be playing in all of the Symphony’s concerts. So...I get to teach and learn under Lorrie, play in a quartet and an orchestra, and live in a beautiful place! All of my classes at UAS will be online, so I can structure my schedule the way I need to. The more I learned about the program, the more it seemed to be the perfect fit for me. Financially, this program is so affordable. Only the four of us were accepted, as we receive scholarship funding from the Juneau Symphony. I was granted in-state tuition as well because we are part of the first class. So I am getting my Master’s for essentially nothing. What?!?! I’m still in shock. As I said, this entire program was unknown to me until winter, and yet now I can’t imagine doing anything else this next year.
It was still a tough decision to make, as I was choosing to move across the country and start over again. It was difficult to face leaving Chicago and turning down being on staff with IV because that did seem like a neat opportunity that would help me grow so much as a leader and Christian. The application process for Alaska was also intense for me, as I was in Finals week when everything was due and was also finishing applying for IV at the same time! And since I was applying to work in the Alaskan public school system, I had to pass a standardized test as well as get fingerprinted. So I ran around the city a little bit to get it all done, but the end of that week wrapped up with my IV interview, and I felt so relieved afterward.
So in summary, if you are reading this blog to find out more information about the program because you’re interested in participating in it or simply hearing about a new and exciting advancement in El Sistema education, great! Do not feel guilty if you skip over the personal stuff. No hard feelings. If you are mainly reading this to see how I am doing on those winter days where I will only see sunlight for six hours, I totally understand. You have a right to be concerned. I am also. So embrace all the feelings that will likely be poured out on this page. Everybody, prepare yourselves!
Either way, I am really excited to begin this journey and am incredibly thankful to the people who helped me get here. I know that is often said so casually, but it is true. Without the support, guidance, and education of so many people, I wouldn’t have felt equipped or brave enough to do this. I was offered the InterVarsity job a few days after my interview and had a couple weeks to decide which path to take the next year. I had to make this decision the weekend of my Senior recital...Talk about everything happening at the same time! But after a lot of prayer and thinking, I just knew that I had to take this amazing opportunity in Alaska. And the moment I decided and committed to it, I felt like I turned toward that beautiful state, started walking, and never looked back. I know that I made the right choice and have never once questioned it. It’s just perfect, and I know that this was always in God’s plan, even when I couldn’t see it. And it really feels like it is so me!
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