Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Welcome!

Hello
This is my first time "blogging", so here it goes. I am from Michigan and Tennessee and currently live in the North East Bronx.
Life in NY can be interesting day by day. It is literally a melting pot of different backgrounds, cultures and points of view. What we have in common is that Christ is creator of us all and He loves us all. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins so that we might live the life He purposed us for and find our eternal destiny.
I work with a ministry in the South Bronx. It is a place that is known for poverty, drugs and crime. Things have cleaned up over the years, but the aftermath and residue still exist. They now call it "SoBro". The neighborhood is 99.9% hispanic and black. I am usually the only caucasian person around, even within a block's radius or more. I don't really notice, but sometimes others notice (I also stand out because I am of Swedish heritage, having blonde hair, blue eyes and European features). I love rice and beans and tostones (did I mention I LOVE tostones?). I have assimilated into the community and even though I'm different, I'm the same as everyone else. I teach English as a second language (ESL), Adult Literacy (working on development of a faith based curriculum) and tutor children in the community (I also do other administrative duties but I won't bore you with the details!).
To assist with my income, I work at a kitchen appliance store in the East Village. I sell refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers etc. The place is very established, having been around since 1918. I am their first female salesperson in the history of the company! The environment is quite a contrast from the ministry in the Bronx. I work with architects, designers and contractors, they refer clients and we work together with their specifications. It can be facinating, interesting, frustrating and challenging like a puzzle. New York kitchens are highly visible to the rest of the world!!
There you have it in a nutshell. A brief overview of my life in NYC.
Let the blogging begin ....