Thank you so much for all the support! :) I can't wait to share all of my Swiss adventures with you!
T-Minus 19 days!
xoxo,
Rebecca
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Pageviews & Gratitude
Thank you so much for all the support! :) I can't wait to share all of my Swiss adventures with you!
T-Minus 19 days!
Friendships Developed From Humility
Meet Annie.
This beautiful woman is the co-owner and artistic director of Quickstep Dance Studio, where I work. We've known each other since high school, but I wouldn't say we've ever really been friends (until now). And that is 100% my fault.
You see, I've always been really intimidated by Annie. Don't get me wrong, she is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She is kind, beautiful, smart... but I found her intelligence threatening. But more so than my intimidation of her, I was majorly jealous of her. She is a PHENOMENAL dancer, and I just always saw her as the embodiment of every dream I had and wanted for myself as a dancer. She was on BYU's youth ballroom formation teams, then eventually BYU's tour team, and even UVU's tour team. She competes nationally and internationally and recently acquired her own studio. She is, in a word, amazing!
In high school, it was painful to even look in her direction; I constantly compared myself to her when I was around her, and I desperately wanted everything she was achieving. She was living MY dreams. Ultimately, I just decided I didn't like her much and avoided her presence.
Jealousy is stupid and it makes you act like a moron.
Learn this lesson early people: someone being smart, or pretty, or just plain awesome doesn't make you the antithesis of those things, or mean you are lacking those things. There's lots of smart, beautiful, awesome people in the world. It doesn't undermine your value. My lack of understanding of this concept and poor self-esteem was the key to this particular downfall of mine, and the result was a cold-shoulder approach to an undeserving Annie.
Recently I've realized though, that yes, I am definitely not the GREATEST dancer. But for me, getting a degree in dance, was the one thing I could have picked that would challenge me to the highest degree. I am gifted in "book smartness"; I can be lazy, but given the time and the effort, I could memorize whatever I needed to for med school, or whatever other kind of "fancy" or "prestigious" degree there is. But dance took me out of my comfort-zone and BEYOND, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And the lessons I learned in that journey are priceless. I wouldn't change any of the growth I've experienced in pursuing this education for anything. Whether or not I "amount to anything" in the eyes of my fellow dance peers hardly matters when put into this perspective.
I've also realized that it's OK to dream, and it's also OK to outgrow dreams. That doesn't mean you STOP dreaming or that you shouldn't continually reach for greater knowledge and self-improvement. As you grow, things might change. If God is at the helm of your life, have enough faith in Him to know that He will lead you in the direction that will make you the happiest, and will also be of greatest use and value to Him.
Anyhow, given this one-sided history, I was a bit apprehensive at working not only for Annie, but for my best friend (the other half of the co-ownership). I decided though, that I couldn't let pride deprive me of an opportunity to work and gain experience in my studied profession right out of school, and I was pretty sure we all had the maturity to maintain an appropriate level of professionalism required to work together without damaging any relationships. Plus, I really did want to help my Bestie out :) So, putting aside these negative feelings and emotions, I humbled myself and gratefully accepted an instructor's position.
Literally, one of the best decisions I've ever made. I cannot thank Annie and Laura enough, for the opportunity to teach in a place where there is mutual respect, communication, and engaged students, eager to soak up any knowledge you hand them. I love my students and I love teaching them and giving them tools to help them reach their own goals and dreams.
And during all of this, I've been blessed with opportunities to get to know Annie a lot better - I'm pretty much an idiot. haha.
I wanted to share this post that my Bishop put on our ward's Facebook wall, which seemed oddly fitting given the subject matter of this particular blog post:
The most encouraging word in the Christian vocabulary is "Repentance" it is simply the scriptural invitation for growth and improvement and progress and renewal. You can be anything you want to be in righteousness. Of course there will be problems to work out and restitutions to make. But it takes exactly as long to repent as it takes you to say, "I’ll change"—and mean it.
So, to dear Annie,
I'm sorry I let my insecurities deprive us of a spectacular friendship for so long. But I'm grateful for your grace and patience and forgiveness towards a stubborn and sometimes hard-hearted girl. I truly feel that we can and will become best of friends - the kind that last forever :)
 |
| ( I totally stole this photo off her Facebook page... ) |
This beautiful woman is the co-owner and artistic director of Quickstep Dance Studio, where I work. We've known each other since high school, but I wouldn't say we've ever really been friends (until now). And that is 100% my fault.
You see, I've always been really intimidated by Annie. Don't get me wrong, she is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She is kind, beautiful, smart... but I found her intelligence threatening. But more so than my intimidation of her, I was majorly jealous of her. She is a PHENOMENAL dancer, and I just always saw her as the embodiment of every dream I had and wanted for myself as a dancer. She was on BYU's youth ballroom formation teams, then eventually BYU's tour team, and even UVU's tour team. She competes nationally and internationally and recently acquired her own studio. She is, in a word, amazing!
In high school, it was painful to even look in her direction; I constantly compared myself to her when I was around her, and I desperately wanted everything she was achieving. She was living MY dreams. Ultimately, I just decided I didn't like her much and avoided her presence.
Jealousy is stupid and it makes you act like a moron.
Learn this lesson early people: someone being smart, or pretty, or just plain awesome doesn't make you the antithesis of those things, or mean you are lacking those things. There's lots of smart, beautiful, awesome people in the world. It doesn't undermine your value. My lack of understanding of this concept and poor self-esteem was the key to this particular downfall of mine, and the result was a cold-shoulder approach to an undeserving Annie.
Recently I've realized though, that yes, I am definitely not the GREATEST dancer. But for me, getting a degree in dance, was the one thing I could have picked that would challenge me to the highest degree. I am gifted in "book smartness"; I can be lazy, but given the time and the effort, I could memorize whatever I needed to for med school, or whatever other kind of "fancy" or "prestigious" degree there is. But dance took me out of my comfort-zone and BEYOND, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And the lessons I learned in that journey are priceless. I wouldn't change any of the growth I've experienced in pursuing this education for anything. Whether or not I "amount to anything" in the eyes of my fellow dance peers hardly matters when put into this perspective.
I've also realized that it's OK to dream, and it's also OK to outgrow dreams. That doesn't mean you STOP dreaming or that you shouldn't continually reach for greater knowledge and self-improvement. As you grow, things might change. If God is at the helm of your life, have enough faith in Him to know that He will lead you in the direction that will make you the happiest, and will also be of greatest use and value to Him.
Anyhow, given this one-sided history, I was a bit apprehensive at working not only for Annie, but for my best friend (the other half of the co-ownership). I decided though, that I couldn't let pride deprive me of an opportunity to work and gain experience in my studied profession right out of school, and I was pretty sure we all had the maturity to maintain an appropriate level of professionalism required to work together without damaging any relationships. Plus, I really did want to help my Bestie out :) So, putting aside these negative feelings and emotions, I humbled myself and gratefully accepted an instructor's position.
Literally, one of the best decisions I've ever made. I cannot thank Annie and Laura enough, for the opportunity to teach in a place where there is mutual respect, communication, and engaged students, eager to soak up any knowledge you hand them. I love my students and I love teaching them and giving them tools to help them reach their own goals and dreams.
And during all of this, I've been blessed with opportunities to get to know Annie a lot better - I'm pretty much an idiot. haha.
I wanted to share this post that my Bishop put on our ward's Facebook wall, which seemed oddly fitting given the subject matter of this particular blog post:
The most encouraging word in the Christian vocabulary is "Repentance" it is simply the scriptural invitation for growth and improvement and progress and renewal. You can be anything you want to be in righteousness. Of course there will be problems to work out and restitutions to make. But it takes exactly as long to repent as it takes you to say, "I’ll change"—and mean it.
So, to dear Annie,
I'm sorry I let my insecurities deprive us of a spectacular friendship for so long. But I'm grateful for your grace and patience and forgiveness towards a stubborn and sometimes hard-hearted girl. I truly feel that we can and will become best of friends - the kind that last forever :)
xoxo,
Rebecca
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Packing & Moving
Phew!
Today I spent a couple hours moving stuff from my apartment back to my parents' house. So tired! haha. As someone who has moved 10+ times, can I just say that packing/moving SUCKS. It makes me want to throw out all of my stuff... but I'm too sentimental to actually do that. Now I must sort through everything to see what I am actually going to take with me to Switzerland and what my parents get to store in their house :P they are so nice!
I'm on a little break, and I wanted to share this awesome video my friend showed me:
Today I spent a couple hours moving stuff from my apartment back to my parents' house. So tired! haha. As someone who has moved 10+ times, can I just say that packing/moving SUCKS. It makes me want to throw out all of my stuff... but I'm too sentimental to actually do that. Now I must sort through everything to see what I am actually going to take with me to Switzerland and what my parents get to store in their house :P they are so nice!
I'm on a little break, and I wanted to share this awesome video my friend showed me:
Perseverance people. It's the key to life. :)
xoxo,
Rebecca
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Swiss Chocolate
Because you can't talk about Switzerland without chocolate coming up :)
From Frommer's "Food & Drink in Switzerland":
Chocolate Superpower
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/switzerland/798116#sthash.SlK40VpY.dpbs#ixzz34gQu9bZI
Cocoa beans are chocolate's raw ingredients. First publicized in Europe by Columbus, who noticed them growing on trees in Nicaragua in 1502, they were traded as currency by the conquistadores in the New World, who viewed them as an elixir of physical strength. Back in Spain, royal cooks mixed the pulverized beans with sugar and hot water and served them with great success to the royal family. The Spanish-born Anne of Austria introduced it to the French court at her dinner parties after her marriage to Louis XIII. And in a kind of chain reaction to the bean's original "discovery," London's first chocolate shop was established by a Frenchman in 1657.
Nineteenth-century attitudes about chocolate (as perceived in North America and in Europe) were widely different. In 1825, the leading culinarian of the French-speaking world (Brillat-Savarin) declared that chocolate was one of the most effective restoratives of physical and intellectual powers known to man. In contrast, Harriet Beecher Stowe, the American-born moral crusader and woman of letters, declared chocolate unfit for proper American tables, and -- in a burst of prudishness -- commented suspiciously on its French and Spanish origins.
Despite Ms. Stowe's invectives, the market for chocolate continued to grow. This fact was immediately noticed by the canny Swiss from their politically neutral bastion in the Alps.
From the early 1800s, the Swiss began investing heavily in what they perceived as a long-range moneymaker. Pioneers of the industry opened the country's first chocolate factory in 1819 at Corsier, near Vevey. What's now a massive multinational concern, Suchard, was established near Neuchâtel in 1824. In 1875, Swiss-born Daniel Peter invented milk chocolate by adding condensed milk to his brew of pulverized cocoa and sugar. In 1879, the first chocolate bar was created (the Lindt Surfin bar). In 1899, the Sprungli and Lindt empires merged into a Zurich-based chocolate-making dynasty. The Tobler and Nestlé organizations were founded shortly afterward.
Switzerland today is the largest chocolate superpower in the world, leading the globe in production. Both secrecy and precision have always been cited as Swiss virtues, and both of these qualities are required during a complicated blending process that transforms the raw ingredients into the final product. The allure is aesthetic as well as gastronomic: Swiss consumers expect new artwork on their chocolate wrappers at frequent intervals, and an army of commercial artists labors at yearly intervals to comply. The Swiss eat and drink more chocolate per capita than any other nation in the world, fueling their bodies for the bone-chilling temperatures of the alpine climate. (No self-respecting mountain climber ever embarks without the requisite chocolate bars.) Swiss factories maintain "chocolate breaks" for sugar-induced bursts of energy, and swiss housewives usually don't buy less than a kilo of chocolate at a time.
xoxo,
Rebecca
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Beauty Is Pain?
Oh mah gosh.
Today I went and got my lower legs and underarms waxed for the first time. My beautiful friend Sarah is a student at Aveda and is currently raising money to go to New York Fashion Week! I figured I could kill two birds with one stone, you know, support my friend, and get mah smooooth on ;) haha.
HOLY. SHIITAKE. MUSHROOMS.
I feel like the screaming pain my calves were experiencing is the pain that guys think a Brazilian wax is like; dude, I will take a full Brazilian wax over legs any day of the week. My poor friend had to deal with all my screaming and head shaking hahaha, I'm sure it was hilarious.
*Side Note: So the manager/teacher came in and informed us that some dude was getting a facial across the way... "I know it hurts, but...." Oh, you are not serious right now lady. You're telling the woman getting hair ripped out of her skin to shut up!? Maybe you shouldn't have the waxing station and the facial station NEXT TO EACH OTHER!
Anyway, my legs feel fine now, but I may just stick to shaving. I am NOT looking forward to doing that ever again... although, the first time is always the worst... *shrug* we shall see. Underarms weren't as bad, but they're still a bit sore. It's nice to be all smooth though!
If you're in the Provo area, hit up Aveda Institute (ask for Sarah! she did a FABULOUS job) for hair, makeup, waxing, facials, etc. Treat yourself! You deserve it! :)
Today I went and got my lower legs and underarms waxed for the first time. My beautiful friend Sarah is a student at Aveda and is currently raising money to go to New York Fashion Week! I figured I could kill two birds with one stone, you know, support my friend, and get mah smooooth on ;) haha.
HOLY. SHIITAKE. MUSHROOMS.
I feel like the screaming pain my calves were experiencing is the pain that guys think a Brazilian wax is like; dude, I will take a full Brazilian wax over legs any day of the week. My poor friend had to deal with all my screaming and head shaking hahaha, I'm sure it was hilarious.
*Side Note: So the manager/teacher came in and informed us that some dude was getting a facial across the way... "I know it hurts, but...." Oh, you are not serious right now lady. You're telling the woman getting hair ripped out of her skin to shut up!? Maybe you shouldn't have the waxing station and the facial station NEXT TO EACH OTHER!
Anyway, my legs feel fine now, but I may just stick to shaving. I am NOT looking forward to doing that ever again... although, the first time is always the worst... *shrug* we shall see. Underarms weren't as bad, but they're still a bit sore. It's nice to be all smooth though!
If you're in the Provo area, hit up Aveda Institute (ask for Sarah! she did a FABULOUS job) for hair, makeup, waxing, facials, etc. Treat yourself! You deserve it! :)
xoxo,
Rebecca
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Officially Counting Down
Holy moly.
Just ONE MORE MONTH to go! I can't believe how quickly this all came together - the timing has been impeccable. There is no denying that Heavenly Father has His hand in all of it, and I'm so grateful. I'm so ready and open to learn more about these people, this country, and this culture.
Just ONE MORE MONTH to go! I can't believe how quickly this all came together - the timing has been impeccable. There is no denying that Heavenly Father has His hand in all of it, and I'm so grateful. I'm so ready and open to learn more about these people, this country, and this culture.
xoxo,
Rebecca
Friday, July 4, 2014
God Bless the USA!
I'm so blessed, and so grateful to call America my homeland. I hope you all have a safe and happy Independence Day! :)
xoxo,
Rebecca
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Aren't you nervous?!
People keep asking me if I'm nervous about moving to a different country. I am WAY too excited to be nervous! haha There are so many things I'm looking forward to! This is going to be life-changing. The only things that have given me some slight trepidation are some random bizarro nightmares and... food.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am one of the least adventurous eaters on the planet. I'm the girl who has one or two dishes/meals at various restaurants that I ALWAYS order and I rarely deviate from those items (it seems that whenever I do try to have something new, it's always such a disappointment). I know what I like, and I'm extremely hesitant to try anything outside of that box, ESPECIALLY when it comes to textures. My best friend and her family constantly tease me about "weird ethnic food" but they have managed to open my palate and my mind to some new foods that have actually become personal favorites now, because surprisingly, Utah has a pretty eclectic variety.
I haven't been TOO worried because, as far as Europe is concerned, I feel that Switzerland is one of the more mild places to be exposed to new kinds of delicious cuisine. And because of its close proximity to so many other countries, there is a cross-over of German, French, and Italian dishes, depending on which area of Switzerland you happen to be in.
I've just decided that I'm going to try everything at least once. It's not gonna kill me, right? :) Besides, from what I can gather in a five minute Google search haha, the Swiss are big on fondue/cheese, potatoes, sausage, and of course CHOCOLATE ...I think I'm gonna be ok :)
Here is a link of recommended foods to sample:
BBC Good Food: Top 10 foods to try in Switzerland
I haven't been TOO worried because, as far as Europe is concerned, I feel that Switzerland is one of the more mild places to be exposed to new kinds of delicious cuisine. And because of its close proximity to so many other countries, there is a cross-over of German, French, and Italian dishes, depending on which area of Switzerland you happen to be in.
I've just decided that I'm going to try everything at least once. It's not gonna kill me, right? :) Besides, from what I can gather in a five minute Google search haha, the Swiss are big on fondue/cheese, potatoes, sausage, and of course CHOCOLATE ...I think I'm gonna be ok :)
BBC Good Food: Top 10 foods to try in Switzerland
xoxo,
Rebecca
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