Work as a stress reliever?

I've written a couple of entries so far about how I have a very busy schedule. And with schoolwork and a part-time job, I do. However, I realized last night that one of the things that adds to my business - my job - can actually be a stress reliever sometimes. I work at the South Side Soda Shop and Diner here in Goshen, and at times it is a very busy restaurant. However, there are times that it can be very slow as well. And then there are shifts where it's right in between, the perfect balance between a relaxed and hectic work pace. Last night was one of those shifts, and I realized that it is days like that where my job can actually be a great stress reliever.

One of the best part about my job is my coworkers. The majority of the other employees are college students as well, and we all get along very well. A great couple, Nick and Charity Boyd, own the restaurant and all the employees have great relationships with them. Because there is such a great staff, it is usually enjoyable to go into work. But what really makes my job relaxing is that when I go to work, it's like an escape from the rest of my life. For four hours, all I have to do is cook food. I don't have to do any homework, open any textbooks, edit any papers, or go out with my friends. It's just me, my coworkers, and our customers.

Each evening when I get to work, my first job is usually to cut onions. It seems like boring job, and it can be, but there is something very calming about it (unless I'm wearing my glasses instead of contacts!) For 20 minutes all I need to do is dice onions...and compared to the worries of a typical school day, that is a great break.

Later in a shift things can get pretty crazy though. At times, when the restaurant is really full, we can have as many as 10 or 15 tickets in the kitchen at once. However, on those nights where it is steady, but not too busy, like last night, we usually cook about four or five tickets at a time. I've really grown to enjoy working at the grill. Often I feel like it is a puzzle that I'm trying to figure out. "What should I cook next? Which ticket can I sell right now? What do I need to do to finish that ticket? Which server do I need to call to the kitchen?" Those are some of the questions running through my mind as I cook. It really is a completely different way of using my brain. It's not the analytical, critical thinking that goes on in the college classroom. Rather, it's getting in tune with my problem-solving skills and instinctual quick-thinking abilities. I've been working at the Soda Shop for about five years now, so I have plenty of practice. But when it all clicks, it almost feels like I'm not even thinking. I just focus on the tickets and what I need to do to finish each one, and it just comes to me like it's natural.

In this way, oftentimes my work can actually be a stress reliever for me. It is an escape from the day to day stresses of college life. The fact that our restaurant is a retro diner is only fitting. In the same way that diners feel like they are stepping back in time and into another world when they come to our restaurant, I also feel like I am stepping into another world - away from academia and into the real world. For a college student trying to get through a full course load, this is one of the most relaxing experiences that can happen.

(Action #7 Develop ways to "Recharge your battery")

Fitting Meditation into a Hectic Schedule

For most college students, the weekend is a time to relax, unwind, and forget about the stresses of the school week. However, this past weekend for me was anything but relaxing. I work part-time at a local restaurant and last Thursday my boss went back to his hometown of Philadelphia for the weekend - at it was my responsibility as the second most experienced cook to cover for him while he was gone. That meant that I put in a little over 20 hours of work on Friday and Saturday - on the weekend before final exams!

As this week began, I started to realize the amount of work that I needed to complete to finish up the semester - revising final papers, studying for exams, and finishing up projects such as this blog. Needless to say, I've been feeling more than a little bit stressed, and really wish that I could go back and have those 20 hours of the weekend to work on school work. But, as a full-time college student and part-time employee, it is my responsibility to juggle the demands of work and school, while still trying to stay sane.

During the past few years of college, as I've felt my activity level and stress increase, I've become more and more detached from my sense of personal spirituality. This is a shame too, as connecting with your inner emotions can be a great way to relax and relieve stress. Yesterday evening, as I was sitting with two friends trying to forget about the work that I still needed to work on, one of my friends, Ross, began talking about meditation. He knew another student from GC last year who had extensive international travel experience, and during several of his travel destinations he spent time at monasteries. Ross described his friend's description of how meditation helped him relax, regain focus on things that are important in life, and see things clearly. "That's what I need," I thought. I decided that today I would specifically take time to meditate and work at reconnecting with my personal spirituality.

This morning I found the book "Being Peace," by Thich Nhat Hanh, at the GC library. Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk whose writings I have seen before, as amazing knowledge and insights about how to meditate and find inner peace. To begin my reading of this book I went to the prayer room at College Mennonite Church, a place that I could quietly sit by myself and meditate on the writings of Nhat Hanh. 

I read the first two chapters of "Being Peace," and after just one session of meditation I could feel a difference in how I felt. In his first chapter, Nhat Hanh writes about "Dwelling in the present moment." He encourages the reader to focus on calmly breathing, recognizing the wonderful, present moment, and smiling about this moment. At first I felt skeptical of this practice, but after several minutes of focusing on my breathing and reciting a poem by Nhat Hanh in my head, I began to feel a clarity that I had not experienced in some time.

Today's meditation session helped me see the larger pictures of my life. Sure, I had to work a lot this past weekend, and I will be very busy this week finishing up my schoolwork, but I realized that all I can do is be aware of the present moment. My business will pass, I will get my work done, and in the meantime, why not look for the wonderful things all around me? After an hour of meditating at the church, I visited a friend's apartment to sit and chat for a while. All I thought about while there was the present moment and the experience of being with my friends. I then went to work for a few hours, and instead of worrying about the schoolwork I would do after my shift ended, I focused on the people I was working with and the customers that came in, particularly a couple of children whose bright smiles and energetic laughter put a smile on my face.

Obviously, one hour of meditation will not help relieve my stress forever. But my session today reminded me of how important it is to take some time to step back and relax. This week I am making it a point to take and hour each day for meditation; I'm not sure how else I'll get through finals week. Hopefully this will be a routine that I continue next semester and beyond, as I will only be able to increase my personal inner peace through practice. Eventually I hope to radiate that inner peace to those around me, and in my teaching reflect that peace to my students. As Nhat Hanh writes, "It is with our capacity of smiling, breathing, and being peace that we can make peace."

Click here for more information about Thich Nhat Hanh. 

(Action #7 Develop ways to "recharge your battery")

A Chance to See History

I just received some great news today - when I opened my email today there was a new message from the office of Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas entitled "IMPORTANT: Inauguration Ceremony Tickets." On November 5th, the day after Barack Obama's historic election as president of the United States, I quickly called the offices of several representatives in Indiana (where I go to school) and Kansas (where my parents live). They all put me on waiting lists and told me that I would be contacted later with further information. I got that information today, when Sen. Brownback's office told me that they would be granting me three tickets to the presidential inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2009.

Eight years ago, I was able to go to the first inauguration of George Bush. While that ceremony was memorable, especially due to the controversy and closeness of Bush's win over Al Gore in 2000, the inauguration of Barack Obama is sure to be a much more historic event. In the past eight years, George Bush saw his approval ratings fall to abysmal levels, and it has become quite evident that a majority of Americans are unsatisfied with the direction of government is leading our country. During the presidential campaign leading up to the 2008 elections, Barack Obama committed to bringing the change to Washington that Americans are looking for. By going to his inauguration in January I hope to not only see the beginning of this change, but also to commit myself to keeping Obama accountable for this promise.

It is clear that the election of Barack Obama is a signal of change. He is the first African-American ever elected President of the United States, and even his name is a signal of something new. While on the campaign trail he made many promises to change various aspects of our federal government. It is too early to tell yet, but we will soon see if he is able to implement that change, or whether he really pushes for that change as he promised. On January 20 I am looking forward to hearing Obama first address to the people of the United States as president, and hear what his plans are for our country.

However, I know that it is up to the people of our country to hold President-elect Obama and the rest of our government accountable. It is up to us to pay attention to what our leaders, especially our president, are telling us. At the same time, we must take the time to let our leaders know what our thoughts are. If there are issues that I really care about that are not being talked about in government, I will not hesitate to send letters to my representatives. Hopefully they will be as responsive as they were with the tickets to the inauguration.

No matter what happens after Barack Obama's inauguration, January 20 will be a very memorable day. Millions of visitors are expected to visit our nation's capitol for the event and I am thrilled to be one of those visitors. I am also privileged to be one of the lucky visitors to receive tickets that will get me to one of the closer spectator areas. It will surely be a great experience, and hopefully the beginning to a successful presidency.

(Action #2 Get Political)

A Multicultural Thanksgiving

This past Thursday was Thanksgiving, and it was one of the more unique Thanksgivings that I've ever had. I was not able to spend the holiday with my immediate family, but enjoyed some time with my aunts, uncles, and cousins. During our Thanksgiving dinner we had some unique guests - three Chinese women who are friends with my cousin in-law. These three women are spending the current year here in Northern Indiana teaching at several local schools. 

Celebrating Thanksgiving with these guests added a very interesting dynamic to the holiday. Our traditions are very different for these three women, so much of our time was devoted to explaining some of our traditions to them and asking them about their traditions. As we ate our holiday meal, I couldn't help but wonder if these guests felt like we were welcoming them in the best possible way. During our dinner, I believe we did, but it was before and after our dinner that I noticed how the presence of these three women affected some of my family members.

I think that a few of my relatives were not sure how to react about three Chinese women coming to our Thanksgiving. A couple of my uncles made comments about having stir-fry for Thanksgiving dinner or bringing chopsticks to the meal. These comments made me realize that my extended family really is not very diverse. We are mostly Mennonite, and all middle-class Caucasians. The somewhat insensitive comments made by a few of my family members were hard to look past. I did not speak out against these comments, but looking back I realize that I really should have. Fortunately, my aunts and one of my cousins did point out to my uncles that their statements were not very kind. I was also proud of my family for the warm welcome they gave to our guests during our meal. 

As an ENL teacher, it is very important for me to be aware of the cultural groups around me. I am sure that I will encounter guests in my classroom from all over the world. Not only do I need to welcome them into my classroom, but I also need to be aware of my attitude towards them when they are not there. Hopefully I can learn a lesson from my uncles and realize that not all cultural groups can be reduced to stereotypes. Every individual is unique, no matter what group they are a part of, and they deserve to be treated as a unique individual.

(Action #8 Practice Democratic Principles)