As Bushie's World Turns (The Update Thread)

[BushKenya]

The first post has already foreshadowed the loss of another job.

No, all it requires is just 5 or 6 days leave which I will have by then.  I'm a little more mature when it comes to such things than I was just last year.  My mother is planning to retire around June 1, 2012 and this will in no way hinder that.

BTW, I was planning to take 3 or 4 days anyway that same week and go visit my niece in Jacksonville, Florida which is also her Spring Break.  I will still visit her, but it will be after she gets out of school for the summer.

[Joe Republic]

Inb4 someone wonders if it's a scam

This is a legitimate opportunity. It is from a church

So it's a scam, then.

[Gravis Marketing]

Are you still applying to business school?

Do you have mechanical skills (plumbing, electrical) that are lacking in Kenya?

Do you owe your parents money?

This trip could be a great experience, but even if it is organized as a mission, it is your spending money you likely don't have on an experience for your own benefit. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, but if you believe that you are doing others a favor by taking the $2,000 and spending it on this trip, you are not being honest with yourself.

[© Tweed the Younger]

I met a girl at a party last year.  was actually a party sponsored by the Cornell Democrats.  ers.  but anyway, took a look around and saw a nice looking girl sipping out of a solo cup alone in the corner.  the NBA playoffs were on, I'm pretty sure this was in April.  I introduced myself, she said her name was 'Faith'.  got to talking and she told me she went to high school in Africa.  so I quickly connected the dots.  asked her 'are you still a Christian?' to which I got an affirmative.  a few minutes into this my buddies indiciated to me we were gonna hop over to the next stop, asked me in code if I wanted to stay to pursue this girl, etc.  but I saw the writing on the wall.  with grace I gave her a "it's been great meeting you" and went on my way. 

once outside the door buddies asked me, "why didn't you stay?"  I looked deep into one pair of eyes and said "she's a big Christian, it wasn't happening, boys" and we faded into the Appalachian night.

[Gravis Marketing]

This is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go overseas which is something I've always wanted to do and with the situation I'm currently in, this could possibly be my only chance.

No. Mission trips like this happen all the time and will continue to happen in the future. You said they do this every March! If not mission trips, there are plenty of other ways to go overseas, now or in the future when you may have your own funds to do it.

You are falling into the trap of convincing yourself you must do something you want to do which your brain is telling you you can't afford.

[Gravis Marketing]

Have you already put down a deposit on the trip?

Who is your $750 commitment from?

[opebo]

God wants you to put your money in a bank account and do your job.  Rest assured, He will punish you if you do otherwise.

It is rare that I agree wholeheartedly with wormyguy.

BushOK, remember what I said before:

Quote from: opebo on July 18, 2010, 02:06:25 pm
No, no, no.  If you are a poor, and you have a job at the Electric Company, you stay there, and say 'yes sir' and 'no sir, and just batten down the hatches and wait.  It will all be over soon enough.  No need to rush it by getting conned up the a**s by some Kiwi b******s church and ending up living under a bridge.

If you want to travel one day, believe me, it will be a lot more fun to do it without this Christian nonsense (assuming you get over this silly religious phase one day.. as a matter of fact I'd say you could have a real chance of jettisoning it if you lose weight and start to enjoy life a bit).

[Gustaf]

So, are you thinking of taking up a missionary position over there?

[BushKenya]

Are you still applying to business school?

Do you have mechanical skills (plumbing, electrical) that are lacking in Kenya?

Do you owe your parents money?

This trip could be a great experience, but even if it is organized as a mission, it is your spending money you likely don't have on an experience for your own benefit. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, but if you believe that you are doing others a favor by taking the $2,000 and spending it on this trip, you are not being honest with yourself.

I am still applying for my MBA, that hasn't changed.

They don't need just mechanical skills, they said they will take whatever I can bring to the table.

I will put the deposit down probably the Wednesday after Thanksgiving (November 30)

The $750 is coming from the $250 deposit plus $500 from my grandmother.  She is behind me in this endeavor.  I have several ways I can raise the funds to go.  Plus, if God wants me to go, He will provide the means to raise the needed funds and will keep my job secure.

If i put the deposit down on November 30, I will apply for my passport probably the next week as it takes 4-6 weeks to process, which would put in mid January.

It's probably true that this is not the only time I would be able to go, but this is the year where I will have two people I know and trust going with me, my cousin and youth minister, so I'm not going with complete strangers.

Opie, I will never grow out of this "religious phase".  I have much more fun being a Christian than I could ever have otherwise.

Gustaf, no I'm not being called to up and move to Kenya.  I'm just being led to lend my hand in whatever way I can for the 3 or 4 days we'll be there.  The trip is a week long, but you can probably estimate 2 days to get there and 2 days to get back which only leaves 3, maybe 4, days to serve on the ground.

My grandmother was really quite skeptical about it even last night at church, but then she quickly warmed to the idea knowing that it would be a great experience for me, and she also has the faith that God will provide the means to raise the funds and keep my job at Dell secure.  I am going to tell my parents, however, I am not going to ask their permission as I am 5 months shy of my 30th birthday, I am going to ask for their support.

If I thought there was any way that my job at Dell would be in any way compromised, then I would not be going to Kenya.

Also, when I sign up, I will reserve the right to back out should I feel that going would cause too much strain on things here at home.

[Gravis Marketing]

Is the deposit refundable?

What is the latest date at which you can put down a deposit?

[BushKenya]

Is the deposit refundable?

What is the latest date at which you can put down a deposit?

The organizer of the mission trip is not in the office today, but I emailed him and he should get back to me this evening.

The deposit is refundable and they need the deposit as soon as possible so they can get the lowest rates on air fare and keep it from going over $2,000.  I do know that the estimated costs are between $1,500 and $2,000 plus passport and vaccination costs.  The sooner they can get the deposits and get a final head count on the travelers the better chance they have of getting closer to the $1,500.  That includes the deposit.  I have $750 guaranteed with the deposit, so I could already have half to nearly half of the money right there.  My parents will probably chip in some, so that get me a lot closer, plus my church will probably chip in for the three of us who are going.  I'll, of course, put in some myself, so that should give me the money I need plus a little spending money for souvenirs or, better yet, giving a little money to the children we meet so they can buy a little food.

[Torie]

I guess it is more a matter of aesthetics than anything else, but invoking the sacred to facilitate one's desires in the secular world via praying is infra dig to me. God has better things to do as it were, and it's too egocentric.

[I left.]

I certainly wouldn't spend $2,000 for less than a week, and I also certainly wouldn't go with a church group (I'm certain you won't experience Kenya the way you could doing it differently.), but in general, if at all possible, you should try to go abroad.

If I were you, I'd spend the money going to somewhere in Europe...but ok, that's a matter of preference.

[BushKenya]

My mother and dad are starting to warm to this idea, as well.  I'm going to sit down with them over dinner around 4:30 and discuss the matter. Once I add in all the incidental expenses associated with the trip, it might push it closer to $2,500 or slightly higher, but the air fare is right around $1,500-$1,750.  I'm going to find out in the next week or two what the extra incidentals are.

[Lief]

dinner around 4:30

omg oklahoma is adorable

[opebo]

...I'm going to sit down with them over dinner around 4:30 and discuss the matter.

Now that is hilarious.

[bullmoose88]

dinner around 4:30

omg oklahoma is adorable

This is where M. Night got The Village all wrong...too small in scope...he could have just done a movie on Oklahoma.

[BushKenya]

dinner around 4:30

omg oklahoma is adorable

This is where M. Night got The Village all wrong...too small in scope...he could have just done a movie on Oklahoma.

I'm afraid it'd be a very boring movie.

[opebo]

Seriously, BushOK, when do you go to bed?  And wake up?

[BushKenya]

Seriously, BushOK, when do you go to bed?  And wake up?

On work nights generally in bed by 9:00 and up by 4:30.
On days off, generally in bed by 11:00 and up by 8:00.

[BushKenya]

Here's the latest as of 6:00 pm CST, Thursday, November 17, 2011 -

My parents and grandmother are all on board with this endeavor.  I just had dinner with my parents this evening and they were initially concerned that I had quit my job or quitting my job.  After I assured them that I am not quitting my job and my job will not be in any danger because of a week's vacation, they really opened up.  They know it's going to be an expensive project, but they know it will be worth it.  It may give me a different perspective on life and a better idea of what life is like in a third-world country.  They are also going to help me financially with whatever I need.  I will leave for Kenya about 6 weeks before my 30th birthday and this will give me a great chance to experience something I have never experienced before right before my birthday.  We both agreed that this is both my Christmas present and my birthday present.

I will get some more information on the trip tonight at 7:00 pm when I go to our mens meeting.

I also found out the possible flight path for the journey to and from Nairobi.  It looks like from Oklahoma City, we would be flying to Chicago O'Hare and then on to Istanbul, Turkey and then on to Nairobi, Kenya.  The flight from Chicago to Turkey would be 10 hours 45 minutes going and 12 hours 10 minutes coming back to Chicago.  The journey from Turkey to Kenya is 6 hours 35 minutes both directions, and of course the journey from Oklahoma City to Chicago is just over 2 hours both directions.

[The Mikado]

Like I said before, make sure you're up on all your shots.

[Lief]

I just had dinner with my parents this evening and they were initially concerned that I had quit my job or quitting my job.

rofl

[BushKenya]

Like I said before, make sure you're up on all your shots.

I will be getting a TB shot, yellow fever shot, a typhoid shot, and a Tetanus shot.  I will also be purchasing Malaria tablets when I get to Nairobi.

I now have some more information, just some general notes and also a checklist of what to pack.

[Sibboleth]

You know it's very hot in Kenya?