Introduction: Jenny

Hi, my name is Jenny!  I'm married to Chris (fellow tribe member).  We live in Portland, Maine with our adorable cat, Sneaky, seen here on the right.--------------------->

 

I work in the administrative part of the Salvation Army in Portland.  (oooh! a nonprofit!  pseudo-using my college major!)  I mostly just do data entry, but working in the administrative section while also volunteering at the local level with the Salvation Army gives a good, well-rounded (holistic!) perspective on how the NGO (non-governmental organization) functions.  My position with the Salvation Army has also given me a lot of opportunities to be involved with work I care about and to explore ways to engage with my interests and passions.  For example, I'm working with the Salvation Army to start up an outreach to victims of sex trafficking here in Portland, and in September I got to organize and run a weekend of prayer and fasting for victims of trafficking through the Salvation Army church, including hosting a community film screening and discussion.  It was really cool, and I felt like I was really putting my college education to use.

 

Portland Farmers' Market!

I've been living in Portland for just over a year.  It's been pretty great.  Portland is a really walkable city, which is really great for me and Chris since we don't have a car, and I don't have my license.  It's also a really artsy city, so there's always fun things going on.  Living in the city has definitely been an adjustment for me, though.  I grew up in the country, and then I went to college in the country, so it's been weird, but I think I'm finally getting used to it.  For example, the other day I said "apartment" when I meant "house."  Every other time ever I've said, "house" when I meant "apartment," like, "When we get back to our house."  Growing up in the country, I've never lived in an apartment, except briefly in college, but even then it was called "Shea House."  Everything's always been a house to me, but the other day I said "apartment" naturally, without thinking about it!  Yeah for cultural adjustment!

 

The other thing that's been hard this past year is being so far away from all my friends.  In college, I got used to only seeing my high school friends once or twice a year, but I lived with my college friends all four years.  Then, suddenly, we graduated, and none of us saw each other for almost a year.  It was like a giant void in my life.  No more fancy parties or birthday parades.  No more going outside with Maya at two in the morning to assure her that the deer in the field were not aliens.  No more K-furmz to call a new nickname every chapel.  No more feast days with Jackie.  No more Anya faces.  But the past four months I feel like I've been really spoiled.  I've gotten to see tribe members left and right.  It's been wonderful and refreshing, but now I have to prepare for another long time without seeing them.  Hopefully this blog can keep us all close and connected until we wait for another wedding or graduation to reunite us all again.

 

As far as things I'll personally be blogging about, I care a lot about a lot of social issues, and I'm not afraid to express my opinions.  I've already mentioned anti-trafficking, but I'm also really interested in the country of India.  I spent two months there a few years ago, and I hope to go back very soon.  I'd eventually like to move to India, although I think it will be a process to get Chris adjusted to that idea.  I also care about feminism or anti-sexism or really just discussing gender roles in general and how our culture (and the church) teaches us very bad things about what it means to be male and female.  I also care about the church and theology and mission and being relevant and not-political and actually reaching people.  I'll probably be writing a lot about all these issues, in addition to some life updates.  I'll probably write some crazy things, but hopefully they'll be so passionate and organized that you won't mind too much.