This is just the beginning...: stories

Last night Gonzaga held its first Story Slam of the year. After participating in the Storytelling class here I have been really passionate about the idea of storytelling and last year helped to coordinate the ones held on campus. This year I just didn't feel like I had the time to do it well. The theme of last night's Slam was 'Going Abroad'. When they asked me to share the story of my experience in Jordan, I was honored.

But I was also a bit nervous. I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to capture all of the emotions I felt and convey them to a room of friends and strangers alike. After practicing (a lot) and getting lots of input from a few individuals, I felt ready to go. I was last so I got to hear three other stories before I went; they were awesome. Stories of Japan, France and studying in the U.S. Suddenly it was my turn. It kind of felt like I was in a daze as I told my story but all the sudden I was finishing. As I sat down I felt so much adrenaline rushing through me; I could not sit still!

When the event was over I talked with many friends who had come to listen. It made me so happy to hear that they connected with it; that somewhere in my story, they felt a little bit of their story. That your story may not be the same as mine, but there have been times when you felt sad and alone or confident and proud. Because, after all, that's the whole point. In me is a little bit of you and in you is a little bit of me.

I don't have any pictures actually from the StorySlam, but here's a few from the rest of my life...