Allison Crump

May 25, 2020

SURPRISE GRADUATION

Allison Crump

May 25, 2020

I didn’t realize until I watched SGN’s graduation episode (watch here if you haven’t seen it) that I was considered a 2020 Graduate. Yep! I officially completed my Masters Degree in Education! What?!?! This 2.5 year journey has come to an end. To be honest, I didn’t think anything of it. I was just glad to be done and have that Masters Degree under my belt. I was excited to get my diploma, but I had no plans of celebrating. But my friends had a different plan!

On May 16th, my friend invited me to go for brunch at one of our favorite cafes that is a 10 minute walk from my apartment. Of course I said yes! I mean good food and good company, also you gotta eat :). I did not expect anything! We walked to the cafe, talking about our latest book reads and the week back to school. As we approached the cafe, there was nothing out of the ordinary. We started walking up the stairs and I saw some of my other friends. I was so confused, this was a random group of my friends. Friends from various places: school, TeachBeyond, girl gang, church. These were my friends, but they didn’t really know each other. And they were all dressed up. I asked what they were doing there and they just smiled at me. No one would tell me what was going on. I WAS SO CONFUSED. What could they possibly be doing? I finally realized I was the only one that didn’t know what was going on. So I started racking my brain, my birthday was a month ago…. we already did the whole good-bye thing…. what else was there?

Everyone kept asking, do you know what is going on? And for the life of me I couldn’t think of why everyone was there. I didn’t know. Then I heard it. From the third floor, the musical notes of pomp and circumstance floated down and I realized, OH! This is for my graduation. I couldn’t believe it. All these amazing people came together to give me a surprise graduation! Here came the tears. As I walked up the stairs, I was awestruck, that my friends would do this for me. They had everything. They made banners for the commencement exercise and even made me a diploma (because the real one was sent to my parents’ house in America). The had an entire program that included a commencement address, a time of worship, scripture reading, a graduation video, presentation of flowers and diploma, and a valedictorian speech (I was valedictorian of my class of 1 here).

So much work went into this plan and I was overwhelmed with the amazing love of the family of friends God has given me here! I cried tears of joy at the showering of love. It was a great surprise. I am still amazed that they had been planning it for a couple of weeks and I had no idea! They did a great job! And I am so glad that I got to celebrate this major accomplishment. I didn’t realize how much it would mean to me!

Allison Crump

December 31, 2019

Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020

Allison Crump

December 31, 2019

2019 has come to an end and it is time to welcome in a new decade, the roaring 20’s!

As 2019 ended, I reflected on the year. The year seems to go by fast, however, it is good to reflect about everything that has happened and that you have done the past year. As I went through my phone’s camera roll, I was reminded of all the adventures and experiences I had in 2019.

2019 was full of friends and family. God provided so many opportunities to develop deeper relationships with friends and see the amazing community He has provided here.

The second half of 2019 was difficult. Many tears were shed and I was not sure why God had called me back for another school year. I was so sure when I came back in July that this would be my last year and I was determined to make it great! I wanted to end well and I had a whole school year to do it! The incident at school changed things, but God was there in powerful ways. The months of August, September, and October seemed to last forever. Each month felt like its own year, but I learned so much about myself and about the Lord. Many people would ask me how I was doing and I didn’t really know how to respond. To be honest, I didn’t know how I was evening standing. Getting up in the morning was a struggle. I didn’t want to go to work, which was weird because I was the little girl that wanted to be at school on the weekend.

When people would say, “I don’t know how you are doing this.” My response always pointed back to the Lord. How are you working and going to school? How are you dealing with the crisis and keeping the school running? How are you doing grad school and staying at school until 9 or 10pm? I don’t know. My own strength was used up the day after the incident, everything after that was God. And when I didn’t have the strength to stand anymore, God provided people to hold me as I cried. This year has brought heartache and tears, but also joy and community. Even in the midst of the trials, God’s love stands strong.

2019 was full of ups and downs. Travels and work. Friends and more friends. I am so thankful for the friendships that were strengthened this year and the new ones that formed. To be honest, I was ready for the year to end, but as I reflected on the amazing things that happened over the year, I paused and thanked God for so many blessings. Below is a calendar of pictures, a year in review.

2020 brings more adventure. I accepted a position within TeachBeyond as a Head of School, still in Southeast Asia. 2020 will begin with closing a chapter and starting a new one. The great thing about ending a chapter is that the people within the chapter don’t disappear, they come with you. I am excited to start this new decade and see all that God has in store!

Allison Crump

December 1, 2016

Lots To Be Thankful For!

Allison Crump

December 1, 2016

Thanksgiving was last week and who would have thought it would be so busy in a land that doesn't really celebrate Thanksgiving.

I had my 1st graders glue their turkey on their plate :). "but it's still alive" many of them said! LOL.

This year at my school the foreign staff taught the students about Thanksgiving. My first graders learned about turkeys (known here as western chicken) and my third graders wrote essays about what they are thankful for. Then on Thursday our school prepared a "Thanksgiving" meal for the students. I told my kids that they would be getting to eat mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, and turkey because that is what we told the kitchen to make. However they got this:

They tried to make a Thanksgiving meal... :(

After school my housemate and I went to our pastor's house for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a pitch-in/potluck meal. I made homemade rolls! Others made bacon green beans, carrot soufflé (I stayed far away from that!), mashed potatoes, corn & zucchini casserole, and honey baked chicken! It was soooo delicious. We wondered why we only did this once a year. I think we are going to have another one in December :). Friends help make Thanksgiving special!

On Friday, I joined my country director and his family at the opera. We had dinner at this little Italian restaurant down the street where we ran into other people from church. They were going to the same performance; Handel's Messiah. After dinner we walked to the opera house. Wow! The opera house is gorgeous! The architecture was amazing! I can't believe it took me over a year to come to a performance here! Handel's Messiah was amazing! The choir was beautiful and the orchestra was amazing. This was such a great way to begin the Christmas season (even though my Thanksgiving wasn't over yet!).

On Saturday, I planned a cookie baking & decorating party with a coworkers family. They have 5 girls that like to bake and decorate cookies. We made 3 batches of sugar cookies (one for them, one for us, and one for advent at church). I started mixing cookies at 10am, and finished baking and decorating at 3pm. Lots of work and tired girls, but so much fun and a great Christmas tradition to carry on.

Teaching my language nurturer (teacher) how to make cookies ;)

I also made homemade roll (Texas Roadhouse) for the Thanksgiving dinner we had that night. I have learned that homemade rolls are actually super easy even when you don't have a stand mixer! I took rolls to the dinner and we had some delicious food! My friend made smoked turkey!!! (My first turkey of Thanksgiving) and others made green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing. It was such a delightful Thanksgiving meal! Then after dinner we watch 2 episodes of the new Gilmore Girls!!!!

Our girl gang Thanksgiving dinner (minus a few important people).

On Sunday, the international women's club had a charity Bazaar at one of the international schools in the city. My housemate and I went to that at 10am. Many of the NGOs and other businesses have tents set up to share about their organization and sell products to raise money. It is a great place to get souvenirs and learn about other things people are doing in the city. They also have many concert to showcase the different nationalities. The church has a multicultural band that was the closing ceremony! I was supposed to sing with them, but they kept pushing back the time and I already had commitments with my team!

After the Bazaar, I headed to my country director's house and we had another Thanksgiving meal! Yes, I am pretty sure I had more Thanksgiving meals here than I ever did in the States. Since there are many nationalities on our team, this was some of their first Thanksgiving! Super excited to share this wonderful thankful holiday with friends around the world!

I am so thankful for everything God is doing in my life. Even though I am on the other side of the world, away from friends and family, God has provided such amazing friends and coworkers that I am truly blessed to have in my life! God is here! Even in the midst of the rough times and hard times and the times I want to just quit. I am reminded that he has me here for a purpose and he shows me a glimpse of what he is doing here! I know it's not going to be easy, but I am so thankful to God with me!

Was even included in my family Thanksgiving photo in America (I'm on the phone :))