Culture Shock

What is culture shock? One of the most common causes of culture shock involves individuals in a foreign country. Just as easily though, could be one going to another culture or subculture in their home town or any one of the Native American tribes around the USA.  Culture shock can be described as consisting of at least one of five distinct phases: Honeymoon, Negotiation, Adjustment, Mastery and the interdependence. There is no true way to entirely prevent culture shock, as individuals in any society are personally affected by cultural contrasts differently.

What is the Honeymoon phase?  In this stage a person is in love with their new culture, the food the clothing, the language, everything about it is new and exciting.  This for me lasted for the first 6 months out here in Dine Bikeyah.

What is the Negotiation phase?  This is were one begins to negotiate through the new culture one is living in.  It is a period of great exploration and also frustration, for me this took about 3 months after the honeymoon was over.

What is the Adjustment phase?  This is where one begins to really adjust to a culture and find ones place within it.  It cant take 6-12 months.  For me, I am just now wrapping up my own adjustment phase. (Michelle)

What is the Mastery phase?  In the mastery stage assignees are able to participate fully and comfortably in the host culture. Mastery does not mean total conversion; people often keep many traits from their earlier culture, such as accents and languages. It is often referred to as the biculturalism stage

This is what any honest traveller goes through, and many times makes re-entry to own one home cultures hard on return visits.  Pray for all of us serving among other culture.  ^_^  You have no clue how much your prayers help us!

~ Rob and Michelle

Dine Bikeyah Calling...

I was 16 years old the first time I heard the words, "I hear Dine Bikeyah calling..."  I was sitting on a chair in Wichita, KS watching Rich Mullin's musical, Canticle of the Plains.  Then I learned, "Dine Bikeyah is a real place, its the land of the people, the land of the Navajo."  Right there at the edge of my seat, I felt some how Dine Bikeyah and the Navjao people were to be my future...

Now I am 29, and I have been living in Dine Bikeyah for over 2 years.  I am still just a beginner in the beautiful Navajo language, and I live just off the rez in the town of Thoreau.  Yet my heart is pulled there deeply, especially when I have been gone for a while.  I get homesick when I leave Dine Bikeyah.  I have found my home among a people not my own.  I have found a place to stop wandering, in a land not my own, and I am home, at last.

~ Michelle

Casa Rosa Update

I promised back in October more info on Casa Rosa, so here it is!  We have a nice living room/dining room, a kitchen, a den, Rob's office/man cave, my office, the guest bedroom, guest bathroom, and our master bed and bath.  We have an awesome pantry, which is a major plus!  ^_^

For us, Casa Rosa, while really to large for just us, is perfect for the work we do.  With mentoring, discipleship, and relational missions as our focuses, a large place like ours means plenty of room to have people over.  Now we just have to get that leaky roof fixed!!! LOL!

~ Rob and Michelle

Gypsy Dakota has Died!

Poor Gypsy Dakota, our 1997 Dodge Dakota, has died in a puff of smoke and a flash of heat.  Her transmission was threatening to die for weeks, and now she has gone to truck heaven.  We had gone to get a Christmas tree, and she made it all the way to Gallup and clear back to the bottom of the Thoreau Exit, about a mile and half from home.  Some friends helped us haul her home... figure out what to do with her later.  Keep us in prayer as this means we have no wheels, and Gallup is over 30 miles away.

~ Rob and Michelle Nickles

Thanksgiving

 Twas an interesting day, this first Thanksgiving in New Mexico...  Work today was very calm and peaceful, a few people needing table cloth covers but that was all.  At least, having to work I dont have be there for the Black Friday madness.  As I was there so early, I bought myself a beautiful train pocket watch, as my eagle one has died... Needed it to keep track of time for lunch and brakes.  They had a feast for us at work, the whole works, but I did not pig out, as Robby promised a feast at home too...

I got home from my 60 plus mile journey to work and back, and delightful smells greeted me at the door.  Robby had me take a long hot bath, as the eve is cold, and put on fresh clothing.  In the mean time, he put finishing touches on our feast...  I am so proud of him.  He really out did himself!

I am so thankful for being here in Dine Bikeyah,  our warm home,  Robby, our friends, and most of all my Savior, Iosa (Jesus)!  Thanksgiving blessings to all!

~ Michelle

Casa Rosa

Rob and I live in a little checkerboard community called Thoreau in northeastern New Mexico.  Surrounding us on most sides is the Navajo Reservation.  Thoreau is a typical rez community: small, not much to do, and alot of people to meet.

For us, we did not expect to move to Thoreau.  We were just looking for a place close to the rez where we could live near the missions field and maybe rent some land.  Little did we expect to find an older mobile home with an acre of land on a street called Rose.  The place is a fixer upper, but what missionary home isn't?  We'll write more about "home"...
Later...

~ Rob and Michelle Nickles

Crazy Summer

Here we are at Broken Arrow Bible Ranch for the Summer. I am planing on a week long trip to Kansas to visit friends and family come July.  Still no new funds for rent, as our support has dwindled.  It is not easy...  we are not free to return as of yet to support raise, so are having to be creative.  We were able to babyset over the weekend, and that is what paid the phone bill.  Praise God for that.

Robby is busy this week at BABR with his campers, they are such cute little guys ranging in age from 8 to 12.  I am helpin' with the worship team on weeknights.

~ Michelle