End of the first week

ok, still trying to catch up on last week...

Friday was a pretty busy day... at noon the 4 girls took Elizabeth and I out to dinner... we went to their favorite place for pizza (doesn't that just seem wrong? going all the way to Slovakia for pizza?) The girls insisted that they pay for lunch... it was a wonderful gesture...

here are pics of us at the pizza place, sitting in the outside patio (boy was it hot!!!)







that evening was the closing ceremony for the Vacation Bible School that the Fargo people were helping with... so 6 of us went to watch... then a BBQ after... It was soooo hot in the gym that I could feel the sweat dribbling down my back... ugh!!! But the kids were wonderful...

after the ceremony we went over to the parsonage house for the BBQ...

it was like none I'd ever been to before... the main meat was pork (like thin boneless pork chops... they were wonderful!) on a table the size of a card table was the pork and several salads (carrot, shredded cabbage (couple of those) and cucumber salads) then, on a table about 10 feet long was loaded with every kind of sweet bread you could think of - rolls, cakes, breads, donuts... we were all stunned!!! after good eats the Gypsy band came to play... I've put a video on so you can see what it looked like...

It was a grand evening... full of fun, dancing and lots of laughs... ok, almost caught up... catch the rest tomorrow!

13th Century Church

We use interactive activities in class to get the students to converse with each other... One activity was having 2 halfs of a crossword puzzle. Students had to find someone with the other half and figure out a word by # of letters - then write down the word and the description. The other activity was to have an index card taped to their back... then go around the room with questions to help them determine what the word was... These activities got the students (and teachers) out of their seats... it seemed to be enjoyed by all!!!

After classes were over we bussed over to a nearby village... at this 13th century church we had a church service and communion. It was the most amazing experience!! To think of how many worshipers had prayed within these walls...

out side of the church...


the door to the church (and me!)...

inside of the church...


Patty and me waiting for service...

(I had to be creative, and took the picture myself!!

After the service we travelled a short distance - to the most picturesque meadow where we had the Slovakian version of a BBQ...

(picture just doesn't capture the majestic beauty... Thank you Lord for letting me see it first hand!

it made me want to break out in song "the hills are alive with the sound of music" (but I didn't want to ruin the view with my singing!) Patty did sing climb every mountain, which gave me goose bumps...


this BBQ was a little different than what we see in America... I'm not fond of their sausage so I had a "veggie" sandwich...



I have to apologize for the blurry pics... I'm still learning this little camera... I have since discovered night setting and action setting... I'll write more later... :-o

More of the first week...

Here it is the weekend, and I'm finding myself so behind in all in telling you all that's going on in Slovakia... It's gorgeous here... and it has also been hot and sticky... the humidity has affected all of us... hard to sleep... too hot to think... well until this morning, but I'm getting ahead of myself...

The class time has been wonderful... I'm in the intermediate class - meaning they know English and can converse some... we've been divided into 5 small groups.

My group consists of : (from front to back)

Simona, 22, Suzzana, 13









Denisa (blue eyes),16 and Denisa (brown eyes)14; (yes both have the same first and last name - and no middle initial, so the eye color is the distinguishing factor) (pronouced De Neesa)

Each morning we sit and talk... I ask questions and then they ask me questions so that we have a dialog... It's a great way for us to get to know each other... the two Denisa's moms are in other classes... Suzzana's sister is also in another class...

During the course of the day we create different challenges for the students in which to help them create a larger vocabulary and more conversation skills... Like Luella reading to them (so they can hear Americans talk). We also play word games, watch videos... On Friday we ev en made Chocolate Chip cookies... what ever it takes to make the class fun and helps them learn too...

On our off time (after 3pm) the Bible School has outings planned for us... this week we had the opportunity to participate in several...

A rafting trip... not like the ones on the Deschuttes... this is a little more gentle, which is the way I like it!!!

Mary and I getting ready to take off...


Our captain...


One of the other rafts...


A view of Stretcno Castle from below (there's pictures from last year inside the castle)


it's funny, I wanted a picture of myself on the river - thought that would be cool... so I asked one of the other gals to take a picture of me... this is what I got, obviously she doesn't know cameras (we all roared over this one!)


lot's more happening... I'll share in the next blog...

I am loving this trip... I am learning how God touches all our lives, whether it's through people, experiences or the beauty of this marvelous world that He created... everywhere I go, the love of God shows me such joy... wow!!!

Students, castles and heat, oh my!

Interesting title, don't you think? Yesterday was a warm day - probably 85+... classes are going wonderfully well... the students are participating, the teachers are feeling more confident... there's the sprinkle of laughter coming from the classrooms... all is well..
Here's Mary and I in Vienna, shortly after I arrived... we were getting ready for our 4 hour bus ride (sorry, a little blurry!!)



the following pics are from my class:









These are the girls in my "small" group, all teenages and one 22 year old. The gal in the Hat is Elizabeth... she's my partner for the first week (then she's going to help with the high school youth camp next week).



Classes have been going great... Martha is a good teacher and guides us well... the students are eager to learn English, which makes my job so much easier... the first hour of class we "talk" about what they did the night before, their plans for the weekend... their future... just to make ping-pong conversation...

gotta go to bed... big adventure tomorrow... I'll blog this weekend to catch up with all that's happend in the first week (with pics of course!)

flying over Greenland

I know this is backwards in time, but I am finally able to connect with the internet with my computer... I wrote this when flying over greenland on Friday 7/10 or was it 7/11??? not sure when the time changed for me... here's what I wrote:

The beginning - day 1

Right now I’m sitting on the plane, about 2 ½ hours from Frankfurt, Germany… Flying is such an amazing thing… I’m sitting in this “room” with a bunch of strangers… Napping, watching a movie, eating… then hours later (and I do mean many many hours!) I am transported into another world - a different language - and maybe even different life styles… because I don’t have a window in this room, I can’t see the world pass under me… soi t almost feels like magic…

At first I was a little bummed about traveling by myself and not with the Slovakia Team (since I’m staying longer, I needed to make my own reservations instead - using my miles I ended up on a different airlines than the rest of the team). But being by yourself gives you opportunities you might not have had otherwise… take for instance, the first leg of my trip: Portland to Seattle… in this itty bitty plane (a first for me - only 3 seats across - and very loud….) But do you know what else this plane had? A View!!! It didn’t fly as high as the a regular airplane… so I saw the most magnificent view of western Washington… and Puget sound, and the magnificent islands sprinkled all over (I had no idea!!!) To see an area I grew up in, from a different view point - to see what God has created with a new awe… I don’t think I’ll take for granted my surroundings anymore…

The other opportunity given to me was to meet this wonderful lady at SeaTac airport… we met standing in line for lunch… chatted, small talk that you do with a stranger… she ended up inviting me to join her while we ate… it turned out she’s from Iowa, traveling on business… on her way home… we had a lot in common… moms, grandmothers, and Christians… her sister and brother-in-law were missionaries with Mission Aviation for many years (our church is quite involved with Mission Aviation)… and is was her birthday… so instead of sitting alone on her birthday we sat and chatted and had an enjoyable lunch…

I know, I’m rambling… sleep deprivation! But also amazed and blessed… this trip has started out “softly” but wonderful… can’t wait to see what comes next!

First day of English classes

I haven't been able to post much lately... I haven't been able to get my computer up on the Bible Schools web site... I'm borrowing Mary's tonight, but no pictures at this time...

I arrived safely in Slovakia - a very long trip 20+ hours between air and bus... very exhausting... But a glorious trip none the less. We had our first class today... got to meet the students and just get started...
weather is good 75-80 out... but we hear that thunderstorms are coming... (just like the northwest)

this is short... hopefully I'll have my computer soon so I can post pics...

One more day of work...

wow, I never thought this day would come... it's funny how you plan and plan and the end seems so far away? and then all of a sudden you're in shock that the day has come!!! Well I have one day of work left... I can't imagine being off work for a whole month! Right now I don't want to think about how hard it will be to come back! I worked like crazy today - my goal? to get off work on time tomorrow, or maybe even early... wouldn't that be sweet!

I will be glad when I'm all packed... no more to be done (whether it's done or reality-that I've run out of time) it's during this craziness that I realize how much I'm relying on myself and not turning to the Lord for my strength. Wow, what a wake up call... Thank you Lord for your patience as I pretend that I'm in control!!!

One more week!

Getting ready to leave for the 2009 Serving Slovakia Mission trip... I am so excited... it was a great adventure last year and I hope even more so this year.

At this moment I should be cleaning house, washing clothes and I brought stuff from work to do... but procrastination (and it's really hot outside) is working double time... so I decided to write on my blog instead :-)

Trying to leave work for a month has been very trying... lots of extra hours working... see the amount of work needed while I'm gone is being done early... kind of stressful, but what an adventure I have in store for me... it's worth all the extra hours...

the mission trip itself is two weeks long...(there are 31 of us from New Heights Church) I'll be arriving at Vienna, Austria Saturday afternoon - I'm flying separate from the rest of the team because I used air miles and ended up on a different airlines - but I'll only arrive about an hour before the rest... then we load up on the bus and travel to Martin, Slovakia (about 4-5 hours). We'll be staying at the Bible College (in the dorms) over the next two weeks... teaching conversational English mon-fri (a community outreach program). We'll have short field trips after hours to see some of the country side... on July 25, the team will travel back to Vienna. We'll have an afternoon to explore the city then Mary and I will take a bus to Bratislava (Capital of Slovakia). the next morning we board a plane to Milan, Italy for a 12 day adventure...

I thank God for the blessings he has bestowed on me - this trip wouldn't have happened without His guidance and grace. I am dedicating my time to His Glory!

OK, I think the procrastination is over, for a little while at least... it's back to work... until later...