Wednesday, March 16, 2011

american pancakes and banagrams





Peggy and I recently had a few students over to have some conversation about a life and for us to see if they think students would be interested in joining a Bible Study with the Seminary students. One of the students we asked was in the United States last year and so we asked him what he would like to have for dinner, and his one request was: "American pancakes". We thought, well that's easy enough! and were eager to grant his request. You see the pancakes we have in the States are quite different than what Europeans call pancakes. Ours are thick and smaller, whereas there's are thin and large, and we like to call them, "crepes". So when we make "American pancakes" for students, friends, and colleagues they are excited to try something new and different. Plus they are astounded at how sweet and delicious maple syrup is. (We were lucky to find some at a local shop, for a decent price, but seriously, you can't have pancakes without syrup!) Needless to say, this student was so thrilled to have "American pancakes" again, and was happy to introduce it to his friends. While Peggy and I cooked up the pancakes and bacon we introduced them to a new game called "Bananagrams" which is a game that uses tiles to make words in any which way. This was fun to help them with English, but we also saw their creative sides.

This night was just another great way that I am able to connect with students, share life with them, and have thoughtful and delightful conversation.

women's day


Last week Tuesday Hungary celebrated International Women’s Day. And boy do they know how to celebrate it! The teachers’ room was filled with flowers and chocolates and sweet notes from students and fellow colleagues. I was blessed to have my boy students from each of my classes come to the teachers room and give me a flower. It was so sweet and generous of them. I even received one of my favorite flowers, a gerber daisy. This day may be a little like how people view Valentines’ Day in the States in the fact that it is a good way for the flower shops and chocolate companies to make money, but I viewed it as a chance for classes to show me that they care and appreciate me, as a woman and as their teacher.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

more than enough to be

thankful for...

it's true. I do. Sometimes I feel as though the world is closing in on me. as though I have no control and no capability of seeing past what is happening at that very, horrible, and scary moment. But then I remember that our Heavenly Father is good. and He loves me. and He would never give me more than I can handle. And this is always such a good reminder to me. that He has placed me here. in Sarospatak Hungary. for His good and beautiful purpose. and that as crazy as life seems sometimes it is good. and I am truly thankful for it. for everything He has blessed me with.
So let me shares just a few of these things of most recent. with some explanations.

- Caring and loving friends. here and there.
- A home church that puts its' sermons online.
- Thoughts and prayers from afar.
- A church that is becoming more and more like a home here.
- A soccer tournament and colleagues that are willing to let you play with them. mind you this was a men's tournament. only. except for me. : )
- Students who say "soccer star" and "futball master".
- Students who "have something up their sleeve" for your birthday.
- The beautiful nature of not knowing the same language but still being able to communicate with colleagues.
- Opportunities to share the most important thing in my life.
- A band from Holland that held worship in English. such an encouragement.
- Delicious Hungarian wine.
- For a patient and loving boyfriend.
- Things being fixed in the flat. hot showers. internet. and couch.
- Christmas music. and lights. and spirit.

But the thing I am most grateful for is what this season is all about. The reason for all the cheer and spirit, the Greatest Gift you and I could have ever received. Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010



An apology and other things...

The past month and a half has been quite busy. It has been full. It has been good. It has been blessed by our Father.
This time has been filled of challenges and of growth. It has been a time of belly bottom laughter and a time of listening. And it has been a time of trusting in Him.
It has been a time of busyness, thus the lack of posting. and for this I am ever so sorry. So I am writing an extra long post today to make up for it. Enjoy...

As of last Thursday, November 18, I am going into my fourth month of being here and this place is becoming more and more my home than it looked like it would be in the beginning. I am becoming more comfortable. I am establishing those relationships I was made for. I am sharing life here. the way it is supposed to be. This next month is more than just getting my feet wet like it was back in August and September. It is about who I am becoming. I have rested and settled in Him. and I am becoming, day by day, more and more, the woman He desires me to be. But this is what I am afraid of, that I am going to become too comfortable and too settled and will become stagnant and not grow as I need to. So it is my prayer that I wake up each new saying “It is your day, Oh Lord. I am here to serve you. So have your way in and through me.”

…Since I cannot possibly write about everything I would like to from the past month and half I will give you a few highlights of some of the happenings in my life here.
- The weekend of October 9 Peggy and I traveled to Krosno, Poland with about 12 other people. This was an English teachers trip (something they do every fall) that included spots for their spouses. One of the teachers arranged most of the happenings which was really great of him. We traveled a little outside of the town to a castle and read Balint Balissi’ poems in his honor. Later in the afternoon we also had a chance to walk around Krosno which was nice because it was quite a quaint town. (not as quaint as St. Joe though!) A funny story from the weekend (though, not too funny at the moment), we got a flat tire out in the middle of nowhere Slovakia. And it was Sunday afternoon. Not a good combination. It is a good thing we had some pretty handy guys along. : )
- The next weekend, October 16, Peggy and I had the great honor and pleasure of being invited to go to Ukraine with the Calvin group. Every fall there is a semester abroad program that Calvin College sends students on and throughout the semester they go on numerous trips to the surrounding countries of Hungary. Well this weekend Ukraine was on the docket. And they were oh so coincidently going through Sarospatak on the way and could pick us up! I was pretty pumped to see a good friend and fellow Calvinites, even if I didn’t know them. We stayed in a cute little village and visited/stayed at a school another Calvin alum is teaching English at. (It’s great that even though I’m so far outside of the States and can still find those Calvin connections. : ) We were even to help her out and speak English with her students, played a few games, sang some worship songs, and then shared dinner together. It was so great to be able to have such community even though we could communicate only a little bit. Sunday we visited a Gypsy village and their church, which incidentally, a Calvin group donated the bell that rings for their church gatherings. At the end of the service the members of the congregation sang us a blessing song and then at their request we sang “My Friends May You Grow In Grace” and it brought tears to my eyes. It truly touched me that even though they wouldn’t be able to understand us they still wanted us to sing something for them. This made it clear to me that the church around the world is at work. God is work. through these people. and it was truly a blessing to be able to share in worship with them, despite language barriers, because that really is the only barrier that stands between us.
- Friday, October 29 was a celebration for the freshmen at school. It is called Pecur Avato. The whole week, really, was a celebration for them. (It reminded me more of an initiation actually.) It all started Monday when I noticed that many of my first year students were all wearing baby type of clothes, such as: bibs, binkies, little bonnets/hats, diapers…yes, some of them wore diapers. And they carried around little stuffed animals, blankies, or rattles. Some had all of the above and they could’ve won a baby imitation contest with how decked out they were. It was pretty funny until I was teaching and was constantly interrupted with students playing with the tape on their diapers or them rattling a toy or sucking their binkie. Anyway, each day during our 15 minute breaks we all would gather in the courtyard of school and watch the freshmen participate in some game or another. One day they played musical chairs another day they played tug-of-war, etc. It was quite comical and competitive, if you can only imagine. All of these activities led up Friday night which was where each freshmen class (there are 5 total) had to compete in an assortment of games and perform a skit and/or song in front of a forum of judges. It was pretty exciting and entertaining, especially since I teach 3 of the 5 freshmen classes. Even though I couldn’t understand everything that was going on it was enjoyable and I can certainly say I am proud of my students.

- Saturday October 30, after I got out of school (yes, you heard me right, I had to teach on Saturday. Not the most fun thing in the world, but hey, you do what you have to do, right?) I was showing a friend who was visiting around Patak. We came across a delectable little stand of something that is oh so unhealthy for you. (ask me if you want to know exactly what this little treat is!) As we were enjoying this newfound goody by a nearby cemetery we realized everyone was getting flowers and candles for the celebration of All Saint’s Day, which is November 1st. As we were talking about having our own memorial of walking through the cemetery we were greeted by two students. They were just about to get some roses in honor of two teachers and invited us to join them. I was (secretly) thrilled. What an honor and privilege, and Godsend. We walked across town to the cemetery they were going to and they explained to us how important this Holiday is to Hungarians. It is a time for them to honor those loved ones that are gone and a way for them to meet with people they haven’t seen in a long time (we saw a few who seemed to be having a reunion of some sort). We witnessed some sweeping the surrounding area of their beloveds’ tombstones and others standing in silence and memoriam. It was such a honor and blessing to be let in on a tradition of old with these students. It was something that I have been hoping for for awhile, to be apart of a Hungarian tradition, to be invited in and be apart of their world. So thank you.
- November 1st through the 7th I traveled to the Netherlands with two dear friends. We stayed with one of their friends who is studying for the year with an international program in Den Haag. We stayed in that city for a week and did a day trip to Amsterdam on Tuesday and to Delft on Saturday. Some of the favorites from the week include accumulating a new and fresh appreciation for art after the Van Gogh Museum, a visit to Parliament in Den Haag, telling people I was Dutch as well, finding Wilhelmina peppermints and Dutch caramel waffles (I don’t remember the official name), flying a kite on the coast of the English Channel… I am sure I could continue on with this list, but the week was truly about community and the beautiful gift I was given through it while in Holland. I went with two really good friends I have made through this experience so far, Annie and Maria, (other ESI teachers) and our relationships only grew stronger, but I also met Annie’s friend, Jose, and some of his international friends it I can not tell you enough how good this opportunity was. Through all these relationships we all were able to share in such community, that could not have been orchestrated by anyone other than God himself. We shared in meaningful late night conversations, meandering around a new and unexplored town, smiles and laughter, delicious (ethnic) food, wooden shoes, meeting of parents, bike rides, and lots of chocolate covered cashews, peanuts, and raisins. This week I was able to see the face of Christ in ways I never had before. And I was truly able to feel his love and grace through community. I firmly believe that we have been created and called to live in community with each other, in whatever form that may mean for each of us. And He has left it up to us to follow that call.
- November 18th through the 22nd Peggy and I, and the rest of the Central Europe ESI teachers were able to get together for a time of retreat. We celebrated Thanksgiving, were able to relax, recuperate, and rejuvenate, and just spent time quality time together. It was really great to see everyone, because it had been since August 17. (I know, people back at home, it’s been longer since I’ve seen you! Believe me, I know.) It was fun to catch up and see how they are doing at their respective schools. It was an incredible time of encouragement and love. God’s presence was truly felt in our time all together. As tired as I am from the weekend I am ready for this next stretch of weeks before Christmas break.

I am sorry that was so long and if you are still reading, well shoot, THANK YOU. I promise that whole thing of me taking so long to write will not happen again. Thank you again for your patience and certainly stay tuned for upcoming stories. And hey, if you have any questions, surely let me know! I would love to hear from you if you want to know anything else about my time here in Hungary.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

i can do without.

My life here in Hungary is free from things that I once thought I needed. This includes a car, a phone, and a television. Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate each of these things and am thankful for them, but I have been without them for at least 2 months (if not more..a car and a television) and am finding that I am okay with this. I am also finding that back home in the States I was very dependent on these things. and I am really finding that I don’t necessarily need these things here in Hungary.
I relied on a car to get me to places. Now I walk.
I relied on a phone to get ahold of people and contact them. Now I talk. and plan ahead.
I relied on a television for entertainment. Now I go to concerts and get together with students.
It is interesting what living overseas will do for you when you don’t have the things you have had so readily available to you. And that you thought you absolutely needed.
Because I am finding that I enjoy walking to get anywhere. and that I am becoming more reliant on face-to-face communication. and that I can find my entertainment in other ways. So Praise the Lord for these small opportunities to be thankful for what I once had, but also thankful for what I am at the moment, and for what I will be even more thankful for in the future.