Where Do the Hours Go?

Have you ever sat down to work at 9 AM, and then five minutes later realized it was 5 PM! Where does the time go?? If anyone has an idea, Facebook me later. I'd like to know where the last 3 days of my life went. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has experienced this. Usually, I'm the last person to find out about things, so I wouldn't be surprised if people have been looking for the lost hours of their day for years now.

I have a vague idea of the sequence of events from the past few days. I know I did some teaching. Whether anything was actually learned is something you will have to ask my students. It's a good thing there is a great, big ocean between us. No one will ever know!

I was able to spend a lot of time with people last week. I am finding friends with common interests, but I'm also discovering new interests from the time spent with my new friends. Tonight I made "something" from sticking a needle into a piece of wool over and over again. I have included a picture of it for your viewing pleasure. There is a word for this certain kind of craft in Czech, but I have already forgotten it. The Czech language is a bit hard to get used to. I have to hear a word at least 5 times before I have a good grasp of it.

The people here are getting to know me pretty well too. I have two students who bring me an offering of dark chocolate before every class. In exchange, I tell them they are some of my most advanced students. I've learned that guys tend to behave better when they feel superior so it's a win-win situation. But I must be gaining some kind of reputation because I have also received Oreos, cake and hot chocolate all in the last 48 hours! I'm glad Spring is just around the corner because I need to start working off all this sugar.

I can't wait until it's warm enough to tour more of this beautiful city and the surrounding country. I've been told of so many amazing places that I want to visit; the streets of Prague, towers made of sand rock, castles full of history, and much more. Yes, be jealous! But what I have enjoyed the most is becoming a working part of the In-Life ministry. Their influence reaches out to 5 other cities in the Czech Republic and also across it's borders to Slovakia. All it's ministry staff and volunteers have one common goal, to reach the students in the universities with the Gospel. They hold weekly events that provide them with a chance to connect with unbelieving students. They also provide Bible studies and discipleship groups for the believers involved in the ministry. Through it's many working parts God has reached hundreds of students over the years. Many In-Life alumni have moved on to start churches and other evangelical based ministries.

I get to play a very important role as a native-speaking English teacher. English classes are provided in school and even offered as a course of study in the Universities. But there aren't a lot of native-speaking English teachers available to teach correct pronunciation and conversational English. That's where I come in :) Starting tomorrow, I will be teaching a 10-week conversational English course to university students in Brno. The hope is that through these classes, more students will become involved in the In-Life activities. The more new contacts are made, the more hearts are won for Christ! It's a tremendous privilege to be able to serve alongside In-Life in this way, but it also carries a lot of responsibility. Please, pray for me over these next ten weeks as I prepare each of my lessons. Pray that God will be able to work through my insecurities and weaknesses, and that the testimony of God's grace and truth might shine through.

We worship an all knowing and sovereign God. May He be praised above all else!

Thanks for reading and I will write again soon,

Rachel

Oreos, Peanut Butter and Prune Juice

Sometimes, it's the little things in life...

Last week when I was traveling to Ostrava, I happened to see an advertisement for Oreos. I was in the middle of a conversation with a friend, when I suddenly yelled out "Oreos"! My poor friend was so startled she started looking in every direction for the object cause of my disruption. I had to tell her that embarrassingly enough, my excitement was over a cookie. But it was the best cookie in the world! Milk's best friend!

I was now on a mission to hunt down the Oreos in Brno. It took me a few days, but I found them! They were a bit expensive so I decided to wait to buy them until I was really desperate. Then a couple of days ago I was at a party and what did I find waiting for me in the middle of the snack table... Oreos! I thought this had to be a direct gift from God so I greedily took some. Those had to be the best Oreos I ever had.

I have come to realize that Peanut butter is a traditional American product that is very foreign to most other cultures. When I was visiting India, found out the people hated it. They didn't have anything similar to it so they rejected it completely. In Brno, people compare it to Nutella, but they still aren't the biggest fans of it. When I went to the grocery store for the first time it took me 20 minutes just to find the one brand of peanut butter the store sold. The jar was half the size you would find in the States, but they still sold it for the same price as a jar double the size. I thought it was worth buying since I could eat it with so many things.

The next day I walked into the ministry office with my apple and peanut butter snack. When I sat down to enjoy my delicious food I got some very curious looks from the other people in the office. Peanut butter with fruit? They asked me what other things I ate with peanut butter. As I began to tell them, their faces became more disgusted with every item I added to the list.... celery, pancakes, chocolate, Oreos! Peanut butter with jelly... on bread? I realized I would have to introduce this Czech ministry to the amazing world of salty-sweet snacks.

Since I was a little girl, I have known the affects that come with drinking prune juice. Grandma and Grandpa always had a good stock of it in the refrigerator, but it was never meant for every day use. You only had prune juice when you were "sick". I found out this past week that not everybody grows up with this knowledge.

While at a restaurant with a friend, we were deciding what kind of crepe to order for dessert. When she suggested we order the crepe with prunes I gave her an uncertain look. Prunes? Right before we are about to take a long trip back home? She looked confused so I began explaining the consequences that came with eating prunes. I watched her face as it broke out into complete laughter and disbelief. Through our laughter and tears, I finally convinced her to order the strawberry crepe instead... just to be on the safe side.

There are certain things that bring me comfort when I start to miss home. I Skype with friends and look at new baby pictures on Facebook. I re-read emails with news about life back in the Sunny State. But sometimes it's the Oreos, peanut butter and prune juice that can make me feel a little closer to home. 

Ostrava

As promised, here is the story of my trip to Ostrava.

I learned a lot about the city that day. It is the third largest in the country; Prague and Brno being the first two. It is a city of industry. All day long, people kept apologizing for the bad air quality. I reassured them that being from LA had given my lungs plenty of experience with bad air quality.

The day started out early. Our train left the station at 8:45 AM which meant I had to catch a tram at 8:25 AM. Since I am a new user of public transportation I assumed that if the tram schedule said it would be at the station at 8:25 AM I could get there at 8:25 AM. WRONG! At 8:24 AM I watched my tram disappear down the street as I ran down the hill. This was a good preview for what the rest of the day would hold. So we were already running ten minutes late, but thankfully tram drivers tend to drive a little faster on Saturdays so we made good time getting to the train station.

We got on the train and found our seats with no problems. I travelled with 8 other people that day and I enjoyed getting to know them better on our 2 1/2 hour train ride. We had a great time talking and laughing about English words and idioms. I taught them three new English words: dachshund, badger and dentures. About an hour into the trip our train made an extra-long stop at a station. It wasn't until after we had been stopped for a half hour that a lady came to tell us the train had broken down and we would be taking buses to the next train station. She told us she would return to get us when the buses had arrived. Twenty minutes later we watched everyone get off the train and realized the lady had forgotten about us.

So we joined the mass of people headed to the buses. Unfortunately, two buses was not enough to take everyone to the next station so our group had to wait for a third bus to come. Our bus finally arrived and we all piled on. Packed like sardines, we sat there waiting for the bus to move. I guess it was a good thing it didn't leave right away because a mother from one of the back rows started asking everyone to get off the bus so her 4-year-old daughter could go to the bathroom. So, back off we went and then right back on. It was somehow harder to fit everyone in the second time, but we managed it.

Finally, our bus left and headed to the next station. We arrived and noticed the train to Ostrava was not on the departures list. People flooded the information window to find out what had happened. Even though I couldn't understand what was being said, I could tell that people weren't happy. I found out soon enough that the train to Ostrava had left without us. The next train was scheduled to arrive in 45 minutes.

That's how life goes sometimes! So our 2 1/2 hour trip turned into 5, but when you're with friends, it makes things more fun! We finally arrived in Ostrava around 1 PM and headed to a friends house where lunch was waiting. That's where I met Litga. She is an In-Life Staff member working in Ostrava. She doesn't speak much English, but she has a warm smile and a bubbly personality. Litga took us to a small historical museum where we learned about the city's coal mining days. The museum was actually two rooms in a man's house that he had converted into a museum to display his collection of historical items. It was very interesting to look at pictures of when the city was still under communism. Things were much different.

After the museum, Litga took us to a French Cafe for dinner. I laughed to myself that we were the only people brave enough to venture outside on that freezing, Saturday afternoon. I got to see a lot of the city, but not many of it's people. The city was beautiful with it's cobblestone streets and old fashioned lamp stands. The buildings hold historical character through it's magnificent architecture. I would have taken pictures, but my hands had to stay safely in my pockets where it was warm.

This concludes my adventure to Ostrava. I hope you enjoyed reading about it!

Mondays...

I've noticed something. It doesn't matter where I go, Mondays are always the same. It's somehow harder to wake up in the morning. My feet seem to wear 10 lb. weights on them. And the events of the week ahead are always overwhelming. It doesn't help that today is dreary with little chance of snow. If it's going to be overcast, you think it would be courteous enough to snow. Make my day a little bit brighter with a fresh, white blanket to drape over the overwhelmingly, grey world outside. I'm sorry if I sound a bit less than cheerful... but it's Monday.

Veveri Castle 

I do have a couple stories to entertain you with this week. The first happened the day after I wrote about my boring life. I think God wanted to brighten up my mood with a bit of irony. So on Tuesday night I decided to go to the grocery store by myself. To understand how big of a venture this was, you must know that the use of public transportation is a new thing for me. I am having to learn bus numbers, tram numbers and the names of their stops along the way. Trying to read a map with small letters isn't very easy. Adding on that the map is in Czech, you can better understand my situation. However, I convinced myself that I had been in the city long enough and could get myself to the grocery store and back without any problems.

So, off I go at 6:30 pm. I figure it will take me an hour and a half, which would get me home at a safe time at night. This is where I make my first mistake. I don't allow time for me to make any mistakes! Mistake number two: I didn't read all the directions. I consult my map and hop on my first tram. It's the wrong one. Of course, I don't know I am on the wrong tram until I see myself passing the grocery store, headed in the opposite direction.

Late Sunday afternoon

Mistake number three: I haven't started learning Czech. Once I realized I was on the wrong tram I knew I had to get off and go back to where I started. As I stood to get off the tram I realized the doors are not opening. Almost immediately, I have everyone on the tram trying to tell me in Czech how to open the doors. I figure it out amidst the yelling and get the doors open. But apparently I didn't get off fast enough because the doors of the tram closed on me before I was safely through them. I am sure I brightened the day of a few Czech travelers by affirming all Americans are ignorant.

Mistake number four: Letting fear overcome rational thinking. Once I get off the tram I realized how dark the station was and that it was right next to a cemetery! I immediately become anxious and nervously wait for the next tram to take me back. It finally appears and I hop on. I'm feeling better at this point as I head back to what's familiar. However, my confidence evaporates when I watch the grocery store disappear out the window as I head in the wrong direction once again. I am on another wrong tram.

Aja enjoying the sunset

This time, I said a little prayer before consulting my Czech map. I got off the tram, read the signs thoroughly and got on my final tram of the evening. I breathed a sigh of relief when it stopped right in front of the store. Shopping was a whole other adventure. I have a new found gratitude for picture labels.  I am happy to say that I made it home on the first attempt. The silver lining from the evening is that I now know the general destinations of trams 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 & 8! Only ten more trams to go!

I had a pretty full weekend. I took a trip to Ostrava, which is 2 1/2 hours North by train. That adventure I will save for a later post this week. But I will tell you about my trip to see the nearby Veveri Castle. I went with two staff members, Zuzka and Aja. They were kind enough to show me around and answer all my questions... or at least read me the signs with all the information on them. It was late afternoon so the sun was that beautiful golden color as it set behind the hills. The original castle was built in the 13th century. The city is in the process of restoring it, but the process is slow as they don't have a lot of money for the project. Its gorgeous stone walls and gothic towers give it a magnificent presence high up on the hill. It overlooks a river which adds serenity to the beautiful scene. During the winter season the inside of the castle is closed to the public. I am looking forward to exploring it more in the Spring.

Another view of the castle

My English lessons are in full swing this week so I am staying very busy. A couple of prayer requests would be that I continue to manage my time well even with the increased work load. There are a lot of ministry activities that happen every week. I would love to be a part of all of them, but know I need to use my time wisely. I have always struggled with saying no to things, so pray God would guide me in the prioritizing the right things.

Thanks everyone and I will put a post up about Ostrava in the next few days. :) 

The Mundane

I was talking with my friend Katka today while sitting in the office lesson planning. We were talking about blogging. I was sharing with her how I am new at blogging and still find it weird that I am broadcasting my life on the internet. It's not as easy as you think. Take this last week for example. It was my first week in Brno, living in my dorm room. I did everyday things. I unpacked all my things, tried decorating my room the best I could to make it feel homey and went grocery shopping. I got up every morning, lesson planned and hung out with new friends. In my head that all sounds like regular, mundane things that no one really wants to read about on a blog...

But then I put myself in everybody else's shoes. If one of my close friends or family members moved to another country for a year, I wouldn't care if they blogged about brushing their teeth in the morning! I would just enjoy reading about their new life, even if all they ever talked about were the simplicities that made up their day. So, all of that to say, I will do my best to spruce up this blog post by making my mundane activities of this past week sound exciting.

Last Monday morning was actually quite an adventure. It was my first full day in Brno and I finally settled into the room I will be in for the next six months. Most of you know that for the past 4 months, I haven't stayed in one place for more than 6 weeks. I was glad to finally feel at home somewhere. But it was quite an adventure trying to collect all the things I needed living on my own. Trying to pack my life in 2 bags for an entire year leaves me with little wiggle room for things such as a frying pan or silverware. But the In-Life staff were very kind to lend me a whatever I needed. The only problem is, I have borrowed things from so many different people I will have to keep an inventory for what belongs to who. Haha, oh well. I have joked with everyone that at the end of 6 months I will just invite them all over to my dorm room for a party and they can take home whatever they find that's theirs :)

I was pleasantly surprised to find I could buy most things I am used to buying in the States at the stores here in Brno. I think the biggest adjustment I have had to make, besides the weather, is transportation. I am learning how to travel the bus and tram systems in the city. It really is such a blessing to have a car, but the public transportation provides me with time to talk with people and observe life on the streets. I take tips on how to dress warmer by scoping out people walking by. It's amazing how much fur I've seen here! Who knew!

I've tried some new food. I wish I knew how to spell the dishes I've tried, but let's just say Czechs like their cheese! It's with everything here, but I'm not one to complain. Every time I try something new, people ask me if we have anything similar in the U.S. This starts a conversation about American food and what I like to cook. It's fun to watch their expressions when I tell them about things like guacamole, pb&j, and oreos. They made me promise to cook them an "authentic" Mexican meal sometime next week, but only if I didn't make it too spicy.

I went ice skating yesterday with a group of friends. We went to a dam just a little outside the city that had frozen over. I have never skated on anything other than a rink before so it was quite an experience! There is a castle about 2 miles out on the ice, but it was too cold and windy to try and skate there. I do hope to see it sometime though. I will be going bowling on Wednesday with In-Life students. It should be fun to do something that I actually have experience in!

Well, friends, I hope this has been entertaining enough for you. I need to head to bed since I have started teaching this week. My first session is tomorrow morning at 9 AM. Pray God can work through me to help these brothers and sisters in Christ. I feel very inadequate, but I know God can work through the weakest of people.

I will post again soon!