Trains, planes, travel, and SNOW!!!

Well, it's Christmas break, the time we've all been longing for, and thought would never come! I can say I have been a very lucky girl this winter vacation, and got to continue my European Excursions, and added a few more stories to by little collection.
Now, I absolutely love snow, but it seems that most modes of transportation do not. This is something I've become increasingly aware of over the past week or so, and have never been more grateful to be sitting in my temporary room here in Spain safe, and sound, and warm.
My latest traveling experience began in Germany (which I will tell all about, later) I was supposed to leave Sunday afternoon on a train to Paris so that I could catch my flight to Madrid the following morning. I had it all worked out for a friend from school to meet me at the station so we could go see the Eiffel tower at Christmas time, as well as a possible Hillsong concert at their church in Paris. Needless to say I was pretty excited about all that. However it seems that God had a slightly different agenda for me that day and the next one as well.
Sunday morning Saabrucken, Germany got the most snow it's had in years, according to my friend Hanna. So as we inched along the icy autobahn towards the main station we kept our fingers crossed, hoping that my train wouldn't be canceled. We were lucky, the Train wasn't canceled, but there was a 30 minute delay. So Hanna headed home in her car through the snowy weather, and sat in non-heated station and waited with a cup of very bitter coffee. At long last my train arrived, and after some confusion over changed arrival platforms and asking a few questions I managed to get on what I thought was the right train. I was wrong.

About 5 minutes before the train left the station someone came in and tried to take my seat. This left me very confused, but I got up and switched to an empty seat. Just when I realized that the train number on my ticket did not match the number of the train I was on it began to slide forward. What had happened was the train coming from Paris and the train going to Paris had switched platforms due to the delay, which they announced repeatedly, in German. When I had seem PARIS in large, bright letters in the window of the train I didn't think twice about it.
Above: as you can see it really wasn't the best day for travel =/

Oddly, the picture to the right was taken before I realized my mistake =P

You know that feeling of dread you get int he bottom of your stomach when you know something is very very wrong? Well, when the conductor came over the intercom and announced the trains destination, that was me. I was headed toward Frankfurt! For those of you who don't know your European geography very well all you need to know it that Frankfurt is pretty much the opposite direction from Paris. After sitting there for about five minutes praying my little heart out that I would somehow manage to get to Paris I got up and asked an English speaking family for help. Turns out the mother was American, the father was German and they had an adopted daughter for India, who they got from no other than Mother Teresa herself. When they asked me where I was from and where i wanted to be headed it took a while to explain, but we came to the conclusion that I am an American missionary kid, from Brasil, currently studying in Hungary, visiting a friend in Germany, on my way to Paris en route to Spain! Now If you can follow that you should have no problem following the rest of this little adventure. They were very helpful and promised to pray for me as I made a swift exit at the next stop and processed to the DeBahn information desk. I only wish I had gotten their names or and e-mail address so that I could thank them and let them know their prayers were answered.

And this point I was rather nervous, I was down to 10 E in my pocket and a US debit card that I wasn't sure had very much money on it even if they would accept it. So i explained my situation to the thankfully English speaking attendant, who looked at my ticket and promptly printed off a ticket for the next train to Paris that was due to arrive in about an hour and a half. "Enjoy your trip!" he said, and turned back to his computer. That was it, I didn't have to pay a dime! So breathing a prayer of thanks I quickly went in search of a pay phone to tell my friend i was not on the train she would expect me to be on. After buying some gum at the convenience store with my limited supply of cash  in order to get change to use the pay phone I was able to reach Hanna who promised to call our friend Laura who was to pick me up in Paris.
Above: Me in some random town in Germany...not too happy about it.

From that point things went relatively smoothly, well at least from my end. The train station I was in in this random town in germany had a rather small train station. one room (not heated) and information      (Above: this is the town I managed to get stuck in, you can't tell here but it was still snowing.) counter, a convenience store, and bathrooms that you had to pay 50c to use. in the main room there were three cold metal chairs. So i stationed myself there to wait for the train. Outside the snow was still falling full force, and i had long since lost all feeling in my toes when to my horror my train was delayed. the first time it was 15 minutes. That wasn't so bad. but then it happened again, and again, and again.  I began making half hour rounds between the much warmer little store and the icy metal chairs. So finally after about four hours in the station I went up to my platform where the train was once again delayed for another 10 minutes. there was quite a little group of us up there stomping our feet and walking up and down along the tracks to keep warm.

At long last the train pulled in and climbed on with legs and feet so numb I could barely walk.  I climbed into the wrong car however. Having made myself comfortable in the luxurious first class car, I was forced to move back to second class (a whole 6 cars away) because I couldn't read my German ticket and had mistaken the platform number for the car number. It was a rather ironic moment for me when the train rolled through Saarbrucken, the same town I had started in nearly 6 hours before. Once the train crossed the border into France things just took longer and longer. Because of all the snow the train was forced to stop three times in the middle of no where, each time for about 15 minutes.  I did manage to borrow a cell phone from a french couple across the aisle from me, so I could call Laura and let her know I was going to be later than expected. At this point i have to take back every mean thing I've ever said about the french and their treatment of foreigners. They were all extremely helpful, and for that I am very grateful.

    Right: 

Me and laura! Finally in Paris!

     Below: unfortunately all I saw of Paris this time was the train station.

At long last the train rolled into Paris EST where a very cold and I can only guess quite bored Laura was waiting for me. After getting some food in me, we went straight home. By that time I had missed the Christmas market, Eiffel Tower light show, and concert, but I was just happy to be safe.

Of course Paris got it's fair share of Ice and snow as well...which made for another adventure the following morning. If my flight had left on time, which it didn't (go figure) I very well might have missed it. We made it to the counter about 5 minutes after it was supposed to have closed, but due to the bad weather in Madrid there was a delay of an hour. Well as the story goes...one hour turned into 2, then 3, then 4. At that point the airport was required to feed us. So everyone on the Madrid flight was given 5 E, about enough to buy a small sandwich or a drink. it wasn't much, but it was more than the 2 E i still had in my pocket. When 4 hours turned into 5 we were not a very happy bunch. Still i managed to occupy my time reading homework and talking to a nice lady from the US embassy in Norway.  
(Top right: we finally made it to the airport, Bottom right: and then I waited there forever!)

Our plane finally did arrive and I'm convinced there has never been a more eager bunch of people to get on a plane! But when the plane landed in an oddly snowy Madrid it landed in a different terminal than was expected...so for about two hours after we landed you could find the passenger of the flight from Paris BVA wondering about the Madrid airport in search of their luggage. Thankfully I found mine after about an hour, by sneaking back into a different baggage claim area. Adrianna Humes, the second oldest daughter in the family I am currently staying with was there waiting for me. Mr Humes expertly maneuvered his way through rush hour traffic and ushered me into the house. Chilli and cornbread never tasted so good in my entire life!     
Through out all this mess I was acutely aware of God protection. Things could have been so much worse for an 18 year old girl traveling alone through Europe, for a large part at night time. I'm overwhelmed by how God protected me from dangerous situations and got me to Spain safe, and with what now seems like a rather humorous story. One more adventure to tell my kids some day!

Falling Leaves

Snapshots of WOL life lately

Sing Team twins. Megan and i realized that we both have the exact same winter coat, and since we were in sing team "uniform" we decided it merited a picture. This was taken at Sing Team's first ministry.

Princess Costa Rica, likes the pretty fall leaves just as much as me =)

Then after the princess got bored, this butterfly decided it wanted to be a part of the photo shoot too.
Over Fall Break I went with my lovely RA Yana to Romania with her adoptive "parental units" for their wedding reception with Timea's family.


Yana and I had a fun time entertaining ourselves for 10 hours of more food than you could ever imagine (i think we finally counted 7 or 8 courses) lots of loud traditional Romanian music, and turned down dance invitations turned gospel presentations. We loved it, both of us felt like we had stepped into the world of "My big fat Greek wedding"


At around 11 pm after everyone had left (this was a rather early ending according to all the Romanians) Timi threw the bouquet for Yana and I. Yana caught it =) I guess I still have to wait a little while before I get to get married- that's okay, I'm only 18, i have time ;)

Since the title of this post if Falling leaves, it think it's only fair to put up some pictures of the campus during fall...as you can see we have a lot of yellow around here now. =)And here is my lovely home sweet home...well I suppose technically I don't live here, but I like to think that i do. =)
As for the other happenings here at WOL, I'm sorry but you'll just have to be patient and wait till I get a chance to breathe. Things have been very busy lately, but of course that is to be expected at the end of the first quarter. I have been learning so much about life, myself, others and the awesome God I serve. Thanks to all of you for your love and prayers!

Paper People

This week was the the end of our first two major classes, Bible Study Methods, and Systematic Theology. Both of them were amazing classes and I have to say that after these past several weeks I'm happier than ever that i chose to come here. I will say though that of the two Systematic theology was the one that left me really thinking. Sitting around in class for two hours a day and discussing the unfathomable mysteries of God was honestly one of the highlights of my day. I am convinced though that until we realize and can accept that we are two dimensional paper people attempting to understand a four dimensional world that is beyond our comprehension then it will do nothing but frustrate us. My teacher, Alex Konya used something similar to this illustration, and it's sort of become the theme of our class.

In other news life here at WOL has continued to move along much faster than most of us are okay with, we spend most of our time just trying to keep up. We've had a number of birthday parties and fellowships to break up the stress of school, homework, and ministry preparation. There is never a dull moment, mostly because if things never slow now quite enough for that and on the rare occasion that they do it because we are all getting much needed sleep.

Sing team, my ministry, will be going out for the first time on this Sunday with three songs and a pantomime. I have one solo and am the main character of the pantomime. All the songs are in Hungarian, so it is interesting not having any clue what I'm singing about. I would appreciate prayer this area of ministry though, it's not always easy, and is usually very time consuming, but I know God can use this in great ways.

Fall break is just around the corner bringing on a new country to my list: Romania! I'm so excited, I'll be traveling with my RA, Yana and a staff couple. It will be a much needed vacation and I cannot wait!

~Pictures of lately~

The castel is currently undergoing a massive restoration project so that in the near future we will be able to move the whole school into the castle, dorms and classrooms included. Here what I and one of the interns Dan are wroking on is covering one of the staff apartments in plastic so that their things wouldn't get ruined by all the dust when the workers replaced the heating system. Needless to say it was quite the undertaking!

Roasting hotdogs and marshmallows over the fire at on of the first fellowships at the Konya's.

The Sunday school team, plus me and a few others just hangin out in Budapest


Johanna, Hanna, me, and Yana at one of my rommie's 19th birthday! One of the staff ladies had a bunch of us over to celebrate to occasion. She is an amazing cook, and needless to say we were very happy to have chilli and corn bread over lunch meat sandwiches =)

The birthday girl, Miri, blowing out the candles on her beautiful cake!

Birthday girl with Timea and Randall (this is the couple that will be taking Yana and I to Romania next weekend)

Tea, tea, and more tea!

Yes in Hungary we like to drink tea. Now this tea is usually not of the iced sort, nor is it of the hot and steamy sort. It is just tea. No one is quite sure exactly what flavor it is, although some have suggested that it is some sort of fruity mixture. In any case this tea is served at every meal, and I must admit that while I was not particularly happy about this upon my arrival, it does grow on you. This is just one new aspect of life here at WOL hungary, and while I certainly miss my daily dose of Brasilian coffee, I think by the end of the year I could very easily find myself addicted to tea.

~A typical day at WOL hungary~

In other news school has officially started! After two weeks of easing us into the new schedule we are finally into what the second year students call normal. Devos are at 6:45 which means getting up around 6:00 or 6:15, much to my dismay. Then breakfast follows at 7:20 where we have 40 minutes to stuff our faces (with cereal and whatever else they happen to be offering) and grab our books, laptops, and names tags so we can make it to class on time at 8:00. Then after two mind boggling hours of systematic theology (currently my favorite class) we have an hour of chapel, to be followed by another two hours of class. This time the course is Bible Study Methods. The school day concludes with lunch at 1 pm. Our afternoons are free for the most part. Tuesday and Thursday afternoons are Language classes (my new theory is that if i can master Hungarian I can do anything!), and for me those are also my work days, where I spend 2-3 hours of the day up to my elbows in soapy water scrubbing everyone's dishes. Then also, there are usually ministry meetings/practices depending on what your weekend ministry is. Since I'm on the sing team we have practises at least three times a week although the days differ. Supper is at 6:oo followed by required study at 6:45. This was another thing I was not so excited about..."a whole hour of just sitting in a class room studying, no talking, no music? I'd rather study on my own time." I must say though, that lately I have been very greatful for that hour of peace and quiet when you dont have to wander what fun thing you're missing out on, because everyone is sitting right there studying right along with you! After required study we have the evening free to do with as we please, usually some people go play basketball, others sit around the piano and make music, others just relax in their rooms, or continue working on their homework. But what ever people are doing at 9:15 everyone is in their dorms for room devos, which I have found to be one of my favorite parts of the day. At least in my dorm we have all become very close partially because of this time we spend together. Lights out/in rooms is at 11:00, I have yet to hear anyone complain about that curfew since school started, by the end of the day we are all so exhausted all we want to do is fall into bed anyway. So there you have it my day in a nut shell.

Here are some pictures of life in my little corner of the world for the last three weeks or so.

Yes, that is a cat on my bed. During my first week here we had a very cold little visitor wander into our room (the door has a nasty habit of opening on it's own) she was affectionately name 'princess costa rica' by our RA and is currently residing in one of the missionary homes, after she got kicked out of our room.

Costa Rica dorm! you can sorta see how each person has her own little corner area. Straight down the middle to the back in the Bathroom, which I didn't think I really needed to share.

Our room in the other direction, otherwise known as the kitchen area.

The living room area.

Now i would put up pictures of my little corner, but it's rather hard to get it all in one picture so if you really want to see those you can see them on my facebook =)
Hanna and I on our way to Danube international church in Budapest last Sunday.

Me and some of the girls from my room shopping in Budapest last Sunday (me, miri, marie pier, marianne)

Then last sunday night--yes we all had a rather busy day that day-- my RA (who happens to be a professional hari styleist) attacked me and whacked all my hair off! she crazy and I'll admit I was freaking out a little during the process, but I really like it now.

We're getting our first hints of autumn here in Hungary...of course i'm just a tad more excited about that than anyone else =) And as you all know with the fall come the cold, it always takes me a few moments to remember to breath again when I am greeted by the frigid (to me) air every morning on the way to breakfast!

Our attempts at study parties usually turn into silliness...this one for instance turned into walking around campus taking pictures =)

Just a bit of goofyness on the tire swing, this is my favorite spot on campus =)
(me and Abi)

Elet Szava:Home Sweet Home

In all honesty I can't believe how fast time has gone since I arrived in Hungary. In some ways it has not been at all what I expected, in some ways it was. If I'm honest I'd have to say that it's really better than I ever imagined. I've only been here for two weeks now, but I already feel at home. There is something special about this place, and I'm so excited to see the ways that God will work not only in my life but in the lives of my classmates and all those around me. Here's a little peak at my new home and my first couple weeks here.

This is the side walk leading from the Castle to all the dorm rooms and the main meeting room. Lots of time we call the dorms the barracks because they were originally built here when the Soviet Union took over the castle grounds.

This is the path on the opposite side of the castle that leads to the lake, soccer field, volley ball courts, and basketball slab. If you keep walking there is also a very nice trail through the woods.

The Castle! as you can see there are currently renovating it. This is where some of the staff lives and works, where guests stay, where we eat, sometimes work, and do laundry. =)

This tire swing is along side one of the trails through the woods on a little island in the middle of the little creek that runs into the lake.

A good friend of mine from the states surprised us by showing up and announcing he was staying for the school year, and one day he took my dad and I out to see Budapest =) This is St. Stephen's basilica, a church that you can go up in to see the whole city from.

Hungarian Parliament on the Danube River =)

Hero's Square in Budapest.

Dad and I on our second to last day together in Hero's Square.

Back at Elet Szava, int he days before all the students got there just hanging out with some of the prospective RAs playing games. Girls from left to right: Yana, Gina, Fanni, Hanna, and me!

Costa Rica girls! (our dorm room name is Costa Rica) before the opening weekend banquet.From left to right: Yana (the RA from Ukraine and the USA, Me, Marianna (Quebec), Miriam (Germany), Marie Pier (Quebec), and Stephanie (Quebec).

Our first class as first year students was Personal Evangelism, fro the second years it was Street Evangelism, after four days of classes we headed out onto the street of Budapest on thursday afternoon and friday to put what we learned into practise during OAE (open air evangelism). This picture is one of the second year students using the sketch board to illustrate salvation.

Marie Pier (one of my room mates), me, and Lili (one of the interns and a great friend) talking to a girl from Sweden in the market place.

Hanna explaining the gospel during OAE. Over the course of the the two days we spent on the streets over two hundred people heard the gospel, even more received tracts, and 9 people made professions of faith!

~The End for now!~

The City of Lights

Oh what to say about Paris! Dad and I arrived there the evening of the 5th of September and were promptly picked up by a staff member of Word of Life France. I can easily say that we had our best accommodations in Paris, a whole three bedroom apartment all to our selves! It was nice to relax and get some much needed laundry done. The next morning we made our way into the actually city by way of train, some how managing to get to the right places and the right times despite all our failed attempts to understand french. We only had one day touring around Paris, and surprisingly this was all we needed considering we were so tired. I will say it was a day very well spent and it was worth every moment! The Arch of triumph! this was interesting, this arch lines up exactly with the Great Arch and a smaller arch in front of the Louvre, and all the main streets at some point lead to here.

The architecture is amazing!

There were so many pretty street, right around here is where we spoted the eiffel tower!

Look what we found! =) not to in any way reduce how awesome this tower is, but i did wonder why exactly it was there...it doesn't really serve any apparent purpose other than a hot tourist spot...

Can't believe thats me and my daddy in Paris! The Eiffel Tower is great because it's surrounded by parks and these massive green lawns, just a perfect place to sit around, relax, and enjoys the scenery.

Louvre!! once again incredible architecture!

The cieling of one of the rooms in Louvre, at some point on this trip I decided that in most old buildings that are worth visiting the cieling is almost always the most impressive aspect of it...in a church it's usually the windows.

There she is folks...The Mona Lisa...preatty much the only reason Dad and i even visited Louvre..well that and just to say we'd been there. =)
And this is why we decided not to stay for longer...incase you can't tell by this crowd all looking at the Mona Lisa it was really crowded there...free on the first sunday of the month...it was craziness!!!!
Notre Dame!!! almost the whole time we were standing outside the bells were ringing and I kept thinking of the Hunchback of Notre Dame movie...imagining him up there hard at work. yes I know I'm a little strange =)
while we were waitng around outside for our turn to go into Notre Dame this lady gave me some rice in my hand and on my head! I think the pidgeons like it...hehe.

Like i said in churches it's the windows that are impressive =)
While we were there there was actually a service going on...see the priests??

Did I mention that this church is AMAZING!

Guess what, I bought a red bare, guess what else, I wore it to a very picturesque sidewalk cafe
The tower when I first started lighting up, and the last picture i could take before my camera died, but all in all Paris was amazing...we did have an extra half day in Paris but we chose to stay in the apartment and catch up on some sleep before we headed of to my new home sweet home in Hungary!!