I don't even know where to start. These past couple weeks have been a whirlwind!
Matt and I stayed with Shaun and Sondi for the first week and Paul from Ireland joined us this past week.
Clubs started the day after we arrived, and since then we have had four nights of English clubs and one night of English Bible study.
The first day I was in town with Sondi, I ran into several kids here and there that I had met at summer camp. It was so fun to see the shocked looks on their faces to see me back in Hungary. I felt very welcome :) This town is small enough that I'm always running into kids I know.
I wasn't sure how I would like adult English club, since I've only ever worked with children so far, but I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience. Fortunately I have one advanced student who knows how to spell, and caught me a couple times writing words with missing letters on the board...oops! I can tell this is going to be a process of trial and error.
Besides clubs, a lot of my time has been spent in Sondi's kitchen making meals, and baking cookies and cakes for clubs. I was concerned that the gas oven would take a lot of getting used to, but so far everything I've made has turned out more or less edible, so I remain hopeful. If you don't know me well, I should mention that regular time in the kitchen is somewhat new for me, as I have spent a lot more time in my life with the trees on the tree farm than I have with an oven.
I had a chance to return to my horticultural roots last Saturday, as we spent the day helping with grape harvest in a vineyard belonging to the father of one of the women on our team. This is apparently a big tradition in Hungary. It was actually a very nice relaxing job, and it was nice to enjoy the sunshine and some fresh air. We topped the day off with a hike to a veiwpoint, and then some hearty Hungarian Gulyas after. Oh so yummy! The only problem is you are expected to eat a lot of food around here. We are not going hungry in Hungary!
The time came on Wednesday to move into the town house. I have to confess that when the time finally came for me to settle into my suite, it was a little like trying to put a cat into a tub of water. I wasn't so keen on the idea when actually faced with it. I had to spend a few more days at Shaun and Sondi's before I finally got used to the idea of living in my own suite in town. It was probably the first time on the trip where I felt very homesick and unsure if I really wanted to be here. But the Lord has a way of changing a heart and giving peace of mind when we ask him. I finally moved in on Saturday night feeling much better.
Thank you so much to those who are praying for me, and a huge thank you to those who have helped support me financially to make it possible for me to come and work alongside Shaun and Sondi.
Please pray that Shaun and Sondi will have enough help for this coming year. Things are extremely busy here! And please pray for me as I continue to adjust. Even though I've been here ten days already, there are still many things to learn and adjust to, especially living in town without knowing the language. This is my next hurdle to conquer.
HUNGARIAN FUN FACT OF THE DAY: The Rubik's Cube originated in Hungary.
Szia! (goodbye)
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| Shaun and Sondi's Place |
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| Chocolate Chip Cookies! |
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| Sondi, David and Kelen. School Time! |
