Well hello again! I'm back from my Swift Swiss adventure, but if you'd like to come along, I'd like to take you on the rest of the trip with me (partly because I know a few people who will be very upset if I don't!).
Tuesday morning, Francie and I enjoyed another authentic Swiss breakfast--their bread is just different over here. Ist wunderbar! (It's wonderful!) I've hear it said that European bread is a good description of their people. Hard on the outside, but not crusty; soft and inviting once you break through to the inside. =) I like it! And put some homemade quitten (quince in English) jelly with it, or honey, mmm!
Francie and I cleaned up from breakfast and I got all my stuff together, and we headed over to the church building to do some work. On the way to the car, Francie gave me one of the greatest compliments she could have given. She said I'm already part of this family in Basel--it's like I never left this summer. :) It's a wonderful feeling to have true acceptance and love from anyone, but especially from these people who have such strong faith and convictions. Being a Christian is rewarding in so many ways, but especially in the fact that you have family everywhere you go as long as you have people there with the same faith.
And we were off! Holger was already there at the church (he can take the tram--I love public transportation!), so we gave our greetings and started cleaning. It only took us about half the time since Francie and I were working together. :) When we finished, she took me over to the Nagalis' apartment--Markus and Marianne, and they have to adopted little girls, Rahel (9) and Chayanne (7). The girls got home from school and Markus came home from work (again with the family meal time thing), and Vera, another woman from church, came over as well. It was so nice to get to know them all better. It amazes me how much they all wanted to have me in their homes and get to know me. They helped me with my Swiss-German and tried their best to talk to me in English--the language "barrier" was more of a language "bridge" the whole time I was in Switzerland. =)
After lunch, Marianne, Vera, and I had a Bible study. Apparently Vera and Marianne do this regularly, and it encouraged me to be part of it! We studied James 5 and prayed together in English and German, and I got just as much out of a bilingual study as I could have gotten out of a single-language study. I love it!
And then I found out the girls had the rest of the afternoon all planned out! The girls had the rest of the day off from school and wanted to play games with their mom, Vera, and me. We played a couple of different things, but the most educational one for me was Uno--I got to lear my Swiss-German numbers! =) Kind of. I tried! Vera had to leave after that to get back home by train, and so the rest of us went for a walk to get some fresh air and exercise. These people know the importance of fresh air! I don't think there was one day when we didn't deliberately take a walk!
And then it was time for my next trip--to the Minder family's home! Markus and Barbara Minder have three kids: Joel and Tobias (19 and 17) who came to visit me with Chris and Ben Steinhauer in DC in August, and Judith, who's 13. Barbara and Judith came to pick me up and take me home with them.Judith was gracious enough to share her room with me--her mom said she was so excited to have another girl in the house... that made me feel pretty good! Simona came over, which made girltime even better because she could translate for Judith and me. =) Supper that night was really good--pumpkin soup, lasagna, salad, and cookies for dessert--but it was SO much! If the amount of food served is any indication of how welcome someone wants you to feel, I can safely say I don't know if they ever wanted me to leave!
Joel had to leave after supper, and Barbara had to go to a violin lesson (which I think is so cool!), but the rest of us stayed and talked for a while. I'm SO glad their English is better than my German--and I'm even more thankful that they're all willing to help me learn! Tobias and Judith were interested to see some pictures from the shuttle launch I got to see in May, and by the time we got done talking about all that, it was time to shower and hit the hay!
Judith got up and left at 6:45 Wednesday morning, but I didn't even hear her! I totally thought it was still the middle of the night when I finally got up to go to the bathroom because the room was so dark. I was afraid I'd wake up Judith, but much to my surprise, she was already gone and it was nearly 9:00! They said I could sleep in... and it sure felt good to do so! After breakfast and coffee (of course!), Barbara and I talked for a while. These people are so wonderful! She had to run some errands later that morning, so I got to read and write a little before lunch, and then you know what Barbara suggested? Naptime! Haha. She said it must be exhausting to be moving so much, and today needed to be a day to rest. What a relief! =) I'm all up for going and doing and seeing, but she was right--it was exhausting, especially being on the lagging side of jetlag!
Judith had gone back to school for the afternoon, so Barbara and I got to bake! We made lemon-raisin sugar cookies (apparently a traditional Swiss winter cookie) and--are you ready for this?--Zweitschewaie! haha. I'm sure I misspelled that, but it's pronounced "Shwatch-ka-vi-ya". It's a plum tart! I took pictures of the process while we made it, so I'll be posting those soon!
Judith got home while the cookies were baking, so while she studied and made sure the cookies didn't burn, Barbara and I took a walk. Again with the value in fresh air! =) And she paid me one of the best compliments... she said she was amazed at how much I can walk as an American! hahaha.
Cookies baked, tart in the oven, Barbara getting things done around the house... it was time to help Judith study for her English test! And you know what? It was fun! I could make her laugh, and I think it gave her some confidence when she was able to help me pronounce things correctly in German.
And you know what we had for supper that night? The plum tart with whipped cream and chocolate milk! It was like having dessert for supper. =) And I got to help make it! We left for church right after supper, and again, I am endlessly encouraged by their commitment to the Lord. Some people take the train an hour or more (one way!) just to make it to church on Wednesday nights, and they do it happily--with absolute joy in their hearts. Going to church for them seems to be like going to a safe place where you know the people love you and want to know your spiritual walk is going well; and if it's not, they want to encourage and help each other!
And for my next resting place--on to the Steinhauers' place! The house that never rests! =)
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
The Black Forest... where Santa Clause really lives! ;)
Guten Morgen--Good morning! I hope you've all had a fabulous Thanksgiving and you are not uncomfortably full two days later. =)
Monday was... a Deutschland (Germany) adventure! I was still at Holger and Francie Kock's home, and I thought it would be cool to go to Germany with them, since Holger is from Northern Germany. We ate breakfast together (the kids had already left for school), which consisted of the typical European breakfast of Brött (bread) with jelly and hönig (honey), cheese (their brie is unbelievably delicious! And I don't even really like cheese!), jogurt (yogurt), fruit, and coffee! And when we finished breakfast we headed out to the famous Black Forest (like the German Chocolate Black Forest cake, of course). According to German tradition, Santa comes from the Black Forest. He makes toys there, and he takes the naughty children there and hides them! Ah! I tried to behave extra ''gut'' (good) while I was there!
If you're wondering (as I was also wondering) where the Black Forest got its name, here's the story!
''Long ago when the Romans came through and ruled the land here, they used all the trees until there were none left. So when they replanted, they chose evergreens, which are the fastest growing species of tree. These dark green trees are so dense that, especially in summer, NO light gets through--making it very dark! The forest is 100 km wide and 180 km long (about 60 x 110 miles), and if someone got lost there, they were a goner!'' Now, there are villages and Catholic cathedrals there, and of course there are many hotels, spas, and ski resorts here. And not surprisingly, the logging industry is a pretty big deal there. ;)
And that's the story of the black forest! Another interesting tid bit of info from Whit--the houses in the Black Forest are mostly made of wood and are beautiful. They're intricately carved and decorated and just really huge, and their roofs are characteristically oversized. Why, you may wonder? Because when it snows and gets so very cold there, the snow acts as added insulation. The larger your roof, the more insulated your house is. =)
And then we went home for lunch! I like the system they have here at the schools. The kids go to class in the morning, and they all pretty much live close enough to come home at lunch, then be back in time for afternoon classes. Holger and Francie like this, too, because since they can have lunch with their kids, they can also keep up with how they're doing throughout the day. I like it because that makes for a much healthier family situation as opposed to the kids being at school all day and only seeing the parents when they get up and before bed. Consistently having family meal time is good for lots of reasons, and to be able to have it at each meal ist wunderbar (is wonderful)!
That afternoon, we got to relax! I talked with Francie and Holger and caught up on my journal writing for a while, then I took a fabulous nap! =) Luckily Francie came in to wake me up a little before 3:00... I dreamt during said nap that I slept until 8:50 that night, not only missing a good part of the day, but I also couldn't sleep that night! That was more of a nightmare than a dream. =)
But as I said, Francie came and woke me up. It was time to head to the historical countryside of Arlesheim! We walked passed the cutest little houses--some older than all of America as a nation! People actually still live in them, too. So cute! Water power is a big deal here, and they use the creeks around to grind millstones and work on their farms. We came upon this garden that was really a manmade mountain park area. There is a story about a hermit who lives in a shack up there, and children cam go visit him! When you put a coin in his hand, he moves and stuff--obviously, kids of every nationality are easily amused and enjoy a good robot! ;)
The little mountain is so pretty, and it's in a lovely place overlooking the village of Arlesheim. And guess what... there's also a CASTLE next to it! It's a real one with a tower and made of stone and it sits on a hill and everything. I kept waiting for Rapunzel to let down her hair!
We walked around the little manmade lakes there and watched the ducks and fish swim around. It was overcast and cool-ish, but we were warm enough. =) Francie and I walked around Arlesheim as the sun was going down (around 4:45 pm around here right now), and I have to say I absolutely felt like I was in a fairytale! Cobblestone streets, cute little houses, it's great!
Then came my favorite thing about going to a foreign country... a trip to the grocery! We got some things to use for supper--an authentic German meal to top off the day, complete with Black Forest Cake!
Funny story... while supper was cooking, Francie was helping Hendrick (their 7th grade son) with his French homework. I was sitting across the room writing in my journal or reading or something, and suddenly Francie wanted to tell me something. I heard her speak and I knew she was talking to me, but I had no idea what she said! I thought I'd done something wrong because she sounded urgent, and we just looked at each other funny. She turned to Hendrick and asked why I was giving her a puzzled look, and then she realized she had spoken in French! That's the downside of speaking so many languages... they get mixed up in the brain often! haha. That happened frequently on my trip here. People would get languages mixed up talking to each other and translating for me and switching languages in the conversation--wow! We laughed about that for a while. =)
And for supper, we had Knödel (a bread and potato dumpling as big as my fist!), ''blue'' cabbage (the purple stuff we Americans call red cabbage), smoked pork, and brown sauce--and of course, the Black Forest cake! Chocolate, chocolate mousse, cherry filling, and whipped cream. Wow! Simona came over, too. This church is really like a family. They are absolutely there for each other, and they honestly love each other as a Christian family should. It's such an encouragement to me.
After a long talk with Simona and Francie, it was time for bed for sure! Coming up for Tuesday... lunch at the Nägelis' house, playing games with their daughters, and spending the night next door to a castle! Stay tuned. =)
Love and miss you all!
Quick Whit
Monday was... a Deutschland (Germany) adventure! I was still at Holger and Francie Kock's home, and I thought it would be cool to go to Germany with them, since Holger is from Northern Germany. We ate breakfast together (the kids had already left for school), which consisted of the typical European breakfast of Brött (bread) with jelly and hönig (honey), cheese (their brie is unbelievably delicious! And I don't even really like cheese!), jogurt (yogurt), fruit, and coffee! And when we finished breakfast we headed out to the famous Black Forest (like the German Chocolate Black Forest cake, of course). According to German tradition, Santa comes from the Black Forest. He makes toys there, and he takes the naughty children there and hides them! Ah! I tried to behave extra ''gut'' (good) while I was there!
If you're wondering (as I was also wondering) where the Black Forest got its name, here's the story!
''Long ago when the Romans came through and ruled the land here, they used all the trees until there were none left. So when they replanted, they chose evergreens, which are the fastest growing species of tree. These dark green trees are so dense that, especially in summer, NO light gets through--making it very dark! The forest is 100 km wide and 180 km long (about 60 x 110 miles), and if someone got lost there, they were a goner!'' Now, there are villages and Catholic cathedrals there, and of course there are many hotels, spas, and ski resorts here. And not surprisingly, the logging industry is a pretty big deal there. ;)
And that's the story of the black forest! Another interesting tid bit of info from Whit--the houses in the Black Forest are mostly made of wood and are beautiful. They're intricately carved and decorated and just really huge, and their roofs are characteristically oversized. Why, you may wonder? Because when it snows and gets so very cold there, the snow acts as added insulation. The larger your roof, the more insulated your house is. =)
And then we went home for lunch! I like the system they have here at the schools. The kids go to class in the morning, and they all pretty much live close enough to come home at lunch, then be back in time for afternoon classes. Holger and Francie like this, too, because since they can have lunch with their kids, they can also keep up with how they're doing throughout the day. I like it because that makes for a much healthier family situation as opposed to the kids being at school all day and only seeing the parents when they get up and before bed. Consistently having family meal time is good for lots of reasons, and to be able to have it at each meal ist wunderbar (is wonderful)!
That afternoon, we got to relax! I talked with Francie and Holger and caught up on my journal writing for a while, then I took a fabulous nap! =) Luckily Francie came in to wake me up a little before 3:00... I dreamt during said nap that I slept until 8:50 that night, not only missing a good part of the day, but I also couldn't sleep that night! That was more of a nightmare than a dream. =)
But as I said, Francie came and woke me up. It was time to head to the historical countryside of Arlesheim! We walked passed the cutest little houses--some older than all of America as a nation! People actually still live in them, too. So cute! Water power is a big deal here, and they use the creeks around to grind millstones and work on their farms. We came upon this garden that was really a manmade mountain park area. There is a story about a hermit who lives in a shack up there, and children cam go visit him! When you put a coin in his hand, he moves and stuff--obviously, kids of every nationality are easily amused and enjoy a good robot! ;)
The little mountain is so pretty, and it's in a lovely place overlooking the village of Arlesheim. And guess what... there's also a CASTLE next to it! It's a real one with a tower and made of stone and it sits on a hill and everything. I kept waiting for Rapunzel to let down her hair!
We walked around the little manmade lakes there and watched the ducks and fish swim around. It was overcast and cool-ish, but we were warm enough. =) Francie and I walked around Arlesheim as the sun was going down (around 4:45 pm around here right now), and I have to say I absolutely felt like I was in a fairytale! Cobblestone streets, cute little houses, it's great!
Then came my favorite thing about going to a foreign country... a trip to the grocery! We got some things to use for supper--an authentic German meal to top off the day, complete with Black Forest Cake!
Funny story... while supper was cooking, Francie was helping Hendrick (their 7th grade son) with his French homework. I was sitting across the room writing in my journal or reading or something, and suddenly Francie wanted to tell me something. I heard her speak and I knew she was talking to me, but I had no idea what she said! I thought I'd done something wrong because she sounded urgent, and we just looked at each other funny. She turned to Hendrick and asked why I was giving her a puzzled look, and then she realized she had spoken in French! That's the downside of speaking so many languages... they get mixed up in the brain often! haha. That happened frequently on my trip here. People would get languages mixed up talking to each other and translating for me and switching languages in the conversation--wow! We laughed about that for a while. =)
And for supper, we had Knödel (a bread and potato dumpling as big as my fist!), ''blue'' cabbage (the purple stuff we Americans call red cabbage), smoked pork, and brown sauce--and of course, the Black Forest cake! Chocolate, chocolate mousse, cherry filling, and whipped cream. Wow! Simona came over, too. This church is really like a family. They are absolutely there for each other, and they honestly love each other as a Christian family should. It's such an encouragement to me.
After a long talk with Simona and Francie, it was time for bed for sure! Coming up for Tuesday... lunch at the Nägelis' house, playing games with their daughters, and spending the night next door to a castle! Stay tuned. =)
Love and miss you all!
Quick Whit
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
I like liverwurst!
Guten Morgen! (Good morning!) =)
Whew! These Swiss know how to eat and how to keep an American busy! =)
Where did we leave off? Saturday afternoon, Simona and I watched a movie and made supper that night to have with the boys. Her kitchen is SO big compared to mine back home! We both fit with room to work and room to spare. =) Definitely not a ''one butt kitchen''. ;)
Ben, Chris, and Tobias got there just as we were finishing up cooking, and they brought us flowers and cookies! These Swiss folks know how to make an entrance. ;) Supper was ''wunderbar'', and we had fun talking in English AND German (mostly in English for me, but not entirely!). After supper and dessert (they liked the chocolate nasties!), we watched Black Hawk Down (with Deutsch subtitles). I tell you what, living in DC has really raised my military awareness and appreciation. And it's given me a different perspective when traveling, too.
And then it was Sonntag--Sunday! I love that they all come together for breakfast before church starts, and they all help get things ready--set the table, put out the bread and jams/jellies/honey, thex take turns bringing the meats and cheeses, etc. It all goes very fast and there's so much fellowship wen everyone works together like that. They're such a close family.
And church time! Since Ben translated for me on Friday, I asked Chris if he'd translate this time. Even though I don't understand all the words, I can catch a few, and I get the most important parts when someone can translate for me. It actually kind of helps me pay more attention when I hear it in a different language. And I can at the very least follow along in my English Bible while they read in Deutsch. =) And the singing! Music is absolutely universal. I can certainly hum along with the songs, and it's actually been very helpful in finding out the meaning of words and with sentence structure. Some of the tunes are familiar, so I can sing along in English, which is also pretty interesting to do while everyone else sings the same words in German. =)
Oh, and I don't know if they did this for me or what, but I was SO thankful when we took the Lord's Supper and I discovered they had used GRAPE JUICE instead of WINE!!!!! Whew! What a delicious relief. =)
And after church, in keeping with the church of Christ everywhere, we ate again! This time it was lasagne--wow. Their cheese and cream and all that are all so much better here! And of course there was dessert. Whew. I need to get back into my running shoes when I get home. But for now, I'm just enjoying it! =)
Next stop, Holger and Francie's house! They have two kids, Hendrick who's 13 and Kerstin who's 11. They're good kids, and it was so cool to hear them talk so fast in their language! I love it. We took a walk around their little village of Arlesheim (arles-heim, no ''sh'' in the middle). There are fewer than 10,000 people living there, so it's officially still a ''village'' and not a town or city, and the village wants to keep it like that. =)
They took me to a big, beautiful cathedral close to their house--Catholic churches are so big and beautiful, but they're always cold and empty. That's just my observation. And after that, we went over to this Anthropophysical community--they don't believe in right angles, not even on their buildings, and they're vegetarians. Their main interest and livlihood comes from astrology and biology. Interesting.
When we got back home, the kids did their homework and Francie and I talked over deliciously hot tea. =) Their apartment is beautiful! Francie and I talked about our faith and how it's different here than in America. Her family is still all Catholic. It's so interesting to hear everyone's story here. They just truly have to live their faith every day, everywhere they go. It amazes me. That's why they're so close as a church family, too--they are each other's family.
When the kids finished their homework, I got a little German lesson while we played Rummykube--AH! Numbers! It was actually really fun, though! I wish I'd played it when I was growing up; I think it really would have helped me with my math skills! Oh well. I think I turned out ok. =)
Suppertime! We had the traditional Swiss meal of bread, cheese, coldcuts, and vegetables with sour cream dip. And you know what I discovered? I like liverwurst! Haha. I ate it because I didn't know what it was, then Francie kind of looked at me funny and said, ''That is liverwurst.'' I liked it! Haha. =)
And then it was shower time, and then it was bedtime! Whew. Still feeling the effects of the jetlag, but not too bad. =)
Next time--a trip to the Black forrest and a TRUE German meal! Stay tuned!
Quick Whit
Whew! These Swiss know how to eat and how to keep an American busy! =)
Where did we leave off? Saturday afternoon, Simona and I watched a movie and made supper that night to have with the boys. Her kitchen is SO big compared to mine back home! We both fit with room to work and room to spare. =) Definitely not a ''one butt kitchen''. ;)
Ben, Chris, and Tobias got there just as we were finishing up cooking, and they brought us flowers and cookies! These Swiss folks know how to make an entrance. ;) Supper was ''wunderbar'', and we had fun talking in English AND German (mostly in English for me, but not entirely!). After supper and dessert (they liked the chocolate nasties!), we watched Black Hawk Down (with Deutsch subtitles). I tell you what, living in DC has really raised my military awareness and appreciation. And it's given me a different perspective when traveling, too.
And then it was Sonntag--Sunday! I love that they all come together for breakfast before church starts, and they all help get things ready--set the table, put out the bread and jams/jellies/honey, thex take turns bringing the meats and cheeses, etc. It all goes very fast and there's so much fellowship wen everyone works together like that. They're such a close family.
And church time! Since Ben translated for me on Friday, I asked Chris if he'd translate this time. Even though I don't understand all the words, I can catch a few, and I get the most important parts when someone can translate for me. It actually kind of helps me pay more attention when I hear it in a different language. And I can at the very least follow along in my English Bible while they read in Deutsch. =) And the singing! Music is absolutely universal. I can certainly hum along with the songs, and it's actually been very helpful in finding out the meaning of words and with sentence structure. Some of the tunes are familiar, so I can sing along in English, which is also pretty interesting to do while everyone else sings the same words in German. =)
Oh, and I don't know if they did this for me or what, but I was SO thankful when we took the Lord's Supper and I discovered they had used GRAPE JUICE instead of WINE!!!!! Whew! What a delicious relief. =)
And after church, in keeping with the church of Christ everywhere, we ate again! This time it was lasagne--wow. Their cheese and cream and all that are all so much better here! And of course there was dessert. Whew. I need to get back into my running shoes when I get home. But for now, I'm just enjoying it! =)
Next stop, Holger and Francie's house! They have two kids, Hendrick who's 13 and Kerstin who's 11. They're good kids, and it was so cool to hear them talk so fast in their language! I love it. We took a walk around their little village of Arlesheim (arles-heim, no ''sh'' in the middle). There are fewer than 10,000 people living there, so it's officially still a ''village'' and not a town or city, and the village wants to keep it like that. =)
They took me to a big, beautiful cathedral close to their house--Catholic churches are so big and beautiful, but they're always cold and empty. That's just my observation. And after that, we went over to this Anthropophysical community--they don't believe in right angles, not even on their buildings, and they're vegetarians. Their main interest and livlihood comes from astrology and biology. Interesting.
When we got back home, the kids did their homework and Francie and I talked over deliciously hot tea. =) Their apartment is beautiful! Francie and I talked about our faith and how it's different here than in America. Her family is still all Catholic. It's so interesting to hear everyone's story here. They just truly have to live their faith every day, everywhere they go. It amazes me. That's why they're so close as a church family, too--they are each other's family.
When the kids finished their homework, I got a little German lesson while we played Rummykube--AH! Numbers! It was actually really fun, though! I wish I'd played it when I was growing up; I think it really would have helped me with my math skills! Oh well. I think I turned out ok. =)
Suppertime! We had the traditional Swiss meal of bread, cheese, coldcuts, and vegetables with sour cream dip. And you know what I discovered? I like liverwurst! Haha. I ate it because I didn't know what it was, then Francie kind of looked at me funny and said, ''That is liverwurst.'' I liked it! Haha. =)
And then it was shower time, and then it was bedtime! Whew. Still feeling the effects of the jetlag, but not too bad. =)
Next time--a trip to the Black forrest and a TRUE German meal! Stay tuned!
Quick Whit
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Greetings from the land flowing with cheese and chocolate!!!
Guten Tag! What a busy couple of days it's been getting here! Shannon and Elijah (the baby!) dropped me off at the Dulles airport Thursday afternoon, and I was on my way! The plan ride was over night and a little less than 8 hours, so I slept off and on as much as I could--which wasn't very much! Thankfully I had a window seat because flying over Europe before dawn was amazing! I got to see several larger cities all lit up at night, including Paris!
When I arrived at the Zürich airport, I got through customs fairly quickly and met up with Ben and Chris Steinhauer just outside the baggage claim. They were very glad to see me--and I was excited to see them as well!--and they treated me to Starbucks, which is exactly what I needed! Et wast wünderbar! Haha.
Dan Steinhauer met us there and took me home with him while the boys went on to work. It was so good to talk to him on the way home! He gave me all the news on my family here in Basel, and he said it would be interesting to see if ''Grandma Moses'' (his mother-in-law) would recognize me.
Once we got home, I hugged Margrit Steinhauer and received such a warm greeting! It was like I never left. I went in to see Grandma and giver her a quick punch in the arm (a sign of sure affection!), and sure enough she DID remember me! We had such a good time catching up, even though we absolutely can't speak the same language. =)
Nap time! I think the melatonin I took when I got on the plane worked a little too well--I was exhausted the whole day! After an hour nap or so, the four of us piled into the car and headed to church. We stopped on teh way to pick up some bread for one of the ladies at church who had ordered it for a potluck after church that night, and Dan told me it cost 150 Swiss Fracs--which is over 150 US dollars! Everything is more expensive in Switzerland, and that just give you an idea!
We are lunch with some others from the church that day, which was home made chicken cordon bleu, peas, roasted herbed potatos, and salad, with cookies for dessert! Whew. I'm glad the Swiss walk a lot. =) It was so nice catching up with Holger and Nicolas and Rasanna, who had joined us for lunch. They are such an encouragement to me in their faith and dedication to living the way God requires.
After lunch, Margrit went to run errands and the others needed to get some things done before their special meeting that night, but Grandma and I had the best idea--we took a nap! =) Love it!
When we woke up, I helped Grandma take her medicine while Margrit took her own nap, and the two of us sat together reading and keeping each other company. Once Margrit got up and people started arriving, everyone helped everyone else get their food prepared and get everything ready for church that night. There were several visitors, which is a HUGE deal for a church here in Switzerland. Talking to people about God and Christianity is very difficult here because it's such a personal topic. The Swiss have everything--they don't think they need God at all.
The lesson last night was great. Ben translated for me, and I was amazed at how much I actually understood on my own! The lesson was about joy and how God is the source of all true joy in our lives. Marcus, one of the men at the church, gave the lesson, and he did such a good job! The men at this church are such a fantastic example of Godly men. I wish you could all come meet them!
After the lesson, everyone ate and talked, and I got to talk with and hug my dear Swiss family. They were as excited about me coming as I was to come visit! My friend Simona is hosting me right now at her apartment. It's been so nice to catch up in person! Facebook is great, but real conversation is SO much better! She let me sleep till 11:00 this morning (and I would have slept longer, so I'm glad she woke me!), then I showered and we ate breakfast--whew! I feel so much more alert now! We went out to run some errands and go to the grocery store, and now we're back at her place about to watch a movie. Ben, Chris, and Tobias are coming to eat supper with us here tonight, and I'm making ''nasty brownies'' for dessert--yum! (haha, they're actually amazing, not gross. ;))
More updates to come as I can write them! Iäm staying with Simona again tonight, then Iäll be at Holger and Francie Kock's Sunday and Monday night, at the Minders' Tuesday night, at Vreni and Jürg's farm on Wednesday, and then I'll be at the Steinhauers' the rest of the week--whew! I'm loving every minute and trying to learn as much as possible.
Tschüss!! (See you later!!)
Adventure Whit
When I arrived at the Zürich airport, I got through customs fairly quickly and met up with Ben and Chris Steinhauer just outside the baggage claim. They were very glad to see me--and I was excited to see them as well!--and they treated me to Starbucks, which is exactly what I needed! Et wast wünderbar! Haha.
Dan Steinhauer met us there and took me home with him while the boys went on to work. It was so good to talk to him on the way home! He gave me all the news on my family here in Basel, and he said it would be interesting to see if ''Grandma Moses'' (his mother-in-law) would recognize me.
Once we got home, I hugged Margrit Steinhauer and received such a warm greeting! It was like I never left. I went in to see Grandma and giver her a quick punch in the arm (a sign of sure affection!), and sure enough she DID remember me! We had such a good time catching up, even though we absolutely can't speak the same language. =)
Nap time! I think the melatonin I took when I got on the plane worked a little too well--I was exhausted the whole day! After an hour nap or so, the four of us piled into the car and headed to church. We stopped on teh way to pick up some bread for one of the ladies at church who had ordered it for a potluck after church that night, and Dan told me it cost 150 Swiss Fracs--which is over 150 US dollars! Everything is more expensive in Switzerland, and that just give you an idea!
We are lunch with some others from the church that day, which was home made chicken cordon bleu, peas, roasted herbed potatos, and salad, with cookies for dessert! Whew. I'm glad the Swiss walk a lot. =) It was so nice catching up with Holger and Nicolas and Rasanna, who had joined us for lunch. They are such an encouragement to me in their faith and dedication to living the way God requires.
After lunch, Margrit went to run errands and the others needed to get some things done before their special meeting that night, but Grandma and I had the best idea--we took a nap! =) Love it!
When we woke up, I helped Grandma take her medicine while Margrit took her own nap, and the two of us sat together reading and keeping each other company. Once Margrit got up and people started arriving, everyone helped everyone else get their food prepared and get everything ready for church that night. There were several visitors, which is a HUGE deal for a church here in Switzerland. Talking to people about God and Christianity is very difficult here because it's such a personal topic. The Swiss have everything--they don't think they need God at all.
The lesson last night was great. Ben translated for me, and I was amazed at how much I actually understood on my own! The lesson was about joy and how God is the source of all true joy in our lives. Marcus, one of the men at the church, gave the lesson, and he did such a good job! The men at this church are such a fantastic example of Godly men. I wish you could all come meet them!
After the lesson, everyone ate and talked, and I got to talk with and hug my dear Swiss family. They were as excited about me coming as I was to come visit! My friend Simona is hosting me right now at her apartment. It's been so nice to catch up in person! Facebook is great, but real conversation is SO much better! She let me sleep till 11:00 this morning (and I would have slept longer, so I'm glad she woke me!), then I showered and we ate breakfast--whew! I feel so much more alert now! We went out to run some errands and go to the grocery store, and now we're back at her place about to watch a movie. Ben, Chris, and Tobias are coming to eat supper with us here tonight, and I'm making ''nasty brownies'' for dessert--yum! (haha, they're actually amazing, not gross. ;))
More updates to come as I can write them! Iäm staying with Simona again tonight, then Iäll be at Holger and Francie Kock's Sunday and Monday night, at the Minders' Tuesday night, at Vreni and Jürg's farm on Wednesday, and then I'll be at the Steinhauers' the rest of the week--whew! I'm loving every minute and trying to learn as much as possible.
Tschüss!! (See you later!!)
Adventure Whit
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Swiss Adventure: The Final Installment
And that leads us to... Friday! Again, Nicolas came over (he's a househusband, that's how he was able to come help us during the week!) and picked up Joyce, Alice, and me. We went to the church to make preparations for lunch. Someone from the church always makes lunch for people of the church and people in the community. It was a small group that day, but we sure had plenty of spaghetti and hot tomato sauce to go around! =) And ice cream for dessert. WOW! If I hadn't had my cute little apartment in Old Town to come back to... I would have stayed in Switzerland!
After lunch and clean up, I talked with Holger for a while (the preacher there). He and I had meant to talk more extensively that morning about mission work in Switzerland an elsewhere, but he had an emergency come up that morning and we had to postpone. We did have a good discussion Friday, though. He told me about a website where I can take Bible courses online for free--woohoo! Between that and German lessons, I'll be pretty busy this summer and fall! :)
After lunch, Rosanna (again, from church) took us to the grocery so we could pick up a few things and took us back to the Steinhauers'. Again, I took a nap! There was a minor problem with a leak in Alice's room (coming from the top story of the house, probably from rain), so Rosanna went to investigate and cleaned it up as much as we could--never a dull moment! =)
Ben came to his parents' place that night to stay with us women (he and Chris shared the duty while their parents were away, just in case something went wrong at the house--ahem... rain leak-- or if grandma needed anything Joyce or I couldn't do. He and I stayed up talking for a while, and he let me try on some of his Swiss Army stuff! I meant to get a picture--so sorry I didn't! He let me hold his gun and put on his gas mask and everything. =) hahahaha. I love it!
Saturday was pretty great. Ben and I went to the grocery to pick up ingredients for Rocklette (um, I think that's how you spell it!), which is a Swiss specialty made with potatoes, cheese, pickled vegetables, and seasonsings. It was really good! Made me think of my daddy, actually. It's something he'd really love! =) Mr. Steinhauer (Dan's dad) joined us for lunch, and it was really funny watching him and Alice interact. He knows some English, and he's such a cute little old man! After lunch, Chris took the four of us out for dessert in Leistal, while Ben stayed home to work on his lesson for Sunday. I met back up with the guys that night and went to a movie (Dear John--because it was in English!).
We walked around Basel before the movie started, and the cooles thing happened... All the stores close at 6:00 each evening. The only things that stay open are restaurants and the movie theatre, basically. Chris and Ben told me there was a Gummi Bear store, and while it was already 6:00, I had to go at least look in the window! We started singing the Gummi Bear cartoon theme song, which just tickled me because they knew it! My brother Jared and I used to watch that show every afternoon when we were little! Anyway, the little man inside the store saw us gawking at the window, and he unlocked the door to let us in! So of course we had to get some. I got apricot-flavored gummies! =)
And what did we do after the movie? We got ice cream! =) Whew. Quite the exhausting afternoon, folks! I love it!
Sunday... my last day in Switzerland! Church was great. We all had breakfast together at the church, then had class and the sermon. It was so sad to have to say goodbye to everyone, but Lord willing I'll go back soon! Pina gave me a curtain from her house that she'd embroidered. I had commented that it was pretty when I was at her house for supper that one night, and I was shocked when she gave it to me! Kathrin gave me a t-shirt that says "Switzerland" on it and eidelweiss from her garden! People aren't allowed to pick eidelweiss in the wild, but she knew I'd wanted to see some, so she gave me a couple of blooms out of her own garden! I'm drying them and will hopefully frame them to put in my new apartment! =)
A few of us ate lunch together, and then we went to one of the last places on my list of things to see while in Switzerland... Three Corners! It's the place where Switzerland, France, and German meet, right beside the Rhine river! I got to stand in three places at once! =) Nicki, Chris, Ben, a guy I'd just met named Gabriel, and I went back into downtown Basel then to go up in the tower of the cathedral there. Whew! Talk about some narrow hallways and steep stairs! It's very old (just like everything in Europe!), and it was quite a hike to the top, but what a view! I kept waiting for a Hunchback to come bounding down to ring the big bells! =)
And then came the most difficult part... I had to say "gut nacht" (goonight) and adieu (goodbye) to Joyce and Alice. I'd have to leave early the next morning, before they woke up, so I wanted to make sure I said goodbye the night before. Chris and Ben both said Alice would miss me when I left--and I miss her, too! She and I have a very similar sense of humor--one that totally transcends the language barrier! We could just look at each other and start laughing. I love it! Lord willing I'll see her again soon! =)
So that's that. I left with the guys on Monday morning and they dropped me off at the Zurich airport. I hopped on the plane and landed at Dulles later that afternoon. It's funny that it was June 21--the longest day of the year. It was even longer for those of us in the plane because we gained so many hours coming back! =)
Thanks for stick out the journey with me! Lord willing, there will be more Swiss Adventures to come! =) Love y'all!
Adventure Whit
After lunch and clean up, I talked with Holger for a while (the preacher there). He and I had meant to talk more extensively that morning about mission work in Switzerland an elsewhere, but he had an emergency come up that morning and we had to postpone. We did have a good discussion Friday, though. He told me about a website where I can take Bible courses online for free--woohoo! Between that and German lessons, I'll be pretty busy this summer and fall! :)
After lunch, Rosanna (again, from church) took us to the grocery so we could pick up a few things and took us back to the Steinhauers'. Again, I took a nap! There was a minor problem with a leak in Alice's room (coming from the top story of the house, probably from rain), so Rosanna went to investigate and cleaned it up as much as we could--never a dull moment! =)
Ben came to his parents' place that night to stay with us women (he and Chris shared the duty while their parents were away, just in case something went wrong at the house--ahem... rain leak-- or if grandma needed anything Joyce or I couldn't do. He and I stayed up talking for a while, and he let me try on some of his Swiss Army stuff! I meant to get a picture--so sorry I didn't! He let me hold his gun and put on his gas mask and everything. =) hahahaha. I love it!
Saturday was pretty great. Ben and I went to the grocery to pick up ingredients for Rocklette (um, I think that's how you spell it!), which is a Swiss specialty made with potatoes, cheese, pickled vegetables, and seasonsings. It was really good! Made me think of my daddy, actually. It's something he'd really love! =) Mr. Steinhauer (Dan's dad) joined us for lunch, and it was really funny watching him and Alice interact. He knows some English, and he's such a cute little old man! After lunch, Chris took the four of us out for dessert in Leistal, while Ben stayed home to work on his lesson for Sunday. I met back up with the guys that night and went to a movie (Dear John--because it was in English!).
We walked around Basel before the movie started, and the cooles thing happened... All the stores close at 6:00 each evening. The only things that stay open are restaurants and the movie theatre, basically. Chris and Ben told me there was a Gummi Bear store, and while it was already 6:00, I had to go at least look in the window! We started singing the Gummi Bear cartoon theme song, which just tickled me because they knew it! My brother Jared and I used to watch that show every afternoon when we were little! Anyway, the little man inside the store saw us gawking at the window, and he unlocked the door to let us in! So of course we had to get some. I got apricot-flavored gummies! =)
And what did we do after the movie? We got ice cream! =) Whew. Quite the exhausting afternoon, folks! I love it!
Sunday... my last day in Switzerland! Church was great. We all had breakfast together at the church, then had class and the sermon. It was so sad to have to say goodbye to everyone, but Lord willing I'll go back soon! Pina gave me a curtain from her house that she'd embroidered. I had commented that it was pretty when I was at her house for supper that one night, and I was shocked when she gave it to me! Kathrin gave me a t-shirt that says "Switzerland" on it and eidelweiss from her garden! People aren't allowed to pick eidelweiss in the wild, but she knew I'd wanted to see some, so she gave me a couple of blooms out of her own garden! I'm drying them and will hopefully frame them to put in my new apartment! =)
A few of us ate lunch together, and then we went to one of the last places on my list of things to see while in Switzerland... Three Corners! It's the place where Switzerland, France, and German meet, right beside the Rhine river! I got to stand in three places at once! =) Nicki, Chris, Ben, a guy I'd just met named Gabriel, and I went back into downtown Basel then to go up in the tower of the cathedral there. Whew! Talk about some narrow hallways and steep stairs! It's very old (just like everything in Europe!), and it was quite a hike to the top, but what a view! I kept waiting for a Hunchback to come bounding down to ring the big bells! =)
And then came the most difficult part... I had to say "gut nacht" (goonight) and adieu (goodbye) to Joyce and Alice. I'd have to leave early the next morning, before they woke up, so I wanted to make sure I said goodbye the night before. Chris and Ben both said Alice would miss me when I left--and I miss her, too! She and I have a very similar sense of humor--one that totally transcends the language barrier! We could just look at each other and start laughing. I love it! Lord willing I'll see her again soon! =)
So that's that. I left with the guys on Monday morning and they dropped me off at the Zurich airport. I hopped on the plane and landed at Dulles later that afternoon. It's funny that it was June 21--the longest day of the year. It was even longer for those of us in the plane because we gained so many hours coming back! =)
Thanks for stick out the journey with me! Lord willing, there will be more Swiss Adventures to come! =) Love y'all!
Adventure Whit
Monday, June 28, 2010
Down on the Farm and France!
Well, I am thoroughly ashamed that I'm just now getting around to sending out this last update--so sorry! I hope you had a chance to look at the pictures of you wanted. If not, here's the link again: http://travel.webshots.com/album/578009518UamKkd
So! I think we left off after dinner at Pina's Monday night. Tuesday, it was back to the farm! Jurg picked me up around 9:30 or so that morning, and we made a stop at the hardware store so he could get some stuff for the barn. Once we got home (I can feel totally secure in calling their place "home"!), Vreni gave me a huge hug and made sure I had the coveralls and work boots I needed. =) Back out to the barn! Today's work: cutting rubber flooring for the cows to sleep on. =) The stuff was heavier and harder to cut than I expected! I was the official "oiler" so Jurg could make an easier cut. We had to fit them just right in the space we had to work with.
And then it was lunch time! We ate with Vreni's parents, Bianca (another girl from church about my age), and two or three other neighbor's who'd come to help Jurg with bigger stuff in the barn that afternoon. I will learn German by the time I go again... at least enough to have conversations! It's fun just listening to them, though. :)
After lunch, Bianca and I went out to collect stoat traps. The stoat is like a big weasel, and it's an invasive species for Switzerland. She's studying them for her environmental engineering degree--pretty impressive! Basically, we found and replaced the preliminary traps around the area (we just did the last few--she had put out 100 all together!). When we came to each trap, we looked to see if there were any stoat footprints (pawprints?) or, um, droppings! She and I had a good time. We got to talk for a while, and she told me about her experiences being a Christian in Europe. She's studied in Norway and been to New Zealand for work one summer. She's a very interesting person! We have a lot in common, which is always a nice realization to have in a faraway place! =)
When we finished up with that, I took a much-needed shower and took a nap before supper! I think I briefly woke up to eat, then went right back to bed! I love being on vacation--I sleep a lot more and a lot better on vacation! Whew! Bianca had to take the train back to school (about 3 hours away, on the other side of Switzerland), but we became Facebook friends, so we never have to be out of touch. ;) Haha.
And the next morning (Wednesday), I got up to do two of my favorite things: 1. Eat a Swiss breakfast of homemade bread with homemade jellys and honey and coffee; 2. Help Vreni cook! She had to cook double for Wednesday and Thursday to feed the men helping Jurg in the barn. She works in Basel on Thursdays, so she needed to cook for both days. It was so much fun! Not only did I get to help make bread, I chopped veggies and just did whatever might help. I love cooking with Vreni because we have to use so many hand motions and act things out. Her English is WAY more advanced than my German (at the moment!), but we communicated quite well actually! =) It was fun kneading the bread dough for pizza, and chopping garlic and onions was relaxing... even if I did small like garlic and onions the next few days!
That afternoon I spent time with Kathrin and her kids. She works at a library part-time, so I went with her while she did that. She cooked lasagne for supper, and her kids got to practice their English with me a little bit before Kathrin and I left for church. We picked up Vreni and Jurg and headed to Basel! The big buzz around town was that Switzerland won their match in the World Cup! Woohoo!
Once we got home from church that night (home as in the Steinhauers' house this time!), I tried to help Mrs. Margrit get things done before she and Dan left to go see Kaleb in the States for a couple of weeks. She has a lot on her plate, but she's so funny about it! There's always a lot going on at the Steinhauers' place I have learned, but I'm amazed at how it all gets done and they keep a good attitude about it all! They can laugh when things go wrong instead of get frustrated--which I firmly believe is a much better way of living! Anyway, they got everything packed and accomplished, and headed out with Chris and Ben to the Zurich airport early Thursday morning.
And that left Joyce and me at Grandma (Queen) Alice's mercy! =) I miss them both already! Alice and I had so much fun beating up on each other. She's stronger than she looks and more mischievious than she let's on! She's a fun little lady; the Steinhauers said she was never like this before she became a Christian. They said it's a true testament to the way God can change a life. Amazing.
Moving on! Nicolas came over that day to cook lunch and dinner for Alice and Joyce--and help translate where needed! Simona and Nicki came over to pick me up and go to France for the day! It looked exactly the way I always imagine the French countryside would look! Chalets, vineyards, cute little towns, all of it! We even saw a castle on a hill! We stopped for lunch in Colmar, France, which is a super cute little town! All the towns there remind me of Old Town Alexandria. I love it! Cobblestone streets, ice cream vendors, chocolate shops, bakeries, shops, coffee places, all of it! We ate paninis at a sidewalk cafe and walked around taking pictures of everything. (Well, I was taking pictures of everything!) We also made sure to get some ice cream on our way back to the car (nugat for me! Amazing stuff!)
And then we were back on the road again. Our directions were a little confusing, so we stopped (about three times!) to ask directions. The French were quite nice to us actually! (Probably because Simona and Nicki both speak French and I let them do the talking!) It was so neat driving through French wine country and through the countryside. I love it! =)
Our last stop was Strutthoff, which is a concentration camp in what is now France. (It was Germany at the time of WWII.) Not a fun thing, especially not on an overcast day, but I felt like it was something I needed to see while I was there. It was small compared to what I had expected (I guess I think all the concentration camps are as big and complex as Auschwitz), but knowing what happened there and reading the details was sobering. Sobering is an understatement. It was sickening. It really happened, and it really happened there. And I walked around there.
We headed back to Leistal (where the Steinhauers live) and made it in time for supper! Simona and Nicki stayed to eat with us and helped with clean up, too. Everyone here is one big family. Everyone helps because it's just what you do--not something you have to do. Nicolas is a fantastic cook, and he made sure we had PLENTY--with leftovers! Joyce and I were both pretty beat from our days, so I went to bed as soon as I could, and Joyce took some downtime for herself. =)
That's all I have time for right now, folks! Tune in next time (hopefully today or tomorrow!) for the final installment! Love y'all.
Adventure Whit
So! I think we left off after dinner at Pina's Monday night. Tuesday, it was back to the farm! Jurg picked me up around 9:30 or so that morning, and we made a stop at the hardware store so he could get some stuff for the barn. Once we got home (I can feel totally secure in calling their place "home"!), Vreni gave me a huge hug and made sure I had the coveralls and work boots I needed. =) Back out to the barn! Today's work: cutting rubber flooring for the cows to sleep on. =) The stuff was heavier and harder to cut than I expected! I was the official "oiler" so Jurg could make an easier cut. We had to fit them just right in the space we had to work with.
And then it was lunch time! We ate with Vreni's parents, Bianca (another girl from church about my age), and two or three other neighbor's who'd come to help Jurg with bigger stuff in the barn that afternoon. I will learn German by the time I go again... at least enough to have conversations! It's fun just listening to them, though. :)
After lunch, Bianca and I went out to collect stoat traps. The stoat is like a big weasel, and it's an invasive species for Switzerland. She's studying them for her environmental engineering degree--pretty impressive! Basically, we found and replaced the preliminary traps around the area (we just did the last few--she had put out 100 all together!). When we came to each trap, we looked to see if there were any stoat footprints (pawprints?) or, um, droppings! She and I had a good time. We got to talk for a while, and she told me about her experiences being a Christian in Europe. She's studied in Norway and been to New Zealand for work one summer. She's a very interesting person! We have a lot in common, which is always a nice realization to have in a faraway place! =)
When we finished up with that, I took a much-needed shower and took a nap before supper! I think I briefly woke up to eat, then went right back to bed! I love being on vacation--I sleep a lot more and a lot better on vacation! Whew! Bianca had to take the train back to school (about 3 hours away, on the other side of Switzerland), but we became Facebook friends, so we never have to be out of touch. ;) Haha.
And the next morning (Wednesday), I got up to do two of my favorite things: 1. Eat a Swiss breakfast of homemade bread with homemade jellys and honey and coffee; 2. Help Vreni cook! She had to cook double for Wednesday and Thursday to feed the men helping Jurg in the barn. She works in Basel on Thursdays, so she needed to cook for both days. It was so much fun! Not only did I get to help make bread, I chopped veggies and just did whatever might help. I love cooking with Vreni because we have to use so many hand motions and act things out. Her English is WAY more advanced than my German (at the moment!), but we communicated quite well actually! =) It was fun kneading the bread dough for pizza, and chopping garlic and onions was relaxing... even if I did small like garlic and onions the next few days!
That afternoon I spent time with Kathrin and her kids. She works at a library part-time, so I went with her while she did that. She cooked lasagne for supper, and her kids got to practice their English with me a little bit before Kathrin and I left for church. We picked up Vreni and Jurg and headed to Basel! The big buzz around town was that Switzerland won their match in the World Cup! Woohoo!
Once we got home from church that night (home as in the Steinhauers' house this time!), I tried to help Mrs. Margrit get things done before she and Dan left to go see Kaleb in the States for a couple of weeks. She has a lot on her plate, but she's so funny about it! There's always a lot going on at the Steinhauers' place I have learned, but I'm amazed at how it all gets done and they keep a good attitude about it all! They can laugh when things go wrong instead of get frustrated--which I firmly believe is a much better way of living! Anyway, they got everything packed and accomplished, and headed out with Chris and Ben to the Zurich airport early Thursday morning.
And that left Joyce and me at Grandma (Queen) Alice's mercy! =) I miss them both already! Alice and I had so much fun beating up on each other. She's stronger than she looks and more mischievious than she let's on! She's a fun little lady; the Steinhauers said she was never like this before she became a Christian. They said it's a true testament to the way God can change a life. Amazing.
Moving on! Nicolas came over that day to cook lunch and dinner for Alice and Joyce--and help translate where needed! Simona and Nicki came over to pick me up and go to France for the day! It looked exactly the way I always imagine the French countryside would look! Chalets, vineyards, cute little towns, all of it! We even saw a castle on a hill! We stopped for lunch in Colmar, France, which is a super cute little town! All the towns there remind me of Old Town Alexandria. I love it! Cobblestone streets, ice cream vendors, chocolate shops, bakeries, shops, coffee places, all of it! We ate paninis at a sidewalk cafe and walked around taking pictures of everything. (Well, I was taking pictures of everything!) We also made sure to get some ice cream on our way back to the car (nugat for me! Amazing stuff!)
And then we were back on the road again. Our directions were a little confusing, so we stopped (about three times!) to ask directions. The French were quite nice to us actually! (Probably because Simona and Nicki both speak French and I let them do the talking!) It was so neat driving through French wine country and through the countryside. I love it! =)
Our last stop was Strutthoff, which is a concentration camp in what is now France. (It was Germany at the time of WWII.) Not a fun thing, especially not on an overcast day, but I felt like it was something I needed to see while I was there. It was small compared to what I had expected (I guess I think all the concentration camps are as big and complex as Auschwitz), but knowing what happened there and reading the details was sobering. Sobering is an understatement. It was sickening. It really happened, and it really happened there. And I walked around there.
We headed back to Leistal (where the Steinhauers live) and made it in time for supper! Simona and Nicki stayed to eat with us and helped with clean up, too. Everyone here is one big family. Everyone helps because it's just what you do--not something you have to do. Nicolas is a fantastic cook, and he made sure we had PLENTY--with leftovers! Joyce and I were both pretty beat from our days, so I went to bed as soon as I could, and Joyce took some downtime for herself. =)
That's all I have time for right now, folks! Tune in next time (hopefully today or tomorrow!) for the final installment! Love y'all.
Adventure Whit
Friday, June 25, 2010
Pictures from Switzerland!
http://community.webshots.com/album/578009518UamKkd
Hey there! Please see the pics. =) Will update on the last week soon--hopefully this weekend. Love y'all!
Hey there! Please see the pics. =) Will update on the last week soon--hopefully this weekend. Love y'all!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Swiss Circus, Jodel Festival, and the great Swiss lakes!
Hoi! (Swiss-German for "Hey!" Still playing catch up...
Saturday! We went out to eat for Margrit's birthday, and let me tell you, the Swiss know how to do it right! We went to a beautiful, historic restaurant (with quite a past!) and had the most amazing meal! Curry-coconut soup, fresh bread, turkey with some kind of astounding sauce, rice pilaf, and DESSERT! =) I got the best vanilla ice cream I've ever tasted (three scoops!), fruit compote, and some kind of interesting orange berry fruit I'd never seen, but it tasted good! Topped off with fresh whipped cream--not from a can or a bag!
Impressive, and that was only mine! Grandmother took us all out, and we enjoyed the time together so much. The meal was just a major added bonus. =)
Church time! They had a special class for the kids and for the ladies, and I got to help with the kids activities. Chris (the oldest Steinhauer son) told the story of Dorcas from Acts, and he asked our three students (all girls) some questions--all this was in German, so I followed along in my English Bible as best I could. =) And after our short lesson (I thought I'd be more help than I actually was!) we took a field trip... to the Doll House Museum! (Puppenhaus museum) It was great! There were thousands, possibly millions of dolls, teddy bears, doll houses, itty bitty outfits, etc. from all over the world out on display. I took lots of pictures, of course, but those will have to come later! Not to worry, I'll weed through them as best I can and post the best ones when I get home.
Whew! After that, we went back to the church to have a singing lesson. The church here is small, and none of the men have singing training. While that doesn't stop Americans from butchering up songs a cappella-style (with the best intentions!), the Swiss are a bit more particular. So, they have a singing instructor come in every couple of weeks and have singing lessons where they learn how to sing songs in their songbooks. He's not a Christian, but one never knows what planted seeds will begin to grow. He's a very nice man, and the church here is very grateful that he can come teach them how to sing "correctly". It was a great experience for me to be there, even though I couldn't understand the words. It's encouraging to me to hear them singing in their own language. They want to do it right because it's for God--it's not a show of musical ability, nor is it rote or something they do only because they have to; it's something they are commanded to do and enjoy doing for their Creator.
Another observation from the music lesson... because we sang them slowly, it was easy for me to follow along and try to pronounce the words along with them. I kept thinking how fun it would be to learn Swiss-German through singing praises to God like this. So I pretty much decided to learn German when I get home. =) I want to be able to talk to these people in their own language when I come back!!!!! I was never good at language classes in school (probably because the school part implied too much pressure and stress), but with a real reason to learn it, I am so excited! I've always been interested in traveling and learning about other cultures, but I stunk at language classes for some reason. I think going at my own pace will prove to be much more effective. =) I love it!
And so that was the big revelation of the weekend! Next up: The biggest circus in Switzerland! It just so happened to be in Basel last weekend, and so the young people (about 6 of us) grabbed a quick bite at a Turkish place (like Moby Dick's for you DC folks!), and went to the circus! Everything was in French, Italian, German, or Swiss, but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it! I was able to understand a couple of things, and the cat trainer spoke English (hehe), so I understood a minimal amount. =) Despite the language barrier, it was so funny! The Simona explained some of the jokes to me, and while I already thought it was funny (I love non-verbal communication!), the explanations made it even funnier!
Afterward--still going on Saturday!--Simona and the other two girls went back home, but since I was stuck with Chris and Ben Steinhauer, I had to stop with them and get ice cream. =D Yes, two huge ice cream desserts in one day! I'm going crazy over here folks, and I love every minute of it!
So we got home late again--second night in a row for me!--and got up for church the next morning! Simona translated class and the service for me, thank goodness. I have so enjoyed the lessons here. This church is truly trying to do right and go with what the Bible says. I am so thankful for the opportunity to meet and worship with these people. They have humbled and encouraged me, and I keep thinking about Paul's writing in his letters of the New Testament, about thanking God every time he remembers the brethren and being encouraged by their faith. These people have a strong, sincere faith. If they are in the church, they WANT to be. Many of the members are the only Christian in their biological family. Some don't have contact with their family members, others have disapproval, everyone is seen as an outsider to the vast majority of Switzerland and Europe. It's amazing to hear their stories and see their faith being lived out. We complain about America losing its faith, but it's still considered ok to be a Christian. We have no state church, each person can choose their own. Here, if you belong to the state church, you have to pay a tax for that. It's normal to live immorally and widely accepted to have no religion at all. I am encouraged and humbled be the commitment of these people to our God.
Next up... Lunch at Nicolas and Anita's, then on to the Jodel Festival in Laufen! That's right, they spell it with a J. =) Lunch was a special Alpine dish--like macaroni and cheese, but with bacon and cheese from the Alps! Nicolas is a great cook. He's a stay-at-home husband, and he and Anita are two of the sweetest people I think I have ever met. Right along with everyone else here at the church. =)
Alice (grandma) also joined Joyce and me for lunch, along with Katharin, German (not pronounced like the country!), and their two kids. They all had limited English, and Joyce and I have exceptionally limited Swiss-German, but with the help of a German-English dictionary and a good sense of humor, we made it work! It's so fun to be with these people. The language barrier only adds another element of enjoyment!
On to the Jodel (Yodel) festival! Despite the drizzle, we all made the trip to Laufen and secured our spots for the parade! They gave out candies and things like we would do in America, but they also gave out cheese, apple cider, wine, bread, Swiss cookies, etc., etc., etc.! There were, of course, Yodelers of all ages, cows, goats, Swiss dogs, horses, flag throwers, Cow bellers, tractors, old-style farmers, Swiss "cowboys", Alphorn players, and more! (Riiiiiiiiiiicolaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!) Oh, and yes, there is Ricola everywhere around here. =)
People both in the parade and spectators wore traditional clothes, and each area of Switzerland had its own representation in the parade. I loved it! Joyce and I had a great time, and I think the Swiss folk enjoyed it as well! After the parade, we went around the cute little town of Laufen. Everything here is so old! The streets are cobblestone in lots of places, and the buildings are all just beautiful and well-maintained. I wish everyone could see this!
And after that... of course we had to go back to Nicolas and Anita's for dessert! Ice cream with meringue cookies and fresh whipped cream. Oh my goodness, these people know how to do it right! Again with the limited conversation yet unending laughter. These people are wonderful.
Whew! And that was just the weekend!
Next up... Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken! I have probably spelled both of those incorrectly, but they were truly amazing sights to see! Lauterbrunnen is a beautiful area close to the Alps with these gorgeous cliffs and mountainsides with waterfalls inside them! Dan took Joyce and me there, and she and I were both in awe of God's creation. He has made so many beautiful things, and every place is different. I wish I had words to explain it, or that pictures could do it justice. There's this one waterfall that starts way up high inside this mountain, and over the thousands of years it's been here, the water has twisted and flowed through the mountain to make this miraculous sight. Dan and I were able to hike into the mountain and out all around it. It's just amazing. Waterfalls are my favorite God-made wonder, I believe. They're beautiful and powerful and do so many things. Nature is amazing. God made it all work just right for us. Pictures to come soon. =)
Onward to Interlaken! On the way there, Dan took us to this cute little picnic place on a hillside for lunch. Mrs. Margrit had packed us some sandwiches, bread, and cookies, hot tea! What a woman! The picnic area was covered with a log roof, and our table was made of a huge old tree stump!
Once we got to this cute little town of Interlaken, we got some coffee for a quick pick-me-up (the Swiss have their priorities right--coffee after every meal!) and headed to what Margrit rightly claimed is the least expensive souvenir shop in Switzerland. Hooray! The town is called Interlaken because it's between two huge lakes, neither of which I remember the names! Pretty touristy, but the buildings are gorgeous, the views of the mountains around are astounding, and it was a beautiful day! I could sit and look at this country forever and never get tired of it.
Last stop of the day... we picked up Margrit and grandmother and headed over to Urs and Pina's for supper! Simona and Nikki were both there as well--I already love these people and it had been less than two weeks! Supper was amazing. Pina is Italian, and she's a fabulous cook! I'm so thankful I've gotten to know her and her family. It's incredible to think that I didn't know these people just a few weeks ago. They are already like family. They have to be each other's family because most of their biological families don't want to understand or hear about Jesus and God's grace. Amazing. These people are incredible.
Whew! That's all I'll write about for now. Next up... back to the farm! Read next time for the great stoat poop search; yet another new friend and sister in Christ; Struthof concentration camp; Colmar, France; and adventures in Swiss-Italian cooking! Love you all and will write again soon!
Adventure Whit
Saturday! We went out to eat for Margrit's birthday, and let me tell you, the Swiss know how to do it right! We went to a beautiful, historic restaurant (with quite a past!) and had the most amazing meal! Curry-coconut soup, fresh bread, turkey with some kind of astounding sauce, rice pilaf, and DESSERT! =) I got the best vanilla ice cream I've ever tasted (three scoops!), fruit compote, and some kind of interesting orange berry fruit I'd never seen, but it tasted good! Topped off with fresh whipped cream--not from a can or a bag!
Impressive, and that was only mine! Grandmother took us all out, and we enjoyed the time together so much. The meal was just a major added bonus. =)
Church time! They had a special class for the kids and for the ladies, and I got to help with the kids activities. Chris (the oldest Steinhauer son) told the story of Dorcas from Acts, and he asked our three students (all girls) some questions--all this was in German, so I followed along in my English Bible as best I could. =) And after our short lesson (I thought I'd be more help than I actually was!) we took a field trip... to the Doll House Museum! (Puppenhaus museum) It was great! There were thousands, possibly millions of dolls, teddy bears, doll houses, itty bitty outfits, etc. from all over the world out on display. I took lots of pictures, of course, but those will have to come later! Not to worry, I'll weed through them as best I can and post the best ones when I get home.
Whew! After that, we went back to the church to have a singing lesson. The church here is small, and none of the men have singing training. While that doesn't stop Americans from butchering up songs a cappella-style (with the best intentions!), the Swiss are a bit more particular. So, they have a singing instructor come in every couple of weeks and have singing lessons where they learn how to sing songs in their songbooks. He's not a Christian, but one never knows what planted seeds will begin to grow. He's a very nice man, and the church here is very grateful that he can come teach them how to sing "correctly". It was a great experience for me to be there, even though I couldn't understand the words. It's encouraging to me to hear them singing in their own language. They want to do it right because it's for God--it's not a show of musical ability, nor is it rote or something they do only because they have to; it's something they are commanded to do and enjoy doing for their Creator.
Another observation from the music lesson... because we sang them slowly, it was easy for me to follow along and try to pronounce the words along with them. I kept thinking how fun it would be to learn Swiss-German through singing praises to God like this. So I pretty much decided to learn German when I get home. =) I want to be able to talk to these people in their own language when I come back!!!!! I was never good at language classes in school (probably because the school part implied too much pressure and stress), but with a real reason to learn it, I am so excited! I've always been interested in traveling and learning about other cultures, but I stunk at language classes for some reason. I think going at my own pace will prove to be much more effective. =) I love it!
And so that was the big revelation of the weekend! Next up: The biggest circus in Switzerland! It just so happened to be in Basel last weekend, and so the young people (about 6 of us) grabbed a quick bite at a Turkish place (like Moby Dick's for you DC folks!), and went to the circus! Everything was in French, Italian, German, or Swiss, but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it! I was able to understand a couple of things, and the cat trainer spoke English (hehe), so I understood a minimal amount. =) Despite the language barrier, it was so funny! The Simona explained some of the jokes to me, and while I already thought it was funny (I love non-verbal communication!), the explanations made it even funnier!
Afterward--still going on Saturday!--Simona and the other two girls went back home, but since I was stuck with Chris and Ben Steinhauer, I had to stop with them and get ice cream. =D Yes, two huge ice cream desserts in one day! I'm going crazy over here folks, and I love every minute of it!
So we got home late again--second night in a row for me!--and got up for church the next morning! Simona translated class and the service for me, thank goodness. I have so enjoyed the lessons here. This church is truly trying to do right and go with what the Bible says. I am so thankful for the opportunity to meet and worship with these people. They have humbled and encouraged me, and I keep thinking about Paul's writing in his letters of the New Testament, about thanking God every time he remembers the brethren and being encouraged by their faith. These people have a strong, sincere faith. If they are in the church, they WANT to be. Many of the members are the only Christian in their biological family. Some don't have contact with their family members, others have disapproval, everyone is seen as an outsider to the vast majority of Switzerland and Europe. It's amazing to hear their stories and see their faith being lived out. We complain about America losing its faith, but it's still considered ok to be a Christian. We have no state church, each person can choose their own. Here, if you belong to the state church, you have to pay a tax for that. It's normal to live immorally and widely accepted to have no religion at all. I am encouraged and humbled be the commitment of these people to our God.
Next up... Lunch at Nicolas and Anita's, then on to the Jodel Festival in Laufen! That's right, they spell it with a J. =) Lunch was a special Alpine dish--like macaroni and cheese, but with bacon and cheese from the Alps! Nicolas is a great cook. He's a stay-at-home husband, and he and Anita are two of the sweetest people I think I have ever met. Right along with everyone else here at the church. =)
Alice (grandma) also joined Joyce and me for lunch, along with Katharin, German (not pronounced like the country!), and their two kids. They all had limited English, and Joyce and I have exceptionally limited Swiss-German, but with the help of a German-English dictionary and a good sense of humor, we made it work! It's so fun to be with these people. The language barrier only adds another element of enjoyment!
On to the Jodel (Yodel) festival! Despite the drizzle, we all made the trip to Laufen and secured our spots for the parade! They gave out candies and things like we would do in America, but they also gave out cheese, apple cider, wine, bread, Swiss cookies, etc., etc., etc.! There were, of course, Yodelers of all ages, cows, goats, Swiss dogs, horses, flag throwers, Cow bellers, tractors, old-style farmers, Swiss "cowboys", Alphorn players, and more! (Riiiiiiiiiiicolaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!) Oh, and yes, there is Ricola everywhere around here. =)
People both in the parade and spectators wore traditional clothes, and each area of Switzerland had its own representation in the parade. I loved it! Joyce and I had a great time, and I think the Swiss folk enjoyed it as well! After the parade, we went around the cute little town of Laufen. Everything here is so old! The streets are cobblestone in lots of places, and the buildings are all just beautiful and well-maintained. I wish everyone could see this!
And after that... of course we had to go back to Nicolas and Anita's for dessert! Ice cream with meringue cookies and fresh whipped cream. Oh my goodness, these people know how to do it right! Again with the limited conversation yet unending laughter. These people are wonderful.
Whew! And that was just the weekend!
Next up... Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken! I have probably spelled both of those incorrectly, but they were truly amazing sights to see! Lauterbrunnen is a beautiful area close to the Alps with these gorgeous cliffs and mountainsides with waterfalls inside them! Dan took Joyce and me there, and she and I were both in awe of God's creation. He has made so many beautiful things, and every place is different. I wish I had words to explain it, or that pictures could do it justice. There's this one waterfall that starts way up high inside this mountain, and over the thousands of years it's been here, the water has twisted and flowed through the mountain to make this miraculous sight. Dan and I were able to hike into the mountain and out all around it. It's just amazing. Waterfalls are my favorite God-made wonder, I believe. They're beautiful and powerful and do so many things. Nature is amazing. God made it all work just right for us. Pictures to come soon. =)
Onward to Interlaken! On the way there, Dan took us to this cute little picnic place on a hillside for lunch. Mrs. Margrit had packed us some sandwiches, bread, and cookies, hot tea! What a woman! The picnic area was covered with a log roof, and our table was made of a huge old tree stump!
Once we got to this cute little town of Interlaken, we got some coffee for a quick pick-me-up (the Swiss have their priorities right--coffee after every meal!) and headed to what Margrit rightly claimed is the least expensive souvenir shop in Switzerland. Hooray! The town is called Interlaken because it's between two huge lakes, neither of which I remember the names! Pretty touristy, but the buildings are gorgeous, the views of the mountains around are astounding, and it was a beautiful day! I could sit and look at this country forever and never get tired of it.
Last stop of the day... we picked up Margrit and grandmother and headed over to Urs and Pina's for supper! Simona and Nikki were both there as well--I already love these people and it had been less than two weeks! Supper was amazing. Pina is Italian, and she's a fabulous cook! I'm so thankful I've gotten to know her and her family. It's incredible to think that I didn't know these people just a few weeks ago. They are already like family. They have to be each other's family because most of their biological families don't want to understand or hear about Jesus and God's grace. Amazing. These people are incredible.
Whew! That's all I'll write about for now. Next up... back to the farm! Read next time for the great stoat poop search; yet another new friend and sister in Christ; Struthof concentration camp; Colmar, France; and adventures in Swiss-Italian cooking! Love you all and will write again soon!
Adventure Whit
Monday, June 14, 2010
Life in Switzerland never stops!
Whew! What an amazing few days! Time to catch up!
Last Thursday, I was in for a real treat... a guided tour of Basel's religious background and historic churches! Hölger, the other preacher at the church here, took me all around and explained why it's so difficult to spread the gospel here. The Swiss people are well-taken care of and self-sufficient. They are an extremely prosperous nation, and they need nothing. Everything they have is double-insured, and no matter what they need, it's provided by the government, non-profit organizations, neighborhood groups, family, etc. Why would they need God, right? Hölger said it's very difficult to make people see they have a need for a Savoir--the greatest need of all. I asked where the Swiss people generally think they'll spend eternity, and he said they generally don't think about it. They live life now. In a way that's good--live in the moment, never miss an opportunity--but it's certainly not the best way to live. Live life now because God gave it to you and provides those opportunities, you know?
Anyway, I thought the whole day was so interesting! The churches around here are mostly Catholic or Reformed churches, and there's a synagogue or two as well because of the large Jewish population. These buildings are literally 700-800 years old. Hölger told me things about the Romans coming in or something, and it just floored me: that stuff really happened! And it happened HERE! WOW.
And after the most elaborate lunch I've ever had (three courses and elegantly arranged on the plates! Home made, too!), I got to spend the afternoon with Margrit (Mrs. Steinhauer). We talked about a lot of things concerning family and church and life, etc. She is so much fun! She'll be completely straight-forward, but is by far one of the sincerest, kindest, funniest people I have ever known! We walked to the little downtown of Leistal, the village where they live just outside of Basel. It's so precious! It reminds me of Old Town Alexandria. I love it!
Anyway, we walked and took her mother for a stroll in the wheelchair while Mrs. Steinhauer did her errands--grocery shopping, stop in at the bakery, stop in at the butcher (yes indeed! A real bakery AND a real butcher shop! They still exist!), etc. She was so excited to show me the little town with its old buildings (like, 900 year old buildings!), and I was excited to see it all! It really is cute, and it's fun to walk through there with someone who appreciates it! I feel the same way about my little Old Town! Hehe.
So after running errands and such with grandmother, we ate a light supper and we probably did something else, too. I don't even remember! I remember having the realization, "Have I really been here nearly a week? Have I really ONLY been here a week?!"
And on to Friday... I made a new friend! Pina, one of the ladies at church, asked me to go with her and her husband Urs to pick up their daughter from the airport in Zürich. She was just getting back from visiting friends in Smyrna, TN, believe it or not! =) She was pooped, but we were fast friends! We have a lot in common, and she's a lot of fun to be around! When Pina and I dropped her off at her apartment, I went to lunch and to the grocery with Pina to talk and spend time with her. These women at church are already part of my family. I am amazed at them and the real difference in the way they live their lives. And the Steinhauers are fabulous--they're nuts but they're so much fun!
When Pina dropped me off that afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. S (Dan and Margrit) had already left for a get-together they'd been invited to several weeks ago. Joyce, Alice (grandmother) and I didn't mind, though. =) Hehe. Ben and I met up in Basel city that night to see Nicki, another girl from church, who works at a really cool restaurant called City Beach. It's like a beach on top of a parking garage! It's such a cool idea... except it rains so much here! It's a great place to see the city, though, and to eat! After supper, Ben and I walked around Basel a little bit and headed home. We were in for a full weekend, which I'll have to go into tomorrow! Right now, it's past my bedtime for the 4th night in a row!!!!! =)
Love y'all!
Adventure Whit
Thursday, June 10, 2010
With or without gas?
The first time someone asked me that, I almost cracked up! (They mean carbonated water or non-carbonated water, by the way!) They never offer ice, and the cups are very small. I love new and different cultures!!!!! =) By the way, I don't know if I would have been able to keep my composure regarding the gas question if someone hadn't told me just before I ordered that they have water "with little bubbles in it". I got a better mental picture with that!
Let's see, since I wrote last, the adventures haven't stopped! I'll just hit the highlights again...
Monday, we ate breakfast together out on the back deck, which is just beautiful! I don't remember if I said before or not there are 5 of us here: Dan and Margaret Steinhauer, Margaret's mother (who is just a pistol--she hits people when she likes them, and she's been relentlessly "beating" me since the first day!), Joyce (an American friend of the Steinhauers), and me. We're quite a lively and interesting bunch! I have to tell you that this family is wonderful. They apparently know no strangers. They study their Bible and enjoy doing God's work. Despite the difficulties of spreading the gospel here, they are doing a marvelous work. They're just an amazing family.
I talked to Dan and Margaret Monday morning about mission work and the reasons why I want to be a missionary. They are so supportive and encouraging! They told me a little about their story and the 25-year history of their church, and they asked me what I wanted to do or not do while I'm here. They said lots of people from the congregation would like to have me to their homes, but only if I'm comfortable with that. Well I said OF COURSE! So the next thing I knew, I was packed again and headed out to Jürg and Vreni Marti's farm!
First things first... they fed us ice cream! (Dan, Joyce, and grandma dropped me off there and visited with them for a little while.) Jürg, the husband, speaks quite a bit of English, and Vreni speaks some, but not a whole lot. I love it! It's so much fun! They have a very large farm with hay, cows, and a garden, and lots of flowers! And the most astounding thing about the whole ordeal was their house--it was built in 1791!!!!!! It looks new and VERY well-taken care of inside, and the outside is just exactly as I always imagined a Swiss house would look!
Jürg and I cleaned out the barn that afternoon because they're about to build a new one. They used to milk their cows, but Jürg had an accident a few years ago and can't do that anymore; now he raises young dairy cows for other dairy farmers, which he seems to enjoy doing. =)
After that, Vreni and I went to a neighbor's house to get some sveebon (I guess that's how you spell it!), which are chives! We planted a few in Vreni's garden, then went in to fix supper--cheese fondue with homemade bread! It was delicious, but I haven't had that much cheese in my entire life, I don't think! After supper I took my shower and got ready for bed, then the three of us prayed together. And then I got a real treat... Vreni made Jürg play his accordion for me! And they let me try it, too! I LOVE CULTURES!!!!!!!!!!!
It's so wonderful getting to know brothers and sisters in Christ from different places. They have different struggles, but it's all an effort to accomplish the same goal--get to Heaven with as many others as possible. I feel so at home here, like the whole church really is a family!
Tuesday! We ate the traditional Swiss breakfast: home made bread with jam, jelly, and honey! The honey they had was thick and light-colored. I've see that kind before, and it's very gut (good)! The strawberry jam was made by Jürg's mother, and Vreni and Jürg made the quince jelly. This is quince: http://greekfood.about.com/od/greekcookingbasics/p/prof_quince.htm
It was all delicious! And we had real cow milk with our coffee, too. =)
Next up: Vreni and I picked up Katrin, another woman from the church, who went with us to clean the church building. I love getting to know new people! Katrin speaks quite a bit of English, so she was able to help Vreni and me. It was so much fun talking with her about how she became a Christian and about her kids. =)
After that we went home for lunch (and I took a short nap--still recovering from jetlag!). There was a pretty big thunderstorm, which was cool to see against the huge hills of Swiss countryside! Since the ground was wet after that, Katrin said she'd take me to a nearby museum--all about music boxes! I had no idea they originated in Switzerland! It was so interesting to learn about the history of them and see all kids of different music players: traditional music boxes, big ones, small ones, HUGE ones, player pianos, early predecessors to juke boxes, etc., etc., etc.! I love it all!
That night, after supper when the ground was dryer than it had been, Jürg and Vreni took me to a very "ordinary" place... Castle ruins! This castle was built in the 1300s, and I was just amazed by it! They said now it's often used for outdoor movies. =) We could see so much from the top! It's up on a huge hillside, and when we looked down at the and farmland and village below, it was exactly as I always picture old Switzerland in my mind!
I was also in for another treat that night... I got to see Jürg and Vreni's wedding pictures! They had a very traditional Swiss wedding, which I found to be incredibly fascinating! These people are amazing. They're just like people everywhere else, but the things that make them different are astounding. Does that make sense? If not, no worries. =)
Wednesday! We took the cows from the barn to a new pasture so builders can start on the new barn! Then Vreni and I cooked in the kitchen. She needed to cook some things for Thursday, when the builders come, so we did that and got that day's lunch ready, too. I love cooking! She and I had a good time and learned a lot about each other, despite the language barrier. =) Her English is WAY better than my German! I had fun learning some of the language, though!
And after lunch, they took me to another special place... we drove to a large hill (mountain to me!), hiked to the top, and on one side we could see France, Germany, and the village of Basel. On the other side, looking off in the distance, mingling with the clouds... there were the snow-covered Alps! Amazing. Awesome. Majestic. All that and more. They're just so BIG! I can,t hardly describe it. The towns and villages in the valley and on hillsides were so cute and quaint. I love it! (Did I mention that already?) We could hear birds singing, the breeze in the trees, and cow bells everywhere. Cow bells! Amazing. It's all just incredible.
And after marveling at God's creation and the beauty of the Swiss countryside, Jürg went back home to work a little before church, and Vreni took me hiking! It's beautiful. I'll try to upload pictures soon. (We're having a little trouble finding a converter for the plug on my computer!) And at the end of the hike, we took the cable car (sky lift, tram, whatever you want to call it) down the side of the mountain! We saw sheep, alpacas, goats, horses, cows, and some of the greenest fields I've ever seen! It was a real treat for me!
And then... after missing the bus by three minutes (it happens here, too--not just in DC!), Jürg came to our rescue and brought us back to the house! Quick shower, quick supper, quick clean up, and we were on our way to church!
We sang from an international songbook last night, which was great because Joyce and I could sing in English what they all sang in German! I love hearing songs in different languages, but I thoroughly enjoyed being able to sing with them, too! Ben had to translate the service for me again, which I greatly appreciated. It's so incredible to me how much I can get out of a lesson in a different language, you know it? Everything here is amazing. =)
And after church, we came home to have a party for Mrs. Steinhauer! It was her birthday, so the boys (men--Chris and Ben) came over and the seven of us all had two different kinds of cake! We sat around talking for a long while, and we were able to get ahold of Kaleb back in the States, too. It's interesting to me how their family can be so close (and so alike!) even though Kaleb lives in America and hasnät been back to Switzerland since he was 15. I think it's great!
And today I'm off to meet up with Hölger (I have probabaly spelled that wrong!) and talk about mission work. He preaches with Dan at the church here, and he's also a foreigner--from Germany! I can't wait to learn more!
Love y'all. E-mail me your address if you want a postcard! whitney_hassell@hotmail.com
Hugs to you!
Adventure Whit
Monday, June 7, 2010
Switzerland is beautiful!
Hey there everyone! I don't have a lot of time to write at the moment, but we've done so much already! I'll try to tell more about it all soon, but the highlights have been...
I was awake for almost 40 hours the first day (days? haha) because I didn't sleep on the plane as I'd hoped I would--but I haven't missed a minute!
Ben Steinhauer (the middle son) came and met me at the airport in Zurich on Saturday morning and bought me Starbucks and sprüngli (what a guy!), then his parents, two grandparents, and a couple of their friends and I went to the Alps for a rose festival in the Chur canton (state)... in the Swiss Alps! Oh my stars, it is SO amazing here!
After marveling at that and thoroughly enjoying some gelato, we went to Heidi's village! I'll upload all the pictures asap, although I'm not sure how soon that will be--I need to get a special outlet converter. =)
We got home late, but I slept SO well! We went to church for a potluck breakfast the next morning (Sunday), and I got to meet some of the nicest people in the world! Ben helped translate the lessons and sermon for me, and I was able to sing along (in English) to a couple of the songs we sang. I love it! Even though I don't speak Swiss German, I couldn't help but love every minute of our time there. Being a Christian is wonderful (wünderbar!--I think!) because you have family everywhere you go. They have to really WANT to be Christians here. Faith is so real to me here. It's the same faith, but it's a different mentality.
After church we had a potluck lunch (yep! It's just like a good ol' Southern church family here!), and I got to meet Chris, Kaleb and Ben's oldest brother. I am amazed at how alike these brothers are--it's so funny!
We walked around Big Basel (the buildings here are from the 1300s and even earlier!), ate some ice cream, had McDonald's (which was so much better than in America!), and went to see The Prince of Persia movie--in English but with German and French subtitles!). I love it all--everything is so different and it's exciting!
Today I think we're going to talk about the work here and how they became Christians. So much to see, so much to learn... and two more weeks to enjoy life in Switzerland!
Love and miss y'all. Wish you could be here, too! E-mail me your address if you want a postcard!
whitney_hassell@hotmail.com
I was awake for almost 40 hours the first day (days? haha) because I didn't sleep on the plane as I'd hoped I would--but I haven't missed a minute!
Ben Steinhauer (the middle son) came and met me at the airport in Zurich on Saturday morning and bought me Starbucks and sprüngli (what a guy!), then his parents, two grandparents, and a couple of their friends and I went to the Alps for a rose festival in the Chur canton (state)... in the Swiss Alps! Oh my stars, it is SO amazing here!
After marveling at that and thoroughly enjoying some gelato, we went to Heidi's village! I'll upload all the pictures asap, although I'm not sure how soon that will be--I need to get a special outlet converter. =)
We got home late, but I slept SO well! We went to church for a potluck breakfast the next morning (Sunday), and I got to meet some of the nicest people in the world! Ben helped translate the lessons and sermon for me, and I was able to sing along (in English) to a couple of the songs we sang. I love it! Even though I don't speak Swiss German, I couldn't help but love every minute of our time there. Being a Christian is wonderful (wünderbar!--I think!) because you have family everywhere you go. They have to really WANT to be Christians here. Faith is so real to me here. It's the same faith, but it's a different mentality.
After church we had a potluck lunch (yep! It's just like a good ol' Southern church family here!), and I got to meet Chris, Kaleb and Ben's oldest brother. I am amazed at how alike these brothers are--it's so funny!
We walked around Big Basel (the buildings here are from the 1300s and even earlier!), ate some ice cream, had McDonald's (which was so much better than in America!), and went to see The Prince of Persia movie--in English but with German and French subtitles!). I love it all--everything is so different and it's exciting!
Today I think we're going to talk about the work here and how they became Christians. So much to see, so much to learn... and two more weeks to enjoy life in Switzerland!
Love and miss y'all. Wish you could be here, too! E-mail me your address if you want a postcard!
whitney_hassell@hotmail.com
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Great Floridian Experience!
Whew! What a weekend and what a start to the week! I made the drive from Orlando to Homosassa, where my friend Michael lives, and so began the Natural Florida Adventure! And by natural, I mean I ended up driving through the backwoods of Florida! I've always thought of Florida as the North of the South. They say y'all on occasion, but it's always been my experience that they are definitely not the stereotypical "Southern", despite their geographic placement. But ph my goodness! If there had been more hills and less Spanish moss, I would have thought I was back in Tennessee! People seemed friendly, drove trucks, smiled, carried huntin' rifles, and some had front porches. And I had a baffling realization: I am NOT comfortable driving or passing on two-lane roads! I think I've just gotten so used to public transportation and 4-12-lane roads that I was just a little bit claustrophobic driving on a two-laner!
But I digress... First stop: Suban Sandwich Spontaneous Food Adventure (SFA)! Michael and I got his snorkeling gear all together and hit the road! He took me to a cute local place that was a cafe and museum--a printing museum! He said they have excellent Cuban sandwiches, and I must say I agree! There was also a delicious Spanish bean soup. See the pictures. :)
So we ate and looked around the museum part. Of course I took lots of pictures because it was all about printing--old printing presses, die-cut machines, typewriters, etc. It was so cool! Again, see pictures. :)
Next stop--the old sugar mill! Just across the street from the restaurant was a stone sugar mill left over from before the Civil War. It's an historical site with markers and stuff. Michael laughed and made fun of me for being so facinated and for taking pictures of the historical content on the signs. And so I took more pictures! Mwahahaha.
And then the real adventure began... Snorkeling! There's this place called Three Sisters Springs, and it's a natural spring that's 72 degrees all year-round. It's where a lot of manatees go in the winter time. We suited up (yes, mine was about two sizes too big--better too big than too small!) and jumped in! The water was so clear, we could see all the way down to the bottom. The water made the bottom look a lot closer than it really was. Despite a bit of a struggle with goggle seepage, it was so cool! I saw little fish swimming around under there, and there were a lot of MASSIVE tree roots under the water along the edge of the spring. I think the tree roots were what fascinated me the most. They just looked cool under water. =)
So we swam around and explored that for a couple of hours, then went home to clean up and grill out! While we were waiting for the chicken and veggies to cook, Michael introduced me to something unique and delicious... boiled peanuts! Sounds nasty, looks gross, but they are oh so good! I like soft things. Regular peanuts are too hard. hehe.
After a most delicious supper, we watched Blindside and ate ice cream. It doesn't take much to make me happy... especially after such a crazy few months! It was so nice to sit and talk with a friend and absolutely not have to think about work and moving and vacation and all that wonderful but stressful stuff of life!
The next morning we headed to church! I liked Michael's church a lot. The lesson in class that morning focused on fundamentals about how to decide what to believe (it was a little more in-depth than that, but that's the jist of it), and it was exactly what I've been wanting to hear and study lately. He left us with some verses that I intend to study on the flight home to DC tomorrow. :)
After church we ate at a cute restaurant right on the water! The inside looked like an old wooden boat, and the seafood was fantastic! We got stone crab for an appetizer and I got broiled tarot and scallops for my meal--I was in seafood heaven! (All this was fully cooked--I know I need to clarify that!) Their hushpuppies were good, too! Gotta love it.
And then for the main event--manatees! Michael works at a manatee refuge and saves them for a living. How cool is that? So we went to Homosassa State Park and got to watch the manatee show--which consisted of them eating and rolling around at their leisure while a lady talked about them. Oh, to be a manatee! They're so precious--and these were BIG! My friend Val, who has her degree in Marine Biology, also loves the manatee. She told me to just watch them because they're "majestic". And she's RIGHT! It was calming just to watch them. :)
So after getting lots of pictures of them, we walked around the rest of the park, which is basically a zoo for native Floridian wildlife. Can anyone guess what my favorite thing was...? The FLAMINGOES! Haha. I wish I could be pink and eat shrimp all day, don't you? And twist my neck all the way around and scratch my tail with my nose--great life, huh? teehee. ;)
Among other things, there were gators, snakes, turtles, tortoises, an eagle, a hippo (not native, just an honorary resident of the state of Florida), and lots of other cool things, too. Did you know Florida has red honeysuckles? Again, it doesn't take much to fascinate me!
And that was that. We rode back to Michael's place in his convertible--I LOVE the convertible, especially in the Florida sunshine! I finished packing up my stuff and we watched part of an America documentary on the History Channel (ok, we're both nerds), and that was that! Fun filled, exciting, relaxing, educational, filled with new experiences (and new foods!)... yes, it was a good weekend!
Next time, my goals are to watch the mermaid show, swim with manatees in the wild, and eat more boiled peanuts. =) Oh, and have sushi.
And then came the drive back to Cocoa Beach for the rest of my work responsibilities. But that's another adventure for another blog post!
In the meantime, here are the pictures!
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/577693438AoOExR
But I digress... First stop: Suban Sandwich Spontaneous Food Adventure (SFA)! Michael and I got his snorkeling gear all together and hit the road! He took me to a cute local place that was a cafe and museum--a printing museum! He said they have excellent Cuban sandwiches, and I must say I agree! There was also a delicious Spanish bean soup. See the pictures. :)
So we ate and looked around the museum part. Of course I took lots of pictures because it was all about printing--old printing presses, die-cut machines, typewriters, etc. It was so cool! Again, see pictures. :)
Next stop--the old sugar mill! Just across the street from the restaurant was a stone sugar mill left over from before the Civil War. It's an historical site with markers and stuff. Michael laughed and made fun of me for being so facinated and for taking pictures of the historical content on the signs. And so I took more pictures! Mwahahaha.
And then the real adventure began... Snorkeling! There's this place called Three Sisters Springs, and it's a natural spring that's 72 degrees all year-round. It's where a lot of manatees go in the winter time. We suited up (yes, mine was about two sizes too big--better too big than too small!) and jumped in! The water was so clear, we could see all the way down to the bottom. The water made the bottom look a lot closer than it really was. Despite a bit of a struggle with goggle seepage, it was so cool! I saw little fish swimming around under there, and there were a lot of MASSIVE tree roots under the water along the edge of the spring. I think the tree roots were what fascinated me the most. They just looked cool under water. =)
So we swam around and explored that for a couple of hours, then went home to clean up and grill out! While we were waiting for the chicken and veggies to cook, Michael introduced me to something unique and delicious... boiled peanuts! Sounds nasty, looks gross, but they are oh so good! I like soft things. Regular peanuts are too hard. hehe.
After a most delicious supper, we watched Blindside and ate ice cream. It doesn't take much to make me happy... especially after such a crazy few months! It was so nice to sit and talk with a friend and absolutely not have to think about work and moving and vacation and all that wonderful but stressful stuff of life!
The next morning we headed to church! I liked Michael's church a lot. The lesson in class that morning focused on fundamentals about how to decide what to believe (it was a little more in-depth than that, but that's the jist of it), and it was exactly what I've been wanting to hear and study lately. He left us with some verses that I intend to study on the flight home to DC tomorrow. :)
After church we ate at a cute restaurant right on the water! The inside looked like an old wooden boat, and the seafood was fantastic! We got stone crab for an appetizer and I got broiled tarot and scallops for my meal--I was in seafood heaven! (All this was fully cooked--I know I need to clarify that!) Their hushpuppies were good, too! Gotta love it.
And then for the main event--manatees! Michael works at a manatee refuge and saves them for a living. How cool is that? So we went to Homosassa State Park and got to watch the manatee show--which consisted of them eating and rolling around at their leisure while a lady talked about them. Oh, to be a manatee! They're so precious--and these were BIG! My friend Val, who has her degree in Marine Biology, also loves the manatee. She told me to just watch them because they're "majestic". And she's RIGHT! It was calming just to watch them. :)
So after getting lots of pictures of them, we walked around the rest of the park, which is basically a zoo for native Floridian wildlife. Can anyone guess what my favorite thing was...? The FLAMINGOES! Haha. I wish I could be pink and eat shrimp all day, don't you? And twist my neck all the way around and scratch my tail with my nose--great life, huh? teehee. ;)
Among other things, there were gators, snakes, turtles, tortoises, an eagle, a hippo (not native, just an honorary resident of the state of Florida), and lots of other cool things, too. Did you know Florida has red honeysuckles? Again, it doesn't take much to fascinate me!
And that was that. We rode back to Michael's place in his convertible--I LOVE the convertible, especially in the Florida sunshine! I finished packing up my stuff and we watched part of an America documentary on the History Channel (ok, we're both nerds), and that was that! Fun filled, exciting, relaxing, educational, filled with new experiences (and new foods!)... yes, it was a good weekend!
Next time, my goals are to watch the mermaid show, swim with manatees in the wild, and eat more boiled peanuts. =) Oh, and have sushi.
And then came the drive back to Cocoa Beach for the rest of my work responsibilities. But that's another adventure for another blog post!
In the meantime, here are the pictures!
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/577693438AoOExR
Saturday, May 15, 2010
GO ATLANTIS!
The fun and adventure have not stopped yet! Thursday morning I had to take care of a few things... namely I took a walk on the beach and took pictures before getting a misto coffee and having a peanut butter and honey bagel for breakfast. =) THAT is how the day gets started off right!
And we got VIP treatment at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (KSCVC)--i.e., we got in free! We got a special packet of information with bus passes for the launch and fact sheets, then went to a mission briefing for the STS-132 mission (STS stands for Space Transportation System--just learned that yesterday!), and it was excellent. They talked about Space Shuttle Atlantis's history since its first mission in 1985 (it's as old as me!); this is its last flight, which is, of course, bittersweet for all NASA workers, but especially for those at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) since Constellation got cancelled.
But that's a whole 'nother can of worms. :)
Anyway, the first speaker at the briefing was a retired Marine Colonel--he was a fantastic speaker! It's so nice to listen to someone who is so articulate and personable, especially who is able to talk about NASA stuff, you know?
The final speaker was someone who was actually in one of my meetings at work on Tuesday! I went and talked to him afterward and gave him my card. It was so nice to talk to him because he has it right--as in, he gave facts, not speculation or false assumptions. But I digress... I love meeting people--you never know when you'll run into them again!
After the briefing, we got to go all over the Visitor Complex and I got to "work". (I had to try out the new Constellation exhibit there!) It was actually kind of sad. All the pictures of Ares, Orion, Lunar Rovers, etc., that were canned as part of the Constellation Program were labeled as "early concept vehicles" or something similar.
This is me on my soap box: It's not a concept when you have hardware. We have hardware and successful tests behind these vehicles.
And now I'm off the soapbox. =) I also got to meet one of my co-workers from Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville! She was there as part of the Space Flight Awareness, a prestegious award that gives honorees THE VVIP (Very Very Important Person) treatment at a launch. They get to take special tours of different facilities at KSC as well as see the launch from the best viewing spot! Anyway, I'm on weekly telecons with this lady, Twila, so I know her voice (and am friends with her on Facebook!) but had never met her in person. When I found out she was going to be down here, I e-mailed to tell her to call me so we could meet up! I met her and her husband and gave her a hug and all that. She's always to kind, and I'm very thankful she's on the team with me. :)
So that was great! And you know what else is great? I had a big soft pretzel for lunch. Woohoo! Yum yum. It really doesn't take much to make me happy! Jared and I had a good time and got to see a lot of cool stuff at the Visitor Complex. I really do have a cool job! Oh, and I was able to talk with the travel agent and get a hotel in Orlando for Friday night--whew! Relief is spelled S-H-E-R-A-T-O-N S-U-I-T-E-S!
After we got done there, Jared and I went to a great seafood place I knew about right on the water. There were pink hibiscus and a breeze and fresh seafood. We loved it! Jared got some sampler platter and I got raw oysters. MMM MMM!!!! =)
We went back to the hotel after that (thank goodness we were able to get the same one both nights!), and Jared took some time at the beach while I made a couple of phone calls while laying out by the pool. =) I took a walk over to the Winn-Dixie across the street for some fresh fruit and came back to the hotel to sit in a rocking chair by a water feature and read for a little while. I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging or all I did was take it easy--I did work in the room, too!--but I can't tell you how nice it was to have the change of pace.
So that was Thursday! =)
And Friday was Launch Day! After another perfect morning (beach, prayer time, coffee, PB&H bagel!), Jared and I headed back to the Visitor Complex to get on the bus and head out to the Banana Creek viewing place! (With a quick stop at Subway to go!) We got there about 11:45 that morning and got some good seats. We met several interesting people, but particularly a woman named Rose and her husband Hank. They let us sit on their blanket and were great to talk to! They're Christians and have a daughter who lives in Nashville. I gave Rose my card and told her to e-mail me so I could send her some NASA stuff for her school class--I think she said she teaches 5th grade. I love my job and the things it allows me to do! :)
And then it was time! The National Anthem was sung, the clock restarted, and the countdown to launch came over the loud speakers! With my camera at the ready, we watched the engines ignite, and STS-132 rose from the cloud it created. It was loud, it was BRIGHT, it vibrated inside my chest, and it was amazing! I am officially an American!!!!! =) I loved it! I feel so fortunate to be able to witness one of the final three shuttle launches. Jared seemed to like it, too--sort of a sensory overload, but definitely a worthwhile experience!
And then the real trek began--bus back to the Visitor Complex, walk to the Mazda 3 (WAY in the back of the parking lot!), and the three-hour drive in HEAVY traffic to Orlando. If I thought I loved metro and walkability before, this definitely heightened my appreciation for both! The 3 is fun to drive (ok, so it has no power locks), but I'll be excited to be back to DC and fabulous public transportation!
So once we FINALLY made it to the hotel in Orlando--the most fabulous Sheraton I've been in!--we checked in, dropped our stuff in the room, and made a beeline to the best sushi restaurant in the area! If you're ever in Orlando, go to the Tokyo Japanese Restaurant. It's fabulous!
When we got back to the hotel we just relaxed for a couple of hours--Jared watched TV and got on the computer, I worked out, showered, worked (had to check and respond to e-mails, etc.), and went to BED! Despite a bit of a sunburn (inevitable!), I slept so well!
This morning we took advantage of free breakfast (hooray fresh fruit!!!), took our time getting ready, and we're about on our way. Jared is already at the airport getting ready to go home (he leaves for China on Tuesday!), and I'm about to check out of the hotel and head over to my friend Michael's! I know him from church up in VA, and he moved down here to work at a manatee refuge (what a cool job!) in Crystal River last year. I get to catch up with him, see his church, go swimming, and see manatees! Hooray!
So that's the next phase of this adventure. Pictures of the last couple of days (including the launch!) to come soon. Love y'all! E-mail me or leave a comment and let me know what you're up to!
And we got VIP treatment at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (KSCVC)--i.e., we got in free! We got a special packet of information with bus passes for the launch and fact sheets, then went to a mission briefing for the STS-132 mission (STS stands for Space Transportation System--just learned that yesterday!), and it was excellent. They talked about Space Shuttle Atlantis's history since its first mission in 1985 (it's as old as me!); this is its last flight, which is, of course, bittersweet for all NASA workers, but especially for those at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) since Constellation got cancelled.
But that's a whole 'nother can of worms. :)
Anyway, the first speaker at the briefing was a retired Marine Colonel--he was a fantastic speaker! It's so nice to listen to someone who is so articulate and personable, especially who is able to talk about NASA stuff, you know?
The final speaker was someone who was actually in one of my meetings at work on Tuesday! I went and talked to him afterward and gave him my card. It was so nice to talk to him because he has it right--as in, he gave facts, not speculation or false assumptions. But I digress... I love meeting people--you never know when you'll run into them again!
After the briefing, we got to go all over the Visitor Complex and I got to "work". (I had to try out the new Constellation exhibit there!) It was actually kind of sad. All the pictures of Ares, Orion, Lunar Rovers, etc., that were canned as part of the Constellation Program were labeled as "early concept vehicles" or something similar.
This is me on my soap box: It's not a concept when you have hardware. We have hardware and successful tests behind these vehicles.
And now I'm off the soapbox. =) I also got to meet one of my co-workers from Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville! She was there as part of the Space Flight Awareness, a prestegious award that gives honorees THE VVIP (Very Very Important Person) treatment at a launch. They get to take special tours of different facilities at KSC as well as see the launch from the best viewing spot! Anyway, I'm on weekly telecons with this lady, Twila, so I know her voice (and am friends with her on Facebook!) but had never met her in person. When I found out she was going to be down here, I e-mailed to tell her to call me so we could meet up! I met her and her husband and gave her a hug and all that. She's always to kind, and I'm very thankful she's on the team with me. :)
So that was great! And you know what else is great? I had a big soft pretzel for lunch. Woohoo! Yum yum. It really doesn't take much to make me happy! Jared and I had a good time and got to see a lot of cool stuff at the Visitor Complex. I really do have a cool job! Oh, and I was able to talk with the travel agent and get a hotel in Orlando for Friday night--whew! Relief is spelled S-H-E-R-A-T-O-N S-U-I-T-E-S!
After we got done there, Jared and I went to a great seafood place I knew about right on the water. There were pink hibiscus and a breeze and fresh seafood. We loved it! Jared got some sampler platter and I got raw oysters. MMM MMM!!!! =)
We went back to the hotel after that (thank goodness we were able to get the same one both nights!), and Jared took some time at the beach while I made a couple of phone calls while laying out by the pool. =) I took a walk over to the Winn-Dixie across the street for some fresh fruit and came back to the hotel to sit in a rocking chair by a water feature and read for a little while. I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging or all I did was take it easy--I did work in the room, too!--but I can't tell you how nice it was to have the change of pace.
So that was Thursday! =)
And Friday was Launch Day! After another perfect morning (beach, prayer time, coffee, PB&H bagel!), Jared and I headed back to the Visitor Complex to get on the bus and head out to the Banana Creek viewing place! (With a quick stop at Subway to go!) We got there about 11:45 that morning and got some good seats. We met several interesting people, but particularly a woman named Rose and her husband Hank. They let us sit on their blanket and were great to talk to! They're Christians and have a daughter who lives in Nashville. I gave Rose my card and told her to e-mail me so I could send her some NASA stuff for her school class--I think she said she teaches 5th grade. I love my job and the things it allows me to do! :)
And then it was time! The National Anthem was sung, the clock restarted, and the countdown to launch came over the loud speakers! With my camera at the ready, we watched the engines ignite, and STS-132 rose from the cloud it created. It was loud, it was BRIGHT, it vibrated inside my chest, and it was amazing! I am officially an American!!!!! =) I loved it! I feel so fortunate to be able to witness one of the final three shuttle launches. Jared seemed to like it, too--sort of a sensory overload, but definitely a worthwhile experience!
And then the real trek began--bus back to the Visitor Complex, walk to the Mazda 3 (WAY in the back of the parking lot!), and the three-hour drive in HEAVY traffic to Orlando. If I thought I loved metro and walkability before, this definitely heightened my appreciation for both! The 3 is fun to drive (ok, so it has no power locks), but I'll be excited to be back to DC and fabulous public transportation!
So once we FINALLY made it to the hotel in Orlando--the most fabulous Sheraton I've been in!--we checked in, dropped our stuff in the room, and made a beeline to the best sushi restaurant in the area! If you're ever in Orlando, go to the Tokyo Japanese Restaurant. It's fabulous!
When we got back to the hotel we just relaxed for a couple of hours--Jared watched TV and got on the computer, I worked out, showered, worked (had to check and respond to e-mails, etc.), and went to BED! Despite a bit of a sunburn (inevitable!), I slept so well!
This morning we took advantage of free breakfast (hooray fresh fruit!!!), took our time getting ready, and we're about on our way. Jared is already at the airport getting ready to go home (he leaves for China on Tuesday!), and I'm about to check out of the hotel and head over to my friend Michael's! I know him from church up in VA, and he moved down here to work at a manatee refuge (what a cool job!) in Crystal River last year. I get to catch up with him, see his church, go swimming, and see manatees! Hooray!
So that's the next phase of this adventure. Pictures of the last couple of days (including the launch!) to come soon. Love y'all! E-mail me or leave a comment and let me know what you're up to!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Operation Launch Adventure Pictures! =)
Check it out! Pictures as promised! Not one of the Mazda 3 yet. It'll come soon!
http://community.webshots.com/album/577658550uKldKL
http://community.webshots.com/album/577658550uKldKL
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Operation Launch!
I have finally started a blog! Adventure Whit is at it again. And let me tell you, this has certainly been an adventure already!
So, I have the coolest job ever. They sent me down to Kennedy Space Center as a special guest to view one of the final three launches and work down here for a couple of meetings. I was able to bring one guest to the briefing and launch, so I thought it would be fun to bring along my big brother because he just got his MBA. =)
So here we are! I flew in and worked from the Orlando airport (I love public wi-fi and the capability to telework!) and waited for Jared to fly in. We found the rental car place with minimal difficulty, and I got to pick out my car--MAZDA 3! If I didn't love my Civic so much, I'd have gotten a Mazda 3. :) I get to drive a cool car! It's the little things in life that make it worthwhile, you know.
And we were off! Once the GPS recognized we were in fact located in FL and no longer in VA, we were on our way! We inadvertantly avoided the toll road, which is ok by me because I never have change, but it ended up taking us WAY longer to get to our "hotel".
Once at said "hotel", I turned to Jared and said, "This is way sketchy." He seemed to agree. And so I started making phone calls! The travel agency searched and couldn't find anything closer than Orlando (and absolutely nothing for the givernment rate!), so while they continued their search I opted for making a few more calls myself. I called a couple of friends who are local to see what areas are GOOD and what hotels are around, and they were very helpful. So I started calling non-shady hotels. Once again, thank God for wi-fi and a computer! The first four or five places I called said they were booked solid (due to the shuttle launch and a couple of other conferences around), but a couple of them were helpful in directing my search.
The last place I called was the Comfort Inn (not that it was my last choice, it was my first available choice!), and once again I said a prayer of thanks--they had an open room for us! Indeed, there was room at the Inn. :) So I gave the girl my information and got it all reserved, and off we drove again--in the awesome Mazda 3 with no power locks. =) But I still get a kick just driving it!
We got to the Comfort Inn, and of course there was construction everywhere! But who cares? Shannon said it right--my middle name is disaster! Hahaha. I laugh and move on in the face of disaster. I'm learning to roll with it, and I like it just fine! So anyway, I thanked the girl profusely for her help and said I would never stay at said hotel in Cocoa again, and the look on her face said it all--Cocoa is not the place to be! The city of Cocoa Beach is good, the city of Cocoa not so much! Just so you know.
So we got our room keys and found our room--WAY at the end of the building, but closer to the beach! And although it had that old lady-hotel room smell, we were just glad to be there! Jared and I set our stuff down and rested a bit, then went off to find supper! A trip to Publix was just the ticket--I even have peanut butter and mini bagels for breakfast in the morning! And a pear. :)
Jared ate and watched a bit of TV, I went out for a run--thank God for a fully functioning body! Back feels good, hip is pain-free, feet don't hurt. Now if I can just get these teeth to stop being so sensitive... but I'm not complaining! I'll take sensitive teeth over the other injuries any day of the week!
Got back, ate a salad with salmon and raspberry vinnaigrette (gourmet from Publix--hehe), showered, worked on a spreadsheet for one of my bosses, and here I sit--unable to sleep because the A/C is so very loud, but happy to be "safe and secure (no longer to linger, leaving my sin and strife..." name that tune!). Still working on hotel rooms for Friday, as well as for Sunday night and Monday night (for a different work trip), but I'll cross those bridges when I get there! Comfort Inn said something may come open with them for Friday. If not, I'll make a few more phone calls. =)
"Be not dismayed whate'er betide, God will take care of you-ou..." One of my most favorites. :)
And I'll leave you with this one: "For I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day..." --2 Timothy 1:12 (and a great song!)
More to come on our "out of this world" adventure! And pictures will be posted soon. There will probably be one of me in the Mazda 3. =)
So, I have the coolest job ever. They sent me down to Kennedy Space Center as a special guest to view one of the final three launches and work down here for a couple of meetings. I was able to bring one guest to the briefing and launch, so I thought it would be fun to bring along my big brother because he just got his MBA. =)
So here we are! I flew in and worked from the Orlando airport (I love public wi-fi and the capability to telework!) and waited for Jared to fly in. We found the rental car place with minimal difficulty, and I got to pick out my car--MAZDA 3! If I didn't love my Civic so much, I'd have gotten a Mazda 3. :) I get to drive a cool car! It's the little things in life that make it worthwhile, you know.
And we were off! Once the GPS recognized we were in fact located in FL and no longer in VA, we were on our way! We inadvertantly avoided the toll road, which is ok by me because I never have change, but it ended up taking us WAY longer to get to our "hotel".
Once at said "hotel", I turned to Jared and said, "This is way sketchy." He seemed to agree. And so I started making phone calls! The travel agency searched and couldn't find anything closer than Orlando (and absolutely nothing for the givernment rate!), so while they continued their search I opted for making a few more calls myself. I called a couple of friends who are local to see what areas are GOOD and what hotels are around, and they were very helpful. So I started calling non-shady hotels. Once again, thank God for wi-fi and a computer! The first four or five places I called said they were booked solid (due to the shuttle launch and a couple of other conferences around), but a couple of them were helpful in directing my search.
The last place I called was the Comfort Inn (not that it was my last choice, it was my first available choice!), and once again I said a prayer of thanks--they had an open room for us! Indeed, there was room at the Inn. :) So I gave the girl my information and got it all reserved, and off we drove again--in the awesome Mazda 3 with no power locks. =) But I still get a kick just driving it!
We got to the Comfort Inn, and of course there was construction everywhere! But who cares? Shannon said it right--my middle name is disaster! Hahaha. I laugh and move on in the face of disaster. I'm learning to roll with it, and I like it just fine! So anyway, I thanked the girl profusely for her help and said I would never stay at said hotel in Cocoa again, and the look on her face said it all--Cocoa is not the place to be! The city of Cocoa Beach is good, the city of Cocoa not so much! Just so you know.
So we got our room keys and found our room--WAY at the end of the building, but closer to the beach! And although it had that old lady-hotel room smell, we were just glad to be there! Jared and I set our stuff down and rested a bit, then went off to find supper! A trip to Publix was just the ticket--I even have peanut butter and mini bagels for breakfast in the morning! And a pear. :)
Jared ate and watched a bit of TV, I went out for a run--thank God for a fully functioning body! Back feels good, hip is pain-free, feet don't hurt. Now if I can just get these teeth to stop being so sensitive... but I'm not complaining! I'll take sensitive teeth over the other injuries any day of the week!
Got back, ate a salad with salmon and raspberry vinnaigrette (gourmet from Publix--hehe), showered, worked on a spreadsheet for one of my bosses, and here I sit--unable to sleep because the A/C is so very loud, but happy to be "safe and secure (no longer to linger, leaving my sin and strife..." name that tune!). Still working on hotel rooms for Friday, as well as for Sunday night and Monday night (for a different work trip), but I'll cross those bridges when I get there! Comfort Inn said something may come open with them for Friday. If not, I'll make a few more phone calls. =)
"Be not dismayed whate'er betide, God will take care of you-ou..." One of my most favorites. :)
And I'll leave you with this one: "For I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day..." --2 Timothy 1:12 (and a great song!)
More to come on our "out of this world" adventure! And pictures will be posted soon. There will probably be one of me in the Mazda 3. =)
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