Questions II

Weather

It is cold. I love the snow but not the wind. This week is a high of 30 and a low of 19. The wind makes it feel like it is around 15 degrees farenheit. I have yet to meet a Hungarian that enjoys the cold. It will only get colder and this little Texan has been drinking lots of warm drinks.

Culture Shock

I thought culture shock would come to me in a wave of tears and second guessing myself of why I am here. Instead, I had more feelings of helplessness and feelings of being inadequate. The language is the main reason for these feelings. When something needs to be communicated quickly or there is a change of plans at school, Hungarian is used. I have been learning more about watching people and using gestures. Many of the kids have made wonderful progress and speak more English (knowing the personalities of each of the kids helps A LOT).  English is very common and I have never been anywhere that I was unable to communicate with other people.

Difficulties

Running errands is very time consuming (partly due to public transportation).

Larger superstores like Tesco, Auchan and Spar have most items but don’t always have everything on your list. Example, you see celery in the produce section for three weeks then when you need to buy it won’t be there. 

oh and the language 

Evenings during the week

By 4:30 this afternoon, it was dark, dark, dark. The sun starts to sets around 3:30 as we are waking the kids up from nap. In the evenings, I often loose track of time very quickly.  I am continuing to tutor on Tuesday and Thursday after work and I have been going to Bible Study with Danube on Tuesday evenings as well. The past couple of Mondays, my GF neighbor has hosted me for dinner in her home. After my kick of cracking walnuts, I have started to doing some arts and crafts inspired by Pinterest.

Small World

My friend Laura, invited me to the Winget's house for chili and Christmas decorating on a Friday evening. Cheryl Winget is the piano player at my church but I had not had the opportunity to meet her or her husband yet. As we were eating our chili, they mentioned that they were from Chattanooga, Tennessee. I mentioned that I have family from Chattanooga, my Aunt Madelyn and Uncle Carl. Little did I know that they knew each other and my Uncle Mike and Aunt Jeanine! Cheryl and Aunt Jeanine were in the same fifth grade class and Steve Winget was my Uncle Mike' soccer coach at Temple in college. 

Next Semester

I will be returning to Hungary on January second and continue working here at Rainbow Hills on the third. I am thoroughly enjoying this entire experience and what the Lord has been teaching me living cross culturally.

Favorite Things

People and friendships

All the new things to see and do

Learning more about myself

Time to be still – Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

We have our Christmas Show tomorrow at the Town Hall and Thursday morning is my flight home! Woo Hoo!
 

Christmas Time

St. Mickulas

On December 6, we had a special visitor at Rainbow Hills, St. Mikulas! St. Mikulas is more commonly known as Saint Nicholas or Santa Clause. Everyone's name is somewhere on the yearly calendar to celebrate as a "name day."  Nicholas' name is on December 6, therefore he is celebrated and remembered on this day. (Natalia was celebrated on Sunday) Santa Clause came to each house of children and talked to each child about how they were nice or naughty. He gave them each a treat bag filled with chocolate, peanuts, an orange and more chocolate.  

The tradition is for the children to put their boots on the window sill the night before and hope that they will receive chocolate from Santa in their boots, if they have been naughty they will receive coal, a wooden spoon or a willow switch (virgács). Apparently, Santa thought I have been very good because I found a chocolate snowman in my boots before we went outside to play in the garden. 

Market

Another tradition is to visit the Christmas market. It is held at Vorosmarty Square and in front of the Basilica. It is a series of outdoor booths with many handcrafted items, ornaments, toys, baskets, sweets and interesting foods (sausages, langos, rooster testicle stew, hot ginger, hot tea, and mulled wine). 

THANKSGIVING

Celebrating Thanksgiving at Rainbow Hills was more about teaching the kids about the holiday and being thankful. We made some turkeys out of lunch sacks and made pumpkin muffins together during the week. 

The Gibson’s hosted Thanksgiving in their home with friends from Danube International and the International Christian School. There were over 43 people that came to celebrate. The gathering started at 3 but I had to work and tutor so I arrived a bit late.  

Nancy and I, she is a leader of Bible study on Tuesday night.
Thankful for her GF cooking for me every week!

Thankful for the Karas family!

On Saturday morning, I went to the Ferencz home to start cooking for Thanksgiving lunch. I am tutoring their son twice weekly after work and they celebrated Thanksgiving when they were living in the UK a few years ago. I brought the recipes and stuffing (thank you Aunt Melba and Christa!!) and she had the ingredients for the green bean bundles, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, pie and the lovely turkey. 

Saturday evening I went to the Stanteen’s for kid patrol at their Thanksgiving with most of his coworkers that are expats with Exxon.  ...Time for more turkey and sweet potatoes at the kids table! 

Chelsea and I had a sleepover on Saturday night together, she is my absolute favorite little first grader in Budapest! We love all the same things: word searches, reading, coloring, experiments, painting and Jesus - I think we can be buds for life. 

Sunday morning I went to International Baptist Church Budapest, that is in walking distance from their home. After church, I got to take part in helping decorate for Christmas! Which included some hot chocolate, Christmas music, a little dancing and maybe a science experiment too. I am so thankful for each of the Stanteen's, they are a sweet blessing to me. (Thank you to the wonderful Michelle Lanza for getting us connected.)

Needless to say, I am so thankful for my community and families that have adopted me as their own. 

Thankful

Often I find myself at a loss for words when I think about how richly the Lord has blessed me. I don’t know how to measure the amount that I have learned, all the new things I have seen and experienced or the wonderful friendships I’ve made since I moved to Budapest. Not that everything is peaches and plums but God is constant, faithful and His love is never ending. 

A few things I am thankful for:

Danube International Church

Bible Study on Tuesday night

Game night

Cooking at the Gibson’s 

Families

Community

Daylight 

Sleepovers

Christian English Library

Face Time/Skype/Viber

...and Túró Rudi  

“My advice is: Go outside, to the fields, enjoy nature and the sunshine, go out and try to recapture happiness in yourself and in God. Think of all the beauty that’s still left in and around you and be happy!” -Anne Frank

“And my God will meet your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippines 4:19 [Theme verse from CentriKid Camp 2011]

Field Trip, Fall Break and Fun Vacation

Field Trip

The Friday before Fall Break, Rainbow Hills went on a field trip to a small farm and pony rides.  We all walked around to see the animals: bunnies, pigs, chickens, emu....

We all rotated between playing on the playground, eating a snack and riding the ponies. 

Fall Break

During the first half of the week, I had lunch with a friend, toured the American International School, helped out at the Christian library and was a substitute for second grade at the International Christian School (ICSB) on Wednesday. 

Fun Vacation: Salzburg

We left early Thursday morning and arrived around one. We went to the hotel to check-in, went to Old Town to eat and walk around. Megan (roommate for the trip and teacher at ICSB) had a self guided tour from Rick Steve's so we knew what exactly we were looking at. 

Salzburg is located in a valley with the Alps surrounding the small city. It is the birthplace of Mozart and location of the filming of the movie Sound of Music. 

Friday "Tourist Day"

Fortress

Sound of Music Tour

Shopping

We went into a store called Interio, which had quite an assortment of things for the home. They had the cutest cookie cutters! Many of the souvenir shops had beautiful ornaments. One store had hundreds and hundreds of hand painted egg shells that were beautiful. We also went in a few souvenir shops to look around. 

Saturday "Nature Day"

Hike in the Alps. Couldn't help but sing "climb every mountain..." 

Mirabell Gardens

Sunday

Train ride home.  

Salzburg was a beautiful and quaint town. Spending four days there was the perfect amount to see sights and not feel rushed, learn our way around the town and enjoy our mini vacation.  

Vienna

On Monday, I met up with two friends from church (Amanda and Alli) and DeAnn at the train station. They all teach together at the International Christian School of Budapest. The train left at 7:24 am and were in Vienna at ten. 

We did some walking around and saw:

St. Stephen's Church

Opera House

and many stores along the way.

We stopped for lunch for some traditional Austrian food. 

Vienna Sausages with sauerkraut and fried potatoes  

Salad with sauerkraut, potatoes and dressing on the bottom.

I have never been a fan of sauerkraut but it was quite tasty at this restaurant. (We ate it today at RH and I wasn't a huge fan.)

We went into Julius Meinal, a gocery store with items from all over. There was Campbell's Soup, every kind of cheese, chocolates from Africa to Switzerland and much much more. 

Amanda, Alli and DeAnn as we rode in the elevator

Walked around some more and saw the Schönbrunn Palace

Then we went to the summer house. You could literally spend three full days here. There's a zoo, museums, a labyrinth, gardens...

Map of it all

DeAnn has some friends through her mission agency that we met up with for dinner. On our way to dinner we saw the Austrian clock, 

Holocust memorial for the Austrians that died

It is a symbolizing a gas chamber with books turned outwardly as untold stories of the people who died. There are no door knobs or handles suggesting the possibility of coming and going but, they obviously don't open. 

Here is the place we ate and a picture of all of us. 

They served homemade pretzels

I told my waiter gluten free and he went to tell the cook and here came my delicious dinner 

Then it was time to catch the train back home. 

The day was absolutely wonderful and the company was even better. Hard to believe that I am capable of going to another country just for the day. 

Other events of my long weekend: 

Saturday

A walk through the park with Amanda. I can't remember the name of it but, I will be going back!! The views were beautiful that overlooked the city, there were many trails and cross country skiing in the winter. 

Suzcrazda- A coffee and sweets shop. Amanda ordered a cherry pie and I ordered a honey coffee. Mmm! We enjoyed it outside with blankets.

Sunday

Church at Danube International, lunch with friends by St. Stephen's Basilica and then off to the zoo! I wish I had my camera with me but I sadly didn't. 

Tuesday

Hungarian National Holiday = Free Museum Day! 

Visited the Art Gallery and Hungarian National History Museum. 

Stopped by my neighbors, the Gibsons, to help Debbie with a visual for her presentation. She left for a mission trip to India on Wednesday. 

Prayer

Before breakfast, lunch and snack we always say this prayer:

Lord, 

We thank you for the food before us, 

the friends beside us, 

the love between us and 

your presence among us. 

Amen. 

Their sweet voices are so precious when they say it with their little accents. 

We made Snickerdoodle cookies with the kids on Thursday and they really enjoyed being apart of the process. This was a new recipe to the Hungarians and they wanted to recipe. They thought the name of the cookie was quite funny. 

Things I have learned:

Crepes are called pancakes.

Children love to pick the flowers (from the ground) and bring them to their teachers. They are not allowed to pick from the trees or bushes. 

There is a Rosehip tree/bush in the garden. Rosehips is used for making jelly or used to be put in tea.

I thought this whole time one of the girl’s name in a different house was Bonny. Yesterday I learned it was Panni. 

Coming up....

Tuesday is a Hungarian holiday so we have Monday and Tuesday off! Most Hungarians have to work on Saturday but not us. Wahoo! Some friends I have made through church (they teach at the International Christian School of Budapest, ICSB) are going to Vienna on Monday. 

On Friday we are taking a Field Trip to ride horses and pet some animals. 

Then we have the entire week off for Fall Break. November 1st is All Saint’s Day, a Hungarian national holiday.