Tuesday, September 26, 2006
In the Sun
Praise the Lord that we've had such great weather lately! Although I probably just jinxed myself by saying that, fall in Ostrava is absolutely beautiful! The Fishnet team went to Lucy's grandmother's house in the Beskydy mountains on Friday afternoon. We had a cookout with sausage, grilled chicken, potato salad, and Katka even made chocolate chip cookies! (that's a big deal; they don't have them here!). It was so nice to get outside of the city for a bit. We hiked around the nearby hills, ate apples off the trees, and took naps in the grass. I felt like I was in the Sound of Music! With slighly smaller mountains, of course. But it was exactly how I pictured a little European mountain town to be, with blackberries to pick, small cottages scattered on the hillsides, and lots of sheep running around. 
We spent Saturday and Sunday cheering on the Ostrava Arrows baseball team. They won both of their playoff games and continue the series in Prague this week. Here's a nice picture of David doing his signature "Glasgow Shuffle" on home plate. It was the first time he'd ever been to a baseball game in his life, so he enjoyed getting to run the bases when the game was over!
Laura and I taking a break whily in the Beskydy mountains on Friday. We ran out of time and didn't get to finish the entire hike, but I learned that the actual motivation for our hike was that there's a pub at the top. Leave it to the Czechs to use beer as a motivator to visit the great outdoors! Although now that I think about it, that's probably not just a Czech thing...
Smiling fans at the Arrows game: Jesse (Manchester, UK), Laura (my roommate), David (Glasgow, Scotland), and Kevin (somewhere in California).
Another fantastic view! Although the pictures don't really do it justice. Just imagine that view on all sides of you.
Laura made a poster to cheer on the team. Here we are at the field with Joe (North Carolina), the team's assistant coach, physical trainer, right fielder, and English speaker. One of these days, I'm going to figure how to put up pictures in the order I want them! I cannot figure this thing out!
This week has had ups and downs...sometimes they come hourly, depending on how my classes go. There's not much consistency so far which can be frustrating, but it is really teaching me to be flexible. I've really enjoyed my two youth classes so far. When I teach them I actually feel like a teacher!
Other fun facts of the week:
-The Chronicles of Narnia was filmed in the Czech Republic
-Students laugh hysterically when you use the word "worksheet" because "sheet" sounds like another English word they know....(stick with "paper")
-Theater performances, such as the Music Man, are fun to see in Czech, but it's important to actually know the plot first....
My verse of the week:
"Becaue of the Lord's great love for us we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness." -Lamentations 22-23
We spent Saturday and Sunday cheering on the Ostrava Arrows baseball team. They won both of their playoff games and continue the series in Prague this week. Here's a nice picture of David doing his signature "Glasgow Shuffle" on home plate. It was the first time he'd ever been to a baseball game in his life, so he enjoyed getting to run the bases when the game was over!
Laura and I taking a break whily in the Beskydy mountains on Friday. We ran out of time and didn't get to finish the entire hike, but I learned that the actual motivation for our hike was that there's a pub at the top. Leave it to the Czechs to use beer as a motivator to visit the great outdoors! Although now that I think about it, that's probably not just a Czech thing...
Smiling fans at the Arrows game: Jesse (Manchester, UK), Laura (my roommate), David (Glasgow, Scotland), and Kevin (somewhere in California). 
Another fantastic view! Although the pictures don't really do it justice. Just imagine that view on all sides of you. 
Laura made a poster to cheer on the team. Here we are at the field with Joe (North Carolina), the team's assistant coach, physical trainer, right fielder, and English speaker. One of these days, I'm going to figure how to put up pictures in the order I want them! I cannot figure this thing out!This week has had ups and downs...sometimes they come hourly, depending on how my classes go. There's not much consistency so far which can be frustrating, but it is really teaching me to be flexible. I've really enjoyed my two youth classes so far. When I teach them I actually feel like a teacher!
Other fun facts of the week:
-The Chronicles of Narnia was filmed in the Czech Republic
-Students laugh hysterically when you use the word "worksheet" because "sheet" sounds like another English word they know....(stick with "paper")
-Theater performances, such as the Music Man, are fun to see in Czech, but it's important to actually know the plot first....
My verse of the week:
"Becaue of the Lord's great love for us we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness." -Lamentations 22-23
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Me with an F-15
One of Ostrava's three rivers
The Ostrava skyline
The Red Arrows of the RAF
Monday, September 18, 2006
Of birthdays, discomforts, grammar, and Arrows
With all the free time I've had the last few weeks, you'd think I'd have been able to update this blog a little more often! The truth is, I've been so disoriented trying to adjust here that I haven't known how to put into words what I've been feeling. I do feel more settled in now, especially that we have most of our furniture. We've put up some pictures and decorations, added a few houseplants, and our little flat is starting to feel like home!
The last few weeks have been a blur. I started teaching two weeks ago and I begin my full schedule this week. In the mornings I teach at area businesses. Usually it's just to individuals, but some of them have two or three students. In the afternoons I'll teach "children's" classes (ages 12-13), youth classes (high school), and adults. I'll get a wide array of experience, that's for sure! I've enjoyed the students I've met with so far, but I still feel unequipped at times. I don't know how to explain grammar to native speakers, much less to Czechs! But I keep reminding myself of what Jesus says in John 15:16; "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit..." I know that in the end, God will provide me with the words to say and the material to teach.
It's been quite an adjustment, as I said, moving here. It's been harder than I expected. Everything is so new: the job, the language, the people, the city, the food. I've found myself really missing home,familiar faces, Crosspoint Church, peanut butter, not having to hold the shower head in the shower, and driving. For a while I was focused on this idea of getting comfortable so I could be more effective. But I was reminded recently that I didn't come here to be comfortable. I was shown a quote that really struck me: "The comfort and security we strive so hard for every day is nothing compared to the life in full Christ promises us" (Mike Yankowski). It reminded me of a verse in Philippians where Paul says "I count everything as a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." I in no way claim to be to that point yet, but I'm comforted (ironically) by the fact that discomfort isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm not going to be comfortable here; however, the results of my time, whatever they may be, are worth it if I'm pursing the magnification and glorification of the Father in all that I do. It's certainly something to pray for.
Thank you to all of you who sent me such kind birthday messages. I really appreciated being remembered! My roommate, Laura, threw me a party in our flat. Most of the Fishnet teachers, along with the Younglife and YMCA workers, were able to come hang out. And our friend Amy even made it all the way from Prague! I've also been able to attend two Ostrava Arrows baseball games, which is quite interesting since most Czechs can't even explain the basic rules of baseball. I went with some of the families here to the NATO Day air show on Saturday, where we saw the RAF Red Arrows fly. They were amazing! We also talked to some American F-15 pilots who had flown in from their base in Cambridge.
I'll include some pictures from the air show and of the city whenever this blog stops being uncooperative. My friend Katka (Kate) took me to the top of the city hall tower last week, where you can see the entire city; parks, steel works, "commy condos," and church steeples included! Hopefully my updates will not be so few and far between next time. Blessings!
The last few weeks have been a blur. I started teaching two weeks ago and I begin my full schedule this week. In the mornings I teach at area businesses. Usually it's just to individuals, but some of them have two or three students. In the afternoons I'll teach "children's" classes (ages 12-13), youth classes (high school), and adults. I'll get a wide array of experience, that's for sure! I've enjoyed the students I've met with so far, but I still feel unequipped at times. I don't know how to explain grammar to native speakers, much less to Czechs! But I keep reminding myself of what Jesus says in John 15:16; "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit..." I know that in the end, God will provide me with the words to say and the material to teach.
It's been quite an adjustment, as I said, moving here. It's been harder than I expected. Everything is so new: the job, the language, the people, the city, the food. I've found myself really missing home,familiar faces, Crosspoint Church, peanut butter, not having to hold the shower head in the shower, and driving. For a while I was focused on this idea of getting comfortable so I could be more effective. But I was reminded recently that I didn't come here to be comfortable. I was shown a quote that really struck me: "The comfort and security we strive so hard for every day is nothing compared to the life in full Christ promises us" (Mike Yankowski). It reminded me of a verse in Philippians where Paul says "I count everything as a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." I in no way claim to be to that point yet, but I'm comforted (ironically) by the fact that discomfort isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm not going to be comfortable here; however, the results of my time, whatever they may be, are worth it if I'm pursing the magnification and glorification of the Father in all that I do. It's certainly something to pray for.
Thank you to all of you who sent me such kind birthday messages. I really appreciated being remembered! My roommate, Laura, threw me a party in our flat. Most of the Fishnet teachers, along with the Younglife and YMCA workers, were able to come hang out. And our friend Amy even made it all the way from Prague! I've also been able to attend two Ostrava Arrows baseball games, which is quite interesting since most Czechs can't even explain the basic rules of baseball. I went with some of the families here to the NATO Day air show on Saturday, where we saw the RAF Red Arrows fly. They were amazing! We also talked to some American F-15 pilots who had flown in from their base in Cambridge.
I'll include some pictures from the air show and of the city whenever this blog stops being uncooperative. My friend Katka (Kate) took me to the top of the city hall tower last week, where you can see the entire city; parks, steel works, "commy condos," and church steeples included! Hopefully my updates will not be so few and far between next time. Blessings!
Monday, September 04, 2006
To Prague and Back
Night landscapes
Stacy, Che, Me, Reba, Laura, and Stephen overlooking the river
Prague castle at night
