Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Photo Update
Here are some pictures from the town of Hukvaldy, where Jesse, the Moore's, and I visited on Saturday. The castle (it was more of a fortress in my opinion) was built in the 13th century.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Once upon a weekend dreary
It seemed like Ostrava was in a state of mourning this weekend. The sky was perpetually gray and the air was cold and foggy. It was somewhat fitting for our mood as the Arrows fell in the fourth game to the 11-year champions Brno Draci to lose the championship, and as we watched our good friend David wave goodbye from his taxi on the way back to Scotland.
Although the week wasn’t all sad. We had our first youth film night on Friday and I was delighted to see that four of my students came. Perhaps they actually do understand me after all! Last night was my first concert with Revelation. We sang in a packed house for the Seventh Day Adventist youth, who made the experience twice as enjoyable by dancing, singing, and doing the wave during the concert. From the perspective of the veterans, however, it was not the best performance we’ve had. I realized I didn’t know some of the songs as well as I thought, and was so busy trying not to knock over the microphone while I was clapping and swaying that I kept forgetting which part of the song we were singing! I did enjoy it though, and I look forward to future concerts.
I think I’ve begun to settle in a bit more here in the Czech Republic, although often I wake up from dreams where I’ve been at home or in Clemson, and I’m really thrown off when I realize where I am. There still is sort of an “I’m in Ostrava?” reaction sometimes. It seems like I’ve been here forever and I still have such a long way to go. I find myself starting to worry about the winter. Everyone makes such a big deal of it, how much they hate it, how dark it is, and how I’m going to be cold and miserable for the next seven months. It’s not the most cheerful thought, but at least I get to wear all my fun winter hats. Perhaps I’ll take up knitting.
Czech fact of the Week: Czech people reuse grocery bags, and I mean they really reuse them. At home I refuse to throw them away, but I always get irritated at the mass-pileup of plastic. We save them just in case we need them, but how often do we use them? Czechs take their own grocery bags to the store. If you forget a bag, they do have some you can buy if you can’t fit everything into your purse. It’s not a bad idea, actually. Saves on plastic pile-up if nothing else. So next time you make a run to the nearest Bi-lo or Kroger, and the bag boy asks if you want paper or plastic, you can just smile as you take out your bag from last week and say, “no thanks, I brought my own.”
Joke of the week, compliments of Scottish David:
Two fish are in a tank. One looks at the other and says, “Do you know how to drive this thing?”
Verse of the week:
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26)
Although the week wasn’t all sad. We had our first youth film night on Friday and I was delighted to see that four of my students came. Perhaps they actually do understand me after all! Last night was my first concert with Revelation. We sang in a packed house for the Seventh Day Adventist youth, who made the experience twice as enjoyable by dancing, singing, and doing the wave during the concert. From the perspective of the veterans, however, it was not the best performance we’ve had. I realized I didn’t know some of the songs as well as I thought, and was so busy trying not to knock over the microphone while I was clapping and swaying that I kept forgetting which part of the song we were singing! I did enjoy it though, and I look forward to future concerts.
I think I’ve begun to settle in a bit more here in the Czech Republic, although often I wake up from dreams where I’ve been at home or in Clemson, and I’m really thrown off when I realize where I am. There still is sort of an “I’m in Ostrava?” reaction sometimes. It seems like I’ve been here forever and I still have such a long way to go. I find myself starting to worry about the winter. Everyone makes such a big deal of it, how much they hate it, how dark it is, and how I’m going to be cold and miserable for the next seven months. It’s not the most cheerful thought, but at least I get to wear all my fun winter hats. Perhaps I’ll take up knitting.
Czech fact of the Week: Czech people reuse grocery bags, and I mean they really reuse them. At home I refuse to throw them away, but I always get irritated at the mass-pileup of plastic. We save them just in case we need them, but how often do we use them? Czechs take their own grocery bags to the store. If you forget a bag, they do have some you can buy if you can’t fit everything into your purse. It’s not a bad idea, actually. Saves on plastic pile-up if nothing else. So next time you make a run to the nearest Bi-lo or Kroger, and the bag boy asks if you want paper or plastic, you can just smile as you take out your bag from last week and say, “no thanks, I brought my own.”
Joke of the week, compliments of Scottish David:
Two fish are in a tank. One looks at the other and says, “Do you know how to drive this thing?”
Verse of the week:
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26)
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
New Link
I've added a link to the website for the Revelation choir if any of you would like to learn more about us!
www.revelationgospel.wz.cz
www.revelationgospel.wz.cz
Monday, October 09, 2006
Where Would We Be without Scotland?
This week is "Scottish David's" last week. David has worked here in Ostrava for the last seven months or so and has become a regular with the Fishnet crowd. Laura and I have been trying to hang out with him as much as possible..he's one of the funniest people I've ever met! Perhaps a future trip to Scotland is in order....
In a last-minute decision to get out of the city on Saturday, I decided to brave the unknown and venture out by myself to the nearby city of Olomouc. I was pretty impressed with what I found. The city is full of beautiful old churches and cathedrals, fountains, museums, and even Botanical Gardens. I've included photos of the town hall (with the astronomical clock) and the Trinity Column. I wish I’d had more time, so perhaps I’ll be returning for future visits!
This past Tuesday we began our English quiz night at Templ bar. Despite a small turnout, we still had a great time, and the winners each went home happy with a bottle of wine. I, however, was no asset to my team whatsoever, and learned just how much useless knowledge I don’t know (and really, I should have gotten a point for at least naming a cyclist other than Lance Armstrong, even if it wasn't the right one).
Fun Scottish fact of the week:
In response to the question of what Scotland is actually known for (besides kilts and bagpipes), David informed us last night, along with his friend Scottish Andy, that Scotland is in fact responsible for a number of important inventions, including but not limited to the following:
-the telephone
-TV
-the lightbulb
-Penicillen
-China (the country)
-oxygen
-plants
-the English language
It was, as you can imagine, quite a hilarious conversation...
Verse of the week:
"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if my make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." -Psalm 139:7-10
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Revelation
Having just received my new wireless card that allows me to use the internet in places other than Fishnet, I've been in this cafe for nearly two hours. The guy at the counter, seeing I'd long since finished my coffee, offered to bring me a slice of cake. I must say, this "cake" is fantastically close to banana pudding! I'm enjoying a little slice of home right now. 
I spent this past weekend in the nearby Beskydy Mountains on the Revelation retreat (Revelation is the English Gospel choir I recently joined). I wasn't sure what to expect, as I barely knew any of these people and was somewhat intimidated, but it ended up being one of the most enjoyable weekends I've had here! Everyone was so good about translating for me, and they often apologized when they realized they'd been speaking in Czech and I didn't understand. One girl told me that they just consider me "one of the group" and forget that I don't speak the language! They always turn to me and start speaking in Czech until they notice the blank stare on my face. I have been told by numerous people that I look Czech, or at least that I could pull off being Czech, which is quite funny to me since in Spain I was so used to always standing out as a foreigner.
Last Thursday the Ostrava Arrows baseball team traveled to Prague for the final game of a five game playoff series. Since it was a national holiday, Laura, Nathan, Lucy, Jesse, Phoebe, Stacy and I thought that the team needed its cheering squad and decided to put on our new Arrows t-shirts and go watch. In a whirlwind of confusion at 7am, I suddenly found myself with Lucy, Nathan, and Stacy on my way to Prague on the team bus! (The others came in a car). What I expectd to be a miserable four-and-a-half hour busride with a bunch of rowdy Czech baseball players actually turned out to be fun...and it makes for a good story, that's for sure! The Arrows played a great game and were able to hold off the opposition in the final inning to win 7-6. It sure made for a crazy busride home, champaign and all! Now they go to the National Championship against Brno, who has won the title the last 11 years in a row. I'll keep you updated on how they do! 
Autumn has definitely arrived in Ostrava, and the leaves are starting to turn beautiful shades of red and yellow! I've included a few pictures of the town (unfortunately none with trees..), including one of the theater where I saw the Music Man. This week is my first real full week of classes since there are no national holidays and so far I don't have any cancellations. So please pray for my time management and my sanity!
Song currently playing at the coffee shop: Amy Grant's "Baby Baby"
Fun Czech fact of the week: Many Czechs, being less modest than the normal American (in my opinion anyway), are completely comfortable changing clothes in public, whether it be at the baseball field...or in the office! (and I speak from personal experience on both)
My verse of the week:
Psalm 86: 8-10
"There is none like you among the Gods, o Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come up and worship before you, o Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wonderous things; you alone are God."
I spent this past weekend in the nearby Beskydy Mountains on the Revelation retreat (Revelation is the English Gospel choir I recently joined). I wasn't sure what to expect, as I barely knew any of these people and was somewhat intimidated, but it ended up being one of the most enjoyable weekends I've had here! Everyone was so good about translating for me, and they often apologized when they realized they'd been speaking in Czech and I didn't understand. One girl told me that they just consider me "one of the group" and forget that I don't speak the language! They always turn to me and start speaking in Czech until they notice the blank stare on my face. I have been told by numerous people that I look Czech, or at least that I could pull off being Czech, which is quite funny to me since in Spain I was so used to always standing out as a foreigner.
Last Thursday the Ostrava Arrows baseball team traveled to Prague for the final game of a five game playoff series. Since it was a national holiday, Laura, Nathan, Lucy, Jesse, Phoebe, Stacy and I thought that the team needed its cheering squad and decided to put on our new Arrows t-shirts and go watch. In a whirlwind of confusion at 7am, I suddenly found myself with Lucy, Nathan, and Stacy on my way to Prague on the team bus! (The others came in a car). What I expectd to be a miserable four-and-a-half hour busride with a bunch of rowdy Czech baseball players actually turned out to be fun...and it makes for a good story, that's for sure! The Arrows played a great game and were able to hold off the opposition in the final inning to win 7-6. It sure made for a crazy busride home, champaign and all! Now they go to the National Championship against Brno, who has won the title the last 11 years in a row. I'll keep you updated on how they do! 
Autumn has definitely arrived in Ostrava, and the leaves are starting to turn beautiful shades of red and yellow! I've included a few pictures of the town (unfortunately none with trees..), including one of the theater where I saw the Music Man. This week is my first real full week of classes since there are no national holidays and so far I don't have any cancellations. So please pray for my time management and my sanity!Song currently playing at the coffee shop: Amy Grant's "Baby Baby"
Fun Czech fact of the week: Many Czechs, being less modest than the normal American (in my opinion anyway), are completely comfortable changing clothes in public, whether it be at the baseball field...or in the office! (and I speak from personal experience on both)
My verse of the week:
Psalm 86: 8-10
"There is none like you among the Gods, o Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come up and worship before you, o Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wonderous things; you alone are God."
