Vienna with 'family'

I arrived on my train Friday evening at 18:08 to be greeted by Leslie (my college roomate) with a big warm hug. That was really great! We went to her apartment to drop off my stuff then we grabbed some superb japanese noodles because the Korean resaurant was too full! Then we went line dancing. It was a lot of fun. It was a group of Austrians who love country line dancing. Don't worry, I got the contact info so I can line dance in Budapest :)



Saturday morning was a WONDERFUL lazy morning of sleeping, eating, watching the office and hanging out with her building-mates :) We had some great girl time. Then we went for a walk in the park and then the grocery store where I bought some applesauce!!! :) (we don't have this here) Then we went to the Hunters for a yummy Lasagne --mizzzannga (levi) dinner. Finished off with this awesome pie Stacey makes. YUM-O.



Sunday we went to church after an amazing pancake breakfast. Thank you Brad. We each even had our own letter pancake. After church we went to the Karlsplatz to have weiner schnitzel and play the in the park.



It was so great to be reunited after a long summer. The kids are bigger and it was so great to be loved on. I played a lot of baloon volleyball.. let me tell you.. we might need to put that in the olympics :)



I loved being with Leslie.. it was just like being at home, being with some who is close to you and knows you well. It sure is tempting to go there a lot.. if it wasn't $50 for every train ride :)



Now I'm back to teaching and had a great day today! Dad comes in week and I'm excited!!

this is what I do

As most of you know, I'm working on my Master's of Teaching. This requires me to stay home and study most nights and takes up a lot of my weekend as well. Its okay though. I think its good for me to have this discipline. My life has been a lot more disciplined because of it.

Anyways..this is what my desk normally looks like.. READING, notetaking, COMPUTER, NUTELLA and water.. it keeps me going :)

from the teacher who teaches 8 hours a day and the student who studies 2 hours a day....

Birthday Weekend

I have had a wonderful 27th Birthday weekend.

It started on Thursday, when a dear friend Shannon took me to a movie, dinner and coffee. We saw Dan in real life. Which I highly reccomend.

On Friday, Shannon had made a yummy cake for Eugene and I to blow out the candles at coffee house. I went to movie with some of my girls that I teach as well.

Then on Saturday night, a big group of us went dancing. I love to danceand we danced the night away. I had a blast.

Sunday I went to the Newell's for birthday dinner, birthday cake and awesome presents. I love the Newell's and I'm so thankful for their partnership and love in my life.

It has been really cool to reflect upon the year. I've spent a year here in Hungary. It was really cool to see the differences in parties as well. Last year, I was just getting to know everyone and didn't feel comforatble having a party. Shannon, Rachael, and had a party just us then we went to hang out with everyone. This year, it was a full blown affair and I felt so loved. I am so thankful for my friends here and the fellowship they bring to my life! :)

THANK YOU!!

first heart break as a teacher

Today in my 10C class I was finishing up a lesson. We are studying how to make words into different parts of speech. For example.. change it from a noun to an adjective to an adverb..etc.



As the students came to write what answers they found on the board I gave them a sticker for a good and complete answer. There wasn't enough for everyone to come up.. so it was down to 2 kids. I chose one. The other girl began to cry. It was so hard. She's sitting in the front row with tears running down her cheek. It broke my heart.



I talked to her after class. I apologized for not picking her but the other girl had asked first. She told me that she wasn't crying about that but that she really didn't know why she was crying. I told her..I completely understand and encouraged her.



I'm not kidding..it took everything in my soft heart not to cry with her in class. I was so sad. That's never happened.



Things are all good now.. :) She still likes me :) It was just a good teacher-student learning experience.

cold weather and having a cold

Its a cold wet couple of days in Budapest. Yuck. I complained about the the hot weather and now look what I get:)

I have had a cold since Sunday and it has been horrible in conjunction with teaching. I just keep up the tylenol and nose medicine. Plus 9 hours of sleep every night has been great.

Just keeping you updated. So what did I do today after teaching 7 classes??... I laid on my couch, watched a tv show, talked online, and read a chapter of educ. psych. ..not too productive.

A great thing....I'm past my halfway mark in my first Grad class!! I'm so thankful for the great success so far! wohoo!

Budapest Wine Festival

One of the joys of living in Europe is going to a Wine Festival in a castle. The castle was packed and there were so many people which was so fun. We even got a glass and a pouch to carry our things around in. There were many wine regions in which were represented all over the world. It was so fun. Four of my girlfriends came with me and we enjoyed our time. We sipped wine and looked at our beautiful surroundings and the overlook of Pest.

It is finally fall and it became very cold. I still enjoyed being there. Here are some pictures.

Paperwork has started

I turned in my paperwork for my work permit today. It was much easier this year as the office already has all of my information. I might even get a two year work permit which means a two year residency permit. This is also to say that I've decided to move home for a year. So I only need a one year permit.

What if this is a sign? I am always curious about what God's going to with my future and I've still left it up to him! I am still planning on moving back to Lynchburg next summer to finish my Master's Studies then I'm not sure :) I'm not worried.

Anyways, about the paper work. I must wait two weeks then I will have to go and apply for my residency permit. Hopefully all of this will be a smooth process. I am not worried about getting it, I know this is where Im supposed to be!

Its a rainy/humid day in Bp. I'm ready to take a nap :)

My New Exercise Routine

I'm trying to be more healthy in all aspects of life. Here is my physical exercise. Three times a week I go on this path:


I don't know if you can see the dots. Maybe you have click the picture to make it bigger. Well anyways. I go from my house around the island and back to my house. My friend Flora and I do this together. It's fun with a partner. Its 4.57 miles. Whew!

Then twice/three times per week I do Pilates found on Youtube :)

So far I've been sleeping much better :) Good signs!

Doctor's Office

Hungary's health system is still socialized. When you go to the doctor you can now make an appointment but you may still wait for an hour or so. Yesterday, I had to go to the doctor so that I can get my "healthy enough for working card". I snuck a picture of my doctor's office. Its a huge area where the doctor's are inside these rooms. You wait in a line. When you walk in you ask who is last in line and you sit behind them. I've waited for 2 hours.

I make appointments now but I still bring a book. Thankfully when you make an appointment they let you come in even before those who don't make an appointment. The health care is "free" I pay 300Huf which is $2.00 to see the doctor but half my paycheck goes to taxes/healthcare.

Just an interesting look at the health system and something I have to do here. Did I mention my doctor doesn't speak English......

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