language barrier

I have recognized a sense of uneasiness and insecurity ever since I've been back in Budapest, and I think I've pinpointed what was causing it. I am living in a culture that I know and love, but I still can't understand the words on signs or 95% of what is being said around me. I was reading in my journal the yesterday when I recorded the trip my parents and I took to the Czech Republic, and I cited how I felt so at home there, because I knew the people, the places, and I UNDERSTOOD what was being said; I could communicate. I wasn't left in the dark. I had anticipated (in my ignorance of Eastern European history) that Hungarian to be somewhat similar to Czech, and that I would have an easy time picking it up. But that is far from the truth. The closest language to Hungarian is Finnish, both being from the Finno-Urgic family of languages, neither of which are at all closely related to the Indo-European family. Anyway, I hate being left in the dark, being on the outside not able to tell what's going on. It's frustrating. But it's fueling my determination to learn Hungarian this year.

10 Best

10 Best things about Summer 2007, in no particular order

1. Spending time with my family, whether over meals, while building a fence, or at the coffee shop
2. Being captivated by lil' Joshers; hanging out with his parents was pretty cool, too
3. Playing with Petey in his soccer league
4. Visiting Claire in DC, where we refused to back down in our tennis game due to some petty rainstorm. We got soaked.
5. National Spy Museum. I loved it. I am newly inspired... You THINK that I'm in Hungary just as a teacher...
6. Coffee, pool, pilates, spin, and running with Nat
7. running and walking by my Lake
8. KU's Dog Days! I LOVED those workouts...such a great idea
9. Actually relaxing while watching a movie. I learned It's OK not to be productive from time to time. (Except I wasn't exactly relaxed watching Gladiator for the first time)
10. Having lots of time to read my Bible and "Experiencing God". I've come away so refreshed.

10 Best Things about international airplane travel, in no particular order

1. You can watch Blades of Glory 3 times in a row.
2. You get an excellent trapezius workout carrying a 5olb. backpack around the terminals
3. You might get lucky and not have anyone sit next to you so you can spread out. I said 'might'. It only happens 2% of the time, but it's the hope of it that makes it one of the best things.
4. the sunrise
5. the moonrise
6. Every overhead announcement is translated into at least one if not two other languages
7. Flipping through the SkyMall magazine and seeing what ridiculous thing they've come up with now, like the stroller for your dog (!), or the attachments for your trees that make them look like they have faces
8. Sudoku
9. You can say things like, "Oh yeah, I've been to London". Just leave out the fact that you were on a 3 hour layover and didn't see beyond the tarmac at terminal 1, or else it wont sound as cool.
10. You never know who you might end up sitting with. It may be a guy who has this really cool flight simulation software on his laptop that he is so excited to show off to you, and shows you all the incredible missions he's flown on it, and while he's at it he'll show you pictures of all the cool places that he's travelled to with his buddies and his wife and for his top secret assignments, and before you know it he'll have kept you from 2 solid hours of sleep. And who wants to sleep on an 8 hour flight?


And finally, the 10 Best things, so far, about being back in Budapest, in no particular order

1. Kerek edgy capuccino?
2. My 4 mile running course in the hills of Diosd
3. Being with my good friend and roommate Pauuuuuuuuuula, who will kill any spider for me
4. Having such sweet landlords!
5. IKEA only 10 min. away
6. the drier, cooler climate
7. My coworkers - they are so amazing
8. that we start our workday off with prayer and a message from the Word
9. my house is aweswome- I have a queen sized bed! I've NEVER had a queen- sized bed.
10. I already KNOW this place. It's familiar territory for me. That makes such a huge difference.

pictures of my new place in BP

oohooh! For a virtual tour of my new place next year, please visit Paula's blog. I'm so excited!

Kenosha

I will miss my Lake, the ideal walking and running venue that it has been for 10 years now. I will also miss my Common Grounds coffee shop, the cute and quaint reading/hangout spot that it is. These two places have bred such great hopes and inspiration and discussions and reflections. I am a better person have spent time here =).

This may be Goodbye Kenosha for good, as my family will most likely be moving away this Fall. There is so much up in the air to know anything definite. But two things are for sure: you can now see the floor of my storage closet, and I am many sweaters lighter than I was at the beginning of the summer. In anticipation of my parent's move, I went through all my stuff to thin it out and pack it up. It amazes me how much I have accumulated over the years. It feels so good to get rid of things and SIMPLIFY! I am more nostalgic and pensive than anything about leaving Kenosha. My true home is heaven, so I've only always been "just passing through" this place. And so, as I sit in my room on my last night I just wonder where God will lead my parents this year, and then where in the world will I end up next year. TBD, according to His will. And because it will be according to His will, and because He is SO GOOD, I am excited.