Every Saturday night we play volleyball!! And hockey. :D But it is so fun and a great bonding time for church members!

Church Family!

My roomy!

As you can see I got myself into a little of trouble. I would decide to "borrow" the kings sleeve to wipe my nose. (We were at an old castle dated around the 1300s near Kolobrzeg) The picture before is the front.

Here is the church family before we went into the castle. Cute picture I think.

A cool thing that I think all the farmers I know would appreciate. This is an old metal bending mold. You bent that pole trying to bend something else(as this happens often on a farm)? No problem! Come to the castle on Knight and Shining Armer St, we will fix you up in no time!

Here I was stepping into Narnia. Little did anyone know that Narnia is full of cleaning supplies. I also succeeded in getting caught by the tour guide and all my church members, right as I was going in. The facial expression is pretty genuine. I am sure the tour guide loved me by the end because I also managed to sit down on some chairs that he had just told everyone not to sit on. It was in polish of course so I was blissfully unaware, enjoying the plushy seat that I had found. 

Here are some of the regal majesties of this castle. We noticed that they get a little chubbier as the years go on. They must have gotten Mcdonalds around this time. :D 

This is great Lord Pumpernickel (naming complements by me). He likes to take long walks on the beach, loves to shop at Abercrombie&Fitch, and will take you to Paris on your first date.

Us walking out of castle to our battle stations.

A hall that went on forever. My physical therapist mind said that this is why no one was fat in these times. "Piv it on ur gud foot and walk back to me!!"-for my brother

Everyone has been asking if I have met a boy here. And here he is. He's not the warmest guy but let me tell you I feel protected at night when he walks me home from that date at the Round Table Inn.

The great warrior! oh wait..never mind... thats the stable boy.

This is the throne haha just kidding, this is the loo as they call it in Britain. It is a hole on the side of the building and it is about 40 feet down. Also a bit breezy. I will think again before I complain about my bathroom again.

Where the moat used to be

The castle from the distance

The second longest board in the world, about 36 meters long. Can sit 200 people and yes that is me sitting way at the end. :D

This is at a outside museum that had all sorts of things. The picture down below are the things that were there.

Julia and I posing with Kuba and Jacek, some crazy but fun boys from the church. :D

Here we are at a museum about concetration camps. This was the train that would bring the prisoners here. They would fit about 50 people in each box car. Also they had their living quarters there. They had them so cramped in there that they all had to sleep on their sides because they each had a board and a half to sleep on. Also the people on the outside would change with the people in the inside or they would freeze to death at night. There was a whistle call every 2 hours for everyone to shift to the other side.

This is Julia and I going to a bunker. This was a secret bunker where their "secret service" soldiers would go when there was a raid. We are very happy to go down into a dark cramped hole.

Here is the tunnel. Looks big but it was almost to short for me.

Here you can see me grinning happily that I dont have to duck at all in there.

This is behind the bunker. This is the longest wooden board in the word and in the distance is an upside -down house. The story behind the board is that the one I showed you before was the longest but then the Germans made one longer, so they decided to make this one  so that they could still have the longest. haha funny.

Inside the house. It was so weird feeling in there. I could't believe it. 

This is the ceiling, not my camera upside-down.

It was very beautiful there. It is very green here in Poland even though it is Fall.

Here I was posing in front of my chess team. This is at Camp Zatonie. This was another church excursion. It was a lot of fun. We stayed at cabins and had church and worship together. Was really great.

Here is some of us on a cool rock. i would like to say here that every time they went to take a picture that I would always bring the apple I was eating up to my mouth. Here was one that didn't have any apples in the picture. Just me with a full mouth.

Tom's daughter holding a cool mushroom.

Here we were going mushroom hunting. Chase was feeling like the great explorers of time.

The lake in front of the camp. I had worship here one morning and it was really amazing. Swans were swimming and the water is so clear and beautiful. I was really in awe of God's creation. Almost froze but it was still so amazing. 

Really beautiful

The mushrooms are beautiful here. Any color you can think of and its there. Really amazing.

Happy owner of a mushroom! Kinda looks like I am biting into it but Im not hah.

This Adrian, one of my students! We both found some good mushrooms! We were both basking in the glory of finding one! Mines bigger!

More beautiful water pictures.

I would like to comment here that I jumped into this water. Julia, Chase, some church members, and I jumped into this lake on Sunday. It was so crazy! But also great. The water took your breath away but it was so much fun. Julia and I ran up and took hot showers. I knew my mom would be proud of our hot and cold treatment we did!

Here is us playing volleyball. We were pretty terrible but it was fun!

Me Chase and Amelia trying to take a snooze. Was hard with the impending doomful water puddle though.

Amelia kicked Chase off to come visit me. yay! :D

a BEAUTIFUL SWAN! I really love birds and this one made my day. This was taken by the sea that is a 10min walk from our apartment.

The Baltic Sea

A famous lighthouse that is by the sea. Looked pretty neat at night. It is a real working lighthouse that is in use. Also very old.

This picture and the one below is at a some land of a church member. We went there one Sabbath for a fire and bonding time. I think that is why they call it a "bond fire." :P

A cute kitty that Adrian was holding that liked him better. :D This picture is out of order. This was at Zatonie. :D

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been a quick first 2 months here. I cannot believe how time has flown. It has been a blessing here in many ways. Classes has been keeping me busy, especially since I am teaching about 23 hours a week. Its crazy but let me tell you it has been a blessing. Julia, Chase, and I have students that are interested in finding eternal happiness. We have started reading the bible in some of tutor sessions we have. It is so amazing the opportunities here. God has so very blessed us. I wish I could send pictures of my students but it is as America where it is not looked upon as professional thing to do. But hopefully as the year goes and I get to know the student very well, they will be okay if I do. I have classes and tutoring every day. Each class is a different level of English. I have classes where they barely speak english and some where they speak very well. This is the same with tutoring. I am actually tutoring some girls who cant speak much at all. But through the polish that I have learned, through learning to be amazing at charades, and by great picture dictionary books I have taught them many things already. I can really feel God in many of my classes. There are times where there are some hard questions asked like "what is that word?" You think this question isn't hard but let me tell you that it is hard explaining what "there", "although", and what "groove" is. This is sometimes hard when you can use only so much english with them. But God has given me creative ways to explain things and I thank Him! I also feel like I am developing pretty good parenting skills through some of these classes. I am especially good at making threats. Tonight for an example I had a class that was talking like crazy and no one would cooperate. So I told them that if they were not quite they would have a vocabulary test next week. And boy let me tell you it got quiet in that room! Also in one of my classes I have many boys in there. They love to talk and goof around. So it was decided to have a parent come and sit in one of the classes. Let me tell you.. a miracle. I have learned that it is totally uncool to have your mom sit in class with you haha. Those 10 year old were like angels, waiting on my every call. Blissful let me tell you. It was quite fun to see their reactions having seeing the mother. It was super uncool. and super cool for me. :D So yes teaching has been full of experiences, hard and easy, good and bad, but most of all God has been there in all these times. God is slowly teaching me how to deal with the students and most importantly how to love them, even though it is hard at times. So I ask I ask that you pray for us as we continue to be ministers to these kids. I have a very very young girl whose breath smells very strongly of smoke. My heart just get so sad sometimes. But I think she is warming up to me and I pray that I can be an example of Christ to her.  This I can only pray. Every Friday night Julia and i have some students over for fun and vespers and I ask that you pray each Friday night for us!
Also each weekend Julia, Chase and I try do something fun. The pictures above is of what we do. If you have questions you can write on the blog! let me know!

I just figured it out! I think everyone can post now. Please try to do it on my stuff!!

Hello Family and Friends,

I apologize that I have not posted anything for a while. It has been very busy with teaching and tutoring. I have classes everyday but Friday and tutorees in between each of those classes. It has been really an experience trying to teach people a language when I cannot speak theirs. But it is very possible. You may not think that it is a mission field(because at first I was skeptical), but let me tell you that it is amazing the possibilities here. Especially with tutoring. I have so many kids tell me their problems and about everyday life. The topics that are "accidentally" covered is also amazing. Christianity is sometimes mentioned and it is very exciting. Also it comes up that you can speak your own believes, its a blessing! My roommate had someone tell her that she didn't believe in love or marriage because she never has kept a boyfriend very long. She says she gets bored with them. She then concluded by telling Julia that she knew something was missing and that the young men were not fulfilling that need. WOW!! RIGHT?? You need Christ!!! -what Julia wanted to yell but knew it was not the time. Julia and I are praying earnestly for these students that they will open themselves up for learning of Christ. The young people here are very secular and many have told me that they are atheist. Young people making decisions that they don't believe in love or in God. 15 year olds actually. Very awing. I also have a young man that is very interested in the world and politics. It came up about all the crazy things that are happening in the world and that there is a possibility of a world war. During this conversation I was able to say that I was a Christian and that I believed that there is good and bad in this world and that no matter what happens, I know that I will be safe. :) It is really amazing. I really love these people who I teach and I am going to have a blast this year.
Also a new SM came on Thursday. Chase Olsen is his name and he is from Wala Wala University. He kinda had a hard time with the time change but I think he is okay now. Please pray for him as he literally dives into teaching. Julia and I had more time to prepare and get accustomed to everything. Also I have a big praise that there was an extra guitar lying around that I will be able to use! There is someone possibly interested in me showing them how to get started and also a young girl at the church is interested in piano lessons. :D
The church here is so great too. God has put me in a wonderful church family. They are especially wonderful because they have put up with my piano playing every Sabbath. ;) They even tried my vegan dish the other Sabbath so thats good. hah. The food is sooo good here that I might roll home instead of fly! But that is okay. I actually doubt that that will happen because Julia and I walk about 4 miles a day going back in forth from different locations to tutor and teach. That does't include going to the market or to the Bureau to see our boss. My boss by the way is Tom. He is a really nice guy with a really nice wife and a really cute little girl! She is the one who found my mushroom. He has just become a vegan and has inspired Julia and I to also try with him. It has gone well! Cooking is a little harder but we made some pretty good naleszniki (almost like crepes) without eggs or milk. They were awesome actually! Tom, Julia, and I are going to do some vegan experiments next Sunday in his kitchen so we will see how that goes!! Hopefully nothing will blow up! I have also found that it is very strange to be vegan here because eating cheese and milk is part of their culture. But I really feel better not eating cheese! hah sorry I feel like I am rambling on. :)
But this year is going to be really great. There are some days I come back from teaching, ready to collapse from exhaustion. Sometimes I feel discouraged because my class of 11 year olds seem to not respect me and I don't know what to do with them. But you know, the next day I feel so refreshed and ready that I know it is God-given. He has been there every step of the way and I know that He will continue to be. These past 4 weeks have been a growing up experience in itself. The experiences, the trials, the struggling, and maybe a couple tears. :) But it has been great. Those hard times have been a great minority and the good times a majority. I love these people to death and I know that when I come back I will think of them often. I think of you all often also. May God richly bless you as He takes you all on a journey or your lives. I pray that you will also ask God to give you trials so that you can "praise Him in the storm" and become anew and ready for a new day! This always used to sound so strange to me but now it doesn't. The trials brings on new things, you change, grow, and become reborn. God is good.
I am sorry you cannot post on my blog. Hopefully I can change that. I am working on it! I miss you all and may God richly bless you. :)