Recent Activities and Random Thoughts.

One fact that I don’t often share with people is that my apartment is a mere five-minute walk from the ocean. (I don’t enjoy incurring jealousy.) Nonetheless, I simply walk out my front door, down a few blocks and a staircase and suddenly I stand before the massive Atlantic. The sea is not only beautiful but it almost always speaks a deeper truth to me. One of my favorite things to do is to take a twilight jog along the boardwalk that hugs the ocean so that after my there and back route I can sit and stretch by the sea while the moon light flickers on the water. I love taking in the sound of the waves and the water crashing on the rocks. I love to look out into the inky black ocean, watching it stretch out till it blends into the darkness. And I love how it makes me feel. I feel both small and incredibly significant. I feel small in the sense that it reminds me that there is so much happening throughout the world beyond my personal sphere and yet, I feel significant because God loves me as if nothing else is. It’s a paradox really, and it’s a tension that I think sometimes makes it hard to grasp the truth of who God is. He is huge and yet so small. He is beyond powerful, and yet infinitely gentle. He is spinning the worlds of a billion galaxies, and yet the details of my day are important to him. It’s almost impossible to fathom, but I’m grateful for the ocean that helps me try.
I thought I would dive deep to start, to let you know some of my more recent revelations, but a lot has happened since my last blog so I thought I would also include a general run down of what I have been up to. Last week was a big week for me. Not only did a short-term missions team come from states but I was also shipped off to Brussels again to finish up the second part to my field orientation. I had been preparing a lot for both of these events the week before: arranging the details and daily schedule of the team, booking van rentals, and coordinating meals and work projects all the while finishing up the projects I was to present at my field orientation that of course, I had previously procrastinated on. Needless to say I was quite busy.However, I managed to pull everything together in time to board the plane just as the short-term team was landing into the country. While I was in Brussels for the week, I presented my projects, listened to my colleague’s projects, toured a little of the city and of course ate a Belgian waffle and plenty of Belgian chocolates. Sadly I had to miss a couple volleyball games and a few practices, but because I brought back a box of fine chocolates for my team, they readily forgave me. This week I have enjoyed a peaceful apartment as both of my roommates are off on quick trips to the states. I, however, am preparing to receive someone from the states as a guest for two weeks! My best friend, Holly, is arriving today!!! I have been looking forward to her coming as she is the first person from home that will get to know what life is like for me here. I’m sure by the next blog I will have several hilarious stories to share, as we never seem to avoid mishaps and crazy adventures. But for today I guess I will just show her the sea. ☺

Who Knew Fourth Place Could Feel So Good!!

This past weekend, I was blessed with the opportunity to play in a Grass Volleyball Tournament. I struggled to find people to play with as many of my Club Teammates had been playing with the same people for years in this annual tournament. However, with a few phone calls and a few new friends, I was able to pull together a team of five girls from various club teams in the area. We entered into the two day tournament and even with never having played together before, we pulled out fourth place in a tournament of around 20 teams!Not only did we take fourth place, but we had a blast together. The tournament itself was set in a pretty happening tourist destination called Belem.Picture a 300-year-old monastery with ornate gothic carvings towering above the trees that frame in our tournament field. As we sweat under the Portuguese sun, muddy and grass-stained from our self-sacrificing dives to the ground, we look up and see a place of worship that has stood strong for even longer than the USA has been a country. Yet the paradox of it all is just on the other side of the field is a row of stores, shops and restaurants, not the least of whom are Starbucks and McDonalds. On the opposite side of the monastery is the River Tejo, the life source of Lisbon, that is constantly bringing in ocean liners, cruise liners, and random ski-does to the doors of commerce keeping the city rolling.I found myself in this transcendent setting this weekend, all the while building and deepening relationships with my fellow volleyball players as well as with new friends I had just met. There was something even more special about it. For the first time in a long time I felt like I was really a part of their world.We sweat together, ate junk food together, guzzled many litters of water together, felt the stain of our muscles together and of course, laughed together.I was experiencing their pain, excitement, frustration, and joy!Of course I will always be the crazy American that they tease and pick on sometimes, but on their turf, in the midst of their history and culture, I labored with them and was able to step into their world. Not only did I have a blast, playing the game I love and slamming the ball down on my opponents/friends, I was able to feel apart of their world. And that is why I’m here, in Portugal. , and by the way… did I mention we won the equivalent of $270 for fourth place? Which split five ways is about $50 each person and enough to fill my gas tank for two weeks! Not to shabby!!! Either way, I had a great weekend, and though I am paying the price today in the soreness of my muscles and the fatigue in my body, I am convinced that it was definitely more than worth it!

Oscillating fans.

A little known fact about me is that in order to sleep in perfect peace I require but one thing: an oscillating fan. I know it sounds funny but ever since I was little I would have a fan blowing while I dozed off into dreamland and now that I am a little older, I can’t seem to sleep without one. The humming white noise lulls me to sleep and while this is a good thing when one is in bed, it can be somewhat fatal when one is sitting in Portuguese class. It is a proven fact by someone somewhere that learning a language and functioning entirely in a different language is exhausting. As the brain tries to adjust to the new language it nearly zaps you of the energy you would normally have. Combine the language acquisition exhaustion with the oscillating fan in our classroom and I am pretty much toast. Now I am happy to report that I have yet to fall asleep in class, but I admit to you that this success has not been without the help of way too many cups of coffee! I started this very intensive language course at the beginning of September and though it is kicking my butt, I am loving it.I love the whole experience of it from the time I step on public transport, to the interesting conversations in Portuguese to coming home again. I don’t so much enjoy getting up early, but once I’m up, I get ready and try to make it out the door by 8:45 to catch the train for my morning commute! Thankfully, I live ridiculously close to the train station being that I can see it from my bedroom window. With a good book in hand, I hop on the train at 9:54 and make it to Lisbon about a half hour later. From there I start the sprint down the stairs and escalators, past the ticket checkers and run to the end of the platform where I can find a seat on the least crowded car which will whiz me under the central city of Lisbon. I change metro lines one more time, ride for one more stop, and then emerge out into sunlight again. Miraculously, I am transported without a car, with a few quick sprints to the very steps of the university. If I get there early enough, I can grab a coffee, doctor it up with some sugars, drink it down and make it to class in time to learn my new language. The whole experience makes me feel like I am actually Portuguese. I also find myself in class with several new friends one of whom is this way cool Russian chick who is learning Portuguese so she can communicate better with her boyfriend. We have a good time in class as we banter back and forth. I was even given the chance to share with her, albeit in Portuguese, why I am in Portugal and why I would chose to live this sort of life. It was really a neat conversation that took me by surprise. Another friend I’ve made is a missionary from Australia who is working to plant churches. We really hit it off and I look forward to continuing to build that friendship. I am happy to say, though, that with all the extra practice in Portuguese, I have seen a major difference. I seem to understand more and my speaking has definitely improved. There is yet still much work to be done as I continue to find myself completely lost in some conversations. So if I can resist the oscillating fan for a couple weeks more I will find myself a little further along the path of language learning and hopefully a little closer to deeper relationships with the wonderful Portuguese that surround me.

A picture of me NOT in class!!

You never knew I was so talented...

I can’t believe that the month of August is almost finished and gone. Coming back from the states, I thought I would still have a little time to enjoy the sunshine and the beach before things started to get moving, however, since coming back from the beautiful land of Michigan, I have hit the ground running. Most of my activities upon my return have revolved around the annual conference of Christian Associates, called Connect. This year, Connect was held in Portugal about an hour and a half north of where I live. I worked alongside my teammates to help iron out the details for the week long conference, specifically making sure that everyone had transportation from the airport to the camp and back. It was an interesting challenge trying to maneuver those logistical waters especially considering that I am pretty much awful with details. I am happy to say that Connect was a huge success.I know from my experience at least, that I left feeling very encouraged with what God is doing in Europe and strengthened even more for what God has set before me here. Yet the week was not just filled with spiritual encouragement. I was also very encouraged by all the fun we had! One night, we actually had a talent show, which if any of you know me, you will know that I revel in these little spot light activities. I, hence, volunteered to perform two of my talents. (Lets be honest: there aren’t a whole lot to choose from!) One of the talents that emerged was a duet I performed with my friend Kara. We graced the stage with a lively rendition of the rap from Fresh Prince of Bellaire! It won the crowd over as everyone was clapping and laughing as we somewhat acted out the words! And, seriously, who doesn’t love to sing along to that song! My second talent involved a spicy balancing act to the all time classic of Vanilla Ice Ice Baby! I strutted up on stage to the beat and with the help of several conveniently placed props, managed to woo the crowd by balancing larger and more awkward objects on my face, all to culminate in balancing a table precariously on my chin. The crowd seemed to love it, and me being the little attention seeker that I actually am, drank it in enjoying the benefits of being able to perform stupid human tricks! (I hope you like the video! My friend, sadly, was not able to capture the pinnacle of the routine but at least you get the idea. Be prepared to rock out as well!!) For me the talent show was definitely a highlight, but I also really enjoyed getting to know other people from the Christian Associates family, playing a little beach volleyball and spending ample time outside in pine forest where our conference was set. the time Connect had finished I was ready to dive in again to the work before me. In a couple days, I begin studying Portuguese again, planning for another short-term trip to come in October, and even playing volleyball with the team again!
It is going to be a busy September, but I am happy to find a more consistent schedule again as fall is just around the corner. Someone send me some Michigan apples and I’ll make sure to send the Portuguese sunshine every now and again! Until soon.