A conversation that makes me happy

I know the following copied conversation will drive some of my friends nuts, but I want to share it anyway. I also took a quick trip down memory lane to the difficulty of language learning. I'm not sure if I ever told about this frustration, so its also included.

This is a friend that I relate to really well...from our list of overseas experiences to growing up in the same hometown. Half our conversations now start with "where are you in the world?" We were almost in the same time zone for about a week, but that didn't pan out.

We started talking about a culture we had recently experienced and the difficulties we found within it. We both found the same solution to the problem. Ignore, and keep walking. This then took us to the topic of language. Where he could get away with speaking another language, where I was, they just knew too many... in fact, they know more languages than I do.

I can't master a 2nd much less a 3rd language when I have difficulty with my first language!

When I had a tutor in Polish, she had to teach me English grammar first.

I'd love to give you an example, but honestly I can't remember exactly which form of verbs in Polish was like one of our English tenses. Anyway, I looked at her dumbfounded and asked her to explain. Sadly, she had to give me an example sentence... then I knew what she was talking about.

Its really sad when a foreigner has to "teach" you your own language before you can learn theirs... (aka, remind you what English grammar terms actually mean.)

My friend had a similar experience when he was learning another language. At this point, I was already laughing out loud, even though I'm in the apartment alone and typing on Skype.

So, this led up to our conversation via Skype about comma usage... :)

~~~~

My friend "K": one day in college my prof (who was the campus paper staff guy) asked me to come on staff and write articles because he said i had a really good "writers voice"

K: and i told him i would make a terrible reporter because my grammer is so bad

me: hahahaha. You just need a script to read.

K: well, he said he would proof my articles for me

K: and then he told me i had a pretty bad comma splice problem

K: to this day i can't define what a comma splice is

me: HAHAHA

me: its ok, neither can I. I use too many commas

K: it has something to do with an independent clause, but i don't really know what that is either

(side note: at this point I was almost in tears laughing so hard because I totally feel the same way. I was actually thinking...whats a comma splice?)

me: in my head, a comma means pause, or emphasis when Im typing something.

K: ME TOO

K: if i would pause when i'm speaking it, that's where i put my commas

me: YES!

K: apparently, i am WRONG

me: LOL its a shame we don't talk like we should... or write like we talk... or whatever it is

~~~~

For all my English savvy and reporter friends, I apologize...lol, but Im glad I'm not the only one who doesn't have a clue about grammar anymore.

I do know that Poles spend more hours in school on grammar and language than we typically do in American schools. Although they do have a more difficult language, it is taught longer. Where we turn to literature and reading, which I did love, they continue to hound on the basics. After a certain point in our education, it kinda feels like teachers seem to expect you to just know it. Somewhere in the 1 year grammar was taught, I managed to miss comma day. Every paper I ever had critiqued had commas taken out (among other things). I never knew exactly why they were taken out...they just were. On occasion I would have them added in, but that was rare. Maybe one day it will all make sense...

From the land of 7 tenses, masculine, feminine and neutral endings; animate and inanimate objects that also affect endings, and 2 words for every verb - I say goodnight.

may musings

Dear God,

Why is it still cold outside? You know I have a very hard time keeping warm on my own... I need some help! Will you please bring out the sun, warm up the earth and let me sweat a little? I really do miss it. Honest. I like my jacket, but currently prefer not to wear it. It's almost June. Please, can you make it feel like June?

There really are a lot of other things I'm thankful for - my girls I do Bible study with, home group, English Club... all those are going great! I got to see friends, travel a little and we have a busy summer coming up. Its all very exciting. Can we have sun to match our smiling faces? We even had a picnic in the rain because we wanted to go outside so badly.

Thanks,

me

picnic in the rain... sat on and under tarps. ... and our shoes sat under an umbrella.

the blessing of children

A few months ago, I received an email from the first-grade Sunday School teacher at my home church in NC. She had been teaching the kids about Lottie Moon and the Christmas offering. Its an offering that goes directly to overseas missions. They wanted to talk to someone in the field and contacted me.

I told them a little of what I do (with photography and English clubs, etc) and they did an amazing job teaching the kids. They pulled up a map of where I am, showed them photos of my family and of me in the church directory, and pictures of what I do here. They prayed for me, and often do. One girl asked her father to take her to meet my parents...now to the first-grade class, they're "Kaylin's parents" instead of "Mr. and Mrs. B..."

All this touched my heart when I received the email telling me how things had gone.

However, I didn't know there was more in store...

Tonight, I received a little extra blessing that I did not know was coming. I went to the mail box after a long day out and received a number of cards from the kids! I opened them one by one and just had to cry because they are so sweet. I love the pictures and what the kids said, so I had to share them with you.

Plus, who doesn't love getting hand made cards on brightly colored paper?

I can't wait to get home this Fall and hug each and every one of those kids. I know they probably have no idea how much something like this means to someone so far from home, but it means the world.

Their hearts are pure, their love genuine, and tonight, I feel the arms of my Lord around me through the words and pictures from these kids.

Lord, give me your eyes please

So, this has kinda been my prayer this week. I stumbled across this song in my iTunes and love it. As I pray for the people I live among, I pray that God would allow me to see them through HIS eyes. I pray that I can view everyone I meet that way! (regardless of where I meet them or who they are) Think of how much God loves each of us...and if we all had that view of each other. We wouldn't be able to help ourselves, but to love others.

I come from a small town, so living in a city with close to 3 million people is a bit overwhelming. I tend to create my own little world and live within it - dismissing the hundreds of faces that pass me by each day - the ones I sit across from on the metro or bus... that I watch walk through the bazar outside my apartment... that stand in the lines in the stores I go to.

Maybe my eyes will be a little more open to the needs around me.

The song is:

Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath

Looked down from a broken sky

Traced out by the city lights

My world from a mile high

Best seat in the house tonight

Touched down on the cold black tar

Hold on for the sudden stop

Breathe in the familiar shock

Of confusion and chaos

All those people going somewhere

Why have i never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so i can see

Everything that i keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach?

Give me your heart for the one's forgotten

Give me your eyes so i can see

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Step out on a busy street

See a girl and our eyes meet

Does her best to smile at me

To hide what?s underneath

There?s a man just to her right

Black suit and a bright red tie

Too ashamed to tell his wife

He's out of work he's buying time

All those people going somewhere

Why have i never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so i can see

Everything that i keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach?

Give me your heart for the one's forgotten

Give me your eyes so i can see

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

I've been there a million times

A couple of million eyes just moving past me by

I swear i never thought that i was wrong

Well i want a second glance

So give me a second chance

To see the way you see the people all alone

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so i can see

Everything that i keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach?

Give me your heart for the one's forgotten

Give me your eyes so i can see

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so i can see

Everything that i keep missing

That i keep missing

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach?

Give me your heart for the one's forgotten

Give me your eyes so i can see

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

check out: http://www.kovideo.net/give-me-your-eyes-lyrics-brandon-heath-207439.html

It has the lyrics I posted here and you can listen to it at the bottom of the page.

My thoughts on snow

snow snow snow snow snow LOTS of snow snow snow

a little bit of snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow

snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow big fluffy flakes snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow

snow snow snow ice pellets snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow

snow snow snow snow snow snow snow ----it comes down sideways---- snow snow snow snow snow snow snow

it sticks to your face snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow

Since I can't seem to get away from the snow, I thought I would talk a little about it and give some of the thoughts I've had throughout this winter season.

First of all, it will end...eventually.

The winter we have had here has been a doozy. I hate being cold and wet. I really don’t enjoy the snow at all, yet I’ve had to live in it since before 2010 started. The snow finally melted mid-late Feb, except it came back the past 2 days. Since Warsaw never got warm enough for the initial snowfalls to really melt, it kept piling up – eventually to a few feet that just stuck around. Sometimes life is like trudging through that snow. Each step gets harder and harder. After a while, you have zero energy to do anything, period. Then comes the question, do I stand here freezing in this cold, or do I find a way to keep moving? Sometimes I just want to stay put and quit, but then I remember how much I hate being cold and find a way to move again. Sometimes that’s how life is…you just have to try to keep moving. Mostly, I’ve realized that its not by my power that I am able to find energy, but it’s my God who picks me up and walks forward.

Only then, do I really see how this beautiful pristine snow covers a dirty city. It’s kinda refreshing. It’s like the city is being washed and cleansed. It doesn’t always stay pure though. With sand and soot piled up, it makes for some pretty nasty looking snow. However it seems that without fail, just as it gets dirty a new snow falls, covering the old again and making it new. That’s how God works in our lives – covering the old and making it new. He keeps forgiving me for what I do wrong and makes me new in Him.

Then, it MELTS! What do you get with melted snow? Water, and lots of it. Puddles everywhere. I can't tell you how tempted I am to just jump in them sometimes. However, its far too cold to do that, so I choose to take pictures instead.

Maybe the rest of it will melt soon and Spring will come. I'm so ready for Spring, warmth and flowers. It will be nice running errands and not have to take 30 minutes just to bundle up before you walk out the door. It will be nice to not have to wear so much and be so weighted down.

........ ahhh, the freedom that Spring brings with it.........

Laughing at capitalism in its finest (Warsaw) moment

I had a good little laugh today. It was the first in a while I think.

I went to get a personalized metro card since its a new requirement. (Yay for new/ changing Polish laws) Often they will have guys on the metro checking for valid tickets, and if you dont have one, you pay big time. Anyway, the guy checked mine as I got off the metro...I go get my card...10 min later I was waiting for the metro and the same guy walks up and checks my card again...I was slightly stunned because he had literally JUST checked it. ... so Polish. AND, since I happened to have my brand new personalized card in my hand that he barely noticed, he started to walk away, turned around and asked for BOTH cards this time - checks my name on my current, valid (non-personalized) card against my new, photo-id and everything card that isn't even activated yet. Then he lets me go...WOW

Also, when I was walking back to the metro after getting my card, there were 2 guys standing in the hallway and one of them says "czesc!" as I walk by. It's an informal "hi" - in a kinda flirtatious way and I had no clue what to do. I just kinda kept on walking and didn't say anything. That was definitely a first.

After all this, I decided since I was only 1 metro stop away, I would go to Starbucks and get a coffee and sit for a little while - to think, to relax, to just enjoy a few minutes with a cup of coffee and sudoku. I was enjoying my bagel and window-side seat. I watched people walking by, waiting on trams, etc and just relaxed. For a moment, I could slip into my own "coffee heaven" and back into the world of coffee shops I love so much. Now, granted, Starbucks is not the ideal of my little heaven. I prefer local shops to chains, but considering they aren't that popular here, I have to settle for Coffee Heaven, ISpot, Starbucks and Empik Cafe - all chains.

I've only seen this once or twice here, but one of the workers walked outside with mini promo cups of hot chocolate and an entire tray was gone in like 2 seconds. She came back in, got more and walked out right before I did... before I even reached her -only a few yards from the door - the second tray was almost gone when an older man hurried up to her and was like COFFEE!? its free? ohhh, yes, please...

I just had to laugh because it was so opposite of what I had just seen in the metro! Where down stairs, a guy is standing at the only exit checking and double checking cards...and then right upstairs, capitalism being embraced at its fullest. Something's free!? Leave it to Starbucks... slightly ironic considering they are one of the most expensive coffee chains I know of!

Sadly though, it was back to Polish reality when I had to wait 30 minutes at the post office to get a package my parents sent me. There was only 1 person in front of me too! Oh well. At least I laughed today.

On another note, I'm so TIRED of it being white outside! The piles are almost my height now! They have no where to put the snow, so they just scrape it to the side, pile it up and keep piling. The sidewalks get smaller and the snow has only gotten deeper. sheesh....can I come back to the South now? lol. I want warm! sun! no snow! There's been a rhythm here - it snows, they scrape it to the sides and put down sand, the snow gets dirty, it snows again covering all the dirty snow with fresh white stuff and it starts all over again. fun. When will it end?

this is outside my apartment complex. The paths are slowly being cleared with a cool snow blower thingy. :)

Do not worry

Matthew 6:25-34. Great verses right about now when everything seems to be so crazy!

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I want to pull 2 things from this -

1, Its amazing that if God takes care of the birds the way he does, he will take care of us. I was thinking about this verse over the past few days and then I had a pigeon land on my balcony again...I thought I had been rid of them...but apparently not. I proceeded to the balcony door and scared it off. 'No nest for you!'

Then, I kinda had to laugh.... God still provides for the birds - even when we aren't helping him out! I wonder how many times we get in the way of God providing for us.

2- I love the last part - therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. HAHAHA - noooo kidding! Sometimes I can't even worry about a full day -only the next hour, or minute...because the following hours and minutes within that single day have enough trouble of their own.

Speaking of which...I just forgot about the laundry I did earlier thats STILL in the washer. One more trouble to handle before bed tonight...

then tomorrow awaits.

Happy New Year!

Oy vey - I'm terrible at keeping up...

I hope everyone is having a wonderful new year so far! I know that ours is filled with snow. You can tell I'm thrilled. haha. Actually this was me walking in the stuff today. It was still falling, or should I say blowing...right into my face. There was about 6-8 inches on the ground after I finally got home this evening.

As winter has definitely set in, English Club came to a close for the holidays but now we are back in the swing of things. In the mean while, I took advantage of a few free days to see some friends in Prague, CZ. It was a blast! The city truly is beautiful, but more than anything it was good to see friends. It helps having something to look forward to when you can't be with family for Christmas. I was back in Warsaw for the new year and spent it with friends.

There are a lot of great ideas and goals in mind for the new year and my last 8 months or so in Warsaw. (crazy how time flies) Anyway, here's just some photos from recent times. :) Enjoy!

At New Years here, everyone shoots off fireworks.

We didn't go into the center to see the city shoot some off because we were all too exhausted and didn't feel like being cold.

So we just watched out Susan's 3rd floor balcony and watched locals shoot them off.

Sadly this year wasn't as spectacular as last, but it was still enjoyable!

Now Prague :)

A view of the city from a hill across the river. We had to take a car up it and then walked back down.

The astronomical clock in the Old Town. The characters move on each hour and its got sections that tell you which month/ season, day (by names) and of course the hour and minutes.

The castle and Charles Bridge at night. So beautiful!

More adventures to come, but until then, I'm staying busy busy with English Club, a teammate leaving to go back to the states, a volunteer coming in to help, media stuff, people stuff, and just stuff!

Adios :)