Mary's Travels

Some thoughts on Tabaski

2011-11-06T10:43:00.001Z

Today thousands of people around me are celebrating the muslim holiday Tabaski. Smoke is hanging thickly in my yard. At times when the sun shines just right it obscures the view of my yard completely. For days cars, buses, donkey carts, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians... you get the point, have been going back and forth transporting sheep for this festive occasion. One of the most

A little taste of wound care

2011-10-23T19:50:00.000Z

My favorite part of working at the hospital is definitely wound care. Not only have I always enjoyed and been fascinated by caring for any kind of wound but I also have to admit that I like the longer term relationship that is often developed with these patients. I pray that as I treat each one of them they will know the kindness of the Savior. Some days it feels like a guessing game as I

Ala Ka Caman Bila A No Na (warning-it's a bit rambly)

2011-09-03T20:38:00.000Z

May God Replace It With Much More!! For months this phrase has been a pure embarrassment to me. The worst part about that is it's a blessing and usually when people speak it over someone they do it with sincerity. For months my normal response was "He already has." Actually making the appropriate "Amen" come out of my mouth was like choking on sawdust. I finally decided to stop and try

A LITTLE VILLAGE FUN

2011-05-01T19:30:00.000Z

(Warning: long post) This last week was a full week of village outreaches. Well, to be honest it could have been a bit more full but we're all pretty worn out. On Monday evening the American team along with our visitors got together for a meal. While there I got some last minute instructions for Tuesday morning and headed home to prepare for the next day. Each morning I got up around 5:30

Tears and Saying Goodbye

2011-02-23T09:08:00.000Z

I just received a message this morning that a good friend passed away yesterday. Hawa was an adopted mom to me and, though she lived in Niena, I usually made it a point to visit or ask specifically how she was doing. Her son, Mama, worked for me in Niena and I have had the privilege of studying the Bible with him on a daily basis, though he is not yet a Christian. I know Hawa's death has hit

Giving gifts and open doors

2011-01-25T17:55:00.000Z

This Christmas I decided that a good way to get to know my neighbors would be to give them a small gift in honor of Christmas. Though most don't celebrate Christmas here they are willing to accept a gift given for that reason. On that note I headed to a local boutique and stuffed my shoulder bag with all it could carry. Each family got tea, sugar, coffee, powdered milk, and some pieces of

A Christmas Gift and a Stark Reminder

2010-12-21T22:53:00.000Z

It doesn't take much imagination to guess that Christmas is a little different here. In fact, it's almost nonexistent in most cases. The only places that I have seen any decorations so far is in Missionaries houses or the guest house. It feels so strange to go through town or to church and not see a sign or a hint of what we celebrate. Unfortunately, with my very American mind and

You'll never find me in here

2010-12-18T22:24:00.000Z

A nice surprise!

2010-12-17T21:08:00.000Z

Today my language partner sent me some "to" (pronounced "tow") for lunch. It was such a nice surprise since to is one of my favorite foods here. For those of you who are wondering what to is I will attempt to explain: the base for to is a very thick porridge of ground (pounded) millet or corn, it is eaten with the right hand and dipped into a sauce made from okra. (sometimes there is

The Taste of Home

2010-12-17T20:34:00.000Z

Thanks to my wonderful Mom for sending this special treat along with me. It's one of my favorites. Kudos to the great developer who figured out that they could get the goodness of a candy bar in these little bites. I hope they last a long time.

Oh the joys of going to the market :)

2010-12-16T19:34:00.004Z

I like to walk to the market. It's a good 2 miles round trip and it feels so good to get the exercise - especially this time of year when the weather is tolerable. Almost from the moment I leave my gate there are people to greet. While some just want to greet a white person and we just exchange a cursory greeting, others know me by name and we exchange a more in-depth greeting. I love

Just because God loves me.....

2010-12-16T19:29:00.000Z

It's been a tough week in language study. I am stuck in a chapter in which everything is described in very high level grammar terms, at least by my standards. Any brilliant person out there who is able to put them in layman's terms is welcome to try. I am by no means a grammar guru, and just trying to pronounce the English explanations gives me a headache. Ouch! Here are a few samples:

December Update

2010-12-11T16:57:00.002Z

As I think about the Christmas story once again, I realize that not all that much has changed through the years. Jesus arrived into a world that was frightfully busy. Hundreds of people were on the roads traveling, converging into the cities of their ancestry. Streets and marketplaces were crowded, and Inns filled to capacity. In the midst of this Mary and Joseph

The Animal Saga: The dead and the soon to be.....

2010-12-06T19:31:00.003Z

It is with regret that I inform you that the turtle is no longer with us. He succumbed to his injuries around 10 am on Friday. No memorial service was held. He was, however, placed in the trash pit and is awaiting cremation. R.I.P. The cat on the other hand is very much alive but is driving me insane. For the past 4-5 nights there has been a young kitten crying right behind my house. This

An Early Christmas

2010-12-05T18:32:00.000Z

After almost 3 years I finally have my own bed again, and boy is it huge! Of course, a huge thanks goes out to all of you who loaned me a bed during this time. It has been much appreciated. I bought the bed while I was home this last summer and shipped it out. Before I shipped it I stuffed it full with lots of fun stuff like material, candles, wrapping paper, fishing poles, a tent etc. I had

Activities of Daily Living

2010-12-02T22:29:00.000Z

A typical nursing term describing things that most people do every day and never even think twice about. Unfortunately, when a person becomes ill those things become difficult and at times even impossible. Today I was considering this as I picked through my rice. That is one of the activities that you will find here that is definitely a far cry from what you would find in the US. You

Unwanted Guests

2010-12-02T22:16:00.000Z

I am daily visited by some very unwanted guests. Thankfully they don't seem to take to much of a fancy to me but there are the occasional ones that come by just to check things out. I'm thankful for products like "Off" and "Repel". They help me discourage my guests. Most of all I'm thankful for Doxycycline that so far has kept me malaria free. So many kids, teens, and adults die from malaria

Enjoying the Beauty Around Me

2010-12-02T21:02:00.002Z

One of the blessings of inheriting my house and courtyard from a co-worker is that I also inherit their hard work. I am appreciating all of the fun plants, some of them exotic, that are in my yard. I thought I would share a few of the pictures that I have taken. Banana Tree Rose Rose Gardenia Flowering Pomegranate Tree

Today in Replay

2010-12-01T21:45:00.002Z

My alarm failed to go off this morning. I never did check to see what I had done wrong since I was more concerned with getting my day started. Its probably a good thing I wake up around the same time every day. I didn't lose too many minutes. Ate leftover soup for breakfast and headed the living room for some quiet time. In the middle of that my houseworker arrived to greet me and let me know

Alliance Women's meeting

2010-12-01T13:32:00.000Z

Yesterday was the weekly Alliance Women's meeting here in Koutiala. This is the first time that I have been back to it since returning to Mali. They aren't normally quite as fun as going to an Alliance Women's meeting at home but it's a good way to get to know the women and hear some Bambara. I went with my houseworker's wife and Hawa, my language partner, We went in my car since I

Animal Saga: Finding a name for the Cat

2010-11-30T21:09:00.000Z

Ok, so I have been searching for a name for this cat for about 8 months now and have never found one that I am satisfied with. I even gave the job of naming it over to my houseworker hoping he could come up with a creative Bambara name but he only said. We don't name our cats. They are just called Jakuma or cat in English. That's ok, but I wanted more. Maybe that's too much to ask. Hence

The Animal Saga: Retrieving the Dog and Cat and more......

2010-11-30T20:49:00.000Z

Retrieving the Dog and Cat: Note: This really should have been multiple blogs but since I am struggling to catch up I am combining the whole story into one. Sorry for the length. When I got back to Mali I had one week to get my house set up then it was off to Field Forum (our annual field retreat/ministry review session). It turns out that the week of setting up was a very good thing since I

Thanksgiving and the Turkey Trot

2010-11-27T21:04:00.038Z

My language partner's turkey. I love watching him show off. HAPPY THANKSGIVING Ok, so maybe I'm a little late but I just finished celebrating today. We had our big dinner with games and a movie yesterday. I was so stuffed I was afraid I would never go to sleep - but sleep I did. This morning we went on the "Turkey Trot" out to an old abandoned pig farm. I guess it's tradition around here

Missing my internet

2010-11-23T18:52:00.000Z

I have several things that I would like to post but I don't have internet at my house. As I write this I am sitting out on the street using someone else's internet. I realize that this isn't exactly the best place to be sitting, especially since people are walking by and watching me using the computer. It's a bit uncomfortable at times so I don't do it often. Today I went and got things

11/12/2010

2010-11-12T16:22:00.002Z

Things are going well and my house is progressing. I still have some painting to do and a few more of the small things to put away but it feels like home. Being back in Mali has felt so good. I am constantly reminded of God’s call and have a peace that this is where he wants me. On another note I have been struggling a bit to feel like I am fitting back into the team.

Back Across the Pond

2010-11-01T19:35:00.000Z

It's amazing how time can both fly and drag by. Those first 2 weeks of home assignment were pretty tough and the first month seemed to never end. I can honestly say that I have now experienced home sickness for the first time in my life. I actually cried myself (almost) to sleep one night and had to stop myself from doing it another. As the time went on it became a little easier though and

Facing Home Assignment

2010-07-28T09:58:00.000Z

I never expected my first home assignment to be so difficult. I knew that I could love Mali and that this could feel like home but I never dreamed that I would have a hard time saying goodbye and embarking on the journey back to the US. I guess I just assumed that the US would always remain the most precious. I am sure in many ways it still is but I feel like I am leaving a huge chunk of my

Jameson's Mamba

2010-07-23T17:09:00.062Z

Before I say anything else I have to say thanks to my mom for giving me an appreciation for spiders, snakes and the like. That actually comes in quite handy. Especially since I am now living in Africa and snakes are not an uncommon site around here. Yesterday we had a family come for a one night stay in the guesthouse. They have two little boys and one of them wanted to see my "foster

changes

2010-07-20T20:02:00.015Z

Time is ticking down quickly for me here. I am loving every minute of it though and being the only missionary left here on the compound really hasn't bothered me. It has been a bit strange being called the "boss" and "madame" as it kind of goes against the grain. On the other hand, it has been fun to just build relationships and practice language. Every day it gets a little better. Now to

Alone...or... maybe not...

2010-07-13T18:33:00.004Z

I said goodbye to another family this morning. The Braafharts left to return to the states for good today and another family also left to go to the US for vacation this week. I don't know how it will go since I haven't been here all that long and I am used to being basically alone in the village. Here goes......

Visiting

2010-06-24T13:04:00.007Z

Last Friday I retook and passed my second language test. I can't tell you what a relief that was. After two weeks of stressing over the test and not being able to sleep I was finally able to look forward to a weekend to catch my breath a bit. But, actually, I ended the weekend pretty tired but happy. Early on Saturday a group of us headed to Niena for a day trip. Two of the men from

Finding a new Church

2010-06-09T14:27:00.002Z

I have now been in 3 different churches in Koutiala. That's right 3 of them. There are actually 4 Christian and Missionary Alliance churches here in our town with most or all of them having an attendance of 4-6 hundred each. Just that thought alone brings tears to my eyes. It's exciting to think of how many pinpricks of light, some of them rather large, are shining through in this

A Trip to the Bush

2010-06-08T21:28:00.000Z

xFor those of you who like short blog posts I will warn you that this is going to turn into a long one. For that reason I am going to give you a very quick summary then tell the whole story. For the rest of you - enjoy the full version :) Summary: Another missionary, her worker, and I went on a trip into the Bako area of Mali for the weekend. She was going to greet the churches before she

With open eyes and being prepared.

2010-06-06T14:27:00.040Z

Since coming to Koutiala I have tried to go to the market or another public place on a regular basis so that I can practice and advance my language skills and begin making friends. I have spent a full 3 hours on a few different occasions just walking through the market and chatting with people. It's kind of fun knowing that I can go now and people know my name and want to chat. :) Last

Falling behind ..... and moving forward

2010-05-24T18:51:00.000Z

For those of you who have kept up with what is going on you probably know that I have been trying to get my second test taken for a little while. I was hoping to get it taken just before leaving Niena but with everything that was going on I was encouraged to wait until I moved to take it. I did take the test last week, just after moving, and unfortunately failed it. So now it's back to the

Settling in

2010-05-19T15:59:00.000Z

Ok, so it hasn't been quite as easy as I would have hoped. Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff I need is in storage and I have no clue which boxes. Some of those things have been in storage since I came to Mali. So, that means I am becoming well acquainted with the storage room. On the other hand, there are lots of new things to have fun with and enjoy. First of all, I have had

Moving Day

2010-05-15T13:00:00.121Z

Well, moving day is finally here and over. I thought it would be interesting to share a little about my day. The day started pretty early. I was up around 5:20 and getting ready for the day. It's a good thing because the truck which was scheduled to arrive yesterday afternoon to transport my stuff to Koutiala arrived at about 5:35. I certainly was glad that I was up and around already.

More Africa

2010-05-02T06:59:00.001Z

Click on the picture to check out the photos. Enjoy!

Moving Forward

2010-04-28T11:14:00.000Z

I have now been nearly 10 months in Mali and it's time to move to Koutiala. Once again I am packing boxes and tying up loose ends. Thankfully I have my car to load up with stuff and God has provided a Malian rider so I won't have to make the trip alone. The next 2 weeks should be pretty busy. Pray for me as I say goodbye once again. This move has been a hard one for me.

Catching up - Visiting the Hospital

2010-01-24T17:34:00.000Z

I finally got to visit the Hospital for the first time in October. It was a whirlwind tour but was nice to see. I still have months of study left before me but it's encouraging to catch a glimpse of the other side and to watch how God is at work here in Mali.

Catching up - Church

2010-01-24T16:21:00.001Z

Thankfully, along with language I have also been able to get my feet wet, so to speak, in ministry. One of the ministries that I have enjoyed is helping with the new church plant in Tiola. We are working there with a middle aged Malian couple. The wife has been a christian for many years now. Her husband, Eli, is a new Christian. Before accepting Christ as his savior Eli made his living

Catching up - Language

2010-01-24T14:26:00.000Z

I thought I would follow up the update about school with some thoughts about the language here. Bambara is actually fairly basic as far as languages go. (That is my view for those of you who might disagree) It is really a very concrete language with very little to no abstract thoughts. Unfortunately for me I think in the abstract quite frequently so often it seems like moving into the

Catching up - School

2010-01-24T14:07:00.000Z

I am still slowly working toward the second test which is also the end of the first of 2 books. I am finding Bambara to be much harder for me to learn than French. I am sure this is due in part to the difference in situation. I do so much better in a classroom situation where I have some deadlines and a partial sense of competition. It is not a competition to be the best in the class or

Will I ever catch up?

2010-01-24T13:37:00.003Z

Ok, so I am going to endeavor to do a little catching up here. It is so hard to not have internet and keep these posts coming as they happen. I suppose that if I was smart I would be at least writing them out as they happen so that when I do have internet I am not scratching at distant memories. Hopefully this won't be too disjointed.

Help I am Drowning!

2009-11-14T17:36:00.002Z

Life is Busy Busy Busy! I can't believe it. I am now getting close to being 2 months behind on my prayer letter. It's crazy. The good news is that I have taken and passed my first Bambara exam. It was a bit nerve racking since it was over 10 chapters but I passed with an A. It's exciting to know that the first exam is behind me and I am working toward the second.

Moving Forward

2009-09-30T13:01:00.002Z

The months are slowly ticking by. It has now been almost 2 moths since I arrived in Mali. I have enjoyed my time here immensely and have been excited and amazed at each new discovery. Given the fact that there is still a rather significant language barrier, my biggest discoveries right now are with nature and animals. (Attached: Red Legged Walking Frog who lives in my front yard.) I might as

Mali Independence Day

2009-09-25T15:32:00.001Z

Mali's independence day fell right at the end of Ramadan this year so most of the people around Niena had had their fill of celebrating by the time the actual day arrived. They decided to move the celebration to the next weekend. This was my second time to celebrate an independence day in an African country. (The first was in Gabon in 2002.) They were by no means the same. This was quite

An Amazing Journey

2009-09-09T08:09:00.004Z

This is from my August prayer letter. I tried to share a little of my life to give you an idea of how I live. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to ask questions if they arise.**** Please note: Something in the upload changed the screen times. You will likely have to hit pause several times to follow the video well. *****

August Update

2009-08-28T09:38:00.000Z

I can’t believe that most of the month is over already. Sorry for being so late with this letter. The days are flying by so quickly. I have been in Mali almost 4 weeks now. I am living in a moderately sized village located in the bush. The village is called Niena and I will be here for one year. Originally the plan was to go straight to Koutiala where I would complete a year of Bambara

Meet my houseworker Tabita

2009-08-22T10:30:00.000Z

Meet my houseworker Tabita. She works for me 5 days a week, when I have work to do, and helps me occasionally with learning the language. She has 5 children and is expecting the 6th in January. Her husband works for our local Christian Radio station.

A little bit of life

2009-08-20T12:47:00.002Z

It's hard to believe that I have been in Mali only 17 days. It feels like so much more. (In a good way) I think I am settled in though I am starting to really look forward to receiving my outfit. I am living with the basics right now and will be glad of a few of my own things. A few people have expressed surprise to find out that I am living in the bush without electricity. Technically I

Settled in Niena

2009-08-14T08:01:00.000Z

I wish I could share pictures but I am not sure it will work so well. I am truly liking it here. Life is definitely different but good. I am appreciating meeting the people here and spending time in their homes. Language study takes up about 6 hours a day and am very slowly picking up the greeting which is very important here. I am glad they are forgiving of my blunders and I pray that I

In Mali

2009-08-04T21:26:00.001Z

Well goodbyes have been said in Albertville and I am writing this from the air. We are now only an hour away from Bamako. It is so hard to believe that the journey of the last year is over and I am on the threshold of another aspect of that journey. God has been so faithful. I will never be able to express how much I appreciate those who pray for me. You all have been a

Goodbye Albertville

2009-06-26T08:10:00.002Z

My third trimester finals are completed and passed and it is time to move on. Life has been filled with preparations, cleaning, packing, and of course last minute glitches in the plans. I am thankful that I can trust that God is in control. Today I have to wrap everything up. I will graduate this evening then am off to Paris in the morning. What an amazing journey with God. Thank you to all

Boldly Going Where No Man Has Gone Before

2009-06-14T12:39:00.002Z

Ok, so this is not true for me in the least. God has blessed me with an appointment among a group of people that I admire greatly. His confidence in the abilities, talents, and passion that he has given me far surpass my own. But, I am reminded that even if this weren't the case- one, there is never a place where "no man" has gone before, and two with Christ in us we are never alone. When we

Packing Again

2009-06-10T14:25:00.000Z

It's that time again. I am glad that I haven't moved every year of my life like some families do. And it isn't a habit that I would like to start. It isn't so much the goodbyes but the unsettled feeling that comes with moving. Nonetheless, I am excited about moving forward into the new lessons that God has for me. Of course if moving every year helped keep me from accumulating too much

"Lord Teach us to Pray"

2009-05-21T08:54:00.002Z

Some recent thoughts. Sorry for the rambling While I have prayed this prayer for myself before, learning a new language has definitely brought a new challenge. Somehow stuttering over my phrases with the one who will judge me least for my mistakes is the most intimidating. But oh how important that communication is. But, back to the challenge idea. This whole concept has brought to

Language Bloopers

2009-05-08T18:35:00.000Z

Ok, so I would have to be lying if I said learning the French language was a breeze. I, like most, have made those infamous errors. Of course there are those little mistakes like - Normally, when giving a command you should just say something like “mange!” (Eat!) But no, I had to say “mange-Toi!” (Eat yourself!). Then there have been those larger mistakes. Of course

Mom Viseted!!!

2009-04-07T12:27:00.001Z

The visit that I have waited for for so long has come and gone. My mom is now on the plane en-route to America while I sit waiting to catch the train back to France. It is hard to believe that the week went by so fast. It was a great visit. We walked miles and saw lots of sights. God has given me such an amazing mom. I thank him for her. Thank you also to those of you who sent

Exams Over

2009-04-07T12:26:00.000Z

Exams are now over and I am so happy! I passed. Thanks for your prayers. It is hard to believe that I only have one more trimester left. The time is flying by so fast. This coming semester I am planning to drop one of my weekly appointments and hopefully pick up a weekly tutoring appointment. My goal is to learn as much as possible. I need to have a strong foundation before I leave here.

Once in a Lifetime Experience

2009-02-18T15:59:00.004Z

I had the privilege of attending the World Ski Championships here in France last week. I can still hardly believe that it was possible. They were held in Val d'Isere a ski village about an hour away. We went on two different days and had a great view of the slopes. It was so much fun. What made it even nicer was that the transportation came out to about 5 dollars for both days. We packed

2009-02-18T15:51:00.002Z

Well, February vacation is almost halfway over and while I have had a lot of fun I am also realizing that my time here in France is passing almost as quickly. I now have only 4 months to go. Though I have picked up French I still feel that I have so far to go. This trimester I increased my time to meeting with someone on Mon, Tues, Wed, and every other Friday. It has seemed like so much and

2009-02-10T20:40:00.003Z

A Look at Albertville

2009-02-09T13:28:00.003Z

This is a little bit of Albertville. The school where I am attending is near the very center of the picture. Albertville really isn't all that big but to me it is huge. It has been a little bit of a struggle to live in the "city". At least that is what I call it. Others here consider it to be pretty small. I miss the open countryside and woods. Now, I don't have to go very far to get to

Sharing the Light of the Gospel

2009-02-08T14:52:00.004Z

Ephesians 6:19-2019 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Last week one of the students from the more advanced class went with Stephany and I to our language helper's house. The other class has a

Birthday Fun

2009-02-05T20:00:00.001Z

I had the privilege of attending David's first birthday party. David is the youngest son of Michael and Valerie Stephens who are new students here this year. They are working with the same organization and are going to Senegal. As you can tell by the picture on the bottom I had a lot of fun and enjoyed the break from studies. I thank the Lord for the new friends that he has brought into

Documents

2008-12-11T20:04:00.002Z

My documents allowing me to stay in France have finally arrived. None of us have had our required doctor's appointments but never the less we have our documents in hand. Thankfully I won't have to worry about whether I will be able to get back into France after the holidays. Thank you to all of you who prayed.

Update

2008-12-06T17:35:00.003Z

Well, I am missing my computer since it got sent back to the US. I am borrowing another right now. It has helped me study more for exams though. Not a bad thing overall. Sorry for the lack of posts though. I am guessing that I won't be getting it back until the new year. Until then I will make do.I still have not received the documents that I am waiting for for travel although I hear that they

Cultural Experience

2008-11-13T10:50:00.002Z

I don't have much time but I thought I would write while it is still fresh in my mind. Our class just took a mini cultural field trip to the local open air market. (There is one on Thursday, and Saturday here) We got to taste some of the cheeses made locally in this region as well as bread and some honey. It was a good chance to ask questions about what the French think is quality as well as

Classes Resume

2008-11-07T11:42:00.003Z

Well, break was great but I have to admit that I am so happy classes have resumed. I really appreciate the schedule, the daily language practice that is hard to get among other Americans, and the ability to communicate a word or two more with each passing day. Those weren't exactly my thoughts when the break started but it helped me learn to appreciate the work as well. I have a lot to learn

Birthday Fun

2008-11-02T07:39:00.004Z

I had one of the best Birthdays this year. I can't fully say why but I am sure that it had a lot to do with all of the cards and e-mails. I am guessing that I received over 30. The day itself was nice too. We had remnants of snow in the mountains and it actually didn't rain. I spent four hours carving a pumpkin. Yes 4 hours. One of the other girls tried to talk me out of it, but I went

Language Parteners

2008-10-30T09:24:00.005Z

We have now reached the midway point of our first trimester here in Albertville. Things seem to be going fairly well, although I feel like my progress right now is very slow. I am still having a hard time with speaking. I am hoping that I begin crossing that hurdle soon because it definitely hinders my progress forward. Time with the

2008-10-22T18:37:00.001Z

Ok, while I am still by far no expert at living in France I am realizing that I am settling in fairly well. Sure things still bug me once in a while but they aren't really cultural issues. The same issues would and could bug me anywhere in the world. Oops, I got off the subject. Yesterday a new single woman arrived. She is from Germany and will be volunteering at the school in exchange for

Staying Sensitive

2008-10-22T14:29:00.002Z

Sorry if this is long and wordy.... Ok, while I am still by far no expert at living in France I am realizing that I am settling in fairly well. Sure things still bug me once in a while but they aren't really cultural issues. The same issues would and could bug me anywhere in the world. Oops, I got off the subject. Yesterday a new single woman arrived. She is from Germany and will be

Glimpses of the Culture

2008-10-19T17:03:00.003Z

On Thursday we took a class trip to visit an artisan (glass blower) and an old mine. I had seen both before so I wasn't expecting anything too spectacular. However, there were several things that struck me as interesting. The first was how patient the workers at both places were. They obviously had been told before we arrived that we were foreigners living in France to learn the language and

Ladies Night Out

2008-10-12T13:26:00.003Z

One of the benefits of the school environment is that it provides opportunities for outreach both inside and outside of the school. Multiple oportunities are available. Most don't have to search too hard to find people in the community to converse with and even meet with on a regular basis. Others have joined local clubs that help them stay active and build relationships at the same time.

First snow in the Alps

2008-10-03T17:14:00.002Z

Last night we had our first snow in the alps. It is amazing to see God's handiwork. The French people say that it rarely snows in Albertville but the mountains get a good covering of snow in the winter. The trees are also beginning to change colors. I can't wait until the colors are really brilliant.

Animals, and the Olympic park

2008-09-28T16:04:00.004Z

Yesterday Heather and I walked to an event near the olympic park where farmers brought their animals for the day. (we never did really figure out what the event was.) They weren't really there for show purposes. They were just tied up in long lines. Some were for sale. I don't know about all. They also had farm implements for sale as well as cheeses, cheese making supplies ... I pet a

One month here

2008-09-28T13:14:00.002Z

I left home one month ago yesterday and arrived here one month ago today. It really seems like a long time ago. I have adjusted well to the culture (at least I think I have) and am learning the language ever so slowly. 9 more months seems like a long time but it will be neat to see the progress during that time. I look forward to that. I pray that this will be a year of growth. I can't wait

The Heat is on ... Things get wet.

2008-09-26T11:00:00.004Z

The heat was turned on this week ahead of schedule. From what I understand it has been unseasonably cold this September. The school asked us to check our radiators to see if they were functioning well. I turned one of mine on and it began leaking - turned it back off - still leaking. In less than 24 hours it filled a mop bucket half-way. The maintenance man finally came today and fixed it.

Package from Home

2008-09-24T14:08:00.002Z

I got my first package from home! Yeah! I recognized it sitting on the shelf even before I knew it was for me. Thanks Mom! It is great to have that touch of love from home. I really appreciate it.

2008-09-24T09:01:00.003Z

On Sundays we get together for a meal in the evenings. This past Sunday it was sloppy joes and french fries. Here is a picture of most of the girls that I live with.. Left to right ( Julie, Summer, Stephany, Sharon, Heather, Sarah, Amy. --- Hannah and I are missing.)

Progress and a wake up call

2008-09-23T19:49:00.002Z

Life can certainly change a lot in a month. We have gone from 80 degree temperatures to 50s and 60s. That wouldn’t be a major issue except that there won’t be any heat until October 15th and it has been raining a lot. It is rather comical to see people sitting in class with ski hats and scarves around their necks. I am sure we will all appreciate the heat a little bit more when it is turned

Brrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!

2008-09-17T11:35:00.005Z

Though the weather is once again clear and sunny it remains chilly here. At this moment it is only 57 degrees outside. Inside it is 66 degrees. Not all that bad really but there is a law in France that the heat in apartment buildings or multiple family dwellings can not be turned on until October 15 - nearly a month away. I love the cool so I haven't suffered as much as some. The temperature

Mystery Solved

2008-09-16T18:40:00.002Z

The mystery of Mercury is finally solved! Today I went with one of the other ladies and a woman from church for a walk. You guessed it! We went to Mercury of all places and more than that we went to the very road where we found that tiny chapel. We did take a different route for part of the walk. It was funny though because as we walked there was that church again. We were finally on the

Visit from a friend

2008-09-14T11:06:00.002Z

My friend Christina visited me this past weekend since she was in France waiting for a visa issue to be worked out. She has been in an Asian country and had to leave to get her visa reissued. The visit was just what I needed. We talked about what kind of adjustments we are going through after leaving home. The good things and the difficult ones. It was really nice to have a friend to share

First week of Classes complete.

2008-09-11T14:34:00.003Z

We have now finished our first week of classes here at CEF (Centre de Enseignment du Francais)Introductions are now a possibility. Tomorrow we begin a new series of lessons and each weekend we have a closed book evaluation to take home and do. It can be done anywhere between Friday afternoon after class until Monday morning. I still need to figure out what my studying will look like before I

New Bank Account

2008-09-10T08:29:00.002Z

Well, I have finally been able to sign up for my bank account here in France. The money is deposited and hopefully I will be able to begin using it by next week. That is a great relief. The bank account does not come with a debit card like in the states. You have to pay for that separately. (No fun - but worth the trouble I think) That's just something I have learned you have to get used to

Mercury

2008-09-02T17:00:00.004Z

Some of the other girls found a sign for Mercury during one of their walks. Result: They decided it would be fun to find it and see what was there. So off we went. The walk went through some small "village like" towns and then through some pretty countryside toward the mountains. As we got closer to the mountains we turned and walked along them toward Mercury. It was a nice but somewhat

First days in France

2008-08-30T17:26:00.001Z

Well, I am now in my third day here. The mountains are beautiful although the heat and the humidity have made the skies a little hazy. It has been about 70-80 degrees. Classes begin on Tuesday September 2. I am not sure why they don't start on Monday since that isn't a holiday here but I will be thankful for the extra day though I will also appreciate having some form of a routine. Right now