The Other Side of the World

Patriotism in Hungary

2012-01-25T00:25:00.009+03:00

On Saturday night I got on the tram, a regular night out with friends, but as I stepped on the tram, there wasn't much room for me. Most of the seats and standing room were filled with elderly people wearing ribbons and holding flags. "Must be people coming from another protest," Will comment. He was right. Budapest holds many more protests than the America I once lived in (pre-Occupy Wall Street) and definitely more than Kenya (post-election violence). I've stumbled upon more than one during a walk through the city in the last six months. Although I wasn't present at the recent pro-government rally in down-town Budapest, I thought this Brit's view of the event was interesting. Check out his blog post: Politics by Candlelight, Budapest Rally.

On the tram

2012-01-21T11:23:00.012+03:00

Last night on the tram home from work there was a woman walking down the aisle asking for coins. She had a cup held out in her hand and a sign taped to her chest. I really wondered what the sign said. It was several sentences long, but the only part I could read was "250 Ft". I watched her come toward me, which is common on trams in Budapest. Usually Hungarians mostly ignore people asking for money or they say no as they pass. But that night something was different. Almost every person on that tram dropped coins in the woman's cup as she passed. And I wondered, what did that sign say? What inspired so many people to generously give to this woman? Then I thought, does it really matter what the sign says? Despite knowing the woman's situation or what her sign says or whether anyone else on the tram gives her anything, shouldn't I give anyway?

It's funny the things we notice.

2012-01-17T22:03:00.005+03:00

In the last few months I've noticed...

My bathtub is so clean.

It doesn't get that grimy ring around it.

In winter

wearing socks

and lots of layers of clothes

keeps your body pretty clean.

And my bathtub too.

All the dirt and grime

that has been impossible to get off my feet

the last three years,

All the dirt and grime,

that would layer on my tub in a week's time,

isn't there anymore.

It will come back again this summer

when I stop wearing socks

and put my sandals on,

but it was something I never would have noticed

if I hadn't spent three years

trying to get the dirt off my feet

and the ring out of my tub.

Esztergom

2012-01-15T12:39:00.017+03:00

A day trip from Budapest is one of the oldest cities in Hungary. People first settled there about 350 B.C. Birth place of King Stephen, the man who founded Hungary. Home of the largest basilica in the country. Religious and political center for centuries. Captured by everyone (Turks, Habsburgs, this king, that king), except the Mongols. Castle built in 1009. The city is rich in history.

We decided to go there after seeing the towering basilica on our way home from Slovakia two weeks ago. It looked so strange from the train seeing this HUGE domed building in the middle of nowhere. After a little research Will found it was Esztergom. So off we went on Saturday with some friends.

One of the wonderful things about Europe is public transportation! We hopped the train for $6 round trip, traveled a little over an hour through small towns and farms to get to this:

A beautiful church. "The St. Peter's Basilica of Hungary." And it does compare to Rome. It's situated on a hill overlooking the Danube. When we arrived in Esztergom, we meandered through the town's streets making our way toward the towering basilica.

It is a quaint town that was quite sleepy on a Saturday. Walking over cobble stone streets, we noticed a narrow alley that went up the hill. We turned onto the street and began walking up. Up stairs. Through doors. Up more stairs. Through some more castle doors.

And we came to the top to see a spectacular view.

At this bend in the Danube River, Hungary sits on one side (left) and Slovakia (right) on the other. A bridge connects two countries with completely different cultures and drastically different languages. It still baffles me that Europe has maintained such distinct cultures and languages in such a small area of the world.

Castle Hill had much to see when we arrived. The castle. The basilica. The view. Some artwork.

But the most interesting to me was the crypt.

We went under the church to the vast crypt. Parts of it were beautiful with high vaulted ceilings and pictures of Pope John Paul II's visit there. Other parts were creepy, dark halls that went to the gated unknown. I got a little freaked out. But it was amazing to see graves that had been there since the 1400's (like the picture above).

A little history. Beautiful church. Some snow. Some sun. A fun day trip in Hungary.

Is this convincing anyone to come to Hungary in 2012?

Reasons to Visit Budapest in 2012

2012-01-14T20:26:00.007+03:00

2012 is a new year. One that can provide many new adventures and exciting surprises for anyone willing to partake. And what better adventure than.... VISITING BUDAPEST! For anyone considering a trip to Europe, don't miss out on Budapest. Here are some highlights for 2012:

12 Reasons to Visit Budapest in 2012

Family and friends, I'll add reason 13: Get a personal tour and free place to stay with Will and Kim. (Actually that's reasons 13 and 14!) How can you NOT take advantage of this opportunity?! :)

Things happening in Hungary

2012-01-07T01:02:00.009+03:00

Well, it's not about kidnappings or car bombings, but Hungary's news is getting a bit heated lately. A new constitution was put into effect with the start of the new year. Basically it is being called an "unconstitutional constitution", even by the U.S. (Although I think some very right-wing U.S. republicans would support the current Hungarian Prime Minister's views. He's like Rick Santorum on conservative steroids.) The new laws include:

No rights for gay people.

No religions except the 10 or so recognized by the government. That means no Hinduism, Buddhism, or certain Christian denominations.

Government controlled media.

And various other human rights violations (the media says).

In all honesty, I don't understand everything the new laws do or don't allow, but I do know that the U.S. and EU are up in arms about the whole thing. As well as Hungarians, of course. New Years Eve was celebrated by many here with a protest, rather than fire works and champagne. From what I've read, I would protest too. It seems like the current Hungarian leaders want to go back in time 30 years. But some Hungarians do too. It surprises me that in the 21st century there are still people who are so prejudice: anti-semitists, anti-gay, anti-Roma, anti-homeless. Unfortunately, it's true all over the world.

As my husband says, "Don't hate."

Travels of 2012 begin!

2012-01-04T19:26:00.026+03:00

After a holiday spent sleeping, eating, and watching movies, we wanted to go SOMEWHERE to get away. We pulled out the travel books and decided on Bratislava, Slovakia.

Close.

Inexpensive.

And new to us.

So off we went for a couple nights...

Bratislava sits on the Danube River between Budapest and Vienna. Just a couple hours on the train from Budapest, we arrived in what was once the capital of Hungary.

In fact, this church, St. Martin's Cathedral, was the location of many kings' crownings for Hungary.

And what European city is not complete without a castle? Bratislava has two!

Sitting above the city's old town is Hrad Castle (pictured above), and Devin Castle (below) is just a 20 minute bus ride from town. (Traveler Tip: to Devin Castle take #29 bus under the New Bridge; get the 1 hour/0,90 Euro pass for one way.)

Devin Castle was my favorite of the two because it is mostly ruins, what is left after Napoleon destroyed it. This castle sits on the fork where the Danube and Morava Rivers meet.

Some other interesting sites of Bratislava included the UFO restaurant standing tall above the New Bridge,

And the narrowest house in Europe, which now houses a fast food restaurant on ground level.

The quaint streets and buildings of Old Town were just as fun to see as the sites of interest.

Bratislava was a great place for a couple nights. It felt more like a small town than a big city after being in Budapest for six months, but it's worth the trip if you're traveling between Vienna and Budapest. I learned a bit more about Hungary, even in Slovakia.

(Traveler Tip: For anyone going to Bratislava, I highly recommend the Hotel Michalska Brana. I don't usually promote businesses, but it was a fabulous find on hotels.com for a great price. One of the nicest places we've stayed in Europe and superb location in the middle of Old Town.)

Bratislava was a good start to our travels of 2012. Much more to come!

Happy New Year from Budapest!

2012-01-01T23:59:00.006+03:00

(View from Margit Hid - Margaret Bridge - at midnight January 1, 2012.)

Not home for Christmas

2011-12-29T12:45:00.004+03:00

This Christmas my friend, Jess, who many of you have been praying for and thinking about, was not with her family. She is still being held hostage in Somalia. Please keep her in your thoughts for a safe return home soon.

Jess, we still hope and pray.

CHRISTMAS!

2011-12-26T12:08:00.006+03:00

Like everyone else around the world who celebrates Christmas...

We ate!

And drank.

And hoped for snow.

On our Christmas afternoon walk through the city, we saw some remnants of the few flakes that graced us on Christmas Eve Eve.
It was a gorgeous sunny winter day with friends, pumpkin pie, ham, presents, and several phone calls around the world.

Merry Christmas from Budapest!

Living in a News-less Culture

2011-12-18T12:43:00.004+03:00

Budapest is a laid-back city, and Hungary even more so. The news stories are no different: not much to report. Whenever I peruse the Hungarian news, the stories are sometimes political, but most often not. More typical are articles about living in Budapest or a famous person's birthday. My favorite article last month was the five best places to buy kremes, a typical Hungarian dessert. These are today's headlines:

Ice Skating in Budapest

Budapest Mayor Asks Theater Director To Reconsider Hiring Of Csurka Following Anti-Semitic Screed

Tales from an American College Student Studying in Europe

A little different than Kenya invading Somalia or America withdrawing from Iraq. But I like the calm atmosphere in my new city. It's peaceful. I think I'll be happy living in a news-less culture. For awhile, at least.

Cool Kids

2011-12-14T19:19:00.006+03:00

A third grade conversation in reading group today:

"Falsely attractive is like the food on Vietnam airlines. They try to make it look good, but it's not."

"Ya, in Turkey it's like that too because they try to sell designer bags, but the rhinestones just fall off."

How many countries can we mention when talking about one vocabulary word? My kids are so cool! And the best part is... traveling the world is so normal for them, part of their every day lives. I love it!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-12-09T20:22:00.012+03:00

The last three Christmases looked like this:

80 degrees, a nice sun tan, swimming pools, and flowers blooming never quite felt like Christmas for this Alaska girl.

This year Christmas looks like this:

Christmas markets, mulled wine, lights hung, wooly hats, my HUGE new warm parka... It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And feel like it too... Brrr! But my first European Christmas definitely puts me in the Christmas spirit! It's even inspired the making of 5 stockings and a tree skirt (thank you pinterest).

Remember... While you wrap your gifts and prepare goodies for your families, please keep praying that my friend Jess is freed from Somalia to be with her family for Christmas.

Guest Rooms Ready!

2011-10-09T13:30:00.007+03:00

With guests coming in October,

we have been busy getting rooms ready.

We started first with this:

And changed it to this:

Next room was looking like this:

Now it's a little more suitable and we have this:

Porter B&B is open for business.

Come on over!

World Politics

2011-10-08T10:01:00.008+03:00

I know, it's a taboo subject anywhere you go. In Kenya it was tribal divides (that caused a LOAD of violence). In Hungary it's liberal vs. conservative vs. extremist vs. a whole lot of parties. In America it's always Republican vs. Democrat (meaning "Christian vs. non-Christian" from the Republican perspective and "non-thinker vs. enlightened" from the Democratic perspective). Everyone has a point of view. Everyone has an opinion. Some people listen to various opinions. Some people don't want to listen to anyone else's opinion because they KNOW. I've heard politics preached from the church pulpit (in more than one country) and politics come up in conversations on the public tram. Living rooms, kitchens, coffee shops, meetings... people talk politics. But what are they really talking about? Mostly what I hear in those conversations is what is wrong with the "other side". What is wrong with the Muslims. What is wrong with the Americans. What is wrong with the Africans. What is wrong with Christians. What is wrong with non-Christians. The truth is, we're all wrong. No one has it right. Because if we were, then we wouldn't have all the mess we have in the world. People in every country would have homes and food and jobs. Political leaders wouldn't be so greedy and would actually want to HELP the people they represent. People would look a little beyond themselves to view things from a different perspective.

I've had the privilege to live in a few different parts of the world now. And naturally, my perspective changes a little bit with each new place and each new person I meet. I can go off on my soap box like anyone else (maybe that's what this post is). But after seeing the perspective from a few different places, I have to say... Politics will always be the same no matter where you go. It's never going to get better because people are involved. Greedy, selfish, ego-centric people. And that includes all of us because we all have a perspective we want heard.

A few months ago I was living in Africa next to a slum where people were starving. I couldn't handle the sadness and frustration anymore, so I moved to Europe. Now I'm buying new furniture and new clothes. All the while, knowing friends in Kenya who have no jobs and can't feed their kids, throwing a few coins into the homeless guy's cup on the Budapest street. What am I really doing to not be greedy and selfish and focus on myself? Still working on that one. It's all politics - even internally. And I think, if we all ACTUALLY tried to see from another perspective, how would our politics change?

Missing Kenya

2011-09-28T18:24:00.005+03:00

Yep, I said it. I'm actually missing Kenya a bit. After being in Hungary for 2 1/2 months, I'm finally having some I-miss-Kenya moments. Maybe the "honeymoon stage" is wearing off. Maybe I'm just tired from work. Maybe it's time to remember the good times of Kenya rather than the slum I left. Regardless, here are some of the things I've been remembering and missing with fondness...

Friends, of course.

Good Art Cafe bread. Haven't found a Hungarian bakery that measures up.

Diversity! Everyone here has white skin. Everyone here is from Western culture. I miss the mix Nairobi has. I actually miss NOT blending in. (Although I must say, Hungarians stare worse than Kenyans. This was kind of nice when I first arrived and I was staring at all the white people. I just fit in with my freakish staring.)

More down time. In Kenya the city doesn't have a whole lot to offer, so quite a bit of time is spent at home reading, watching movies, baking, just chillin' out. Not so much here in Hungary. I kind of miss snuggling on the couch on a Friday night, Sunday night, Monday night, Tuesday night...

Still appreciative of life in Budapest. Still thankful for my new job. Still happy to be living in Europe. At the same time, very grateful for what Kenya gave me as well!

What's in style in Hungary?

2011-09-22T20:13:00.018+03:00

The mornings have a nip in the air and the nights are cooling down in Budapest. As the weather changes, so does the wardrobe of Hungarians. Coats, boots, scarves, and... TIGHTS. Women are coming out in full force, still donning their skirts, but covering their legs with tights. Now these are not just plain colored tights you wore when you were seven. You can see black and brown and the old tan-nylon ones our mothers wore (or wear). And then you can see red, turquoise, and green. But the best are the patterned ones with designs and colors that you find on old drapes (the kind that Fraulein Maria would use to make clothes for the Von Trapp kids). I'm not kidding! Today the lady next to me on the bus had tights that looked like a brown doily. I suppose the various designs and colors give character and individuality to personal fashion. However, I just don't think I can adopt this particular European style. Deep down I keep thinking of eight year old Kim wearing white tights with purple hearts all over them. And what was cool at eight, just isn't so cool in your 30's.

Europe, I love your Zara's and H&M's and Promod's, but I just can't do the tights.

I may be eating my words in a year's time. We'll see...!

Cooking success!

2011-09-13T21:39:00.009+03:00

I haven't been much use in the kitchen lately. My wonderful husband has been doing most of the cooking since we arrived in Hungary. Mostly because he is better at it than me. And partly because starting school was a bit hectic for me. But tonight I decided to get off my lazy bum and cook a decent meal. A little perusing on the internet gave me the idea of stuffed bell peppers. Yum! The recipe online called for too many ingredients, so I toned it down to create something that seemed good to me and headed to Match, the corner grocery store three minutes walk from our door. (Gotta love living in the city!) This is what I ended up creating...

Now these peppers probably look a little different than what you expect. I had to cut them long-ways because Hungarian peppers look like this:

Instead of this:

But it worked and created a great meal. Here's how I did it...

Ingredients (Measurements are estimated, as I kind of just did it as I went along.)

4 bell peppers

1/3 cup rice

5 strips bacon

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 or 3 crushed garlic cloves

1/4 lb ground beef (or ground pork if you live in Hungary)

1 1/4 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup grated cheese (parmesan or cheddar are my preferences)

various spices (ground chilies, chili powder, pepper, etc.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 Celsius or 375 Fahrenheit.

2. Cook rice (can be a little moist) and set aside.

3. Cook bacon. Let cool and break up into bacon bits. Set aside.

4. Cut bell peppers in half. Set aside.

5. Sautee garlic and onions (only 2 minutes or so). Then add ground meat to skillet and cook completely.

6. Add marinara sauce and various spices to the meat. (I like things a little more on the spicy side, so I add a lot of chili powder and paste and black pepper for flavor.)

7. Add rice and half the bacon bits to the meat mixture. Let mixture simmer until well mixed and flavorful (about 3 to 5 minutes).

8. When meat mixture is ready, add mixture to bell peppers, filling them to the top.

9. Sprinkle cheese and bacon bits on the top of each pepper.

10. Bake on cookie sheet or in casserole dish for 30 minutes at 200 C or 375 F.

(Tip: Grease the bottom of the cookware with a bit of olive oil and your peppers won't stick.)

11. Serve hot.

Makes a large helping for 2 or a small helping for 3. (We had left overs for my lunch tomorrow.)

Success!

Got bikes!

2011-09-12T18:39:00.003+03:00

Saturday we took our new bikes out for a spin along the Danube. We headed north of the city and came across a lot of new finds!

This quaint square in Obuda (a small little village that has now merged with the city).

Pebble beaches on the river.

And little resort-like sections where we got a bite to eat. This concoction is meat and dumplings.

Looking at the picture, it kind of looks nasty, but it is really good. Hungarian food could definitely add on the pounds!

Honestly, this day was one of the best I've had in Budapest. The honeymoon phase of moving is still in full effect, and we're enjoying every bit of it!

Weekends in Budapest

2011-09-07T20:55:00.010+03:00

When I'm not working, this is what we do.

Meet up with friends for drinks or lunch or dinner,

At cool places like this...

Lazily walk around the city while it's still warm and summery,

And take in the sites like this...

And this...

And meander through parks like this...

See new sights, like these old Roman ruins only a few tram stops away from home.

And sleep in, of course!

Weekends in Budapest are definitely TOO short. But I suppose they're too short everywhere. How do you spend your weekends these days?

My Daily Routine

2011-09-02T22:47:00.006+03:00

A friend teaching in Singapore recently posted about her school week. It very closely resembles mine, so I'll quote her here:

Wake up.

Drink coffee (for me it's sit on the tram for 40 minutes).

Work.

Eat.

Sleep.

Wake up.

Sit on the tram for 40 minutes.

Work.

Eat.

Sleep.

Wake up...

You get the picture. I'm TIRED! I got my first cold of the school year. I go to bed at 9pm. I don't even have energy to read before falling asleep. Starting school is always a shocker to the system. (I honestly don't know how people do this job and have a family!) Despite all of that, I have a great little class. I love my school. I work with cool people. It's still sunny and warm here. My dear husband takes good care of me! I'm having fun exploring the city on the weekends. And I get to sleep in tomorrow.

Thank goodness it's FRIDAY!

I'm spoiled!

2011-08-24T20:21:00.009+03:00

I'm realizing (now that I'm back in a developed country) that I learned to live quite simply in Kenya. There weren't a lot of options in terms of groceries or furniture or anything really. We lived comfortably, but we didn't have all the conveniences of home, so to say. And honestly, I didn't miss them much. (Although I must admit that I did miss the occasional shopping trip with a girlfriend.) We learned to cook a lot of things from scratch, and were SO excited when they started selling tortillas in the store. Kenya is a gorgeous country and the chaos and laid-back approach to life added to its charm (most of the time). I learned to take things slower and be more patient. I learned to expect things to take days to get done, or sometimes weeks, or sometimes MONTHS. Sometimes it got on my nerves and other times I learned to shrug it off.

Now I'm living in Hungary. A developed country where things actually work. And things are mostly on time. Now, for my colleagues coming directly from the States, I've heard a few complaints about things being slow or not working. But you've got to be kidding me?! In Kenya it took 11 months for Will and I to get residency. Hungary is only 4 weeks! So I'm feeling very spoiled in my new home. Some of the things that make me happy lately include...

Super sonic speed internet

Safety

Drinkable tap water

Instant hot water in the shower

Parks with soft cut grass

Trams, busses, and metros

Shopping malls and big box stores

Nectarines and berries

I guess going from third world to first world will make someone excited about grass. I think living around the world has taught me to appreciate what I have in the moment. There is always something to be excited about and thankful for. In Kenya it was mangos. In Hungary it is blueberries. Maybe next it will be apples in Russia... (Let's hope not! Brrr!!!)

Happy St. Stephen's Day!

2011-08-21T11:47:00.013+03:00

Saturday the crowds came out in Budapest to celebrate St. Stephen's Day.

St. Stephen's Day is the celebration of Hungary's birth. It could be compared to America's 4th of July, but it was 1000 years ago instead of 200 and it celebrates a king's achievement rather than opposition to a king.

Quick history lesson... St. Stephen is the patron saint of Hungary who killed his uncle in a fight for the throne, hung his body in pieces around the country, and united Hungary as one country. All more than 1000 years ago. He was sainted a few years after his death and Hungary kept his hand in St. Stephen's Basilica. Yep, a 1000 year old hand that you can still see on display in the church. Looks like Tales from the Crypt. Now Hungarians celebrate August 20 as St. Stephen's Day and the forming of their nation, when they parade St. Stephen's hand around the city and have lots of festivities.

On our first St. Stephen's Day roads were closed to traffic and trams all over down-town to accommodate the thousands of people who came out to join the festivities. Even the bridges hoisted the Hungarian flag as people swarmed from one side of the city to the other.

There was music and dancing in traditional Hungarian style.

We watched an air show from the castle as planes whizzed across the river and under bridges.

There were many performances on the cobble stone streets. Felt like being in Medieval times.

We ate Hungarian food from the many fair booths and window shopped through all the hand-made crafts. No buying for us this time!

The evening culminated with a HUGE fireworks display along the river. Three locations of fireworks all going off on the same time was an amazing site!

We didn't let the party end there though. Went out with friends in the castle district. This bar was built in the 1700's! So cool.

Our first Hungarian festival was a great experience. Looking forward to the beer festival next weekend and the wine festival two weekends after that. Lots of fun to be had!

Getting a life

2011-08-13T18:34:00.015+03:00

I met some of my new co-workers on Saturday. Started working with them on Tuesday. And invited the new "crew" over for drinks at our house on Friday. We're getting to know each other...

Will has found some guys to hang, joke, and drink beer with.

I've found a few shopping buddies.

Elena is my 3rd grade co-worker. Her strong New York accent makes me laugh a lot, and we're having fun weeding through our classrooms across the hall from one another.

Debra lives in the building behind us, so she's very close by. We're going to try to be work-out buddies and hit the running trail on Margaret Island.

FINALLY, we have some friends. :)

Hopped the train

2011-08-05T11:31:00.011+03:00

Last week we hopped a train to Prague. Our last bit of holiday before I start work. Will's birthday celebration. See friends. Enjoy the close proximity of European countries.

We stayed at Mosaic House again. They always take good care of us!

It rained quite a bit, but that never stopped us before.

Perused the local art.

While in the Czech Republic, we decided to take a couple days to see somewhere new. So we headed to Karlovy Vary (aka Carlsbad). It's a big spa town. You may have heard of it from James Bond's Casino Royale. This is the place.

The hotel on the right in this picture is the Grand Hotel Pupp (aka Bond's casino).

It's quite nice! It's where Brad Pitt and Robert DeNiro stay when they come for the film festival here each summer. It's also where Russian maffia come for holiday or other activities. I think we saw a few Russian mobsters. One guy actually looked like James Bond - swagger and everything.

We didn't hang out much at the Grand Hotel Pupp (actually pronounced "poop"). But we did meander the streets at sunset.

See lots of Chinese tour groups. (No, I didn't use the opportunity to practice my very poor Chinese, but I could still pick out a few words as I walked by. Not so bad, if I do say so!)

And tried the local mineral spring water.

Karlovy Vary has a lot of natural springs with medicinal "healing" mineral waters. So we tested it out... The thing to do is buy these little cups and fill them up as you wander the town from spring to spring. So we did.

Tastes like nickels and dimes. Disgusting! I don't care if it's good for your health, I couldn't get down more than a sip at each spring. But it was fun trying!

As Will said on the train ride home, "Well, that was one of many trips." Looking forward to it!

Getting everywhere by tram

2011-07-25T20:50:00.019+03:00

Here is some more of our explorations of Budapest. Getting to know our city and the public transport that takes us there.

One of the many bridges that cross the Danube between Buda and Pest.

(Great view on foot!)

Holocaust Memorial to the hundreds of Jews who were shot on the banks of the Danube.

(Take Tram 2 to get there.)

Heroes Square in Pest.

(Metro 1 goes straight there.)

A statue of Peace in Heroes Square, which stands opposite of War and alongside Knowledge and Glory.

The park behind Heroes Square contains interesting art and beautiful architecture.

Another view of Buda from the Pest side.

(The view on Tram 2 along the river.)

Central Market Hall is a good place to pick up Hungarian souvenirs and local produce. It's a bit far from our house, but luckily we found a great market just a few tram stops away from home.

(Tram 2 to Central Market and Tram 4 or 6 to our little local market.)

We're finding more treasures in our new home. Some of my top picks include Charlotte, an AMAZING dessert cafe, and a little sewing shop a few tram stops away from the house (will be useful when my sewing machine actually gets here).

Europe, thank you for being so efficient and creating vast networks of public transport. I'm an independent woman again!

Mr. and Mrs. Fix-It

2011-07-24T21:23:00.008+03:00

It doesn't take much to impress Will and me after living in Africa for three years. So this week when we walked into Obi, the German version of Home Depot in Hungary, we were in awe of all the STUFF you can get. As I said to Will, "Imagine if you had had one of these in Nairobi." Everything would have been a lot easier to fix and find and make. So that's what we set out to do during our Obi shopping experience... Find stuff and fix up our new flat.

Our fix-it list:

1. Chain and hooks to keep the windows from banging in the wind when open.

2. Door stops to keep doors from banging shut when the wind blows through the open window.

3. Paint to cover the hideous lime wall in our living room and kitchen.

We added in a few extra finds as well... broom, soap dish, pliers (Will's tool kit is in our Hungary bound shipment - gotta have something in the meantime!).

We went from this (our flat upon arrival):

To this:

I'm still not completely sold on the color, but it's definitely an improvement. And I can always go back to Obi to buy more paint. I love living in the Western world!

Tourists

2011-07-19T11:23:00.018+03:00

Our dear friend, Bekah, arrived in Budapest a couple days after we did. She was ready to explore our new home with us.

So that is what we've been doing, taking a little time to be tourists in our new city. This is what we've seen...

The Castle District.

The Parliament District.

(This is the view of Parliament from the Castle.)

St. Stephen's Basilica.

(Where we saw the decaying hand of St. Stephen, the King of Hungary around AD 1000.)

The Jewish District.

We've also squeezed in a bit of shopping, a lot of walking, some great meals, and a trip to my school. There is so much to do and see. More to come for your blog viewing pleasure!

Exploring the neighborhood

2011-07-18T09:05:00.011+03:00

This is where we live.

The second and third floors (to the left in the picture) are ours. The two windows on the second floor are guest bedrooms (where you can stay if you come visit!) and the top two windows that stick out above the roof are our living room and kitchen.

This is our street.

The Coca Cola sign sits above a little shop where we've bought fruit, meat, cheese, cherry cola, and magnum bars. It's a one minute walk from our flat. Convenient!

This is a nearby Hungarian restaurant about a seven minute walk from our house. It was recommended by a friend of Will's. And Sunday lunch is half price! I think we've found our new Sunday afternoon lunch spot. :)

This was my first authentic Hungarian meal. Veal and potatoes Hungarian style. It was so good!

This is a small park just near our flat. Quiet, no one around, a good place to read a book.

Margaret Island is a seven minute walk from our flat as well. A whole island in the middle of the Danube River with beautiful gardens, walking and running paths, fountains, old churches, Roman ruins, and more.

One of the views on Margaret Island...

There were lots of people just hanging out in their swimming suits getting a tan. My kind of place!

This is the ruins of the convent where Princess Margit (whom the Island is named after) lived and died.

That's our neighborhood! We're in a really convenient location to get all around the city. We've spent a lot of time walking and exploring all the places and beautiful buildings our new home has to offer. Recently we also got a public transport pass. It's official - we're regulars in Budapest!

Now we're spending our time learning the transport system and getting ourselves to different districts all around the city. My impression so far: I think I'm going to like living here.

Beginning...

2011-07-14T17:03:00.021+03:00

Day 1 in Budapest:

Arrived at the airport in the morning with a taxi waiting for us.

Found our new home and waited a few minutes outside for someone to meet us (since we actually had no idea what number flat was ours and couldn't ring them from the door).

The landlady welcomed us, showed us around, and discussed details. One major perk... She speaks great English!

We hit the bank to exchange money and pay the rest of our rent.

Then a lady from my school arrived with all kinds of treats: food, money, TP, map, metro passes, and a grocery list in Hungarian and English. The essentials. It was a very warm welcome!

After everyone left the house, we kicked off our shoes and rested a bit before heading off to explore and get some necessary items.

We strolled the streets across the bridge to a HUGE shopping center. Shopping! I am in fashion heaven (not that it takes much for me after three years in Kenya). Some of our first purchases: pillows, laundry soap, dishwashing soap, sponges, hair dryer and curling iron. (The hair electronics weren't necessary but why not? I didn't own a curling iron in Kenya, so this will be kinda fun.)

We came back to the flat, took a long nap, woke up for dinner at an unexpected find, Marxim, a communist themed pizza and beer restaurant.

The night ended with a walk on the Buda side of town (our side) and our eyes closed before the slingbox movie was half over.

We were TIRED!

Day 2 in Budapest:

Woke up after sleeping like logs, ate some yogurt and cereal, then headed out for some shopping...

First, T-mobile for a cell phone SIM card. We have a Hungarian phone number now.

Second, off to IKEA! Where we were a bit overwhelmed since we have NOTHING and IKEA has EVERYTHING. So we decided to start with the basics: bed and blankets, couch, garbage cans, clothes drying rack, and two candles (to mask the somewhat strange scent left by the previous occupants of our flat). They will deliver it all tomorrow afternoon (Day 3). New stuff! Exciting!

Last, grocery shopping. Tacos for dinner tonight - our first legitimate meal in the new abode.

I think we've gotten off to a good start. Slowly we're finding our way around and making this home. We have a long way to go, but even today I got to use some of my VERY limited Hungarian (thanks to YouTube) by saying "Angolul?" (English?) No English, so the next word, "Segitsig." (Help.) With a lot of gesturing and these two simple words, I got the IKEA guy to help us move a bed box. "Kosonom!" (Thank you!)

We're on our way...! :)

Goodbyes

2011-07-11T21:16:00.012+03:00

The Sad Goodbyes:

The toughest people to say goodbye to are our Kenyan friends, who aren't likely to visit Budapest or won't be in town when we're in the States. This was the day the tears started rolling for me.

The Funny Goodbyes:

This is the neighbor's cat, Rafiki. This picture shows how he decided to help us while we were packing.

He'll miss his Uncle Will whom he visited each day. But we gave him his favorite napping blanket to keep, so he'll always remember us.

The Happy Goodbyes:

Gitanga Road, oh how I will never miss thee. Your exhaust fumes, mad matatu drivers, and man-eating holes I will gladly exchange for paved sidewalks, tree-lined paths, and public transportation that is not a major health hazard. Goodbye forever!

I guess most things in life are good and bad.

Goodbyes are no different.

And new adventures too.

We leave in 1 day!

Expectations

2011-07-10T16:15:00.008+03:00

I have a tendency to move to countries I've never been. China. Kenya. Now Hungary. When you've never been to the place you're moving, you try to imagine what it will be like. You get excited about the possibilities. You think through the things that are important to pack, when really you don't know what you'll need or miss or want. Then there are The Expectations. You create these in your head even if you try not to. I have to admit that I do have expectations when moving from Kenya to Hungary. I expect things to work properly in Hungary. I expect to go to the park and read a book. I expect to use public transportation. By myself. Whenever I want. I expect my husband not to worry about safety too much. I expect to go running with my iPod. I expect less dirt. I expect more camping and hiking. I expect a lot of white people. I expect to blend in more (until I open my mouth). I expect some frustrations, particularly language ones. And I expect that unsettled feeling for awhile, the feeling that I really don't know how to do things in this country yet and I have to just keep trying. Expectations are inevitable. It's when they're not met that disappointment sets in, followed by frustration, maybe even anger at times. I figure that none of that frustration can be as bad as braving the roads of Nairobi. But then again, maybe I'm wrong. All the moving-abroad-books say to keep your expectations low. Is "reading in a park" too high of an expectation? I'll let you know when I get there.

Done!

2011-07-09T09:29:00.007+03:00

I'm done with school! It has been a great year at Braeburn. But in all honesty, I'm ready to move on. Well, I'm at least ready to be done with the paperwork and play practices and extended hours. Of course, there are some things I'll miss... The kids.

How can you not love those faces, especially when I get love letters and poems like these?... :)

Most of all, I'll miss the friends and co-workers, who have added lots of laughs and fun to the hard work. You are a super fun, hilarious bunch! I think you'll be a difficult group to beat.

Best wishes to everyone at Braeburn. Come visit us in Budapest!

My life abroad isn't this funny...

2011-07-04T16:49:00.003+03:00

I've become a peruser of expat blogs. It's interesting to read about the experiences of other people abroad. This was one of my favorite posts on the expat circuit so far...

Camel Races in Qatar

Three Years in Kenya...

2011-07-02T11:36:00.003+03:00

Zero tax returns

Half a car

One rafting trip on the Nile River

One marriage proposal

One wedding

Two jobs

Two car accidents

Two honeymoons

Four homes

Four trips to the US Embassy

Five sightings of Mt. Kilimanjaro

Six trips outside the country

Seven housemates

Eight safaris

Nine trips to the beach

Twenty Swahili words (pathetic, I know)

25 visitors from America

107 children in my classroom

A LOT of road rage

And many friends.

A Tribute to My Grandpa

2011-06-25T12:18:00.011+03:00

My grandpa passed away yesterday. It's hard to be away when something like this happens, especially when it's someone so important to me. But I talked to my grandpa just a few days ago, telling him how much I love him and I'm thinking of him and asked my aunt to give him a kiss for me. Hopefully, that gave him some comfort and let him know how much I love him even from the other side of the world. Since I can't be in Idaho to say good-bye, I have to find a different way to honor my grandpa. So here is a tribute to Leonard Grimes and everything I love about him.

My grandpa was the hardest working man I know. Even at 90 years old he was still mowing his own lawn, raking leaves in the fall, and wiring the tree in his yard to shock the squirrels that ventured toward the bird feeder. My grandpa wasn't a big talker, but when we did have a chat, the common topics included how much he loved my grandma and what a good woman she was, the good life he'd lived with no regrets, and his words of wisdom, such as, "Now don't go getting in any damn trouble, you hear?" My grandpa was a World War II veteran, who earned many medals including the purple heart. He was a hero to many, and I'm very proud that Leonard Grimes was my grandpa.

Grandpa, I love you very much and I pray you are holding your beautiful bride again. Thank you for being such a good grandpa and showing so much love to your family. You are always in my heart.

What I've learnt in British school...

2011-06-24T18:51:00.007+03:00

I've been teaching at an international British school for the last year. After 10 years of American schools, this was a different teaching experience. This is what I've learnt:

In British school we say "learnt" more often than "learned".

In British school we play netball and rounders. (Girly versions of basketball and softball, if you ask this American.)

In American school we say "negative one" in math, but in British school we say "minus one" in mathS.

It's rubbish, not trash.

The bin, not the garbage can.

And at the end of the day, I'm knackered! (Not just tired.)

Thank you to my dear Brits who have checked my spelling, corrected my pronunciations, and explained unknown phrases all year. If you ever switch to American school, I'm there for you!

Countdown

2011-06-20T18:09:00.000+03:00

3 weeks.

1 day.

1 hour.

49 minutes.

27 seconds.

Our final trip in Kenya

2011-06-20T16:50:00.009+03:00

We took our last Kenya outing over the weekend. Eight friends. A rented house. Great view. Pool. Food. Drinks. Laughs. Games. Just chillin'. It was a great time in Naivasha (about 2 hours outside Nairobi) in the coolest house I've ever stayed in.

Of course, I got very reflective on the way home. But I'll spare you all the crazy thoughts that ran through my head and just give you the cliff's notes instead...

I love Kenya.

Sometimes I hate Kenya.

But Kenya has been VERY good to me, and I will miss it.

Where is Budapest?

2011-06-12T17:43:00.010+03:00

I'm sure many family and friends had to look up Budapest on the map when we said we were moving there. So here is some info about our home-to-be.

It is landlocked between six other countries: Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Romania.

Very smart people come from Hungary, including Houdini (the magician/escape artist), the guy who invented the Rubik Cube, the guy who discovered vitamin C, the guy who invented the atomic and hydrogen bombs, and a lot of Nobel Prize winners.

It was communist until 1989.

It is said to have the most beautiful Parliament building in the world, which sits on the Danube River.

It snows in winter. (Not sure how I feel about this yet...)

Hungary sits on 80-something thermal springs and has turned these hot-springs into Roman/Turkish bath houses. Spa here I come!

There are many hiking and cycling trails, parks, and camping sites to enjoy throughout Hungary. Margaret Island sits in the middle of the Danube in Budapest, containing these fun activities.

We will live near that bridge on the Buda side of the city (the left side of the picture.) It's the same side as Buda Castle, which will loom over our new apartment.

We're definitely looking forward to exploring our new city and enjoying some of the things Kenya doesn't offer. 4 weeks!

Hungarian Lesson 1

2011-06-06T17:46:00.003+03:00

I'm learning Hungarian via Youtube. So far this is what I can say...

Hungarian Lesson One

Which means I'm ahead of Will in my Hungarian vocabulary for at least 5 more weeks. Because as soon as we arrive in Budapest, he'll pick up words by just hearing them, and remember them, pronounce them well, and then start language school, while I go to English-speaking school all day. I'll never catch up! But right now, I'm ahead and positive!

Hungarian Language Goal:

Learn to be conversational in Hungarian.

Things against me...

It's one of the most complicated languages in the world.

Hungarian is related to no other language, so it's NOTHING like English.

A very small sliver of the world speak it.

I'll be in English school all day around English speakers and becoming friends with (again) English speakers.

It will be tempting to rely on my fast learning husband.

Things for me...

Youtube provides FREE LESSONS!

Hungarian doesn't have tones like Chinese, so I don't have to sing the language, which I sucked at.

My husband can give me mini-lessons after school.

I'll be living in the middle of Budapest.

I can roll my r's.

I'm white and will look Hungarian, so there's more pressure to fit in and not sound totally stupid when I open my mouth.

A lot of people in Hungary don't speak English... SURVIVAL is a powerful force.

I know it doesn't seem likely I'll be too successful since I've lived in China and Kenya and never become conversational in Chinese or Swahili. But! I can do this! I'm determined! Hungarian will be my best foreign language yet! In a few months, will you please redirect me to this blog post so I remember my enthusiasm about it all? Thanks!

Talk like an American

2011-05-30T18:54:00.006+03:00

Being white American doesn't often mean I'm in the minority, but teaching at British school in Kenya definitely puts me in that category. I guess my students are starting to notice that I'm a bit different than the other white teachers because of some recent student experiences...

During practice for our Years 3 and 4 play production, one of my Indian girls is supposed to have a British cockney accent. As the child said her lines, my British co-worker exclaimed, "That sounds like a weird American cockney something. Mrs. Porter!"

On a writing assessment the children were required to write about this question: Why would you want to travel to Antarctica? One child's response, "So I can have an accent like Mrs. Porter."

I've definitely become aware of my American accent strewn with a few new British words and phrases. Add the Southern influence from my husband and in-laws, and I'm just a talking mess! But it sure does make for some laughs.

We have a home!

2011-05-29T10:09:00.002+03:00

Yesterday I signed a contract for a new flat in Budapest. We have a home! We still have the money to put down, and hopefully this blog post won't taboo us getting the flat, but I figure signing the contract means it's as good as ours. Fingers crossed!

And it has lots of room for guests, so who is coming to visit?!

6 1/2 weeks till we move in!

7 More Weeks

2011-05-21T15:00:00.010+03:00

School has been VERY hectic. Even the head teacher (principal) admitted to me yesterday that Braeburn School is the busiest place he's ever worked, and it gets busier every year. You should see all the teachers on a Friday night. "Knackered," as my colleagues say. Despite all the chaos and feeling like a chicken with my head cut off, we do manage a bit of fun amongst the learning. These are some of the things we did this week in Class 4K...

Monday we went to the Nairobi Railway Museum to learn about the building of the East African Railway. If you've seen Ghost in the Darkness, you'll know a little bit about the man-eating lions that ate workers who built the railway. Here's the car where one man was

dragged off.

The museum has many interesting relics. This outdoor train seat was sat on by Teddi Roosevelt, the Prince of Wales, and two of my students.

International Day was Wednesday. We all enjoyed dressing up and traveling around the world. We went from Aruba to Australia to Canada to Japan and more. We all suffered a bit of jet lag by the end of the day!

We played some "ice-hockey" in Canada.

And wore kimonos in Japan.

Our week continued with more excitement as class 4K presented an assembly for the school on Friday. We acted out the story of Gandhi, whom we've been studying. Here are some of my fabulous actors.

You can see "Young Gandhi" on the front left (totally type casted!) and "Old Gandhi" on the right (bald cap and all).

It's the weekend now, and I will admit that today (Saturday) I'm doing absolutely nothing in front of the TV, took a 3 hour nap this afternoon, and haven't even gotten dressed. The work load is starting to catch up with me. I will also admit that I'm counting down. What teacher doesn't at the end of the year? 7 weeks to go. Despite the extreme parts of this job, I have learned a lot this year and enjoyed the diversity and improvement of my kids. (But I do hope the American School of Budapest is a little less hectic!)

No green thumb needed...

2011-05-15T11:45:00.005+03:00

Things just grow here! As some of you know, when we arrived at Flat 17 we had some pots with very sad sticks coming out of the soil. With a little bit of water we had green leaves. Now, every once in awhile, a surprise flower pops through the green. The latest is this:

The flower only lasts a day. It turned into this the next day and fell off.

After a bit of internet searching, we found it was called Neomarica Gracilis or Apostle's Iris or the Walking Iris. It's native to West Africa, Central and South America, and most densely populated in Brazil. Supposedly it is quite rare. Cool!

We also saw these pop up about the same time.

Will realized they might be the pepper seeds he planted months ago. They've finally shown themselves. I guess they just wanted the heavy rains to come. We'll see, we may have peppers soon.

I haven't been to church in 2 years.

2011-05-14T09:20:00.011+03:00

After one too many sermons about "do not commit adultery" and "don't beat your wife", I quit attending Kenyan church. I lasted 10 months. I think that's pretty good considering sermons are a minimum of two hours long, and that does not include the announcements and singing and all the other things that Christians have been taught a church service must entail. I will admit that I miss church. I don't miss the building and the 3-point sermons and the Sunday morning announcements. I certainly don't miss watching people do what they think they're "supposed" to do to be Christian. But I do miss people. I miss worshipping together. I miss being a part of a "family" and helping each other along this journey.

In Kenya I've learned a lot about the church. Some good, some bad. Nairobi is the missionary mecca for Africa. And most of Kenya is Christian, carrying out the duties that missionaries told them are Christian. You can't turn on a Kenyan TV channel on Sunday morning and not hear some Kenyan preacher yelling at the congregation. And I mean yelling. What happened to teaching, I wonder. No, we've got to preach! And shout the fear of God into people! That's Christianity? I don't really remember reading about Jesus shouting a lot.

So the whole church thing has been turned over in my head a lot over the last few years in Kenya. Because I always had real church families in America, PEOPLE who were the church rather than the church BUILDING, I've never really had these things to sort out before. I look at my years in Kenya and see how there have been remnants of the church in my life here, despite not attending church in a building. People have come alongside me during the hard bits of my journey. I've had good theological conversations that make me really think about what I believe. People have become "family". It just doesn't look like the church down the road that I hear blaring music at midnight on a Friday night. It doesn't look like a church I once attended. It looks like people walking in the journey with me. That's what I always want church to be.

That's what I hope church will be like in Hungary. And I will admit I hope we find a church that meets in some building where I can meet more people who become "family", have good theological conversations, and worship with a band. (Yep, I miss the guitar in church.) But I've learned that church really is about people and journeys and not all the other stuff that Christian culture adds to the mix.

I haven't been to church in 2 years, and maybe that's been a good thing. Maybe that's been part of my journey and God teaching me a few new things.

Three Day Weekend = Road Trip!

2011-05-02T19:23:00.024+03:00

We headed off to Tsavo National Park, the largest park in Kenya, on Saturday morning. Weaving and stopping through Nairobi traffic for two hours and then two more hours on a reasonably smooth road, got us to the gate of the park and a stunning view of mountains, hills, savanna, and jungle.

Five of us got out of the car, stretched our legs, and set up camp at our little bandas, complete with small kitchenette, mosquito nets, warm beds, and a bathroom.

And also an amazing view of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

We spent Sunday hiking along Mzima Springs, which flows from deep in the volcanic ground, and over hardened lava flow.

We also listened to the wonderful sounds of nature (a definite contrast to the horrid traffic on our street) and saw some of Africa's unique animals.

We watched a storm move in and rain cover the Kenyan landscape, adding to the green of the park. The rainy season has come to Kenya and so far it's looking good. Hopefully no drought this year!

On Monday we came home through little traffic. (I love holidays in Nairobi when everyone is off the streets and driving is a little less chaotic than usual.) It's back to work on Tuesday morning, but with a weekend away from the city, fresh air, beauty, and a bit of extra sleep, I think I'm ready to take on the last 10 weeks of school. And it's always great to be reminded how beautiful Kenya is off Gitanga Road.

Holiday Happenings

2011-04-24T17:56:00.014+03:00

Aside from relaxing, sleeping in, and running errands the last three weeks of holiday, I've been hanging out with Will at the Children's Centre.

And hanging out with friends at the beach for a whole week!

But no Kenyan holiday can be void of a bit of frustration. In a taxi to the airport in Nairobi and in a taxi to the airport in Mombasa we were pulled over by the police. Kenyan police do regular "police checks" on the side of the road. What are they checking for? A bribe. 99% of the time they have no legal grounds for whatever they're saying is illegal with your vehicle or your driver's license. Today the police officer commented on the tire flaps. He said, "The front tires have mud flaps, but the back tires don't." What's the big deal about that? Nothing, but this policeman can keep us pulled to the side of the road, threatening, and talking until the expected sentence is finally spoken, "Give something small for the police." This means, give me money and I'll let you continue on your way. So our taxi driver gave him "something small", somewhere between 300 and 500 Ksh ($4-$6). This is corruption at the smallest level in Kenya. Corruption goes all the way to the top in most African nations, and Kenya is right there with the best of them. Just read the news. This is one thing I will NOT miss about Kenya.

Woo hoo!

2011-04-13T14:29:00.002+03:00

After 5 months of waiting for my Kenya work permit and 6 more months for Will to wait for his permit, we are finally BOTH legal residence of Kenya! Will got his papers today. Finally! We now have three months to enjoy the privileges that come with it.

In Hungary we only have 2 months to get our papers sorted, so this process has to be smoother. (I hope. Fingers crossed!) Oh the joys of living abroad! :)

Recent Reads

2011-04-09T17:10:00.005+03:00

Kenya affords a lot of free time that living in America doesn't. With that time I often read. Here are some of the latest I've enjoyed.

The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck. This is a children's novel gifted to me by my mother-in-law. Very cute for adults and 10-12 year olds alike. For all my friends who have taken a sabbatical from the teaching profession, grab this book from the library and have a great flash-back to your teaching days. For my UK friends, read this book and gain a little more understanding why Americans are the way they are. :)

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Recently made into a film with Keira Knightley, this book was truly a mysterious twister. It did not go the direction I thought it would, which made it very engaging. It takes place in the UK, which was fun for me because I actually knew what rounders and village referred to. You don't have to know these British terms to enjoy the book however. Definitely a good book.

The Temptress by Paul Spicer. Scandal, affairs, murder, Kenya. And it's all true! It's another theory book on the mysterious murder of Lord Errol, a white colonial in Kenya during the 20's and 30's. To me it's so interesting how the colonial "Happy Valley" group lived with their wild parties, spouse swapping, and hunting safaris in the early years of colonial Kenya. Particularly interesting since I know the places they talk about and have been to many of them, but interesting to anyone who likes a real-life mystery or biography. It's almost so crazy it's hard to believe it's all true sometimes.

Safari with the girls

2011-04-06T16:55:00.007+03:00

The end of term 2 finalized on Friday, giving me three weeks of free days. Whoo hoo! To celebrate and have a bit of R&R, I headed off with my girlfriends from work to Nakuru National Park to sit by the pool, eat four course meals, and see some African animals. It was great!

As we drove across the Kenyan landscape, I realized that this will probably be my last safari while living in Kenya. Sad. But it finished well when I saw a leopard, the only animal I really wanted to see but hadn't yet. Unfortunately it was getting dark and we couldn't get a picture. But I saw it and that means my safari adventures are complete.

When living overseas is hard...

2011-04-02T10:13:00.005+03:00

We had a nephew born this week! Happy birthday to Carson Lucas.

As we skyped with Sam, Holly, and Baby Carson at the hospital, I realized that I probably won't hold that little guy until he's a year old or more. Skype is great, but I can't reach through the computer screen and have those cute, chubby fingers hold onto mine. These are the days when living far from home is just not so fun. Sam, Holly, and Jacob, congratulations. Make Will hold that baby double-time for me when he comes to America. Love you all!

Getting excited!

2011-03-26T09:24:00.006+03:00

We are moving in 110 days (that's just over three months), and it's starting to hit me. Mostly, I'm getting excited for a new adventure. As I walk to and from school each day in Nairobi, past the dirt mounds and weaving through traffic, I think how different it will be going to school in Budapest...

Instead of walking over dirt sidewalks with matatus whizzing past me, I'll be walking on tree-lined, paved walkways with a tram going by.

Instead of being the only white face amongst the sea of people, I'll be one of many white faces.

Instead of going through a secured gate with a guard opening the doors, I'll walk out the front door of an apartment complex - no gates, no barbed wire, no shards of glass lining the walls around the compound.

Instead of wearing sandals and sundresses, I'll be headed to work in a coat and boots.

Instead of an African slum next door, I'll have a park and shops and European architecture nearby.

It will definitely be a change. Looking forward to the newness.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO OF OUR NEW CITY.

Time for a new name

2011-03-20T13:33:00.002+03:00

In less than four months I won't have Kenya to blog about and this blog won't be describing "my view of Africa" anymore. So it's time for a new name... The Other Side of the World. How long will this title stick? I hope for a lifetime. We'll see!

It's hard to believe but...

2011-03-18T16:22:00.003+03:00

...it's been a year.

Happy first anniversary to the perfect man for me. I love you Will.

Saturday in Karen

2011-03-12T22:49:00.006+03:00

Today we spent the day in Karen, a suburb of Nairobi. Karen is famous as the home of Karen Blixen (the "Out of Africa" lady), although it is not named after her as many people think. This town is filled with white Kenyans who have been here for three or four generations, many missionary organizations, two new shopping centers, big mansions, and all the things you find along the side of the street in Kenya. It also has some great restaurants and is just something different from the usual Nairobi scene. So off we went to...

An organic farmers market where we bought mango jam.

A bike shop with American bikes for Will to peruse.

The newest mall that actually looked like a real mall. We bought pesto bread from the French bakery and got a smoothy from the fruits and veggie shop.

Karen Blixen Gardens for lunch. There, we meandered through Karen Blixen's farm manager's house where Teddy Roosevelt once stayed while hunting for specimens for the National Museum of America.

Overall, it was a good day that was a little different than our usual stomping grounds. If we were living in Kenya another year, I think I would want to move to Karen next. It's definitely an interesting crowd and a beautiful area outside the city.

Rock Climbing

2011-02-27T09:28:00.008+03:00

On Saturday our friends, Kim and Than, rolled up to the flat a bit earlier than we agreed for a fun day of rock climbing about an hour outside the city in Lukenya. We started at the top of the cliffs where Kim and Than set up our ropes, and Will and I admired the view.

After the ropes were set up we belayed down the rock face.

Then it was time to climb! Kim kicked all our butts. Go girl!

Than's turn.

This was my first time rock climbing. My first attempt I made it part way. On my second attempt I made it to the top! (I will admit I needed a bit of a boost at the tough start.)

Will kept me safe with the rope.

The four of us after a great day of climbing.

My first rock climbing experience was great. I'm ready to go again. Thank you Kim and Than for the fun experience. Getting outside of the city and breathing fresh air was such a great way to spend the weekend and remind me of how beautiful Kenya can be.

Of course, Kenya always gives us a good laugh, like this astro-turf car we saw while driving out of the mountains. Yep, it's covered in mini-golf green. Gotta love it!

An interesting blog...

2011-02-21T18:18:00.003+03:00

This blog gives some interesting perspectives on NGO's (Non-Government Organizations) and voluntourism:

Lessons I Learned

Check it out!

I used to be an optimistic person.

2011-02-19T15:08:00.002+03:00

But now... I'm cynical and frustrated.

I see missionaries treat their house workers poorly by paying them way below minimum wage. I watch organizations that are supposed to provide relief and help to Kenyans "in the name of Christ", put most of their funds in white people's pockets, giving themselves big salaries, and the Kenyans working for them so little. Friends of mine, even, who could easily afford to hire a single mother full-time, but don't. While she struggles to feed her kids, they can't hand over a few more shillings a month.

Why? Why don't white Christians see the need to take care of the poor? In Kenya poverty is so blatantly in front of us, knocking at our car windows, living next door. I will admit that I've struggled with my own response to poverty in Kenya. But one thing I do know is that when a Kenyan friend needs help, I can try to help. I don't mean handing out money. That does no good here. But providing a job when I can and helping a friend find a job, those are things I can do.

I'm frustrated that people I love in Kenya are treated so poorly by the people who are supposed to be here to help. I feel hopeless and helpless. We always say that we can't help Kenya because it will never be fixed of the corruption and poverty. And we can only help one person at a time, the people who come along our path. I hope I do this - help the people who God puts across my path. But when I see others in the position to help those along their path and they continually don't, I want to SCREAM! Where are the real Christ-like Christians? And have I been one of those at times who has stood by when I could have helped? Dear Lord, I hope not.

A challenge to everyone, including myself... Who has God put across your path recently? And did you help them?

I need to know that there are people out there helping people in need because in Kenya, where there are more relief agencies than almost anywhere in the world, I'm not seeing much of it. If you can, post a comment telling me a good story of helping someone in need. Anyone out there?

My optimism needs your story.

A look back...

2011-02-13T19:04:00.005+03:00

Today I took some time to read my blog from its beginning, and I was reminded of a few things...

I'm super cheesy and a big dork! :)

Kenya is a beautiful country.

I've been blessed a LOT in the last two and a half years here.

God's plan certainly was not what I had in mind.

Looking back, I see all the wonderful things that happened in Kenya, the friends I've made, the adventures I've had, and it makes me think... What does Kenya still have for me? We have less than six months in Kenya, which causes us to think of the things we want to do before we leave. Most of our agenda involves the friends we want to spend time with and the places we want to visit. But I also want to leave with the awe in which I arrived, remembering that Kenya is a magical place for me and always will be. (See, I am a cheesy dork!) I'll stop bla-bla-bla-ing for now, but one last thought... If so much happened in Kenya, it's exciting to think what Hungary holds for us!

We're moving!

2011-01-27T16:57:00.006+03:00

Where in the world are Will and Kim going next?...

Budapest, Hungary!

Last weekend I went to London for an international job fair. This is how it went:

Two full days of interviews,

crying,

smiling,

getting pep talks from Will via phone and skype,

being nervous,

being excited,

worrying,

second interviews,

more emotions,

talking with new friends from all over the world,

gossip about good schools and bad schools,

some rejections,

and finally...

I was offered a grade 4 or 5 position at the American International School of Budapest! Of all my interviews that weekend, Budapest was my first choice. The school. The location. The cost of living. The pay. The possibilities. Will and I are very excited for the next adventure. We move in six months! There are lots of possibilities for Will in Budapest as well, but we don't have to worry about it yet. Honestly, this school and this city in this country are completely a "God thing". We know He's opened these doors, and we're excited to jump through them! Thank you to all who have been praying for us as we went through this process and made our decision. You have been a great blessing to us!

So who is going to come visit us in Hungary? We're close to the beaches of Croatia, the beer in the Czech Republic, and everywhere in Europe is only a train ride away! Our guest room will be awaiting you!

There and back again

2011-01-08T15:34:00.004+03:00

We were in America for Christmas...

And now we're back...

It was wonderful to be with family and friends and get a break from the chaos of Kenya.

We...

relaxed

hung out

traveled

ate

shopped

ate some more

caught up on movies (mostly on airplanes)

got joint checking

slept

ran errands

enjoyed family and friends.

It was a much needed break, but I will admit that I liked coming home to sunshine and warm weather in Kenya. Now I just need to get over jet lag by Monday because it's back to work I go. No matter how many times I go back and forth and travel over time-zones, the jet lag feels like I was hit by a semi-truck every time. Any jet-lag remedies out there?

December in Kenya

2010-12-09T16:34:00.011+03:00

This is what the month of December has held for us...

New flowers blooming on our patio.

We cooked chili and cornbread,

But we added 2 tbsp of Kenyan chili powder, instead of American chili powder, so the chili was HOT! Next time remember, Kenyan chili powder is a LOT hotter than the recipes call for.

Made tortillas for tacos. Can't wait to eat Mexican food in America! Can't wait to buy tortillas at the store!

This is the extent of our Christmas decor at home - cards. Will took the Christmas tree to the Children's Center, since we won't be home to use it, and they loved decorating it! They should keep it anyway. More people to enjoy it there, than in our little flat.

One of my students made me a birthday cake, so I celebrated with my class and received beautiful hand-made cards throughout the day.

We had Roman Day at school, after studying Ancient Rome all term. The day included some military battles, a big Roman feast, and going to the "Roman baths".

While the boys swam in the "Roman baths" (swimming pool), the girls relaxed and chatted away. Sarah, my co-worker, and I got the girls to give us massages. Great way to spend a school day! I'm an advocate of child labor. :)

The rest of our December will be spent in the wintery cold of America hugging and hanging with family and friends. I can't wait! This girl needs some much needed rest and a bit of a break from Kenyan chaos (even with the year 4 masseuses).

Christmas Pool Party

2010-12-07T17:17:00.005+03:00

Last weekend we met the kids from Limuru Children's Center at the home of our friends, Joe and Linda. Everyone enjoyed the pool party, BBQ, and Christmas gifts. Most of the kids from the Center have gone home to their villages to be with their extended family for the holidays. Those who remain at the Center got to enjoy this fun day. The best part for me was getting to hang out with the kids. I don't get to do that much these days, since we live in the city, far from the beautiful tea fields of Limuru. How could you not smile at these kids?...

Singing Christmas Carols.

Kind of funny to listen to Kenyan kids singing, "Dashing through the snow..."

Will's favorite little girl, Jane.

Eating sausages, a rare treat!

Pool party!

Daddy Will taking care of his kiddos...

Smiling girls.

Getting dry and cozy after a good swim.

I wouldn't have wanted to be the dorm parent that night who had to deal with the noise makers and sugar highs that followed! Merry Christmas from Kenya!

Happenings in flat 17...

2010-11-17T18:56:00.007+03:00

Here is a little bit of our life in the "Braeburn Slum", as one of my students sincerely called our lovely home last week.

This is our street from our living-room window.

This is a calm moment on Saturday afternoon. Sometimes our little muddy road turns into four lanes all going one way. Can you imagine four of those trucks across the road? Yep! It happens. Traffic jams are frequent around here, and there is no rhyme or reason to when they occur. Will actually admitted the other day that sometimes he likes watching the chaos outside our flat. When he has to drive in it, he's not so entertained, especially when we're watching out the window to see if we can even drive out the gate. Sometimes it is literally impossible, but when it's clear, you'll hear me yell, "It's all clear. Let's go!"

This is our back patio.

When we arrived at our little flat, there were four pots sitting in the living-room with dying twigs sticking through the soil. I moved them to the porch, cut all the dead leaves off, and watered them. Now we have this!...

You really don't need a green thumb to garden in Kenya. You stick some seeds in the ground, add a little water, and beautiful things just pop up. Our next attempt will be these...

We'll see how well the Kenyan soil does. (It definitely won't be successful because of my green thumb.)

Head Above Water!

2010-11-04T16:30:00.002+03:00

This week I've not been doing work at home. I've gotten more marking done at school. Worksheets created the day before instead of the day of. I'm no longer just surviving. Feels good. Thanks for all the good thoughts and prayers!

Workaholism

2010-11-01T18:25:00.003+03:00

My British co-workers love to have fun. Going out for drinks or chatting away in the classroom are often more important to them than getting a maths assignment marked or staying late to finish lesson plans. Despite this pleasure-over-work attitude, they seem to get everything done anyway. Their lessons are still amazing. The kids still learn. And they are still good teachers. I say all of this because I have been very overwhelmed with work lately, expecting the busyness that always starts a school year to die down a bit. But it hasn't. It just seems to get busier. So I look at my co-workers and think, what can I learn from them? What can I let go of at work, so I don't go insane? My present goal: Let some things go at work, so I can be a better wife and friend to the people who matter most to me. Thank you my Brit friends for being a great example. Us Americans definitely struggle with workaholism.

Bottom line: Working too much is going to kill me, so I'm stopping now!

Check it out!

2010-10-24T21:19:00.003+03:00

Limuru Children's Center was featured on a BBC special. You can see Will's kids, his Kenyan brother Patrick, and even Will in the background here and there. Check out these kids we love!

BBC Video Link Click Here!

After vacation...

2010-10-24T20:32:00.008+03:00

I got off the plane today in Nairobi after a wonderful week at the beach... The savannah greeted me with acacia trees lining the horizon. The glorious and much needed rain was still puddled on the side of the road. Even traffic was smooth (yea for Sundays). And it all reminded me of when I first came here and everything I saw was exciting and new and African. I was reminded of this at the beach as well while driving to our cottage, passing huts and fruit stands and women with bundles on their heads. I think after two and a half years of living here, I forget how cool some things in Kenya can be. When I get off our chaotic and annoying street in the city, Kenya is a beautiful place. In Limuru we have friends and family that we are invested in.

At the beach we are spoiled with the white sand and warm Indian Ocean.

In Nairobi we have friends who we can share our lives with.

Despite my frustrations this year with Kenya and the hard things that have come our way in the last year, Kenya has given me so many good things. And I'm grateful for it all!

Our Dear Doris

2010-10-12T16:36:00.007+03:00

Living in the city this year has made me miss our old home in the Kenyan country-side. I miss the fresh air, the beautiful scenery, and most of all our friends and "family" there. Lately, Doris has been in my thoughts a lot.

Doris works at the volunteer house where we used to live in Limuru. She takes care of everyone who comes in and out of the house. She teases Will all the time. She makes the best lintils, chapati, and mokimo ever! She has the best smile. And she is one of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet. I miss seeing her each day and getting the update on her two sweet girls. I miss helping her fold sheets. I miss her smile and the way she says, "Hiii Kim," and gives me a hug. I think it's time to get back to Limuru!

If you think of Doris... Pray for her as she raises her two girls, pays for their school fees, and supports her family. Pray she will be blessed by friends and family and work. Pray she will be encouraged in the upcoming days.

The people we meet...

2010-10-09T13:15:00.008+03:00

One of the fun things about living in Kenya is the opportunity to hang out with people we otherwise would never get the chance to meet. Like Joe and Linda. They are from the UK originally. Linda serves on the board for the children's center, and Joe has lived in Kenya forever. His kids grew up here and his daughter even went to Braeburn School (where I work). They built a beautiful home near my old school and have had the kids from the center over for BBQ's and swimming parties. They're super generous people who are very down-to-earth. Will got close to them through the children's center, and I started tagging along when we got married.

On Thursday night they invited us to their country club - a 100 year old colonial club that still boasts the "men's bar" where cigar smoke and testosterone are pungent. Stuffed lions killed in 1914 still decorate the interior, and of course, proper dress is required. Dinner, drinks, and old colonial British experience made for an interesting night. And it made me think... We would never have this experience living in America. Our white skin and small international community provide us with some unique experiences in Kenya. I like the people we meet living here. Always interesting.

My Story

2010-10-02T14:45:00.007+03:00

I'm near the end of Donald Miller's book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years", and it's got me thinking... What kind of story do I want my life to be? The premise of the book is Don's journey to find what he wants his life story to entail, like the stories of movies and books, full of adventure. For those of you who don't know Donald Miller, he's a Generation X-er from Portland, Oregon. So his perspective about life strikes me easily.

I've been thinking of this lately... I've had an exciting couple of years. Moved to Africa. Got married. Working at a British school. Four houses in two years. Change, after change, after change. But recently I've felt like I'm doing nothing beneficial to others, nothing that makes my story special or special to others. I spend my days working (a lot!) with spoiled kids who argue about stupid things while on the other side of the school wall kids are starving in the slum. I come home, we make dinner, I work some more grading papers or planning lessons, I go to sleep, and wake up to do it all again. In between I sometimes hang out with friends, white friends from Western countries and a few African ones. What am I really doing to help others, to create a story that is worth telling, that is worth sharing with the world?

So now I'm trying to think... What would make my story worth telling? I know I want it to be a story where other people are helped, became happier, and feel loved. What does that entail? I don't know. Still asking God to show me a good story.

The truth about my life in Kenya...

2010-09-26T10:43:00.007+03:00

An American friend called me this week crying, "I'm having an I-hate-Kenya-day and I just need someone to vent to!" All foreigners have these kinds of days in Kenya, and for some of us they are becoming more frequent. We get frustrated at the stupid drivers, the inefficiency of everything, the beggars who come to our car windows, the thieves who car-jack or kidnap or steel your side mirror as you're sitting in traffic. We don't talk about these things to people back home because people back home will worry or don't understand or will ask us why we just don't go back to America. The truth is, we like the adventure of living overseas. All the good things outweigh the frustrating moments.

I look at Americans I know in Kenya who have been living here for 20 years and love working in Kenyan. Going back to America is something they'll have to do one day, but it's not an exciting thing. I feel like living in America, for me, is not very exciting either, but I don't think I'm one of those people who will want to live in Kenya forever. I'm one of those people whose "I-hate-Kenya-days" are becoming more frequent, and I don't know if the rose-colored glasses of my first year here will ever return. I definitely have a lot of wonderful moments where Kenya is the only place I want to be... the beach, being at the children's center, hanging out with my British co-workers, chillin' with friends, hopping a plane down to Tanzania or over to Uganda. But I also feel like Kenya is turning me into a cynical person.

A couple weeks ago I struck up a conversation with a recent college graduate from America who had a grant to travel the world studying democratic governments. He was a very smart guy from a prestigious school, and he proceeded to tell me how things SHOULD be working in Kenya and Africa, if only they would do this or that. I added that "Kenya will never work well because the government is corrupt and only think of their pocketbooks, a secondary education only gets Kenyans a working-class job as a gardner or houseworker so what is the point, and you can only help one or two people really, you'll never fix the big picture here. It's impossible." His idealism went against everything I said and he thought I was very wrong to say all of this, but after living here over two years, this is the reality I see. Kenya makes even the most optimistic person, cynical. I could go on and on why Kenya will never be "fixed" according to Western standards, and I hate how the reality of life here has taken my optimism and buried it deep within me where I don't see it for many days, sometimes weeks. This is the reality of life in Kenya. This is why my days are numbered in this country. Because some day soon I would like to be an optimistic person again.

Best Husband Award Goes To...

2010-09-25T18:38:00.002+03:00

Mine! At midnight as I was doubled over with abdominal pain, my dear husband rushed me to the hospital. He got mad at the slow Kenyan emergency room doctors and nurses. He ran around paying a bill for the IV, then a bill for the shot in my butt, then a bill for this, and a bill for that. He ran my pee and blood to the lab. He sat and held me as I cried and as I slept. He got me a load of medical prescriptions. And he got me home in bed feeling much better by 3 am.

Another experience at the Kenyan emergency room found me with a UT infection. Nothing a lot of antibiotics and $120 can't fix. But once again we were reminded how much we hate how Kenya works sometimes. From our western mind-set, we want the emergency room to move quickly. When someone is in obvious pain, we hope that doctors would rush to figure it out. Instead, some worker takes your blood pressure and weight and height, even if half your face is ripped off. Kenya has a lot of good things, but moving quickly is never one of them. It's moments like this I have to keep visions of the things I love about Kenya in my mind and remember that all places, even home, have their down-sides. Missing American efficiency today and looking forward to the Kenyan beach in three weeks!

British vs. American

2010-09-21T20:35:00.007+03:00

As an American who is now teaching at a British school, this is my comparison of the two systems and cultures...

The Brits love to socialize, and it's considered more important to go out for drinks than to work oneself to death.

Americans value working hard above hanging out with co-workers. They even have a name for it, "workaholic".

The British school system is very structured, with the "time table" (schedule) given to teachers.

The American system gives teachers a lot of responsibility and they create their own schedules in the classroom (for the most part).

The UK has a national curriculum.

The US has state curriculum.

The UK and US systems do a lot of testing these days!

The British system has more checks and balances for their teachers, putting more responsibility on the school rather than the teacher.

The American system is trying to have more checks and balances (No Child Left Behind), but haven't figured out how to balance responsibility yet. (Opinion of course.)

British teachers spell "artefact" and "colour".

American teachers spell "artifact" and "color".

British teachers in Kenya have a drink on campus.

American teachers have to wait until happy hour.

The Brits have lots of holidays. Long holiday breaks.

The Americans don't know how to take a break, and most of them think there is too much vacation for schools. Learn to take a break!

British people travel to other countries.

Americans travel to other states.

British and American teachers are good at practicing patience every day!

This is all a matter of opinion, but it's mine. :)

Our Flat

2010-09-18T13:06:00.008+03:00

Here is where we live now... It's a small flat across from the school I'm working at in the middle of Nairobi. We are on the third floor and can see the neighboring slum from our window, the busy street outside our gate, the school, and who is coming and going from the compound. It's small and much different from the community house we lived in amongst tea fields, but we're filling it with our stuff and having lots of friends visit. So it's beginning to feel like home.

Kitchen.

You can see all the pots we own in the dish drainer because we have to boil our water for drinking. A water filter didn't come with the apartment, so we're getting our clean water the free way.

Living Room.

Will saying, "What are you doing?"

Our Guest Room.

It's small but welcome to any visitors who want to venture this way. We've already enjoyed putting it to use!

Bathroom.

It came with a hideous floral shower curtain. There aren't a lot of options for home decor in Nairobi. We've picked out a new one at Target, but have to wait for someone coming from America. No Target here! :)

Master Suite.

For awhile our bed was simply a mattress on the floor until one day I came home from school and my wonderful husband had bought this beautiful bed from a carpenter on the side of the road. Picking up end-tables this week!

We still need some pictures on the walls and new photos in the picture frames, but overall I think we're doing well for three weeks into living in our Kenyan flat. Family and friends are welcome any time!

Our Europe Pics!

2010-09-09T20:51:00.008+03:00

These are some of our pictures of Europe and a few stories from our travels. In no particular order....

Munich, Germany's town hall looked like a gothic building like the Hunchback would live in.

Prague Castle... I want to live here!

The hills are alive with the sound of music... la, la, la, la. This is where the movie was filmed in Salzburg, Austria.

Bled Castle in Slovenia overlooks a lake. It poured rain the entire day we were there, but we still hiked up to the castle.

Here you can see the destruction of the 1990's war in Croatia. Bullet holes in buildings and rubble still remained in parts of every city we visited in Croatia.

This was our room in Kotor, Montenegro. We stayed in an extra room of a lady's house. We LOVED the mouse carpet and pink striped sheets.

Meteora, Greece was one of our FAVORITE places we went. Great hiking, history, views, and monasteries.

Athens, Greece... Just like you picture Ancient Greece.

Santorini, Greece was a beautiful island. Picturesque Greece to the max!

Vatican City has the most beautiful churches I've ever visited. Also saw a lot of graves of past popes.

Will was a great navigator through all of Europe. He is a mad man with the map!

Pisa... The tower really does lean, but besides that, there is nothing to see in this college town. Was kind of like Newberg with some older buildings.

Cinque Terre, Italy was a great place to explore and wonderful swimming holes, which we greatly enjoyed on the HOT HOT day we were there.

Lichtenstein Castle where the King of Lichtenstein still lives and rules.

In the Alps of Switzerland. So beautiful!

Alive and Well

2010-09-05T22:25:00.002+03:00

For the family and friends who read this, I just wanted you to know that we're well and trying to get our lives in order again in Kenya. We arrived in Nairobi on a Monday afternoon, started work on Tuesday, moved to our new flat in town on Tuesday as well, and tried to see friends sometime in between. It's been hectic and will continue to be for a while as we adjust to a new living situation and my new job and our new friends and still doing all the old stuff. The point of this post is to say... We just got internet hooked up and we'll try and catch up with you as soon as possible. I'll update you with more pictures from Europe and our new place. Until I get my act together, we love you and can't wait to catch up. You can also call our Vonage phone number during our evenings (11 hours ahead of AK, 10 hours ahead of OR/CA, and 8 hours ahead of MS).

Love you and talk soon I hope!

Germany

2010-08-30T20:20:00.002+03:00

I liked Germany for its history, modern and old architecture, everyone stays out late and things stay open late, and beer (yep, I actually liked it).

Berlin (2 Days)
Went on a walking tour of Berlin, focusing mainly on post WW2 and the Berlin Wall... Fascinating! I want to go back for more tours. Loved seeing all the modern architecture and what they've built down town where the wall once stood - almost like going into the future. Stayed at a really cool hostel, the Grand Hostel Berlin. Not as cool as Mosaic House, but definitely the second best place we staying on the trip.

Bamberg (1 Day)
BEER. That's the reason we visited this quaint German town. They have 10 breweries in the town limits and Will's favorite beer - rauchbier (smoke beer) which they brew especially in one brewery in this small town. We spent our time hitting four breweries and walking around the old town in-between each. And I drank a beer at every brewery with Will. We'll be working off our beer bellies from now until Christmas.

Munich (2 Days)
Visited the first, oldest, and longest used German concentration camp, Dacau, just outside Munich. It was very dreary and rainy that day, which made the place all the more somber. Ninety-nine percent of German leaders were trained at Dacau and prisoners of all backgrounds were sent there - Jews, Roma (gypsies), homosexuals, anyone against the Nazis. Aside from this difficult tour, we met up with an old friend of Will's from childhood and did some last minute shopping before getting on the train to the airport.

(Pictures are coming soon...)

What you need to know about...

2010-08-27T23:49:00.003+03:00

PRAGUE!

If you're headed to Prague any time ever, whether you're 19 and wanting the cool hostel experience or 90 and needing a quiet night's sleep, the place to stay is Mosaic House. Best place we stayed in all of Europe! Honestly! Check it out online. Just click on MOSAIC HOUSE.

Tell them Will Porter sent you. His friends run the place.

Prague

2010-08-25T11:16:00.002+03:00

For Will, Prague is like going home. For me, it was like going home with Will for the first time. We spent time with old friends, ate at Will´s favorite spots, and went to Will´s church. As many of you know, we´ve been talking about moving to Prague in the next year or two (God willing) and many people have asked me, now that I´ve been there, if I still want to move there... Yes. It felt like home with friends and church and a heart at ease. So please keep us getting to Prague in your prayers. I visited several international schools, talked to some people, dropped come CV´s (resumes). We´ll see!

What I loved about Prague...

It has the most beautiful architecture of any city we´ve visited in Europe.

Cool friends.

Real church.

The castle, the pubs, and other cool places to hang out.

Shopping!

Good summer weather... not too hot and not too cold.

So if we move to Prague, who is coming to visit?

"I could live here."

2010-08-18T20:21:00.002+03:00

Those were Will's words in each city we visited in Austria. It's where Motzart and The Sound of Music come from. And the hills really are alive... The Alps there are gorgeous! Things we liked best about Austria...

Another cool castle... even went in the torture chamber.

Our best meal on the trip so far.

Trick fountains that got you a bit wet.

Clean city.

Beautiful architecture.

Things we'll go back to Austria to do when we have more time...

Hiking.

Mountain biking.

Things to do now...

Look up international schools in Austria. :)

(Pictures will have to come later, but you can google Innsbruck and Salzburg if interested now.)

Slovenia

2010-08-15T22:14:00.005+03:00

Clean like Switzerland.

Beautiful lakes and mountains.

Great English speakers.

Stayed in a 100+ year old house with creaking floors.

Hitched a ride to the train station with a very nice lady.

Walked in the rain to a castle.

Watched a movie in a castle.

Walked cobble stone streets looking at very old buildings.

Would definitely go back to see more.

Back on the grid!

2010-08-10T23:29:00.002+03:00

The last few countries have been a bit more difficult to find internet, but we're finally back online. Here's the scoop from Greece, Albania & Montenegro, and Croatia...

Croatia

2010-08-10T23:11:00.003+03:00

This is my favorite country of the trip so far... Beautiful rocky coastline, medieval towns still in use, and really helpful and friendly people. I definitely recommend visiting Croatia.

Our itinerary:

Dubrovnik (2 Days)
Stayed at a small guesthouse which was basically a woman renting rooms from her home. Walked all over the city. The Old Town sits on the coast line surrounded by ancient walls and not a single car on the cobble stone streets. Scars from the 1990's war can be seen from the new roof shingles and the bullet holes in the sides of buildings. Found a cozy little nook on the rocky beach to be alone. Aqua blue waters. Talked to the parents on skype from the steps of a Medieval church in the Old City.

Split (2 Days)
Saw the Roman ruins of this original Roman settlement as well as the changes to the city from Medieval times and modern day. Walked all along the coastline, stopping at each beach to take a dip in the sea and cool off from the heat. Got a bit of sunburn. Ate really good vegetarian pizza with corn on it. Got my nose pierced. Ate gelato for the 20th time on this trip.

Zagreb (1 Day)
Walked all around the city, which was really quite beatiful. A city Will and I could live in, we thought. Streets in the middle of the city had no people on them. Idealic European apartment architecture. Rolling hills and mountains. Slept in a hostel that was a bit of a young party scene. Woke up ready to go to Slovenia and relax for a couple days.

Albania Adventure

2010-08-10T22:57:00.002+03:00

Four days of our trip were unplanned. We wanted to go from Greece to Croatia, but the countries in between are off the grid, meaning not on the rail system. So we planned to figure it out when we got there. This is what we ended up figuring...

From Thessolaniki, Greece we hopped on a bus to Tirana, Albania. Getting on the bus, everything looked great - our bus driver spoke English, the lady at the office was super helpful and nice. But when we got on the bus, our seat numbers 27 and 28 didn't exist. There was a 26 and a 29, but no 27 and 28. Our bus driver, who treated us like his special guests, squared it away for us and off we went on our expected 8 hour bus ride. Almost 12 hours later, we arrived in the excommunist center of Albania, which looked like China buildings with European people. Albania was very interesting because communism only ended in 1991, so old bomb shelter bunkers are scattered all over the country side and the buildings in the middle of town have communist stars and soldiers still hanging on their walls. Using our Lonely Planet Travel Guide, we quickly found a hostel, walked the town a bit, found a bite to eat, and finally found someone to help us figure out how to get to Montenegro, the next country between us and Croatia. We hopped a mini-bus, which was just a really nice Kenyan matatu, to Shkoder, the closest Albanian city to the border. From there, we got a taxi, whose driver must have learned to drive from Kenyan matatu drivers, to Montenegro. He drove us across the border to Bar, Montenegro without crashing into anyone, although there were many close calls. A train to Kotor, Montenegro finally got us to a place where we could sleep for a few nights.

Montenegro was beautiful and had very amazing Old Towns from medieval times, but that's a seperate story. Let me finish by saying two nights in Montenegro were relaxing until we hopped back on a bus to Croatia. The border from Hell awaited us, but again we had a crazy driver who took our big bus around the 2 kilometer line and we had finally made it to Croatia!

Greece

2010-08-10T22:40:00.004+03:00

After 16 hours on a ferry from Italy, we made it to Patra Greece. Another hour and a half by bus, then one more hour by train, and we made it to Piraeus, the port city next to Athens. Here we laid our heads for a night before jumping on another ferry for Santorini Island. This Greek island was just like the pictures... beautiful, idealic, and hot. We rented a scooter and drove around the whole island. Our favorite parts - black sand beaches, much cheaper than Western Europe where we'd been, wearing a swimming suit all day, and the views! The views were amazing!

After Santorini we headed back to Athens, where we spent Will's birthday watching the sunset from the top of the Acropolis overlooking the entire city. We even stood on the rock where St. Paul is said to have preached and converted some of the first Greek Christians. Athens is kind of a dump of a city, the junkiest and most grafitti we've seen on our trip, but the ruins and history are still worth seeing.

On to Meteora we went to see an unusual rock forest where Byzantine monks built 23 monostaries. How they built these monestaries I have no idea because you would need rock climbing equipment to reach the top of some of these cliffs. Luckily for us, there are now trails and roads, so we hiked to the six active monestaries that still survive. This was seriously one of the coolest places Will or I have ever been. The history, the rocks, the views... We saw a Greek Bible written in 939. It doesn't get much cooler than that!

Our last night in Greece was Thessaloniki. This wasn't originally in our plan, but it was a jumping off point to get to Albania, which is a story in and of itself. In Thessolaniki I just kept thinking that two books of the Bible are written to the people here who have a beautiful port city. Mostly, we just noticed the shopping and the huge ships, but it was a nice city and we had a comfortable bed to lay our heads. Then it was off to Albania...

Vatican City and Then Some...

2010-07-27T21:58:00.004+03:00

Being that Vatican City is a country in and of itself, it gets it's own post... This 0.44 square kilometer country brought us a bit of luck, as we just happened to visit on the last Sunday of the month, when entry to the museum and the Sistine Chapel is free. Ancient Roman statues, paintings of Mary and Jesus, early Christian church coffins, we saw it all - and lots of it. The Sistine Chapel was the highlight of the Vatican museum tour because it's so famous and it was just plain cool. We also toured St. Peter's Church, where the Apostle Peter's bones "supposedly" lie and where the Pope always gives speeches from in the Vatican. Yep, it's the place you always see on TV. It was the biggest and most amazing church I've ever entered. Underneath the church we went through the maze of Pope coffins, including Pope John Paul. It wasn't spooky, it was actually a very peaceful place I thought. The Vatican is definitely worth the day we spent there.

To see everything in Rome could have taken us a week, but we only had 2 full days, so on we went... A train to Bari, Italy. A 16 hour over-night ferry to Patra, Greece. A bus to Kiato, Greece. A train to Piraeus, Greece. Two days traveling. We made it. We have a bed to sleep in tonight until our super fast ferry of 5 hours to Santorini Island tomorrow morning. We're on the go, but having fun, especially after a shower and dinner.

Italy

2010-07-24T20:02:00.004+03:00

Our first stop in Italy was Tirano, a small town on the border of Switzerland, where we switched trains to Milan. We were only there an hour, but enough time to hear the accordian player on the street and to grab the most AMAZING pasta from a little to-go shop. We stopped again in Milan, or Milano in Italian, which was a city I wasn't sad to by-pass. Crowded. Loud. Graffiti everywhere. Dirty. Finally we arrived in Genoa, or Genova. This is a port city in the Northwest of Italy. With over 600,000 people is was bustling as people walked the cobble-stone streets with old architecture towering overhead. The best part of this city, in my opinion, was an old street we stumbled upon that housed huge mansions once occupied by the nobles of the city. We went in one of them, which is now city hall, and it was very impressive. I pictured women walking the open halls of this residence with Victorian gowns boasting their cleavage. Genoa was a stopping point to reach the Cinque Terre, five small villages that were cut off from the rest of the world for quite some time. We hiked between some of them and took the train between others. We took dips in the Mediterranean Sea at two of the villages to cool down from the heat. (It is HOT in Europe right now!) We stopped in little cafes here and there to grab a snack and I even did a little shopping at a boutique run by a woman who was dressed like a gypsie in white. The Cinque Terre was beautiful, surrounded by vineyards and lemon tree orchards. I would definitely like to go back, but maybe not in the height of trourist season and HOT HOT weather.

Here is a picture of one of the villages where we took a dip in the small bay...

After the Cinque Terre we stopped in Pisa. The only reason to go there is to see the Leaning Tower, which we did. Besides that, it's just a small college town like McMinnville, Oregon. We saw the tower, hopped back on the train, and now we're in Rome. Rome is like ancient meets modern. We ate our grocery store lunch beside ancient temple ruins. We walked through the Colosseum and the Pantheon. Saw fountains and churches made by famous designers. There is so much to see!!!

Tomorrow the Christian Catacombs and the Vatican and anything else we stumble across, which will definitely happen in this city!

Switzerland

2010-07-19T10:15:00.003+03:00

We spent our first day in Zurich, walking everywhere around the city center. Things that stood out to me... The train system is so effecient, down to the minute. The train to our hotel always arrived at 9 minutes after and 39 minutes after the hour. A LOT different than Kenya. All the buildings are beautiful, even the regular homes look like something out of national geographic. The pretzles are my favorite bread here, which could be a little dangerous.
Our second day in Europe we took the train through the Alps to St. Moritz, a posh ski town, where we are hanging out with Will's parents for a few days. We took a cable car to the top most peak at over 9,000 feet. It was one of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen, even might beat Alaska.

The downfalls of Switzerland is that it is quite expensive to eat and it's a little cold for me, even colder than Limuru this morning. But overall, Switzerland is one of the most beautiful places I've been and it is definitely a nice break from life in Kenya.

This was the view around every corner as we took the train from Zurich to St. Moritz...

Leaving on a jet plane...

2010-07-15T10:27:00.002+03:00

Bags are packed.

Passports ready.

We're off to Europe!

10 countries.

6 1/2 weeks.

Dream honeymoon here we come!

First stop... Zurich.

We'll keep you posted.

LCC Adventure...

2010-07-11T13:46:00.013+03:00

45 Kids.

24 adults.

3 busses.

1 hike.

On Saturday Will's team from Mississippi took everyone from Limuru Children's Center on a hike. Hell's Gate was the destination... a geo-thermal area with hot springs, cliffs, and deep ravines. We enjoyed watching the kids climb down cliffs, jump off rocks, and play in the water. With everyone wearing matching purple shirts, we were quite a sight in the national park. It was a great time for all!

Solomon is Out!

2010-07-01T18:52:00.004+03:00

Solomon is out of the hospital. The bill is paid. And he looks so good. He still has to see the neurologist for check-ups, but his hearing looks like it will be fine, and he has few scars considering the damage of the accident. If you had seen that boy when we arrived at the emergency room with him and see him now, only a week later, you would be amazed. Thank you for all your prayers for Solomon and his family. The funds have been donated for his medical bills, and Solomon is getting stronger every day. His sister, Rosemary, who was also in the accident, is back at school and doing well.

If you continue to think of this family, you can pray that Solomon will have no brain damage and his memory loss will be restored. Also, pray that both Solomon and Rosemary are able to overcome the trauma of the accident. They saw the deaths of two people and 15 kids in the hospital bloodied and broken that day. Rosemary described to me how the driver, who was killed instantly, looked and various other gruesome details that no child should have to experience. The trauma is something they are still dealing with.

Thank you again for the love and support you've given people you don't know. All of us on this side of the world have been blessed by it. Much love to you!

Latest News!

2010-06-28T23:37:00.002+03:00

We went to the hospital this morning to see Solomon. He looked great! His swollen face was back to a normal smile. The top of his ear, that we could see sticking out of his bandage, looked perfect. As Patrick, his uncle, said, "It's a miracle." After a week in the hospital we still don't know when Solomon will be discharged. He has some memory loss, which shows evidence of brain damage. The neurologist is still keeping tabs on him. We also don't know if he's going to be able to hear from the side of his head that was scraped away in the accident.

Thank you all for your prayers. Patrick has expressed his appreciation every time I've seen him. And your prayers are working! Please continue to pray for Solomon's brain, that there will be no damage and his memory will be restored. Also please pray for the funds to pay for Solomon's medical bills, as more and more people here are adding shillings to help. Thank you all again!

Prayers for Solomon

2010-06-25T22:42:00.004+03:00

Solomon is walking around and talking with people! He is doing amazingly well very quickly, and Patrick, his uncle, was shocked when he saw him last night at the hospital. He seems to have no brain damage thus far, but he is being monitored closely. We don't know if he will be able to hear from one side of his head, as his ear was torn off and he suffered damage on the right side of his head when the truck struck his school bus. Patrick wanted everyone to know that your prayers are working. When Will and I told him that all these people in America were praying for Solomon and their family, he was overwhelmed. He is very grateful, and his eyes reddened. Hopefully Solomon will be released from the hospital in the next day or two. This is very necessary due to the medical bills that are quickly racking up. Many people are generously donating to meet the costs, but continue to pray that the money is provided for Patrick's family. This is a HUGE thing in Kenya. This family would not be able to meet these medical bills on their own. Please also continue to pray for Solomon, that he would be a walking miracle for us all to witness. Thank you again for your prayers from Patrick and all of us with his family here in Kenya.

Solomon Update...

2010-06-24T09:58:00.003+03:00

Solomon is out of the ICU after surgery, that we were told went well. He ate breakfast and soft foods for dinner, and he is talking and recognizing people. He's still in a lot of pain. If you've ever heard a child in that kind of pain, you'll understand how difficult it is to be there and not be able to do anything. Patrick, our dear friend and the uncle/guardian of Solomon, wants to thank everyone for their prayers. Please keep praying for Solomon and his recovery, as well as wisdom from doctors and funds to pay the medical bills. Thank you all.

Urgent Prayer Request!

2010-06-22T21:09:00.002+03:00

This morning Will and I rushed to the hospital to meet a friend who took his niece and nephew to the emergency room after their school bus collided with a large truck, killing the driver and one child instantly. Rosemary, 11 years old, had a minor head injury and cuts. She was released from the hospital this afternoon. Her brother, Solomon, who is 9 years old, suffered a major head injury, needing surgery. Please pray that Solomon will be OK. Kenyan medicine is not like American, and the frustration of that today made us extra worried, as it took 5 hours before he saw a neurologist for his injuries. Pray Solomon receives good medical care and God protects his brain from damage.

Click here for information about the accident.

Summer Reading List

2010-06-20T14:13:00.009+03:00

With more time on my hands this summer, I've read the following books thus far...

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, by Betty Smith

Very difficult to get into at first, but comes around to really explain the lifestyle of New York immigrants in the '20s. Interesting for me to see the correlations between poverty in America and poverty in Kenya - not much different actually. Kim's rating: OK.

The Search for God and Guinness, by Stephen Mansfield

Great book describing the generous hearts of the Guinness Family and how much they had an influence on Ireland, beer, and the church. Very interesting biography! And I learned some things about brewing beer too. Kim's rating: Excellent.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain

A classic I've never read before. I got it from the Limuru Children's Center, but I don't think any of those kids could read all the slaying in this book. It was hard for me at times. Kim's rating: Classic (need I say more...).

Books of the Bible - Mark, Luke, John, and Romans

I love the gospels and reading what Jesus did, but I have to say I've decided I don't care for Romans much. I can see where people draw their "hell, fire, and brimstone" theology from this book, but they should read ALL of Romans before they draw those conclusions. Kim's rating: Gospels - Excellent, Romans - OK.

That's it so far. I'd take your suggestions on books to read this summer, but I don't have a public library or local book store to get the book from, so I'll just have to stick with what I find around here. Comment and tell me what you're reading though. I'm curious.

Jikazi

2010-06-11T20:42:00.015+03:00

Jikazi is one of the many projects Will's organization, Global Connections (GC), supports. The Jikazi story begins over two years ago with the post-election violence, which began in December 2007. Due to tribal differences, corrupt government officials, and a botched voting system, Kenyans began fighting against Kenyans when President Kibaki and his opponent, Raila Odinga, disputed the outcome of the election. Kibaki, the reigning president, said he won, while Odinga, from the minority Luo tribe, claimed his win. Since Kibaki and Odinga hail from different tribes, violence errupted between the tribes of Kenya led by the government officials themselves. Luo against Kikuku. Luhya against Kalenjin. Bullets, pangas (machetes), and stones became the weapons of choice aimed at anyone who was from a different tribe. Many Kenyans were displaced when their homes were burned. Other Kenyans lay dead in the streets. Still others were burned alive in churches, like something out of an American Revolution movie. And foreigners hid in their homes or left the country. Two months of fighting resulted in hundreds of thousands of Kenyans being displaced, with nowhere to live. Humanitarian aid organizations set up camps to house the IDP's (Internally Displaced Peoples) with the intent that the Kenyan government would help families reestablish themselves. As with most things in Kenya, that never happened. However, IDP's throughout Kenya worked to thrive. A small group of 150 people used the small funds the government gave them to purchase land together and try to rebuild, creating their own village in the Rift Valley. They called themselves Jikazi.

Global Connections later befriended the people of Jikazi, helped raise funds for them through microfinance loans, and put in hours of labor to help build homes and set up a water source. Through the relationships established with GC, Jikazi is a thriving village. As villagers find their lost family members or invite new-found friends to Jikazi, the village is growing. A water well is currently being built to provide drinking water. Those that lost everything have found a new home.

Last week I had the opportunity to go with our volunteer team to visit Jikazi. Our intent was to hear people's stories and help build two new homes.

We built homes of sticks and mud alongside people who had experienced horrible tragedy. One girl I nailed sticks with was 17 years old, holding her one year old son. Lydia had been raped and became pregnant while in a displacement camp. Mama Miriam sat next to me at lunch and told me she thought some of our girls looked like boys since they were dressed like boys. We laughed together. I have many impressions about my visit to Jikazi, but overall I am in awe at how people can rise above extreme sadness and be happy again, laughing about how bad they are at hammering nails or making jokes about women's fashion. And it humbles me. It makes me thankful and challenges me to do more with the good things I've been given.

Live performance!

2010-06-10T14:48:00.006+03:00

We had a team of 13 college students staying at our house for three weeks. They left this week, but not before enjoying a special performance in our living-room. Some Masai men from the neighborhood came and danced for our group. After pushing the furniture aside, jumping men in skirts and African chanting filled the house.

Even some of our guys joined in the fun and showed their version of Masai dancing, which really involved jumping up and down multiple times as high as they could. It was a great live performance in the comfort of our own home. Now when any of those Masai men see Will on the road, they wave a big hello.