Summer Travel

I was checking out a friend's blog and realized that I haven't updated this with my traveling news: I am going to Cambodia this summer. Being a teacher allows for certain privileges that, with a normal job, I wouldn't have the opportunity to do. This includes being asked to chaperone a trip to Cambodia with our church's graduating high school seniors. D has been asked to go, as well, and I think that it is completely from the Lord. We're asked to chaperone things together a lot, but this is a huge deal for me.... for him... for us.

When we were asked to go, initially I wanted to jump in headfirst, but reality set it - this is going to cost me, a public schoolteacher, $3000. Yikes. I hem-hawed for a while, but eventually deciding that YES! I was going to trust in the Lord for him to help me curb my spending enough to come up with the cash. I sat down to lunch at Panera with D, told him that I'd made my decision, and then asked him what he decided. He told me that he had committed two weeks prior, but asked that it be kept secret, so that I could make my decision for myself. This was the moment that I knew that this guy was perfect for me. I loved that he allowed me to make the decision completely on my own, without concern for what he was going to do.

Fast forward five months. We've met with the parents of the teens, gone to a Cambodian church in Columbus, and I've started compiling supplies to help me in jungle weather. We're praying up like mad for this trip, and I would appreciate your prayers as well. We're going to be working with Mercy Hospital in Phnom Penh, as well as traveling to remote villages to both teach English and share about the love of Christ. I just found out TODAY that since I'm a teacher, I am going to have the opportunity to visit a brand new school that teaches English to Cambodians. I learned about a non-profit organization, Room to Read, which I would like to meet with and possibly develop a partnership with my school.

I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with the amazing teens that are also going on this trip. God gave me the chance to lead, and I pray that I may lead well.

Thank you for your great prayers, you amazing prayer warriors!!!

My traveling bucket list

I'm been dreaming about traveling lately. They always say that you get a traveling "itch." I must say, kids, I think it's back.

Ever since returning from the UK nearly two summers ago, I've been thinking of ways that I could go back there. I would love to be able to pick up and move. I've even looked into teaching in Scotland! Do I have the guts to do it? I used to have such a grand plan for my life - and living internationally was what it was all based on! What have I done with that? Visited for two weeks in the summer one time? Real adventurous. If I could find teaching work there, what is really holding me back? I've joked with Doug about finding a med school in Scotland... what if we don't really joke about it anymore and just get serious about it? Do we have the guts?

I'm going to continue to pray about this. How amazing of a life change would it be.... whoa.

Until I decide, here is my traveling bucket list:

Paris - I've heard this is where EuroDisney is..... fun!
Ireland - the most beautiful part of the UK and the only part I didn't get to see on my whirlwind trip
Germany - the history teacher in me wants to visit WWII sites
Australia - isn't this on every traveler's list?
South Africa - friends to visit, beautiful country to see :) I hear there's some good hiking, too!
Italy - I would like to track down my family
Brazil - my mom went as a teenager; I would like to see what made her fall in love with it

There's more to add, to be sure. Keep your eyes open.

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Belgium!

So, I am currently in Leuven, Belgium.... This is an amazingly beautiful city. This is exactly what you think of when you think of Europe: old, rustic, elegant. I've been able to visit with Tina and Horace so much, and it has been absolutely wonderful! They are doing some amazing things in this city and are already beginning to see the fruits of their labor. 

When we left the airport, we stopped by the monument to commemorate Napoleon's last battle, which was neat to see. I'll post pictures when I get home. Then, on the way, we stopped into town to get Belgium waffles (amazing! I took a picture so that you can all be insanely jealous). They're smothered with chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Today, we went into town with the kids and had sandwiches and pastries that leave Krispy Kremes in the dust. I'm hoping that we can do more "kofekooks" tomorrow morning before I leave :) 

Tina and I went shopping in the afternoon, and we both found really good deals on shoes (shhhh! I know!). Tonight has been so relaxing. Tina and I are going to have a chick flick and pajamas movie night, yeah for 27 Dresses, which she hasn't seen yet :) Well, I fly out tomorrow at 11 something in the morning, and my flight lands in Cincy at 6. So, I will be at my home sweet home soon enough. 

Thanks for reading the past few weeks..... 

Day 11.... I think?

I do believe that my days are a little confused.

We caught the train to Glasgow this morning, which was so easy and fast (less than an hour!). We met up with Jenna's friend Roz, grabbed lunch, then spent the afternoon in various cafe's, pubs, and pastry shops, which was a really wonderful way to spend an afternoon. We made dinner here at Roz's flat, and are really just relaxing, talking, and enjoying the company.

I'm getting a train to the airport in the morning, so that I can fly to Belgium.... more from there tomorrow!

Day 9.....

Edinburgh. Yeah, I want to live here. Especially after today.

The picture to the right is of Barra and I framing a London Bridge sign.... sorry it's late :)


Jenna and I bought tickets for an open bus top tour, which was, as we found out, WELL WORTH the money. There is no way that we would've had time to see everything that there is to see in Edinburgh.

On our tour, we stopped at Edinburgh Castle for a few hours, which is the picture directly to the right. In the castle, I found the doorway that is just my size :) The castle holds the Scottish crowned jewels, which I also got to look at. Beautiful, but no picture-taking allowed... sorry :-/

After dinner, we went to a beautiful little park, where there was a castle, called Lauriston Castle. It overlooked the sea, which was just gorgeous... and pretty much solidified my decision to move to Edinburgh.

We're traveling to Glasgow in the morning, where we will be guided by a friend of Jenna's. We'll stay there tomorrow night, then I'm off to Belgium!

Check out the full photo albums from the past few days:

London: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2241577&l=13aca&id=12308386
London and Edinburgh: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2243752&l=ee7eb&id=12308386
Edinburgh: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2243793&l=52e66&id=12308386

Days 7 & 8

Well, Day 7, which was Part II in London, started off relatively well. We got to sleep in a bit, since we had done so much the day before. We took Barra out to breakfast (we stayed at his house), then decided to go to a shop to pick up a few things. Somehow or another, I put my wallet down in the shop, and realized that I didn't have it when I went up to pay. So, Jenna and I scoured the store (and I mean, we searched every stinkin' possible INCH of that store!) and couldn't find it. We notified security, went to every shop in the plaza to ask them to look out for it, and also to the main security booth for the plaza. We prayed and prayed and prayed that it would work out well, as I had every credit card, my SS card, driver's lisence, etc. in that wallet. As Jenna and I started to walk back to Barra's, we saw the security guard from the shop and he told us that someone in the shop had turned it in to the desk. Everything was there (praise the LORD!) and in tact.

That whole ordeal just kinda set the tone for the whole day. I started it out just by being totally frazzled and frustrated and exhausted. Eventually we got out of the house and on our way to see Buckingham Palace (which, by the way, is pretty much a letdown unless you're there for the changing of the guard, which I wasn't.... the guards weren't even outside the gate for me to take a silly photo with!)

After Buckingham Palace, we rushed to get over to the Hillsong Church of London, where they had a 5 pm service, which was pretty cool. A serious focus on worship, but if you'd like to hear my thoughts, just ask :) I really needed to go to get my head set on straight again. God is good.

We met up with Barra for dinner at Pizza Express, which sounds kinda cheap and gross, but is actually a seriously great place to eat. We had a ball, and then walked around London taking pictures and being goofy. Check back to facebook later for those, as they'll be up later tonight.

Today, we got up uber early and took a train to the airport and went to Scotland. Jenna's grandparents live in Edinburgh, which is where I am now. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! I would love to be able to live in this city sometime in my life. Pictures of Edinburgh will also be up tonight. We went to a Cinese photography exhibiton at the City Art Center, which was really touching and moving. Right now we are at Jenna's cousin's flat, making dinner and just relaxing. Should be heading back to the grandparents' early tonight, so that we can get a serious night's rest to be all go for tomorrow.

We'll be in Edinburgh until Wednesday and I have a lot of castles to see :) We may take an open top bus tour of the city just to make sure that we get it all in. We'll have to see if it's worth the ten pounds.

London photos!

Me and Larissa with the Invisible Man



Me, Jenna, Amy, Larissa at Westminster Abbey

Day 7: London (Part I)

Well, it has been one full week since I left the lovely state of Ohio. I posted a picture of my time with Debbie in Liverpool/Southport. The picture is of Deb, Jenna, and I in Southport, the beach town near Liverpool.

We got up uber early to take the train from Birmingham to London... It was kind of nice to see a bit of the city before everyone flooded the streets. We first went to Covent Garden, which was just full of nice little shops (and cafes! After getting up at 5:15, the cafes were seriously necessary for these tired girls!). We shopped around, watched a psycho street performer juggle knives while balancing on a pole and spinning a long knife above his head.... crazy. At the North Face store, I bought a compression sack so that hopefully I'll be able to fit everything in my pack and not have to buy another suitcase.....We'll see.

We met up with our friend Amy in the afternoon, and did some sightseeing at Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Camden Market (think Chinatown, but in English). Eventually, we bid farewell to Amy and Larissa, and made it back to Jenna's friend's house, Barra, who is kindly giving us a place to crash here in London. Tomorrow is Day 2 of London. Check back tomorrow for more!