Amazing Race

Wow, so yesterday was just one of those days that was just so memorable and enjoyable for so many little things….it all started in the morning when I went  back to the public school after 4 weeks of not going because of their examinations and different holidays.  I was so afraid I wasn’t going to remember any of their names….or worse, that I would remember only some of their names and the others whom I did not remember would feel very discouraged.  L  BUT!  I was praisin the Lord because with the exception of two people, I remembered all of their names on my own!  And the two I didn’t, I just asked for the first letter and then I was able to remember them!  So that made me so happy, because I could see the surprise on their faces and just, the appreciation in their smiles, that after FOUR weeks of not seeing them, I could remember their names.  J

After a wonderful time with the kids at Gymnasium, I got to have a great afternoon with the kids at the Barak.  J  We were making cards for the Polish Mother’s Day!  Because it is a different day here than what it is in the States—May 26.  And there is one girl, who every time she comes, she is so interested in what I draw and color and make.  J  I don’t see her so often, she only comes every once in a while, but she just really takes an interest in my “artwork”.  So I was working alongside her for the cards and she is quite a little artist herself, so I just try to tell her how wonderful her things are too. 

After the Barak, I was on my way to meet up with the FoF group for our “Scavenger Hunt”. !!!!  Which was SOOOOOO MUCH stinkin fun!  Probably the closest I will ever come to the Amazing Race—which if anyone wants to sign up with me for THAT, I am so up for it!  On my way, I stopped to tie my shoe a little tighter.  When I started walking again, a younger guy was walking next to me….whistling.  You must understand that while whistling may be a normal past time as you walk along in the States….it is not something I have heard here….like, at all.  So I took my genuine amazement as an opportunity to build a bridge maybe with this stranger.  “You sure don’t hear a lot of people whistling as they walk in Poland.” I said and gave him a sideways glance.  He immediately stopped, and gave me a look of confusion and then slight panic.  “I do not speak any English.”  He quickly rattled off robotically, as if he had been trained to say that his whole life.  “Whistle.” I said as I made a whistle sound and smiled.  He kind of laughed and we continued to walk in silence a little longer.  “Are you sure you don’t speak English?” I said again, hoping I could get a little more hopeful of a response.   A little unsure of himself he divulged just a tiny bit more, “I speak very easy English.”  “Very little English.” I softly corrected.  “Aha,yes. Little.” He repeated. “Good job, dobrze” I said, hoping he might open up a little.  But he did not, and we walked in stride for a little ways longer until he stopped at the tram stop and I continued on. I do regret that I did not just talk to him anyways.  But most likely, he could understand some of what I was saying.  :/

The scavenger hunt was AWESOME.  We were given riddles as clues to go from one place to the next to the next. Five riddles in all.  An hour and half later, we were at our final destination….we were the WINNERS!  Piotrek, Adolfo and I had won!  And then we realized we hadn’t gotten our drink as we were supposed to before arriving at the last stop.  L  So I laced up my boots and ran to the nearest shop—a NETTO about 4 minutes—if that—away.  I jumped in line with my juice and what shoud I see…..the enemy team up in line ahead of me!!!!!  I moved into the next line over and noticed the couple in front of me were of the “student age”….”Do you speak English by chance?” I asked, to which I was so glad to hear, “Yes.”  I explained my situation, and asked if I could go in front of them with my one bottle of juice, to which they said, “Of course!  If you are in a race we HAVE to help you out!!!”   I wasn’t even looking for an open door , but here one was as they began to ask me what this race was about and who I was doing it with!  So I shared with them about FoF and invited them to come right then with me for the “After party” to which they said they would love to, but tonight was already a busy night for them.  The guy asked me what organization this student group was with and when I told him it was connected to church…..let’s just say he was surprised in his speech.  ;)  And when I asked him if he would like to join us sometime, he said, “Why the heck not?” and gave me his email address and told me to send him an email about future events.  J  I had pretty much forgotten about the excitement of the race and was totally psyched about the opportunity I had just been given to share with this couple.  I hope that they come in the future!  We will see!  As for now, I am just thankful I got the opportunity to share it with him and he seemed to be really interested in how something connected to “church” could seem so fun.  LOL.  SO that was cool.

Our victory was rewarded with……Dr. Gerard’s….a very TASTY kind of cookie.  J  Adolfo and Piotrek were of course overjoyed, as they had been hoping for chocolate the whole time, LOL, typical guys, wanting FOOD as the prize.  And I was overjoyed…once I took a bite of one of them!  They were seriously delicious.  So we just hung out at Coralanne and Eirek’s flat, eating Norwegian waffles with brown cheese and jam and fruit salad.  Brown cheese is AMAZING.  It is like caramelized cheese.  I don’t know how to explain it, but it is SOOOOOOO good and Eirek told me I CAN find it in the states, so…..i may have to introduce my fellow cheese lovers to the stuff.  J

Well, that is a good place to draw to a close.  I am getting ready to meet with Yilin, the gal I met in the park from China last week and invited her to FoF.  We are meeting at Sweet Surrender for some drinks.  J