Hamburg & Lubeck

Here a few pictures for your viewing pleasure of my trip to Hamburg and Lubeck!

On a side note, I was meeting with Isabel yesterday and on the way there and back I was simply smiling at peoples. That might be a norm in the states, but not here. You generally don't acknowledge people you don't know. I have found some people respond with a smile and a head nod and then others turn around to see if I am acknowledging someone else! Its quite entertaining if nothing else!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for truth. ~ Benjamin Disraeli

Kids

Today I spent most of the day with one of the kids in the church, Kai. He is 10 I believe and a great little kid, reminds me a lot of my nephew Hunter. He came over this morning and we mixed up so cookie dough, then learned to play Speed. We did lunch, then came back for the cookie baking! In between the baking and cutting, we played rounds of Speed (a new favorite for ever German i've taught it to!). Once all the cookies were baked we headed out the door!

First we visited Omi # 1, we talked for a few minutes and had a quick bathroom brake. Then we were off to Omi # 2, she was in a hurry and kind of grumpy so we just dropped the cookies off and wished her a good day! Then off to Omi #3! We had a coffee date for 3. We sat and chatted and enjoyed coffee and warm milk. We chatted up about the weather and church family for an hour and then headed back to the house. After a few quick games of Speed again he was off to head home! Good day, very good day!

Its my personal opinion that doing something good for someone helps with all the other bad things in this world. That warm fuzzy feeling we get when we help, when we know we have done the right thing, thats a feeling that is meant to be shared. Everyone needs to experience that every now and again!

In other news I found a few more jobs I am going to apply for in the OKC area. Worse case, they say no, but its worth sending out and giving it a go anyways!

Thats all I have for now! Have a great week! Be good and do good!

Sarah B

I hope that while so many people are out smelling the flowers, someone is taking the time to plant some. ~Herbert Rappaport

Back and Kicking

Greetings! I made it back safely today. I had a great trip and really enjoyed both seeing the sights and meeting people.

Traveling like that makes me remember why I love people so much. I was able to experience the hospitality and kindness of people and to me that just shows more how great our God is!

Im back to work tonight with an LST appointment right before EBS and then hopefully a dinner with folks tomorrow night!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

The kindness I have longest remembered has been of this sort, the sort unsaid; so far behind the speaker's lips that almost it already lay in my heart. It did not have far to go to be communicated. ~Henry David Thoreau

Hamburg Day 1

Quick blog about my trip here and arrival: All went well, I was able to finish everything at the house that I needed to got my bags all packed and out the door on time! I was having issues getting money on my phone but alas I figured it out at the train station! Made all of my connections just fine. As I went through Berlin I defiantly understand why we got off at the Sud Berlin stop a few years ago instead of the main station! Thats okay though, I got off at the right one this time!

When I walked out of the station in Hamburg I couldn't get my barring on the directions which kinda helps when your trying to follow directions. It was snowing and cold and people everywhere so I hesitantly took my first taxi ever. Only when I told him where I was going he just looked at me, so I showed him the paper as he pulled away with the address on it and as we pulled into the street he started complaining he had been waiting 2 hours in line, 2 hours, to get someone. I took it as him venting. Then I realized all he really did was turn left and we were there. So, my first taxi ride 3.20 euro lol. I gave the guy a 10 because I felt bad but that could have been his point in complaining, it was late and an hour later when I walked back to the train station there were hardly any taxis left!

I checked in and grabbed a bite at an italian restaurant around the corner and watched as the snow fell on the little plaze and people scurried about. I had picked out the Cotton Club online, supposed to be the oldest jazz club in Hamburg so I set out to find it. An hour and a half later once I had been walking in the snow for 45 minutes and couldn't feel my nose I finally found someone who knew where I was going. This very nice couple walked me right to the door, they had been married in vegas and visited the states many times and were more than excited to both practice their english and help an american! Once I did finally make it in the club I had an interesting fellow come and sit by me. He was an older gentleman, professor-esk, with pepper gray hair and a cute old man hat and maroon scarf around his neck. He had a snazzyily dressed younger man with him, not sure who that was. Apparently this cute old man was a regular there and knew the band leader for the night. It was neat to watch the band warm up and get going, but then in talking to the old man I mentioned my parents were from baton rouge and I was very familiar with new orleans and jazz and he just ate it up! At the next brake he called his band leader friend over to talk to me who again was very impressed that I came all the way just to see his band play lol. I had a song dedicated to me in the next set, it was great, don't remember what it was called though. Then I left and it was sad, but it was late and I know in Chemnitz the public transit slows down significantly after 10 pm! After much confusion and again help from a local I found my way back to the train station and then my hostel.

And here we are day two! The end!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

Its always an adventure if you look at it that way!

Planning

Lots of planning going on right now. Getting ready for the LST teams and finished the hand outs and signs and all that fun stuff!

The choir group has a concert next month and that will be a big push for LST.

Tuesday I leave for Hamburg and Im trying to be a good tourist and have my time roughly planned out so as to not waste time trying to find my way around and figuring out what to do. Ive found a few really neat places im excited to visit- take a harbor tour, visit the hamburg dungeon, there is a old jazz club just around the corner from my hostel! its going to be fun!

Sending our resumes is always fun. Nothing like baring your soul on a piece of paper and hoping it is adequate enough and waiting in limbo and then hoping that if indeed they do like what they see they (the company) are willing to wait.

I had a great meeting with Isabell yesterday, we just talked for nearly 2 hours. It was nice to not have an agenda, we usually work through the book we are reading, but yesterday we just talked.
Thats all I have for now. Be good and do good!

Sarah B

For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes. ~Dag Hammarkjold

Saying Goodbye

It is weird mentally trying to prepare to say goodbye to people I have worked so hard to form relationships with. I have slowly been telling people that I will be heading home in April, but it was announced at church today and it was a weird feeling.

I realized that I have around 9 weeks left and thats it. There is a lot to do in that time, starting telling my contacts, figuring out the best way to contact each person so they can be followed up with either by the intern coming in May, the LST team, or the HIM workers.

Im kind of doing a Hail Mary in a sense of trying everything I can and trying to make sure I get the most out of what time I have left.

Other than that, everything is going well right now. Movie night is tomorrow night, we are watching Inception and I think we will have a good turnout.

I will do my last movie night in April- I was thinking about showing, To Save A Life- any thoughts? It is pretty churchy, but it is also not. Who knows- I think im going to order it and have mom send it over and watch it again to see what I think.

Ah, I got my laptop fixed last week for free! Thank you Apple for your warranty! I was expecting to have to pay, but there was a chip on my keyboard which meant that it could be replaced under warranty for free! Its always exciting when you are expecting to have to pay for something and end up getting it for free.

Thats all the news I have. Readers are going well, finishing up the LST material for Leipzig and hope to have it finalized this week.

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

Remember, no matter where you go, there you are. ~Earl Mac Rauch

Alive Again

This week the entire Ami Ecke (American Corner) was sick! It was pathetic actually lol. But alas we are all alive again. A week of rest was good for us all, and I got some reading done! I was able to finish Max Lucado's new book Out Live Your Life- it was good! I enjoyed some chapters more than others, but over all it was a good book!

I also got a run of 20 perfect suduko's on my touch- thats an accomplishment! And finished Jodi Picoti or however you spell it, The Pact. That was alright, not one of my favorite books, I like My Sisters Keeper Better. I just started a new one today, Now And Not Yet. I am thinking about doing a study with one of the young adults here next with that one. Only on chapter 2 thus far, but seems interesting. Its about being content where we are when we aren't where we thought we would be in life. We'll see!

I finally finished my resume and cover letter- I gave it to a few people to review before I send it in next week. I'm not really sure what to do as far as address, should I put my address here or where it will be when I get back? Do I put that i'm not in the country yet or just leave that out and mention it if they inquire? What is protocol? I don't have a clue!!!!

I am planning a trip to Hamburg in a few weeks. Last year I went to Munich and loved it! I love traveling! I have booked a hostel for 2 nights in Hamburg and I will get in late afternoon on Tuesday. Then Thursday night I have a hostel booked in Lubeck which is about 45 minutes away and is supposed to be a medieval city. Ive heard lots of neat things about each city, im excited to go explore! I found really cheap tickets for 30 euro there and back, how do you pass that up?

Its exciting getting ready to go though, a lot of my readers have been so its neat asking people what to see and where to go! I'm excited!

Thats all the news I have on this end! Just meeting with readers and trying to get things lined up on this end.

In the next few weeks I will be making calls to the volunteer places I was given a few months ago at the volunteer office. Since we are going to have a lot of visitors this summer, the Sullivans thought it would be a good idea if they had some free time to do some volunteer work in town somewhere so I am going to scope out each place and see what each one is and how many people can go and help and what not! So thats what this next week will be full of, getting those appointments set up for this week and next!

P.S. I was listening to country music today and it just feels like a normal day in OK with the sun and music and what not and it made me miss my dog Lady. Lady is an old white bird dog and she loves to walk up right. When I was younger (and occasionally still...) I would put on country music and we would walk around the room. Snickers isn't quite tall enough for that.... that is all.

Thats all folks! Be good and do good!

Sarah B

This time ya'll get some of my favorite one liners from Out Live Your Life:

Poverty is not the lack of charity, but the lack of justice.
Save one life. Save the world!
God outfits his followers to cross cultures and touch hearts.
Courage comes as we live with Jesus.
I am not his body; you are not his body. We-together-are his body.
Your hospitality can be their hospital.
There is something fundamentally good about taking time to see a person. (AMEN)
First, kind eyes meet desperate ones. Next, strong hands help weak ones. Then, the miracle of God. We do our small part, he does the big part!
Scripture endorses not forced communism, but Spirit-led volunteerism among God's people.
We think we're shaking up the world when actually we're just along for the ride.
Stay strong. Call him brother.
He is still listening. Are we still praying?
That's Jesus playing that fiddle.

Busy Busy

Hey folks! Things here are going well, keeping busy! Today is my "down day" of the week so I thought I would update on here.

LST at Karen's school is going really well. I was able to spend a little more time just chatting with my readers this week which was nice! I finished my newsletter for this month I just need to proof it before i send it out! I have also been looking at jobs for when I get back to the states.

I found 2 that I will send out resumes for, we'll see what happens! I have redrafted my resume this week as well, I lost it when my computer crashed this summer and my other digital copies are in a box somewhere in Oklahoma lol. Just as easy to redraft it!

Tuesday I went and visited all of our older ladies in the church, that was fun! I didn't stay for long just dropped off some flowers and said hello!

Yesterday I spent the day with Steffi in Dresden. We had lunch together at her apartment and then walked around the Neustadt for a little bit. We went to a little english shop that Steffi had been to before and had afternoon tea! That was fun! Then back to Chemnitz for an LST appointment with Ralf which went well!

Thats been the week! Today im working on some things around here, laundry, reading ect. All is good! Tomorrow I hit the ground running again! with have English Bible Study tomorrow night and then Saturday Ladies Breakfast and then lunch and coffee with the older ladies. Sunday is Leipzig day!

Its snowing again. It snowed yesterday but it all melted (awww shucks!) however today it seems to be sticking! Luckily its not that much yet!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves! ~Thomas Edison

Folks Visit

Just a few pics from my parents visit! We had a good time! Got to see and do a lot of things! It was a fun week! That is all!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

The undertaking of a new action brings new strength. ~Evenius

Back to Life

Happy New Year everyone! Things here are going really well! We had our new years eve party at church last night and it went really well! We had around 30 people (give take a few) that came! We all had a great night! Played a lot of Uno and Nertz which always makes for a good time! We even got Valdemar, one of the older gentlemen, to play some Uno with us!

Not much new news around here. It was kind of surreal this Christmas knowing that this is my last year in Chemnitz. Part of me wants to take advantage of every opportunity but then another part is telling me to relax and just enjoy the moment and stop thinking about it. Its a tough line.

Its still snowing. It warmed up yesterday and melted a little, but don't be fooled, there are still 2-3 foot high piles everywhere. Its not bad snowing though, it snows then warms up and turns to rain then gets colder and turns back to snow. Its pretty, thats for sure!

This week Im going to take a visit to Gesila and have coffee with her. I'm also going to try and get back in contact with Ursula, the cousin of one of the guys that goes to church with dad. I called her when I got back from the states and she was sick and told me to try back next month but that was right around Thanksgiving and things have been crazy with constant guests from November until now. Things are slowing down again so hopefully I can start visiting Ursula each week too!

Last Sunday the Pietche's invited all of the singles from church over for lunch,it was nice to be able to spend time with everyone. We all played and talked for a little bit, then everyone left and it was Karen, Sven, myself and the Pietches. It was great to be able to just spend time and relax and have fun.

Monday is movie night, we are watching the Guardian this month. I need to watch it and get my questions, maybe this afternoon or tomorrow afternoon. Last time I had way to many questions, going for 4 this time!

Wednesday we are meeting Stephan and Cindy, they invited us out for Greek so we will go have supper with them. This is Cindy's last week off (she just joined the military and finished her basic training) so she will head back on Sunday night. Not sure what is next for her!

Whoa that was a long post, sorry about that! Anyways, happy new year everyone!

Be good and do good!

Sarah B

We all have the extraordinary coded within us, waiting to be released. ~Jean Houston