bicycles. boys. hitting boys with bicycles?

So, there's this thing i have been doing lately and that is the relatively simple task of learning to adjust to living life in a country that is at the top of every American's dream vacation spot. It is truly a miracle how well i am adjusting to this place. I have slipped back into the habit of speaking slowly and reverting to shy tendencies and large hand gestures when communicating. contradictory? perhaps, yet completely necessary. At the risk of looking like an uneducated foreigner, i often find myself shrinking back to observe the way people interact with each before responding.  To appear shy or timid is better than to appear overzealous and naive. The response itself is often wise, yet it contradicts my occasionally forward personality. The idea that this is the "vacation spot" was brought up many times while i was doing fundraising and talking to people about this adventure.The reality is that i am living in Italy, but often times i forget that i am living in Italy. The ministry here and the absolute immersion into culture is not the vacation people always dream of. I knew this coming onto this trip and so i would like to just throw that out there and give any readers the opportunity to let that sink in...there are people here who need Jesus. Children here who do not understand how relatable Jesus is.

There is no doubt that the experiences that i have had in the past have prepared me for this summer of learning new things, being independent, and living away from family and friends. The all too familiar year-long/not finished process of realizing and accepting the calling that God has over my life has prepared me for the two months that i will be living in this country. That process has been hard and painful so it only makes me imagine what other lessons i could possibly learn before i adventure out to the country God has called me to for much longer. My trips to Belize, Costa Rica,and Cambodia have no doubt prepared me to be comfortable in this place. The culture is not as different as that of an Asian country and the living is only short of luxurious in comparison.

Day 5: i could see myself living here.

i am adjusting well to the culture needless to say. I am not overwhlemed, have not felt extreme homesickness, have not been physically sick and i'm already free from jet lag. I have also grown a love for the children and started adapting some of the customs as habits. I still have much to learn. However, patti, the missionary commented multiple times today that it feels like i've just been here forever...that was understandably very encouraging and i really am excited that i still have just shy of two more months to spend here...

there is no doubt that God has called me to live in another place because he has changed my heart and my mind to love it...

alright..alright...now for the embarrassing culture adjustment story you have all been waiting for...

it is important to understand that the Italians ride bikes everywhere around the city and so naturally, that is the transportation i use as well. learning to ride a bike is not difficult...dodging traffic, pedestrians, bikers, and even policia on cobblestone streets is even manageable especially when i do not know any streets as of right now. these things are all easily learned .....unfortunately, i am learning to ride a bike with a bike seat that is higher than i have ever ridden. This is a tragedy to say the least, however i have taken it as my personal challenge to master this stupid bike. So, i have decided to convince myself that i can ride just fine, but the trouble comes when i have to stop because i cannot put my foot down at any moment to balance my somewhat clumsy tendencies. ok...so, as i was riding with my team far in front of me, an italian boy passes me. i was appearing to have control of my bike, but the nerves lack of steadiness got the best of me. He was coming head on...he went left, i went right, he went right, i went left...we werwe headed straight for each other. yikes! At the last minute, i dodge right, he dodges right. It seemed as though i have dodged that disaster! when all of a sudden...i lost my balance, he was right there. to my left.the bike started to tip. i needed balance. my foot began to lower. the bike was too tall. poor kid.

....bicycles and boys aka hitting boys with bicycles.

the chain is now broken...

please stay tuned for more biking extravaganzas...