Thursday, June 9, 2011

1 month.

Well, I've been out of the country for 1 month as of today - I'm sorry America, but I just don't miss you yet?

Sofia is slowly feeling like home, and as a team, we're creating a pretty steady schedule of teaching English to teachers & middle schoolers (2 days a week for 4 hours), making connections at Starbucks & the fitness center (in our free time), (as well as at restaruants/grocery store/on the subway... just about anywhere someone speaks English to us but mentions they want to learn more) playing card games with members of Sofia church of the Nazarene (thursday mornings), Bulgarian lessons (wed at 5), group prayer meetings & cooking dinner for ourselves :) I've also been eating ALOT of sour gummie bears....

Most 'mission trips' I've been on have been really short, but very hands on. I've mostly worked with VBS or painting or building a church or another building of some kind. I mean, I dug ditches in Mexico in 110 degrees 2 summers ago... but I've always known I'm not really built for hard labor ;)

But this summer is different, because its not really supposed to be a 'mission trip' - its about relationships. That sounds really cliche and cheese-ball-ish, but its true.

So basically, I just moved to Sofia. We're trying to do life just like the Bulgarians do! And we're really bad at it right now :) I'm always talking too loud, I'm not picking up the language very quickly because even the Bulgarians say its HARD, I'm always walking the wrong way on the subway platform, and I'm still not used to paying for water.

But - today, my 5th grade students Johnie & Adiel made me cards because it was their last day of school. We've had 3 (well, sort of 4) lessons together now. One drew a cat on the front because I told her I'm a cat person :) And they spelled my name 100% wrong. In Bulgarian AND English, they wrote all about how much they loved meeting me & that they don't want me to go back to America. I told them I'd be here till August. We're going to the mall together sometime next week. I will keep those letters forever.

Life in Bulgaria is just - different. I'm really enjoying the differences. But - I don't have a HUGE AMAZING THING TO BLOG ALL ABOUT because I'm just living real life - this is not a 'spiritual high church camp feeling' kind of trip, but I'm thankful for that. I'm just learning to be more willing, more flexible, more open, more brave, more patient, more trusting, and LESS 'American'.

I think God is teaching me how important it is to live in a complete spirit of willingness. How can I be lead if I'm not even paying attention? - Kat

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