La vie en France!

Sorry its been so long since I've written, life has been ridiculously busy!
I think the last two weeks of Bibleschool I got an average of 5.5 hours of sleep a night - things were crazy.
But now I'm on holidays and slowly collecting my thoughts and emotions and belongings from all over the place, so I figured it was about time to let everyone know how I was doing.

Well for starters, I'm an adult now.
That's a little scary.
And I'm in Europe.
Put the two together and suddenly Northwest Ontario seems REALLY far away.

But God's still here, so there is no reason to get overwhelmed. :)

And He's been here all along, ever so evident during my time in France.

France.
Sadly, my life there is over.
But only for now, I'm 100% sure I'm going back.

Those three months were wonderful. Eye opening, sometimes shocking, definitely beautiful, thrilling, and one ridiculous adventure. Amazing people, gorgeous scenery, challenging lessons, and lots and lots of fun.

Part of it had to do with the fact that I was in a different country.
Man, I love that country.

I learned so much about the land, the culture, the language - sometimes to the point of my head wanting to explode! - and the people.

The French mentality became evident, stereotypes came to life, and the country's unspoken rules were revealed. Sometimes entertaining, sometimes stretching, and sometimes frightening.

Let me explain the last sentence by giving an example.

I thought the whole French people kissing each other on the cheek was just something in the movies. That must just be the extremely French people, not everyone. And movies always exaggerate everything, even greetings. 

My first few hours in the Bibleschool passed normally. I met other North Americans, the teachers, and a few other students, all greetings were normal and I don't really remember too much of it.

That is until Marie walked into the room. 
No, burst into the room in a shower of happiness and began given everyone - I mean everyone - the bisous. The kiss on each cheek. 

I begin to panic as she got closer, thoughts raced through my head like bikers on the Tour de France. I don't know how to do this, and I don't even know her, what if I give her the wrong cheek, she's getting closer, ahhhh! And beneath all this, I began to realize that the bisous is actually a part of French culture and I might just have to get used to this...

Next thing I knew it was my turn and a kiss of the cheek later it was over. *Phew*

But only for now. 

However by the end of three months - which included a week of service with only French people - I was used to it almost as comfortable receiving them as I was giving them. And I'll have you know that the last person I said goodbye to was Marie: I gave her a huge hug and bisous.

So French culture can sometimes be a little scary because its not my culture. And when you bridge the two there are some awkward moments, but once you get over it the most amazing experiences can begin. Its never too overwhelming.

Because God is with you.

Some highlights from my time in France!

• 11 Students + 3 young German staff = Awesome friends and ridiculously good times
• Jesus and music and people are literally my three favorite things in the world
• A radio in the kitchen meant there was be a dance party every night while washing dishes
• New teacher and course every week meant lots of learning, thinking, and growing
• Canadians stick together, and sometimes adopt a Texan
• Mountains, mountains, everywhere, and every day they look different. 
• The French language is really complicated, but as long as you can make people laugh (and they're not laughing at how bad your French is) you know you've made progress
• Being tri-lingual means you can talk with anyone in Europe, one of the three always overlaps
• Snow is super important to Canadians, and winter just isn't winter without it
• Food and being to pick it and make it yourself is a blessing
• Speaking of which, having fresh French bread everyday really spoils you
• Worshiping in a different language is one of the greatest experiences ever, as is learning new and powerful songs
• I am such an extrovert, and being with people 24-7 made my day. I mean, every once and I while I would take an afternoon and just read my Bible and listen to music, but for the most part alone time could be done together. 
• I now like tea and am able to drink it 3+ times a day, makes me feel more cultured too
• Window seats are awesome and perfect for doing homework
• The best, deepest, or funniest discussions happen around midnight
• Sisters are awesome
• There are music nerds everywhere and they will find each other
• French people stay way so long at the table that you almost need to bring games....
• Movies bring people together as well, however they usually happen to be in English
• I love love love love love castles, something the French people don't understand because they're used to it. However for a romantic-poet-musician-Canadian girl its a big deal
• God shows us our faults in order to heal us and make us more like Him, not discourage us
• Living in Christian community is one of the healthiest, heavenly, and holiest things I have ever experienced
• Getting to know other people and see their souls and personalities in action creates deep and strong relationships SO fast. These friendships will last lifetimes, I am sure. Actually, eternity. 
• One of the best phrases to tell other Christians that you meet is "A toute ou dans le ciel" - See you soon or in heaven. 

And that last point is what I'm really counting on, because I left some really good friends, no, sisters. I said goodbye to a little family. It hurt, and it still hurts. 

But! I know if we keep working out our salvation with fear and trembling, coupled with the fact that it is God who works in us both to will and to work for His good pleasure, I know I will see them in eternity. 

Hopefully still on earth though. 

Thankfully the world is small when compared with my hopes, dreams and growing heart for Europe. 

Who knows what the future holds!

Thus my adventure in Europe is half over, j'ai dit au revoir a la France, but Germany is on the horizon with good things in store. 

I know that because right now I'm not ready for it.

In my experience, whenever I'm nervous for something that I know is in God's plan, amazing things happen. He always explodes all of my expectations, comforts me completely, changes me, and reveals Himself in so many obvious ways. It happened in France - something I did not feel ready for, and so it will happen in Germany. 

So now I just need to wait. And reflect and thank God for my awesome time at Champfleuri. 

Adventure with God in France is complete. 

Adventure with God in Germany has just begun. 

God can and will take you on adventures everyday, no matter where you are. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

Lorianne's Adventures in Grenoble

Ahhhh, Grenoble.

I've only been there three times, but boy has it been interesting. I can't wait to go back. However, I know now what to expect, or what not to expect. 

Adventure One: The Train Station

After 16 hours of travel I finally reentered France, the final train stop being in Grenoble. I was tired, grimy, hungry, and still had a bus ride to go. And the train was 10 minutes late, giving me only 10 minutes to find said bus and a bank machine. It was going to be interesting. 

So, I step out of the train and start speed-walking through the station trying to find the bus station. Turns out its in a different building and I have to buy a ticket with limited French. Acquiring the ticket, times and directions to the bank machine was very interesting. The lady was not impressed with my accent or lack of vocabulary... At least my French skills could only get better after this!  

Anyways, she told me to go to Platform 10 and wait for the bus that would take me to the town near my Bible School. 

And no bus came. Great.
The next one came in two hours. Even better. 

Time to find that bank machine and phone my ride...

An short walk later, dragging all my luggage with me, I had the money to pay for the suitcase I had shipped to the Bibleschool. Next step, phoning the Bibleschool and let them know I was going to arrive - it would just be a little bit later than planned, okay, a lot later.

I didn't have a credit card, thus I needed to buy a calling card for these French telephones from a shop in the train station. Another escapade began as found where to buy the card, bought it, and then attempted to use it. This little piece of paper

The first time I typed in the number wrong.

Fabulous.

The second time it worked and my future time at Bibleschool was secured. YES.

Time to buy a tart and chill out at the real bus Platform: 13. The Irony.

The rest is history, I got on that bus, got off at the right station, and was transported to my new home!

Adventure Two: Grenoble Runner

So, the nearest city to us in Grenoble, thus it is a great daytrip destination. Thus the group decided we would go shopping in the city for the day and really relax.

That doesn't work so well when you only have an hour and a half.

After driving the half hour to Grenoble we were ready to hit the city and go exploring. But that only works if you can find a parking spot. And so began the greatest search of the century, to find a parking spot in the city centre on a Saturday afternoon.

I started to pray.

We circled the blocks, we circled the blocks again, we went down side street, entertained thoughts of parking places where cars weren't supposed to park.

And then. We saw it.

A parking spot.

Cheers rose from the vehicle as we pulled into this glorious empty space of tarmac, and finally we were able to set foot in Grenoble, the city of freedom...

First stop the bookstore, but my mind wasn't there. It was in the music store I had seen during our preliminary exploration. And that was were I was headed.

With joy and anticipation in every step I made my way to this store of dreams.

And it was amazing.

There were 15 pianos in one room, almost all of them were Grand pianos. And there was one I could play on. They could have left me there, I would have been content. A little food, some water, and I would be at peace. But alas, we only had an hour left.

Thus I decided I would take the music with me and spent 40 Euros on new music, Beethoven (of course) and the best of Ennio Morricone, an incredible soundtrack composer.

Then it was time to slowly make our way back to the vehicle, although there was still time to stop in stores on the way - but not that much. There were some interesting stores, lots of decor, lots of useless but cool items that we looked at. However the only guy in our group was not impressed. Every time we would pause I could hear the "WHY???" being thrown up to heavens.

But we all survived.

That is, until one of our company realized she had to be back at Bibleschool to help get ready for dinner. The ride to get there was half and hour which meant we had only twenty minutes to find the vehicle, that is if we knew where the vehicle was. I had no idea, this was not the car I came in, so I was just following our stressed out leader who was following her phone.

There was only 6% battery remaining.

She started walking faster, and faster and faster.

Next thing you know we are running through Grenoble, passing stores, and parks, and trees, and people, and I have no idea what's going on, and no one knows where the car is, everything is just chaos. I think the situation is hilarious, meanwhile the guy is just doing parcour over all the different benches and chairs we pass while running towards this illusive vehicle.

Grenoble runner - kind of like Temple Run, but in France.

Then our leader takes off into a full sprint, I hope the car is coming up soon because I was not prepared for this. I'm just trying to make sure my sandals stay on my feet!

But what is this? She opens the door to a vehicle.

We're saved!

But wait, we only have 15 minutes for a 30 minute journey.
There's no way we can make it.

Little did I know how seriously this girl felt about her dinner service or how fast you could go on the Autobahn.

And we made it. With three minutes to spare.

That epic moment when....

So I'm writing this from DEFI's hangout spot - also the place with the best wifi - after spending the last three days in the French mountains!!!

Seriously though.

It's the first real day of Bibleschool. We've just finished lunch and are called to a meeting.
"So, are you all settled in?" asks the leader.
We nod.
"Good," he responds. "Here's a list, you have 15 minutes to get everything you need to go camping."

I'm pretty excited, except for the fact that he didn't say how long we were camping... but whatever.

Next thing you know we're all piled into 2 vans, our huge backpacks in the trunk, wearing camping clothes and ready to hike.

And it was a hike to remember.

We changed walking partners every 20 minutes after talking about our lives and praying together - it was really special. And since there are only 11 students, it was very easy to get to know everyone!

Its a great group. A Texan, a German, a Swiss, two Canadians besides me, and five Frenchies! Only one boy though, so I kind of feel bad for him! However, there are a lot of male staff, so he's not totally alone.

Camping was fun, we survived a 3 degree and a 6 degree night in sleeping bags. There was a lot of Canadian jokes going on the whole time, I'm so happy there are three of us!

One of the most memorable parts was our trek up to a lake high up in the mountain. It was steep, and then it started to rain, and then it was foggy, plus we were tied together.

An adventure for sure.

I loved it though. A great introduction for Bibleschool, the camping made me feel at home and it was a great way to meet everyone and talk about life without barriers. No one was able to shower for 2 nights, so we were all pretty authentic looking. ;)

Plus, this was the first year the debut camping trip for DEFI, so I was very thankful to have been a part of it!

Classes start tomorrow, its going to be full but epic. God is here, He is being glorified, and His children are very entertaining!

Well, bon soiree, a bientot!

Absolutely stunning.

Going from Italy to Switzerland was like stepping out of the noisy hot street into a soundproof room. 

With mountains and streams. 

If Iceland is what Canada looks like without trees, then Switzerland is what Canada would look like with mountains everywhere! 

The geography changed gradually - it was really cool to watch from the train window - but the culture shift was immediate. 

Switzerland, at least the part we visited, is a lot slower paced, community oriented, an SO much quieter. No crazy accordions or people yelling. Just cow bells chiming on the mountain air.  It is utterly peaceful. The scenery is spacious and grand, and people have time to see it and enjoy it even when they live right in the middle of it. 

Since we were living with a Swiss family we got to experience Swiss life. The family knew everyone who drove by, who they were related to, and what they did for a living. Sounded like Emo! They had visitors everyday, relatives or friends, who would drop off a gift and then come in for coffee. They got two bricks of cheese in one day! 

And I thought the cheese, mountains, cows and chocolate were mere stereotypes. 

Nope. 

There is so much cheese, and they have a delicious Swiss cheese meal called raclette. You melt a slice of cheese in a special pan and wait for it to bubble. Then you pour it over potatoes and add bacon and spices. It is absolutely amazing! So cheese is really an important part of Swiss life. 

Next the mountains. You can't even describe them. You just have to look at them in silence and say if God made these, how much more awesome is He. 

Cows. Are. Everywhere. And they are actually cute! They also have horns and cow bells that jingle across the the valley like windchimes on the porch. I mentioned that fact that Canadian cows don't usually have horns to which the family responded, then they are not real cows! 

Also, they have Cow fairs and contests, Cows are groomed and cleaned using hairspray and gel, there is a prize for the one with the nicest udder, and you can also win money by betting on which area the cow is going to do its business in. Strange but true Swiss stories. 

CHOCOLATE. The family ate it constantly, there was always some on the table. And of course, the stores are loaded. Lindt, Milka, Toblerone..... SO GOOD! 

But my favorite part was hiking in the mountains. 

Especially when the weather decides to be dramatic. 

We started walking, and everything was veiled in fog. Of course, we were disappointed, because we had no idea where we were and where we were going. So we just trusted our guides and our guides trusted the hiking signs! 

Eventually the fog started to ebb, and suddenly houses and rivers would appear out of "nowhere." It was really entertaining. Oh look, the trail actually goes somewhere! 

And then the mountains were revealed. 

We had been walking on a plateau the whole time, surrounded on three sides by grand stone giants. It was wonderful. God pulled away the curtains of fog just for us.

Amazing. 

So, Switzerland was wonderful. I felt very at home there. 

And our hosts said I could come back...

Only once I can speak French!

Grazie - Ciao!

That's how you say thank you and good-bye in Italian. 

I said/heard that at least 100 times while we were in Italy. 

Seriously, I was so used to saying that after buying something, or getting my food that I had to stop myself from saying it in Switzerland! 

That's one of the main things that stuck with me from our time in Italy, but here are a few more, some are quite entertaining.

Italy is very touristy! We heard hardly any Italian. A lot of English, some German, Asian languages, a bit of French, but hardly any Italian. In France we heard a lot of French and enjoyed watching the locals in the Metro or on the street. Italy, however, was a different story. The only locals were the ones working at cafes/stores which were also full of tourists. I felt like we did not get to see what real Italian life was like, but maybe you just need to be there longer.  

Only one place (and the food) felt really authentic:

The Boboli Gardens - my favorite spot in Florence. 

(Maybe because there are trees!)

It was absolutely lovely. There were a lot of couples there, tourists as well, but also locals. It was so peaceful, calm, and beautiful - NOT hectic and full like the streets below. Hence, Wanetta and I went there both days were were in Florence. It felt "real" here, if that makes any sense. 

Italy is colorful! That was really fun to see. Especially in Venice will all the masks and feathers and ribbons and glass and sparkles... It gives the old buildings a lot of energy. And everyone's clothes are bright and summery as well making the streets a moving rainbow! :) 

Which means that the streets are VERY crowded. 

The main street Wanetta and I walked down in Florence was always so packed! Even at 9 in the morning. Of course, that means you can't go very fast, hence I grudgingly had to have a few patience lessons. But in the end we always got where we wanted to go! 

What is that noise? 

So Italy has a lot of weird noises. First of all, we were a street away from the Duomo which had a bell tower. Now, usually bell towers ring on the hour, 6 rings for 6 o'clock. That makes sense. 

Not these ones. 

They rang at the weirdest times, and would not stop ringing. Seven in the morning, 11:45, we never heard them on the hour. So that was interesting. 

Then the sirens here, that is another odd noise, really nasely and loud, but the best and most entertaining sounds in Italy came from the 

ACCORDIONS.

One the streets, sure that's normal. At midnight? Not so normal. And of course they were right under our hotel as we were trying to sleep. 

Suddenly all of Italy's best folk music starts blasting into the night sky to amuse all of the late night diners. Keeping us awake. 

They sounded great though! 

The Conclusion

Italy was an adventure! Crazy and fun and ridiculous, but we survived. 

Would I go back?

Yes. But I'd go straight to the countryside, I already saw the cities. ;) 

Lorianne and Wanetta's Transportation Adventure

Up until this point our train days have been normal.

In fact, they were very easy.

We were not stressed, we knew where to go, and everything cooperated with us. 

But September 16th was a different story. 

A much different story.

We had the transport adventure of a lifetime. 

We left Kandern at 7:45, having spent three days of fabulous quality time with our missionary friends. The bus ride to Muellheim was easy enough. We got to the train station with plenty of time and even made some train reservations for the 18th - thus I was feeling tired, but pretty confident. Bought myself some tea before getting on the train to Freiburg. Despite the fact that I was in my backpacker traveler get-up I was feeling pretty sophisticated with my tea and European scarf. 

Ready to face the day. 

We arrive in Freiburg and have only 5 minutes to transfer. 

Wanetta and I hustle to our next platform in under 2 minutes. 

Feeling confident.

Freiburg to Muellheim. Got to listen to music and take a nap. Awesome. 

Find out the train will be 15 minutes late to Mannheim which means we will miss our next connection...

Not so awesome. 

No worries though, there is bound to be another train going from Mannheim to Buchloe. 

We get to Mannheim and go to the travel department where after waiting in line for a while we get ourselves a new train route. These new plans allow us to get straight to Fuessen without having to do the extra train switch that our old plans had! 

Nice. 

So Wanetta and I grab some McDonalds and phone our hotel to tell them we would have to check in late. Phoning in a train station through a German operator was quite the task. A bit of a headache. Thank goodness I know German! 

Thus, after getting them to connect me to the wrong place I finally get through to the hotel and made sure everything was arranged for that night. 

Feeling settled. 

Back up to the platforms we go, and begin waiting for our new train.  Some announcement starts going off in German, and at first I don't pay attention. But on the second round I listen. 

This train isn't coming today. 

We have to wait another hour for the next one. 

Feeling frustrated.

And right when we wanted to go back up to the travel department the escalator wasn't working. 

More stairs with big backpacks. Oh boy.

(Actually by this point I was just laughing because so much stuff had gone wrong and all of our plans for the evening with buses up to the hotel had to been thrown out the window. It WAS funny.)

We try to get a better train route but there are no other options. And now we are going to have to do a 3 minute train transfer - possible but NOT ideal. 

Feeling concerned.

Another hour in Mannheim is on the agenda. We try to connect to the wifi - no success. Went shopping - some success. 

And finally we go back up to the platform to catch our train to Buchloe. 

Its going to be 10 minutes late. 

Feeling ARGHHHH! 

After waiting for what seemed like forever the train came. 

And we got to Buchloe with no problems. 3 minute transfer begins. 

THANKFULLY the trains are on the same platform so we can run across the tarmac and onto our FINAL connection. 

The ride is beautiful.

 

Now in Fuessen we find a bus to get up to Hohenschwangau which is halfway to our hotel. Since our place is right next to Neuschwanstein castle we figure we can use one of their bus shuttles to get up there. 

They are not running anymore. 

Its a 40 minute walk UPHILL to get to the hotel. 

With big backpacks. 

And the sun is setting

Is this our only hope?

Wanetta's quick thinking saves the day: she suggests we phone the hotel and talk to them about the situation. So I go through some more German operator stuff and reach them first try! They are going to call a taxi for us that will bring us right to our rooms. 

The taxi comes very quickly, the rate is really good, and we get up our hotel WAY faster than we would have by walking. 

It would have been long and strenuous. 

So, with the sun setting on the castle - WHICH WE CAN SEE FROM OUR HOTEL! - our travel adventure ends. 

The room is lovely and a stroll up to Neuschwanstein leaves us with fabulous pictures. 

Phew. What a day. 

In the end we can only say that God got us through the day. 

It was ridiculous, but prayers were answered and here we are. 

The French are gutty.

And by gutty, I mean gutsy, bold, daring, courageous...

And slightly ridiculous. 

And I love it all! 

Seriously, French people are most interesting. Here is a quick overview: 

Bikes and Scooters: I have never seen so many. There is at least one for every 2 cars, and the reason I say that is because French people ride them with the traffic. So you can literally compare the bikes and cars because they are mixed together! Talk about dangerous, but I guess all the honking can be explained as a safety measure. The biking/scootering outfits also need to be talked about, which brings us to 

French Clothing. It. Is. SO. Stylish. Even while biking the (some) ladies where dresses! I don't know how they do it. That means you are biking in traffic in a dress - and I'll bet they still get to work looking fabulous. There were so many outfits I wanted (although I would rather not see the price tag) but the most impressive ones were the Parisian work clothes. 

Since we used the Metro a lot and so do the French people especially in the mornings, we got to admire each other. Well, they probably didn't give us a second look, but I definitely had fun studying them. More chic blazers, dresses, pencil skirts, and high heels for the women, and very handsome tuxedos for the men. There are NO comfy dressed people. Everyone is completely put together, and looks AMAZING. The French have such nice hair too, its usually brown, wavy and really thick, but it never appears disheveled. Parisians dress with purpose and perfection. That's the end of it. 

(So next time I come to Paris, I am only bringing fancy clothes! But no high heels, I could never walk around the city in their literal shoes!)

Attitude. As long as you are not a very sensitive person, French people are hilarious. They have this kind of joking disdain for you if you do something wrong (like take the wrong exit or something). Besides that, they are kind of crazy as you may have already gathered from the biking paragraph. Very lively as well, and the French accent on their English makes things even more entertaining. Plus they are very open about their feelings, whether they be angry or in love...

PDA in Paris. Public displays of Affection. Very public. Very displayed. Very affectionate. That's France for you. There are SO many couples everywhere and they are very cuddly and whatnot. The "awe, that's cute" line gets crossed rather quickly, and then viewers look away! 

So if these have not proven the French to be gutty, here is the last one in the form of a picture.

Notre Dame

When you 
A) Build a church like this
B) Use 442 tiny worn steps to get to the bell tower and
C) Let people climb up them as a tourist attraction
You know the French are pretty different. 

And I love it. 

Can't wait to live here with the Frenchies! 

This is what Canada would look like without Trees

I didn't know what to expect.

I mean, we are flying into Iceland - so there's probably some kind of snow, or at least some mountains visible right? Maybe some viking village ruins. 

Nope. 

We started descending with no land in sight. I was getting concerned. This isn't Atlantis I was flying to, it was Iceland. And we were heading straight into the ocean. What a fantastic start to our trip. 

Then at what seemed to be the last second, the coast came into view. A flat gray coast with one house in the middle of a mossy tundra rock field. 

Sketchy. 

A few seconds later we had touched down on the runway - I don't even know how they knew were it was. We came through the clouds and bam! we were at the Keflavik terminal. 

After using the wifi to send some quick messages and locating the washrooms (which were waaaaay nicer than North America, we're talking bird murals on the wall and personal mini bathrooms) Wanetta and I tried to get some kronas. But, we went to the wrong bank counter, apparently there are two, so we asked for directions. 

The young Icelander at the desk with hipster glasses and haircut looked at us and said in an amused/disdainful tone: "The exit is over there." 

He pointed to the back corner where a set of glass stairs, labeled by a paper sign led the way to the main floor, customs, and the buses. Definitely would have missed it. 

We thanked him and were on our way to acquiring some cool looking money - and since $1 equals 100 krona, I soon felt pretty rich!  

Side note - their English is EXTREMELY good, hardly any accents at all!

Next step: Bus tickets. 

They were expensive, but Wanetta and I soon found them extremely worth it. 

We got on the flybus which set out for the 50 minute drive to the capital city of Reykjavik. Through the middle of nowhere.

I kid you not. 

There was NOTHING.

No trees AT ALL! 

(I was hoping to think up a few flatlander jokes, but was having too much fun looking out the window.)

Seriously, mossy rocks took care of the horizon morphing into some rolling hills and some random rock statues (kind of like Inukshuks). Covered by fog and mist, with the ocean to our left.

This is what Canada would look like without Trees. 

It was SO EMPTY. 

And so amusing. I couldn't stop smiling.

(Of course when we got closer to the city, trees started appearing, but they had clearly been planted by the civilization.)

Then once in civilization, everything was miniature! 

There was only one lane on each side of the highway, and the bus had a hard time making it. The houses were adorable and sometimes brightly coloured, but I had a hard time imagining our family living in one of them. And the cars - Wanetta thinks they're ugly - which is kind of true because they are all so cramped and small! 

Its just so hilariously different here  - and I LOVE IT! 

Especially being the minority and hearing Icelandic everywhere - or German, or French, but mostly Icelandic. Its so fun! I just wish I could pronounce the street names. 

Then we got to the Bus station (BSI) which looks like it should belong in the middle of the Mexican desert not with the rest of these lovely mini-Europe buildings! A super awesome young lady - who also had hipster glasses, so maybe they're not so hipster anymore....  - helped us out, told us where to go, and gave us directions which put our adventure into high gear. 

We bought a Reykjavik Welcome Card which gets us into all sorts of places for "free." And since we are under 18, we received the children's card and rate, a great money saver! But this did get us some interesting looks at our subsequent destinations.... 

We showed the card to the person at the swimming pool and he looked at us very suspiciously. 
"We're 17," I explained. 
"You look older," he frowned, and then reluctantly let us in. 

So, starting with a thermal swimming pool, we enjoyed everything we could in our 7 Iceland hours! The National Iceland Museum, National Art Museum, Vikin Marine Museum, Metal Viking Landmark, and Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral. PLUS a Food Fair that was occurring only today and tomorrow that we heard about from a lady in the thermal swimming pool. GOD MOMENTS! 

All in all, it was a fabulous day.

Even though there were no trees. 

Smells like Cheese Chips...

After years of hoping, months of planning, days of packing, and a couple hours of road detours Wanetta and I finally got to Minneapolis! After a fabulous dinner at TGIF (and we actually ate there on Friday) it was time to get on the plane. IcelandAir, Terminal 2. 

Finally.

But it felt really strange, because although it was a huge step for us nobody else knew that. Its a humbling sort of anonymity. Not that that hampered my enthusiasm.

 

Not one bit. 

Until I got on the plane. 

I sat down in my seat, perfectly contented with the conditions of the air craft (it had Icelandic phrases printed everywhere, a lullaby written on the pillows, super cool!) until I breathed in through my nose. 

And smelt them.

Cheese chips. 

My panic level began to rise. Would I have to sit through the entire flight smelling the rank odour of old chips? They were probably embedded in the fan that was to blow air on me for the next six hours making each intake of breath absolutely miserable. Then I would arrive in Iceland smelling like I walked out of a LOTR marathon that only served cheddar chips. Disgusting.

What could be done? 

Absolutely nothing.

However. 

God seems to care about the little things in life. 

(Thank goodness!)

Thus, as soon as the plane started the smell faded and my heart rate returned to normal. No treacherous smells to infiltrate my dreams and clothes -that's going in the God Book! 

And so one of the best flights of my life began. 

The lights above the overhead compartments projected the northern lights on the wall. Listening to Icelandic and English with an Icelandic accent was most amusing. I talked with a lady whose daughter learned Spanish in University (like I want to) and has traveled all around Europe. They also have a German Exchange student. But most exciting, I actually slept on the plane! For at least 2 hours, which is a first and an answer to prayer. Soon after waking up, we landed and our glorious excursion to Iceland began! 

But that's another post with an equally awesome title.... 

9 Days Until Blast Off!

Sometimes things make more sense if you put them into numbers. 

So here is what my future looks like when organized into a few important digits:

29 of August is my last day in Canada this year. 
17 years of travel dreams behind me. 
7 Hour time difference ahead of me.
3 Weeks of travelling.
4 Countries to see.
12 Cities to explore.
8 Locations booked to stay in.
2 "Sisters" to visit.
90 allowed in Europe without a Travel Visa.
28 Weeks away from home (thus I will be getting one in Germany!). 
1.46 Dollars per Euro Exchange Rate.
11+ months of planning and thinking.
5 family members I will miss A LOT!

100s of dollars to be spent.
1000s of pictures to be taken.
1000 000s of memories will be made.

1 God in control of it all. 

So when numbers and lists still seem unorganized, and I've got so many things to do -people to see, clothes to pack, cards to write, stuff to buy -  I need to just pause and drop it all at the Throne of God. He's in control, worrying is a sin, and He is the ultimate source of peace. He's already got everything worked out.  

And besides, God has shown me OVER AND OVER this summer that He's taking care of me. 

Therefore, I'm so excited to see what good works He has prepared for me to do in Europe  - where I get to learn about and serve Him in French and German! 

Only 9 days until the adventure begins. 

The Runway

You're in the plane.
Your carry-on is stowed away.
You're trying to pay attention to the lady doing the safety demonstration.

Really, you just keep staring out the window willing the plane to move. 

Out on the tarmac the little luggage carts are driving around, airport workers are doing whatever airport workers do, and other planes are driving towards the runway. It almost seems like some of them are cutting in front of you... but you know that's not the case. There's a plan that the people up in the tower know about, and your plane is just waiting for its time to take off. 

But its taking forever. 

The lady is now talking about your seat that can apparently turn into a flotation device if the plane crashes over the ocean. 
Cool. 
Not that a stationary plane can crash.

A different plane drives away, lights blinking, towards the runway. 
You sigh.
And look out the window again. 

Wait a second.

They're removing that makeshift aisle tunnel thing that attaches to the plane. The airport workers are driving away on empty luggage carts. The terminal begins to slide away which means.....

THE PLANE IS MOVING!

Finally. 

It meanders its way out of its parking spot and glides past the other planes on its way to the runway - your dark side laughs as you pass planes holding passengers as impatient/excited as you are. They will have to wait their turn. 

You watch the rest of the airport slide away, the plane turns, and you are presented with a glorious view.

The plane pauses at the end of a straight stretch of tarmac. Lights run along the edges, the tower is straight ahead, and the terminal seems so far away as you gaze at planes flying towards the horizon. 

Towards adventure.

Time stops. 
You hold your breath. 
This is the moment you've been waiting for.  

You hear it before you can feel it. 

The engines hum, then buzz, then roar, and the plane starts moving again. Like an athlete picking up speed, the machine goes from a walk, to a jog, to a run, and then a full out sprint. You are pressed into your seat by a bunch of physics that you can't remember and don't really care about right now because you are too excited! The airport and runway flash past the window, the wheels are bouncing on and off the tarmac, the plane keeps speeding up. Your heart races and you can't keep this stupid grin off your face and then you finally feel the wheels lift off the runway you know

The adventure has begun. 

********************************************************************************************************

That basically describes where I am at right now - especially the stupid grin! 

Everything is speeding up: My co-traveller and I just finished booking all our lodging, we got our Eurail passes and ordered our ParisPass, I transferred money to France to pay for Bibleschool, got an awesome travel journal, and now just have to keep working to pay for all of this! 

So I am most definitely feeling that runway excitement. Metaphorically of course - but in 44 days it will be pretty literal! 

This is just a quick update - I hope you enjoyed the story - but please keep me in your prayers as I get ready for take off!

I shall write again soon.

Mental Pictures: A Castle, A Lantern, Stars, and Music

This post will be a compilation of four little stories, mental pictures if you will, that have been filling my mind over the past two days! Each story comes from a simple image or scene that soon became much more significant. I was inspired to put each picture's deeper meaning into words and make them symbol. Unfortunately most of these ideas came into my head as I was getting ready to sleep, so I had to stay up to write them down! I hope you are encouraged by them and enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. 

Some of you have already read the first one: The King's Castle. A most impressive thunderstorm was taking place outside as the scene came to me. The rain pounded on the roof, thunder crashed around me, but I was safe inside the house, which inspired me to write this:

Being a Christian is like watching an outrageous thunderstorm through a castle window. While enjoying the warmth and security of our relationship with the King, we are constantly watching the storm - not because we regret being in such a calm place, but because we are always ready to go outside and help those struggling in the surrounding chaos. Once they are able to see the castle we can help them throw away their flimsy umbrella and lead them to the only place of true peace and safety: The King's Castle.

After hearing what a blessing this story had been to a few people, I decided to post the other three here!

I have always been fascinated with lanterns - probably due to my slight obsession with Narnia -but also because they remind me of my favorite Bible verse. It talks about being lights in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, and thus "light" has become my favorite symbol for Christians. But who is the brightest light? That would be Jesus - which brings me to the next picture.

Jesus is like a beautiful lantern in the middle of a charred wasteland. No matter how black everything is - how dark, how wretched, how filthy - the Lantern always stays the same. It is pure, it is clean, it is welcoming. Even though the metal casing is simple, the Lantern shines with an eternal light that nothing can ever touch or break.

But only a few travelers stand beside it.

Because it is not the only light in the wreckage; there are other lamps, smaller more attractive ones that give off a sickly fluorescent glow.  And due to the lamps overall physical appearance, easy accessibility, and proximity, most of the travelers cluster about them.

In doing so them miss the real Lantern, refusing to walk up the steeper path to the true light. Instead of enjoying a blazing flame they settle for a superficial gleam.

However, in the end all of the lamps will die out - all except the Lantern. It will shine forever, getting brighter and brighter until everyone knows where true light comes from.

It all comes down to this:

What lights your life?

There's two more. The third continues to use light, but this time its in the cosmos. I love looking at the heavens on a moonless night, so when that picture came to mind a little story soon followed.

Sometimes life just looks like a starry sky - breathtaking and marvelous, but seemingly scattered and random. Events and people are tossed into one's life, handfuls of stars on a blank black background. Its confusingly beautiful, but when you look up its hard to see how they all connect.
And then there's God. Not only did He make the actual stars, but He created and ordained each person/situation sprinkled across your life sky. 
But the best part is that He sees the constellations.
The pictures, the relationships, the significance within each shining image are known to God. Sometimes He reveals them to use so that we too can see the connections, something like the Big Dipper, or Orion's Belt. But other times we can't see the constellation. Maybe its not time yet, or maybe we're just not looking. Yet thankfully as Christians we can know that there is an order and a plan - even if its not visible quite yet. God made each star, He put them in place, and He loves the image it helps make.
And so we watch the night sky with wonder, awe, and reverence, waiting to see the constellations.

The last scene involves music, of course!

Imagine you are a musician and the greatest composer of all time has just written you a song. It is unique, beautiful, original, and solely for you. It's perfect. You take the freshly written sheet music from his hand, place them on the piano, and begin to play. The piece starts off easy enough so you perform it absolutely flawlessly. The notes, harmonies, and chords are marvelous; smiling, you turn the pages.
Then it gets hard. You continue playing but get frustrated and start to give up. Instead of playing what's written for you, music you know will sound wonderful, you start changing the piece. The themes and melodies are altered in order to maintain a skill level you are comfortable with. Wincing as you play, the composer keeps on watching.
The music is not difficult anymore so you continue, proud of your editing skills. However, it definitely does not sound as good. Even worse, the composer is standing right beside you, watching you alter the piece he wrote specifically for you. He is saddened and hurt; his feelings are obvious and you begin to feel uncomfortable.
The music stops.
You look at the composer whose song you have completely ruined. "I'm sorry," you say.
He is silent.
"It was too hard!" you blurt out. "How could you expect me to play that?"
He takes a breath and replies: "Because I'm here too."
Suddenly you're ashamed. Not once did you thank him for the piece or even acknowledge his presence. You played the music with pride from the beginning until the end, editing it when necessary without stopping to think of the effect it would have. Looking up, you watch the composer place the pages back in order, and realize he wants you to start over.
But why? Hasn't he had enough of me?
"Play it again," he says.
A second practice.
"Will you help me?" you ask.
"That's why I'm here."
So you finally say thank-you.
The composer smiles and you begin to play again. Its unbelievably better this time. He turns the pages for you, help you understand an master the hard passages and shows you how to perfect the simple sections. After playing through your piece and finally hearing its glorious finale, its soul-nourishing power, you realize what a fool you were to even think of changing the original song! But the composer seems to have forgotten your blunder, and encourages you to play it once more. Humbled and grateful you do and are swept away by the music. 
At the end of the piece he says, "I have more songs for you."
You smile, because why would you play anything else?

This one is a bit deeper, but tries to explain a truth I firmly believe it. God is the composer, and I am the proud little musician. The best music, the richest experiences, and the most fulfilling life will only take place if I play what God has set before me. I can ask for His help when things get hard, He is standing right there. My own composition will never ever compare to what God has written for me - so I'd better just play His music! 

And that's the end of these little stories for now! 

A Castle,
A Lantern,
Stars, and
Music. 

Mentors and Advisors

Every main character has a mentor - that's just the way it goes. 

This type of relationship is most obvious in the movies: Uncle Ben and Spiderman, Mr. Miyagi and the Karate Kid, Superman and his dad, Rafiki and Simba, Proximo and Maximus, Gandalf and the Hobbits, Yoda and Luke Skywalker... the list goes on. 

Sometimes these people act like sidekicks; they protect the hero, drive the escape car, or  help them fight the bad guys. Sometimes the mentor becomes more of a friend, encouraging the hero, keeping them focused, and when necessary, telling them when they're being stupid. Sometimes they are leaders and professors, training the main character for their future tasks and imparting wisdom they've already learned. In the end, every type of advisor is important and an invaluable influence in the main character's life.

But unfortunately, most mentors only get noticed when the main character is in danger or needs serious help. 

Like when the hero is about to be killed: the gun is pointed at his head, the bad guys are saying some kind of evil goodbye that ends up being a weird catchphrase later, and there is no one else in sight. Suddenly the mentor enters the scene, usually on a motorcycle, and does some crazy martial arts to get the gun out of the bad guy's hand, knocks out the enemies and then proceeds to save the hero-to-be. (At least that's how it goes in my head!) Then the mentor says an epic quote before sending his student off to fight an even greater challenge. But that's okay, because the main character will be victorious so long as he pays attention to all he's been taught. You see, its in situations like this that we actually notice the mentor, because without him the hero would be dead!

So why don't we give the mentors more credit? Sure get on a few movie posters, get some fans, a bit of respect, but end up being drowned out by the hero's glory. Yet in all honestly, the hero wouldn't even be a hero without their teacher. Now I'm not saying that we need to boycott superhero movies or anything like that, I just think mentors need some more recognition. They shaped the main character's life, so I think they need some more acknowledgement.

And that's exactly what this post is going to be about. 

Let me explain.

I am not the hero in my life story - that title belongs to Jesus - but I am a main character, and consequently I have mentors. These people don't walk around wearing a badge that says "Hello my name is Mentor," but soon enough you realize that's exactly what they are. My parents, Sunday school teachers, piano teachers, wise family friends, and relatives have been my instructors, leading me on paths of spiritual, musical, academic, and practical knowledge. Their influence has helped me become the capable individual I am today. I cannot take credit for anything, because if I didn't learn a skill from someone else, it was given to me by God, so all I can do is be thankful. Its quite humbling actually, and typing that out really lowers the pride level.  

Anyways. I'm getting ready to go on an adventure in the great big world which means I'll be leaving behind everyone who has helped thus far. With the imminent separation approaching, I have begun to realize everything my mentors have done for me. The confidence I have is because of what I have been taught, my musical talents were developed with help from others, and my character is a mixture of qualities being refined by God. Once again, there isn't really a "me" in this.

But before taking off, I got to have one last meeting with my mentors. It was a graduation party, and all the people who had watched and helped me grow up were there, excited to see me go. So I felt like a Padawan in front of the Jedi Council, ready to receive some final pieces of advice before starting off on an independent mission.  

Of course there were some obscure words of wisdom given. One wise family friend (who is also a farmer) said she was disappointed that I wasn't planning on being a goat herder. Another encouraged me to "go break some hearts and wow some profs!" But this wasn't their only advice. For example: 

A continual energetic attitude would make things brighter during the good times and get me through inevitable rough spots. I need to stay true to my character no matter what everyone else is doing and prepare myself for an every changing future. Listen well and never stop learning, continue living with enthusiasm.... 

Just to review: the reason I got all this advice was because none of my mentors are going with me to Europe - even though most of them want to! However, there is one Teacher, an Adviser who never leaves us, one that most of my Jedi Council knew.

Yes, that's right. 
Jesus.

Knowing I was leaving and they would be staying here, they pointed me to the real Mentor who is always with you. He's a sidekick, friend, protector, leader and encourager, all in one! Of course Jesus is the main reason that I'm not stressed to go away, but its always good to have that re-enforced. Thus, most of my advice came from the Bible, the never changing, eternal, Word of God that saves lives and preserves faith. My mentors on earth encouraged me to look to my Teacher in heaven, who never leaves nor forsakes his children, always ready to teach and guide them. 

Now for the serious advice that applies to all of God's children, anytime, anywhere.

Each Jedi Master presented me with a Bible verse, a lightsaber to wield against the Dark Side of the Force. (Man, I love Star Wars analogies!)

So here they are (the verses I mean):

"Many are the plans of one's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21
This is a fabulous verse, especially for someone like me who loves planning out the future, and doesn't always like it when things change. I know God's plans are best and whatever He wants to happens, happens, so I just need to trust him when things don't go as expected. And when you consider 1 Corinthians 2:9  "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what the Lord has prepared for those who love Him," following God's plans definitely seems to be the way to go. That's what I strive to do now, and what I will continue to do in the future. 

Of course Proverbs 3:5-7 were presented to me, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil." 
These verses are great reminders that I am not the one in charge of my future and shouldn't act like it. Jesus needs to be the center, which means I get to get out of the spotlight with quiet humility, trusting that He actually does know what He's doing. But honestly, life it at its best when you are following Jesus and letting Him lead you.

And how is it possible to let Him be my Mentor?

I need to listen - an excellent piece of advice for a chatty person like myself! I need to be able to say "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening," 1 Samuel 3:9. Samuel was a young boy when he heard God speaking, and the rest of his life revolved around God's work. Which brings me to the  classic youth verse: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). Basically, there should be no lazy Christian teenagers, a statement I wholeheartedly agree with! 

Finally, I was encouraged with 1 Timothy 6:11-12 and Joshua 1:8-9. "Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses." "The Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night that you may be careful to do all that is written in it. For then you will prosper and have good success."

Life with Jesus = Good success. Maybe not as the world sees it, or as I myself might imagine it, but if I'm doing God's will and trusting in Him life couldn't be better. 

Thanks for sticking with me this far, I know its a long post! But in the end, I just want to thank my mentors for encouraging me and training me in this world while encouraging me to focus on the next. Its been a fun 6 years here and I am looking forward to use all the things you've taught me! I have been blessed by your friendship and wisdom. And of course, thank you Jesus for giving me teachers that point me back to You!

One final word of advice.
For me.
For you.
For followers of Christ:

Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified do not be discouraged.
For the Lord your God goes with you
Wherever you are. 

So, adventure is out there - but you don't have to go alone.