Austrian Internship: Day 10

I an stuck in the paradox of feeling as if I have been here forever, and as if the days are zipping by.  At the same time, it feels as if they couldn't go any slower.

Today, I expected to start our first aid training, but apparently that begins tomorrow.  We have a dinner with the president of the red cross tomorrow (a wonderfully friendly older gentleman whom I liked instantly), but other than that there is nothing else on the schedule.  Just waiting for time to pass at the moment.

I am so glad I've been keeping up with this blog and sharing it on Facebook and things.  Without it, I wouldn't have made several of the encouraging connections the Lord has brought my way: people who have let me know they are close to me in Europe and just a phone call away.  It really helps ease the minds of friends and family at home too.  Where I am the internet is so limited I can't use Skype.  I guess even though it may sound silly, I am thankful for the social media the Lord has given me access to so as to stay connected with my family.

I read 1 John 4:18 today.  It was the Verse of the Day on the Bible app, and something I really needed to hear.  Being over here and feeling somewhat alone makes me fear and feel insecure.  But it was so nice to be reminded that my God loves me and will not leave me, especially when I'm 5,000 miles away from home.

I've discovered an easy way to get off caffeine: no access to it.  I think the last cup of coffee I had was our last day in Nuremberg.  The caffeine headaches haven't been too bad, and I spose it's good to get off for a while.  I'll be going back to school soon anyway where I can have it all the time.
It's little things like this that have led me to be more prayerfully thankful.  My family, my dear friends, access to water (or coffee), internet, air conditioning, and even decent food are all things that I regularly take for granted,  and it wasn't until I was forced to go without them that I realize how blessed I am: and I'm still in a first-world country!

I may go strolling around town or down to the lake later on after I do some more reading.  It's only 10am here and we won't be picked up for dinner for another 8 hours, but to be honest I'm getting tired of walking and sight seeing.  I've been seeing tons of new sights recently, and the down time is more than welcome.

We found out the best place to get wifi, believe it or not, is on the toilet.  That's the strongest place in the whole building.  And we don't know why.

I should have broght more books with me to read.  We had 8 hours of down time today and I finished Gatsby and am half way finished with my other book.  I don't know what I'm going to do later.

We have about 30 minutes before we leave for dinner...no, it's not like I'm counting...

I'm not sure I can adequately describe the perfection of the dinner that we had tonight.  Our host invited us out on to his ivy-covered porch which overlooks all the countryside (you can see all the way to Hungary), and began the evening with a cucumber based drink called Moscow Mule.  We talked and sipped our drinks as the sun began to set, and after a time Bruno himself got up to prepare dinner, which was a wonderful mushroom goulash with fresh bread and couscous.  As it got darker outside we lit a lantern and sat in on the middle of the table,  and we had tirimasu for dessert with Turkish coffee.  Our conversation ran from the UN to history to professions to cultural pracrices...All sorts of things we discussed.  I felt so welcomed and right at home by everyone; it was good to laugh and share and compare experiences, and I was fascinated with stories of Bruno experiences with communism and the Iron Curtain.

Tomorrow begins our first aid training with a friend we met tonight named Mario.  He speaks English very well (almost Southern at times as he learned from a North Carolinian), and he is very friendly to us.  I'm really looking forward to it.

I posted yesterday that I'm almost finished with the books I brough, and Sandra, our friend who has organized practically everything for us here, saw that and graciously brought me a bag full of great books for me to read when I am finished.  I am so very thankful that we are being so well taken care of.

Goodnight, from an extremely full, thankful, and satisfied Jonathan.  Until tomorrow!

P.S. I have been assured by Mario, Bruno, and Sandra all that I shouldn't be worried about people who can speak English in Jannesdorf.   Plenty of people are able to speak English there, and apparently people are friendlier down South too.  Wouldn't ya know it.  ;)