I'm here!!

The last two weeks have felt like a month because so much has happened! Thanks for your patience in waiting for me to post an update. :)

Erkai and I flew out of the Dayton airport on the same day, but unfortunately not on the same flight. This is us with all of our luggage. (And more of it is mine than is his. lol) It all made it! :)

My airplane in O'Hare as we prepared to leave for London Heathrow

 I arrived in Kandern on August 8th. Then, for one week all of the RAs (both new and returning) lived together in one dorm. During the mornings we had German class, and during the afternoons we had ResLife meetings/training. After a few days, the dorm parents had a meeting to choose their RAs...

....And....

At first I was placed in Liel. I was really excited!! Then, because of a new German law, I had to switch dorms with another RA who had already been here last year (that usually NEVER happens). Each dorm has to have at least one person with a certain kind of degree, and social work was one of the qualifying degrees. The RA who switched with me was very close with the staff and girls in her dorm, so it was a hard transition for her. And of course, I was nervous about the situation as well, since I didn't want to "take over" for an already much-loved RA... However, I sensed that God was in the switch. He knew all along. So I am excited to announce that I will be in STORCH!!! :) I couldn't be happier with my dorm. :)

Storch is a high school girls' dorm!! Just what I had secretly/not-so-secretly hoped for. :)

(Storch is pronounced "stork"...like the bird...)

This is Storch! It used to be a school... Now it's a huge, cozy, homey house for 17 girls and four staff members. Also, we don't actually have flags hanging out the window...just fyi. :) I took the picture from the BFA website. :)

Storch is located in the town of Holzen... It's an absolutely BEAUTIFUL little town, only a few kilometers from BFA.

And this is the view (at sunset) from my bedroom window... :) I love it!!! As you can see, it's right across the street from the church, so I hear lots of church bells. :) And I can watch the storks on the roof... soo.... I guess that's why my dorm is called Storch! :)

This is Callie! :) My co-RA... She is so kind, sweet, and bubbly. I'm really thankful to get to live life with her this year!

This is Steve, my dorm dad, and Callie making pizzas for dinner. 

These last two weeks have been full of learning German, learning which trash can to put things in (there's at least 7 or 8 different categories), driving a stick shift and learning German driving laws, sitting in ResLife training, hanging out with the other RAs.

I've moved into my dorm, and the girls arrive next Sunday!

Prayer requests:

-Continued bonding and communication with Steve & Stacey (dorm parents) and Callie (RA)

-I've been lonely some (esp. the first week). I love having deep relationships, and it's hard to be away from my friends, esp. since there hasn't been enough time yet to form new deep relationships.

-Growing closer to God

-Being a good RA... all of the learning and adjusting that will come with that...

Oh, and my driving test! :o) It's tomorrow!!

As I'm here, seeing the beautiful countryside and meeting the staff at BFA, I'm so grateful for the supporters who have given and prayed me here... Thank you!!

P.S. Stay tuned for pictures of my room...