In Hungary and Busy

I write this post because, first of all, my blog still says I'm back in the States. Actually, I've been back in Hungary now for about a month. Three of those weeks I spent at an intensive Hungarian language course in Budapest, and now I'm in my third week of teaching back at the school, so the return has been a real whirlwind, but good and blessed.
Also, I know Hungary was in the news last night, so I want to reassure everyone that things are ok, hopefully will be ok. Go to Fox News for the story
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,214371,00.html
It seems that the Hungarian prime minister lied a bit about the state of the economy in order to win the elections last April. In fact, he has lied about what he has been doing the whole time he has been in office, which is now 2 years. I am surprised that Hungarians haven't realized this problem until now, when he finally admitted it, as prices here are high and only getting higher. The government is trying to scrape pennies together from everywhere in very desperate ways. Public transportation goes up 40 forints, then another 7, then another 20, every few months. Prices are very comparable to the States, which is scary if you knew how much an average Hungarian makes. I even received a letter last month saying the government will be taxing the interest I make from my savings account! At any rate, the truth came out, there was a violent riot, but I see a leader that is ready to admit his faults and try to change the way things are, but the Hungarians are trying to press him to resign. I don't see that happening. Things are going to be hard in the next few years as the government tries to pull itself out of debt, taking money from the people who have none to spare, and even getting rid of free services like health care and university education. I know the US has had to pay atrocious amounts for these things, but what if they were always free, you were a junior in high school, and you were told suddenly you had to come up with a thousand dollars to go to college? Or you had a disease that needs constant treatment for your survival, and suddenly you need a couple thousand to keep your treatment and to live? Changes are needed, but there aren't easy answers, and somehow I have to stay out of politics and just concentrate on teaching. And these are just the thoughts of a spoiled American who never had to struggle for anything, even now when everyone is struggling around me. And is that right? Sigh. Keep Hungary in your prayers.

Life in the USA

It is wonderful to be back in the US. It feels strange, yet so familiar. I was worried about not fitting in, about feeling out of place, having reentry culture shock, but all those worries were foolish. Everything here feels so finally NORMAL. Like everything is just how it should be. Now that Hungary is abnormal, just different than what I am used to. I feel surprisingly comfortable now in both places, but maybe a little more comfortable in America, and I think that has a LOT to do with being able to speak the language so fluently.

My first week back was eventful in the fact that I immediately got very sick and have no health insurance. I had a high fever, was feeling nausous, and had a sore throat. It seemed like sore throat was an option, and I would need antibiotics. I called ESI to foot the bill, as going to the doctor would cost a lot paying out of pocket, and they agreed to take the money out of my account balance. So I got to go to the doctor, and after 2 days of medicine I felt all better.

After that little escapade, I decided that I really needed to start raising support for next year. I spent the rest of the week writing and mailing support letters, to cover all the expenses that are piling up (new doctor bill, buying a ticket back to Hungary, getting some teaching supplies) etc. I also have signed up for an online class this summer that will give me a TESOL (teaching English as a second language) diploma. This will be very helpful if I ever leave ESI and want to continue teaching. I will be actually certified. It will also give me some more resources for next year. This was more money I don't have.

I also bought a plane ticket to Texas and went to visit my best friend Charissa who just moved there, and went with another close friend, Katie Calvert. This trip was just what I needed. We went to Charissa's uncle's lake house, which was big and beautiful, and spent time talking and talking. Here I felt I could share everything I wanted to, to describe my experiences in detail, to a captive and interested audience who truly cared! I love these girls very much, and am so glad that we could get together and it feels like no time has gone by at all.

This week has been spent preparing for an Open House. If you haven't heard about it, you are more than invited (if you live in the area, of course). This will be a chance to meet all my supporters, to thank them, to share stories about the year, and explain a bit about Hungary. My birthday is also on Saturday, so it'll be a pretty good weekend.

There is a lot happening, but it is a wonderful blessing to eat Mexican food, to be able to talk to anyone I don't even know and not worry about the language difference, and just to see my family and friends. It is really a wonderful vacation. I do miss Hungary though, and I think this time will be refreshing and rejuvinating to be able to return and start again in the fall.

I'm Back

Everything has been a blur. I have been on a travelling spree, and it has all ended back in the fabulous USA! I am absolutely thrilled to be back, and am even overwhelmed at all the friendliness I experienced even on the plane, the things I forgot were still sitting in my room, my beautiful dog, and of course my loving family. And FOOD! I just wanted to say that I'm here, but I don't have any phone numbers because my cell phone was lost last year. Please call me at 301-776-3488 if you want to see me. I'll write some more later about all the things I've been doing and experiencing.

Month of Silence

I'm here to break the month of silence. I haven't written in a long time, so there is almost too much to say. I barely remember what happened last month. I suppose I had a wonderful spring break, sitting at home, taking it easy. I didn't go anywhere, didn't do anything, and it was really lovely. Two weeks ago I got very sick with a bad head cold. Sore throat, stuffy nose, the works. This was very unfortunate, because my father was coming soon and we were going to travel the country and explore. By the time he got here I was feeling much better, and was able to meet him at the airport and travel down to Letenye. He came to explore some family history. His grandfather, and my great-grandfather, was a pure Hungarian, and through some research, he was able to find that the birthplace was in a small town called Egyeduta, which is now part of the larger town of Letenye, a border town to Croatia. We went down to see the town and explore, and brought my friend Dani who is an excellent translator, and thanks to him were able to talk to some people. We found some people with the last name of Bedi (which is my great-grandfather's last name), and who think that their grandfather and my dad's grandfather might have been cousins. We saw some original records from the church, and exchanged some addresses, but there is still work to be done.

After this trip, we came back to Vác and explored the Danube bend, seeing some wonderful towns close by like Szentendre, Visegrád, and Esztergom, housing quaint shops, museums, and even a castle on a hill and the country's biggest basilica. We climbed all the way to the top of the basilica, a dizzing climb, from where you can see across the river into Slovakia. From here we traveled west to Tata, another castle, and Fertőd, where there was an impressive palace fixed up nicely like the olden days. We finally ended at the other farthest city west, in Sopron, eating turkey breast stuffed with plums, drinking wine, and listening to a live string quartet serenade us. That unfortunately was the topper, since that night I proceeded to throw up everything I had eaten the last few days and more. This brought us travelling back to Vác in order that i could recover, and we just took it easy in my town for the 2 days left of his stay. When I started being able to eat and sit up again, I introduced him to friends from my church, toted him around Vác, and sadly said goodbye.

I'm now finally back in school, after 2 weeks off thanks to sickness and my father, and only 5 weeks left of the school year! It's hard to come back, but 5 weeks seems like a really short time, and I know it will go by quickly. After these 5 weeks, I'm planning a trip to Bulgaria for a week before my flight home. Everything is winding down, and it will be a challenge to stay motivated at this point, but I know I can do it. I will post some pictures soon when I get them of my dad and I and our trip, so stay tuned!

Language Day pics

Some wonderful pictures of Language Day:



Here we have a skit from Monty Python, where another English teacher is gracefully playing the witch in the scene.


The Japanese teacher brought some kimono for the students taking Japanese to sing a song. They are so cute.


My 9a class won the competition with this dance from Hair.
I did participate in a dance with one class to Backstreet's Back, but I don't have any pictures right now because I was dancing, but that means more to come...

Crocodile

Just thought I would share this picture that has been floating around church, from a guy named Láci. He writes:
This amazing photo was published in a magazine called Nature, and you can see as 3 dogs kill a wild crocodile in a Californian town.

Cute

Duna Flood

Well, Spring is definitely here, but little did I know that it meant flood season. While the sky is bright and sunny, somehow the Dunube river grows and grows, covering the park and getting closer and closer to restaurants and houses. Apparantley, the long winter and all the snow, then the sudden sunshine makes all the snow on top of the mountains in Austria and even Germany flood our Danube, and our little city. Here are some amazing pictures of our town.


This used to be the park. Instead of walking to the gazebo, now you need a boat.


Sidewalks and streets everywhere are being closed off. It's hard to get anywhere.


These people quietly survey the damage, standing in their backyards, praying the water doesn't raise any higher and flood their homes. Some have tried to blockade the water with loads of sandbags, but the waters are getting higher everyday. Some, however, put on their alligator boots and play!



Check out all my pictures in my album Duna Flood by clicking ALL PICTURES on the side bar there. It's quite a sight!

It's My Nameday!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen~

I am pleased to announce that today is my offical NAMEDAY! What is that you say? Check it out! This is the first nameday of my life, and certainly a cause for some celebration. Send me some love!

SPRING!!!

Ahhh, after a long and tiringly cold wait, spring is here!! The sun is shining (when it isn't raining), the days are longer (we already turned our clocks forward!), and the winter coat is history, replaced by only a fleece. As it continues to warm up, I hear the songs of birds, and the promises of long walks and bike rides, maybe even a picnic or two :) And with all of this brightness, my joy is filling, and hopefully spreading like a delicious epidemic. This week has even more thrilling adventures in store. We have something called Nyelv Nap (Language Day) on Friday, where all my students perform little skits or do a dance, so all my lessons consist of warming up and practicing, and tomorrow going to the Culture House for a runthrough. On Wednesday, I actually get the day off to go to Visegrad, which another teacher calls easily the most beautiful castle and view in Hungary. There are some Spanish exchange students here, and just because I have never been, I get to field trip with them. Ahhh.

I passed my Hungarian exam! I am now supposedly proficient at this strange language, but I still need some practice in the speaking category. I'm shy ;)

Here's to Joy and Castles and Languages and Spring!

One of the boys who has been coming to our youth group at church received salvation yesterday. The Lord is working and moving, and I feel my students are learning to trust me and are interested in conversation. The rest of this year and next year are promising and glorious. Praise be to God!

Rockin' Week Ahead

This last weekend I spent Saturday in Budapest, visiting with the girls from Prague who came to visit! We went to a wine tasting, Sam cooked us a rather delicious dinner, and I made a late night of getting home near midnight. Sunday then consisted of laying around my flat in my pajamas, to prepare for the craziness this week will hold. For all those interested and in need of some fun, here are the scheduled events:

Monday (today!)
St. Patrick's Day party: I know the holiday was Friday, but due to certain American exchange students who insisted upon celebrating and yet were in Transylvania this weekend, and since Hungary doesn't celebrate this holiday anyway, we decided we could change the date. It's not as possible to find green alcohol, or dye beer green, but Mountain Dew Irish music will have to suffice. Come anytime after 5pm to our flat for fun and leprechaun jigs.

Tuesday
Learn to make pogacha:I may have spelled that wrong, but it is pronounced (po Gotch a). This is a tasty Hungarian cheese biscuit thing, that are found at every wonderful bakery, and Lydia has offered to teach me the art of making them for myself. We shall see how it goes, as I'm not the best cook, but perhaps I may return to the States this summer knowing how to make some kind of Hungarian dish, no matter how small.

Wednesday
Matrix Marathon: To Sarah's astonished students, she has never seen any of the Matrix movies. Now, whether you hate them, love them, tolerate them, they are at least worth seeing once, and so her students will remedy Sarah's illness and let her borrow all these movies. Since they should be seen in order, and we have very little time free, Wednesday afternoon we will attempt to watch all three in a row nonstop. Anyone is welcome to join in on the madness. We will start perhaps around 2 or even 3, which will mean it may last until well into the night. Stay for them all if you are bold, or just part if you can't stand the insanity.

Thursday
Hungarian exam:Ok, this event is only for me. I finish my Hungarian classes this week, and I have a test on the last day. If I pass, it means I get a certificate that says I am proficient in Hungarian up to a certain level. What this level will be, depends on my exam. I think I have a pretty good chance, because it's totally written, and my reading and writing is so much better than listening and speaking. At any rate, the certificate may open up some opportunities, although actually being able to use the language in conversation would probably be better, but I'm on my way. I just have to get over my shyness in speaking, or I'll never be truly proficient.

Friday
Regular Friday: Teaching 4 lessons, perhaps visiting some friends in the church, English club, and youth group. Nothing new for a Friday, but I added it in case anyone wanted to see the madness of a typical week here. And for Saturday, who knows? Sarah and I may travel somewhere, we want to get out of Vác for a day. And a week from Wednesday, her mother and sister are coming to town, so there will be more madness and excitement.

That is my exciting update. If you don't here from me this week, now you know why.

Vác pic

Vác basillica

Latest Rough Overview of Recent Events

I missed my stop on the bus one night, and the bus charges right out of Vác, putting me in panic mode. A 10 minute ride turned into an hour, but God protected me and brought me back home safe and sound. I went to a Scottish dance and saw men in kilts, but I am not near Scotland. I learned that although Valentines' Day is not celebrated, Women's Day is pretty much the same thing only a month later.My school did a presentation for the holiday March 15th, and recited a poem roughly translated as "We swear to the God of Hungary that we will never be slaves again!" This powerful poem was then butchered in a song that sounded more like a lullaby then a war chant, and I had to leave.

What should I major in?

Wow! Who knew a 10 question test could be so accurate??? If I do end up going back to graduate school, I'm not sure if education is really my thing, and the list they gave me does sound a whole lot more interesting, but what do you do with any of those things?

Your Scholastic Strength Is Deep Thinking

You aren't afraid to delve head first into a difficult subject, with mastery as your goal. You are talented at adapting, motivating others, managing resources, and analyzing risk. You should major in: Philosophy Music Theology Art History Foreign language

What Should You Major In?

I'm a Bum

As my friend Barb would say, I am definitely a bum. It's been nearly a month, and I haven't updated anyone with the blog thing. I have trouble with it, it's not that I don't still love to write, but it's so incredibly hard inbetween classes in the mornings. This is largely from the fact that I don't have internet in my flat, a luxury I find difficult to be without. I have a lot of thoughts and things to say at night, but they never make it to the computer at school.
Even though it has been a long time, I'm still not sure what to say. February may technically be the shortest month, but I am a firm believer that it is the longest month of ALL TIME!!! Halfway through, I'm still in shock that it is STILL February! I had a lot of health problems this month too. My stomach apparantly doesn't take well to fatty foods, and so I had to go to the doctor for the first time, get a blood test, with no findings on why my stomach complains. After just avoiding fatty foods, I feel fine (and hopefully am losing weight!) After the blood test, they found I have twice the amount of sugar in my blood, and I will be retested tomorrow for diabetes, which I highly doubt is the problem. But hey, take away sugar AND fat, and I'll be a starving stick! It's hard to find other foods, except bread. I'm now eating a lot of bread. After skipping a lot of school with these doctor's appointments, I came down with a real illness, a cold and cough, and then had to teach anyway because I'd already missed too much school, UGH!
Yet, at just the right timing, because God is sooo good, some former ESI teachers came to save the day and visit and teach lessons for me, as well as bringing great care packages! I'm still coughing, but feeling better, and still praying for God's continual strength and healing in all my situations.
God is teaching me more and more things. As everyone knows, Lent has begun, and although I didn't go to a service, I can feel the time. When winter has been going on and on and on, and my heart grows cold with it and I feel down, and then the sunshine begins to appear, the snow begins to melt, and the warmth erupts deep within, but also exposes the way I have been. I know that Lent this year will be a time of not just reflection, and giving up something, but more than that, repentence. I will critically prepare myself for the celebration of the most glorious event in history, bringing my sins at His feet, learning to die again to all that I've kept hidden, and let the spring and resurrection begin a new work and a clean slate once again. The Jews had a time of year where they sought repentence and where God forgave all the sins of the year. I feel a need every year to do the same. While I may ask forgiveness every day, to spend time truly being cleansed and purified, and giving up those things I've held onto for so long, this requires those 40 days of prayer and yes! even fasting! (fat sugar apparantly aren't enough) I pray for all of you to be renewed as well, to welcome the spring, and welcome the return of our Lord!

Blessings!

Some Students' Valentines' Day Poetry

Love Poem

I love you more than sausage,
But I live in a village.
You are very big,
Look like as a pig.

I love you more than onion,
Since I looked the onion.
Your eyes are red,
Look like as a rat.

I love you more than fat,
And you are my pussycat.
Your ears are nice,
Look like as mice.

Bondor Eszter; Gonda Renáta; Kovács Márti; Ivanics Lilla; Weisz Judit

You are more beautiful than the sun.
But you are not as beautiful as me.
Love is pain. Love is sweet.
That's why you can't be sweet.
Oh my dear love!
Why are you so ugly!?
Why do you want to marry me!?
Because I have a lot of money!
I love you more than my favourite chocolate,
Because I don't have a favourite chocolate!
Love is pain. Love is amazing.
Love is a beautiful thing.
That's why you can't be a thing, just a think.
I'm sorry, my dear.
But there is a football match in the TV and I must go now.
Goodbye my love.
May the force be with you and never return back.
Or I will kick your face.

Mároni Marton


Love is an emotion
What makes a revolution
When the love is coming
Our life is becoming
More and more better.
But if you aren't in love
You feel yourself bad.
The love is important for me
Because I don't like to be lonely.

Ivett Kőbl


I see into your eyes
And I know we will never die
And you will always be mine.
You a candle in the night
A little light in the dark
It's not my choice to fight
But you sometimes make me cry.

Anonymous

And from me to you, my favorite Pablo Neruda poem:

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride.
So I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

May Christ's love perfectly shine to all my loved ones today! I love you!

Boarding

I went skiing. I mean boarding. I'm sore. I'm tired, but it was fun. The End.

Goulash

There are a few times in your life that forgetting your camera is one of the utmost tragedies, only salvaged by the fact that you are having the best time of your life, and have to imprint every image into your brain rather than onto film (or digital megabytes or whatever we use these days). Believe it or not, last night I had a full taste of Hungarian culture, one not easily described, and unfortunately, as I said, not easily photographed. My school had an International dinner last night. Apparantly there was a conference for teachers (I don't know what the conference was for), but there were teachers and a few of their students from Estonia, Polond, Slovakia, Germany, and Spain. The music school nearby lent us some of their students to provide us with musical entertainment all evening, mostly fast Hungarian folk music, and some of the students danced in traditional garb as well. The girls sang a beautiful song that is indescribable, while the guys leaped in the air and slapped their feet and theighs in rhythm. After the Hungarian performances, a few of the girls from Spain showed us flamingo dancing, while one of their teachers sang and clapped for them to keep the beat. It was all very beautiful. We ate goulash and pastries and drank and laughed (for once, everything was in English, it being the common language between us all), and I could feel like myself talking and laughing with all the guests and other English teachers. They dragged us all out on the dance floor by the end, running in circles holding hands and jumping and trying to keep up with the girls in the middle, one of which lost the heel of her shoe from stamping her feet so hard.
I got home late last night, and this morning I'm more than tired (and out of instant coffee!!!!) but I can still hear the music and see the girls dancing and it makes me smile. My only sadness is I have no pictures to share, so imagine and smile with me.

Szerda

It's colder than it's ever been. I wear long underwear every day and wool socks and thick scarves under my coat, and yet through all my woolly underwear everything still goes numb, and my ears prick because a hat gives you hat hair. Not that I should mind, since I woke up 5 times this morning to wash my hair and kept pressing the snooze button, and so it needs to be covered, but I have stopped caring how clean I am since no one else here does. I got here to discover again there is no class 1st period, but I am supposed to substitute 2nd period instead. My students tell me this, but they beg me to stay and play Mafia for the 1st period anyway. If you don't know Mafia, my students love this game, although it involves killing people and trying to discover the murderer. My class this morning decided that wasn't gruesome enough, so they made up a Vampire/Werwolf game, with all the same rules, just changed the Mafia to these undead creatures who come out at night for blood. Why did I let them? Because they were funny, and they did it all in English, which is pretty impressive. Now I have to go back to the class and maybe actually teach this time, but we may continue the game. I get lazy sometimes, and just like them to have some fun, as long as we talk in English. Is that bad? I don't know, but I do it, because it is relaxing to me as well, and I need to relax sometimes too. Well, I'm off. Stay warm America.

FUBU

I'm already at school, and I was just told that I don't have to teach my first class. Normally a joyous occasion to be repreived of my duties, but today is Thursday. I have one class, then a 3 hour break until my next class. If I had known yesterday I didn't have to teach my first class, I could have slept till 11:00. But now I am awake, at school, and have nothing to do. I'm sad. On an up note, I saw a teenage kid wearing a FUBU jacket. For those of you who may not know, this is a clothing brand made by black people, and FUBU stand for: For Us By Us. It's intended for black people, and back in Baltimore, white people weren't forbidden to wear it or anything, but just ridiculed till they were ashamed to be seen in public with it. I wonder if the FUBU makers know that their product is now being worn by white Hungarian teenagers in Europe. Was that their intention? Does FUBU stand for something else now? And those are my strange thoughts this morning.

Recruiting

To all my friends and supporters~

I sent out an email, but I'm going to use my blog for the same purpose, to attempt to recruit some of you (my supporters, my friends, or even supporters' friends and friends of friends) to consider and apply to teach overseas! I feel very strongly about this, that it is an opportunity not to be missed, to spend some time in a place and a culture that can be extremely uncomfortable (different and change are always uncomfortable), to stretch yourself and place yourself in God's hands to be used in ways you can't always see or understand, but you know just your presence in this place evokes questions and feelings in those around you that makes your life purposeful. To sacrifice so much to serve the Lord (and I now know the true meaning of Sacrifice) allows you to experience blessings you never imagined, because you are putting yourself completely in the trust of the Lord to provide for your needs. Before this I thought I had all I needed, but now I've seen just how much is really needed, and just how much God can provide when we give it up to Him. The paradox of giving till it hurts to gain more than you had before, to own nothing and everything, fills me with joy and surprise every day. It is an experience unlike any other, where God can use you, stretch you, and bless you in unimaginable ways.
Educational Services International (teachoverseas.org, the group I am here with) sends teachers to China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Vietnam. As you can see, none of these countries speak languages that are commonly taught in American schools. The reason for this is that ESI seeks to reach the unreached, to spread light into dark countries where the gospel isn't preached or isn't accessible (China is still under Communism, Morocco is mainly Muslim), or war torn countries. Half of these places were formly under the Soviet Union or were recently freed from Communism in the last 10-15 years. They are still trying to find their identity as people, and are more open to a message then they were before. These countries aren't all the nicest of places, but they are on the fringe, overlooked, and in need.
Hungarian has been rumored to be one of the hardest languages in the world, third only to Chinese and Japanese. It's true that just on my own, trying to pick up the language feels nearly impossible, but with the help of some Hungarian friends I have learned enough to get by. My feeling is that to further my ministry, learning more than enough to get by would be wonderful, so I started taking a class in Budapest, and thus far I have really enjoyed it! It isn't as hard as it sounds, learning any new language is difficult, but I actually find it fun. Conquering a new language is rewarding at best, and don't let the language be a barrier between you and Hungary, or any country where you are called to serve!
There is an American missionary couple here in Vác where I live that planted a church and have been here for 7 years. They originally wanted to go to a Spanish speaking country, but God pointed and opened all the doors for them to move to Budapest, and so they did. The church they've planted here is the one I attend, and without them I wouldn't have met such great Christian fellowship in this country!
Wherever you are called, you are needed, and I will be praying for all of you to listen and follow His leading, and I am excited for you and your futures and desire to serve! Let me know if you have any questions, or if you just want prayer for your future. I can do that!

Blessings to all of you,
Jo
**********************************************
Greetings in Christ,

Have you considered serving God by teaching overseas? TeachOverseas needs to find between 18 – 22 more dedicated Christians to teach in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia for the 2006-07 school year. The deadline to apply and be accepted into> the program for most positions is March 10th. This is an awesome opportunity: You’ll go trained, you’ll go with a team, and God will transform your life and the lives of your students. One teacher wrote: “I never knew that giving up everything I had to be here would be so valuable.” If you would like to discuss this opportunity, please contact me SOON at (800) 895-7955 or cblazo@esimail.org You’ll learn more about the options and how to apply and get prepared to GO!

In Joyful Service,
Carice Blazo
Central Europe Regional Director
TeachOverseas.org (ESI)
Tel: 626.294.9400
Fax: 626.821.2022
800.895.7955

Blogging

I'm sorry about never having enough time to write new entries on here. Every time I get online to write a blog, I end up reading everyone else's blogs, and that takes up a lot of time. So, sorry? But I'm reading your blog, if you have one. This lovely girl to my left is Barb. Do you remember Barb? She's an American exchange student this year. She started out as my student, but she had to switch schools. She started out in a city about 10 minutes from Vác, but in some strange divine providence, she now lives in Vác with a new host family, 2 minutes away from me on the north side of town, or Deakvár. So I've gotten to spend more time with her, and I don't know if she reads my blog, but if she does, I want her and everyone to know I'm real proud of her. We went to see Narnia last weekend (Super Cool Movie), we found it in Budapest in English after a lot of searching, and we talked about the battle going on this world, about the Lord, and about the battle going on within Barb. She has some choices to make, that she knows, but I'm proud of her for her desires to change, to be a better person, to get to know this person who made her and become what she was made to be. Pray for her and for me the rest of this semester as we continue to talk, as she starts coming to church with me, and as we discuss the Bible I gave her to read. I'm really excited for her, and so thankful for the friend she's been to me.