Six Months Already?!

It is hard to believe that it has already been six months that I have been living in Czech and helping Elim this year!  The time is flying past as we are so involved with the kids' activities and events.  I am looking forward to what the next six months hold as we move into the new year; assuming it will be similar to the first six months, I am in for a fantastic time and many more memories! 

I may be repeating myself when I say that Mondays with this English Class are my favorite, but it continues to ring true!  I recently introduced reading books to my class as they react to the story by labeling the characters' emotions throughout the book on our interactive story board.  These patient students listen to the story in English as well as the Czech translation while considering their English emotion vocabulary to describe the characters - talk about superstar students!  

Storytime

Last Monday was our final lesson before the Christmas Holiday Break, so through many exciting games, I taught vocabulary surrounding the theme "winter."  I could see the kids were definitely enjoying the activities, especially since this winter, their weather is more rainy and spring-like than snowy.  We had a paper snowball fight and played a game where Jack Frost tags others to freeze them.  All the while, the students use and practice the vocabulary.  We also practiced a couple verbs through a game that allowed the kids to act out motions for "sled," "skate," and "freeze."  Since it was our last class before the holidays, I asked my class if we could snap a picture all together... I don't think I am being biased because as you can see from this picture, this class is just the cutest! 

Class Picture

For many years, my friends have heard countless stories of my experiences and adventures in Czech, so it was extra special when one of my friends from my hometown came to visit!  She had been student teaching in Spain and had a couple days free for a long weekend, so we met up together in Prague.  I loved showing her around some of my favorite places in Prague and is Letovice as well.  In just over 48hrs, we were able to experience much of the country together (we called it "Speed-Dating Czech" since it was so fast!) and had a wonderful time simply catching up.  

In Prague

One of my friend's favorite part of her time in Czech was meeting the "locals" - my friends!  While experiencing the cities and "touristy" locations are fun, the real culture lies within the people, and I am so happy I was able to share this treasure with her.  One Czech friend even brought us to her evening church, which is located on a boat on the river that runs through Prague!  It was definitely an experience to remember praising God on a boat church!

Czechs and Americans Together

Letovice club times have consisted of many games and time on the bouncy castle.  While many of the kids enjoy trying out summersaults and cartwheels on the bouncy castle, some of the older kids enjoy the castle for "fighting" competitions.  Last week, I was asked by three of the older kids (two boys and a girl) to join them for a fighting competition to make the teams even.  By the end of the match, I was amazed at how quickly the kids could bounce back up and leap of the bouncy castle while I rolled to the edge and slid off the open side of the castle in a mangled mess!  It is amazing how old a 22-year-old feels after 10 minutes on a bouncy castle with three boisterous pre-teens.

Advent Wreath and Games at Club

Hanging Out on the Bouncy Castle

Club in Boskovice has been filled with many familiar activities as well as new ones!  A couple weeks ago the Coca-Cola semi-truck came to visit Boskovice, so we brought the club kids with us to experience the time on the city square in the holiday atmosphere.  It seemed like it was an event in a movie with the lights, music, crowd, and excitement.  I realized then that our group of kids in Boskovice are silly, active kids.  We had brought a bottle of Pepsi to the event as a joke and some of the students went to the Coca-Cola directors and asked if they would like a drink!  When the semi arrived, the kids were all supposed to shout "Santa!" to open the truck and have Santa appear, but Santa isn't a Czech tradition.  Baby Jesus delivers the gifts in Czech homes, so all our club kids teamed together and shouted "Baby Jesus!" above the voices of all the little kids saying "Santa!"  When we got back to the club after the Coca-Cola visit, we all made tea to warm up.  I sat with a group of four boys who were all drinking their hot tea with a straw!  I realized then that these club kids are definitely a free-spirited and (mildly) rebellious bunch.

Coca-Cola Truck

Preparing for Santa's Entrance

A regular club activity is Nerf Wars, and we have become accustom to seeing flipped tables, cushion-less couches, and lonely shoes scattered across the floor from our intense battles; however, one of the students came with another adaptation idea to our familiar game - Live Action Nerf Mafia.  Before the game begins, the leader will chose four mafia and two detectives.  Each player receives a different number of Nerf bullets depending on their role (mafia - 5 bullets, deceptive - 3 bullets, and townsperson - 1 bullet).  We then turn out the lights and everyone mingles (or hides) throughout the room.  The detectives ask the "dead" townspeople what kind of Nerf gun the person had and how it happened (i.e.: straight kill, from behind, etc.)  to try to identify the mafia.  The kids really enjoyed the suspense of the game, and I am looking forward to playing it again with them soon! 

 Nerf Mafia Meeting

Watch this short video I created of recent clubs in Letovice, Boskovice, and my English Class!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZKkcJvmOOE&feature=em-upload_owner

To conclude the end of the year in Elim, the youth pastor put together an "Elim in Review" party for all the leaders, volunteers, and supporters of our organization.  We looked at all that Elim had accomplished during the past year and the ideas we hope to grow and continue to reach kids in the next year.  It was a real treat to have so many people that help with Elim in one place all together.  As I looked around the room, I realized these people have become more like family than colleagues to me.  It is clear God connects us more as we realize we are all in the family of Christ.

Elim Meeting 

Watch this short video the youth pastor made to show all that Elim has done and been a part of in the past year!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_-ek9QtU94&t

English class on Monday ends at 5:25, and I quickly grabbed my suitcase, jumped in my translator's parent's car, made it to the train station, bought my ticket and was on the train at 5:37.  I arrived in Prague that evening and took the subway and tram to a friends apartment, where I stayed until 4:30am the next morning.  I then took the tram, subway, and bus to the airport and traveled through Amsterdam to Minneapolis!  In less than 24 hours, I believe I took almost all the forms of transportation possible...  and I am beginning to feel more like a local as I maneuver through the public transportation.  At the airport, I greeted the lady at the check-in counter in Czech as I handed her my American passport.  I suppose my pronunciation is better than I thought as she asked me if I would prefer to continue the conversation in Czech or English!  In Minnesota, I was greeted by piles of snow and cold winds (this Czech winter feels more like a rainy spring...), but warm embraces from friends and family.  I had prepared myself to experience reverse-culture shock and jet-lag, but both have not seemed to be a problem (well, jet-lag for sleeping wasn't difficult to adjust to, but the eating schedule took a couple days!).  I suppose it just goes to show that both places are home and feel naturally comfortable.

Relaxing at Home (Minnesota)

Thank you all for your support and prayers over this first half-year.  It means the world to have the encouragement from so many!  I can see how God uses all of you in this mission as well!  Please pray for the next six months as we lead into the new year, take a youth group retreat, and begin planning for LetFest (our city-wide outreach.  Also, please pray as I look into extending my visa to stay longer with Elim and continue in the ministry here.  I hope you all enjoy a wonderful Christmas and experience the joys of our Lord this season!