Going to Esslingen was like going home.
God was so good in providing us with a wonderful place to stay in Esslingen. Stephanie's brother-in-law, Scott, spent a year in Esslingen, Germany and had a good friend who still lived there with his wife and five year old son. Graciously, they opened their home to us for three nights. They were AMAZING. We had our own room to stay in, they provided dinner and lunch each day, washed our clothes, drove us everywhere, and made us feel right at home. I spent a grand total of 15 euros in Esslingen. 15. That is unreal. They were such sweet people.
When we arrived in Esslingen, Arndt (Scott's friend) was waiting for us right outside the train station with a sign reading "Welcome Stephanie, Lindsey, and Melanie." While listening to ACDC, we enjoyed a 20 minute car ride from Stuttgart to Esslingen. When we got to their house, we were greeted with German breads and cheese for a late night dinner. Here, we were able to talk with Arndt and his wife and get to know all about their family. They have such a sense of humor, and they made us laugh the whole time.
The next morning we met Jonas, their five year old son, who is such a cutie. We grew an attachment to Jonas and it was hard to leave him several days later! Anyways, we started out at at the castle in Esslingen where we were able to look out over the whole little village. Then we headed down into the City Center where we went a local market to pick up the ingredients for lunch, saw the first candy store built in the city, the oldest house in Esslingen, and the oldest restaurant in Esslingen which is a few hundred years old. It is a beautiful town filled with such great people. Everyone we met was as nice as can be. Then we headed back home where ate a German type of ravioli filled with spinach, meat, and cheese in a delicious soup. Then we took a short nap then headed out to Stuttgart. However, it started to rain so we only stayed for a little while, listened to some street musicians, visited a bookstore, went through an amazing local international food market (it was so great), then went home for the night. That night we had German sausage as well as more bread and cheese for dinner (while listening to Phil Collins over the sound system with a fire going too) as well as homemade marble cake for dessert. Don't worry, I got the recipe!
The next morning, we went to their local church ... which was spoken in German. Despite not understanding anything the pastor said, I still recognized several of the songs they sang as well as the Lord's Prayer! It was really cool to experience a very traditional church service in another country and in another language. Quite an experience! Then we had lunch at Arndt's parents house which was delicious!! We also got to watch his mother make the homemade pasta which was really neat. After a break, we headed back into Stuttgart with Arndt's father, who is quite the character. For example, we were driving behind this car that was moving pretty slowly so Ardnt's father rushes around him, honks, and yells, "GO HOME SLEEPY TOTS!" We laughed .... and feared for our lives. First, we walked up this hill that over looks the city which is beautiful. Then we headed to the Mercedes museum .... we were there for forever! We picked out every car we wanted and dreamed that maybe one day we might get it. After many pictures at the museum, we headed into downtown Stuttgart where we walked around, visited a castle, and had drinks at Starbucks .... I know, I know .... but it was the only thing open on Sunday! That night we had MORE cheese and bread for dinner, then we spent a while on the computer booking several hostels and catching up on emails.
The next morning we were up early and heading out to Switzerland to see the Alps! I had such a great time in Esslingen. I would however love to go back to Germany and visit the bigger cities, especially the cities that overflow with World War II history. Maybe next summer?? However, Esslingen was such a great break from the big cities. Big cities can get stressful after awhile. It also made me excited to be back with my family soon! I miss you all!!
Wednesday 31 March 2010
Adventure Six: Salzburg, Austria
The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music ...
After a six hour train ride, we finally arrived in Salzburg, Austria. Salzburg is known mostly because it is the city in which the Sound of Music was filmed. Needless to say, we were very excited to see all these places from the movie. When we arrived we headed straight to our "Couch Surfer" home for the night. For those of you who don't know, Lindsey, Steph, and I used a thing called couch surfing to find a place to stay for several of the cities we went. It is safe I promise! We were able to find people to stay with, communicate and talk with them ahead of time, and make sure that is who we wanted to stay with. I look back now and find that couch surfing was one of the best experiences of my travel abroad! In Salzurg, we stayed with a precious lady, Andrea, and her husband, Frederick. They are both probably in their early 60's, and they were such sweet, gracious people to open their home to us. We had a nice bed and couch to sleep on as well as delicious hot tea that night, and a wonderful breakfast the next morning. Such kind people. The whole experience at their home brought a smile to my face.
That night we headed out into the town, which even at night was absolutely beautiful. We walked around, took many pictures, then stopped at a quaint little restaurant for dinner. Delicious. Our first real dinner since we had been abroad. Then we headed back to Andrea's, drank some tea, chatted with Andrea and Frederick about everything under the sun, then headed to bed.
The next morning, Andrea was gracious enough to drive us around the city so we didn't have to pay for public transport. So great. We headed first to the house used as The Von Trappe home in the movie. It is now a University. We were so excited to see it! Then we walked to a garden near a big castle where the gazebo in which they sing "I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen" is placed. Then we drove back into the city and explored. Andrea knew so much about the city; basically we were given a personal tour for free. We saw beautiful Cathedrals (one which is in the movie - the graveyard scene at the end), buildings, parks, and fountains. We also stopped for our daily pastry which was a pastry similar to an apple strudel.
After our walk around the city, Andrea dropped us off at the train station where we felt like we were saying goodbye to our mom. She was so great, and we were really sad to leave! But we were on to our next adventure ..... Esslingen, Germany which is a small town outside of Stuttgart, Germany. Salzburg was beautiful, and I would love to go back again one day!
Goodbye Austria, and Hello Germany!
After a six hour train ride, we finally arrived in Salzburg, Austria. Salzburg is known mostly because it is the city in which the Sound of Music was filmed. Needless to say, we were very excited to see all these places from the movie. When we arrived we headed straight to our "Couch Surfer" home for the night. For those of you who don't know, Lindsey, Steph, and I used a thing called couch surfing to find a place to stay for several of the cities we went. It is safe I promise! We were able to find people to stay with, communicate and talk with them ahead of time, and make sure that is who we wanted to stay with. I look back now and find that couch surfing was one of the best experiences of my travel abroad! In Salzurg, we stayed with a precious lady, Andrea, and her husband, Frederick. They are both probably in their early 60's, and they were such sweet, gracious people to open their home to us. We had a nice bed and couch to sleep on as well as delicious hot tea that night, and a wonderful breakfast the next morning. Such kind people. The whole experience at their home brought a smile to my face.
That night we headed out into the town, which even at night was absolutely beautiful. We walked around, took many pictures, then stopped at a quaint little restaurant for dinner. Delicious. Our first real dinner since we had been abroad. Then we headed back to Andrea's, drank some tea, chatted with Andrea and Frederick about everything under the sun, then headed to bed.
The next morning, Andrea was gracious enough to drive us around the city so we didn't have to pay for public transport. So great. We headed first to the house used as The Von Trappe home in the movie. It is now a University. We were so excited to see it! Then we walked to a garden near a big castle where the gazebo in which they sing "I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen" is placed. Then we drove back into the city and explored. Andrea knew so much about the city; basically we were given a personal tour for free. We saw beautiful Cathedrals (one which is in the movie - the graveyard scene at the end), buildings, parks, and fountains. We also stopped for our daily pastry which was a pastry similar to an apple strudel.
After our walk around the city, Andrea dropped us off at the train station where we felt like we were saying goodbye to our mom. She was so great, and we were really sad to leave! But we were on to our next adventure ..... Esslingen, Germany which is a small town outside of Stuttgart, Germany. Salzburg was beautiful, and I would love to go back again one day!
Goodbye Austria, and Hello Germany!
Monday 29 March 2010
Adventure Five: Prague, Czech Republic
Prague. Oh Prague.
Started out rough but ended wonderfully! Steph and I left Barcelona reminiscing on all the funny and pretty moments of our time there. We miss B, Rose's stories, Billford's faces, Pat's dance moves, and Kramme. But we shall see it all again soon in Swansea!
Moving on, we arrived in Prague safely and happily ... until the language barrier hit us. However, the Lord provided. We met a sweet man while boarding the plane in Barcelona who lived in Prague and after we arrived he graciously took the time to help us purchase the correct bus tickets that would lead us to our hostel for the night. Our 10 dollar a night hostel. Yeah, we were sketched out a little too. Little did we know, that hostel would help to make our stay in Prague the absolute best. The hostel was huge ... Plus Prague Hostel. The guy at the reception desk was SO helpful. He put us three girls in a huge room to ourselves, with decently comfy beds, and our own bathroom with extremely hot water .... it was heaven.
Unfortunately, our meeting up with Lindsey did not take place. Lindsey had a rough time getting to Prague .... so she ended up staying with a friend that night. We missed her. And Steph purchased a train ticket to Austria for the wrong day by mistake, so she had to purchase another, which she ended purchasing for the wrong day again, so she had to purchase a third, this time for the correct day. Rough night, but all is well now!
We spent the next day roaming Prague, seeing everything it had to offer. It also happened to be the week of their big Easter Market in the center of their Old Town. There were stands with homemade food, pastries, jewelry, clothes, etc. It was great. We saw many old, beautiful buildings ... pictures to come when I get back to Swansea. We also took probably a few billion pictures at the John Lennon Peace Wall ... the only place in Prague where graffiti is legal. Even though I know very little about Mr. Lennon, I like his Peace wall a bunch.
Before crossing The Charles' Bridge ... the big bridge you see in all the pictures of Prague .... we saw a group of what we thought were Czech sailors. So Steph asked for a picture, and they informed us they were not sailors ... just guys selling tickets for the boat rides. This is where we met Bayo ... such a gracious person! We talked to him about America, our time in Prague, our day of touring the city, and he got us into the boat ride for FREE which included free snacks and drinks, and an hour long boat ride around Prague. Such a blessing! Great day in Prague.
That night Steph and I took advantage of the free sauna in the hostel. I couldn't have asked for a better ending to Prague ... relaxing in a sauna, with diet coke and snacks, listening to Coldplay, and talking to someone who is becoming one of my dearest friends. Traveling around Europe on a tight budget, with a fellow college student who shares your same passion of chocolate, brings two people together like I can't explain. Then we took advantage of the free internet ... of course!
The next morning we were up early for our six hour train ride to Salzburg, Austria. We said goodbye to Prague, but we looked forward to the city where the Sound of music was filmed .... we couldn't wait to sing The Hills Are Alive at the top of our lungs ... in the mountains .... with our hair in braids .... wearing red and white striped skirts .... just kidding .... kinda.
Love you all!!
Started out rough but ended wonderfully! Steph and I left Barcelona reminiscing on all the funny and pretty moments of our time there. We miss B, Rose's stories, Billford's faces, Pat's dance moves, and Kramme. But we shall see it all again soon in Swansea!
Moving on, we arrived in Prague safely and happily ... until the language barrier hit us. However, the Lord provided. We met a sweet man while boarding the plane in Barcelona who lived in Prague and after we arrived he graciously took the time to help us purchase the correct bus tickets that would lead us to our hostel for the night. Our 10 dollar a night hostel. Yeah, we were sketched out a little too. Little did we know, that hostel would help to make our stay in Prague the absolute best. The hostel was huge ... Plus Prague Hostel. The guy at the reception desk was SO helpful. He put us three girls in a huge room to ourselves, with decently comfy beds, and our own bathroom with extremely hot water .... it was heaven.
Unfortunately, our meeting up with Lindsey did not take place. Lindsey had a rough time getting to Prague .... so she ended up staying with a friend that night. We missed her. And Steph purchased a train ticket to Austria for the wrong day by mistake, so she had to purchase another, which she ended purchasing for the wrong day again, so she had to purchase a third, this time for the correct day. Rough night, but all is well now!
We spent the next day roaming Prague, seeing everything it had to offer. It also happened to be the week of their big Easter Market in the center of their Old Town. There were stands with homemade food, pastries, jewelry, clothes, etc. It was great. We saw many old, beautiful buildings ... pictures to come when I get back to Swansea. We also took probably a few billion pictures at the John Lennon Peace Wall ... the only place in Prague where graffiti is legal. Even though I know very little about Mr. Lennon, I like his Peace wall a bunch.
Before crossing The Charles' Bridge ... the big bridge you see in all the pictures of Prague .... we saw a group of what we thought were Czech sailors. So Steph asked for a picture, and they informed us they were not sailors ... just guys selling tickets for the boat rides. This is where we met Bayo ... such a gracious person! We talked to him about America, our time in Prague, our day of touring the city, and he got us into the boat ride for FREE which included free snacks and drinks, and an hour long boat ride around Prague. Such a blessing! Great day in Prague.
That night Steph and I took advantage of the free sauna in the hostel. I couldn't have asked for a better ending to Prague ... relaxing in a sauna, with diet coke and snacks, listening to Coldplay, and talking to someone who is becoming one of my dearest friends. Traveling around Europe on a tight budget, with a fellow college student who shares your same passion of chocolate, brings two people together like I can't explain. Then we took advantage of the free internet ... of course!
The next morning we were up early for our six hour train ride to Salzburg, Austria. We said goodbye to Prague, but we looked forward to the city where the Sound of music was filmed .... we couldn't wait to sing The Hills Are Alive at the top of our lungs ... in the mountains .... with our hair in braids .... wearing red and white striped skirts .... just kidding .... kinda.
Love you all!!
Wednesday 24 March 2010
Adventure Four: Barcelona, Spain
Hello Barcelona!
First off, the city was beautiful AND there was a beach. What more could a girl ask for? Oh I know .... wonderful friends to spend four days in Barcelona with ... never mind, God gave me that too. 12 of us Americans managed to squeeze into an apartment that was meant for 8 people. But no worries, we made it work! I have never felt so close to these people; I have spent the majority of my time abroad with them and I just realized how hard it will be to leave them when I go home. I hate thinking about it! We are all so different, but I have been given an opportunity to be an example and witness. It's been such a great experience living, talking, sharing, and having so much fun with this group of people. All I know is I have a whole page of hysterical quotes from Barcelona ... so fun.
Second, we went on a bike ride. Yes, we did. Pretty sure I haven't taken a ride on a bike since I was maybe twelve years old ... on my white and pink bike. So needless to say when I heard "bike ride," my joy turned into absolute fear. However, it turned out being the best part of Barcelona. Five of us rented bikes, with little bells on 'em, and rode around Barcelona for two hours. It was amazing. I might have almost run over a small child, but it was definitely his fault .... I think. Anyways, we saw the Sagrada Familia (a beautiful, huge, Gothic church), the bull fighting arena, Spain's version of the Arc de Triomphe (the original is in Paris), and the beach! Our map of the city, which was placed in Steph's back pocket, ended up falling out and we got lost. But Steph used her perfect Spanish speaking skills to find our way home. Again, it was amazing.
Third, we didn't actually eat local food, but we made some good food. A group of us bought pasta, several sauces, garlic cheese bread, and made one delicious dinner ... while listening to some good music. It's one of those memories that wasn't a big deal at the time, but I will remember for a long time.
I hated to leave Barcelona, and I hated even more to leave my friends. However, on Monday we all separated into smaller groups to continue our travels around Europe. Steph, Lindsey, and I are ready to take on Europe together! Our next stop: Prague! Once again, God has been so good. He has kept us safe traveling, and He has blessed us with so many great opportunities. I can't explain the joy He has brought me just in four short days in one city. I can't wait to see what comes next.
First off, the city was beautiful AND there was a beach. What more could a girl ask for? Oh I know .... wonderful friends to spend four days in Barcelona with ... never mind, God gave me that too. 12 of us Americans managed to squeeze into an apartment that was meant for 8 people. But no worries, we made it work! I have never felt so close to these people; I have spent the majority of my time abroad with them and I just realized how hard it will be to leave them when I go home. I hate thinking about it! We are all so different, but I have been given an opportunity to be an example and witness. It's been such a great experience living, talking, sharing, and having so much fun with this group of people. All I know is I have a whole page of hysterical quotes from Barcelona ... so fun.
Second, we went on a bike ride. Yes, we did. Pretty sure I haven't taken a ride on a bike since I was maybe twelve years old ... on my white and pink bike. So needless to say when I heard "bike ride," my joy turned into absolute fear. However, it turned out being the best part of Barcelona. Five of us rented bikes, with little bells on 'em, and rode around Barcelona for two hours. It was amazing. I might have almost run over a small child, but it was definitely his fault .... I think. Anyways, we saw the Sagrada Familia (a beautiful, huge, Gothic church), the bull fighting arena, Spain's version of the Arc de Triomphe (the original is in Paris), and the beach! Our map of the city, which was placed in Steph's back pocket, ended up falling out and we got lost. But Steph used her perfect Spanish speaking skills to find our way home. Again, it was amazing.
Third, we didn't actually eat local food, but we made some good food. A group of us bought pasta, several sauces, garlic cheese bread, and made one delicious dinner ... while listening to some good music. It's one of those memories that wasn't a big deal at the time, but I will remember for a long time.
I hated to leave Barcelona, and I hated even more to leave my friends. However, on Monday we all separated into smaller groups to continue our travels around Europe. Steph, Lindsey, and I are ready to take on Europe together! Our next stop: Prague! Once again, God has been so good. He has kept us safe traveling, and He has blessed us with so many great opportunities. I can't explain the joy He has brought me just in four short days in one city. I can't wait to see what comes next.
Sunday 14 March 2010
European Spring Break
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5
Unfortunately, I will not be taking my computer with me over our four week break because one, I have to fit four weeks of clothing into a "backpacking backpack," so no room for the bright pink Mac; two, I would absolutely hate for my only connection to the outside world to be stolen, and three, knowing myself, I will somehow manage to drop it, damage it, or even destroy it by the end of my journey. So, needless to say I will be doing my very best find a computer during my travels so I can update you and assure you that I am still alive and well! On that note, here are our journey details, in case y'all would like to follow!
"The Lord will guide you continually ..." Isaiah 58:11
March 19: Barcelona, Spain
March 22: Prague, Czech Republic
March 25: Sazlburg, Austria
March 27: Esslingen/Stuttgart, Germany
March 29: Geneva/Interlaken, Switzerland
April 2: Rome and the Vatican on Easter
April 5: Florence, Italy
April 7: Venice, Italy
April 9: Athens, Greece
April 14: London, England
April 15: Back to good ole' Swansea!
8 Countries. 12 Cities. 28 days.
Hello Spring Break!
Please keep us in your prayers! I will be traveling with Stephanie and Lindsey, both from UT, and we would love to know that our friends and family back home are praying for us! Please pray for safety, travel, health, and that God would not only guide us but also teach and show us amazing things while we explore Europe together. I am so thankful and truly blessed to have this opportunity; God is so good, and I pray that everywhere I go I will find His beauty, His blessings, His faithfulness, and His love.
I will update as often as I possibly can!
"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. I Chronicles 16:34
Unfortunately, I will not be taking my computer with me over our four week break because one, I have to fit four weeks of clothing into a "backpacking backpack," so no room for the bright pink Mac; two, I would absolutely hate for my only connection to the outside world to be stolen, and three, knowing myself, I will somehow manage to drop it, damage it, or even destroy it by the end of my journey. So, needless to say I will be doing my very best find a computer during my travels so I can update you and assure you that I am still alive and well! On that note, here are our journey details, in case y'all would like to follow!
"The Lord will guide you continually ..." Isaiah 58:11
March 19: Barcelona, Spain
March 22: Prague, Czech Republic
March 25: Sazlburg, Austria
March 27: Esslingen/Stuttgart, Germany
March 29: Geneva/Interlaken, Switzerland
April 2: Rome and the Vatican on Easter
April 5: Florence, Italy
April 7: Venice, Italy
April 9: Athens, Greece
April 14: London, England
April 15: Back to good ole' Swansea!
8 Countries. 12 Cities. 28 days.
Hello Spring Break!
Please keep us in your prayers! I will be traveling with Stephanie and Lindsey, both from UT, and we would love to know that our friends and family back home are praying for us! Please pray for safety, travel, health, and that God would not only guide us but also teach and show us amazing things while we explore Europe together. I am so thankful and truly blessed to have this opportunity; God is so good, and I pray that everywhere I go I will find His beauty, His blessings, His faithfulness, and His love.
I will update as often as I possibly can!
"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. I Chronicles 16:34
Monday 8 March 2010
Adventure Three: Bath, England
Reality has finally caught up with me. Most of the past two weeks has been spent writing essays ... essays that will alone determine my grades. Oh, the pressure. However, last weekend I was able to break up the studying with a most exciting visit by Ashley! She, along with three of her sweet friends, made their way to Swansea ..... and by made their way, I mean missed a few trains here and there and FINALLY arrived in Wales around 1 a.m. Saturday morning. But no worries, we still had the best weekend being together, talking together, and laughing together!
As they explored the Gower Peninsula on Saturday, Lindsey and I headed to Bath, England for the day. Bath is known for its beautiful, old architecture, and hence the name, the Roman baths that still exist in the city today. Lindsey and I spent roughly two hours touring the baths and seeing all that went into designing these interesting creations. I felt as if I were walking the streets of ancient Rome. Story of the day: When we first arrived we saw a long line of people surrounding this building, which had no name, but it did have drawings of what we thought were the Roman baths. So we assumed, "Hey! These must be the Roman baths." After standing in line for about 30 minutes, we arrived at the front only to realize that we were actually standing in line for a fancy spa ..... a spa that is modeled after the Roman baths. We came to the conclusion we were definitely in the wrong place when we were offered chocolates by the staff and a British man behind us asked, "Did you not bring your swimsuit with you??" Swim suit?? No sir, we did not! We laughed, loudly, and laughed some more. What an adventure.
After a long tour of the Roman baths, we headed to a little cafe for tea and pastries. Typical English afternoon. We then began to roam the city. My favorite stop of the day: Bath Abbey. It is absolutely beautiful inside. At the time we walked in, the organist was practicing so we sat in the church for at least half an hour, just gazing at the colorful stained glass windows and listening to the music. What a memory. Bath was beautiful, and Lindsey and I had such a great time experiencing it together. Even if Lindsey does take 35 pictures of the same bench. So fun.
I am almost ashamed to say it, but I am going to anyways: It has taken me coming all the way to Wales to realize the power of prayer. Yes, I have grown up praying and talking to God, but I haven't REALLY prayed and talked with God. But now I am! In the last few weeks, I have felt my prayer life at an all time high. Whether it has been praying for safety, comfort, healing, friends, family, guidance, or peace ..... I have been praying! It's funny: my devotion for the past few days has been on prayer and its importance in a relationship with Christ. In fact, I went on a run the other morning down by the beach. It was an absolutely beautiful day; the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky, and the weather was perfect. On my way back to the University, my iPod died .... I was devastated. I tried turning it on over and over again, and it just kept responding with "Battery Dead." What was I going to do while running back? What was I going to listen to? Then I looked around and realized "This is the (BEAUTIFUL) day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." And rejoice I did. I stopped running, and instead, walked and talked with God until I arrived back at the Uni. As soon as I got on the bus to ride back to my house, I tried turning my iPod on again, and what do you know, it turned right on with almost full battery power. God has such a sense of humor, and I am so glad he does.
Recently, there have been so many things that I have been praying for/about, so I have spent a lot of time in prayer with God. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6 What is so great is I find myself yearning to talk to God more and more each and every day. And it isn't just to ASK of God; it is mostly to PRAISE God. "Praise be to the God and Father of our lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3 I am so thankful I am learning so many new things about myself and my walk with Christ while being abroad. Rather than falling away from Christ, I find myself being pulled closer and closer into His loving arms. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James 4:8
I am thrilled and so grateful to say that God has already answered so many of my prayers. He has kept me safe, He has blessed me with opportunities I could never have imagined possible, He is healing, comforting, and loving friends and family, and He is continuing to be with me, guide me, and always love me. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us -whatever we ask - we know that we asked of Him." I John 5:14-15.
One exciting answer to prayer: I am coming home early!! I have been praying about this for awhile, and God put a peace in my heart about it. I was able to have my exams moved around, and I will be coming home either the first or second week of May! This is such an answer to prayer, for now I will be able to spend time with friends and family who are dear to me before I begin a busy summer spent, most of the time, away from Memphis. And I will be able to attend my cousin's wedding and Bekah's wedding, both of which are extremely important to me. God is so good!!!
My next adventure: Four weeks traveling through Europe. We will begin in Barcelona, then to Prague, down to Austria, on to Switzerland, over to Germany, down to Rome for Easter, up to Florence, over to Venice, short flight to Athens for a week, then back to Swansea. Absolutely incredible. We have out tickets ready, our bags packed, and we're ready for the adventure of a lifetime!
As they explored the Gower Peninsula on Saturday, Lindsey and I headed to Bath, England for the day. Bath is known for its beautiful, old architecture, and hence the name, the Roman baths that still exist in the city today. Lindsey and I spent roughly two hours touring the baths and seeing all that went into designing these interesting creations. I felt as if I were walking the streets of ancient Rome. Story of the day: When we first arrived we saw a long line of people surrounding this building, which had no name, but it did have drawings of what we thought were the Roman baths. So we assumed, "Hey! These must be the Roman baths." After standing in line for about 30 minutes, we arrived at the front only to realize that we were actually standing in line for a fancy spa ..... a spa that is modeled after the Roman baths. We came to the conclusion we were definitely in the wrong place when we were offered chocolates by the staff and a British man behind us asked, "Did you not bring your swimsuit with you??" Swim suit?? No sir, we did not! We laughed, loudly, and laughed some more. What an adventure.
After a long tour of the Roman baths, we headed to a little cafe for tea and pastries. Typical English afternoon. We then began to roam the city. My favorite stop of the day: Bath Abbey. It is absolutely beautiful inside. At the time we walked in, the organist was practicing so we sat in the church for at least half an hour, just gazing at the colorful stained glass windows and listening to the music. What a memory. Bath was beautiful, and Lindsey and I had such a great time experiencing it together. Even if Lindsey does take 35 pictures of the same bench. So fun.
I am almost ashamed to say it, but I am going to anyways: It has taken me coming all the way to Wales to realize the power of prayer. Yes, I have grown up praying and talking to God, but I haven't REALLY prayed and talked with God. But now I am! In the last few weeks, I have felt my prayer life at an all time high. Whether it has been praying for safety, comfort, healing, friends, family, guidance, or peace ..... I have been praying! It's funny: my devotion for the past few days has been on prayer and its importance in a relationship with Christ. In fact, I went on a run the other morning down by the beach. It was an absolutely beautiful day; the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky, and the weather was perfect. On my way back to the University, my iPod died .... I was devastated. I tried turning it on over and over again, and it just kept responding with "Battery Dead." What was I going to do while running back? What was I going to listen to? Then I looked around and realized "This is the (BEAUTIFUL) day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." And rejoice I did. I stopped running, and instead, walked and talked with God until I arrived back at the Uni. As soon as I got on the bus to ride back to my house, I tried turning my iPod on again, and what do you know, it turned right on with almost full battery power. God has such a sense of humor, and I am so glad he does.
Recently, there have been so many things that I have been praying for/about, so I have spent a lot of time in prayer with God. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6 What is so great is I find myself yearning to talk to God more and more each and every day. And it isn't just to ASK of God; it is mostly to PRAISE God. "Praise be to the God and Father of our lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3 I am so thankful I am learning so many new things about myself and my walk with Christ while being abroad. Rather than falling away from Christ, I find myself being pulled closer and closer into His loving arms. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James 4:8
I am thrilled and so grateful to say that God has already answered so many of my prayers. He has kept me safe, He has blessed me with opportunities I could never have imagined possible, He is healing, comforting, and loving friends and family, and He is continuing to be with me, guide me, and always love me. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us -whatever we ask - we know that we asked of Him." I John 5:14-15.
One exciting answer to prayer: I am coming home early!! I have been praying about this for awhile, and God put a peace in my heart about it. I was able to have my exams moved around, and I will be coming home either the first or second week of May! This is such an answer to prayer, for now I will be able to spend time with friends and family who are dear to me before I begin a busy summer spent, most of the time, away from Memphis. And I will be able to attend my cousin's wedding and Bekah's wedding, both of which are extremely important to me. God is so good!!!
My next adventure: Four weeks traveling through Europe. We will begin in Barcelona, then to Prague, down to Austria, on to Switzerland, over to Germany, down to Rome for Easter, up to Florence, over to Venice, short flight to Athens for a week, then back to Swansea. Absolutely incredible. We have out tickets ready, our bags packed, and we're ready for the adventure of a lifetime!
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