Class, Deutsch, and New Friends!

I've been back in Germany for just over two weeks, but it feels like a lot longer than that with all that has happened!  I'm so thankful for the opportunities that I've had to jump right back into life here in Germany.

Class.  During my first week back in Germany, I attended TeachBeyond Institute, a conference for members of my mission agency to learn about and discuss spiritual formation, cultural adaptation, and Biblical integration.  The days were long, but it was fun to spend time with people who serve with TeachBeyond at several different schools and think together about how we can serve our students better.

Deutsch.  The annual neighborhood "block party" was last weekend - the first that I've been able to attend since moving here two years ago.  It was really interesting to be able to sit and chat at picnic tables with the German neighbors I've never really met beyond a "hello" every once in a while.  Their English was far better than I anticipated, but they wanted me to try German!  "You speak German, we'll speak English."  This made for a humorous conversation, but I was quite surprised at how fluently the German came.  Of course, it wasn't perfect, but it definitely felt different than my timid German of my first year living overseas.  One man suggested we visit his art gallery in town, while another invited my piano teacher roommate, Karen, to play duets with him.  He lives just behind our house and is a very famous concert pianist from Berlin!  Great connections and fun speaking German!

New Friends.  Over the past week, many new staff have arrived here in Kandern.  What fun it has been to match faces with their names, hear their stories, and experience life here together.  One not-so-new friend that I've welcomed to Germany is Rachel, a fellow Grove City grad and friend of mine from my college days.  In addition, Karen has joined the apartment (with Brittany and me), and we've enjoyed meals, travels, shopping together with other new friends this past week.  We anxiously await our fourth roommate Justina's arrival when the Lord provides the finances she needs!

In the next two weeks:
-- Shopping trips with new staff for furniture and classroom supplies
-- Local traveling to introduce new staff to the area
-- Various staff meetings in preparation for the school year
-- Classroom cleaning and decorating
-- Lesson planning and preparing materials

These days are full - and my heart is full as well!  I'm anxious to see how God works through new friendships, connections with the Germany community, and my new role as a middle school teacher this year!