Journey number dos... I mean zwei.

So I finished up the most excellent of family vacations with my grandparents on Friday and it was wonderful, really wonderful. Went to Muenchen, Baden-Baden (so good they named it twice), Heidelberg, and then they flew out of Frankfurt last week. We went to a spa, castle, gardens, and just saw so much and had such a wonderful time. (Pictures from the entire trip!)

After leaving them in Frankfurt, I caught a train to go to Jena where I will spend my last three and a half months here. I apologize for the following thoughts. I am still not quite sure where my heart is or how I am feeling about everything yet. I feel like I still can't coherently express what I am thinking so maybe I'll just bullet point my thoughts for you. GET READY!

• Despite my 10 day Deutsche Pause my German is better than ever and I am pleasantly surprised with how much I speak and understand. Oh yeah, I dream now almost every  night in German.
• I am really overwhelmed
• I cried a lot the first weekend
• Not quite sure if I will have friends yet.
• My roommates are Hungarian and Russian
• "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
• I am convinced of God's faithfulness and goodness to me, but I just am super worried about what this experience is going to look like
• I live in the former DDR and yes have seen Stasi cameras on the sides of buildings and my Wohnheim is straight out of socialist 1980s.
• God is still so good at loving me. I was miserable Saturday and all of a sudden get a phone call from Megan Frook (a super good friend from my Bible study at UVA who happens to be in Berlin) and she said "Hi Amy! Can I come see you tomorrow?" The day together was beautiful.
• I don't think I am ever going to get over how much I miss UVA.
• I start classes next week and am doing a program that takes you through Literature classes, speaking classes, Business classes, all as German as a Foreign Language or as someone teaching German as a foreign language (convenient, since I am both of those things)
• Overwhelmed, anxious, lonely. Satisfied with Jesus, aware of His work, seeing His presence. These are the two dichotomies that are pulling at me right now.
• "I am convinced that it is only when you move, when you travel, that you find yourself." - Azouz Begag
• I signed up for dance lessons.

Okay, so maybe that wasn't helpful, but I think that is a pretty accurate description of my head and heart right now, and I would rather not bore my blog readers a plain entry about my life. The only way I know how to describe what is going on is just by the thoughts (aka those above) that run through my head every hour or so.

I am reminded of my first couple weeks in Koenigsfeld and know that once a routine is established and I meet people the time will fly and all will be well. I anxiously await this day and hold fast to His promise and security.