The Way We Say Things

Today one of my students told me that last night she had a headache and her "stomach didn't work."

I gave her a slightly puzzled look, and then smiled as I said, "I know what you mean, but that's not how we say it."

We then proceeded to discuss the following words/phrases and the nuances and differences in meaning:
- indigestion
- I'm queasy
- I'm nauseous
- I have nausea
- My stomach is upset
- My stomach hurts
- My stomach is bothering me
- Lunch didn't settle well.
- My lunch is just sitting in my stomach.

I know this list could continue, but the bell rang. :)

And some people wonder why language learning is so difficult. Oh the nuances, idiomatic phrases, etc.

Almost there....

We have two weeks of classes left, then one week with exams and then graduation. It is a full and busy season. Not only are we wrapping up a school year, but we're also dealing with the transitions and good-byes that this time of year brings in an international school community such as ours. We're helping friends move, saying good-bye to some friends, and also hosting and/or visiting with former staff who are coming back to visit. There's definitely more turnover and transition here than at the school I taught at in Ohio.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how life is different here. We're not just a school, we're a community that is based around the school. Mike & I sent out an update email recently, and someone replied and commented on how it seemed like we needed to learn to say no. That person was speaking truth in reminding us not to be too busy. However, at the same time, we feel like we have done a pretty good job of saying no this year. There are just so many needs in the various aspects of this community. However, we know that just because there is a need, doesn't mean we need to fill it.

This email was probably a good, and timely, reminder for us as we start to look ahead to next year and consider various opportunities and ways to get involved here. How will we spend our time? What will be our priorities? God is #1, and our marriage is #2. What else will fill the picture of our lives next year? Please pray for us - for wisdom, for proper balance, and that we will live life the way God wants us to.

Dr. Wess Stafford & championing children

Dr. Wess Stafford is president and CEO of Compassion International. He shared his heart for "championing children," as well as part of his story, as one of the speakers at the ICE (International Christian Educators) Conference here at BFA over spring break. This article includes much of what he shared with us.

Dr. Stafford has also written a book, that I have not yet read, but hope to: "Too Small to Ignore."

Isaiah 43:19

"Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert."

"Only in Germany"

We've had a couple of "only in Germany" moments this weekend...

#1 - Yesterday (Saturday) was a holiday - "May Day." We still aren't quite sure what the meaning of this holiday is, but it means that the stores are closed. Combine that with the fact that stores are ALWAYS closed on Sunday, and that meant that Friday evening we had to make sure we had enough food (especially moo juice - we drink a lot of that:) for the weekend. (Note - our fridge here is SMALL - about 3 ft tall = a large "dorm" fridge in the US, so we can't just "stock up" - it forces us to shop more often.) So after dinner on Friday, we went to the grocery store. It was probably about 7:15pm when we went to the grocery store (it closed at 8:00pm). The produce section was well picked over, which does happen here. We were able to get what we needed, but it did remind us that grocery shopping and holidays here is different than it is in the US.

#2 - This morning. Sunday. 8:45am. As I drowsily got out of bed, I heard a marching band outside in the distance....
I said to Mike, "Did you hear that band?"
He replied, "I was playing that Tenth Avenue North (a Christian group) song."
me: "No, I mean a MARCHING band."
A few moments later...
Mike: "Oh, I hear the marching band now."
me: "See - I wasn't imagining it!"
Silence for a couple more minutes and then,...
me: "Mike, I hear it again." Walk to the window. "See - there's a marching band marching down the street!"

This was the popular topic of discussion at church this morning. Evidently there is a tradition of "waking up May," so a marching band walks around town, playing their music and waking everyone up on the first Sunday of May.

Only in Germany...

Celebrate

4,000 miles away, my sister is finishing up her senior year of college. Oh how I wish I could be there to watch her walk across the stage on Saturday. I'm so proud of her! I wish I could be there to celebrate with her in person. Instead, I'm an ocean away and trying to find ways to help her celebrate long-distance.

Celebrate. It's the theme of an e-card I sent to my sister this morning. When I saw the word "celebrate," the lyrics to a song popped into my head. "Celebrate good times, come on!" I don't even know the whole song or who sang it, but the memory of that song was solidly planted in my mind as a kindergartner - it was the theme of my first dance recital.

Yes, a kindergartner. At my first (of only two) dance recitals. A tiny kindergartner with dark straight (well, as straight as my hair has ever been) hair, dressed in purple tulle and gold sequins. (It WAS the 80s, folks. But that's not as bad as the florescent pink and turquoise poodle-skirted theme attire the next year.) I'm sorry to disappoint you, but all pictures of this kindergartner are at my parents' house, across an ocean.

This memory of myself intrigues me. Because I don't remember feeling any fear. Which is HIGHLY unusual for me. There is videographic evidence of this lack of fear. This video would reveal to you a side of me that has rarely existed - one that has rhythm and one that does not show fear.

I was shy as a youngster. When my parents sent me off to kindergarten, they were afraid I wouldn't talk to anyone. Well, they were wrong. At least eventually. You see, by fourth grade I
was getting in trouble for talking without raising my hand. (One of the few poignant memories I have of fourth grade is that my teacher taught me - as well as the rest of my classmates - to be polite.)

Why am I rambling about childhood memories, you might ask? Because most of those memories contain some element of fear. But not the sequin-attired child. Why was she fearless? Or was she fearful but doesn't remember the fear?.............

Feeling the width of the Atlantic in my heart...

This morning, my heart aches, missing my family and friends on the other side of the Atlantic. My sister graduates from college next Saturday, and this is the first family graduation I've missed. The younger of my two brothers has a new job and won't be in NY when we visit this summer, so who knows when I'll see him again. And for some reason, walking to school on the beautiful spring mornings this week has brought back lots of memories of the four years I lived in Ohio post-college. Geographical distance has put relational distance in these friendships, and I miss not knowing what's going on in their lives.

Don't get me wrong - my life is RICH and I have MUCH to be thankful for. But everything comes with a cost. For Mike and I, choosing to follow the calling God has given us means living far from those we love. And some days it hits us harder than others....