I don't want to set the world on fire...

...I just want to start a flame in your heart."

Czech Republic continues to burn bright in my eyes. Since I last updated I've:
• become a partaker of the public health system here (Visited the hospital already! Thanks, Mr. Bronchitis)
• crossed the German/Czech border and watched the sunset there
• explored the Czech Switzerland National Park
• hiked to the largest natural stone bridge in Europe
• ridden a gondola in the beautiful Hřensko wonderland
• frolicked through Teplice's botanical garden
• delved into AniFest 
  
• cheered on the Czech Pro Cycling Tournament
• picked my first fruit ever in the Czech countryside
• eaten liver and raw beef
• tasted my first yellow watermelon and papaya
• protested the sale of Disko cookies (not really, but they are evil addictive things! haha)
• experienced the Lazenska Sezona crazyness
• run the Kings Trail in Bilina and the route up to the castle, Doubravka
• had my first Eurovision experience
• learned how to play Touch Footie
• trecked on foot from Krupka to Teplice
• danced til the wee hours singing 80s songs with the principal of one of the Czech schools I work for and some of our coworkers/friends
  
I feel like I've been around the world and back, but what matters more to me than any of these events and happenings is the people I spent them with. And if you're reading this right now and I know you, know that I'm glad for that, even if we've only spoken or hung out a few times.  
I am terrible about staying in touch, but I think of friends and family a lot and all the people I'm blessed to cross paths with. I believe that nothing is by chance and I'm thankful for every minute of this life we have. I wish I had some profound words to say to you right now.. but I don't :) Just know that you are loved....

Golden wrapper of truth

It's true - I have a weakness for dark chocolate and the little silly messages/quotes that are on the backs of the gold wrappers that often contain it......

Sometimes it's a load of junk, but today the first piece I opened made me stop:

"Let your light shine... the world is watching"

Echo echo echo. I heard someone tell me this very same thing recently when I had a conversation about blending in here in Czech Republic. This person told me that no matter how good my Czech gets or how much I adapt to Czech customs/styles/etc, people still notice me and they are watching me....

And truth be told - he was right. Two different days I had a student come up to me and point to her smile and say "happy happy. Ellen, you are happy" and the vice principal (who's never spoken a word to me before) even stopped me and laughed, saying "Are you happy? You look happy."

Now before you start thinking "Wow, Ellen. Good for you" I have to be honest: not every grin means I'm happy :-P lol. Sometimes I smile because I'm nervous or up-to-no-good or because it's automatic. But it just goes to show - people do notice you - whether you realize it or not... or whether you want them to or not... and it's important that we not only put our best foot forward (so to speak), but live authentically too.

I'm not saying we have to smile all the time (I think if we did, people might think we have mental problems haha). No, but I do think we should strive to encourage others - not just through words, but actions and facial expressions and everything else we have within our reach. It's crazy how contagious moods or emotions or feelings can become. (I don't know if I'm making any sense here at all, but maybe you know what I mean?)

I'm just sayin.... let your light shine, friends, in whatever way you know how... or whatever that looks like for you. It makes a difference, and we all need it (I think).

Love,
El

Be Still and Know

This past week I managed to check a couple things off:
1. Getting in trouble with the police, and
2. Becoming ridiculously ill from meat I'd eaten

Regarding numero dos, I think I might become a vegetarian around here. (haha. seriously!) As for the latter, it's worked out now. (Apparently you should always carry your official passport with you and not a copy instead! ha. Whoops!)

Mmmmm, but I have been thinking about some things. A lot of people have been asking me how long I plan on staying here in Czech Republic, and to be honest... I really don't know. It's strange to me - I've always been the kind of person who's had all these goals and plans and things all figured out, but for once in my life I don't and I am learning to just BE and ENJOY THE MOMENT and not try to understand or predict or plan everything.

I'm learning that my future is not dependent on these To-Do lists and goals I set for myself (not that those are bad things - I think they can be good!) But we are all part of a much bigger plan that we don't know yet(and I'm not sure we could comprehend even if we did know it.)

It's OK to just BE STILL and KNOW that everything has a purpose, a place and beauty in it. We can trust that we are exactly where we should be... right here... right now...and though things can/do change, life continues... It's all part of the plan.

7 Things I've learned recently

#1. Asking another teacher about words you've heard your students say, particularly "hovna" (and other such polite terms) may cause reddening of the face.

#2. Just because it says "mleko" (milk), doesn't mean it tastes like the milk in America.

#3. Political rallies are serious here: orange tokens, cheap beer, big sausages, and women on stage singing "Pink Cadillac" in English! lol.

#4. It may be a good idea to not wear a skirt when you're on a train and the windows are down. haha.

#5. Bright red is the new black for hair color, even with 60 year old women.

#6. Your soccer coach may ask you if you'd like to smoke with him after you've just run 800 miles.

#7. Coffee doesn't exist (in the coffee shops here)... only espresso!

Yes, but all this to say:
I still love it here. I might be crazy. I might sound ridiculous. I might blend in very easily ::coughs:: And I might still crave spinach, sweet potatoes and Chik Fil-A. But I'm well on my way to learning more Czech, walking/running 2,457 miles a day, and supporting the consumption of goulash + potatoe dumplings ;)

Love,
El

ps.
Thanks for the birthday messages many of you sent! So sweet! My coworkers and I had some amazing Indian food in the neighboring town, Usti Nad Labem, and we made sure to celebrate my rising maturity in the proper manor - animal face masks, balloons, ice cream (at the pub) and going to bed super early! ha

America to you

I am presenting "America" to some Czech students this Monday, but I'm finding it a bit tricky since every region, state, city, person is (or can be) so different.

In some ways I just want to pop in an Anchorman DVD and be like "AMERICA!" just to see what their reactions are haha, but I suppose I should be a LITTLE more accurate ;)

I like how Frank Sinatra sings it in The House I Live In:
What is America to me?
A name, a map, or a flag I see?
A certain word, "democracy"?
What is America to me?

The house I live in, a plot of earth, a street
The grocer and the butcher, and the people that I meet
The children in the playground, the faces that I see
All races and religions, that's America to me

The place I work in, the worker by my side
The little town or city where my people lived and died
The "howdy" and the handshake, the air of feeling free
And the right to speak my mind out, that's America to me

The things I see about me, the big things and the small
The little corner newsstand and the house a mile tall
The wedding in the churchyard, the laughter and the tears
The dream that's been a-growin' for a hundred and fifty years

The town I live in, the street, the house, the room
The pavement of the city, or a garden all in bloom
The church, the school, the clubhouse, the millions lights I see
But especially the people
That's America to me

Hmmm. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what America is to you (or what you consider American):)

Camp meetings, Czech greetings & Not-Sleeping-Like-I-Should-Be-Right-Now

Last weekend I stole away to Libice nad Doubravou village in Vysočina, Czech Republic for our Camp Leader Meeting. It took some crazy bus, metro and RV rides to get there (long story!), but I made it and really enjoyed meeting the Czech leaders + English teachers from Praha, Liberace and beyond.

Everyone is so different and has their own unique story. Yet, we all seem to share the same thread of curiosity, passion and adventure-enthusiasm too. I love that. Across ages, cultures, oceans and experiences... we are so different, yet the same.

Here are some photos from the weekend (and you can see more in the photo album here):


I'm excited to see what this summer holds...

I'll be working both city and summer camps in Praha, Usti N.L and Doubice. Doubice, btw, I think will be AWESOME! It's in a valley right next to the National Park Česko-Saské Švýcarsko (Czech-Saxon Switzerland) in Ústí, and I've heard it's got some incredible bike trails and places to hike. I'm pretty sure that myself, the 2 Czechs I'll be working with + the kids at the camp will have lots of fun. I will, however, probably become an old lady and need to sleep at like 9pm haha. Early morning runs, hikes and bike rides just can't be beat, though! Feel free to come join me :)

Czech love

Beautiful green grass. Yellow flowers. Crisp mornings. Warm afternoons. Jogs in the park. Trains through the country. Exploring. Finding alien towers. Driving. Getting lost in quaint old villages. Photo advetures + Walking with friends (and their cute dogs)....

Did you know Czechs can walk for 8 hours straight? (No, I'm not exaggerating! haha). I love it!

Life here is beautiful and crazy and nonstop, but it's great so far. And I know I've been terrible about posting all my photos, but I will upload more soon. Until then....

Here's some of the kids who I'll be teaching tomorrow in Usti Nad Labem:


They are too adorable! (and I wasn't even able to get all of them on video here since some were sick last time).

I have some photos of their school (Magic School) here and I'll be uploading more again soon - probably of my primary schools or Prague adventures or both haha. That should give you a feel of what preschool here is like, though.

Love you all!
El

It's not where I am, it's who I'm with

So many things I could write about living here in Teplice and what I've seen, heard and experienced in only two weeks' time....it's hard to know what to write/where to start. All I can say is God continues to shock me and grow me in ways I can't express, but am so thankful for. It's funny to me how He changes hearts too....

This weekend is the big weekend I have to decide between Prague and Teplice for this September and I'm actually not sure what to do. Before moving here I was thinking "Ok, Teplice, I'll give you a shot, but don't think I'll stay long. I'm out the first chance I'm able to get to Prague".... I didn't like that Teplice was small, I'd be living by myself, NO ONE speaks English and I'd be working with lots of kids (rather than adults).

Surprisingly, though, these are all the things I've grown to like now. And Teplice has an authenticity, charm and down-to-earth simplicity that I am attracted to. It's like how Athens, GA is to Atlanta, GA - smaller, but not without its own subtle quirks and off-the-beaten-path treasures.

Prague also has its own unique draw to it, particularly the chance to get involved with some awesome churches, a sweet hostel and some other opps. I will actually have the opportunity to work a summer camp there at the end of June, but please pray for wisdom on where I end up come September.....

I've heard there are no English-speaking churches here in Teplice and I haven't met anyone who seems to care about that kind of thing (but this also means there are lots of opportunities to potentially share/grow!) So yeah, we'll see what this means for me. Until then, I'll leave you with a few verses and a glimpse of my train ride from Prague to Teplice. Enjoy!

A Sunday Smile

I'm sitting in the sunshine on a balcony in beautiful Prague today and I just have to say: God is so good to bring me to the Czech Republic and bless me with such wonderful friends and people to support me here!

Yesterday I took a train here from Teplice and ended up sharing a car with 4 Russian ladies who were really sweet and amazing. Watching the green countryside with quaint little houses in the distance and hearing foreign languages as the train creeped along... I couldn't help but grin. Am I really here? EEK! It still feels so surreal to me.

I spent Easter lunch yesterday with Steve & April Brown and their friends Julie and Steve. Such wonderful God-loving couples... definitely inspired and encouraged me. And Mary Ann McMillan, who is also on the International Missions Board (IMB) team with them, is so awesome to take me all around Praha last night and let me stay with her this weekend. It's been such a great first weekend in CZ!

We are about to shower now and head to the park for an easter egg hunt. Then Bridge Community Church tonight. Wooo! God is so good to give us such beautiful friendships, places rich with history and stories, and best of all - His Son. Happy Easter everyone!

ps.
Beirut is perfect for music this morning. Enjoy his video "Postcards from Italy" here

Ironic Curtain

Wed night I came home in the pouring rain to find that I couldn't access my building (or any of the surrounding buildings) because a HUGE IRON GATE magically appeared while I was gone, and I had no key! Thankfully, Jitka (a lady who I work with) was awake and able to track down my landlord, who met me and unlocked it for me.

It was such a strange feeling, though, standing beside this gigantic iron gate - so cold, immovable and defiant about letting anyone in or out. The antiquity/style of the gate + the old cobble stone streets, rough concrete, and arched entrance beyond the gate reminded me of what I've read of Soviet times and it gave me chills to think what it would have been like to live behind or outside the gate during that time period.

Were there any young people like me there? Or mothers? or young children like the ones I'm teaching now? Mmmm. Sobering. Definitely helps you appreciate where you come from and what we are blessed to be free from now.

Easter traditions in CZ

Hmmmm. Interesting Easter traditions here....

Just found out that the Monday after Easter is a day of the pomlázka (the whip) haha. Traditionally, early in the morning boys awake girls by pouring a bucket of water on their head and striking them on the legs with long thin twigs or switches made from willow, birch or decorated tree branches.

These days.. it's not quite so in-your-face/house, but moreso a public, in-the-street affair. I've heard that you'll see Czech guys running around the street during the day - whopping you in the rear and legs if you don't give them chocolate eggs or candy. Haha. The girls then get to chase the guys with buckets of water from noon until the end of the day. Lol, but needless to say...Monday should be interesting! (There's more about the tradition and origins here if you're curious where it comes from ha). But yes, expect photos if I see some mischief in the works ;)

xo

Ahoj! (Hello!)

I'm in Czech Republic now and am SO EXCITED to be here.

Stay tuned for photographs, stories and updates.

xo,
ElPost Options