Family Time

I returned this week from about 10 days with my family back in the midwest. We spent a week at Round Lake in Michigan where we relaxed & enjoyed our time together. I hadn't seen my niece & nephew since last October, so time with them was much needed before I head out. Ryan turned 10 that week, which we celebrated with a Harry Potter birthday cake & plenty of fun toys spread throughout the week. Madison will be 8 in October...sigh.

I love my family. Mom & Dad are so supportive, always have been, of my crazy adventures. I can only imagine the stress I give them as I jaunt around the world. But they continue to stand behind me & pray hard! Thanks, mom & dad!

There were tears, laughs, and the "see you laters" or "talk with you on skype" were hard but encouraging.

I keep wavering & discussing with friends - how long really is a year? How much will change? I hope I'll change & that we'll all grow over a year, but will it fly by or feel like forever? Because I hear both from people as I tell them I'm leaving...I imagine it will be both at specific times. Any thoughts from those out there who've moved away from friends & family?

Good times with Good friends

About two weekends ago, I took my last camping trip of the season. It was a girl's weekend with my good friends, Tiffani, Constance, and Jen. We had such a great time just laughing and eating really yummy food. Constance challenged Tif & I on some mountain biking trails that were actually quite fun for us beginners. We found a fantastic campsite at the summit of the pass and enjoyed a breath-taking view of the mountain vista & Fraser valley below.

Sigh...I'm going to miss my friends...trying to eek out as much quality time together as possible before my departure to Africa. More to come on that...














A Moose! He crossed the highway as we headed into Winter Park, my first sighting of one of these beauties.















Jen, Constance, Tif & I




















Our campsite

Uganda

Well, as I've been alluding to I need to tell you all a bit about what the future will hold for me. At the conculsion of my week with Medair's training, I was presented with a position in Uganda as an Office Manager. I was a bit overwhelmed right then with the intensity of the week, but they asked me to come to their briefing the following week since I was planning to still be in the area. This allowed me to find out more about the position & what they were looking for. I then took a few days to think it through & talk it over with Natalie while we were in Italy - I had been so engrossed in Medair for two weeks that I wanted to be sure that someone who knows me well could hear all that I had processed through. It was great to talk it all out & get Natalie's perspective. Yesterday I called Medair & accepted the position! So, I'm heading to Uganda for a year contract around August 18th. Wow, it is finally here! I have a lot more to find out, but wanted to give you that update for now! Thanks for everyone's encouragement and prayers!

I'm in Ireland now for a few days & will head back to the US on Tuesday. Drop me a line & I'd love to catch up and/or talk with you before I head out of the US again!

Some promised pictures...

Camilla, Carlotta, & Luciano Pasini

Camilla, Natalie & I in Garda - we took a little boat tour

Our current stomping grounds, Vernazza in la Cinque Terre

Vernazza - view from the sea

Corniglia, one town over from Vernazza. We hiked between the two this morning.

Another view of Corniglia

On to Italy

My time in Switzerland came to an end on Thursday night as I took a train from Lausanne through the alps to Milan, Italy. The views along the way were breathtaking & I'll have some pictures to share with you soon!

My adventures truly began in the Milan train station where I got a bit too confident in my ability to understand what's going on around me without knowing the language at all! Though none of the platform signs were changing, I thought I was surely where I needed to be & that everyone else standing around me was also waiting for the train to Verona. After some help for a nice American bystander who spoke English, I found out that I actually had my back to the train I was supposed to get on & while we figured that out, the train had left! So, the next train didn't leave until 12:30 Friday morning and I arrived in Verona finally at 2:30 in the morning! I was met by a very tired Camilla & our ride back to Mantova was quite the adventure as well...Camilla's not the best at directions!

So Natalie & I spent Friday & Saturday with Camilla & her family enjoying Mantova & Lake Garda (more great pics to come). Now, Natalie & I have arrived in Vernazza, within the famous Cinque Terre - absolutely fabulous here! We love it, have already took a dip in the Mediterranean and are looking forward to a hike tomorrow & more beautiful vistas.

Hope everyone is well at home. I'll update more about Medair possibilities in the next week or so. See you all soon!

Back to Lausanne

I`ve returned to Lausanne now after a full week of learning about relief work, humanitarian aid, and Medair`s mandate within that context. It`s very difficult to know how to summarize such an intense week, but to say that I have learned so much about this type of work, about myself, about living and working within a team. My head is still swirling with the information and I plan to spend the next days processing through all of it. More to come on how this might fit into my future plans!

I`m staying in Lausanne for a few days now with a friend that I met at the training, Sophie. She has been so kind & it is very refreshing to have a home to stay in rather than a hostel! Kathleen & Gavin, two others I met this past week, also stayed here last night & it has been a relaxing last day of walking, talking & processing together what we`ve experienced.

I don`t have many photos, but here are a few to enjoy of the beauty here.

a view of Lake Geneva & the French alps on the other side

Kathleen & I

Lake Geneva coast at Rolly

In Lovely Switzerland

I`m safe & sound in my backpacker`s guesthouse here in Lausanne. Overall the travels went smoothly.

As I walked through the Geneva airport this afternoon & let the fact of where I was & why settle into my jet-lagged mind, I was a bit overwhelmed. But it wasn`t that anxious overwhelmed feeling, but a good one. Like I`m finally here, after so long of hoping & praying & anticipating. Almost 2 years ago I first was introduced to this organization called Medair & now here I am, actually going to meet them & find out if a future working with them is a possibility!

I`m very thankful - for supportive friends & family, for this opportunity in a world in which I know its not the norm to be so fortunate, and for a God who believes in me and leads me with patience and love.

I probably won`t be able to update until next Saturday after the training/orientation is over - until then, ciao!