Running Just to Stand Still

Yes, it has been a while. I don't know where the month of May went. Fortunately, it is not yet over... sigh. With the passing of the month, I will actually hit my 6 month mark, which is hard to fathom. A good friend recently pointed out to me that there is a difference between a defined term and an open-ended move overseas. And, Anna was so right. One processes the two situations in very different ways. The former is temporary, with a known start and end date; the latter ventures into the great unknown. I can't exactly say I feel at home quite yet, but I guess I'm a few steps closer.

Last week was a killer. We had proposals due and along with them a whole lot of moving parts. Somehow, I'd like to think by the grace of God, we pulled it off. I even left work on Friday a little early and caught a bus to Rokytnice nad Jezorou (http://www.rokytnice.com/) for a church retreat. I have to say northern Bohemia is my new favorite place in the country. I love the mountains there, the Krkonose, close to the Polish border. I hiked in the area on May 8th and got to hike yet again this past weekend near the ski slopes.

One of the key themes of the church retreat was "pilgrim or drifter" - what it means to live with purpose and out of our comfort zone for that is truly when God uses us. I came away refreshed and rejuvenated, more able to listen and still myself, and most importantly, with a greater sense of community and the importance of fellowship. We humans are made for relationship - we not only crave it, but require it. The retreat provided the perfect opportunity to get to know people better, including the adorable kids I see running around pews and the like. I came away feeling like I ever so slowly am actually laying down some roots here in the Czech Republic.

Hmmm, what else might be of interest... I actually got up at 6 am this morning and braved the exhaust-filled Prague 2 and Prague 1, and made my way to the Vltava river bank, where I ran up to the mythic Libuse's bath near Vysehrad.


It felt so good to get up early and to run. Of course, I mixed in some walking, too. Who knows, maybe I'll get back in form and do the Budapest 1/2 marathon this fall. We'll see. I still have a far way to go in that respect! Unfortunately, my right hip's bursitis flairs up whenever I get a bit too jogging-happy.

In other news, I played my first game of Risk and lost. I have also taken up cross-stitching, starting with a traditional Slovak pattern, thanks to my dear friend Hanka. I'm sad to say I haven't gotten all that far, but I have hope.

Well, Russian homework is calling...

Weekend update: Wet, wet, baby

Highlights of the weekend:

Getting caught in a torrential downpour on Friday evening on my way home after work. I literally had to hang my clothes and put a towel around my head once I walked in my flat. It was crazy... and I didn't make it easy on myself. Resolved to simply walk up the hill home, I refused to stop and wait out the storm under a store awning. No, as they say in Polish: stubborn like a donkey, that is me.

On Saturday, I hit the ceramics fair in the town of Beroun, a short 40 minute train ride from Prague's Hlavni Nadrazi, passing by Karlstejn castle. Together with Steph from work and her friend in from Geneva, we traversed the main square during dry spells, hitting nearly every stall, in search of ART! When the rain fell, which it persistently did intermittently, we successfully scored a table with a smiley elderly Czech lady and a Popular Mechanic magazine reading/pivo drinking Czech man. We were mad shoppers. My big purchases of the day: an off-green, leaf-motif vase; a decorative aqua-brown bowl; and two mugs in similar color family, i.e. green and aqua. Oh, and I bought lavender.... it smells amazing!

Then on Sunday, I continued the arts and crafts theme of the weekend following a morning sermon on faith. After a lovely lunch with Daniel and Hanka, including coffee, poppy seed roll (as well as raisin roll), and pudding, I started my first Slovak pattern cross-stitch. It will be a monotone blue threaded, snow-flake-like pattern in the shape of a coffee table runner. It was so relaxing to do something with my hands. I can't say I'll be changing my career anytime soon, but hopefully I'll be less stressed :)