So... First thing first. I flew to London to visit my friend Caitlin who was studying abroad there for school. I flew through Kenya, which had a spa! It was pretty epic and I would recommend flying through there and NEVER flying through Ethiopia. That however is another story. I met Caitlin at the King's Cross Starbucks, which if you know me, is second only to my family in the biggest sacrifice I left in America. That might be a slight exaggeration, but not really. It was lovely to see all the Christmas decorations, visit all her favorite spots, and experience a season besides summer! I am so thankful to the Diekhoff's for inviting me to be a part of their family for Christmas. I have seen London a few times now, but seeing Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Harrod's, and everything else at Christmastime was so much more exciting! We also got to visit the street from "Love Actually". :) Catching up with my best friend was way overdue and walking around a beautiful city gave us time to do just that.
The train to Paris got out in the station where the Bourne movies were filmed which was SO cool. After navigating the French metro system, we spent a couple days at DisneyLand. The rides were a bit different and there were Christmas parades which I loved! The whole idea that French people are rude did not seem accurate to us and people were very helpful. The police sirens sound just like they do in "Pink Panther" and it was fun to see a place that is in so many movies! Paris was magical and I really felt as though I could live there. I think we walked like 50 miles and managed to see Everything! The Arc de Triumphe was stunning and of course the Eiffel Tower was beautiful as well. Touring the Notre Dame gave such a feeling of reverence that I wish I had more often. Caitlin and I had to see the lock bridge and all the shops. I knew I had missed coffee and good food, but I didn't realize how much until I got there! Little things like going into a coffee shop, eating yummy crepes and having hot showers were such a luxury and I soaked them up. I think I could go on and on about all of the sights we saw - the Opera House, the Seine, Moulin Rouge... there are probably more that I am forgetting. Paris had amazing Christmas markets where I tried to find souvenirs for my family. They may not get them until June... :) Have you ever seen the movie "White Christmas?" It was my favorite holiday film as a kid and there's a part where they take an overnight train. I had always wanted to do that, and this trip made that happen! There was a dining car and our room had little beds that we saw the Alps from. If you ever take a train, make sure you remember what car number your room is in, or you may end up walking in on people. :) We had a lot of fun and yes, the Alps are just as beautiful as you may imagine. There were little towns on the lake with the mountains in the background that looked like a postcard.
Eventually, we got to Venice, Italy! This is the one place I've been to on earth that is EXACTLY how I imagined it would be. We felt like we had walked into a storybook. There were no cars, only boats that went through all the canals. The bridges were beautiful and if a city can look romantic or like a dream, then its Venice. They had the best food and wine I have ever had. Everyone probably says that, but its true! Its a good thing we walked so much, because I think I ate my weight in pizza, pasta, seafood, crepes, bread, and cheese. They actually had like tables piled with cheese everywhere. It was wonderful. The Murano glass factory, Doges Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, the Rialto Bridge, and St. Marks Basilica were all beautiful places to see. The gondola ride is COMPLETELY worth it. I wish I could describe how stunning the city was with words. The cobblestone streets, family businesses, Italian markets, walking with mulled wine, cute window boxes, church bells playing, and water lapping under the bridges, were just a few of the things that made it so perfect.
We took a day trip to Verona as well which has been a dream of Caitlin and I's since we were like 14. I still can't believe we got to go there together! It seemed like more of a big city compared to Venice, but it was still very quaint. There was a coliseum built in A.D. 30 called the Arena. It's actually the third oldest in Italy and it made history come to life. We could just imagine what it was like to go to shows there and see gladiators and the like. While exploring, we accidentally climbed up a large hill to this castle that gave a breathtaking view of the city. There were still walls that surrounded the town like an old fortress which I had never seen before. If any of you have seen the movie "Letters to Juliet", you will know that there is a wall in Verona for Juliet where you can send her letters. We have been dreaming of going for years! There happened to be a wedding at the wall that day and Caitlin and I each got a rose from her bouquet. It was more perfect than I could have hoped and of course we sent our letters.
We arrived back in Venice for Christmas Eve and spent the next couple days exploring and enjoying all things Italian. The oldest cafe in the world is near the basilica called "Florian Cafe" and I'm convinced it has the best coffee in the world. The end of the trip came all too soon and we arrived at the Marco Polo airport by boat! I laugh when I think of all the different kinds of airports I have flown in and out of. We enjoyed one last pizza and Bellini (Italian champagne) before flying back to London. For one who doesn't cry much, I definitely teared up leaving Caitlin and her parents. I think it reminded me of how much I miss my family over holidays. I cannot wait to be in the same time zone as them again and next year, spend Christmas together! There are many stories that I have left out, but I hope this gives a glimpse of how incredible Europe was! I hope to return there someday! That thing called wanderlust? I think it has a hold on me.
After flying back to Malawi, I only had one day to unpack, repack, and prepare for our trip to Zanzibar! It is very close to Seychelles which is the number 1 beach in the world (where all the celebrities go.) This is an island off the coast of Tanzania which borders us. You would think it wouldn't take too long to get there, but Africa is huge. After a 32 hour squished bus ride, some problems at the border, a few taxis, and a ferry, we finally arrived! Let me tell you, bussing across Africa is quite the adventure. Music and good company make it bearable. :) The trip was so worth it though! The house we rented was on the east side of the island looking out over the Indian Ocean. We ended up travelling all over to see the different towns and coasts. I've always wanted to spend New Year's on the beach and we did just that! Snorkeling in the clear blue water was unreal. You could actually see all the way to the ocean floor and I felt like a fish in "Nemo." The coral reefs, colorful fish, sea creatures, shells, starfish, and water snakes were fascinating! Ok, maybe not the water snakes. The salt water was way saltier than any ocean I've been to before and you could almost float in it. One of my favorite parts was sleeping on the beach every night and waking up to the sunrise.
Stonetown is one of the oldest trading ports in the world and we spent a couple days exploring there. It has both European and Middle-Eastern influences which makes it architecturally beautiful. The doorways and side streets reminded me of Italy in many ways. The oldest church in East Africa is located there and we also got to boat out to Prison Island where they used to keep slaves for trading. It was sad, but also made history come to life just like the Arena in Verona. The views there of the ocean were breath taking. The water had so many shades of blue and looked like "Chronicles of Narnia" when the chipmunk or squirrel (I forget) is going to the equivalent of Heaven. SO BEAUTIFUL. We met some sea turtles that were close to 200 years old which makes you realize how young America is! Back in Stonetown, we enjoyed drinking out of coconuts, eating shawarmas, and tasting sugar cane juice. On one of the days, two of the guys and I decided it would be fun to rent motorcycles and try to find a cliff diving place. We got our motor licenses for about 6 USD and ended up taking out vespas which none of us had ever ridden. For future reference, Africa at rush hour may not be the best place to learn how to ride scooters. Scott laughed as Matt and I both had wipe outs on our way out of town (I laughed too). With some minor battle wounds, we made it to the beach which didn't have cliffs, but was still fun. Driving back was interesting since my headlights were broken and it was dark, but we made it! Adventures make for great stories and memories.
I have gotten used to travelling by myself over the past several years. From ballet intensives, and moving away from home, to travelling back and forth to Africa, I have always been pretty independent in that way. So, I didn't know what to expect travelling with a group over break. I decided that its way more fun and I'm so thankful for the friends I got to experience Zanzibar with. Two of my roommates went and it was awesome to hang out with them outside of our normal world in Lilongwe. I am going to miss these people when I move back to the states. Although 30+ hour bus rides are great for bonding, we decided to fly back most of the way. It was much smoother. Despite some interesting hotel rooms, bathrooms, and questionable meals, we made it to the border. It went much better getting into Malawi then it did on the way out. We found someone taking a van back to Lilongwe and caught a ride with them instead of sitting on the bus for another 10 hours. After a flat tire, and a real meal, we finally made it home! After travelling the world for 4 weeks, it was so nice to be back! Although I love seeing new places, I am a bit burnt out on flying all the time. The first week of school was pretty low key and catching up with friends and all my kiddos has been wonderful.
It feels like "the beginning of the end" if I am being dramatic. The start to my final semester in Africa for now. Its a weird feeling and seems bittersweet. Finding the balance of being fully here for another several months and also preparing for the next chapter in life is hard! I still want to get to know people better and put all my effort into ministry here, but I also have a ton on my mind for this summer and next year. I feel split between two places. For now though, please keep Malawi in your prayers as we face major flooding with over 200,000 people displaced. They need tremendous amounts of help. Please also be praying for this semester leading up to our end of year production. Carrie and I are so excited about how big of an outreach it could be if God uses it. We want it to be a tool for Him to reach people's hearts. Malawi needs a lot of physical help right now (food, clothes, blankets, etc.) If you want to help, please let me know and I can get you in touch with ABC to donate for those things. Malawi also needs Jesus and if you are interested in coming here to serve, ABC needs teachers and people willing to live here next year to share the gospel. (WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR TWO DANCERS TO TAKE OVER THIS MINISTRY NEXT YEAR.) If you have a heart for kids, missions, Africa, and Jesus, this may be the perfect place for you. :) It will change you forever. I would LOVE to tell you more about it if you're interested. I am so looking forward to what the Lord has in store for the rest of this year. If I've learned anything, its that God is full of surprises. 2015, here we go. :)
"Destiny waits in the hand of God, shaping the still unshapen..."
- T.S. Eliot
No comments:
Post a Comment