Frances Update!

I have had to wear socks and shoes twice in the past week.  This obviously signifies the beginning of the end...or at least, the end of summer!

I have to admit, I quite like summer.  It’s not my favourite season, but the higher than normal temperatures that we had (in northern Germany and the UK) this year, I actually enjoyed (sorry to those who suffered!!).  Although it probably helped, having a week on the beach in the south of France at the beginning of summer, to get me acclimatised and `in the mood`!

I have had a lovely summer, for which I am incredibly grateful! :)  Due to the amazing generosity of friends, I was able to begin my summer with a week in Menton, France, which is about an hour away from Nice and about a half hour from the Italian border.  Friends had booked an apartment for a “Girl’s Week” and, when one of them could no longer go, I was invited to fill the spot!  SUCH a lovely week, doing very little aside from lying on the beach, swimming in the sea, enjoying ice creams, rose wines, and simple self-catered food (which being on the mediterranean meant gorgeous fresh bread, tomatoes, soft cheese, etc, etc).  We also managed to venture into Nice and Monaco for museums and botanical gardens, but most of the week was spent soaking in Vitamin D, resting some very weary minds, and enjoying one another’s company!

Crystal and Stella enjoying the view from our flat on the first evening!

I never really considered myself a beach and ocean person...until now...

I cannot say how much I enjoyed my time there or how humbly grateful I am to those who enabled it to happen! 

After France, I had a a few weeks back in Neubrandenburg finishing up some of the adminstrative tasks left over from the 24-7 Team being here (expense reports, compiling feedback information, and making notes for possible future teams, etc), as well as taking my “Caribuni Prufung” (taking a small written, spoken and listening test and receiving a certificate for my language learning).  Then, on the 15th of July I flew to England where I spent most of the rest of the summer!

My brother and his family were over from Canada visiting friends and family, and I was able to arrange my flights to overlap with their time there.  It was lovely getting to see them on “my side of the water” for a change, and also wonderful to celebrate birthdays and enjoy some family time.  After two weeks at my Aunt’s with them all, I then headed down to Guildford for my last three weeks, where I had some dental work and doctors appointments to do (real reason for the visit! :( ), but which also allowed me loads of time to catch-up with friends, enjoy Guildford in the sunshine, and reconnect with the Emmaus Rd Church family at some of their Sunday Services.

A view I never get tired of...my Aunt's cottage and cat...

Birthday celebrations for my niece Amelia & cousin Rosie!

Loved getting spoiled with love from amazing friends...SO good to see everyone!!

It was wonderful. And yet I was ready to come home.  Which was both weird and encouraging!  It was weird because being in England was so easy and so normal, and yet I was aware that life there was no longer my life, and I found myself feeling like I was missing out on my life here in Germany.  It was encouraging because it showed me just how much I have become planted within polylux and life on the Datzeberg, and encouraged me to believe that that will only continue to grow!

Now, stepping into September and the new year (I continue to think of my year as beginning in September!!!), I’m feeling much more relaxed about my place and purpose in being here, as if I’m finally beginning to put down some roots, and actually looking forwards to seeing some of those grow!! 

I’ve written about some of the other things which have been happening since I got back, in other blogs on the Community and on the Verein (polylux e.v charity), found here, Verein / Community , but for me there are three things currently on my radar for the next while.  Firstly, the 24-7 Gathering will be happening at the beginning of October.  This is the main, annual conference for the 24-7 Prayer Movement, alternating between European and Global focusses, with this year being a European Gathering.  We will be meeting back in Vienna this year, and it promises to be a wonderfully encouraging and challenging time of connection and learning, as always!  For me this year, there will be an additional challenge, or honour, in that I’ve agreed to host a seminar for them during the weekend.  Polylux, as a community, was asked if we would be able to lead a seminar on the theme “Becoming Agents of Community Transformation” on one of the days of the Gathering, and as Ralf is unable to attend this year’s Gathering I agreed to do it.  This is pretty exciting for me, but also considerably daunting!  But, I’m looking forwards to trying to pull from some of the varied experiences I’ve had with the different groups, communities, churches I’ve been a part of or have visited, to hopefully encourage people to see how simple, and yet powerful, “Loving Your Neighbour as Yourself” can be!

Finally, I also feel that my German-speaking has now reached a point where I need to “dig in” to reach the next level.  I am able to communicate with most people and about most things now, which is great, but I am aware that my sentence structure and grammar is still very weak, which is actually beginning to hinder my speaking because I know it’s not correct, and doesn’t sound correct, but I can’t for the life of me figure out what is correct or how to know what goes where in sentence structure!!  The Caribuni course doesn’t go this far, and so one of my questions this autumn will be about whether I continue there or consider something different.  Another challenge is that I can’t be subsidised by the state for any German classes I take, but I also can’t afford the cost they charge!  BUT, I am hoping that having our practicum student, Ellen, here for six months may enable me to get her help with English explanations of German grammar...which will then hopefully enable me to reach the next level in my German fluency, which would be really helpful!! 

So, after a wonderfully restful, enjoyable summer I am ready to dive into Autumn for what’s ahead!