Recent Design Projects

Hey y'all- I just wanted to keep you in the loop with what projects I'm working on at the Building. Feel free to click on them for a much larger view!

This first class, English Through Art, is a class in which my roommate and I will be teaching different types of art, mostly sketching, but more importantly teaching English through it.


This is a class that Kris Lundgaard and Gina are teaching called English Through Coffee, where they explain how to roast, prepare, and enjoy different kinds of coffee. More importantly, we're teaching them English through these creative ways.


This is just a postcard that we printed up for the kids to have until March. It's a snapshot of what we're offering to specific age groups.



Many many more to come!

A Day in Vienna

Saturday a group of us went to Vienna, Austria for the day. Our intention was to spend most of the day at the Christmas markets- something I had been looking forward to since last year. Half of us visited an art museum for a few hours that morning and then we visited the markets. After that we walked around a bit, especially in the pedestrian zones which was super nice! We actually found a Starbucks too, which was honestly SO nice to just step into. It was so crowded though- and it had 2 floors! The second floor was completely packed with people. Oh, and my coffee was so bad, but it's because they didn't have Splenda and they let my espresso sit too long. ANYWAY, enough about coffee!

I posted some pictures on Facebook, by the way: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=88254&l=a9372&id=728476320.

It was a really nice city though. One thing I really appreciated was being led around by a Slovak and an American who actually knew where they were going. It would have taken me sooo much time to figure out which train and above-ground electric train to use and where to go. It made everything really smooth and nice. Here are a few more shots of the day...

The Worst, and Funniest Doctor Visit Ever

All foreigners who come to work in Slovakia for over 90 days must come to see the doctor, in my case, in Bratislava. I had been dreading this day because of the many terrible stories I heard from other missionaries who went in years previous. Their stories aren't appropriate for me to post on this site, but lets just say stool samples with other people in the same room were involved. I didn't have to do that, but a group of Afghan men had to that were waiting with me. Friends assured me that the process was not as bad, but still pretty awkward. So please allow me to tell you about my experience in as many details as I can remember- because the details is what made it so hilarious and awkward.

First, we left Trnava at 6:15 am (UCK!). After a 45 minute drive or so, we ended up at a building in downtown Bratislava. We climbed about 4 stories and went through a few random doors and found our way to the doctors office. Through hearing the conversation I figured out that they were saying to Roman (a Slovak employee at the Building) that my appointment was actually the day before. By a miracle they actually let us stay for the appointment.

The first part of the exam was to take blood. I sat down on the table and immediately they asked for the money to cover the exam. I wasn't thrilled about this process because my last experience with giving any amount of blood resulted in me fainting right on the floor. I layed down on the table and they took my blood and it actually was very smooth and not very painful at all.

For the next part of the exam I went to see the doctor, who was an elderly woman. We walked down the hall and the nurse said with a thick accent, "See doctor now". I sat on the table and awaited her instructions and questions. In broken English she asked me my name, where I'm from, if I had diseases in my family, and other medical questions. She then asked my weight and I told her how many pounds... she said, "This too much!" and I realized she wanted my weight in kilograms. So I went back out to the lobby to take my own weight. I came back, told her, and then she asked me my height. I started to say "5'5" until I realized she didn't care about feet and inches, so I went back out to measure my own height by a tape measure taped to the wall.

She pointed to my shirt and said, "Take off please". I said, "Seriously?!" and she of course nodded yes. Let's just say she went through quite unnecessary means to hear my pulse. She asked me to lie on the table again and she starts poking my bare stomach with both sets of fingers to see if I had any massive growths or something (?), and I am giggling the whole time because she's tickling me to death.

She tells me to sit up on the table and proceeds to knock on my head like one would knock on a door and says, "Does this hurt?". I'm about to laugh out loud as she's knocking on my head but I say, "No", then she jabs both sets of fingers under my eyes, on my cheeks, and on my chin, asking me if it hurts. She sits back down in her desk and fills out the information. Her arthritic fingers which are being choked by her tiny rings are pounding on the computer mouse so hard it echoes through the room. Her double clicks sounded like, "CLICK! CLICK!". Hmm I can't explain that well- it was funny though.

Okay so that exam is over. We leave the building and go across the street to another old hospital. We sit and wait for about 20 minutes for them to call me in. This was the part of the exam that was not funny and I was really dreading. This short old mean looking man told me to come in. He pointed to my shirt and said, "Take it off" (which I knew was about to happen), and pointed to a nasty little closet. I pointed to my outside shirt and said, "Can I keep this one on?" and he said angrily, "VSETKO!" (EVERYTHING!). I rolled my eyes and went in the closet. One door in the closet went to the doctor and the other side went to the hall-full of men, both unlocked.

Before I was done doing what I had to do, the doctor flung open the door and said, "COME, NOW" and I snapped back, "CHILL!". I came out of the closet trying to cover myself up and he pointed to the big cold metal machine. He told me to take off my necklace, but as I was taking it off with one hand, it got stuck on my earring!! (Mind you, I'm in a very uncomfortable state at the moment with this angry old man right beside me). So he gives a big mad SIGH, and starts yanking on my necklace- so I say "Pockaj!" (Wait) and get the stupid necklace off of my earring.

He tells me to move the shirt that's covering me up and pushes me against the large cold machine while he take an x-ray. Yeah--there are more details to that story but I'm already on the edge of being inappropriate here so just trust me when I say it was terrible!

So that was the end of the exam and I was sooooooo glad it was over.

Week 4 in Slovakia

As the days go on here, it gets harder and harder to find time to write on this blog! I will do my very best to comment on here more often though.

I can't believe it's already been 4 weeks! That thought blows my mind. I've learned so much since I've been here, whether about the differences in culture, something about myself, my friends, about God, or just life.

One simple thing I learned very quickly was that scarves and hats aren't just for fashion! Ha! I always liked wearing them, but more because they felt and looked nice. I learned quickly that one must wear substantial neck and head wear because it's FREEZING and windy!

For you men and women who do not cook, this may not be an issue for you.... but cooking here as completely thrown me off my culinary balance, if that makes sense. I can't find the same ingredients so often (or can't really read the packaging), and the temperatures are all in Celsius too, which means my oven at home is labeled 1-5 or something. So baking has not been easy.

Getting errands done has not been easy either. One day I needed to go to about 6 or 7 different places to get a project done. With a car, I could have easily done it in maybe an hour or two. With no car and not knowing how and where to buy certain things, it ends up taking forever and a day to do something!

I miss my thick-spring mattress. These tiny foam mattresses aren't cutting it... but I bought a goose down comforter so at least I'm sleeping okay.


The espresso in this particular city has been a big let-down. It's probably a good thing because I was way too spoiled with Joe's Coffee in Hillsborough and my body is probably thanking me for not drinking so much anymore.

I really enjoy walking everywhere I have to go, but I do miss having a car. I walk with headphones on, but unfortunately it's not the safest thing in the world to do. I think I've lost maybe 4 or 5 pounds though, so that's nice. I feel pretty good health wise too. There were a lot of things bothering me when I left the states, and all of which I attributed to stress. Exercise has helped that some. (This is our pastor and his wife below)


In the grocery stores (with a few exceptions), you don't get a grocery bag to take your stuff home. So you better have a bag or bookbag with you to take your stuff! If they do have bags, you have to put everything in there yourself. The other day I went to get some supplies, without realizing I forgot my special shopping bag at home, so I stuffed my coat jackets with stuff and walked down the street carrying an arm load of food. I definitely got some weird looks.

Slovak is super hard! I don't have too much pity for those that have to learn English anymore. I used to be taught that English was THE hardest language out there. I beg to differ! The great thing is that I'm starting to get more and more of it and putting sentences together- a task I assumed was impossible last year. (Here's a picture of a traditional singer singing to my friends)


Much of the team is leaving for the holidays, leaving me with 2 families here for 2-4 weeks. I'll be living along during this time as well. It should be interesting. I'm not sure if it'll be really good for me or really depressing. I hope it'll be a good time to get some work and reading done.

I'm sure there's more but I need to go home because we're having a women's dinner/bible study tonight :)

Miss y'all, hope you're doing well!