The last few weeks have been filled with new staff orientation, learning to drive in Germany, learning to speak German, getting over jet lag...I have an assortment of pictures to help explain it all...
One afternoon we all (the RA's) drove up to the top of Hochblauen--it is a mountain that overlooks Kandern (where I live), France, and the Swiss Alps! We hiked back down the mountain--it was very beautiful!
It was a clear, windy day so there were para-sailors taking off the top of the mountain!
This is Brandon, me and Sam posing for a nice pic.
Basel, Switzerland is just a 20 minute drive from Kandern. This is the Rhine river--the border between France and Germany. It's been so fun to be able to travel from country to country so easily!
This is Rachel, me, another Rachel, and Sam. The Rachels are returning RA's so they showed me and Sam all the hot spots of Basel!
Basel--it is a very old city--cobblestone streets, old churches, buildings from the 1300s.
This is Tommy--we were attempting not to look like American tourists...
This is a fountain of fresh, spring drinking water--they are all over the city (and also in Germany).
This is me drinking fresh Swiss water straight from the source that people in the States pay lots of money for...and this is the point where it was obvious that I was an American tourist.
This is the Powell family--they are from Nashville and we happened to be on the same flight out of Atlanta. They are such a sweet family and I have loved getting to know them! (Ethan, their youngest son, is not in the picture)
This is my dorm!!! It's name is Palmgarten. I am on the first floor, all the way down on the left. Every room has it's own bathroom, and a balcony. There will be 26 girls in the dorm this year, grades 10-12. I will be working with 2 other RA's, Bonnie, and Ellie--I hope to put their picture up soon. The awesome dorm parents are Les and Elva--they are from Canada and have 2 kids--Brandon and Brooklyn (grades 11 & 7).
This is my room--they gave us a lot of freedom as far as decorating goes, so I painted 2 walls brown, and 1 wall green. I love it! I bought a couple of chairs from Ikea and a small coffee table so that girls could feel free to come in and hang out. My next strategic plan is to put out a jar of candy as a bribe.
Overall, I absolutely love it here! Each day God gives me more and more assurance that serving here at BFA is what He has been preparing me for over the past months and years. Today is the day that the girls start arriving, so we have been busy with all kinds of preparation.
New students will come today, and then returning students will arrive tomorrow, with classes starting on Tuesday.
Many, many thanks for your continued prayers and support--I think of ya'll often and look forward to keeping you connected to my life in Deutschland!
