First Thursday Free!

My highlights for today:

-Woke up feeling better than yesterday but still a wee bit ill

-Met another face at the Centre, Gary

-Convinced Ben to go down to the chippy and pick me up some fish and chips (though he hates fish)

-Painted in the upper floor of the Centre and flecked lime green paint all over my hands and face

-Went to the estate again for just an hour (until the boys started acting up) and was roped into playing tag with some wee girls (about 6-7 in age) right at the start--LOVE them, so precious.

-Made fajitas at our place with a group of friends, followed by ice cream/popcorn/Haribo sweets/tortilla chips(? unless they call tortilla chips "crisps" as well, but I didn't ever hear it...)/more Diet Coke

-Attempted to watch 500 Days of Summer, but failed due to super slow internet connection...

-Had a great conversation with Ben and Kerry

I asked the both of them if they thought I had it in me to be the crazy person who leaves everything behind in America and come move out here after school was done. And they both said yes, definitely. Score. Though sometimes I'm not sure that I do have it in me, I've realized that I'm much less confident in myself than others. And I trust both Ben and Kerry's opinion, though I haven't known them long. Still.

Anyway, a grand day today. Tomorrow, no office until noon. Hooray! And a weekend off! With the house to ourselves! And endless possibilities! Like going to a young adults' event up in Belfast! Or sleeping in even! Anything is possible! Love it.

Bed Bugs?

Layers worn to bed last night:

tube socks + knitted socks

leggings + flannel pajama pants

tee + thermal long sleeved shirt

Yet the bugs still got in and attacked:

both ankles

both calves

both knees

my upper and lower left arm

BAHHHHHH. A week ago, this started with a few mystery bites around each ankle, but nothing I was concerned about...but this?!? I'm washing my sheets. And they better start running, because I ain't afraid of no bugs.

KFC, the downside of tea-drinking, and other events

Last night's kids club program was GREAT. Two new kids came, as well as the two girls from last week plus a boy from the Anna estate who came alone. And he was SO well behaved! Love that boy. A little tyrant, but still he comes. I wonder what the Lord is doing in His heart. I'm sure it's something.

And recently, I've fallen ill with a sinus cold. The right side of my face is quite upset with me, and all I want to do is take a bunch of nighttime cold medicine and knock myself out for how ever long it takes to become better again. I want to wake up tomorrow and be well. I've had enough illness this past month to suit a whole year, and enough is enough. The reason for the illness: my incessant tea-drinking (rather than water...), and my poor sleeping and eating habits, no doubt. (I've put my mother and aunt on this task, but anyone know some good basic recipes for one? That require very little groceries? And even if they're a bit larger, things that could keep for reheating to eat a second time? Oh, intern life. Gotta love it...)

Today, however, was a day of some firsts.

ONE: I went to Armagh, a town a wee bit from here.

TWO: I went to Craigavon, another town in the area which has one of the 3 or 4 malls in all of Northern Ireland. (Malls aren't a thing here, fyi. A shopping center is a super American thing, so generally stores here are just little shops or something...) I made some smart purchases, if people like I'll post some pictures. (Let me know on that one, though. I won't if I don't get feedback.)

THREE: I tried a sausage roll! They're Ben's fave, and "they're quite nice" (frequently food is described here as "nice" rather than "good" or "tasty"...weird, but I like it). He brought them back for his late lunch and asked me if I wanted to try a bite, and it was great. We don't have anything really like this in America...I'll have another one and take a picture for yous.

P.S. I'm really going to start intentionally using the lingo of the area even in writing.

Chill

Today was a pretty low-key day. Went in at 10 (was supposed to be closer to 9, but that's how it goes when you rely on other people for rides...and when the culture you're in is way less prompt than in the States), then got to work on the lesson for tomorrow night's Kids For Christ event. I took on the task of writing it this week, and I think it went well! Good thing we have Ben to write the last bit, there's no chance I could think of a decent story WITH pictures to tie in... (I'm not that kind of writer, my friends, my fiction tends to get quite long-winded.) We shall see how it ends up tomorrow when the lesson is actually used. It's quite exciting to write out a curriculum and now see it actually be put to use rather than just wait for a grade to come back stamped on the front.

That's really all for today. More music bonding with Ben (and an attempt at Google Street View to show him my house, which didn't work...because Google doesn't find my house worthy of driving past, too bad), more stumble-upon with Lexie. And tea. Much more tea. I'm definitely going to have to visit the dentist when I return to Minnesota, my teeth will surely be stained if I keep at this rate.

"Weekend Update": A Recap

SATURDAY: My first one off since being here. (Granted, I've only been here for three...but still. It's Lexie's first as well, and she's been here longer than myself.) I went to my friend Kerry's mother's wedding dance, about a 30 minute drive or so away (which to them is nearing an inconvenient distance because of the scale of the country, but to myself is basically one's backyard). To be completely honest, I'm not one to enjoy such an event, but I decided to act my age for once and give into the peer pressure of getting up for nearly every song when motioned to by one of the girls...even though I only knew about a third of them. This is what I get for only listening to Indie music--I have little knowledge of pop music now.

Strangest moment of the night: seeing anyone under 21 drinking as if it was nothing. Not to get wasted or anything, but having a beer or something. I had to push the shock out of the way a little. (Never fear, I continued to abstain from alcohol as per my contract, both with YFC and with Crown. In case you were concerned.)

SUNDAY: A low-scale day. Went to Clonannese Presbyterian just down the road from us once again, and had to doodle during the sermon to keep myself conscious--bad idea to stay out so late when the clocks finally went ahead an hour here. Yikes. (That's what I get for acting my age, huh...) Then had lunch with the parents of the husband of my host couple here. Goal: get used to drinking tea at such an insanely hot temperature. I burnt my tongue once again today.

For the evening...no plans. And I intend to keep it that way. I think a chill night in is exactly what my poor wee homesick heart needs.

"Come Dine With Me", part two

The Americans' turn.

Lexie and I chose a menu consisting of:

starter - chicken chilli, Lexie's brother-in-law's recipe

main - Philly cheesesteak sandwiches

dessert - nobake cookies and s'mores bars

We done good, don't you think?

Our chosen entertainment: The Princess Bride, a classic.

Man oh man did my stomach hate me that night, though.

Today, in a list

1. I went on a walk today down to a store called Argos, to buy a football (in America, soccer) pump for the Centre. It was great, getting to walk about in Dungannon and enjoy the absolutely gorgeous weather the Lord keeps blessing us with. I hope it lasts through tomorrow as well (though the weather report seems to disagree...). Oh, and Argos is a funny store. You look up the specific item you want in a catalogue, then when you go to the store you go up to the counter and present the item number to the clerk and pay for it there. They then take the number to the back part of the store and will collect it for you. Weird, right? Probably super efficient, though.

2. Tonight we had the pizza party for the kids from the rough estate. Only a few little episodes of bad behavior, and really it was rather good all things considered. No broken property, no (major) blood drawn--just a kid's ear and the lip of another near the beginning, but it toned down after awhile...to a moderate roar, that is. I hope we keep working with these kids. I know they're the annoyance of everyone else at the Centre because they are so unbelievably hard to manage, but I want to keep working with them. I really do.

3. I finally have a phone! But don't get too excited, it's just for getting in touch with people at the Centre...no American numbers for me. Still, I'm quite glad to have a mobile device again, just because trying to contact people through Facebook was getting quite bothersome.

4. Jonny, a volunteer at the Centre, pulled one on me tonight...I found a backpack today in the storage closet (which I can only use temporarily, but still, a plus) and I was quite excited about it, because carrying everything around in my hands or in a purse hasn't been ideal. Well, after the event was all over and I was looking the other way, Jonny decided to take everything out of the bag, turn it completely inside out, and zip the thing back up with my things inside. Funny one, Jonny! I give him points for creativity. Thing is, every time they pick on me here I know it's just because I'm fitting in even more. Cha-ching, look who's assimilating into the culture!

5. I'm going to keep my no-internet-after-midnight pact. Goodnight.

My Wake-Up Call

This morning, I woke up with this song in my head.

Hillsong United, Consuming Fire:

There must be more than this

O breath of God come breathe within

There must be more than this

Spirit of God we wait for You

Fill us anew we pray

Fill us anew we pray

(Chorus)

Consuming fire fan into flame

A passion for Your name

Spirit of God would You fall in this place

Lord have Your way

Lord have Your way with us

Come like a rushing wind

Clothe us with power from on high

Now set the captives free

Leave us abandoned to Your praise

Lord let Your glory fall

Lord let Your glory fall

(Chorus)

Stir it up in our hearts Lord

Stir it up in our hearts Lord

Stir it up in our hearts

A passion for Your Name

I don't know if it means anything about the kind of day I'm going to have today, but I hope so.

Brief recap of today:

Girls group again today. Three of the four from last week came--no newcomers, but still! I'm excited to see what God does with this group. These girls are more the age I want to work with eventually, so I find Wednesdays the most encouraging. Don't get me wrong, I do love the kids club events...they're just harder for me to relate to. Hm.

I did finally get to go to Vineyard Church though! They have a young adults' group on Wednesday nights, and because the break dancers didn't come in and we didn't know their change in plans until AFTER our possible rides had left the Centre, we got to go to it. I hope that break dancers never come in on a Wednesday again so I can keep attending. I've missed having church like that, worshipping God with my peers and talking about Him in a relaxed setting. I hope it happens again and often.

Other than this, nothing else new... Oh, I did go on my first walk about Dungannon today! I left the Centre all on my own, and walked to a couple of the shops I've found in the town that I like. And I did make purchases...a sweatshirt for 5 pound, and a pair of black slip-on sneakers for 7. (In dollars, that's like $8 and $11, respectively.) The walk was lovely, though. It was nice to feel like I was fitting in for once, rather than bustling down the street with another American. I always feel more American when I'm around Lexie...which I think is usually the case when you're in another country--you're more apt to act like your own nationality when others who are that nationality are around. The only time I felt like I stuck out when I was on my own was when people looked at me strangely for wearing a winter coat when it was absolutely beautiful out. But here's why: so I knew it was really upper 50s F today, but I always think the weather is going to flip out on me in an instant, so I grabbed my jacket before my walk...which is the only jacket I brought with me to this country...and everyone else was out enjoying the sun. Because today was like their summer weather. Whoops. Looks like my next investment may be a spring/summer coat.

Anyway...that's it for today. Tomorrow: pizza party with the kids from the Anna estate, and then Friday is Come Dine With Me, American version!! We have top secret menu plans which I'll reveal after the event, just in case a Northern Ireland-er is trying to get the details.

Completely unrelated to Northern Ireland... just fyi.

Okay, kids, it's time to be educated! These are just some fun things I've found within the last couple days via a wonderful website called StumbleUpon. Go there, if you haven't before. A friend from college suggested it via her own blog about a week ago, and I will never go back to wasting time online like I did before. That website is genius.

Anyway, because of StumbleUpon, I have found:

This really great cover of Don Henley's Boys of Summer by The Ataris...

This fun little game where you create your own course for balls to bounce through...

This lovely playlist (by which I found the first link) of completely perfect music--at least, according to my tastes, it is. Others will likely disagree.

This neat picture which words can't really describe. Just go look at it.

This picture of a forest which isn't all that unlike the one I went to this past weekend.

These ideas for libraries. If I ever, by some fluke, have money...I'm doing this.

And this little Superman spoof. Which I immediately shared with a friend from college.

Oh, and much much more. If you need to kill time, go on StumbleUpon, create an account, and start stumblin'. But beware--it's completely addicting. I already have Lexie hooked. She hates me for it, too....

Kids Club, night one

Tonight we had KFC, and it was the first time kids came since I've been here! Hooray! There were a few episodes of misbehavior (from the Anna kids, of course), but other than that, it went well. They're really starting to catch on to the fact that God matters, that He loves them, and that He's important. It's beginning stages, of course, but still. They're starting to learn that it's important to live for God, otherwise you're living for nothing. And that's why I'm here. I realized tonight that most of the problem with the kids that act out is that they don't know what to do when proper authority figures are placed in their lives. Their parents have kind of given up control over them, and they act out in order to get the attention they want, even if it is negative attention. They don't have any boundaries in their lives, so when we tell them that they're not allowed to swear or hit or steal, they don't really get it. They don't get why we care. I'm really looking forward to what the Lord does with them while I'm here in Dungannon.

Ben and I shared our taste in music today, which was more a blessing than he probably knows. I've been missing music suggestions in my life. Though I do like a lot of different music, I generally don't branch out to finding new bands until suggested to do so.

AND, on the way home, I was able to keep up with the sarcasm in the car! Jonny, a volunteer at the Centre, was surprised, and Ben said, "Oh yes, she's quite sarcastic"--to which Jonny said, get this, "it's refreshing," (because of the whole Americans-don't-get-slagging thing). Yeah! Look who's winning at NI culture!

Oh, and by the way, I've recently been asked via comments a lot of questions about different posts...so if you have any questions about what I've written, please let me know! I sometimes forget that people don't know what I'm talking about when I mention people or places because they grow so familiar to me that I somehow assume everyone knows what I mean. So do interact with the blog. It's encouraged.

My Embarrassment:

Tonight, I got myself locked in the bathroom.

You see, the lock on the door has a tendency to fall off from time to time. And tonight, when I went to turn it, it fell off. No bother, though, I usually just push it back on when I'm through. Well, this evening, such was not the case. As I was leaving the bathroom, I went to push the nob back on the lock's core, and it only pushed the core in further. And when I went to try again (as just a nub was still outside the door), it was absolutely gone. SHOOT.

Lucky for me, both Evan and Lexie were downstairs...so after some awkward knocking on the door and timidly shouting for someone to come help me (and about a 5 minute wait for such answer to actually arrive), I made it out. Blushing, and completely embarrassed that I was that girl this evening. The girl who got locked in the bathroom.

Other than all this, today wasn't too eventful of a day. Lexie made Ben and I vegetable stir fry for dinner, which I always appreciate because it means I've escaped another sandwich meal. And I think I'm going to learn the guitar, courtesy of Ben. I hope I do, at least. I really do want to learn such a skill, I'm sick of not being to play any instruments besides the flute (which is utterly useless in everyday situations, you know).

I really do like my friends here. And if I didn't have people like Ben especially to teach me things like guitar and NI slang, I don't know what I'd do.

A fortnight later, homesickness shows its face...

This morning, I woke up and picked out my clothes and showered and dressed. Like any other day, even before coming to NI. But this morning, when I put my t-shirt on, I looked down and saw all these short black hairs. And then I remembered my little dog sweeping his face all over my clothing in my suitcase those days before I left and was trying to pack my bags. Looks like he left some of himself behind. I didn't have the heart to take the lint roller and get rid of them. As annoying as all his little hairs can be when I'm at home, this is as close as I'll get to my best little friend until August.

I'm a wee bit homesick today.

Today's Observations:

1. If you think your church at home is traditional, today I went to a church where they had assigned family seats. With little doors on each row.

2. If you are ever starving, come to Sarah's house. Her family will feed you until you just about die. I'm still full from the meal we had at 2 o'clock this afternoon (plus all the other food they stuffed into my body later).

3. If you ever want to come up with new slang, visit another country where they speak English as well but with a different vernacular. Not only will you start acquiring their words, but you'll also get so confused in the head that you'll begin making up your own. (They're going to think all Americans talk like me, soon, but really it's just that I keep forgetting my own language and come up with weird phrases on the spot on accident.)

4. If you ever want to see a forest covered in moss, come to Northern Ireland. They're beautiful here.

5. If you ever think you're always a dog person, meet Sarah's dog. He hates just about everyone. What happened to man's best friend, little guy? For being so small and cuddly-looking, he sure can be antisocial.

I did take some photos while in the forest today, and they turned out lovely. I'll be posting them soon. However, I think I'm going to try to sleep at a decent hour tonight--not since the first night I was here (when I was fighting the jet lag and going to bed at 7 pm) have I gone to sleep before 1 am. Absolutely ridiculous. Tonight, that will change.

Day Trip to Indianaland

It's a big play area kind of place (like the play area in McDonald's on steroids) for little kids. We took a group of 7, and they were a handful but really not all that bad since it was about half the size of the group we expected. Then, made our own chocolate bars (I went for Sesame Street characters, because we all know they'll always be cool) and bowled (I got the highest score of the whole group with a 94, a feat I rarely conquer).

Big day. And I fought sleep the entire rest of the day. But I did get to meet Sarah G.'s lovely family and have a real family dinner, something I haven't had in ages upon ages. It was more exciting and heartwarming than I could ever describe. I miss talking to people during meals and it not being awkward. I miss walking to the Crown cafeteria with my wonderful friends. I miss community. I feel quite isolated lately. Not homesick, but isolated. Like I just want to hug someone, but there's no one around to hug.

Sorry, that was a rather deep thought I suppose.

(And by the way, I'm noticing that my vernacular is changing a bit the more I hang around with the Northern Irish. I hope you don't mind, because it seems a bit inevitable.)

Anyway. Another big, eventful day. Tomorrow, church down the road and then going back to Sarah's to do all the farm-type things Lexie's dreamed about and never done...but I've done all my life. So maybe I'll just take a relaxing, homesick-y day. A day where I let myself miss the smell of silage and the crunch of gravel and the feel of a dog's tongue on my face and a cat's whiskers against my ankles. (I wish Sarah's dog liked people. I would be his best friend if he did.)

"Come Dine With Me", part one

What a day. Man alive. But a grand day indeed.

The evening began with the girls, Sarah and Sarah (who are leaving for Madagascar in just over a week! For three months!), shuffling about Ben's wee kitchen trying to make their Northern Irish dinner for the Americans. And really, it was quite good. Except my stomach was very upset with me the rest of that evening, and a little bit into the following morning as well.

Starter: potato and leak soup, courtesy of Sarah F. I love nearly all soup, so of course I loved this.

(By the way, please note the lovely presentation, with the Christmas tablecloth and the orange Fanta in such nice glasses. We kids sure now how to set a table.)

Main Course: Ulster fry, courtesy of Ben...which has been a sore spot of the evening, everyone has taken out the disappointment on him I think. (Ben, if you're reading, know that I don't blame you. I think it's just a weird dish to make on the spot, perhaps.) I don't want to say I hated it. I really don't. But a third of that plate would have been plenty. I am not a man. I eat like a bird.

Dessert: Aero mint cheesecake (left), as well as pavlova (right), courtesy of Sarah G. (Aero is a brand of chocolate, look it up. And they don't bake their cheesecakes here.)

The entertainment was great, there were quotes galore, and now the Americans have to strut their stuff next Friday. If you've any ideas, please let me know. We're still trying to put together a menu... If it were up to me, I'd definitely be making my go-to fave of all time, tator tot hotdish. But maybe I'll just do it another day--if I don't eat it soon, I will begin to forget what it tastes like. And that is one meal you cannot make in a single portion size.

St. Patrick's Day

It's really not a thing here. I mean, it is if you're Catholic, maybe. Just like the 12th of July is a thing if you're Protestant. (Look that one up, if you haven't already.) I didn't wear any green today. No upsetting the bounds here for me. (I won't be wearing orange on the Twelfth either, by the way.) After finding a ride into town via a man who lives out by us who is on the board for the YFC Centre (which involved being scammed into cleaning a flat that he owns in town that he's redoing to rent it out to another tenet, slave labor), we made it in for the parade! It was the first one that Dungannon has ever had, and it was mostly little kids. Low scale. But still, I enjoyed it. They don't throw candy at their parades here, though--it would be both unsafe and unsanitary in their opinion. Don't come to our parades then, because candy is the point of it all...

And then this evening, the Americans were invited to an Irish meal at the Vineyard church in town. We ate Irish stew (which didn't seem a whole lot different than stew I've had back home--maybe Minnesota is secretly Irish, or we've gained their love for potatoes) as well as soda bread, which is a sort of doughy, dense bread that is quite good. Goal: make soda bread before leaving this country. Possible? Yes.

All in all, a grand St. Patrick's Day. It will likely be my best ever, unless I move to Northern Ireland one day and do it each year. Oh, that would be lovely.

Tea Party

My day started at 2 o'clock at the office. If this is what the real world in parachurch ministry is like, I could get used to days like these. (Though a little more structure wouldn't be so bad...)

Lexie and I set up for the girls group, for ages 16-18, by putting out mugs for tea and buying milk and little sweets and cakes and bars from the bakery a couple doors down.

(We halved them, but you get the picture.)

Anyway, four girls came this week! Hooray! One was a volunteer from the Centre, but still! Three new faces! We talked about all things high school-esque, like Enrique Iglesias and just how fine he is (he's coming to do a show in Belfast and two of the girls were going) as well as painting our nails in bright pink hues (or I did, at least).

We got home at a decent hour tonight--6 o'clock! Hooray! Ben was so kind as to drive us, and I learned more about his taste in music. Electric guitar seems to be his fave...

As for Crown news, I discovered I didn't make it on GIT. And I'm more than a little upset about that...but not because of personal reasons. Crown, if you want to see people who care about missions, then you need to put people motivated in charge who want to see people care. Not people who just assume that everyone already loves missions. We all know that's a lie.

Sorry, that was my rant. Ugh. But who am I kidding, I'm already doing missions. Every single day I wake up in this country. And though I know I can't really say that to the locals in ministry...it is so true. What a broken country. What a broken world.

Laundry Day (among other events)

I woke up this morning at 9:45. I got out of bed at 10:25. And that was how my day began. After showering and such to be picked up at one, I started laundry, expecting a load to take about the same amount of time as it would back home, like 30 minutes... No way. It was still going an hour later when I had to get my butt out the door. I think a load takes about 2 hours here, no jokes. I can't believe it, it's INSANE. No dryers, either. That will stink, I'll have to just get over it. I love taking clothes fresh out of the dryer...but none of that for a few months.

I'm rather sick of eating sandwiches all the time. It's kind of pathetic, really, because all I have time for is just packing a lunch before leaving the house, and since we don't have leftovers because we're never here at night to eat a proper meal, that means packing a sandwich. I'm going to have to buy some soup or something to keep at the Centre, because all this sandwich-business is driving me bonkers. (Though I love sandwiches, even I have my limits.)

One thing I am VERY much looking forward to, however, is this Thursday. We have St. Patrick's Day off, and my friend Kerry invited Lexie and I to her church's Irish meal they're having! Authentic food! I'm thrilled. And even more, I'm thrilled to see the church she loves so much, the church I will never get to truly be a part of because of some awkward tension between them and YFC (they don't allow us to go in and do children's messages like the other Protestant churches but they totally welcome our attendance...so weird). It's a Vineyard church, so perhaps that's why--it's the only contemporary church in town. No matter, I'm excited to finally see this place. And raise my hands in worship, regardless of who is at my side. And sing ON KEY. And everything else. Oh, I'm excited.

A list of things for you to Google and get a taste of Northern Irish culture:

1. "Come Dine With Me"--a television show

2. Thai sweet chili--a flavor of sauce for sandwiches and whatever else you can put it on

3. Ulster fry (find out for yourself, I've yet to have one)

4. going to the "chippy"

5. the Twelfth/William of Orange

Ready, set, go. I'm waiting for my laundry to finish.

So, today I went to the ghetto...

Well, maybe not really. But it basically was. The ghetto of Dungannon.

The kids are wild. Like normal kids. But you can tell they need more boundaries. They need someone to care about them. They need someone to care about the fact that they curse. They need someone to care about the fact that they walk everywhere, without adult supervision, at only the age of seven. They need someone to care about the fact that they just stole from a store for fun, or that they decided to drop a dish in the middle of store because "it's only 2 pounds, why not?" They need someone to care about them.

Do-s and Don't-s of Northern Ireland

1. Don't make a backwards peace-sign. It means the same as giving them the middle finger. (And they still have the middle finger rule here, too. So don't do that, either.)

2. Do say "awk" a lot. I haven't got it figured out quite yet, but they use it every chance they get. Like "awk, no" or "awk, you'll be fine".

3. Don't shout like an American would. Common sense, right?

4. Do dress up. They don't generally dress as casually as we do in the States, so I'm good there. I always stuck out anyway, now I'm closer to fitting in.

5. Don't assume ages. Seriously. Every single person I've met that I figured was my own age has been at least 2 years younger every time. I met a 14-year-old who looked about 20. And a 22-year-old who looked about 27. Age is so relative here.

6. Do look both ways every time you cross the street. Don't assume they'll stop like they would in the States, because they won't. You will die. Or at least break a bone and have to go to the hospital.

7. Don't forget your converter at the house for the day. Your laptop will die, and then you'll be screwed. And bored. As much as you hate Facebook at times, it will be the only form of entertainment some days.

8. Do try and sit in the front seat if you're even the teeniest bit prone to car sickness. I don't know how many times I've been in the back and trying to fight off nausea because of the twisting roads and the hills everywhere. It's like riding a rollercoaster every day into town. And I hate rollercoasters.

9. Don't think about ranch dressing, because you can't buy it here.

10. Do automatically translate "what's the craic" to mean "what's up" or "how are you" when you hear it. People say it a lot. And "craic" means like...the atmosphere of the place, or something like that if you'd here it as an individual word. Like someone could say "sounds like good craic," or "how's the craic over there" would be "how are things at such-and-such a place".

11. Don't expect people to know where Minnesota is. They know California and New York, but that's really all. (Someone asked me if I was from LA yesterday.) You'll find people who have a general idea of Minnesota by asking if it's near "Winsconsin" or Canada, and you'll have to say yes, even if to you it's really a poor description because those places aren't in your backyard.

12. Do plan for layers. It is cold here. So cold. And it's supposed to be warming up soon, but I don't know that I believe them. Someone told me they have two kinds of weather here: it's raining, and it's going to rain. Right now, the sky is bright blue with light clouds just hovering about, but I don't trust them. I know rain will come.

(Disclaimer: don't get me wrong about this place. I absolutely love it. I do. I just know that people out there probably want to know the little differences I've found recently, so I thought I'd post them. In no way do I mean to complain at all. This place is really a blessing.)

A few short things (because I should be sleeping):

1. Today, I got to see kids. FINALLY. They exist! And they're just precious.

2. I burnt my tongue on my cup of tea after the Fired Up event. Man, they take their tea HOT. Like, basically boiling. It's insane.

3. After said event, I ran into a boy I met at the young adult's group on Tuesday evening. Well, he tracked me down. I think he might have a crush on me. Anyway, this kid is crazy. (I swear, I must attract loonies as friends.) But the exciting thing of the conversation was that...he told me I could pass for a Northern Ireland girl because of my demeanor and way of presenting myself. That's major points in my book! Granted, as soon as I open my mouth the jig will be up...but still. I take that as a badge of honor. (Even if he does have a thing for me. But he's leaving for Poland in a week or something...so don't worry, kids, that won't be going anywhere.)

4. Someone told me I had a great American accent today. And he knew where Minnesota was, because he asked if it was near Wisconsin (which he mispronounced, but hey, can't win them all). That's a first! Usually people are so confused when I say where I'm from. America is just too big.

5. My friend Sarah taught me the ways of a Northern Ireland grocery store. They're different than ours in America, for real. You wouldn't think it, but they are. She is so cute. (Oh, and her brother kept making fun of the Americans for the way we speak...like "oh my goodness" and "so cute"...I will kick that man.)

6. Tomorrow, we're going to speak at the Methodist church. I don't know which church it is, but I'm sure it's beautiful and hundreds of years old and just a dream. I'm excited. But I wish I would've brought more traditional-church-friendly clothes. Oops.

7. An ongoing thing: I can keep up with the humor here! That's a huge deal, apparently. They're really sarcastic here (which they call "slagging" as in "keep up with the slagging," or "I'm slagging you"), and they always say, "You might have a hard time catching the humor, most Americans don't understand it." BUT I DO! I'm so glad I have sarcasm running through my veins. And I'm so glad I never got rid of it permanently during all my confusion of whether or not it was "okay" to be a Christian and be sarcastic. Anyway, I can keep up and hand it right back. I've impressed a few people already.

That's all for the moment. Time to sleep.

So, are there actually kids?

Today was kind of discouraging. We were supposed to have the kids from the Annaghsee estate (it's entirely Catholic and sort of rough) to the Centre, but none came. I guess one of the kids had a birthday party and so they all went to that instead. Bummer. So I've had no hands-on experience with ministry yet. And that really stinks. But hopefully some kids come out to our event this weekend with KFC (Kids For Christ), because if they don't...I'm going to begin questioning whether these kids actually exist or not.

And I realized something during the course of today: every meal I've had here so far has been a sandwich. This needs to change, and soon. Not that I don't like sandwiches, because I LOVE them. But this is going a little overboard. I could eat sandwiches every day at Crown. I need to branch out. (Even if Cafe Latte, a place down the street, makes a great "toasty".) Like fish and chips. I wish I knew how to order them. But I want them. I'll make Ben tell me.

I also got to meet Steven McCready, the National Director for YFC-NI. He was really great, and hopes to come down in a few weeks and take Lexie and I out for lunch or something. Score! Way to go, Ken Castor. You know some great people.

I wish everyone reading this could come over here and meet all the people I'm excited to call my friends, and get to know this little town the locals want to get out of but I'd love to stay in forever. I wish I could give you all the money to come here. I would in a heartbeat. We could live this dream together.

"Mary"

I'll be honest. I don't have anything super exciting to share today. Except for Lexie and I found the one cafe which stays open after five, so we went out together and got some dinner down the street from the Centre. And I nearly got hit by a car (oops) because they don't have to stop for pedestrians here. Remind me to ALWAYS look both ways. At least twice. Because they are fast drivers here. I would never cut it. If I ever return here, I'm going to need to find someone who will take the wheel for me. Yikes.

Much of the day we spent doing random things in the office (nothing exciting), because there wasn't a whole lot to be done. We joked about "Mary", the supposed ghost (whom they chose to give the name Mary for some reason) that visits Ben at his house, the intern on staff from Northern Ireland. Lexie and I kept hearing noises and blamed them on Mary, that she must be visiting us at the Centre and making all the windy ruckus. Well, shouldn't have joked. My room light just started flickering slightly and making a little buzzing noise. Sorry, Mary. You are not to be messed with.

I know, this could just be wishful thinking, but I feel like my voice inflection is already shifting. Come on, Northern Irish accent. I will accept you and be your friend. I want to go home with an accent so badly... I don't care if it's only day two. I will take what I can get.

Hopefully I'll have something more interesting to share tomorrow. I like this daily blogging thing for the time being. It keeps me on my toes.

Love to you all.

Day One, Pt. Two: Pancake Day?

So, I must have written too soon because so much has happened since that post. I met a million faces (or at least a dozen), shook many hands, went into several shops to post flyers with Lexie, my fellow American intern, and even walked past The Snooty Fox! (A store I marveled at when looking at Scotch Street of Dungannon via Google Maps, and today I actually stood in front of its shop windows. Livin' the dream, kids.)

And apparently, today was Pancake Day. That is, the day just before Lent when everyone eats pancakes to get rid of the last of their butter, eggs, and fats--those foods you're not to have during Lent. Or at least, that's what this site told me just a few minutes ago. Every time I asked what Pancake Tuesday was when they talked about it, I would get in response, "You don't have Pancake Day? You've never heard of it?" and I was the weird one. But tonight, I had a pancake. For the cause. Before I even knew what the heck all the fuss was about. That's right, folks, I partook in a cultural event tonight.

(Oh, and I got to inform a new friend about mac & cheese store-bought packages. He didn't know it came like that in America. Cha-ching. And then he gave me his UK converter because he got it in a multi-pack from America when he was taking a trip there, so now I don't have to buy one! Hooray!!)

Now, it's time for me to suppress my excitement and glee and instead take a snooze. It's nearly 2am here, and I'm wide awake. No, jet lag. You will not control my body. I will sleep now.

Goodnight, America.

Day One

I'M HERE! I MADE IT! HEATHROW DIDN'T EAT ME UP AND SPIT ME OUT AND STOMP ON MY INSIDES!

Okay, kids. I'll admit, I probably exaggerated my anxiety a little. All that throwing up (literally) was for nothing. But now it's over (and I've likely scarred a few Delta passengers for that episode on the plane) and I'm here. Sitting in the place I'll be working for the next five months. Looking out the windows at Scotch Street. And loving it.

Yes yes yes.

P.S. I'll do my best checking my emails for the next couple days. Someone ran into the telephone pole near the house I'm living at, so internet's a bust. (Thought that would be over when I left Crown, but apparently not...) Anyway, I'm online while at the Center, but for the time being that's it. Pray it's up and running again soon! And then I'll post some pictures of my new little town!

Jet Day

Today, I will be in transit.

MSP, Philly, Heathrow, and Belfast. Yikes.

As much as I didn't enjoy the visa application process, I do not like even more the airport process. It's not the planes I hate, it's the navigating through airports which I am not fond of. Can't we get to inventing teleportation already? I'd be all for that. Beam me up, Scotty.

On the bright side, next post I write will be from Northern Ireland!

Packing, Cleaning, and Fighting Illness

In less than 48 hours now, I'll be in Belfast. And that's frightening. I haven't a clue what I'm getting myself involved in, except that it's the Lord's work--the only work I ever want to be involved in.

The counting down of days and hours has taken a mighty toll on my stomach these last three days. Nauseas is not my idea of a great way to spend my last hours at home, but it seems this fate chose me. Today will be spent trying to convince my body to get over itself as well as doing the final touches on packing, reminding myself you cannot pack for 5 months, so do not try. (I'm just hoping to stay at least 5 pounds under the 50 mark.)

If you think of me in the next few days, shoot up a prayer. I'll be needing all the prayers I can get.

Oh, and if you'd like my address/would like to give me yours, do let me know! I'm looking forward to mailing little notes when I get the chance.

Less Than One Week

This Sunday, I leave this country.

Minneapolis/St. Paul to Philadelphia to London to Belfast. Be there by the afternoon of the 7th.

I decided I needed a separate place to keep everything straight. So, ladies and gents and stalkers and amblers and everyone else, this is where I'll be keeping a little journal if you will of my time in Northern Ireland. I'll always appreciate your responses and encouragement. And if nothing else, I'll take the time to post photos on here of everything I will be blessed to witness and discover.

Be praying for me.

(And by the way, something I discovered when testing out fonts for the design: did you know there's a font called "Covered By Your Grace"? Makes me want to use it, despite being a little too quirky upon first glance.)