Mountains make my heart happy. And southern Germany is full of them. Last Friday evening I was invited to go to the highest peak in the area Hochblauen to see the view.
Here is the Gasthaus, or restaurant/hotel on top of the mountain. Most of what is beyond that is Switzerland.
A peek into the neighboring valley (Germany) already bathed in shadow as the sun was setting.
On the other side, if you didn't look directly into the sun, you can see France spread out below.
This picture I took the next day, Saturday, on the drive into Switzerland. My sponsors, Stu and Phyllis, took me to Ballenberg, an outdoor history/architecture museum near Luzern. As we passed different cities and lakes, Stu shared some of the history of the region. It really was fun to learn a bit about an area as we raced past it on the Autobahn.
The museum was filled with farmhouses, barns, shops, and many other functional buildings which were built in different regions of Switzerland. At some point, if they were going to be torn down to make way for newer constructions, they would be relocated to the museum. This place is huge. It had sections for the different regions and time periods, and we only had time to see maybe half of what they had. The picture above is a thatched roof farmhouse/barn combination. Unlike museums of this nature in the US (historical homes, etc.), everything was available to be poked and prodded. They had demonstrations of bread baking, cheese making, weaving, sewing, woodcarving, bone grinding, and so much more. I could have spent weeks there. We probably spent 6 hrs there and maybe glanced at half. I say glanced, because, in order to see the half of the building we did, we had to move quickly.
Pardon the extreme editing on this one. Due to the lighting and the large overhand of the roof, much of the architectural beauty was very dark in my pictures. This way you can see the detailing on the side of the house.
The other thing about this museum: it was quite literally nestled in the mountains. The paths throughout the museum were quite steep, and the northern side face sheer cliff face.
I call this one Cows and a Crooked Chimney. We couldn't decide: was the chimney curved for structural reasons, or just personal preference in order to have that central attic window?
Here I am practice teaching at BFA! No, not really. This is also at the museum. Each region that was represented was clustered together. This section, the central Swiss region, was the most cohesive, and most like a small town. They had a schoolhouse, a sawmill, bone mill, a game hall, several family homes, and a guest house.
Speaking of BFA, Thursday began all staff conference and the beginning of normalcy here. I had *more* of a regular schedule, and the chance to get to know my office/desk space, classroom, and the other teachers in the language department. I now know where the library is, have my keys, and have already mistaken another staff member for a high school student. It's a week of firsts.
The theme at BFA this year is faithfulness. It's really always a theme for me, because it's hard to get away from God's faithfulness. "...if we are faithless, he remains faithful--for he cannot deny himself" (2 Timothy 2:13 ESV). Much of all staff conference is learning about how we can best serve the students and encourage them to be all they can be through "biblical thought, character, and action" (BFA vision statement), but for me it's very much a chance to learn about how the staff interacts as a whole and where I fit into that. I love my department, and all the staff really, how friendly and welcoming they are!
Please continue to pray as I get settled in my apartment. It can take a while to get used to the slower pace of life here and to adjust to not having a car. I live at least a 20-30 min walk from the grocery store, school, and many people I know.
I also have lesson planning to complete before school starts August 31st, and it seems a bit overwhelming right now. But I have many resources at my disposal: an experience German teacher who teaches higher German levels here, as well as materials from the former German teacher at BFA and materials from my high school German teacher. So I will be well prepared.
Another vital component of the conference this week for me was learning the importance of BFA. Did you know that the main reason missionaries leave the field is the education of their children? It's important for them to know that their children are safe, well-cared for, and taught at an institution that values their child's education. Teaching German in Germany at an international Christian school doesn't sound like missions. It sure didn't to me. But God has called me here, just as he has called all the other staff here to make an impact in these students lives, in the lives of their families, the communities in which their parents serve, and in our community, in Kandern, Baden-Württemburg, Deutschland.
No comments:
Post a Comment