Hi everyone! I just wanted to take a minute and wish you all a Happy Thanksgivng. I am at my parent's house in Ohio. It is the first time in four years for me to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with them. I arrived to mom's homemade pumpkin and banana bread! Today we are going to have about 10 people around the dinner table. I am really looking forward to the time with family and friends.
I have so much to be Thankful for. I think the biggest thing is how God has guided and directed me this last year. It has been a year of refreshment and renewal! I am so thankful for the community that I have surrounding me in Muncie, especially my small group. God has provided for my every need (housing, car, finances, etc). I am so thankful for the chance that I have had to work with youth in Muncie. They have really been an encouragement to me. I am also thankful for the Christmas music that starts to play on the radio today - and to think I used to get tired of it!
There are about a million more things to be thankful for, but I will let you spend this time with your family and thinking about what you are thankful for instead of reading my list. I hope today is filled with lots of joy, thankfulness, fun, and great food! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Car Maintenance
It has been such a long time since I have written. I am working on getting a newsletter out in the next couple weeks that better updates what the last several months have been like. I am doing really well and enjoying the things I am involved with here in Muncie, IN. I am feeling refreshed and energized. I have really enjoyed the community I am experiencing here.
I just thought I'd share a funny story since it's been a while. Yesterday I went to get my oil changed. I realized after I was done, how smoothly that process went. There were some marked differences in the process. First, I didn't have to go next door to purchase my own oil. Second, I didn't have to try to communicate in Russian (which is not the language I even spoke) and try to understand what they were asking me to do or what was wrong with the car. Also, a tire rotation and basic car check came free with the oil change. I signed a document at the beginning stating the cost of the oil change and it didn't change. I didn't have to walk over to the adjoining store and purchase transmission fluid or some other fluid when they noticed that they needed to add more fluid. I think the most marked difference was that when something was wrong (they determined that I needed new brake pads) they actually brought me back and showed me what they were talking about and talked to me like a person that was capable of understanding. Since men usually do the car maintenance in Kazakhstan, it would confuse the mechanics when I wanted to know what was going on. Thankfully, my host dad (who often helped me get my car repaired) was good at making sure I understood what was going on.
Last night I set up an apointment with someone to fix my brakes. When I got here this morning, the mechanic was here and ready to work on my brakes. :) I don't have to buy the supplies myself - which is my favorite part. Also, I can bring it in without help. I am currently sitting in a waiting room with internet and being able to get work done while I wait for my car. Although I miss Kazakhstan terribly, car maintenance is one thing I don't miss at all. It brings relief to just be able to sit here and trust them to work on my car and not have to go run errands to make it happen. If you don't receive a newsletter by mid-December and would like to receive one please let me know. Have a great day!
I just thought I'd share a funny story since it's been a while. Yesterday I went to get my oil changed. I realized after I was done, how smoothly that process went. There were some marked differences in the process. First, I didn't have to go next door to purchase my own oil. Second, I didn't have to try to communicate in Russian (which is not the language I even spoke) and try to understand what they were asking me to do or what was wrong with the car. Also, a tire rotation and basic car check came free with the oil change. I signed a document at the beginning stating the cost of the oil change and it didn't change. I didn't have to walk over to the adjoining store and purchase transmission fluid or some other fluid when they noticed that they needed to add more fluid. I think the most marked difference was that when something was wrong (they determined that I needed new brake pads) they actually brought me back and showed me what they were talking about and talked to me like a person that was capable of understanding. Since men usually do the car maintenance in Kazakhstan, it would confuse the mechanics when I wanted to know what was going on. Thankfully, my host dad (who often helped me get my car repaired) was good at making sure I understood what was going on.
Last night I set up an apointment with someone to fix my brakes. When I got here this morning, the mechanic was here and ready to work on my brakes. :) I don't have to buy the supplies myself - which is my favorite part. Also, I can bring it in without help. I am currently sitting in a waiting room with internet and being able to get work done while I wait for my car. Although I miss Kazakhstan terribly, car maintenance is one thing I don't miss at all. It brings relief to just be able to sit here and trust them to work on my car and not have to go run errands to make it happen. If you don't receive a newsletter by mid-December and would like to receive one please let me know. Have a great day!
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