Accidental Lie

My last post (way back on September 18) said I would write more on Saturday. I didn't mean to lie, I promise! If you could see my planner (the little book that holds my life together), you might understand. Page after page of little cramped handwriting means a very busy life.

But anyway, here's a few updates, in the order listed in my previous post, for anyone interested:

-We're back in session at the Global Refugee Center!

 Things are going great at the GRC. This is our sixth week.

It would be fantastic to get more volunteers, but we're making do with who we have for now. The first week was full of tiny people crying for their parents, but now they're used to being in the day care.
I love these kiddos. But I think they know they have me wrapped around their fingers!






-My Basic Training for Soliya has ended... Advanced Training started today!!
I learned a lot in my basic training, but it was only about 6 meetings. I enjoyed getting the chance to practice facilitating, and I think I did alright.
I actually just finished my very first advanced training session. Let me tell you, it is great to have a training session a little later in the day and not one that starts before the sun is up!! Seems like I have a great group! Nine more weeks and I just may be invited to be a facilitator in the spring. Regardless, I'm learning a lot and enjoying the experience.




-Volunteered at a study abroad/world expo event on campus... I want to go somewhere asap! 
So here's a little problem... I was at this event and looking around and the Center for International Eduction coordination says, "You want to go again, don't you?" Well of course I do!! I think I'm a bit addicted to travel... Anyway, I've already made peace with the whole 5 year plan instead of the 4 year for my undergrad degree. One of those years was community college, and not all of my classes counted. Then I was a bit mixed up with my major. Upon figuring it all out and deciding on a double major in English and International Affairs and a double minor in Business Administration and Cultural Anthropology, I decided 5 years was acceptable. And I have been killing myself ever since. The fact that this past summer I took 15 credit hours and now I'm taking 20 is a testament to that. I have something like an internship lined up for next fall, so I won't be taking many classes then (I'm thinking between none and 1-2 online). UNC has this requirement that the last... I think it's 90 credits of the undergrad must be completed at UNC. So, if I study abroad again, I add time to my undergrad and may be looking at a 6 year plan. Oh, but it may be worth it! Considering it... Offer advice if you have any!

Now, last but not least...


-I got my official acceptance to teach abroad next fall!
I will be teaching English at the Vilnius school in Vilnius, Lithuania through ILP!! Yep. See? I knew I'd go back!


Now, I do have some other thoughts I've been wanting to post about, but that's all for now... I'm going to try my hardest to post again within the next week, but no promises! :)

Amber and Alex

First of all, my apologies for the delayed updates in blogging. I was at youth camp where blogging was not an option. So here we go, from last Saturday...

There were a couple people from America coming in for the camp, and Saturday and Sunday nights I would be sharing a room with one of them. That's pretty much all I knew. Saturday morning when I woke up, AnnaRose and Jessica had both already left the hostel. The room looked empty. After I had packed my things and moved them out, it looked even emptier, with only Jessica's things left there.

The Millers picked me up, the two Americans already with them. I was introduced to Amber and Alex from Maine. We headed to the church to meet Rasika, a Lithuanian lady who goes to Vilnius Slovinimo Namai and is a certified tour guide. She would be giving Amber and Alex a tour that day, since the next day would be church, and then we would all be at camp near Trakai. We started the day off right, with prayer and worship, and I thought it was a wonderful way to begin the next little section of my journey (no longer studying, but now in preparation for camp).

After getting something to eat, Rasika, Amber, Alex, and I walked around old town Vilnius, a place I've become used to and now know my way around. We saw the Cathedral, the Palace of the Grand Dukes, Gediminas Tower, St. Anne's Church, Stikliu where the Jewish Ghetto used to be, Vilnius University, the Gates of Dawn, Town Hall, and ended our tour at the KGB Museum, where I hadn't been yet. It was quite gruesome, and I now completely understand why Shasta and Tony said when they take people there, they feel sick afterwards.

We finished the night out with spending time together, everyone chatting, including Toby, the Millers' dog.
Amber and I were sharing the guest bedroom at the Millers' house, and we started a pretty good friendship. We stayed up for a long time just talking, as girls do. Although I had been surrounded with a bunch of girls before, it was comforting to have another church girl, and one from the States too, to talk to.

Kryzus Kalnas

Ever since I saw a picture in the "Looking at Lithuania" book we checked out from the library, I really wanted to go to The Hill of Crosses. Unfortunately, it's in Siauliai, which is over 200 km. from Vilnius. One of the other girls from UNC went to see it last week one day, and she said it was completely worth it. Friday was my opportunity, so I looked into bus and train schedules.

I left the hostel a little after 6 in the morning to walk to the train station. After asking a particularly helpful gentleman at the train station, I bought my ticket. My train left Vilnius at 6:45 and arrived in Siauliai around 9:20. I again asked questions and figured out how to get to the bus station, which was about a 10 minute walk in the rain. Luckily, I had my umbrella with me. After encountering more helpful people and finding out the bus I would take would leave at 10:25, I went into a shopping center and bought something I could eat for lunch later on. The bus ride was only 3 litas, and the bus driver let me know where to get out. The elderly lady I was sitting next to told me, "Kryzus Kalnas, walk there," and pointed at a road trailing off the main road.

I was a little concerned. It looked like I was in the middle of no where, I couldn't see even a glimpse of a hill, and it was pouring rain. I ended up walking with a Japanese lady who had gotten off of the bus as well. It was about a 2 km walk, and in the rain that was a lot worse. I don't think my friends and family in Colorado can quite comprehend the magnitude of the rain here. It's crazy! Even with the umbrella, I was soaking wet by the time I saw the hill in the distance.

Words cannot describe the wonder of that place. There are thousands, maybe millions of crosses. There are literally crosses hanging on crosses hanging on crosses. It's hard to even fathom. To me, it was a symbol of a solid, unwavering, undying, persistent faith tying together generations of people from several cultures and beliefs. It's simply amazing.

When I got back, I went straight to the church for music practice. It was our last, as camp starts on Monday. I have to say, singing in Lithuanian, a language I didn't know a word of before this trip, has been quite the challenge. But I'm getting there... I think.

Later that night, we said goodbye to Maryna, our new friend from Ukraine. AnnaRose and I walked her to the bus station, where she left around 10.

We then spent Anna's last night in Vilnius just hanging out and relaxing. We grabbed a snack and walked the streets until dark, so we could get some pictures of the Cathedral at night.

Back at the hostel, there were only three of us girls left. AnnaRose would leave at 4 the next morning, and Jessica would leave the next night. I would leave the next day to stay with the Millers until camp. We talked a little about our days. Jessica had gone with a couple others to the Soviet statue park and to a zoo. AnnaRose had gone to the castle at Trakai with Maryna. After telling each other about our adventures, we all said our goodbyes and went to sleep, content.

My "Lonely" Weekend

Lonely isn't exactly the word I would use to describe my weekend, but knowing that the other students were away, a friend of mine back home asked how my "lonely weekend" went. In truth, it was just peaceful.

The past weekend, ISM was taking the students to Palanga, a coastal city along the Baltic Sea. Knowing that this trip wasn't really school related, knowing it would mean missing church again, and also hearing that Palanga was more of a city for partying than anything, I didn't really want to go. I imagined a weekend feeling out of place, and although I thought it might be nice to go to the beach, weighing my options, I decided to stay in Vilnius.

It was a great decision. I started out my weekend by sleeping in, and then Friday I blogged and had a long walk all over town. I went to the oldest church in Vilnius, to the Museum of Contemporary Art, to the streets where the Jewish ghetto used to be, into several little shops, to several churches, to Gediminas Tower, and to the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. I have a couple more things on my "sight-seeing to-do" list, but all in all, it was a great day, and I was very tired at the end.

Friday night brought another long night of sleep, which I was thankful for, and Saturday I went with the Millers. The day involved thrift store shopping, doing laundry, and cleaning the church, which had partially flooded with the heavy rain last week.

Of course Sunday was church, and I was more than ready. Pastor Tony Miller preached a great message that definitely reminded me about some things. Of course the church services also led to me meeting even more people. Church in Vilnius is just wonderful. It's great to see how excited the people can be about the things of God. I feel so blessed to be here to see it and take part in it.

Week Two

This week flew by. It's really just been a blur.

Monday was pretty rough on us, especially those of us who spent the weekend in Tallinn and Helsinki. Our professor for International Marketing, Benas Adonavicius, taught his last class on Monday, and I was sorry that I may have seemed disinterested due to being to tired. After class, I headed over to the church for prayer meeting. By the time I got back to the hostel, I was ready for bed.

Tuesday, Maik Huettinger, from Germany, took over the International Marketing class. His teaching style is very different from Benas, but I can't say I prefer one over the other.

Meanwhile, in International Project Management, we started our second project, "Ässignment P". We stay in the same groups we had for the first project (my group is AnnaRose, Carolina, Rita, and I), and basically have to come up with the plan for a project over the remainder of the class. My group decided on "Vilnius Bike Tour," creating the plan for a tourist event a travel agency could offer. Also Tuesday, my computer gave me problems. This is why I haven't blogged this week, and this is also why I haven't been able to upload photos. (I'll add some later, I promise!) My computer wouldn't start. I took it in to a repair store, where communicating in itself was challenging, and found out it's a problem with the hard drive. While this is frustrating and less than ideal, being in another country, it's not the end of the world, and it'll be fixed by next week.

On Wednesday, our professor for International Project Management changed too, and now we have Vytautas Buda instead of Alfredas Chmieliauskas. Wednesday night, the Portuguese students cooked us dinner. I need to ask what it was called, but it was some kind of meat with rice and a sauce, and it was very good. Last night, we introduced them to tacos, bad tacos, but tacos nonetheless. A few things went wrong with the meal. The sour cream was more like yogurt, the avacados for the guacamole weren't ripe enough, and the salsa was sweet. But while we Americans thought they were less than apetizing, the Portuguese students and Maryna (the Ukranian girl) loved them. They didn't know what tacos were before, so we had to tell them that these tacos weren't even good. It was a good night all around though.

Again, I was at the church a few evenings this week. Out of everywhere I've gone, the churches, both in London and here in Vilnius, are where I feel the most at home. I feel blessed to be able to still find myself at church so often while away from my home church.

Speaking of which, I have to give a shout out to Colorado! They had their youth camp this week, and I've heard nothing but amazing things about it. So, great job once again, CDYM! I've heard it was the best youth camp ever, but I think it gets better every year, because we say the same thing every year. I also heard Dustin Turpin, a boy who is paralyzed from the waist down and in a wheelchair, walked! I know the youth in Colorado have prayed for this miracle time and time again, and it's wonderful that they got to see it!

While hearing these stories and all the wonderful things that happened makes me miss home and wish I had been there, it also makes me look forward to the youth camp here even more than I had been. It starts in a short ten days, and I'm sure it'll be here before I know it. Seeing the young people here and how excited they are about having a church and having a youth camp is touching. I can't wait to see what God is going to do here!

Last Weekend's Adventures

Saturday morning, I woke up to Anson knocking on the door and AnnaRose answering it. It was already 6:30, the time we agreed to meet in the hostel lobby to take taxis to the port in Tallinn. I had gone to bed less than an hour before, set my alarm to get us up at 6:00, and left my phone on silent. Consequently, AnnaRose and I had not gotten up on time. Neither had Caronlina and Rita, the Portuguese girls in the room next to ours.

We got ready within a few minutes and headed downstairs. The others had left already, but the man at the front desk told us another taxi was coming for us within five minutes. After waiting outside for over fifteen, we had another one called. By the time it picked us up, it was 7:10. The ferry was scheduled to leave the port at 7:30.

Of course, we got to the port late. I think it was about 7:28. The night before, I had bought my ticket online, along with four of the five people who had already left. Luckily, I was able to change my ticket for a ferry departing at 10:30 for 4€. The other girls bought tickets to depart at 10:30 as well, and we decided to leave the port and walk around Tallinn.

We got breakfast, consisting of coffee and muffins, and ate in a park. Then we went to some shops nearby. I don't think we realized how far we walked, because by the time we were heading back to the port, we found ourselves rushing to make it there. Carolina and Rita were just a little distance behind AnnaRose and I, and when we went in and got on the escalator, I saw them coming in the door. But then we didn't see them behind us again, and when we made it on the boat, we waited at the entrance for them until the doors closed.

Having never found them, we headed up to the top deck, hoping they made it on before us. This was the case, and we found each other again on the deck (where it was extremely windy, by the way).

The ferry itself was way more then I expected. I don't know why, but I was expecting something like the ferry I was on with my family in the San Francisco Bay. This "ferry"was complete with rooms you could buy to sleep in, restaurants, gift shops, a play area for kids, and a grocery store. The trip was off to a great start.

When we ported in Helsiki, I'll be honest, we had no idea what to do. I asked a lady in the port about how to get into town, and she told us to take bus 15A. We took it and got off at a bus station off of a town sqaure. From there, we walked around quite a bit, not having or finding enough of a map to even know where to go. Finally, I asked a couple of passersby if they had any suggestions as to what my friends and I should see, being in Helsiki for the day. They were more than happy to give recommendations for both an art museum and a couple old cathedrals.

In the art museum, again AnnaRose and I lost Carolina and Rita. We continued to the cathedral and walked around a little more before heading back to the port where we found both Carolina and Rita and the other five from our group waiting.

Once again, we were all tired, and we headed back to the hostel in taxis once we were back in Tallinn. The next day, we slept in, checked out at noon, and went into Tallinn with Maik Huettinger, the professor from ISM who joined us on our trip.

He took us to an Estonian restaurant some locals had told him about, and it was amazing. It was hidden off of a side street, and had a very warm and friendly atmosphere. The food was delicious, and differing from Lithuania, the service was friendly and helpful.

Our group of nine (ten if you count Maik), split up after lunch, and AnnaRose and I went with Rose, a lady here from Chicago. We went to a small souvenier shop, where we all got something for someone. Then we went to "Old Town Square," where we had passed a market earlier. Small booths filled the square with vendors selling crafts of all kinds, from dresses to table cloths to pottery, and more. Off to the side, a large crowd was gathered watching dances on a stage. Many people were dressed in traditional clothing, and it was a festive atmosphere. We heard that this event only happens 3 or 4 days a year, so we definitely happened to be there at the right time.

Rose headed back to the hostel, where we were supposed to meet Maik before 6:00, and AnnaRose and I walked around a little more until my sandal broke, and we headed back as well. When we returned, Maik helped me find super glue at a local grocery store, which has worked at holding my shoe together surprisingly well.

Again, we flew in to Riga, Latvia, a 40 minute flight. We had a layover there for a little over 2 hours, and Maryna, a girl from Ukraine, and I got dinner together and had some laughs. By the time we got into Vilnius, it was late, and we didn't get back to our hostel until after 1:00am.

The next morning would begin week two of our classes.

Skyped and Wiped Out

Friday morning, eight of us walked to ISM in a less than pleasurable state. Some were just tired, some were hungover from the previous night's ventures. The taxi ride to the airport proved to be more fearful than the flight. Our driver flew out of the parking lot, speeding down streets, giving us whiplash when turning, and nearly hitting the other taxi and other vehicles several times. I personally felt lucky to be in one piece upon arriving at the airport in Vilnius. The flight was a whole 40 minutes to Riga, Latvia, where we had a layover for about an hour. From there to Tallinn, Estonia, it was another 40 minute flight.
Once we landed, taxis were called and we proceeded to the Academic Hostel where we would be staying for the next two nights. We had a short time to drop our things off, and then we were headed to Tallinn University for a short overview of the history of Estonia, which we knew nothing about. After wandering around the poorly labeled and confusingly numbered campus for over ten minutes, we made it to the classroom late. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the teacher, who for all her genuine excitement about her country's history, couldn't keep some students awake. Those of us who managed to stay awake all looked bored, I'm sure. Although I found the history interesting, I had a hard time seeming interested, and I'm sure many of the other students shared my feelings.
When we were finished with the lecture, we had lunch in the cafeteria, and then headed over to Skype. For those of you who don't know, Tallinn, Estonia is where Skype started, and a good percentage of Skype's employees are in Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia. A lot of us were expecting a huge skyscraper with a giant sign. What we got was a building that at first appeared small and was in the process of a remodeling. During the tour, we worked our way from the fifth floor down, walking all over each floor. I felt like an "Alice-in-Wonderland" phenomenon had taken place, as the amount of space inside would never have been guessed from the outside.

The corporation was very impressive, with "phone booths," open work areas, video conference/call rooms, open areas for discussions and relaxation, and even a cafeteria where the employees get free lunch.

Heidy Heinpalu, the facilities manager, showed us around and told us some about Skype. I particularly enjoyed the modern and open decor, the casual feel of the place, and how the managers sat in the open area with the employees. The tour was very impressive.

When the tour was finished, the nine of us and Maik Huettinger, a professor from ISM who accompanied us on the trip, went back to the hostel. The majority of the people went to sleep, completely wiped out from the already long day. I sat in the lobby doing homework for an online class I'm taking.
Later, we all went into Tallinn and walked around a little bit. After talking about it and knowing we had the next two days free, we planned to take a ferry to Helsinki, Finland the next day.

The 4th of July!

Yesterday was the 4th of July (American Independence Day). The other American students recruited the Portuguese students to help celebrate. So last night, while the majority of the students went out and/or stayed in drinking, I helped out at the church. Although I admit, I do feel like "the odd one out" almost every night while basically all of the other students engage in drinking and or going out, I'm making my own fun.
After leaving the church, Giedre and I walked around for a while. She showed me a hidden path that leads to a hill overlooking old town Vilnius. The sun was going down, and it looked absolutely beautiful! We talked about all kinds of things; I can't help but be grateful to have found such a good friend so far from home.

This morning, most of the students were at least a little out of it from the night before. Personally, I had a great time without the partying, and without the side effects.
Tomorrow, some of us are meeting at ISM at 7 am to head out to Tallinn, Estonia. We will have a short lecture on Estonian history, a tour of the Skype corporation, and return to Vilnius late on Sunday, if I understand correctly. While this means missing both "youth night" tomorrow and probably church with the Millers on Sunday, I am excited to be going.
The feelings of homesickness have gradually been fading, and I just feel glad to be here.

Week One

Somehow, this first week of classes seems to have gone by in an instant and lasted forever all at the same time. It's not exactly an easy or fun thing to be in class all day, but I'll manage. We've done so much in these four days; I'm glad we don't have classes on Fridays!
What notably stood out to me about this week is that we've all clearly seen a lot of cultural differences both in and out of the classroom.
First of all, the very classroom structure is different than at home. Back home, when a professor asks an open question for discussion, there is usually not a "right answer." As long as students contribute to the discussion and factually support their opinions and ideas, they are generally accepted. Here, professors will blatantly tell you, "No, you are wrong," seemingly without a thought, just because you didn't give the exact answer they wanted. While your idea might have immense value to the subject at hand, if you didn't take it directly from the professor's mind, you're not right. Additionally, things seem to lack a certain organization I'm used to. There was no syllabus handed out at the beginning of class, there was no rubric or guidelines for the presentation we had to give, etc. This all definitely forces one to adapt.
There are also differences in the cultures of the students. The majority of the students here this summer are Portuguese, followed by American. While the American students generally strive to be on time and focused, the Portuguese students lag behind a little and chat during classes. But I hear they're great to party with (although I'm not doing any of that). In how we answer questions, how we approach our case studies, and how we give presentations, certain elements and values of our cultures shine through.
Obviously we're all being exposed to every day Lithuanian culture as well. We've all shared several observations. Among things mentioned have been everything from the fact that Lithuanians don't smile often to the fact that there isn't much spice in their food. For both the Americans and the Portuguese students who are here studying, there has been a lot of unfamiliarity.
I think it's important to note these things about culture. It is also important to realize that just because these cultures are so vastly different, that doesn't make any one better than another. We're all different, and it is crucial for each and every one of us to give our best attempt at understanding and appreciating each other and the culture's we come from. This is not only something for the students studying here at ISM to do, but also something everyone should be mindful of.

And So It Begins...

Monday was the first day of classes. Pastor Miller drove me to ISM University in Old Town Vilnius, and the Millers' sons, Taylor and Tyler, rode along. At this point, leaving the Millers was like leaving a security blanket. I didn't know what the day would hold, but I went into it with an uncomfortable uncertainty and an extreme lack of confidence.

I got to the room where classes would be held, room 410, and no one was there. It was 8:30, and class didn't start until 9, but I expected people to be there already. I sat on a bench in the hallway waiting. Soon, people began to show up. There are five other students from my university, The University of Northern Colorado (UNC), and although I didn't know them, I recognized a couple of them. There are also a couple other Americans who immediately fell into place with us. Unintentionally, we ended up sitting in such a way that one side of the room seemed to be American, and the other side Portuguese. There were also two girls from here in Lithuania, and one girl from Ukraine.

We had a short introduction at the beginning of the class, and then our professor, Benas Adomavicius, dove right in to our "International Marketing" class. That class goes from 9:00-12:15, and then we go have lunch. After this, we have Alfredas Chmieliauskas from 1:30-4:45 for "International Project Management." In this class, we broke into groups on the first day and were assigned articles to read and give presentations on.

My group consisted of a girl from UNC, named AnnaRose, and two Portuguese girls, Carolina and Rita. Our presentation would be the following day, yes Tuesday, our second day of class, and we would be first.

I've found these classes to be challenging, not in an impossible way, but they definitely get you thinking. As a student who has not taken many business courses in management yet, I am most definitely treading in unfamiliar territory. However, although they are somewhat demanding, I am enjoying them very much. I'm just grateful for the opportunity to be here.
 

Lietuva: Arrival and the First Few Days

When I arrived in Vilnius, it was after nine o' clock at night, and I was surprised that it was still completely light outside. Getting off the plane and through the passport check was far simpler than in London. I got my bags together and proceeded to the exit with ease. When I went through the door from baggage claim, Shasta Miller was waiting for me.
I rode with Tony and Shasta Miller to their house where several young people from their church were still gathered. They soon left with a van-full of them, off to take them home. That night it didn't get dark until after eleven o' clock, and even then, the sky to the north had a highlight as if the sun refused to vanish completely.
Saturday there was a wedding at the church that had been thrown together in a matter of a few days. It was very simple, but very nice. Shasta told me about a tradition here where after the wedding, the groom carries the bride over a bridge, symbolizing that he'll carry her over things for the rest of their lives. They then put a lock, usually with their names engraved on it, on the bridge and throw the keys into the water.

Later that day, we went to a small Mexican restaurant, yes, Mexican. The Millers know the owner. He told me that there are only a handful of Hispanics in all of Lithuania. When we were finished, I met Giedre, a girl from their church. Giedre and I started at the cathedral and walked all over town. It was quite a day.

(This was one particular church we passed; there are many! Apparently Napoleon parked his horses here when he passed through Lithuania.)







Sunday we had church service, and although it had only been a week since I was in a Sunday service, it felt like a lifetime. It was great. Shasta sang songs in Lithuanian, and Pastor Miller preached a wonderful message. I also got to meet a lot more of the people from their church.

Getting Closer and Closer...

Well, the day is getting closer. I leave next Monday. I can hardly believe that this is all really happening! You cannot imagine how excited I am!
Sunday I got some things I needed for my trip, including a suitcase (of the giant, purple variety). Realizing I'll be gone for an entirety of nearly 40 days, I'm very glad we can do laundry at the hostel ISM has for us!

Next Monday evening, June 25, I will be flying out of Denver International Airport. I will arrive in Iceland early the next morning where I have a layover a little over an hour. I should arrive in London around 11am local time on June 26. I'll stay there for a few days, and leave to Vilnius on the afternoon of Friday, June 29.

Yesterday I booked my return flights. I will have to get to St. Louis when I return, not just back to Denver. I'll be staying in Vilnius an extra week for their youth camp (July 23-27), which Shasta Miller, the missionary's wife, told me about. However, I can't stay for the entire thing. I'm involved in Bible Quizzing with my church, and I absolutely love it. There is an age limit, so this year is my last. We are going to Nationals in St. Louis, Missouri, and the orientation is on July 28. My team is predictably driving there, so they'll be leaving a day before orientation. Fortunately, I found a way around this potential complication. When I searched, the cheapest one way flight to St. Louis from Vilnius on July 28 was over $1200, and on July 25-27, prices weren't much better. This was not ideal, so I did a bit more looking around. I will be flying back from Vilnius to New York, and I have about a 7 hour layover in Ukraine. I'll be leaving Vilnius the morning of Thursday, July 26, and arriving in New York that evening. I'll stay there that night, have a day in New York, and then fly to St. Louis the morning of Saturday, July 28. I should arrive in St. Louis around 1pm, on time for orientation and everything. Surprisingly, going this way, even with staying in New York for two nights, will be between $400 and $500 cheaper than that original $1200 I found. Plus, I get a day in New York on the way back! Who wouldn't be okay with that? Nationals will last a few days in St. Louis, then I'll drive back to Denver with my Bible Quizzing team.

So now you all have an idea of my itinerary.

Tomorrow I start packing!

Only the Beginning...

This week, everything has really started to hit me. It's all so much more real now.
Monday, I wired the tuition money to ISM University of Management and Economics in Vilnius. From then on, everything was much more definite than it had been before.
I'm really doing this! I can hardly believe it!
Yesterday, on my nineteenth birthday, I gave a gift to myself, plane tickets. I had been thinking about going to Europe early and going somewhere before I head to Vilnius. If I can, why not, right? This opportunity may not come around again. So the first ticket I bought was from here in Denver to London. I will be leaving on Monday, June 25. That's right around the corner, really! From London, I'll be going to Vilnius, arriving late on Friday night, June 29. I'm sure I'll meet with Tony and Shasta Miller soon after I arrive, and classes will start on Monday, July 2. You cannot even fathom my excitement, I assure you!

All Things Work Together for Good

My name is Denise, and I am a student at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. In this blog, I will be sharing about my travels this summer as I study abroad in Vilnius, Lithuania. First, I'd like to share with you how this all got started...

At the beginning of this year, I decided I wanted to do something new and exciting with my life, and I wanted to do it soon. I needed some adventure. As far as I could see, I had two pretty obvious routes that could get me there: I could go on a missions trip through a church organization, Apostolic Youth Corps (AYC), or I could study abroad through my college, the Monfort College of Business. Regardless, I wanted something completely different in my life.

I realized I would definitely have to choose one or the other. It wasn't a matter of applying for both and going from there; it was a matter of which to apply for, as they both had sizable application fees and processes, and I knew I would only end up doing one. Being a logical person, I took to thinking and asking advice about my decision. Being a spiritual person, I took to praying about it.

Now, I thought my decision would be obvious. After praying, surely I would end up being swayed to a missions trip. But I wanted to pray about where to go too; AYC offers several options for summer missions trips, and I didn't want to choose one solely based on that I knew the leaders of a certain trip or that I had friends going on a certain trip. However, as I prayed, I didn't feel particularly drawn to any place. In fact, I hardly felt anything, an oddity for me while praying about foreign missions.

Then everything started falling in place for the study abroad trip, something I had hardly looked into at all. I came across a study abroad fair at my school and got some information. Of course, I picked up pamphlets for places like Australia, Italy, and Spain, places everyone wants to go. However, I also picked up a packet of specific summer programs the Monfort College of Business was offering. Of these, only one seemed possible; there was only one trip that was both in my price range and didn't interfere with other commitments I already had. This trip was to ISM University of Management and Economics in Vilnius, Lithuania. I remembered where Lithuania was from seventh grade world geography, but I didn't know anything about the country. I had no real desire to go there. Nevertheless, I added it to my list of possibilities and to my prayers.

As the application deadlines approached, I knew I had to make a decision. I had been thinking and praying for over two months, but my prayers had changed from being about whether I should do a missions trip or study abroad to where I should go on a missions trip. But still, to my dismay, I felt next to nothing about the missions trips. This really lead me to believe that I wasn't in a good place spiritually, but I proceeded with the only thing I knew to do and applied for the study abroad trip in Vilnius, Lithuania.

My grandmother, who raised me in church, was a bit skeptical about my decision. She knew I'd been praying about the missions trips and couldn't imagine that I ended up deciding to apply for a study abroad trip instead. "Well, do they have any missionaries there in Lithuania?" she asked. I promised her I'd look, but upon searching our church organization's website, I found none. I decided to withhold this information from her until I knew for sure whether I was even accepted to the program or not. A few days later, the news came that I had been accepted. I was excited, but also conflicted. I told my grandmother and a few others that I had been accepted, but I did not share that I had not found missionaries there.

The following Sunday, I went to the church in Loveland I'd been attending that semester. Being the oldest "youth" but the youngest "adult," I had been switching back and forth between going to the youth or the adult Sunday school classes. This particular Sunday, I chose to go to the youth class since I hadn't been in a few weeks. The pastor, Pastor Greg Albritton, taught the youth class, and before we started he said he would like to show us a video of the ministry work that some friends of his had been doing. He played the video, and I'm sure my jaw dropped as the word "Lithuania" appeared on the screen. Then the caption "2005-2010" came up, and I assumed they'd already left. When the caption "2011 to present" came up, in my doubting nature, I speculated to myself that the church was probably very far from the university in Vilnius, because this was just too good to be true. Then the caption "Vilnius House of Worship" came up, and all my doubts were silenced. I was simply amazed. For me, this was confirmation of more than one thing. First of all, I took it as confirmation that I did the right thing by applying for the study abroad trip. Second, I had been a bit unsure as to whether I should be at the church in Loveland, as I had been going to church in Johnstown during the fall semester, but this seemed to be so much of a "right place at the right time" situation that I could no longer doubt that either. Of course, I couldn't wait to share this news! I told family, friends, and of course, Pastor Albritton, right away. Through Pastor Albritton, I got in touch with the missionaries in Vilnius, Tony and Shasta Miller. I've included their website below:
http://missionlifelithuania.com/

When I look back and reflect on how this entire thing worked out, I am amazed. I never imagined that I would get an opportunity like this, and I certainly never could have guessed how it all fell together. Seeing the big picture of this, the only thing that comes to mind is a Bible verse...
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

 Vilnius, Lithuania