A Lot to Process....So Here's a List!

Hello All!

I am happy to report I am heading into my 3rd happy and healthy night in my English bed at SPEC! We arrived here Thursday after a flight over the Atlantic from Chicago (during which I got to sit next to fellow YAGM and Ohioan, Traci!)

This place, people and ministry is going to be easy to fall in love with. For this I am sure. Do you know that feeling when you can fully anticipate totally awesomeness and good things to come in the future, although those feelings are down the road a bit? Thats me now. This is for sure where I'm supposed to be. I know I will be able to thrive, contribute, learn, be challenged and fulfilled. This environment is suitable for all those things. And yet, these first couple of days in my new home and culture have been such a whirlwind of emotions and components, it really is taking me a while to process it. Perhaps its not something TO fully process--- and yet, I think it is human nature to take stabs at it the best I can. We are headed up to Snowdonia (a national park in Wales-- google it!) for a week of community building, training, and orientation. Should be a lovely experience!
Instead of rambling to you all any more, I shall leave you will a bullet-pointed list of some random things in my head worth sharing:

1. I will never forget the excitement and look in Rebekah's (a SPEC team member from New Zealand) face as she ran to me and Kris in the international arrivals area in London Heathrow with a SPEC sign. Pure happiness and comfort.
2. The sun was SHINING down on the English countryside and SPEC grounds when we arrived. Like out of the movies!
3. Experiencing the glow of candlelight on people's faces during evening prayer reminds me of Camp Luther- and keeps me inspired by all my brothers and sisters in Christ.
4. A sink in my bedroom means not having to brush my teeth publicy. Score one for Marta!
5. There is Sweet Chilli Sauce in the UK. There IS a God! :)
6. When having difficulty being about to converse with a Slovakian male, bring up Marian Hossa and soon that broken English will be chatting your eye off!
7. Getting to know you games, team builders and skits are a WHOLE different experience once you add in various elements of cross-cultural communication. I will come out of this year a better leader, listener, and empathizer for SURE
8. Nothing beats learning the swear words of your host culture. The pained-with-laughing looks on the faces of Germans, Hungarians, and Slovakians as they clearly discussed 4-letter words was priceless.
9. Steven Segal is a big deal in Hungary. Haha.
10. I miss my fellow YAGMs worldwide and think of them often. Bringing us together for orientation during a vulnerable/exciting time in our lives only to split us up feels like being snatched up from the puppy litter. :(
11. I'm back to having about 4 different pronouciations of my name- all which make me smile-- and are welcomed a helluva lot more than the lazy America "Marddda".
12. I'll look forward to experiencing London for the first time. Probably within the next couple of weeks.


Gotta go pack my backpack for Wales! Happy September to you all!

Shining my light,
Marta

More pics to come (a link out to anoher site eventually). But until then...

Ohio on the plane:



A few SPEC ladies:



My winning team during a recent "Cross the Swamp" Challenge:

UK All the Way!

“This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Today is the day!

After a week of ELCA orientation in Chicago, it is time to bid adieu to 43 of my fellow YAGMs, Hyde Park, and the United States of America as myself and 6 London-area YAGMs head across the pond this evening.

This week of orientation has been exactly what I’ve needed to prepare. Thought-provoking dialogue, questioning, logistical training, fellowship, friends and laughter… There was a dance lessons in Grant Park, chance to see Kellen's improv show, partaking in American food, being goofy and college-like in the hallways of our dorm, exploring Hyde Park (hi Obamas!) and an interpretive dance piece at last night's open mic night by the Pittsburgh Society of Interpretive Dance and Towels. (4 founding members).
It is truly amazing how quickly bonds are formed and then nurtured. It is my hope that we all are eager and equipped to form bonds in all the different cross cultural contexts we are about to engage. I’m not all too surprised about our successful attempts at forming meaningful and compatible relationships with fellow Lutheran 20-somethings. It is now time, however, to turn our hearts and minds to forming those same types of bonds with our brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world.

And I mean ALL over the world. Just to give you a break down of countries where Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) is present this year…
Mexico (5), Argentina (3), Uruguay (2), U.K (12), South Africa (10), Jerusalem/West Bank (6), Slovakia (3), Hungary (3) and Malaysia (6).
I look forward to connecting with all my peers and in turn, passing on some blog links and such to you all if you’re interested in following the program beyond all the Marta goods I’m producing.

I am currently sitting in a University of Chicago dorm laundry room preparing for the repacking and preparations of today before our flight. These past 8 months of transition and change have brought me to a time in my life I can’t WAIT to get started. I thank God for the multiple blessings, gifts, opportunities and people in my life that have brought me thus far, and continue to shape me as an individual as I fly over the Atlantic for this big adventure.

You will for sure hear a lot of the ELCA Mission philosophy and theology throughout this year--- but for starters, here is a train of thought one of the YAGM alumni shared this week…
“This year isn’t about going out to change the world, but being ready and willing for the world to change you.”

Letting my light shine,
Marta

Thoughts On A Summer Night

As I sit here on the Diehm family back porch on a gorgeous night in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA, I can't help but contemplate my adventure ahead. I leave on Wednesday for our week-long ELCA orientation, followed by my flight to London Heathrow on Wed. August 26th. Though I'm bound to be an emotional tub of goo as I kiss my family goodbye, I can't wait to be welcomed by my ELCA and YAGM family in Chicago. I imagine that week will be filled with fun, fellowship and a community of Lutheran 20-somethings that I feel so connected to and grateful for even before we've gone off on our years of service.

I promise I won't break into a chorus of "I have confidence in sunnnnshine...." (although, Maria singing and dancing with her luggage on the way to the Von Trapp villa HAS crossed my mind a few times). Still, my life is about to take quite a dramatic shift- and I am so confident, ready, thankful and delighted about the path to which God has led me. After I was "commissoned" today during the church service, I took a seat and started thinking about all my friends about to embark on a transitional stage in their lives. Some, like me, are going to serve. Some are starting grad school. Some are beginning jobs. Some are trying to FIND jobs. Some are getting married. Some are loving the single life. Some are taking big steps into their futures. Some are remaining antsy about the future on their parents' couches. All are in my thoughts as I leave my Midwestern upbringing for my life phase overseas.

Time sure does fly. Salvaging Facebook pictures and saving them onto my new computer this weekend was quite the trip down memory lane. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was eager with anticipation to start my freshman year at Capital.
"Whats this going to be like?" "Who will I meet?" "What am I going to get out of this?" All these questions have surely infultrated the minds of YAGMs throughout the summer and yet....

A YAGM alumni told us at our interview weekend: "Before you leave-- write down all your expectations and then put that piece of paper through a shredder." I have yet to physically carry out this bit of advice, and yet I have really tried mentally prepare myself without letting anticipations and expectations get in the way. I am a life long rule follower who enjoys guidelines, expectations, and bullet-pointed criteria. Its been nice to begin to give up this yearning for control- and these past 8 months of YAGM discernment and preparation have helped me to do just that. I anticipate many more "letting go" lessons throughout this year.


Instead of getting TOO theological on all you blog folk (I don't want to scare you away in my second post!), I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the endearing and thought-provoking Forrest Gump :)

"I don't know if Momma was right or if, if it's Lieutenant Dan. I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it's both. Maybe both are happening at the same time."

Whether you feel like you're currently fulfilling your destiny, floating aimlessly on the breeze, or somewhere in between-- may you be filled with happiness as you embark on the Fall 2009 chapter of your life!

Shining my light,
Marta


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