So I’ve finished my second semester with Calvary Chapel Bible College, I am sitting in my favorite caffè, Caffè Corona, in the little town of Montebelluna Italy. Having a latte Macchiato. I just had a little conversation with the owner Francesco, who is attending classes to learn English in the evening. He is a member at the local church here, so nice. His shop is decorated for Christmas and the music is playing softly over the speakers. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. I was thinking of a blog to write for Christmas, my last one was a little christmasy but I needed to write home also. So I decided to tell you all about my year, in moderate detail.
January-
I spent the beginning of 2011 in California, visiting for Christmas with friends and family, sleeping on couches, had a huge unexpected family reunion, watching babies, met my new little cousin, visited my great aunt, having lunch dates, coffee dates and dinner at the homes of families I adore, ringing in the new year with some of my best friends. Having a blast.
mid january I flew back to Hawaii to make some money, I was blessed with too much work, I was babysitting and going to the beach with my friends, hitting the pool almost daily, it was a lot of work and a lot of fun.
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| how cute is this little man "Davin" |
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| most of the family and some great friends |
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| my dear Great Aunt Lorraine, Love this lady so much! |
February-
I stayed in Hawaii until mid February, I arrived to a beach house week, spent some quality time with the little ones, then working until almost the day I left, God truly blessed Carrie and me that month supernaturally! Went to the Eddie Aikau surfing competition, I also got to accompany a dear family to the big island for vacation. I then boarded a plane to begin a long trip to Europe,
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| the view from the beach house we stay in on Barbers :) |
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| Marlene and Me at the Eddie Aikau Surf Competition, waiting to see if it will go! |
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| all sitting still and smiling at the same time...magic?...threats?...bribes?...yes! |
I started with an overnight stop in San Francisco, where I got to spend the evening with my Mom and my favorite Aunt Robin in her posh apartment near little Italy. We spent the evening, talking, and reorganizing my bags, the next morning I left for New York.
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| oh, it's just snowing in central park, no big deal! |
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| so cool to see this lake all frozen over, Central Park, Manhattan |
I stayed for a week with my friend Michelle in Midtown Manhattan, a girl that I babysat once upon a time, who is attending/about to graduate from college At the Kings College in New York, fabulous young lady. Michelle always welcomes me when I am in the city, so hospitable! I visited some other friends, went to a concert in Brooklyn, and saw central park covered with snow, walked around Harlem loved every minute of it! When it was my time to leave the city, my friends surrounded me and prayed that my trip would be not only safe but also fruitful, they sent me with the Peace of God.
I arrived in Paris France February 16th and it was the first time I felt alone in the world. I took a train to the Guar De Nord station where I was to meet my Friend Dede, who took me all over Paris for three days. I entered that cathedral Notre Dame, I saw the city from the Eiffel tower, I spent hours perusing the Louvre, I walked the Champs De Lissez to the Arc De Triomphe, I had a ham and cheese croissant in a corner caffe, and a cup of decadent hot cocoa at Angelinas Botique, all in all it was an amazing trip and Dede was a fabulous hostess. We talked for hours and hours. It was a time I will always remember fondly.
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| Notre Dame |
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| Eiffel Tower |
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| Arc de triomphe |
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| standing in front of the Louvre |
After some complications I arrived in Montebelluna Italy on a Sunday afternoon February 20th 2011, where I then lived for three glorious months, learning about the word of God, spending time with Italians, learning the language.
March-
April-
I continued to do homework in café’s, ride bikes all over our town, take long walks to the chapel on the hill. Visit Venice for the day, meet up with friends to have “Italian lessons”, I love Italy; I had my 28th birthday in our flat surrounded by my roommates and Italian friends. I was greeted at church with many Auguri’s, and Buon Compleanno’s, hugs, blessings and gifts, It was a great birthday. Then a lunch prepared by my dear friend Gabriella, and a cake prepared by another dear friend Tatiane, we sat and talked at the table for a long time. It was gift enough that I got to spend the rest of April in Italy, but I had a fabulous day with new friends, God is Good!
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| the girls |
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| Venice, Me and Abigail |
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| Bella Italia, Venezia |
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| St. Marks Basilica, Venice, Italy |
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| we went at Carrnivale, when the masks are worn, we got festive |
April is also the time when I first began correspondence with Kari Segner, her family had just written that they were moving to Uganda Africa, she relayed to friends and family that they would need an “intern” and I prayed and asked that they would also about me being that person.
May-
May was a little whirlwind! I finished my finals like a champion, and ended up being the last girl to leave the flat. Left Bella Italia with deep sadness in my heart. I flew to Germany to meet up with my friend Marlene and stay with Gary and Tessie Moore, friends of the family that I live with in Hawaii, they were also incredible hosts, such a cute family, who toted us around everywhere, catered to our every need. They were amazing, Tessie took us all over Germany to see the sites, we visited her little town, burn castle, and spent a day in Luxembourg. 10 days in beautiful green valleys of Germany.
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| A walk to a field in Bitburg, Germany |
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| an estate in Luxombourg |
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| cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels |
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| Burn Castle, Germany, Me, Marlene, little Lydia |
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| Burn Castle, Germany |
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| Burn Castle, Germany |
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| Burn Castle Germany, the Rhine River |
On may 25th we flew to New York, and Marlene and I parted ways, I took the train to the lower east side where I met up with my old friend Miriam. Who took me to her apartment in Harlem to crash for, what felt like, hours. Miriam and her 9 roommates are always so much fun! I spent the next four days running around Manhattan, being a tour guide (who knew) for my friend Nic who had just moved to the city weeks before. Walking around in shorts, New York had its summer wardrobe out. No more snow. Full sun, and so much fun.
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| Times Square New york, those were the only shoes i brought home |
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| My friend Nic, just seeing the city at night |
I flew to California for three days, made it to an important graduation party, had breakfast, lunch and dinner with friends and family and spent every moment in between hugging my little Lambdin babies.
Flew back to spend the summer in Hawaii.
June –
Carrie had a very structured schedule set up for me. I was working and working hard, watching up to 9 kids during week day mornings, she is always so generous, we held a camp at her house, and she helped me run it when she was not at work. That is just how Carrie Elliott rolls; I can’t explain how much I love her. My days were filled with playing at the pool, naps, holding babies, slathering sunscreen, library trips, dance parties and picnics at the park.
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| The Elliott Kids Playing in the Ocean |
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| Love this picture, Love these kids! |
I received an official invite to join the Segners in Uganda by e-mail.
July-
more Hawaii, we camped at my favorite beach in the whole world Waimanalo bay, I went snorkeling (sort of, I get sea sick, it’s super lame) saw my friend in a play, helped my friends move, got a job packing and moving an entire 5 bedroom house across the island, went to boot camp on the beach, saw the fireworks with my feet in the pacific ocean, on what is considered the “most beautiful beach in the world” Lanikai , I might beg to differ, but it is pretty nice. Spent most of July with Jody Main, my new soul sister, she has this amazing energy and a great family. They were a blessing to me, and we did so much I really fell in love with the island, (love replaced an animosity that you will only understand if you have lived there for an extended time) the Mains made my summer, Jody and I sat in her kitchen countless times and talked over coffee, watched movies, went shopping or to the beach. I was honored to be invited to everything they did.
August-
finished up my summer attending a promotion ceremony for Chris Elliott, my friend/boss in Hawaii, who is now a Major. Spent a lot of time unpacking a 5 bedroom house in Lanikai, soaking the last bit of the summer sun before I boarded a plane to California, I had an intimate send off dinner with my closest friends in Hawaii. We ate Italian food, and watched the kids dance to “Mambo Italiano”
September-
15 days in Cali, hung out with my mamma a lot. Laid low, visited with friends, Got a haircut, sold my car, went through some worldly possessions and got rid of a lot of it. Saw my sister and my brothers. Family stuffs.
Flew to NYC AGAIN!!! I can’t help how much time I spend in New York, it is a great place! I stayed mostly with my friend Michelle, but hung out with Miriam and Nic also, I got to attend two classes at the Kings College with Michelle, so cool! Miriam took me to see her new apartment in the lower east side; I stayed the night with Miriam’s roommates, because she had to leave town. They had a bonfire on their outside patio area, we sat around and laughed, caught up. It was a beautiful night. I spent a day walking around with Nic, we had lunch in Bryant park. While a Chinese jazz band played. I then flew to Italia to start my second semester at CCBC Italy.
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| yes, chinese jazz, at Bryant Park |
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| He is Prettier than i am...he is a high fashion model! love Nic! |
I arrived in Montebelluna Italy once again, this time at 11:30 pm, I walked to my flat where I met my new roommates, who thought the doorbell ringing for ten minutes was church bells somewhere nearby. It was a short night and I began my semester the next morning bright and early. It was a great time, getting to know these roommates, there were more of them, and we had some good moments that first month getting better acquainted, starting some great inside jokes. October-
October we went once again to Austria, treated like princesses, heard some inspiring messages on eternal truths. Sat looking over the lake for hours, laughed, talked of “holy things”, beautiful, beautiful. Celebrated Halloween with a whole litter of cats, my roommates and I all painted our faces and ate and took pictures together.
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| Our view from the patio...fabulous |
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| the view from the Prayer Tower |
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| chilling in the prayer tower |
November- Went to Padova, Italy for outreach week and helped prepare for the ladies Christmas tea here in Montebelluna. Fell in love with my roommates, attended church, went to kids church and learned the pilgrims progress in Italian, “viaggio del Pellegrino” for thanksgiving I went to Germany again, the Moores had been reassigned to Arizona, so I took it as a sign that I was to see them, I had maybe one of the top 3 thanksgivings of my life, maybe top 2. We had a delicious dinner, went to three Christmas markets, one in the Netherlands, one in Achen, and one in Dudledorf. We went and had the best pad thai ever in bitburg. Talked, ate cheese, drank wine, it was fabulous, hard to come back to reality, but not so hard when reality is a flat with 10 girls in Italy!
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| some vanilla covered dough ball in Achen Germany |
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| Christmas Market, Achen, Germany |
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| Bruna and Me on the last night of school! |
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| this was our Mafia pose, but i didnt get the memo |
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| Gioele and Dany Ferrara, Love these Brothers! |
-I finished my semester strong, said good bye to my dear roomates stayed with friends in Montebelluna long enough to attend the womens christmas tea, took a long train to sicily (13 hours), spending christmas with some schoolmates and their family, in syracuse, then go to catania and stay with some new people who are friends of a friend. I am scheduled to ring in the new year as I travel from one airport to the other in London.
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| iris, in sicily, at what Gioele called a "really sicillian coffee bar" |
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| the Sbarcadero |
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| It's an Island afterall... |
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| Duomo di- Siracusa |
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| oh the honking! |
Looking forward to spending half of 2012 in Uganda, Africa.
Thank you for all of your love and support over this year, it has blessed me immensely.
Happy Holidays to my friends and Family from Sicily
Mele kalikimaka- from Hawaii
Buon Natale- From Italy
Merry Christmas- From California
Webale Krismasi- from uganda
love
Rachael
