La charme d'Allemagne...(Germany's charm....)

This morning, I awoke to sunlight streaming through a still-cracked window, listening to the sound of a lawn mower buzzing outside.  Good morning, Germany.

Happy to have rested so well, I curiously grabbed my ipod to check the time.  11am, CEST!  Last night, after reading up on a french cell phone plan and reviewing fruit and vegetable flashcards, I had finally succumbed to my fatigue at 9pm.... so 14 hours of sleep, not a bad start to overcoming jetlag, I'd say. :)

As I write, I realize most of you are still in the midst of your day, but over here, I'm about headed toward bed again.  Being here in Kandern at the beginning of this adventure has been the most wonderful decision.  I met up with Tim and Sandee Shuman at the airport almost immediately after grabbing my quickly delivered luggage from the near-empty Basel terminal.  The drive home was a dream.... as scenic as I remember the Black Forest to be!  We drove through the border into Germany without so much as anyone flinching, and at times could see both France and Switzerland from the car window.  Mrs. Shuman very kindly made a delicious dinner and then I got to the part of my day when I really knew God for His goodness: I took a hot shower.  :)  

This morning, I got a chance, using the Shuman's phone, to give a welcomed wake-up call to my parents (trust me, it was one of the few times I can say it was "welcomed" at 6am :).  After lunch, Mrs. Shuman and I strolled through Kandern and I tried to convince myself that, though it all looked familiar, my year here had not been a dream!  It was so wonderful to walk the town (it's so small and easy to navigate) and one of our first stops was the house my family lived in, where a BFA still resides.  I shamelessly took pictures to send to my family and had fun seeing how the house has been "modernized," and how it is still very much the same.  In addition to lingering sentimentally in each room, the Stemple's four-year-old Katy took me into the attic, where the family had a few swings set up--we never had swings!-- and also into her room--my room--our room.

On to the next dear place, and that was Black Forest Academy, the school my Dad taught at and where we kids went to school.  Again, a lot has changed in eight years, but there were still some familiar faces amongst the faculty.  Many people smiled knowingly when I said I was studying in Grenoble for the semester--the city is apparantly very beauitful (which I knew) and has a very solid Christian student community, run by a Christian couple, called Le Feu (which I also knew).  It was extremely encouraging to hear that from so many when I mentioned Grenoble, and it made me even more excited to get there myself and see what it is all about.  God is setting up community for me to find there.  I'm thankful already.

We went to dinner at this really amazing open-air restuarant out in the German countryside called Funfschilling, run by a Christian family.  The restaurant is completely supplied by the food that they grow themselves, much of which you could see near the roadside driving in!  I enjoyed chicken shnitzel, a very common food in Germany, as well as a fantastic salad (and of course it was fantastic... it was as fresh as if I had picked it myself!).  To top it all was their apfel juice, or apple juice, fresh squeezed from their own apples.  It was the best I've ever had.

Tonight I enjoyed looking through last year's BFA yearbook and talking with Mr. and Mrs. Shuman.  Their apartment is lovely, their dog KD, also a bichon frise like mine, is cute and playful (we've been playing fetch/tug-of-war for 20 minutes, now), and to say the least, I feel at home.  I thank the Lord constantly for His provision thus far and the wonderful way He is preparing me for the next few days, and weeks, and months!

You've prayed me into Kandern.... thank you.  Every comment I read is such an encouraging addition to this experience.  You can look forward to my next post being from the infamous place I'm so curious to explore, Grenoble (I promise)!