Ahoy From Berlin!

Today marks two weeks in our new home. Over that time I had started writing an update letter multiple times but became worried that I sounded too desperate and scared (our first five days) or like I was living a European dream (walking around the nearby lake while eating pastries). And you know what? I was wrong not to send my updates!  You want to hear when we struggle and when we thrive and I’m sorry I didn’t let you in on that!

Things are going well.  We will start language school on October 6th.  Our apartment is really cute, it has lots of light letting us soak up these sunny fall days.  A big furniture delivery comes this week; it will be nice when we’re not living out of suitcases.  

We spent this last week in orientation at the Envision Berlin site.  This is going to be wildly different from any “job” we’ve ever had.  So much of the focus was on rest and personal growth in Christ.  This next year Joel and I will be focusing on learning the language and becoming good neighbors in our area.  Fun Fact: where we live is called Alt-Hohenschonhausen (Old Tall Pretty Houses) and it’s a very fitting name.  We’ve met a few of our neighbors because we had to apologize profusely for our dogs howling while we were gone.  The only apology I know in German is the very formal form which fit because it really was my deepest apology for being a nuisance! The dogs have started to feel more comfortable in the apartment which allows Joel and I to run errands together.

Looking back, the last few months were a bit traumatic, but thankfully we’ve started to see pinpricks of peace.  Everything was so heavy for so long that I wondered if I’d ever feel peaceful again.  I’m not there yet (and won’t be for a while) but I noticed last night that we’ve been laughing again.  A couple of days ago Joel said, “Remember our first few days here when you stepped in dog poop three times?  I think my only memory of those days is of you washing off your sandals in the tub.” That started the laughter because it was true!  I was furiously washing my shoes every day and cursing every neighbor around me.  What a start of missional life here and visual of my heart! I was inconvenienced and wished harm on anyone who could be responsible.  As I’m writing this I am committing to praying for those people instead of cursing them.  Hold me accountable, please!

This apartment still doesn’t feel like home but it is starting to.  When we come home for the day it feels more comfortable, like a place of rest.  I’m sure that will only grow with time.

This is something we’ve never experienced and we are learning,  learning how to spend money differently, learning that grocery shopping takes twice as long due to the language barrier (but the prices are SO much lower than in the States),  learning that if it says we will arrive at our destination in 30 min, we need to give ourselves an hour because I will confidently get us on the wrong train.

We are so grateful for all of our supporters. Your prayers are felt.  Your dollars are helping us acclimate quicker. Jesus has been so sweet to remind me that nothing is out of his control. All of my anxieties are not unfounded and I can give them to him. Joel and I have been very accustomed to “performing” for our careers,  go go go all the time. It hasbeen our life and now we have to slow down.  It is a gift but one that we are learning how to accept!

Similarities between Berlin and the States:

• Fall!  It is crisp in the morning and the afternoons are full of warm sunshine and changing leaves.

• Kids will choose a huge pile of dirt over the playground equipment every time.

• Swans are jerks and hiss at you for being in their vicinity.

• People are generally very kind and want to help us, aside from that one guy at Ikea.

• Cooking dinner together is still the best part of the day.

Differences between Berlin and the States:

• No dryer!  We hang-dry our clothes like our neighbors!

• We bike or take public transport everywhere.

• Instead of soda we drink a ton of tea now. If you know Joel, he does miss 7up Zero, but hot ginger tea is his new beverage of choice.

• There is no “hop in the car and run to the store”.  Every outing takes 5x longer than we’re used to.

• There are regular quiet hours here. Nightly from 10pm - 6am, 1pm - 3pm (that's nap time) and all day Sundays. Our dream come true.

• The tap water gets SO HOT.  Like, burn you, hot. Like, you could probably mildly cook something with it, hot.  Showers are shorter and more careful.