Here I Go...!

So, they all speak English as their first language... that's a plus.  However, I feel just as much a fish out of water as I did 6 years ago (the last time I was involved in a church youth group) living and ministering in the Alps of Austria.  I just got back from the first youth group night of the year.  Can you say energy?!  

I'll be helping out with junior high this year and while I'm excited to be involved again, I have to admit that junior high is not my favorite age.  I didn't even get junior highers when I was in junior high!  There were many times tonight that I wanted to bolt out of there and get away from the awkwardness.  And what kept me there was remembering two experiences from my time in Innsbruck:

1. It was that completely awkward feeling standing in the youth room for the first time. not knowing anyone. not understanding any of the language. not one word. feeling completely stupid. uncool. feeling American. having thoughts like - what the heck am i doing here? and when can i leave? inability to remember names (or pronounce them sometimes). it seemed like this went on week after week with no end in sight... that struggle to engage instead of fleeing.

2. It was 10 months later, at a birthday party for one of my now dear friends, Judith.  The room was filled with oodles friends and acquaintances from the city.  Laughter and German chatter abounded and I was home.  I sat on the couch, surrounded by some of my best girls... girls I had gotten to know (in German and in English) in the past year.  Guys that I had hiked and biked with... students that had poured their hearts out to me because I had the time and desire to listen.  It was my little corner of Austria... in that room. I remember sitting on that couch surrounded by completely familiar... and be incredibly overwhelmed and grateful at God's working.

Those two memories made me glued to my seat tonight.  And I'm thankful for that glue.

Whoop whoop for junior high youth group!!

Even though it looks like an obstacle, it’s probably an opportunity.

This summer has been the most unique summer I’ve ever experienced, aside perhaps from the summer I spent in a different culture.  I say that because one would think that replacing a small little ligament in a knee would be a relatively simple fix.  It was a simple fix… a quick surgery and a textbook recovery. What I could never have imagined is how upside down living and rehabilitating this little ligament could be.  Here are a few of the big things that have been a challenge:

-   At first, literally moving.  A trip up 8 – 10 stairs would tire me to the point of napping.  Then it was bending, getting that range of motion to what my other knee is capable.  I’m still working on that, but it’s better every day.  Now, it's strength training in the muscles around my ACL. Stairs still pose a mighty obstacle as I’ve begun overcompensating in various ways to make up for the weakness in the muscles surround this little ligament.

-   Secondly, actually moving.  My lease was up in July, as was my former roommate’s planned stay in Stevens Point.  So, just two weeks after my surgery, a new lease and a new roommate started to be a part of my life. I’ve loved everything about this new place and the new roommate, but I tell ya what… organizing, unpacking, decorating, shopping, assemblying and repurposing is hard work without a recent surgery! It’s taken at least twice as long and I’m still not settled to the desired level. 

-   Have I mentioned that my business office moved along with my physical address? Again, restructuring, organizing, finding, assemblying, unpacking… with insurance files and leads.  It’s all been a challenge.

Of course, there have been bright spots amidst the challenges.

-    My younger brother loves to pack and unpack things into a van and trailer.  This man not only took everything I own down a flight of stairs to our van, but up another flight of stairs at my new place. Spending this time with Cody (and having his help!) has made this move possible and 3,000 times more fun.

-   Time to relax.  I’ve really had to slow down this summer physically.  I haven’t been biking, slacklining or playing ultimate or doing any sort of physical exertion beyond stair-climbing. This is much harder than it looks or sounds.  At first, it sounded like a vacation of sorts, until exhausting 3x a week physical therapy and daily leg-strengthening exercises were added to the routine.  At times, this is frustrating, but I’ve also been trying to see it as an opportunity for rest, recuperation, and retooling. I’ve read a lot, learned a lot about the Milwaukee Brewers (and baseball in general – fascinating), and got to vacation and reconnect with friends… all at a slower pace, mind you. These are huge blessings behind what was disguised as an obstacle.

So, this summer has felt like no other.  In some ways, I feel like I’m in a different culture because of the new experiences I’ve faced! I’m more thoughtful about a lot of what I do (mostly because every step is an opportunity to reinjure myself) and I’m excited about what the fall will bring as far as my schedule goes. Again, there will be some new experiences and chances to explore more of life and what it means to be Jaime in it.

PS – one of my goals is more frequent posts here so stay tuned.

He's got this, all this, all the time

One of the not so wonderful souvenirs that I returned to the States from Austria with was a torn ACL in my left knee. I was spending some quality time on a trampoline in the Alps near Salzburg, Austria and well... I guess they say you should always watch the landing.  I knew something was wrong with my knee almost immediately, but I wasn't sure if it was permanent or just something that I needed to "walk off." So, I wandered around Innsbruck for another 4 days before heading up to Munich for some more wandering.  Then, I got on a plane with all of my luggage and lived in the States for a week before I decided I had better just get that checked out to be sure.
 

With my mom recently having both knees replaced, my family has an orthopedic guy sort of on call.  The news of a complete tear hit hard, mostly because I knew that I would have to get it fixed and the uncertainty of that was pretty overwhelming.  Then came grief... over the fact that, even with surgery, my knee would never probably be 100% again. There was some "I'm getting old" talk in there and finally, I came to accept this as a new adventure - one called ACL surgery and recovery.  I guess that every exit is an entrance somewhere else, right?  I'm really trying to see opportunity in this, instead of another several weeks off of work, followed by some pretty intense physical therapy.
 

At this point, I can walk pretty easily with my knee.  It's in the plan to bike after I hit "post" here. Stairs are not super fun, basically because my left knee just feels really unstable when I put any sort of weight on it or try to balance on it. I do some range of motion exercises daily just to keep things loose and my other ligaments from getting tight or weak.  Probably the most painful thing that has happened to me was the instinctive reaction to stepping in gum with my left foot... twisting and grinding it into the pavement (twisting that mainly comes from the knee!) to get the gum off. Yowsers!  Did that smart, or what?!

Surgery is scheduled for June 28th. It won't take long - maybe 1.5 hours - and then the fun begins. Things on my downtime list: Reading, writing, helping at Riverside however I can, crafting, playing Scrabble with my mom, moving from one apartment to another (i know, right?), hopefully writing some more. 
 

I didn't want to spend my summer in a brace, being driven to and from rehab appointments.  I didn't want to meet my insurance deductible this year. I didn't want to give up things like slacklining, roofball, ultimate frisbee, or biking this summer. I didn't want to lose my God-given ACL to one He gave someone else.  BUT. I'm grateful for family and friends who are going to pitch in and help.  I'm thankful that I had health insurance so that I'm not footing the whole bill. I'm fortunate to be able explore other interests while I'm recouping toward those activities again. And I'm really glad that God has given wisdom to doctors and others to be able to reconstruct my knee.  He is good and He's got this, all this, all the time.

Just like that!

Just like that, my trip to Austria ends and I am hit with responsibility back in the States.  Pair that with disorienting jet lag, pictures to download, a trip to process and a bum knee to get checked out, one can imagine why writing here isn't the top priority - though perhaps the healthy one!

The last days of my time in Tirol were just stunning!  More beautiful weather, a church retreat and just oodles of time with friends.  It was literally as if I had never left all of those years ago.  Innsbruck will be my vacation spot in years to come.  I found that it was so easy to get there.  I mean, when I left for Innsbruck the first time, it felt pretty laborious... I was moving physically, emotionally and mentally for a whole year. There was a new language, transportation system, city, and culture. It just seemed like a big task and it was!  All I had to do this time around was pack a bag (full of way too much stuff!) and hop on a plane for a few hours. Yes, some have vacation homes on a lake... my vacation home is in the Austrian Alps with some very dear souls :)

A lot of people have asked me what the highlight of my trip was... It's hard to pick just one experience since they were all so special and varied.  Each could have been my favorite in a different category.  However, a big highlight for me was being able to share a story of God's provision in prayer with the Baptist Church at a retreat, speaking in German!  I was completely terrified by nerves, but I knew that I wouldn't have this opportunity often so I challenged myself to share in German.  There were about 80 native German speakers in front of me as I got up to share about what God had done.  As soon as I got up there, I knew I was among friends and family.  They had to shout out a few words (in unison even!) when I was a little stuck, but honestly, to be able to share in a language of another truly left me... well, speechless, I guess. Language is such a connector!

I'll leave you with a few pictures from my travels.  I hope to write more soon about some family history, life in my now, and the next big adventure for this lady!

On top of the Hafelekarspitze 2234 m

Julia, Lydia and me

In the old city of Innsbruck

On a hike above Rum with Julie

With Judith in Munich

Halltal

Yesterday, I was up on the top of a mountain (2200 m) via cable car.  Today, I was at 1500 m with my feet... and my good friend, Christoph!  We began at about 8a.m. this morning in Absam, maybe 700 m.  As we entered the valley opening to Hall in Tirol, it looked and felt like spring.  The flowers were in blume, the air smelled warm, the trees and everything was alive with energy.  We continued up along the way and as my energy ended quickly, we had to stop for some little breaks.  St. Magdalena was one place we sat and enjoyed the aussicht (view). 
Just above St. Magdalena, we began trudging through snow, and it smelled like fall/winter... the air was cooler too.  The Weißenbach (the creek I "bought" last time I was here becuase I loved it so much!) was running really fast down into Hall/Mils.  There was SO much snow in Tirol this winter, and a lot of it is still there in the upper parts of this valley.

We reached the Herrenhäuser (1500 m) and I was ready for a long break.  It was pretty cool that even though I was tired, I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, and then it got easier.  I guess I got my second wind or something.  The Herrenhäuser was a hotel/restuarant that has been closed about 12 years because an avalanche destroyed part of the hotel.  Because it has historical significance when the salt was mined in the valley, there is no possibility to rebuild it.  There is also not really a road that would support all of the machines needed to repair or rebuild... so, there we sat, by the old and dilapidated Herrenhäuser and enjoyed the most wonderful view of the whole valley.


After a bit, we "skied" down the snow with our feet and then walked a long way before we hitched a ride with a government vehicle to get us back down to Absam.  That little hitch hike cut about 1 hour off of our hike.  SWEET deal!  My feet are truly grateful!

Tonight: The Avengers in English!!

Daily.

Normal, daily life has kind of set in here in Tyrol.  I have one or two people that I meet each day.  Today, I am meeting one of the youth (now all grown up and married!) that I knew well when I was here.  In the evening, I will go to the family that I lived with when I was au-pairing.  It will be a sweet reunion, as I am sure that all of the boys have grown so much!


Tomorrow, I will get to ride up the mountain I lived on in a cable car... For all of those months that I saw people going up beside my house, I never had a desire to go up there.  But, this year, I do.  So, my friend from Luxembourg and I will go up to see the Inntal in all of its glory!  I also hope to make it to a special forest tomorrow with Fabian.  It is the National Holiday tomorrow so many people have off.  These next few days will be rather full of meetings, a BBQ, a movie perhaps, and lots of friends.

This update is nothing super special, but I just wanted to let you know what I have been up to.  I have been so enjoying the language and culture again.  I think this might have to be an annual visit in the coming years!  More stories to come!  And hopefully pictures too!

The Valley at Night

Even as the wordsmith that I am, I cannot begin to put into words the beauty of this night in the Inntal. I sat for awhile with Mum Grander as the night crept in. Houses across the valley turned on their lights like we had. The snow-topped mountains shown brightly, even with the dim moon. She with her sudoku and me with my journal, we sat in relative silence for a little while. As twilight hit the mountains, epic-ness ensued. We began a long conversation (spoke primarily in German) about ancestors, letter writing, and the activities of our days. It was during this time that I realized the reason I (and I think many people) get such a rush from language learning. There is some sort of unspoken awesomeness that comes with speaking a different language and being understood. Being able to share thoughts in a way that the other is completely comfortable with... it is truly stunning! Do you know a language that well? One besides English, I mean? I am completely grateful that God gave me to opportunity to undertake this language... because of the people it allows me to know and be known by.


Tomorrow, there is more bopping about Innsbruck. Sunday is church and hopefully more people. more German. Gotta soak it up while I can!

Transplanted from Tyrol

Greetings out of Tirol!

I arrived yesterday in the early afternoon, but I don't remember much about yesterday except for the two Austrian meals I was fed and the wobbly bike I was put on!  Talk about an adventure... it felt like it was going to fall apart at any moment, but it was just a warpped wheel or two.  It will get me around town for sure.

After 15 hours of sleep, I woke up to the most beautiful view...



This is the view I am seeing right now from my computer!  The Bettelwurf in all of his glory.

It is rather strange to me that this does not feel like a vacation to be here... it feels like home... or like, just another day in Tirol.  I do not feel a rush to go out and see a bunch of things or anything... I just like to relax on the veranda, see the mountains and enjoy breakfast (or as it is, lunch!).  I will go out later to meet a friend or two, but I don't see my time here as limited... it is simply a stop of many stops in my life as a transplanted Tyrolean!

The Now

Some of you probably thought that I have been sick or dead or unable to type in these last months, but alas, that is not true.  I've found other outlets for writing, but some big news has prompted me to fire this baby back up!  I'm heading back to Austria for a visit this next Tuesday!!

I'll be spending about 15 days in and about Innsbruck, seeings lots of old friends, visiting old haunts, hiking, traveling with friends, etc... I'm SO excited!  It will be the first time that I'm back in the country since I left it 4.5 years ago!  My hope is to be able to blog some stories of the adventures either while I'm there or very soon afterward.  The plans for the trip are coming together and I'm filling every moment I can with people.

Be praying for me as I go.  My goals are to encourage each person that I see as well as be rejuvenated myself by being back in this place that I've spend a very impacting year of my life.  Thanks! 

Pictures and updates to follow... :)