Fall 2017 in a Nutshell!

Well, my last blog was almost 4 months ago so it is safe to say I have been busy! 


Here are some pictures that help capture what the fall 2017 semester has been like here in Hungary! 

I arrived in Budapest on August 11th and had over a week to work at school before our all-staff orientation began.  I completely rearranged my entire classroom! 

On August 20th my friends and I went to the city to enjoy the St. Stephen's Day celebrations.  Sicilian pistachio gelato = my absolute favorite! 

Pictures cannot capture the fireworks along the Danube river, between the bridges.  They are the most spectacular I have ever seen! 

Before I knew it, the first day of school had arrived! If I look tired in this picture, it is because I had not slept in several days...

My first week of school coincided with Hurricane Harvey's post-landfall flooding in Texas  and I was in near constant communication with my family and friends. I was an absolute nervous wreck and praying for strength to get through each sleep-deprived day. I kept visualizing not only my dad's home but so many homes that held memories for me and my loved ones...not knowing how bad the damage would be. During this time, Facebook and the internet:

a) kept me informed with pictures and videos showing unbelievable scenes from my hometown

b) kept my anxiety level at an all-time high

Over the weekend after my first week of school, I had to take a 24 hour break from my phone because my heart was totally overwhelmed and unable to process the realities of the images I had seen and stories I had been told. 

It was a really hard way to start the school year but everyone was so thoughtful to check on me and pray with me during those crazy days.  I am thankful to serve with them as colleagues and even more thankful to count them as friends! 

I ended up making a quick trip to Kingwood to see my family in mid-September. It felt strange to be back under such unexpected circumstances. But I am so glad that God made a way for me to go. I needed to see my hometown and my people and I needed to see it with my own eyes.  

When I returned, it was time for our ICSB staff retreat! We went to a conference center about an hour from our school.  This weekend retreat is designed to be part spiritual refreshment, part community building and part professional development.  It was such a blessing, especially since I had just returned from Texas. 

These are the friends that I go to church and out to lunch with each Sunday!

We were excited for fall to arrive and see the leaves changing colors! 

In October, a family from ICSB treated me and several other teachers to a getaway weekend in southern Hungary, in the town of Harkány!  They have a bed and breakfast property, right across from the town's famous thermal bath complex! It was such a gift to have a relaxing weekend there! 

We also had a chance to visit the nearby city of Pécs for an evening!  It was beautiful! 

In October, I found the cutest little pumpkin at the farmer's market near my house.  I had to carry my pumpkin home so I knew I couldn't pick out a giant one!  I loved it's curly stem. 

My friends Megan and Rachel are both heading back to the U.S. before 2018 begins, so we decided to have an adventurous day trip to northern Hungary. In the picture above we were in the town of Visegrád. You can see the bend of the Danube river behind us! 

In Esztergom, the former capital of Hungary, we visited the famous Esztergom Basilica -- the largest church and tallest building in Hungary.  

I climbed to the top of the dome and the view was incredible! (413 steps but who's counting?...) 

Before heading back to Budapest, we walked across a bridge and had dinner in Slovakia! 

The Esztergom Basilica from across the bridge. It was a beautiful and memorable day spent with friends! 

Thank you to my sister's amazing and thoughtful mother-in-law Ellen Delap for sending me an Astros World Series Championship t-shirt in the mail!  I wore it to school on casual Friday with pride! 

In November we celebrated my friend Ashleigh's birthday in the city.  She chose what happens to be my favorite restaurant in Budapest, Akademia Italia!   

The weekend before Thanksgiving was the ICSB middle school musical production of Annie Jr.!  It was so much fun to help with choreography and be a part of this with the kids! 

Several of my closest friends are middle school teachers and I told them that after this experience, I actually like middle schoolers more than I thought I would!  They are SO cute and funny. Plus, Annie is one of my absolute favorite stories (and movies) ever! 

Megan and I went to Rome for the Thanksgiving weekend!  Here we are at the Colosseum.

The Spanish Steps

St. Peter's Basilica 

Trevi Fountain

And now for the most important part of the trip...the food! This comes as no surprise to those who know me well but Italian food is my love language (and if Sandra Vassallo Smith was your mother, it would most likely be yours too). :) 

The food was amazing.  I can tell you so much more if you want details but I don't want to bore anyone more than I probably already have!  

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!  I'm excited for these next few weeks of school, this time of year is so much fun (and also, so crazy)!  Maybe I'll try to do a December post in a few weeks! 

A package arrived this week from the children's ministries at First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood. They had made cards and bookmarks for our teachers!  Wow! What a wonderful reminder of the love, prayers and support from SO many people back home in Texas and across the U.S. 

I can never thank you enough for caring about my life here! Just getting a text or email from someone letting me know that they are praying for me - it means the world! 

Thanks for reading this blog update!  I am grateful for your love, support and interest! :)