GRE

It's done...My testing appointment was for 9:30 this morning. I was told to arrive no later than 30 min before testing was scheduled to begin. I decided to leave my apartment at 7:45 to give myself plenty of time. Since I don't use public transportation during the day, I wasn't sure how long it would take. I was pleasantly surprised with the time it took to get to my stop. I walked for a bit and found the testing site well marked. I wandered into the testing center just before 9:00.

I greeted the woman who graciously explained (in Romanian) that they had been having technical difficulties for the past 2 days and she wasn't sure if I'd be able to take the test today. She didn't expect to know anything before 10:00. I could wait in the hall. I pulled out my vocabulary flashcards and waited...and waited...and waited. Three other examinees arrived. She kept telling us she hoped it would only be a few minutes longer. Two examinees decided to leave and come back for the 1:30 testing time.

Just before 11:00, she called me in to register and assigned me a computer--only an hour and a half behind schedule. I was thankful the exam was computer based so when I finished sections early, I didn't have to wait on anyone else to finish. After 2.5 hours, I finished. The woman 'proctoring' the center was a little shocked that I had completely finished the test. Apparently, most people use 4 hours. I was thankful to be walking out the door when I did...hungry and ready to stop thinking! I'm thankful to have this step done in the process of applying for grad school.

Thanksgiving :)

I had the privilege of traveling to Budapest, Hungary for Thanksgiving break this year. My parents also arranged to be in Budapest so we were able to enjoy some time together! We all stayed with another missionary family with ReachGlobal who graciously welcomed us into their home. It was wonderful to leave my computer at home and just enjoy being with people.It was fun to be around young kids again. We spent lots of time sitting together reading books!

This is all of us headed into downtown Budapest on the train.

In front of St. Stephen's church. The designs on the ground were beautiful!

Some things I'm thankful for:

• God's still at work in my life and in the lives of those around me
  
• warm weather so far this winter which makes traveling to/from school pleasant
• friends and family who love me and support me
• technology that allows for communication
• a great group of students to work with at BCA

Szentendre

On the last day of my time in Budapest, we drove to Szentendre, a small town near Budapest with lots of fun little shops and beautiful scenery. We walked around enjoying the sights and stopped in to look at numerous shops. This town claims the world's only Marzipan museum. Their collection includes the Hungarian Parliament, beautiful wedding cakes, Walt Disney characters, furniture replicas, and so much more, Additionally, you can watch them create new things.

The Never Ending Tram Ride

Because of a Romanian national holiday on December 1st, we had Monday and Tuesday off this week as well. Because of the shortened week, I knew I'd need to spend some extra time at school to be ready for next week. As I left school Friday evening, I was thankful for my warm coat and gloves. I trudged down the street about 10 min to catch the tram. The first one came and it was packed so I decided to wait for another one, figuring it'd be coming soon. Two rounded the corner just a few minutes later. I passed up the first, hoping the second one would be emptier and I might end up with a seat. I was thankful for the seat and the warmth. Before arriving at the next stop, we came to a halt. I didn't really take much notice of it (I was reading a good book), until I realized we'd been sitting for some time and people were starting to walk to the front of the tram to get off. I decided to give it another five minutes (or until everyone else left the tram) and then make a decision. Five minutes later, we were still sitting in the same spot. I trekked to the front of the tram and exited, seeing 6 trams lined up in one direction and three coming on the opposite tracks. Blocking the path was an ambulance. I snapped the picture below (I know it's blurry...) just as the ambulance began to move. So instead of taking the metro or walking, I ran back across the street and got on a tram for the remainder of the trip home. Over an hour after leaving school, I walked through my front door thankful for a beautiful, warm apartment, safety, and a quiet evening ahead.