Lessons Learned

Often people ask me, "What's it like to live over there?" or "Man, that must be a neat experience" or "why the #$%& would you want to move so far away?" and other such things. A lot of time my response is something lame, and unthought out like "it's been a really great opportunity" or "I am learning so much" and I leave it at that. Occasionally people ask what I am learning. It's a good question...and i have these experiences and say to myself "well, that is a lesson learned". So in the interest of reminding myself and telling all my adoring fans here is a brief run down of lessons learned...some serious, some funny, some that will apply only to me, some that you may disagree with...but all lessons learned (some have to be learned multiple times unfortunately).

1) I am a big fan of personal space...not getting it makes me really cranky
2) On a related note...it is possible to be touching/to be being touched by at least 6 different people on the bus at one time.
3) The train station in Poprad DOES NOT tell you what track number your train will be on if it is track 1 or 2, so pay attention
4) Letters and packages from home are really special
5) I have really great people in my life
6) Coffee is addictive
7) God is very real
8) The bottom line: Love God, Love Other People. End of story.
9) If the milk smells bad, it probably is
10) I hate cabbage
11) If a student teaches you a new Slovak word, then tells you to go say it to someone else, it's probably crude
12) I am completely self-absorbed
13) Suffering is not a bad thing...you learn more in times of hardship than ever in your life
14) A prayerful life is cultivated when you run out of options, patience is learned from situations that try your patience, and humility is learned through humiliation...be careful what you pray for.
15) If you nod and smile people will think you understand what they are saying.
16) When in doubt you can respond with the words probably or maybe.
17) Plants die if you don't water them
18) Love
19) It is possible to not share DNA with people but to still consider then family
20) Life is really really really short...every moment is an opportunity.