Day 11...

It doesn't really feel like day 11 here in Belfast...although I couldn't tell you if it feels like day 50 or day 2. I guess not day 2, then I would still be very tired and have a headache. So, on the scale, who knows what day it is. The job description has been a little more filled out as I step into somewhat of a consultant role for the pastoral team and get to put together a giant survey and report on the life on the church and the congregation. I am also participating in KidzGAP (aka moms and tots...so cute), FridayFusion with primary age kids, and Drop-In with inner city youth. Tonight I have the privilege of teaching dance class to some of these youth...we'll see how that goes...I dunno if contemporary dance is their cup of tea (with milk and sugar of course). So if I come out alive tonight, I will then update you all on how it went later.

I was very excited to get to spend the bank holiday on Monday with the lovely Lauren Tumilson, who is so glad to have someone here to do cheesy touristy things with...like buy items with shamrocks and leprechauns on them and go on cheesy city bus tours. Really, it's nice to be in the same city as she is and have her show me the ropes.

I also had the privilege of taking part in the David Ervine memorial lecture yesterday evening with a keynote speaker who played a large role in the peace process in South Africa. While I may not have been connected to the peace process here or to David Ervine personally, as many of the attendees were, I gained an insight into the wide range of people that are working towards peace in this community and how they understand the struggles that are still going on here in Belfast. It was lovely to hear the comparisons between South Africa and Northern Ireland and know that the process is a lengthy one in any place, and that sometimes you must fall back and regroup, give up power, and live in a time of transition for a long time.

Still missing home. And the time difference still really stinks. I don't know if this will improve in the next 8.5 weeks or not...we'll see.

Things that I have learned or that perplex me:
- The weather here...sunny one minute, pouring rain the next, and ranging from allowing me to get a sun burn to feeling like I'm going to freeze to death...strange
- The stairwell leading up to the EBM offices ALWAYS smells like sunscreen. I don't understand it. I don't think I ever will.
- To do a cheesy double decker bus tour is really actually pretty fun, and they do a good job with being neutral and slightly comical on the political side of things...but most of it is about the Titanic.
- I am good at getting others addicted to Facebook games/iphone apps...Candy Crush. Do it.
- Britain's Got Talent...and that dang song by the 14 year old girl can get so stuck in your head!! [Put your lighters in the air, if you've ever been scared...]
- I drink a lot of tea here.
- The candy is better here.

That's all for now.
Peace,
Carrie