back to school...

today was my first day of school all over again. my mom always took a picture of my sister and i on our first day, so here it is - aren't i cute? i finally started german classes. whahoo! and now i know, "hallo, mein name ist taryn glidewell. ich komme aus den usa, und ich wohne in starnberg. ich bin neun und zwanzig jahre alt." or somethin like that... the teacher even said i was, and i quote, "advanced". yes. so, i am well on my way to vocalisin' with the locals. it's crazy how international it is here, there are 2 girls from kenya, 1 from poland, 1 from the ukraine, and 1 from bolivia in my class. i can't underestimate how blessed i am to have english as my first language, german is so similar in structure and most people speak it (english) over here.
i think i will have to do quite a bit of studying on my own however as this is only a short summer class and then next semester i will not have time to take another. perhaps i will in the spring - hopefully. it's slow going and i don't want to lose what i (will) have already learned. the best part of all is that it started completely pouring down rain afterwards and i had to ride my bike home in the lightning storm. i looked like a drowned rat.

Psalm 23

God, my shepherd!
I don't need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word, you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
Even when the way goes through
Death Valley
I'm not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd's crook
makes me feel secure.
You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I'm back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.

taryn in action

this is what i do - a brief glimpse into mein welt here. this weekend i am helping out with the high musical doing hair and makeup. scary thought, i know. but it is so fun to have kids see you and yell out your name in exitement and fight over who gets to have me do their hair. but that is not the point, i am here to yell out their name and cheer them on. i want them to know they are supported and someone can't wait to talk with them and see them. at young life, we think kids are great. i spend my time trying to get into their world and walk through life with them. what a joy!

"soccer is our life"

need i say more? this is a store window all soccered out. a turf living room complete with tv screen so all good germans can catch up on the latest scores.
along with the influx of new foreigners here in munich, i have also noticed even more soccer paraphanelia: soccer toilet paper, soccer diamond jewelry, soccer chapstick, soccer soap, soccer shaving kits, aaaaahhhhhh!
i am hoping we can take some of the high schoolers down to the old olympic arena where they have a gigantor screen set up to watch the game friday.
am i nuts?!

dogs dogs dogs!

can i get a health inspector over here? completely normal that a massive saint bernard is helping out in the kitchen, right? i tell ya, these people LOVE their dogs. it's obsessive. you can take them a-n-y-w-h-e-r-e, for real. i will say that they are a lot better behaved than our american wild willy-nilly pups. so do not be surprised when you come here that there just might be a dog under your feet inside the restaurant.

church retreat in mittersil, austria

after it snowed on us on the drive there and i almost packed my bags and went home, the weekend was so refreshing and inviting. our pastor does a great job creating community when the congregation is so transient and in flux. we had a speaker from the states remind us of the bigger picture of god's grace and power (and he reminded me of my uncle who is a pastor and his wife, so i lived vicariously for a minute). it is so good to get to know these people i see every week at church so it feels like home and i think i am officially no longer a visitor. yes. every night we hung out in the "cellar" and talked and prayed into the wee hours of the night over a beer. not to mention the castle we stayed in has a crazy history of witch hunts in the 1500's and nazi experiments in the 1940's to name a couple. it is so very good to be in the company of others who are also aliens in this world with a shared goal in life. not that we are all the same, no sir. that's what makes it even more flavorful - this community is from the whole world, accents are flying, laughter is bubbling, and hearts are uniting. praise the lord.