Saturday, June 11, 2011

Saturday in Scandicci

It felt good to arrive safely last night and to hop off the train at good ol' S.M.N. Firenze train station. ROME was a wonderful experience; ask your student to tell you some of their own stories - to which I may not be privy... But it's always good to get "home," too. This morning, the Avanti crew made a "special breakfast" for us consisting of biscuits like my grandmother's, gravy, an egg casserole (diced potatoes on bottom and cheese on top), and fruit. Cherries are in season here and on sale now. Oh my, they just explode in your mouth! Zoe the dog around here plays with them like they're a ball; the pit may make her a little anxious, who knows? Yes, we live here with the dog Zoe. Emily Woodruff rescued him from the shelter (I think that's the story that's in the back of my brain for some reason from our previous visit in November), and Zoe is still just a puppy. She's a really well-behaved dog, and our BAT folks have enjoyed her right along with everything else.

We had classes today, and now (mid-afternoon) the students (and the Beasons) and doing laundry and getting ready to go out on the town tonight for some free time. We leave for Germany tomorrow night - our first overnight train ride with BAT - after church and classes, so we have today to catch up between trips on school work, getting clothes clean, etc. I'm not sure when the next time I'll post will be because we'll sleep Sunday night on the train, we'll have Monday with J.R. Duke (Clay's buddy who teaches at the University in Mainz and coaches basketball in Germany) as our guide (this will be our 2nd time to be to J.R.'s place, so we're really looking forward to being with him again!), then we'll have more German adventures on Tuesday. Tuesday afternoon starts our "free travel" week, so the students will all report back to Avanti in Scandicci by Monday at lunch time. The students all have the hang of the European train system and are comfortable having their own adventures. Most of the students are in one of two pretty big groups who are enjoying traveling together; I know that Paris, Interlocken, and Milan are the travel destinations for one of the groups. We'll get ALL of their info for ALL their hotels/hostels/travel plans/phone numbers before they depart. We'll keep up with them. As you pray for their safety and good sense, also know that this is SO healthy for them in many ways. They are maturing, sharing, learning, exploring, and loving each other in a vibrant and delicious (!!!) and generous culture. Everybody speaks English - no worries - they can ask for help if they need it and figure things out next week if they run into wrinkles. They're planning away online together and have already secured some travel arrangements. We'll have their info in case issues arrive and we need to get in touch with them. It'll be a week of independent adventure and awareness that, we hope, inspires them to travel throughout their lives with their own families one of these days. What opportunites you've allowed!

After our BAT group separates as the train station in Germany, Clay and I are meeting my folks and exploring some small German towns before making our way through the Alps (in a rental - I hope we all fit!) back down here; we'll stop in Verona, drop the car there, train back to Florence, and leave my folks on the train, while they continue on to Pisa for their own recovery time. Clay and I like to keep the schedule jam-packed, and my folks prefer a bit of a break, so they'll have time away from us to catch their breath after our trip through Rothenburg, Fussen, and Verona. I know that sleep should be a priority, so I'll encourage our BAT students to store it up tonight and tomorrow before I let them out of my sight for a few days! I'll post when I can, and I'll let you know that we're all home safely on Monday. Your kiddos are very loved by all here. They're with peers who are positive and caring. Clay and I are very fortunate to be able to spend time with your students. Your work/training/preaching/discipline/efforts/etc. is so evident to us. Thanks for inspiring us to do the same with our girl!

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