Ok, so I guess it's been long enough since I left Sudan to write another blog, since I have already been through 8 countries.
So let me start by explaining why I am travelling through Europe.
I have two main philosophies I like to live by:
#1 Follow your dreams…dream big and do what you love
#2 If you want to make a difference, be the difference
So…
Defined by a love for travelling and a desire to see people grow…
Grown out of the experience of witnessing others suffer…
Having grappled with some of life's hardest questions…
It felt only natural for me to come to this conclusion…
****A new business venture that combines adventure based travel with missions and discipleship.
Throughout my own journey I have travelled to many different places. I've seen how the very rich live and I've witnessed how the desperately poor live, in unimaginable conditions.
I've witnessed the effects war has on a nation, a people group, and a child.
I've heard stories of horror and injustice.
And I've seen how Jesus loves the unloved, and transforms their lives.
I now understand that Jesus is the only one who can change a life and change the world. I knew He was the answer, but now I really see He is the only answer.
Love can transform a life, a family, a population and nations can change.
Our going 'into all the world to make disciples' is simply going into all the world and showing love.
So this is why I came to Eastern Europe. : )
I'm travelling, sightseeing and researching. Looking for organisations to work with.
I really see a great benefit with working with children and youth so I have been focused on finding orphanages and youth programmes that could benefit from volunteers.
So far I have only been successful in finding places in Romania with a few contacts still to follow up in other countries. It seems the Gypsies are the biggest group where help is needed as they are outcasts in most societies in Europe, and very poor.
So… for a brief summary of my travels from each country….
Switzerland – Amazing people (you know who you are), Fantastic Chocolate and Cheese, Incredible Mountains and countryside. The epitome of Cleanliness.
Germany – Two hours in the house of prayer : ) mmmm
Great look around Augsburg and Munich. Great Beer gardens and some fantastic clocks
Austria – Four day *Couchsurfing Party. Full of fun, food, dancing and amazing people.
Vienna is an incredibly beautiful city!!!!!!
Czech Republic – Never earned so much money in one week! Got an amazing offer from a couchsurfer I meet to work doing telephone surveys and I earned enough to travel 1 month!
Went to an incredible medieval festival in the most gorgeous town called Cesky Krumlov. Loved every moment of it!!! The towns people were dressed in the most incredible, authentic costumes and there was fantastic music and a fireworks display in front of the castle.
Got caught in a downpour in Prague's Castle
Visited a cathedral decorated in bones… human bones. Now that's Gothic architecture!
Got lost in the university town of Olomouc. Hostel didn't seem to exist. Found nice local girl at 9.30pm who spoke hardly a word of English, but she was so sweet and walked around with me trying to find a solution before eventually finding me a place to stay in the local monks house (being renovated) at about 11pm!. (I think she was an angel!)
Poland – Full of beauty and … darkness. Beginning ground for WWII outbreak. Home of Auschwitz – the biggest Nazi concentration and death camp
Was hosted by the most incredible couchsurfer who really made me feel so welcome. We went on picnics and night tours. She was just amazing.
Visited the place of death, Auschwitz, where over 4,000,000 were murdered! Horrible place and absolutely huge. Hard to imagine how it happened….
Went to largest Jewish music festival in the world.
Stayed in Mountains 5 days. Awesome hostel in the bush, great walks that killed my legs, but killer views.
Slovakia – Again welcomed by the most awesome hosts. Stayed with a couple that dedicated their weekend to ensuring I had fun and saw the most of their area. I was whisked off to the oldest town in Eastern Europe, then to Slovak Paradise where we walked up an incredible canyon. They even arranged an after hours entry to THE MOST AMAZING castle. It was even more spectacular to have the whole place to our self at sunset!!!
Hungary – What was meant to 3 days caving turned into 1 hour. The rest was my trying to explore Budapest in a heat-wave. Not very fun... The 1 hour caving was fantastic though. Brings back good memories! I was also hosted by another awesome couch surfer in her family home and her parents made me a really nice Hungarian goulash in the back garden : )
Romania – Stayed 3 days with another awesome couple from couchsurfing. Went on what turned into an 8 hour hike through spectacular scenery. Romania is very beautiful …apart from all the rubbish everywhere.
Visited 2 private run orphanages to talk about possibilities of working together. They were really nice. Tried to visit a state orphanage but wasn't allowed unfortunately.
Now I am on a kids camps for two weeks. : ) I have joined a group from Holland, adults and kids and we are running day programmes in the gypsy village close to where we stay.
The Gypsies are extremely poor, reminds me of Sudan, but I really don't know how they survive in Winter. Their houses are so open! The problem though is they choose not to work, so don't ever get ahead… Many things play into that of course and they are not openly accepted by the Romanians, so society itself seems to reject them. (There are those who have got ahead though, not all are living on the outskirts of society.)
The kids are great, very loving, smiling lots and are having a great time on the programme. I think this organisation we are helping in Romania is great and I would like to bring my own group back to work with them.
After Romania I would like to go to Bosnia and Albania, as they are a lot poorer countries than the rest of Eastern Europe… I want to see if there are some more organisations to work with.
And… if by some strike of luck I run into some more money I will stop in south east Asia on my way back to visit the aid groups their working with children and of course - to go to the beach… gota be honest : )
So that's my life right now…
Thank you for your emails, keep them coming… I am really missing home and would love to hear what your all up to.
But just keep reminding me how cold it is, so I don't rush home too early!
Love you all
Amy
PS.
What is a couchsurfer???
*Check out www.couchsurfing.org
