May

THIS JUST IN! My favorite ice cream shop is opened for the season!

Yum.

May started off slowly and worked its way up into awesomeness. Here are a few nuggets of goodness:

I got some good times of community, prayer, and friendship with these two: Petrunda and Terka

I saw Mumford and Sons in concert (really good, but tons of people):

I ran my first 5K in a color run:

We had a team from Azuza Pacific University come and do a weekend camp with kids, a few children's home visits, and English club:

Reenacting David and Goliath

We had a German girl stay with us. Nina will be living in Pardubice next year to work with the university Christian group:

I got to see one of my supporters and mom's good friend in Prague - she was on a European tour with her sister. We took a tour of the Prague library and astronomical towers - beautiful places!

And I got to enjoy beautiful views and sunny days with friends:

ConGRADulations!

How can you resist that pun?

May marks a special month for high school seniors, though not necessarily a good special. May is the month that sums up their entire high school experience: it's when they have to show that they know everything about everything they learned throughout their 4 years.

There's pressure from teachers and parents to get the best grades, there are hours upon hours of studying, there's stress, there's worrying about what outfit you're gonna wear....

Students choose 4 subjects that they'll receive their "maturita" (graduation exams) in. First they take a written test that they have to pass, and then they take an oral exam. They could be asked any specific question and have to answer specifically, because they have to talk for FIFTEEN MINUTES. 

I get stressed just thinking about it. 

I got to witness it all this year. I sat in on my friend, Terka's oral exams (all 4 in one day). She was such a pro. Not that I could understand everything she was saying, but still. She rocked it.

Terka's fan club

And my other Terka also took her exams and rocked them all, but she didn't want me to come watch (I get it!)

Eli and I celebrating with Terka after her exams

Way to beat the Czech school system, girls!

Ireland

I took a solo trip to Dublin to pick up my Czech visa, and I took a bus tour to see some of the countryside. I made a little video about my time which you can watch here:

I don't normally travel solo: there's always someone to meet me on the other side of the airplane doors. So this was a different trip for me, but I loved it! I made some new friends, had plenty of embarrassing moments, and was able to see myself without the influence of anyone else around me. And I got to enjoy some amazing Irish countryside!