Hello from South Africa

Hi!

It is scorching here! Think of the weather in the California deserts with the breeze of the ocean, the piercing heat of Texas, the beach like Florida, grassy dirt like New Mexico,  the driving on the wrong side of the road like the UK, and the friendliness of Hawaii: that's where I live. It's definitely a unique place.

There are 18 of us--8 guys and 10 girls--living together in a house. The top floor includes the kitchen, eating room, laundry room, living space for the host family, and a balcony with the breath-taking view of a dirt hill, someone's house, and a sliver of ocean. Sitting at the bottom of a flight of stairs is the lounge/jam room and several bedrooms. Another downward flight of stairs leads to two more bedrooms; mine is on the right. Each bedroom contains 3 - 4 beds, a bathroom, a couple wardrobes, and a sliding-glass door leading to the backyard. The backyard contains a trampoline, a fire-pit, and a clothes-line. Last night we lit the fire and played a board game on the trampoline. It's hard to believe that we have only lived together for 3 days, and already we feel like family.

I am the only American in my house! There are 6 other internationals: Grace from London (she's one of my roommates), Rachel from Holland (she's my other roommate), Herman from Holland, Ludo from Botswana, Cerys (pronounced "Karis") from Wales, and Dooize from the Netherlands (but he's lived in South Africa for 2 years now; he's a TCK and an MK!).

Things you can pray for:

• Orientation is coming up. We don't know when, where, or for how long. But we do know that orientation takes place away from the house for an extended period of time, camping in the middle of nowhere, and doing crazy, strenuous activities. Pray that we'll be able to stay fit and work as a team.
• There are 18 of us in a house! Pray that we'll be able to bond, but also respect personal space. There are a few introverts who find some times overwhelming. Pray that we'll build up and not tear each other down.

Going surfing after breakfast!


Until next post,
Nadia

Almost there, then my internet died, then I arrived

Hello from Germany! I'm currently in the Frankfurt airport (just ate a hotdog!). I'm five hours into my nine hour layover. That's a long time! The airport here is very nice, though. Currently I am lounging in a provided "leisure zone"--the only place in the whole airport with reliable WiFi (believe me, I've checked.) Here's some highlights of my trip so far:

SeaTac:

• Change of plans: As soon as I arived at the airport, I discovered that my flight had been rerouted. Instead of flying through Washington DC, I would fly to Houston, TX and Frankfurt, Germany before flying to South Africa.
• ArtWalk: There's really unique artwork all around the A gate. Next to the each piece is a scanner code with a link to more info about the piece. Taking a quick tour provided a nice stretch and helped me wake up (at 6:30am).

Airplane from Seattle to Houston

• I took a half an hour nap
• Started reading Artemis Fowl (thanks Elise!)
• Read 1001 Funniest Things Ever Said (thanks Uncle Pete!) and laughed a bit too loud...

Houston Airport (4 hour layover)

• Found my next gate right away (yay!)
• Purchaced and consumed a chicken and tomato baguette (yum)
• Trains: There are two trains in the Houston airport--the terminal train and the interterminal train; both travel in loops. I rode the first train, which travels above ground, first, and enjoyed the sunny view. Then I found the second train, which runs below the ground. Not realizing I had passed a checkpoint, it took me a while to figure out how to return to my gate. I had to go through security again. Still, it was a great way to buy time and enjoy myself in the meantime.

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At this moment in the message, I was no longer able to access WiFi.

Hello again! I arrived in South Africa and am currently lounging in my new room! I was able to get 5 hours of sleep on the flight out of Houston, and 6 hours of sleep on the flight out of Frankfurt; I'm still tired, though.

Ways God answered prayer on this trip:

• Our friends gave me some Euros. "When will I need these?" I thought to myself. After all, as far as I knew, I was going straight from the US to SA. But I prayed that God would bless the money and use it anyway. And sure enough, I ended up in the Frankfurt airport! The money allowed me to purchase a pretzel, a frankfurter (okay, so technically it was a brought worst, but it was the best worst ever!), a small loaf of bread, and a white chocolate drink from McDonalds (like a mocha without coffee).
• Before I boarded the plane in Frankfurt, I needed a some sleep. So I prayed that God would provide a way, and hopped on board. Turns out, there was no one next to be the whole row, and I had 5 seats to myself to lay down on!

A big thank you to everyone who gifted me with the means to eat and drink on my journey! Also, thanks for all your prayers. And thanks to two of you, I have Disney songs stuck in my head. Although, "I can go the distance" is very applicable to me right now.

Till next post,

Nad

Welcome to my blog!

Hello! I'm Nadia Nelson (a.k.a. Nad) and this is my blog. Later I will add more stuff on it, but for now, this is it.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions:

Where are you going?
Jeffreys Bay, South Africa

Um, why?
To study at Worship Academy, through the Victory Gap Year program/programme (See what I did there?)

Oh. Okay. How long?
I will live there for a year.

Why would you go there when there are a lot of similar opportunities in the States?
I enjoy to travel and have an amazing opportunity to leave the country. I'd rather explore God's amazing planet than stay in one place.

When do you leave/did you leave?
January 21, 2014

How can you keep me posted?
Join my e-mail list! You'll receive updates every time I post something.

How often will you update your blog?
Updating will be irregular, depending on the week; I'll try to update at least a few times a month.

Can I come with you?
Sorry, there's already a waiting list of people who want to stow-away in my suitcase. If you think you can fit inside a guitar case, there may be a spot for you, but you have to pay the "over fifty pounds" fee...

For more information about the Victory Gap Year Program, visit their website: http://www.victorygapyear.co.za/

Until next post,
Nadia