A few of my not favorite things: traveling for 72 hours, being stuck in a foreign country where I don't know the language, living for almost a week without luggage... As frustrating as it was, there were positives!
 |
| lost luggage :( |
- I was stretched beyond depending only on myself and my plans (which I think will be a theme for this trip)
- I was humbled to have to ask people for things and accept the generosity of others taking care of me
- I will now and forever always pack extras of everything I may need in a carry on!
I'm sure there were more lessons that I will see the farther I get out from this week. My luggage did arrive Thursday afternoon, so I am now trying to really settle in to this new home. There will be pictures of this ship, but I have yet to be brave enough to creep around and take pictures of every little thing. Soon!
I was delayed in Frankfurt for one full day and 2 nights. I arrived around 11 Saturday and spent a couple hours trying to sort out hotels, bags, new flights, etc. Then I went to the hotel and crashed. And by crashed I mean cried a lot and called Mom :) Then I showered and took a nap and went to dinner. All the way down to the hotel restaurant in the lobby. Brave, I know.
 |
| Didn't have to share... |
Sunday I really did put brave pants on! I actually put on the same pants I had been wearing for the past two days, but they were feeling brave. Made use of public transport all the way to 'downtown' Frankfurt where I found a Starbucks, with a menu in English!
I met a group for a walking tour Dad had found- it was lead by a retired American veteran who has been living in Frankfurt for the past 12 years and my whole group was American tourists.
Frankfurt is quite beautiful, with the river Main running through the middle and all the history and museums. It rained for the entire second half of the tour, so we were soaked- but at this point in my traveling, it was to be expected.
They have a really amazing Holocaust memorial and many of the walls that enclosed the Jewish ghetto were still standing.
I went to lunch at a traditional German restaurant/pub in the town square. I had delicious schnitzel but with boiled potatoes and an herb cream sauce, not noodles.
After I had dried off and the sun had come back out, I walked to a museum that our guide had pointed out, it was cheap and so cool! When they had been renovating several buildings, they uncovered the foundations of several of the ghetto homes. You could walk through the buildings, seeing how narrow the stairs were, how tight the quarters were, how little room there was in the kitchens. Many of these houses held 5-8 family members.
Our guide had also pointed out the best bakery in Frankfurt, so of course I found that again! I had chocolate mouse cake for dinner back at the hotel after a shower and talking to the parents again, assuring them I was still alive and well.
Monday morning, an early flight to Congo! Besides the bags, that trip was smooth and we hit the ground running here. My days have been full of orientation, meeting new friends, finding my way around 8 decks, and trying to acclimate to this place. Many of the experiences are things I am still trying to process, in a good way! It's a shocking transition, one I have longed for, and I think when patients come on Monday(!!) and we start working, I will really get a feel for why I came.
We got a glimpse of this Wednesday, which was selection day. It is a post for another day, but this picture probably gives you a little taste more than my words ever could...
 |
| Copyright Mercy Ships |
No comments:
Post a Comment