HEY!! Does anyone even read this anymore?? HAHA! Cuz I don't! Anyways, I'm definately not in Moldova anymore. I came back July 21st and I'm starting college tomorrow!!! I'm living in Martins Mill with my awesome cousins!! I had a blast in Moldova and made a lot of friends and learned TONS more of the language, taught English galore and got into trouble I'm sure. N, just kidding. I was at an english camp for 2 weeks. We had a lot of funa nd learned MUCHO!! Right now I'm in East Texas. I have a car now given to me by my lovely grandmother. It's a nice one. Don't ask me what kind.....It's a silver one......I like it a lot!! It doesn't have a CD player though of which I hope I'm getting for my birthday (which is September 2nd). Not like one installed but just a little cheap Wal-mart one and an adapter thing so you don't need batteries. That would be nice. I got an e-mail from Sharon today. She had 2 root canals a few weeks ago and anyway now they are both infected....she says her life rocks...sounds fun to me! By the way she might come live with me sometime soon! Hopefully by next semester I'll have an apartment in Dallas. Yeah, um, my school is so small there are no dorms. So, I have to drive to Dallas (70 miles I think) every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. FUN FUN! Yeah, I got lost today on my way home from Athens. I ended up in Eustace........If anyone reading this knows this area, please don't laugh. There's a good reason......Well, that's all the random facts of lately that I can think of. Except that I miss my cell phone!!! I ahve one now but it's one of those trac phones...those are no fun!! anyways, leave me comments!! BYE!

back in moldova

HEY! I’ve come back from the dead!! I took my SAT and scored 1170. Not so bad…..English was my strong point…math, the lowest….but it’s ok…. Now I’m back in Moldova but just until July 21st. I’m working in camps all of this month. Last week was the first one and it was AWESOME!! It was an EFNL (English For a New Life) camp. The church I go to does this program with students who want to learn English. It’s learning English through the Bible. It’s pretty cool. We also did an inductive Bible study on the book of Judges. That was cool too. Have any of you ever read that book?? It's SO BORING!!! But we learned about the traditions and customs and history that was going on and each day learning more and more about each of the Judges. It makes it much more interesting and vivid. We also learned how today is a lot like the days back then and how we can’t stand for the immorality and sin that is happening now and how not to accept it as “normal” or thinking “that’s their life, their choice”. We learned that it’s just not right and we shouldn’t allow it to be. We learned how to be leaders. GOOD leaders!! Vasile was the leader for this camp and he is also an associate pastor (correct me if I’m wrong Holy Trinity people) of the church I attend here called Holy Trinity. He’s SUCH a great teacher!!! We need more Vasiles in this world! I also met A LOT more people and practiced my Romanian A LOT!! It was cool to build more relationships and to grow closer to some of the other people who I just knew their names. It was great…I'm a little sad to be leaving now because I have so many great friends!! ok, I could go on and on but I’m tired and I don’t want this to be any longer than it already is. Wouldn’t wanna bore you!! So, Noapte Buna everyone! Love and miss ya! Leave me mssages, PLEASE!!! Tell me anything!! A random joke…a random story..a random ANYTHING!!!! Talk to you soon!! ~Christina

HEY HEY HEY!!! I'm taking the SAT early in the morning and I'm scared to death!!! I don't remember Geometry and the highest in math I ever did was Algebra 1 and that was 2 years ago....BUT, my school said all they want is to see how high my English is so they'll know what level in English to put me in. So, I'm ok in English......That could be good AND I'm not taking any math classes at the school I'm going to. Oh, the school I'm going to is The Criswell College. I went to see it and have meetings the other day and it's a really nice school and there's a Starbucks across the street and I went and visited this church I'm thinking of attending. They have services in Romanian and lots of "young people" is what he said and half the congregation doesn't speak English. I'm wondering how they are surviving.....I also learned that there are about 10,000 Romanians in Dallas!!! That's amazing!!! I'm so excited!!!! I am in the right city..... Anyways, I gotta go...Leave me comments!!! BYE! ~Christina

HEY!! I'm not even sure if ANYONE even reads this anymore but anyways I am in the States right now visiting my family for a while and also taking care of some college stuff. This is my cute little brother in his Mexico bathtub. HE'S SO CUTE!!!! Right now he thinks he's a dog and he barks all the time and follows our friend's dog around the house. He's only like 9 months old but he's so cute!! Sorry I don't blog guys......For some reason I just really don't feel like blogging when I'm in Moldova. I guess there's just too much to write about....or maybe I feel like there's nothing to write about or maybe just don't know how to explain anything. I don't know what it is. When I'm here with my family actually WANT to blog. Wierd huh??

So, I'm going back to Moldova sometime after June 3. Don't know the exact date. I've gotta get some ticket problems squared away. So, if you do read this, leave me a message and let me know what you're up to. I am really interested in yall's lives!!! I miss you guys so much and really want to know what's happening in your lives. What God's teaching you, how you've been encouraged somehow or just anything!! Tell me about your bad day or the greatest day ever!!! I'm really really interested!!! Or.........maybe I'm just nosy.....I don't know but I really do want to know!! :- ) ....So, I hope you really will!! I know I don't return e-mails either. I could make up an excuse for that one but I don't think it's good enough. I'll try.....

well, talk to you guys later!! Hope to hear from you guys soon!!!

Love,

Christina

hey my people! Sorry I'm such a lazy blogger......actually I like it but I think it's boring with no pics..........anyways, I've been asked to update....Ok, what am I doing........ Lately, just hanigng out with Shawn Pierce and teaching english........it's still really cold here but now it just rains instead of snows. Although there is still snow on the ground....unbelievable!!!! I don't think winter will EVER end!!!!!!!!! I can't wait for summer and flip-flops!! Seriously!! I miss warm weather and the sunshine.....I don't think the sun even exists anymore!! Anyway, I miss my family abunch. I'm going crazy doing this whole Moldova life thing. It's so crazy how differently we think. Sometimes I get so depressed by the way people live over here. It drives me absolutely NUTS!!! I can't imagine how they are satisfied with thier way of life! I was thinking about this the other day but someone told me that they are happy with it and it works for them. Then I started thinking, I can't change that. I can't "Americanize" them or even explain what "life is all about" the way I know it to be which seems simple and obvious to us. They also can't understand the way we live. So, I've decided instead of letting it drag me down and not understanding, I'll just keep being ignorant and asking lots of questions and just walking around being me. I don't want to think about it aymore becuse it just confuses me and I get depresed and angry. I've also found out that your words don't mean anything here, but it's your actions. Moldovans have this way of watching your every move: the way you walk, what you eat, what you wear, the way you talk (not what you say but your tone and what you do with your eyes), the way you look around, the questions you ask. They are very suspicious of everyone as if you TRYING to hurt them. This is another thing I'll never understand but it's the way it is. So, I'm understanding more and more that the only way to reach out is to live life like Jesus. They'll come to you. You can't tell them something because they won't believe it. They watch you and your life. It's like what they've told us in youth group, you can't just say you are a christian, you have to live it. Almost everyone here will tell you they are christians and that there is a God because the religion here is orthadox an they've all been baptized. The Bible even says that the demons believe in God and tremble. Basically the only thing to do is to just go about your life and watch what you say and do. When you're walking down the street, when you drop your cell phone in the mud, when you find out you just got robbed (which happens pretty often here.) I know the people are watching me. They let me know it everyday. I've been told that I smile when I walk down the street. That's not a normal thing here. I just have to let Jesus be the one they see. I have to be very careful making promises, even small ones. Trust is a hard thing to earn here. EXTREMELY HARD! This is mostly whatI've been learning here, about people. I was thinking the other day that I don't think I want to be a misionary anywhere else!!! No where long term anyway because I never want to go through this again!! I've already learned about Moldovans and it's the hardest thing. I don't want to learn another culture. I would die of stress...............I'm glad I've gone through it and still am but I never want to do it again. Other than all that sad stuff, I'm having a pretty good time. I like to go to the internatt (orphanage) every now and then and see those guys. I LOVE talking to those kids!! It's AMAZING knowing the langauge!! I'm still learnig it but they help in a lot of ways......I'm learning a lot more russian too. That's fun!! Russian is the coolest sounding language EVER!! I like to speak romanian more because it's easier but knowing that I can understand and actually make the russian sounds and get what I want is pretty cool! It's so difficult but I like it alot!! I guess that's about all........I do have to say that if I don't get some taco bell soon and a big cherry coke with sonic ice, someone will die! no, just kidding.....I would love to have that though...Do you know how long it's been since I had ice??? I don't even remember.......... I thinkI'm just blabbing now....and Shawn says it's 12:53...I gotta go.....SEE YA GUYS!! Love from Moldova, Christina

wanna see some snow?? and speak some romanian?? (or russian?)

HEEEYYY!!!!!!!! It's me and Inna again.........and we're really bored and this is like the most randomnist picture ever. ......Anyways.....tomorrow is church and I think i'm going to Holy Trinity......i've been in chisinau for like the past 3 weeks and am going back to Comrat monday or tuesday.......I have to get a shot on monday too...lots of fun!!.....Tim Bedi is here looking for a house.........for those of you who know tim bedi.....he keeps making up wierd random songs.....and we played phase 10 this morning........i'm feeling really random today.....actually i'm thinking about going back to Comrat......We have to get back in the schedule and I don't speak russian and it's stressing me out a little bit......I'm thinking about Edna and my family......that adds to it.....(Pray for Edna by the way.....she's not doing well)......She's like the sweetest lady ever!!!!!!! Ilie says hi.......he just crawled up under the table and sat by me.....He is GLUED to this thing!! (Ilie is the boy that Joe and Marilyn Swing sponser)....He wants to type something for you.......~Ilie types: " cum o mai duceţi?" Cool huh?? It means "How are y'all doing?"....Yeah......It's cool.......anyways....I guess that's all.......by the way....this picture is in the Stepenenco's front yard....It snowed like almost a foot that day or maybe the day after ....I don't know........It stayed for like 2 weeks and it's still here but now it's dirty and mushed down and EXTREMELY slippery!! Lots of fun!! The first time I fell (I can show you the exact spot by the way), I had a HUGE bruise on my knee and my arm was sore for days!!!! anyways...I think I'm gonna go down stairs and watch a TV show called 24 or something like that with the peoples hanging out here.....and Inna's making hot chocolate....SWEET!!! By the way.....I think I'm sick of snow...at least the dirty stuff and sliding around all the time.....I don't remember what it's like to walk normally and be hot.....It's really wierd....anyways..........talk to yall later!!! ..................P.S...Hello and love ya and miss ya's to Kenzi, Sharon, Marla, James, Rachel, Joshua, Jonasan-tootie, Jesse Baby, mama, daddy, Ashley Lovell, Currey Creek people...........All the groupies that I know that were just here.....That I didn't get to say BYE too!!!! Talk to ya soon!! Love, Christina