My time in America.

Hi all, 

WOW has the month passed by fast. For those of you who are not aware, I have been in the United States Montana for the last almost 7 weeks. 5 of these weeks have been spent doing my practicum for my studies (My bachelor of early childhood education). I have been at a little centre out of town and have learnt lots from them. 
My days have been busy as I have combined working int he centre full time, my studies (one other subject) and looking after my friend little girl Abby in the evenings. 

I have been very thankful for the unlimited power supply and fast internet, as well as hot showers and some of those little luxuries like chocolate. 

I have in the midst been able to spend a little time too enjoying the warm sunny Montana weather. I just did a 8.5 mile (12.8k) run which was tough, but fun to do. 
I have been able to see some of the sites here too and love that it doesn't get dark until nearly 9pm, though this is reducing, being able to swim and run has been lots of fun too. 

It has been nearly 2 years since being back to Australia now, and I am so looking forward to seeing each one of you. I will first head back to Tanzania in one week and then will be back in Australia at the end of October. YAY.  I cant wait to see you all, and am really looking forward to catching up with each one of you. Please email me or send me a facebook message if you would like to catch up as I would love to spend quality time catching up on your lives and the happenings there. Each one of you are such an encouragement to me in your own way, which is such a blessing to me too. 

If you know of any people, churches, youth groups, women's groups, kids groups or even just catch up groups that would like to hear a real life missionary speak and share then let me know as I am looking for places to share this time around. 
My plan is to stay from the end of October and then return back to Tanzania around February or March next year (2016), I feel that it is important to spend this extended time in Australia, to catch up on each of your lives and to share together in community. 

Again I want to say a huge thank you for the financial support that each of you have given to me. This is a huge blessing to me and without your support I would not be able to complete the work I believe the lord is calling me to. 
This is just a short email before heading back to Tanzania, but if you have questions or just want to say Hello then please email me or send me a facebook message. 
Until I write again 

Blessings to each one of you. 

Carly

Power, time and internet

Power, time and internet

Well today for some of my followers I know is the 4th July. So happy 4th of July to you!!!. July has come in the blink of an eye. SO much has and is going on here in TZ. For those of you who are not American, may you enjoy the celebrations and cultures of others around you. 

Let me back step to June a little... 

I want to share with you some of what I find to be the hilarity of living in Tanzania. For me right now the hilarity of this place is the power chase or really should I say the lack of power.... and the Internet!!! 

June was a really busy time for me as I had 3 major assignments due all around the same time. This should be simple right. Go lock yourself away and get it done!!! Well this particular week of June the power decided to cut off. The Internet bundle that I had cut off, and on top of all of this my car was in to be fixed. 

Ok Ok OK.. I thought, God you surly do have a sense of humour, as this is not the first time this kind of thing has happened to me. 

I get into a dala dala (Local bus) and catch it to town, where I go to several different coffee shops only to find that they too have the same problem as me... NO power and NO Internet. As I stop, I have to think on the spot where can I go that will have both power and Internet all at the same time?????? All the while in the back of my mind I am thinking I am wasting time, precious time that I should be using to write papers, BUT instead I’m racing around town chasing after power and Internet. I truly do have to stop and breathe. 

God I say YOU have a plan in this. I am sure you can see the hilarity of this. What is it that you want me to learn??? I have felt like the lord has been trying to teach me... something.... perhaps a lesson???? AHH yes.. A lesson in letting go. A lesson in giving it back to him. A lesson in learning to see the joy in the situations that I feel have none. So really he has been teaching me many lessons... The more I trust in his words the more I can lean back and know that he is the one who needs to take full charge of my life, not just the parts that I want to give him. 

So cutting the many long stories that have all been rolled into one, shorter for you the reader, did I get it done? Did it all come together?

The answer to all of this is YES, and the reason it is YES is because I know that God is bigger than my own thoughts. I just had to trust him. I got all 3 of my works completed, after sitting for many hours straight, i'm sure at times the owner of the coffee shop looked oddly at me to see if I would really stay ALL day at the place... The answer was YES. I did stay many hours in that one place at the coffee shop. 

These days, as I study I am becoming quickly aware of what internet is fast in places and what is slow (This is due to the times that at my house we have no power, or my 'smile' internet 4g is suppost to run fast when really often at times it just cuts out). 

I have truly looked back over this last year and wondered how I actually did survive submitting works with at times horrible power, lack of internet and even worse before having a computer that would die with the power cuts too. 

I am thankful that I have now got a computer that lasts for longer than the amount of time with power and that the battery will hold for a good length of time. 

I truly am thankful though as I reflect back for Jesus being the centre of it all. I am thankful that I even have several coffee shops and places that I can go if the power and Internet fail at my house. I am thankful that I live in a community where friends have offered for me to come to their house to work so that I could get things done. I am thankful regardless of all of the power cuts and lack of Internet that I have access to this technology. 

I think and reflect back to 2008 when I came here, and the Internet was even worse than what it is now, as too was the power. I remember most nights there would be NO power; Skype was not even something that could be used let alone the other cool technologies that are now readily available. 

It makes me stop in my tracks and just marvel at Jesus. This is exactly what he is. MY power sauce. But the AMAZING part is that his connection wont cut off. He won’t just leave me in my midst or cut off just because. I have that endless power supply. The provider to all of my needs... This too I am humbled by and often stopped by. He cares enough about me. His sauce is my light. 

SO what next????? Well my studies are still going, and I am hoping to be done by the end of next year, then adding on an extra year while working again full time. 

In the meantime... 

I have been seeking the lord on how to get my practicums completed for part of my studies, and as I looked more into detail it was apparent that completing my practicum in Tanzania was not possible, I will already be doing another practicum in Australia when I return. 

As God works in his amazing ways, the plan he has for me was different to what I could see (Dont worry I am not leaving Tanzania). 

An amazing opportunity came up, one that I thought would not be possible, to go to do a 25 day practicum in the United States. My ticket is being covered as is accommodation... while helping a friend with her daughter in the evenings and weekends, still being able to study, but learning and growing from a new culture and educational system for the short time. I began looking into centre's and after much prayer, emailing and phone calls I have been accepted into a centre for the 25 days. I will work for a centre in the States am thankful that I have found a centre that I can do this placement at. I will leave on Monday 14^th July and return back to Tanzania on the 1^st September. I will return to Tanzania at the end of the practicum where I will pick up working with my small groups of children in Phonics and Mathematics. 

I have been able to watch these children grow and develop confidence in both areas, reading words and answering questions. 

My plan is to still return at the end of October, where I will stay for a duration of up to 5 months. 

During this time back in Australia I would love to connect with people through church groups, youth groups, schools and any other fun ways that we can share together some of the amazing things that God has been and continues to do in my life serving here in Tanzania, as well as hearing from each of you.

I would love to connect with your church. If you think your church would be interested in hearing a real live missionary then send me an email, and I would love to make the time to come visit. I am asking this now as I know that by the end of the year things get busy. 

If you have forgotten my email here it is again: greeningcarly@gmail.com

For our connection is at the vine which is the centre of where God is in and through each one of us. I love the thought of being connected and cant wait to reunite with each of you at different times.  

I again want to say lastly before signing off another humbled thank you (Which really does not seem even ever enough) to each of you who continually to believe in me and support me in the ways that make being a missionary possible. Please know that the amounts in which you are giving are going towards things like  fresh food, internet to connect with you all and to do university studies, base rent a place to live, phone credit to connect with people and much much more. Please be encouraged that you are each encouraging me personally as I walk this journey of faith. 

Until I write again next time. Enjoy your power, connect with me, and enjoy a coffee or a tea!!!!

The month of May

Hi all, 

well May has come, and is about to go, I feel as though I blink and the month is finished and I find myself thinking again I need to write my blog for the month... so here it is. 

This month I have been so blessed beyond words in that I celebrated my birthday, and truly do count each day as a blessing. 
As I sit here, in the dark as we again have no power, I think about what it is that I want to share this month with you all. 

Life as I know it life as a missionary. What does this actually mean? How does this look? Why am I here doing what I am doing?

As I think about these things, I want to share a little insight into some of these questions. 
What does it actually mean to be a missionary? Well for me this means that I have had to give up many different things in order to truly serve Jesus. It means that at different times I know what it is to have much, to be with plenty, but I also truly know what it means to have nothing. To be without, that my only option is to rely on God. It means that I am learning and growing to be both with and without. I feel that over time the lord has been teaching me this, more on the scale of being without. I am trusting his every words, and holding tight to the promises that I know that he has for me. This for me is part of being a missionary. 

I find that to be a 'missionary' I have to let go of some of the things the stuff that perhaps I once held to. Its about laughing in the times when you cant see what is next or how to move. Its truly about trusting the lord in everything that I do. 

How does this look?  and what does it mean? Some of you may wonder, what does this actually look like on a day to day scale? To me each day brings new adventures, some more of a challenge than others, some just plain funny. Take for example I have had to have my car to be fixed (serviced) and I left inside of the car a box with lots of toilet rolls. Well I thought that they would be fine there, but as I went to get my car I noticed that they were gone. When I asked about this, James the fundi (Mechanic) says to me... "Oh I thought they were trash". I laughed because I was using them for school (collage for the kids). This is just one example of how communication or lack of can be funny on a daily basis. 

So my day usually consists of being at school with preschool for the mornings, I come back home just a short walk away to where often the workers on our base will greet me and see how things are going. This is all in Swahili. 
I then usually come home and then begin university work. Lots of readings and being online for chats. 
I am thankful to be surrounded in community. This means that every Wednesday we have team prayer and every other Thursday we have a team dinner. (Its a pot luck dinner and we rotate around the base to people's houses), every other Friday we have what is called workers lunch. This is where our whole team meets together and we eat lunch together in community. 
Living as a missionary really means living in community with others, each day. Walking together, growing together, laughing and living. 
Every other Sunday evening we have team worship. This is where we meet at times have worship a time of teaching a time of growing in community together. 
Communal living, 
Why am I here? I have for so many years felt such a strong calling upon my life, and while this is a season of growth, stretching and really hearing and listening to the lord, I know that I know and have that peace that passes all understanding that this is where the lord wants me to be right now. I have been appointed for a time, a time where I can truly serve others, Its as I learn to love that I can serve. Its through teachings that I have with the children at school. 
I am here because I believe in the calling that God has upon my life. I believe that he has put me here in this place to grow and learn, to serve and love, to be loved. 
It is the Lord who gives me my hope and strength each and every day, to serve, to love, to learn and to grow. 
As I say (Write really) this is a season of growth, a time of learning. This is exciting for me as I can see this in my life first hand the work that he is doing in me. I am not totally there yet, its a process, its gradual, because the lord knows exactly how much I can take, just as he does with each of you reading this update. He knows it... how thankful I am that I serve a God who is so caring in this way, and that it is through him that all things are possible because he is the one who gives me strength. 

So there is my short spin on the life as a 'missionary'. It is in no way boring or a life that is just not fun. If anything I am so thankful that each day is slightly different each time. 
What next you may wonder....
I am and will continue to trust in God for my every need, and I am asking that you would continue to join me in prayer for this too. Some Praise (Because there is ALWAYS something to be praiseful of) and Prayer (There are ALWAYS needs to be prayed for) are.
Praise Points- 
Getting great grades in an assignment, this I danced was so excited for.  
I am so thankful and full of praise that I was able to Skype with Maitland Baptist Church last weekend. This totally made my weekend. 
Am praising Jesus for great community and the diversity that it brings living here, I am thankful for all the people who I have met, in just a short time I have become friends with Canadians, Americans, Bulgarians, Kiwis, Fellow Australians, Germans, Danish, Netherlands and so many more I am sure that I am forgetting. I love the connections that can be made all over the world. 

Some Prayer points, as there are things that you can be praying for, no matter where in the world you may be right now. 
Pray with me for my car, as it is being fixed, but please pray for the finances to pay for it, this is an added cost that comes around every so often, often throwing out the budget for the month that I have. This will equate to around $380.00 Australian dollars. My car has been and continues to be a blessing to me, as it means that I am able to attend church as well as being able to provide lifts for people when needed, please join me in this prayer need.
Please continue to pray for me as I finish off three more subjects for university. I am almost half way there. In this I pray for provision for better power, (AKA no more power cuts), and internet that will work. 
AND finally 
The final prayer request I have is to please be up lifting each of the 10 kids in prayer. Please pray that they would continue to have confidence in their ability. Pray for me as well to give fun, exciting and new ways of teaching mathematics and phonics each day to these precious children. 

I too need to remind each of you that if you have a prayer request, praise point or just want to share something fun that's going on in your life to please send me through an email, facebook or even skype with me to keep me up dated. I love to rejoice and celebrate with each of you even if it is from afar. 
Ill leave you with my account information below.

Newcastle Permenant Building Society. 
Account name: Carly Greening
Account number: 823918007
BSB number: 650 000

May the month of June be filled with joy, until the next update. 
Blessings. 

Seasons

Wow its the middle of April. How the year is going by before my very eyes. 

Let me track back a little, as its been sometime since I have written to you all. I want to share with you something that has and still is close to my heart. The rawness of where God has taken me over the past few months, a journey that has been one that I have been on. I write this to you not to boast in how much money I have been given, but to share with you the journey that the lord has placed me on. 

At the beginning of the year I asked the lord to stretch me, and boy did he stretch me in ways beyond my imagination. This season has been one of growth, challenges and lots of stretching. 
So I asked the lord to stretch me in my life, I didn't really think about how this would actually look or what it would mean, but I wanted to see more of God, and in seeing more of him I knew that I needed to be stretched. How this looked was totally different to what I had imagined or even thought. 

One of the biggest areas that God has been stretching me has been in my finances. Some of you may be aware of this and I am truly thankful for each of you in my life who have been praying for me during this time. This topic is always a hot one, as I want to ensure that I am stewarding my money in a way that is honouring to you as supporters and to Jesus. 

My base bill (Rent) had just increased by about $34.00  per month and is due to increase the same amount in August. That is a total of $68.00. This amount of money is what would usually go on other expenses such as food and petrol. 
My heart sank. What am I going to do? How will I live Jesus? 
I wanted and knew that my only option was to trust and obey in what I felt God was saying. He has not yet said to me that my time is over, I have felt him clearly say to trust during this season. To give it to him, not to fret or worry, but to be actively seeking him for all that I have in all areas of my life. 

I prayed for several days, fasting and waiting to hear what he had to say. I hated even the thought of leaving, and just didn't feel a peace about it but I wanted to cover all areas ensuring that I was hearing correctly from the Lord. I just felt God kept saying this is a time of stretching, a time of growth, use what you have very carefully, be wise with your spendings. I asked the questions what does this mean, are you telling me that my time is finished as a missionary? But again I felt like the lord was saying this is time for growth, get closer to me, and I will show you. He kept assuring me that he would never leave me or forsake me. Even though in my mind I couldn't see a way of living here. God has other plans. 

The more I kept checking my bank account the more I just didn't know what to do. Even though the answer was in front of me. God wanted me to trust him through this whole situation. Through it all I have felt a peace that I know that God will provide for my every need. 

I went to see the leadership on my base and explained my situation, showing my finances and was given a 3 month grace to continue paying a lower base bill. I really felt the lord urging me to email people and to personally thank each one of you. You have blessed me beyond words, more than I think you may ever even imagine.  Through your faithlessness to supporting me you are hearing, listening and obeying the words of God. Thank you really doesn't seem enough. 

Within less than 24 hours of meeting with the leadership here, God provided one person. My heart stopped and I just cried with thankfulness, not because I had been given money but because it is God who provided. NO sooner had I read the email and God provided again, within less than 1 hour. By this point, I was just sitting at my desk, thanking Jesus for these 2 people who have actively heard and obeyed what God was telling them to do. I am so humbled beyond words, But God didn't stop there over the next few days God provided again and again. I am so thankful beyond all means for the support from Maitland Baptist Church and each of you my supporters, who pray and financially support me. Each of you are blessing me in more ways than you will ever imagine. You are my family, even though I am across the other side of the world. The love and care that has been from each one of you brings me to tears, as I cant ever repay you for the love and care that you have shown. God is using each one of you right now, and I am truly thankful for this. Even as you read this, God is using you. 
This time of stretching is not over yet, and is still tough. I had to make many changes to my budget, ensuring that I was even more careful with my living expenses and what I was doing. For I do feel that part of my calling is to be a good steward of what I have, in all areas of my life. This in no way has been easy for me to write, in fact I have written this a few times and stopped. I kept hearing the Lord say to me to write to you. To share this part of my journey. Share the hard times not just the good times. 

I know that seasons come and go, and some last longer than others, some you can see the fruit that is right before your very eyes while at other times you have to wait for that harvest to grow. I am reminded of a picture that God showed to me, in a maize filed where the grass is so long. I cant see what is next. I do know and have that peace that passes all understanding that there is something yet to come, something bigger and greater than me. I know that its not my doing but that all glory goes to the Lord. I cant see exactly how long this season will last, but I do have the hope and faith that God is bigger, and that he will provide for me in all areas of my life. 
I have really had to stop again and again and remember what is a need and what is a want. 
Some of my basic needs include things like: university text books that I have to purchase, monthly base bills, petrol for my car and food to eat. These are all needs that I believe the lord will provide for, I know because he has provided up to this very point. I stop and remember and thank Jesus that I haven't gone without. I have always had enough.  

May you as the reader be blessed because you have blessed me. 
If you have questions or comments please feel free to email or send me a facebook message. 

Until next time 
Shalom 

The month of Feb

Greetings to you all.

So I have decided to try out a new way of communicating to you all, so please be sure to give me feedback as to what you prefer. Currently I am using my blog and now im trialling this out to see how effective it is.

Ok now onto more of the news of what’s been happening here in Arusha Tanzania. Well to start its been super hot, and again lots of dirt and dust. No rain has come yet but in time it will…

School is in full swing and so is my uni work. I am enjoying my afternoons running out to meet my old housemate and her baby, where we will walk and then I run back home. Along the way i'm usually greeted by several children some from school and others who live in the village. Sometimes they will chase after me, and other times it will be a simple greeting or shout out Mzungu (white person). It all varies on each day as to who is around, and as I run I can usually have an awesome view of Mt Meru and some days Mt Kilimanjaro both of which I have climbed. Its always a good achievement when I arrive back home after a good run.

Right now i’m currently finishing off my 3500 word assignment for uni and then will have a short break and begin 3 subjects in March. This I know will keep me busy and going, and again I am so thankful to have the chance to be able to complete my degree while being overseas.

I am thankful for the faster internet that allows me to keep in communication with family and friends and if you would like to actually talk to me, via skype this too can happen. my skype name is carly.greening otherwise keep looking on facebook as this is where most of my photos are posted.

This term my focus for school will be to work with the children who are low in English, and to work one on one or in small groups with these children. This terms focus for this is in Mathematics. Next term I will draw my focus to the English, reading, writing, phonics. We have 3 classes, preschool year 1, preschool year 2 and a nursery class. In the 2 preschool classes we have 30 children and nursery class have 23 children. Both older classes have 2 teachers and nursery class has 3 teachers. I am so thankful that we are so blessed to have 7 preschool teachers who are called to work here with us.  To have extra teachers in classes is not common for Africa. In fact its usually less teachers and more children.

Some praise points for the month of Jan/ Feb

• So thankful for each one of my supporters, (Please know that I am praying for each of you so often), you truly are a blessing to me more than you know it.
• Am really thankful for being able to communicate even though its so far away. As I reflect from 2008 when I first came to visit the skype would barely work and it was always just hard. But now I can communicate with so many of you so often. This is something to celebrate
• Lastly in the praise section I am thankful for having this chance to complete university via distance.

As there is always something to celebrate there are always things to pray for. Some of these include.

• Prayer for wisdom as I write and continue on with my university work
• I would ask that you pray for times when i need to purchase university text books. These textbooks can cost anywhere between $50- $80 Australian dollars. I would ask that you pray for me as the times come. This is part of my financial prayer need, so I would ask you to join me in praying.

Thank you all, may you continue to feel the warm sunshine, and stop to see the wonder and beauty that is all around you.

Carly

From the freezing cold to the warm sunshine.

Hello to all everyone. 

Well its now 2015. And I do hope that you all had a great time with family and friends over the holiday season. 

For me I am now back in sunny Arusha. Or should I really say hot sunny Arusha. I had a great little break for 3 weeks to the United States, visiting 2 places. The first was Indianapolis where my friend Wendy comes from. Wendy has just arrived back to Tanzania and is now part of our team. It was cold and I had to wear many layers just to survive what I felt to be cold. The second place that I stayed at was in Montana, with my other friend Beth and her little girl Abby. Beth also lives here in Tanzania but is doing some work in the states. I arrived there to find it even colder than Indianapolis. How could this even be possible. My mind just couldn't cope. SO on went more layers. I think while I was there it got down to -18 degrees. 

So now many of you may be wondering what I'm going to be up to this year, where is her vision and direction some of you may wonder or ask, so I want to fill you in a little of what the year holds for me. (This could be subject to change at any point, but I do feel that its a starting point). 

We all need direction and vision. This helps us to function. Well it for sure helps me. 
So this year I am already launched into my 2nd year of university (For those of you who may be new to where I'm up to I'm completing a bachelor of early childhood education via distance through Australia online). My first year of uni taught me lots and now I'm so happy to already up to the 2nd year. I currently am studying just one subject over the christmas break and then as of March I will be picking up a full time load again. This will be 3 subjects to keep me on my toes and up late at night with coffee, and readings. So far I have found the course so interesting, and although I'm so far away the uni have a great support system for distance education. (Part of the reason I chose to study with this uni). 

In relation to school until March I will be working on assessments 3 days per week and then studying 2 days per week. This will then change when March comes around and I will drop back and work at school just 2 days per week. I am so blessed to have such a support of educators here, right where I am. I have been given so much flexibility and for this I am so thankful. 

I am continuing to be in community with the people who live on my base, this includes things like team prayer once per week, and cooperate worship, as well as regular dinners together too. Community is all around me and again I am so thankful for this. Community helps us to be filled up,and to be accountable to each other on a daily basis. Our home group is taking off this coming week and I'm excited to be getting back into this. My home group are an awesome bunch of people, and we all have an awesome time sharing together and being in fellowship once per week. 

With the new year comes new visions, and new dreams, new excitement of what the lord is doing for each of us on an individual level. How amazing is it that we serve a God who is not dull or boring, but who gives each of us different talents and abilities to be able to share with others around us. 

There will also be time for rest and times for fun too. As a balance is always needed. Emma my house mate will be returning from her time in Kiwi land soon, so we will I'm sure have many ties where we can have some fun too. 

I would ask that you be praising Jesus for his goodness with me, and as I stop and reflect on the year just gone there are so many praise points to be thankful for.

Some of these include. 

• Finishing my first year of uni
• Taking a short trip to America- this was a blessing 
• Great friendships that are both near and far
• Climbing to the top of Kilimanjaro with Amy 
• Good internet that has helped me to communicate with people all over the world. 

I have prayer requests that I would ask you to be in prayer for me with

• Be in prayer for my finances. As a missionary at times can be a stretch. Though through this I know that it is God who enables me to be here, and I am thankful for each and everyone of you that support me. 
• Continue to pray for my studies this year, when you think of me then I believe that its the lords way of saying pray. SO keep praying for me.
• At some point in the near future I am needing to purchase new tyres for my car, which are expensive and I would ask you to join me in prayer for purchasing new ones. 

I too would love to hear your prayer and praise points, you can just email or Facebook them to me. I can be praying no matter where I am in the world. 

Lastly I am excited that I am planning a trip back to Australia at the end of this year. It will have been 2 years since I last visited and so I'm really excited that ill get to see many of you. 

Keep watching this space for more information on when I'm coming. If you are interested already and  would like to hear more details then just email. 

On a side note I am very thankful and happy that again after many months we finally have hot water in our house again. Its only a very small and material thing I know, but I am really thankful for this. 

ON that note I'm off until next time. 

Remember if you want to contact me; my email: greeningcarly@gmail.com or Facebook me: Carly Greening, or Skype me: carly. greening or lastly you can even send text messages these days: my number is +61 86014052 

Many blessings to you all

Carly

My American cold christmas holiday.

My cold Christmas holiday.

As I sit here in the airport in Minneapolis I look outside to my right, of the window, to see the snow on the ground and a dull sky that is grey with no sun. To my left a little girl is singing let it go by frozen. HA. It reminds me that so often God is saying to me not to let it go but to give it to him. In such a simple way.

My holiday began 1 week ago after I submitted my assignment for the little bit of the semester, and man was I relieved to be done.

Let me go back a little to before I went on holidays. The week before school finished was CRAZY busy, with so much going on. I was finishing off reports and getting ready to leave as well. In the midst of all of this I was doing my assignment and then I got sick. A whole week of it is not exactly my ideal way to begin my holidays, but I’m so thankful to be better now, I spent pretty much the whole week in hibernation, where people who I work with even began asking where is Carly. To which I was actually hiding to get better and to complete my assignment for uni.

I got on the plane and then headed for Indianapolis, to meet my friend Wendy. It was freezing, but I cam e prepared this time to be able to handle this cold time. Jackets, thermals and a beanie. CHECK.

I arrived in Amsterdam and hung out there for ages, before being asked a million and one questions about where I was headed. I also had the full pat down. I caught my next flight to New York where I literally ran through the airport, like one of those people you look at and think wow they are in a super big rush, but I made it just in the nick of time, rushing through  all the terminals, picking up my luggage re checked in to catch my next flight; I finally stopped and caught my breath, for a short and I do mean very short second it was warm. Well perhaps that's because I was wearing about 6 layers of clothing... The warm feeling quickly disappeared as it became very cold once boarding the plane again. 

I met Wendy, and then the first week with her just flew by. The first few days, she showed me around the cold place of Indianapolis, to which I was amazed that everything is huge here. I mean the small cups are like a large almost. Anyway enough of the size of things. I got to see many of the sights like the museum and walking in the snow down town. On the final night I was able to see the lights at the zoo, and a dolphin show. It was freezing. My skin is all dried up from the amount of coldness we have here. I think my coldness almost compares to climbing Killi and Meru, though without the altitude, I can just replace it with the jet lag. We have warm places to be able to sit though, and coffee too.

So I make it onto the plane and arrive into Billings Montana. (Check out my pictures on Facebook). Beth’s dad greets me and he takes me to greet Beth. We then head over to grab some lunch, where we are given this amazing choice of bread. The snow is covering the grounds and the sun is shining. I’m now sitting waiting for Beth to be done with work to then go and eat some dinner. I have enjoyed coffee and am watching the sunshine out the window on this cold Friday afternoon. 

Leading up to christmas day, we went out to the yellowstone national park, and stayed in this cool little place called Chico. I survived swimming in minus 5 or 6 degree temperatures, (Its a hot spearing pool) and thankfully the pool was heated. It was super cool as it was snowing while we were swimming. Christmas eve was celebrated with my friend Beth's family where we ate chilli and celebrated. That evening it snowed and we woke up to a true white christmas. Was super cool.  At around 1:30 am my time I was able to Skype with my family. Love that technology and internet are fast enough to do this. We ate brekkie and then went for a walk and followed the day through with a yumo lunch. Later in the arvo we drove back to where we were staying and then took a look at some amazing christmas lights. Lights have been taken to a whole new level here, this is still part of my favourite thing about christmas.  

Right now its just lovely being inside a warm house with a blanket looking outside at the snow on the ground, and from time to time the deers will just wander around the yard too. 

On that note I shall go. I do pray and hope that your christmas day, boxing day and the new year are filled with joy and many blessings, as Jesus is the reason for being able to celebrate all of this. 

I will try very hard to keep in contact better, though if you check out my Facebook you will see the pictures to my adventures, otherwise if you would like please email me. I love hearing from people and what you have all been doing over the holiday break. In case you have forgotten my email is greeningcarly@gmail.com