Day Two.

Monica, Heather, and me killing time at the Johannesburg airport.

 Our tiny airplane from Johannesburg to Ndola.

We landed in Zambia, and I was very surprised about the airport we were at. We used the stairs to get out of the plane, and then walked into a small building - one where the baggage claim consisted of a whole in the wall and airport security handing luggage out. We then went through the door, where we were greeted by a very excited Ba Charles and Pastor Judy. Our bus drivers, Ba Mwambe and Ba Musonda, were also there.

Pure joy basically exploded from me when I saw our bus for the first time. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of it, but this bus was amazing. It was bright sky blue and across the flat windshield it read "GUIDE ME LORD." On the back window, was an "I love Ndola" sticker. Entering the bus was an even more exiting experience. The seats were covered in plastic and there were little mini seats that folded down into the aisle to make rows of 4 across the interior of the bus. 

We drove around and dropped each group of, one by one, at their host homes. We were the third group of four to be dropped of and we were so excited to see our place and meet our host family. I was again surprised by what was in front of us. I was expecting a place similar to the other two groups - one that was in a more rural area and probably a small house. Instead, we were in the city - on a very busy street and on the fifth floor of a very nice apartment building.

We entered the apartment and met our hosts, 22-year-old Musonda, with her baby, Asia and 14-year-old Margaret. They also had some friends over, but I don't remember their names. They gave us time to settle in and find our way around the apartment. The three girls from the team that I was rooming with and I were in one room together and it was so cute. All four beds were lined up against the wall and had pink, silky comforters on the beds. Prof. Trujillo was also with us, but she was in her own room down the hall.

An excerpt from my journal gives an idea of how I was feeling after arriving:
"It was interesting riding around Ndola in the bus today. We saw so many different types of living - from run down flats to completely gated-up communities. We, as a team, definitely stand out whenever we go anywhere, and it's a challenge being such an outsider. Ba Charles' wife, Ba Margaret, has been very hospitable and welcoming, though. She brought us down to get a snack after we got to the apartment (it was the longest/slowest walk to the shop downstairs that I think I've ever experienced) and then us girls rested for like 3 hours - just passed out on our beds and fell asleep...After dinner (macoroni, meatballs, cabbage, and water), we taught Margaret how to play Dutch Blitz and the five of us did that for a while. Being here has been everything I was NOT expecting, but everything has really been great. Even as uncomfortable and awkward it may be at times, everything is so good. I'm so excited to go to Hope house tomorrow and meet all the kids.. I just really can't believe that I am here, in Zambia, experiencing something I never have before. So much excitement in me right now."

...

Today, I am missing Zambia a lot. I miss the girls and playing hand games and laughing with them. I miss the sound and smell of Hope Village and I miss bus rides with the team. Most things get better with time, except for missing - that only seems to get worse. So, today, I'm remembering and enjoy thinking about all of the people I fell in love with across the world.

love love.
Chels.

Day One.

Over the next few weeks, it is my goal to share with you my thoughts, feelings, and pictures of my time in Zambia. Today, I will start with the first day of the trip - making it to the airport just in time for our flight and all the adventures up until landing in Ndola.

At approximately 4:30 on Tuesday the 28th of December, our team prepared to drive to the airport and get on the first of three flights until our arrival in Zambia the next day. I was very anxious, nervous, and ready to start the adventure - not knowing what my life would consist of over the next 3 weeks. I had my suitcase packed and snacks in my carry on, and was ready. (I did not, however, have socks in my suitcase - and that was on purpose. Fun fact about me is that I give my feet the chance to not have socks on them whenever that opportunity presents itself. I figured Africa would be very hot, and therefore never needed to wear socks. It was a fabulous decision and my feet are happy.) We left for the airport around 6:30, after talking about last-minute details and praying as a group before packing into the University vans. Our flight was scheduled to depart around 9, and we cut it very close, at least for what some of us on the team prefer when we fly. After a stressful time of figuring out which line to be in and getting all 15 of the team members through security, we made it to our gate about five minutes before they started boarding.

For this flight, I sat next to an older couple from Amsterdam that was traveling around the U.S. with a group of couples for vacation. They were very nice and seemed supportive of my trip, but with caution. The man warned me about water and all the sanitary things to be cautious of, but they definitely had characteristics of grandparents and seemed to genuinely care about me staying safe. They spoke limited English, so it was hard to understand them at some points, and the woman hardly ever knew what I was saying, so conversation was short, and I fell asleep after watching a movie. When I woke up, we were being served breakfast and about an hour from landing in London.

In London, we had enough time to go out and explore a little, so we got to wander the city and grab a quick lunch before going back to the airport for our flight to Johannesburg, SA. It was so surreal to walk around and see things that I've only seen in movies. This was my first time setting foot on ground outside of the United States and it felt so weird to be in a new place. It was, however, beautiful and we were happy to be walking around in fresh air and getting time to see everything there.

Jenna and I on the tube.

 Awesome architecture.

 Apparently these aren't just in movies. Double-Decker buses are sweet!

 Big Ben.

 Just a description of Parliament Square.

 Tossing my frisbee for the first time on foreign ground.

After all of that fun, we went back on the tube (where most of the team was falling asleep or sitting like a zombie) and to the airport. This flight was the longest of the three, and was about nine hours long. Most of us got to sit next to someone on the team, and I was lucky enough to sit in a whole row of z-members. I sat next to Josh, who had an idea for the perfect way to sleep, so I ended up sleeping for the entire flight. I'm not quite sure how I did it, but I managed to fall asleep about two minutes after I would wake up for any amount of time. I fell asleep during dinner and missed the attendant coming around to bring us our drink. The boys even put chocolate in my mouth (apparently I was sleeping with it wide open), and it melted without me ever noticing. It was pretty crazy how much I slept, especially after I had just slept for the entire flight before.

When we landed in Johannesburg, we were all pretty antsy and ready to be in Zambia. The printing of our boarding passes took quite a while, and the boys ended up playing some hackysack, which drew a crowd of onlookers. We were definitely the obnoxious Americans everywhere we went and it was interesting to see how other people reacted to us. We also ended up sitting in a big blob on the floor while we waited to board our bus, which brought us to our plane. We just sat there and played cards and talked, even though there were seats open to sit in. Our professor later described our group as being "free" and "carefree" - and I'd agree. We were very comfortable and free with each other and wherever we went and with whatever we were doing.

I'll update on our arrival to Ndola and our first day or so tomorrow.

Today was also our first day of the spring semester. I only have two more semesters left after this one! It's exciting to be growing up. Weird, but exciting.

Even though I'm not jet lagged, my body is still used to going to bed around this time and waking up early, so therefore, I am exhausted. Goodnight.

love love.
Chels.

I'm Back!

It's true! I'm in the States!
I feel no signs of jet-lag.
I think I could be fine with traveling the world.
Zambian children and people are amazing, beautiful, and incredible.
I'll update with pictures and stories for the next few weeks, but for now - I'm going to be processing, cleaning, unpacking, and doing laundry. And eating American food.

love love.
Chels.

Holiday.

My family is a jumbled up mixture of traditions that my parents grew up with and that they've made as traditions just for our family. We have a few Scandinavian foods and customs that we never go with out, and lefse is one of them.

Lefse (lef-suh) may be one of my favorite foods. It's basically just a potato tortilla, with butter and, for me, brown sugar spread all over the inside. Other people like cinnamon sugar or regular white sugar, but I'm a sucker for the brown sugar - and I cake it on. The crunch inside the smooth tortilla is so delicious, making it a  perfect thing to eat at any time of the day.

This delicious treat comes from the Norwegian side of me, but we also love our Danish and Swedish treats too. Tomorrow, I'm waking up to make aebleskivers with my mom - Danish little pancakes filled with deliciousness. My dad always enjoys his pickled herring and Lutefisk, which are also somehow Scandinavian, but I don't delight myself in those tasty treats - ever.

I'm excited for Christmas Eve tomorrow. This is our day of family-filled traditions, waking up to bake or get dinner ready, going to church, followed by driving through the Christmas lights on Douglas Drive. Then it's off to the house to get cozy and gorge ourselves with food and open presents.


My goal for this Christmas is to keep focused on the reason that we celebrate. Our neighbors came over the other day to bring us "Happy Birthday, Jesus cupcakes" and it was wonderful - and delicious. Traditions, food, and gifts are all fantastic, but may we remember that Christ is the one from whom all blessings flow, and he really is the source of our Joy during the holidays.

Merry Christmas,

Chels.

You Did It!

I finished my fifth semester of college today. That means that I only have 3 to go, and I'm a teacher. Holy Moly. I'm excited to start that chapter of my life, and see what God has planned for me; but, right now I'm going to live up this last year and a half I have to be a college student - to stay up late, eat whatever and whenever I want, spend money that I don't have, not shower for 2 or 3 days and get by, and to live with my best friends.
Tomorrow (or I guess today, since it's 1 AM), two of my roommates are graduating. I know that God planned our meeting and for events to unfold as they did. I have no doubt in my mind that the four of us who lived in 5001, #2 were supposed to be together. We have had the most laughs I think any apartment on campus could have between just the 4 roommates being together.

We chose - on many nights - to stay in on the weekends to be together rather than go out and see other people. My favorite place was sitting in our cozy living room or around the kitchen table just talking about life and laughing together. We truly had a perfect living situation.
As they graduate, I have bittersweet feelings. I know that they are such amazing nurses and so capable of going out into the real world and really affecting the lives of the people they help, but I don't want them to leave. One off to Cali (because she's "so Cali") and the other to the mountains of Washington (but she'll be back soon enough).
They're 2 of the best friends I've ever had, and I love them so much. So, B & E - this one's for you! Congratulations on graduating!  I love you and I hope for the very best in your future. Thanks for a semester that I'll never forget.
 

love,
chels.

Oh, and J - I love you, too, but you get to stick it out with me for these next 3 semesters. Good thing I'm the funny one. ;)

I'm Ready.

Accepted? Check.
Meet the team? Check.
Attend all day retreat? Check.
Go to Wednesday night meetings? Check.
Get passport? Check.
Tyler buys tickets? Check.
Visa gets denied and send it back? Check.
Visa and passport return in the mail? Check.
Raise $3,125? Check.
15 days until I go to Africa? Check.


The trip is coming up SO close. I can hardly believe that I'll be in Zambia in just a couple weeks. In case you didn't get that, I WILL BE IN AFRICA IN 15 DAYS. (oh. my. gosh!!!!!) Thank you all so much for your support and prayers. I'm feeling so blessed and the encouragement from all of you is amazing. Please continue to pray for our safety, and for those on the team still raising money.

love love.
Chels.

Christmas Lights.

Coldplay is by far my favorite band, and this year they decided to say "Merry Christmas, fans. We love you so much, so we wrote our very first Christmas song for you." Listen to it here. http://coldplay.com/
I've seen them twice in concert - both times my world was turned upside down. I don't think any concert of performance will ever top it. So, have a Coldplay kind of day today. And love them, because they are amazing.