Ready to go

It's hard to believe that in a day I'll be in Austria.  I'm a bit nervous, but excited to spend 8 weeks in the mountains, being refreshed, and studying the word of God.  I don't really feel like I'm going alone, because I've had such a wonderful send-off at work, my friends and family have been so supportive, and between my two sisters, I've been able to get ready in a few short weeks.  Now I get to go.

So, the suitcase is shut, my passport ready, and a journal ready to record my travels.  I feel so grateful to be able to be doing this.  The next time that I write, I'll be in Austria.

Now let's see how much German that I can learn on the plane.

Schladming

So I just got off the phone with my friend Heidi who went to Tauernhof over ten years ago and she really got me excited to go.  Cobblestone streets, little restaurants, lots to see and do.  For some reason I thought that this was in the middle of no where.  And what struck me the most was that she said it was very peaceful.  And very active.  You can walk through town, hike up a hill. Or even swim in the pool.  I know that the studies could be intense, but what a better way to enjoy the off times than a quaint little town.

Cleaning the basement

So, I had big plans to clean the basement this winter.  I never seem to get to it.  But life can take us in other directions, like going to Austria, for example!

It's amazing to think that in just 3 weeks I'll be headed to the "Sound of Music" hills to spend 8 weeks studying scripture and soaking in the amazing scenery.  And Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Czech., and France are all just a train ride away. 

So what is this school that I'm attending?  It's part of a network of schools around the world, called Torchbearers International.  A friend of mine and her mother had talked to me about it some time ago and it just kept coming into my mind.  I looked into several of the locations, trying not to care too much about the location, and it was between England and Austria, and the door swung wide open for Austria.  The school location is called Tauernhoff and it's located in Schladming, Austria, just a 1.5 hour train ride south of Salzburg (the "Sound of Music" city and Mozart's birthplace).  At first I was a bit hesitant, wanting to go to Capenwray, England, but now that I'm headed to Austria, I am very excited.    Check out pictures here:  http://www.fackeltraeger.at/

So, what's our day look like?  We will have school in the morning, studying a different book of the bible every week, with speakers from around the world to teach on these topics.  Saturdays are free to explore neighboring countries, or unwind at the facility, but there will be times that we volunteer our time at a local hospital or shelter.  And Sundays are for community worship. 

It's hard to believe that I am taking this leap of faith, but then again, with an amazingly supportive family, unconditionally loving friends, wise counsel and a dose of courage, how could I not?