6-13
Today was all about Mr. Luca, Abby’s future nephew. It was his baptism today so we got up, Hendrik made us some fauna cooking and we went over to the church about 100 yards away. We sat through a German service and had communion and sang German hymns. At one point Abby and I couldn’t figure out what hymn we should be on so I was trying to discreetly peek at Hendrik’s younger brother’s (Fabi) hymnal just to find that the whole family was trying to do the same thing and failing to find where we were. That made me feel a little better about our blunder. The church we were in is actually the church Abby is getting married in and it was really pretty. I was a little impressed because it is really decorated inside. It really is a very small village where they live which just made me wonder more at the church. It was interesting to think that this is what they put their money towards. It didn’t have anything hugely spectacular about it but it had little cherubs with musical instruments and paintings of the disciples and was just pretty elaborate considering the small town churches I’m used to seeing. I thought it was great how they decided that was where the money should go: into making the church a beautiful place where people could come and have a little slice of wonder to remind them of God. I know our money now goes to sound systems and projectors and such which are functional and really practical but I wonder if maybe they had a better idea back then.
After church we went over to Werner and Traute’s (Hendrik’s parents) and kind of sat around talking for a while. One of Hendrik’s grandfathers knows English pretty well and so he and Abby and I talked. He is the one who insists that everyone speak to Abby in German so that she’ll learn and so he would speak to me in English but when he addressed Abby it was always in German. That made me laugh. He was really sweet though and when I said I knew Spanish he recited this Spanish poem to me. After mingling for a while we went over to the place where Ab’s reception will be and had lunch there in celebration of Luca’s baptism. It was really good food. I sat next to Ana (Thomas’s girlfriend) who knows English really well and we talked during the meal and after for a bit. I feel so bad because they all want to know stuff they just don’t know how to ask it and if they do I am not sure how much they will understand of my answer. I started to get really drowsy—in my defense we were there for almost 3 hours I think—and so when we made the transition from there back to the house I slipped off to the apartment for a nap. I slept for a while and then woke up, checked in online for my flight, and then Ab walked in the door. We started packing up our stuff at that point. She flies to Portugal for work tomorrow at 6am, my flight isn’t until 9 so I will get to sleep in a little longer but not too much. We had time after packing so we heated up a pizza and ate it. Then we got some pretzels out and watched The Family Stone. I like that movie but it stresses me out I just feel so bad for her most of the time. Now Ab and Hendrik are asleep and I am getting this all down and then I will go to bed too.
This is my last night in Europe and I am really going to miss it. I have really enjoyed staying with Ab and Hendrik and getting to know Hendrik a little better. I am sad to leave for a lot of reasons but a lot of it has to do with all of the things I’ve found out about myself on this trip. I kind of like who I am here and the freedom I have to think and realize different things. Waking up with a purpose and an adventure for the day wasn’t too bad either—whether it was scaling a cathedral, climbing ruins, playing on rocks by the sea, or trying to follow a German conversation. I think that, like always, when a happy season is over in our lives there is a little bit of longing for things to stay the same. I know, deep down, that it would not be good for me to live this way but I can really see the draw of it. I’ll get over my moping as soon as I get some sleep I suppose but I really do hope to return to Europe outside of my sister’s wedding for some reason or another. I guess there is just something eye-opening about being away from one’s home culture that shows you the good things but also some of the flaws. I guess it’s so long and thanks for all the memories and ruminations (how’s that for a word of the day?).
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