Spring is in full bloom in Germany. The cherry and apple trees bless us with their fragrant blossoms, lilacs lightly scent the air down the street from my house, and the world has turned from brown to green in a matter of weeks.
Everything seems to happen quickly in the Springtime – both in nature and in school life. Since my last update, there have been far too many events to cram them all into a newsletter, so I put a few stories in this newsletter to give you a glimpse. Check inside to read a story from the choir trip to Vienna, a tale of a student at Music Festival, and a tidbit from guitar class!
If these stories aren’t enough for you, scroll down to read even more on my blog.
After German small group last week, I said ‘Tchüss!’ (goodbye), to which one of the members responded, “Tschau, make it well!”
Confused, I turned around and said ‘Huh?’ and thought for a second. Suddenly I realized he was saying the English version of “Mach’s gut!” which is a typical good-bye phrase, like saying ‘Best wishes’ or ‘all the best,’ but literally translated means ‘Make it well!’
So next time you say goodbye, wish someone to ‘make it well!’
On a rainy weekend, 8 adventurous BFA staff ladies participated in a relay marathon.
The adventure started at 5am when we met to drive to Zurich.
The sun is rising somewhere out there on the Swiss horizon. Why are we awake this early?
After leaving the warm, dry vehicles we ventured into trams and busses to take us to the registration site and starting line.
Susan, Emily W., and Katrina
Megan, Sammie, CB
Emily W. and Susan both ran the first leg of the race, a distance of about 9k.
Katrina and I took the velcro-wristband Datasport chips from them and ran our entire 10.7k together, passing our chips on to CB and Sammie for their 4k stretch.
Yay! We're finished!
The view of the lake cleared up just after Katrina and I finished running. It was gray and rainy while we ran.
CB & Sammie passed the “batons” to Emily K. and Megan for the final portion, the 17k.
When Emily came in for the last 300 meters, I joined her to finish the race together. CB and Susan joined us at the finish line!
Our team at the finish - with our cool medals. We're smiling, but really we were just holding our teeth together to keep from chattering. During the last leg of the race, it rained, cleared up, rained again, and hailed. Weird!
At our last small group time, Emily baked a strawberry rhubarb pie. It’s about as American as apple pie, right? Well, our small group isn’t exactly American.
Eunji – What’s rhubarb?
me – It’s like celery, but softer… and more tart
Emily – Actually, it’s harder than celery
[. . . insert our argument about which is harder . . . we agree that cooked rhubarb is softer than raw celery . . .]
Then Andrea walks in.
Andrea – What kind of pie is this?
Emily – Strawberry rhubarb
Andrea – What’s rhubarb?
Eunji – It’s like celery, but soft!
Andrea – So it’s a vegetable? You put vegetables in the pie?!
On Tuesday after school, I took my violin student Joya to the EisCafe (ice cream cafe in Kandern) as her reward for achieving the 45 Day Practice Challenge. We sat down and started browsing the menu of tempting options for any sweet tooth. She narrowed it down to 2: a fruit-filled concoction piled on half a cantaloupe, or the Spaghetti-Eis (strawberry sauce on noodle-like vanilla ice cream). Her decision: “I’ll have the fruit one in honor of Miss Mari Ellen, because when she took me here I had a fruit one.”
Mari Ellen Reeser, counselor and friend to students and staff at BFA, passed away on Easter Sunday as a result of a blood clot following a hip replacement surgery. She had been a favorite babysitter for Joya and her 6 siblings. Joya, who has experienced her own share of grief and hardship, was honoring the life of a beloved friend in the way she knew best: making small choices in her memory.
Mari Ellen left a legacy of lives like Joya’s, touched by her kindness, warmth, and ever-readiness to listen. Her life was a close walk with Jesus, and you couldn’t meet Mari Ellen without meeting her Savior.
Tuesday morning, we announced the news to the students. They had just gotten back from Spring Break, so it was hard news for some. Mari Ellen was a reliable confidant for several students who came to her for advice, to process hard events, or just to talk. Tuesday evening was her memorial service; it was a combination of grief over our loss of this amazing woman, with a celebration of her life on earth and of the life she has now, face to face with Jesus. Michele Phoenix wrote an honoring tribute to her. This Saturday, the music staff of BFA will be performing our staff recital in her honor.
Though we try to honor her memory in many ways, the biggest way to honor her is to continue sharing her love of Jesus with everyone around us. Just as she walked with Jesus, I hope to also walk closely with Him.
Emily and I followed part of the Westweg last week as we hiked to Titisee. We always see the red diamond markers on trails around Kandern, but we hadn’t realized until recently that it’s actually part of a long trail from Pforzheim to Basel until we started planning the trip! After Titisee we took a train to Füssen and visited the famous fairy tale castle Neuschwanstein.
Day 1: Marzell – Belchen – hut
See map here – We experienced every kind of weather on this first day – sun, clouds, fog, rain, even hail! We walked through a bit of snow, too. At the middle of the day was the top of a small mountain, Belchen. We stayed overnight at a hut, which you can see on the map if you zoom in a ways.
Day 2: hut – Feldberg – Titisee
See map here – We were hiking on ski paths on Feldberg. Our hardest moment might have come this day – after trudging uphill in the snow and rain for what felt like hours, a cross country skier glided by us. He was going uphill. The best moment of the day was either the warm meal at a guesthouse near the Feldbergerhof, or arriving at a campsite on the Titisee before nightfall.
Day 3: Titisee – Train to Füssen
We walked into town, an easy 2 kilometers compared to our 16-18km walks the previous days! We took all the regional trains (i.e. the slower ones) because it was cheaper, but for us it was just nice to have a warm, dry place to sit while the rain poured outside. Oh, and it was also nice to have plumbing available! We stayed at Haus Rösel in Füssen.
Day 4 (Good Friday): Füssen – bus to Schwangau – hike to Füssen
See map here – Emily and I explored Schwangau and the area around the famous castles Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Then we hiked back to Füssen instead of taking the bus. On our way back we found a walk-through church with stages of the Passion on different parts of the hill. At the top of the hill was Calvary, with 3 crosses, visible for miles. It was meant for reflection and contemplation, and it was an appropriate place to find by ‘chance’ on Good Friday.
Once back in Füssen, we explored a bit more, then picked up Katrina and her friend Amanda from the train station. Before dinner, we had this little treat in town:
Day 5: Füssen – bus to Neuschwanstein – bus to Füssen – train to Basel – Home
We actually toured the castle on this day, and the air was a bit less foggy so we were able to see Neuschwanstein from the Marienbrücke (bridge) without a haze obstructing our view. We had a bit of an adventure taking trains back home (missed a connection due to a delayed train), but we made it back in time to get sleep before Easter Sunday.
Last Sunday afternoon I took the HS Orchestra kids to Basel to see a free concert. Then Monday evening (a week ago today), a group of staff members went to the exact same concert hall to watch a performance of the Brahms Requiem. There was quality music, as well as some odd finds on the street!
After all that, last week was a rather low-key week of class. Students were tired and ready for Spring Break. Several departed for Spring Break ministry trips to various countries around the world. Finally, Spring Break has come.
In effort to rest and rejuvenate, Emily and I are going hiking! We’re leaving tomorrow morning from the nearby town of Marzell and hiking to the Titisee (a well-known lake on the Westweg trail that goes through the Black Forest). From there we’ll catch a train to Füssen and meet up with another BFA teacher and see the famous Neuschwanstein castle together. Pray for safety and good weather and a chance to re-connect on a deeper level with our Creator.
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Friday March 23rd was BFA’s annual Talent Show. Music Festival wasn’t enough for us. Suzanne and Marit spear-headed this project. There just are no words to describe…. you have to watch!
Just to further the musical excitement of Music Festival Week, we invited Angela Sheik to come to BFA on Friday. Throughout the day she spoke to our music classes and gave them a chance to play with her theremin and looping pedals. She also did this piece at the talent show while the judges were deciding a winner!
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