Schedules, Meetings, and Meanderings.

Ciao!  I am slowly making progress in taking care of everything so I can live in Italy.  I have registered at the police station, gotten my codice (which is like my Italian social security number), and my cell phone.  I still have to get my health insurance and fill out some more paperwork.  Hopefully it will all get done this week.

I know i told you that I would post my full schedule, but I haven't started teaching my English classes yet.  So i guess that i will tell you about my students another time.  So the schedule so far, everyday, is to wake up and get to school by 11:00 am Monday and Friday and 9:00 am Tuesday-Thursday.  On Monday nights we have a separate Bible studies for men and women, and this past week was my week to lead the study.  One of the Italian men in the group has some questions about specific passages in Bible that he doesn't understand, so we spent the hour talking about John 6:65.  He has such a great heart and is honestly seeking to know God better and to understand his word.  After Bible study on Monday night, there is a beginner's English class that Ryan, Andrea, and Angela teach here at the Bible school in Scandicci.  This beginner's English class also meets on Tuesday and Wednesday night and I got to help out on Tuesday night this week.   It was great meeting knew people and helping them understand English.  I would say that their English is better than my Italian!  On Thursday night we do another beginner's English class at the church in Florence, and also an advanced class if anyone there would rather do that than the beginner class.  After the class we have dinner and a Bible study in Italian.  We sing a few songs in Italian and then Robbie, the Harding University in Florence or HUF director, leads a Bible study.  Right now we are studying about the Lord's Supper.  On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon, after a wonderful meal from Rosa, the Avanti workers have a David and Debbie to talk about things that need to get done during the week.  After the meeting on Friday we have "Physical Fridays" where we do something around the School that needs to be done like painting, cleaning, moving furniture,
"e cetera". 

I have been here for two whole weeks now and have been able to do a little sightseeing of Florence in my little free time.  I went on my own last Thursday to the Duomo and the San Lorenzio market, and at 3 my language school went to the Accadamia, an art museum that has Michelangelo's David.  On Tuesday Ryan, Eric, Allen, and I had a guy day and we went around Florence to see the Duomo, the Piazza della Signoria, the Ponte Vecchio, the Piazzale Michelangelo, and of course got gelato.  Here are some pictures of my trips around Florence:

 The outside of the Duomo (above and below)

And a view of the dome and inside the Duomo:

Here we are in the Piazza della Signoria and behind us was the Di Medici family palace was.

(from left to right: Eric, Me, and Allen)

Some in the Piazza di Singnoria:

And are the A.I guys with the Ponte Veccio behind us:
(Me, Ryan, and Eric)

And here are some views of Florence from the Piazzale Michelangelo:

And here are the infamous A.I. guys at the Plazzale Michelangelo:

This past weekend while everyone was taking their own trips, I stayed at the School to study, get my phone, help David move some furniture, and some other necessary chores.  Language school is still going well and getting difficult. I was told that I would have to butcher the language before I mastered it, and currently I am butchering it. However, it does help to speak it with other people and Italians who will correct me.  I have put more pictures of my Florence adventure on Facebook, so if you are my friend then feel free to check them out.  Well that's all for now, but please keep praying for us over here.  Pray that we will open ourselves up to God and he will fill us with his spirit and use us for his glory.  A presto!

Off To A Busy Start.

Well it has been one week since I arrived in Italy.  I did come a month late because my friends Jonathan and Bridget Lindsay got married!  Here are some pictures of my newlywed friends and me:

 The Bride and Groom

Here's Jonnie and me

 And here is Bridget, Jonnie, and me.

I am currently staying in Scandicci, just outside of Florence, at La Scuola Biblica.  This is also where we teach our English classes, have Bible studies, and other special events like youth retreats or preacher conferences.  Three times a week, Rosa cooks lunch for us and we are not allowed to speak English during the meal and if you do you have to pay 50 cents, which goes toward a pizza night.  I was excused from it last week since it was my first week here, but this yesterday was the first day I was not allowed to speak English.  So I didn't speak often during lunch, and when I did speak I just simply said the name of what I wanted in Italian and pointed.  Here are some pictures of the school:

The outside of the school.  You can't see my room from this view, but I am on the 3rd floor.

Here is our living room and dining room.  This is where I spend most of my time and do most of my homework and where we eat lunch and sometimes diner.

And here is our kitchen where I quickly eat breakfast before running off to catch the bus.  I haven't had a chance to do a lot of cooking yet, but hopefully soon I will.

Once I landed in Italy, I hit the ground running with my work.  I started language school the day after I got here last Tuesday.  I am at the same school as the rest of my team, but I have two private teachers and I only go for 2 hours a day instead of 4 hours like everyone else.  The plan is to try to catch up with the rest of the team in a month so I can join their class.  That means I have a lot of work and homework with my Italian.  It is challenging but I know it will be worth it.

It has been a busy week besides starting school.  Ermenita graduated with a degree in economics and her family stayed at the school with us, Debbie's mom came in last week to visit, and we had a preacher's convention this past weekend.  We made all the meals for the preacher's meeting and got to talk with them a little bit.  On Friday Emily, Andrea, Angela, and I went and read a story in English, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, to the children at the library.  It was good, encouraging, and fun, but I can't wait to be able to talk with them in Italian.  I will give y'all a more detailed schedule next week once I start my English classes.  Please keep praying for us while we are here.  Pray that God will use us for his glory and that we will take advantage of every opportunity we have to spread the Gospel.  God bless. Ciao!