Bonjour fellow missionaries!
I hope you are all well and that your weekends were relaxing. A lot has happened since I last posted and most of it has been stressful, in fact I have had a pretty stressed time this past week but things are getting calmer and I'm starting to get in a rhythm here. As I mentioned before the couple I am staying with (Florence and Laurence) do not speak much English, this has led to many both funny and frustrating conversations such as trying to tell them I watched Spongebob in French that morning while I ate breakfast (took about 15 minutes and was pretty funny). We've had our share of miscommunications as well as laughs but in the end it's been educational. Another problem I have encountered is not having a cell phone and trying to meet up with people in central Paris, not very easy because the Paris streets are always crowded. Transportation has been an issue because while the metro system is very good and easy to get around in, buying the right tickets/passes is not. At any rate I am good to travel anywhere within Paris for the next week, after this week I'm not sure but I'm trying to take it one step at a time. The biggest stressor that I have had to deal with has been jet lag. On Wednesday I woke up at 3:30 in the morning, Thursday 6:30, and Friday 7:30. It was a real blessing on Saturday when I actually woke up to the alarm. I have been rather sleep deprived but that portion of the trip is over and I am glad to see it behind me.
This past weekend was a real blessing because a friend from Germany named Julie who I met through a foreign exchange program in the U.S. came to visit. We had a great time catching up and got to go see a few touristy things together with some people from the church. Through Julie we met one of her friends, Christina, who lives in Paris as a nanny. This is great because Christina does not attend church anywhere so we are hoping to invite her to a few church events and get her connected to the church here in Paris.
Church was an interesting experience this past Sunday. I found out that chewing gum is kind of impolite (oops) and that singing in French is hard even when you can read the words. I also managed to spill communion wine on myself in front of the whole church which was pretty embarrassing, not exactly the first impression I wanted to make! During the service (which was entirely in French) I journaled and studied on my own, hopefully I will know enough French next Sunday to understand a few words.
Please pray for me as this week starts and as we start to take our French classes. I know that it will be difficult but I think I am ready for it, it can't be any harder than Koine Greek. Also pray that God continues to prepare my heart for Burkina Faso; I am leaving one week from Thursday and I know that the culture shock is going to be massive. At least I won't have to deal with jet lag since I have already dealt with it here. Au revoir!
Your fellow missionary,
Ryan
2 comments:
Hey Ryan,
Keep on truckin' - (That's good ole English) It is great to hear from you. After just 1 week, I think you are doing well. I'm glad that Burkina Faso is in the same time zone for you. It's great that you have a contact with Julie's friend. Hopefully she will be inspired by the church.
You know you are in my prayers.
Love ya. MOM
Tell them the truth Ryan Jones!!! That you used me for a month, while I paid for everything; meals and trips. That I took you on a camping trip, on Valentine's Day, I paid for to help you cope with your brother's death. That on your brother's birthday, you got blackout drunk and I took care of you while you verbally abused me. That I saved your life because you were alcohol poisoned and were chocking on your own vomit. That after you committed yourself to me and told me to hang on while you sort all this out, you then disposed of me like yesterday's garbage. Tell them the truth!!! I am honorable and will defend this any day and anytime!!!! Why don't you tell them what an abusive alcoholic you are and how you can't it get up normally because you sit at home, jerking off to FART PORN (not a joke people SERIOUSLY-he jerked off to fart porn while I watched-HIS request). Don't you fucking dare lie about me when I treated you like gold and cherished you!!!
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