Life in a Foreign Culture

Sometimes things here are hard just because of the language barrier

For example todays adventure..... A Policeman came to my door and woke me from my nap. He only spoke Polish and I felt a little scared that he had a Polish document with my name on it. It turned out to be nothing but a routine passport check.

Or yesterdays adventure...... meat doesn't come in little packages so you have to order it and watch them cut it off a HUGE piece of meat. I wasn't even sure what I was getting. I was hoping for lamb or beef but got Pork instead.

Or the day before..... I was on the tram and a lady came and tried to talk to me in Polish. This often happens with beggars so I just said "I'm sorry I only speak English" turns out she was the ticket checker.

Or before I went away a man got angry at us (in Polish) asking us if we where ashamed to speak Polish.... or even worse did we not know the language. Even when my friend (fluent in Polish) explained I was new to the country and I tried my best to speak Polish to him he seemed angry.

But the other side of that is the grace shown by people that can't speak English. The patience of the Policeman, the willingness of the butcher to use sign language to show how much meat I wanted or the hospitality of people in the Church who invite you to share a meal in their homes even thought they can barely communicate.

So you have to take the good with the bad. Remeber God has called you here for a purpose and just laugh a little at yourself.

Thank you for your prayers.
Keren