HUNGARY.

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So, im in Hungary listening to a song by Hungry kids of Hungary. Haha!
but yes I am here. I am staying in a small town called Pecsvarad which is quite near to Pecs in South Hungary. I did stay in Budapest for 2 days and 1 night but thats all I really had time for. Budapest was really cool, it was like a mixture of old and interesting, historic buildings and cool funky modern arty things around the city. I didnt get to see that much of it but from what I saw it felt like it had a cool atmosphere and it was a fun place and im definitely planning on going back at some point - unfortunately not this time round. So I basically am in Pecsvarad for a week and then im going to Salzburg for 3 nights to visit my aunty and uncle and cousins who are over there at the moment and then im planning on doing 2 nights in Vienna, 3 nights in Prague, 3 nights in Amsterdam and then 3 in Brussels and then im off to Berlin for about 10 nights and Im staying with Jess Irwin, a friend who used to live in Sydney but now lives in Berlin. Also my other friend Eloise will be joining us in Berlin for a few days and my other friend Fish from work will be over then there so I know it will be awesome! Plus ive heard very great things about Berlin - I'm Excited!! and then after that im in England for another 10 days (the first 3 of which ill be at the Hillsong London conference with Jess!). EXCITING TIMES AWAIT!
So yes I am in Pecsvarad helping teach English to a group of about 15 Hungarian children aged 4-7. So they are very young but I am seriously shocked by how much English they already know, and how easily they pick it up, they are a very intelligent bunch! And not to mention SO CUTE!
It is very exhausting and im constantly tired as they are very long days but i am really enjoying it. I just love kids! Our days consist of doing lots of songs in English and teaching them different words and phrases and also doing lots of crafts and story times and i have to admit im learning a lot myself haha.
It is not exactly what I expected, although I didnt give myself much time to think about what I would be doing I sort of just got asked to do it and thought yeah why not. This was only a few weeks ago I got asked so if you didnt know I was doing this, dont worry either did I.
But it happened quite funnily, I remember I was in Rome in my hostel and was chatting to an awesome Brazilian guy I met whilst in the middle of deciding between Hungary and another country and then I looked at my facebook and I had an email asking if I wanted to volunteer in Hungary and it just felt like God wanted me to go, it felt right and felt like once again it was in Gods perfect timing. So here I am.
Its a really beautiful town, lots of hills and mountains, lakes and cute little houses everywhere. Its very cool and im really enjoying it. When I got here on Sunday, I settled into my room (which is also very very cute!) and then we went for a bike ride up and down the hills and went to go set up for the English camp the day after. It was exactly how Brett and Sina (the people im staying with) said, the best way to see Hungary is by bike. I loved it! A little challenging going up a lot of hills haha but so beautiful. I have also decided to stay for the weekend after the camp so they can show me around the area a bit more and so I can actually spend time exploring before I have to leave, because I may not be back to this particular area again, although I would love to come back!!
Brett and Sina are really awesome. They are Christians and the place im staying is actually a Christian hostel/B&B. There is no one staying here at the moment because we are doing the camp but usually they will have loads of Christians come stay for the weekend or a week or a few weeks and they have lots of discipleship programs and things that they run with the guests as they come. Its really awesome to hear about. They have SO MANY books and im dieing to read them all, lots by John Piper and actually Brett attended his church a few years ago back in the States. Oh yes, they are Americans! They have been living here for about 4 years now running this Christian hostel ministry. They are very kind and generous and are looking after me well and im excited to spend some more time with them on the weekend. I feel like I could learn a lot from them. And it seems like there is so much I could do here! Im very thankful to be out here in the countryside and away from the big cities, its so much more peaceful and I have really been needing a bit of a break from that.

Recently, Ive been missing all my family and friends a lot. It feels SO weird to have been away for so long and still have such a long way to go. Actually I just calculated it and the 30th of June will be the half way point. OH MY GOSH! Its such a mix of feeling like ive been away forever but also that its already half away and i cant believe how quickly it has gone. CRAZY!
But im also missing Australia itself. I felt like when i left for Europe I just wanted to get out of Sydney so badly but coming overseas I have spoken to COUNTLESS amounts of people who have said 'ive never been to australia, but ive always wanted to go!'. You have no idea how many times I have heard that statement over the past few months. Its like Australia is this far away paradise place where its always sunny and life is perfect. clearly its not haha because from what ive heard the weather is pretty crappy right now haha but its this idea that everyone wants to go! and now when i think about it, it actually is a pretty cool place and i feel so blessed to be able to live there. I have also been thinking about doing a trip around Australia, the other types of people I have met have said they have been to Australia and have been to all the amazing places and unfortunately i cant relate because ive never actually gone myself! haha so I feel like since I am so blessed to live here I may as well see what all the fuss is about and go look around and see what is out there in this beautiful country of mine. but im not sure how long it will take me to do that because ive also started thinking about a trip to the states and to canada and Id also love to go to South America at some point and NZ and just everywhere. I've definitely caught the travel bug haha!!
I also cant wait to get home and have certain foods again, its weird the things I have craved and thought about but I guess when you love a certain food and other ones in the world just dont live up to it its normal to crave that certain one haha ohh who knows im just a freak.
but the point is I MISS AUSTRALIA.
and all of you reading this (probably).

I feel like when I get home I will just be so overwhelmed at how much Ive done. It feels like I really am doing a lot. Especially because whenever I talk to someone back home I ask whats happening there and they say yeah not much, the usual. But for me every day is experiencing new things, new adventures, having firsts, and its weird living such a different life for a while. I think it will be weird going from Europe to Africa because it will definitely be a big culture shock but then it will be even weirder adjusting to life back home after all ive seen and experienced. Anyway im just rambling some random thoughts here. I definitely have heaps of time to think, especially in a place like this. Well basically whenever im alone, whether its on a train or in my hostel, im always thinking. But i do prefer to think whilst looking out onto a beautiful landscape or something, which is why this place is perfect.

I also think lots about the day I get home, I wonder what it will be like for my family to have not seen or been around me for over 6 months and then im suddenly back. It must be so weird for them to not have me around, especially because im always so loud and singing or being crazy haha!
I really do miss them. I miss talking to them and just having those people im so comfortable around, those people I can weird or feel grose around and it doesnt matter. I just miss them all! And waffle, my dog haha! I feel like as a family we have grown closer as of recently (well before I went away) and that my brothers have both matured a lot and its really cool cause we can all have proper discussions and conversations now rather than just watching TV or not talking or being alone in our rooms or something. I really love them and miss them so much and cant wait to see them again! But i just feel like as soon as im home it will be like, oh hey. and then they all go off and do their own things haha im not expecting much! usually when i get home from being away they say, wow it was so good without you here. haha typical siblings!
but i wonder if it will be different this time. Also my friends, Im excited to see them all! I REALLY REALLY MISS THEM! I just love hearing from them so much and hate missing out on whats going on but yeah im excited to just be with them when im back. It sucks cause i know lots of them are busy so I dont hear from them as much but I understand but I just wish it was as easy as giving them a call, I hate not knowing whats going on. But I do know they havent forgotten about me haha im sure they are just busy, I mean I would be the same too. Sometimes life just gets so hectic, even when you feel like you dont have that much to do each day, things just pile on top of us and it all builds into a busy busy life. But I have learnt from a book by Joyce Myer called the pursuit of Peace that its best to keep our lives as simple as possible. Jesus wants us to enjoy life, remember the verse John 10:10 - I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Thats one of my favourite bible verses because I think Im quite a fun and crazy girl and I love adventures and trying to live it up and I really love that characteristic about God. He's fun and he wants his children to have fun!! He isnt boring or plain, he is joyful and exciting and wants us to enjoy and use every single day. He gives us things in life that are there for us to enjoy and its so much better when we can live simply and actually have the time to enjoy those things, rather than trying to please everyone and do everything. We need to make time to enjoy God and enjoy his creation and spend time with him and in his creation being thankful and praising him for it. From all of the things I have seen, it just amazes me how creative he is! God is creative, he created this creative creation and he created creative people and i just love that!! He is incredible, I just wish that I could show you some of the magnficient things i have seen and yes you will see photos, but the photos rarely ever do the sights justice. I love just feeling overwhelmed at how awesome God is and its wonderful that his creation can make us feel so special, and so excited and it just makes me want to show the world how INDESCRIBABLE my creator is. Its like any time I want to be creative or to think up something say for drama for example, even in that God can relate because he is the source of all creativity. If I want to be creative, I go to him!

Now I must leave it there for tonight as I am on Sinas computer using up all her battery but I just want to encourage you that if you are feeling constantly busy or exhausted and you never have time to do anything or see anyone you may want to rethink your life's priorities and give something a break for a while until you sorted things out properly. I dont know, just a thought.

ANYWAY im feeling pretty good about my travels so far. I mean im very very tired at the moment but still loving life! Im excited to do the last bits of Europe but man I am so PUMPED for Africa. I know its going to be a bit culture shock but I know it will also be very challenging but totally awesome too. God has it all planned out and in control and as long as I keep following him I know it will all go according to his plan.

I hope this blog finds you all in good health and you are loving life and living it up 😉 here is a challenge: do something today you have never done before.

just do it.

But yes, Hungary is so so cool. You should come here! Just come now, why not. Im here and im pretty cool, just come we can hang out. K cool see you soon. P.s Im the cool kid sitting at a table being pretty awesome.

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