Walking on the Wrong Side of the Road

Well I have now been in Aussie land for almost 2 weeks.  In a way it feels like I have been here forever.  I have successfully learned to drive on the opposite on the opposite of the road with out cringing each time I pass a car, I do however still have think before I make any turns.

I started work last Wednesday.  So far they have kept me pretty busy.  I am planning one of the confirmation groups, which has 10 kids.  (The other group has 9, but I am not really working with them).  I am working on developing a church website, working to get youth group up and running, and this week giving the children’s message.  I was installed last week, which included receiving an Aussie Bible, which is a paraphrased version of a couple Psalms, Proverbs and the Gospels.  It is really hilarious! I have spent lots of time in meetings and dinners just learning about the people, the history and what people want youth ministry to look like here.

I will have to post pictures of the Church soon it is really neat.  It sits about 400, and seems to have endless storage, and a belfry.  The people are all really nice.  Last Sunday my battery died before church, and on Monday morning I had 3 different people call to make sure it was working.  I am currently driving a 1999 Holden Beretta.  It doesn’t have a radio, power windows or locks, or air-conditioning, but as I am just borrowing it until I get a car loan and vehicle sorted out, it works just fine.

I am definitely starting to feel the culture shock a bit, as I start settling in and realizing that this isn’t vacation.  Looking for my own place to rent has contributed a lot to that feeling.  I am just starting to feel a little exhausted by everything that I am taking in, from work to just life in general, as great as it is there isn’t much downtime for my brain to process everything. 

The conversions are one thing that really gets to me.  I can’t think about things in metric units yet, so I feel like I am doing conversions a lot.  I have to a little bit with language stuff as well, although only to a small extent.  The seasons being backwards, and figuring out what day and time it is at home make my brain hurt a little too.

So there is my ever so brief update, more to come soon.  If you have any questions, please comment and let me know, I’d love to fill you in on whatever you’re interested in hearing about.