The YWCA on Lower Baggot Street

Almost since September and the beginning of this school year the residents at the Y have been divided. 

Divided between the German's and the Spaniard's. At points it's felt like WWIII was about to happen. As a neutral party it's been comical to me to see and just watch. 

But it has hurt my heart to see, and at points being asked to join a "side".

I would tend to spend more time with the German side of the division. Mostly just because 2 girls I've cliched with are on the "German side", (and also they tend to be better at speaking English than the Spanish people). 

That said though, my roommate, Marta, is Spanish. So, if for no other reason than her, I have to be a neutral party! 

At this point you're probably wondering why in the world is there a divide? What's the big deal? 

Good Question. 

Apparently there's something about German culture and Spanish culture that naturally causes division. Something about the German's and their time management and general orderliness, and the Spaniards general lack of those....? I don't know. 

Just tonight, I got to go to dinner with some of the residence for my room mate's birthday. I was so surprised I was actually invited. (I was the only blond/blue eyed person in the mix of Spanish, Italian, and Turks.) 

  

One of the Spaniards I would have judged wrongly wound up basically sitting across from me during dinner, along with a Turkish girl and a guy from Italy (English had to be spoken!). 

The group out for Marta's birthday!! (Marta's 3rd on the right)

The question came up about what I was doing here, I work for the church, charity work, I'm a protestant.... Then it came out the Turkish girl was muslim (I had no idea). So I asked her all sorts of questions about why she didn't have to wear a head covering, etc. Then she in turn asked me all sorts of questions about Christianity and Jesus. Then it came out that the Spanish boy is Catholic (confusion on the difference between Catholic and Protestant!). The Spaniard and I ended up tag teaming about Christianity, (which needless to say was really special). 

I ended up inviting her to come to church with me Sunday. She's very keen to come. Please pray! Totally God showing up, yet again! 

As the 3 of us are talking, I suddenly remember the Italian guy... I ask him if he's Catholic. Turns out he was raised Catholic. But now doesn't believe anything. Before we can get too far into talking the legitimacy (authenticity) of the Bible we have to pay and go.... But man what a can of worms I'd love to open one day. Please pray with me for these moments. Just planting seeds. Pray that God would water. 

Later that night Marta and I had an amazing, "adult" conversation about the divided that's happening here at the Y. (This would be the first time we've actually talked about it). It meant a lot to her that I'd been a part of her birthday dinner. She invited me to join the Spaniards anytime. Which, now that I've actually gotten to personally know them, I will defiantly be doing just that. I feel like our friendship has now taken a turn, just by these seemly simple steps. Now, I'd say we're actually friends, (more than just sleeping buddies). So thankful we get to continue as roommates in the spring term! 

Christmas at the Y

I do realize that Thanksgiving has only just come and gone and I've put "Christmas" in the subject line. Don't be scared away, or fooled that I'm super organized. (Because I'm not!)

Much like I imagine it is in the States at this time of year, Christmas is in full swing here, and has been since Halloween. After the first lights start to appear, I'm able to just ignore it. Well... that is until the 4 weeks before. This past weekend was that weekend. In honor of that, the residents and staff at the YWCA decorated the Y for Christmas, which of course included hot chocolate and Christmas music, followed by a seasonal film.

I'd totally forgotten this was all happening. That is until I walk into the Y Sunday night very hungry, late for dinner, needing a toilet, too hot and very brain dead from having just had a 6 hour discussion about Christian marriage, and I walk right into the middle of Christmas!

Needless to say my heart isn't in it.

But one of the residents, Polina, is having a totally different reaction. (Polina is from Russia). She tells us, face literally glowing, "I feel I am 5 years old again!" (She's about 28.) With wonder she asks what hot chocolate is, how do you put toppings on it? And the decorations... she was like a child in a candy shop! After she asked if this is what we did every year, she told us that in Russia they don't decorate till at earliest the 25th of December, but they don't celebrate "Christmas" till New Years. Then it's 2 weeks straight drinking of vodka. (Ya'll, I thought that was a stereotype about Russia, not a truth! )

As the other residents share about their country's Christmas traditions, Polina looks at me and asks me what traditions do I follow.

Typical me, I don't understand what she's asking and I just word vomit. Is she asking about American Christmas traditions or is she asking about my family's traditions? (Because America as a country doesn't have any traditions...!) Polina then asks if this (a special weekend to decorate) is normal, is this Christmas? (again, is she referring to me or the whole country?) In my mind I want to say yes, the weekend after Thanksgiving traditionally is when you decorate for Christmas. But she is from Russia, Thanksgiving means nothing to her. Then my mind goes to Advent, this weekend is also always the 1st Sunday of Advent, 4 weeks before Christmas. She's not a Christian, what is Advent? My brain... Thankfully I'm sitting next to another American, Sara, who at this point enters the conversation, clarifying and answering the question. As I listen to Sara explain Christmas for Americans and how it's different for all of us, I realize Polina could have gotten 2 very different versions of Christmas. One being the secular Christmas, the other being the Christian Christmas. It begs the age old question, what IS the reason for the season?

 Christmas Festivities at the Y

Why have I shared this long story with you? Because I realized I need you guys to be praying for me and opportunities to share the gospel with my fellow residents just in the next couple of weeks leading up to Christmas. Chances are that when I am going to be interacting with the other residents, I am going to be brain tired and just the thought of engaging makes me want to shy away, but please pray that'd I'd not shy away. But rather in my weakness, God would be glorified. (Because He's the one that's going to be having to give me the words to say!) But seriously, is there not a better time of year to talk about the gospel than Christmas?

Where we are now

With moving to Dublin and being placed with a city church that has 4 services all in a different language, and living at the Y with international students; I had no idea what life would actually look like, working and living with internationals. 

What it means now is that I have a Dutch friend, South African, Romanian, French, German, Brazilian, Spanish, American, Mexican, Canadian, and Irish friends. What this has further meant is that I get to be a tourist and see and do a lot of fun things, and be able to do exactly what I came here to do. (To be in relationship with people, and (hopefully) reflecting Jesus to people). 

What this also means is that I forget that I have actually been in Ireland over a year now, and things like potatoes with every meal, I don’t even notice anymore! That is till one of the American girls here goes on a long rant to the cook about the dinner being not just rice, 'but rice and potatoes. Two starches! There have been potatoes with every meal for the past 2 weeks! That is just unacceptable!' (I hadn’t even noticed). -Honey, you’re living in Ireland. The cook is Scottish.- Hello culture shock! 

Prior to this conversation about food this girl, Rena, had been ranting to me about something else - and then when she started going at the cook about the food; clearly, there’s more going on here! So I very quietly asked her if I could pray with her. She said yes, so I did, almost whispering! (This is me having lived in Ireland a year, where praying out load in public is just not something you do!)

Implications of all of this? My social media probably looks like I live such an exciting life! I would truly hate to give the wrong idea about how I live life, especially to people back in the States. Yet as I was scrolling back through pictures I've posted, it is a pretty accurate description of my life here. Life in community with internationals. Of which I am one. 

Day trip to Killiney Hill via
Dalky with some of the girls
from the Y 

Killiney Hill 

Girls night at the Y

Trinity College Library 

It's always fun when people ask what it is I do.... Not. Ah, ya know, I get to be a tourist. When I'm not doing any of the above, you can probably find me in a coffee shop reading, pretending I'm not actually a tourist. 

The reality of it is though that it's hard. A lot of what I have to do that just comes with living in community, doesn't come naturally to me. Sometimes I'm sick of being around people and don't handle being asked "how are you?" one more time! And so I walk out of the room, unable to engage, but leaving someone thinking they've offended me. Or I just want to blow up at my room mate, (because I just want to be by myself), but miraculously don't say anything and just breath. 

Sometimes I truly feel like I don't fit in anywhere and I hate eating communally. Sitting at a table hoping someone will sit with me. But then the next day I go and sit with someone and even though I know they're not native English speaking, I start talking to them in English and have an amazing conversation. I walk away wondering why it is I don't try and engage more often.... Really, once again, I am reminded yet again that it can't be by my strength that I do anything that I'm trying do. It has to be Jesus in me. Unfortunately I forget to even spend time with Jesus, and much less even remember that it's not by anything I do, it has to be Him. 

So much easier to say then do! And that's all just life at the Y. I never did go into what church with all it's nationalities is like! Stay tuned for that one. Till then. xx