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