One Week to Go

There are SO many things I ought to be doing at this moment, and updating this blog is not one of them. I'm very excited about Poland, but not channeling my excitement in the most productive ways. Still, I feel like I'm getting things accomplished, because of how God has been moving in my life this week.

I'll be moving back into Mom's house on Thursday or Friday, which will be good. I'll have all my stuff in front of me, and that'll make it easier for me to get organized and pack. Right now I just have a very nebulous list in my head. The main things I want to bring are cameras, books, and yarn. I can knit cables now, and that's a great feeling. I made a cabled cowl for Hannah. It looks really good on her. :) I'm going to make a sweater for me next. It's this one.

No point to this... But I guess it's good to get in the habit of updating regularly. Cameron is waving around a Santoku knife, declaring the merits of "That Day Is Done" by Costello/McCartney. (Elvis wrote the best bits.) Cameron's a "toilet paper under" kind of guy. I don't know if our relationship will work.

Friends laugh together! Be good, everyone.

Love,
Chelsea

Welcome.

Hello everyone,

I guess I am not that creative. My Alaska blog was called Chelaska, and my Poland blog is called Chelska. Still, they go nicely together. So welcome to my new blog. The purpose of this will be to share my thoughts, experiences, and photographs from my upcoming trip.

I am leaving to go to Poland for three months on February 4. I am a volunteer with the IMB, the International Missions Board. I've been to Poland twice, for 7-10 days each time. The first time was in summer of '08, and the second was in summer '09. Both times, we were working in Jewish cemeteries. I won't go into that right now, but you can view the photos from both of my trips if you go to my Picasaweb page. There is some information about the team over in Warsaw at Team Warsaw. I think I will be helping update the website some when I'm there. My writing background and minimal HTML experience may finally come in handy.

If you know me, you know that I love to travel, experience new cultures, and meet people from different countries. This fueled my initial interest in the project. When I actually got there, I fell in love with the work we were doing, with Poland, and the people over there in general. What a fascinating history that country has.

God has really been working in me and opening me up to new experiences, and new levels of love and patience. I still have such a long way to go, but am so grateful for this time of preparation I've had before leaving for Poland. Three months isn't a very long time, I know. But I'm expecting great things out of my time in Warsaw.

I think that's all for now. There's a lot more information I could post, but all the salient facts will come out in due time, I'm sure. If you have any questions, advice, etc., post them here, and I'll try to respond to them.

(Oh, and by the way, I hardly know any Polish... So keep me in your thoughts there as well. I do know how to say "I'm sorry," which I think is the most important phrase to learn.)


Love and Unicorns,

Chelsea