Ciao di Spoleto, in Umbrato, Italy!
I refuse to believe in global warming when I am only now, after half an hour of typing, regaining feeling in my fingres. An undershirt, two long sleeve tee-shirts, a polartec vest, a sweater, scarf and polarfleece jacket are NOT signs that the earth is in danger of overheating, in my mind. Oh, and there were leggings, cords, wool socks, a baseball cap (Furman Paladins of couse), and earwarmer headband, too. :) My friends, it is winter in Spoleto.
I can't write too long, as this is the free (yay!) computer in the hotel lobby, and my group will return from their vinyard tour any minute now (having grown up in front of a vinyard, I thought I'd save my 10 euros). I couldn't even do my usual write-up-save-to-jump-drive, because this elegant machine only accomodates floppies and CDs. I brought neither. I will say, though, that my favorite spot in Italy (so far, of course), is Asissi. I can't wait to post pictures and text that may come CLOSE to conveying it. If you can go anywhere, go there!
I've liked the small towns best: Pisa, Ravenna, Padua, Asissi, Siena and now Spoleto, rather than the larger cities (Florence and Venice). Not that the towns aren't full of beauty, culture, and history! They are! I think I just love the scholasticism tangible in university towns, epecially ancient ones (aka Pisa & Padua). I feel I can grasp little towns better, they aren't so overwhelming. The countrystide is way too beautful to miss, too. That's what sets small towns apart from the cities: the backdrop. Ravenna I loved because I'm a fan of ANCIENT history over more recent: give me Byzantine over Baroque anyday.
All right, I think I've pushed my luck here long enough. Please keep praying for me.
--Edit: from email
I'm getting some opportunities for fellowship (and trying to make them when they aren't there), as well as TONS of opportunities to share the Gospel. Please KEEP praying for me! I struggle a ton with fear for man--with wanting people here to like me, and just being eaten up when I think they might not. But then on the other hand, I also really want to bear witness to Christ, and sometimes that means offending people, not on purpose, but just because their consciences bug them, you know? But then again I know that the primary way to testify of Christ's power to CHANGE a person (aka selfish me) is to be a servant... so...basically (sorry if this makes no sense), would you pray that I will genuinely LOVE people here?
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