Heyyyy Everybody. :D

Well, the hotel across the street from the school finally opened back up from their month-long vacation, so the internet is finally at my command. :D

Ok, first things first: the picture above is lying to you. See all the hair below about nose level? It's not there anymore. Now it's something more like this:

That's me at this very moment; that face comes from a sore throat. Lots of guys (and a few girls) are doing "No-shave November," but for me I guess it was "Shave November."

I'll start with recent events, and write till my computer battery runs out:

Tonight is a talent show; I'll be playing piano for my friend Kelsey who's singing "Chasing Pavements" by Adele. I fee like I should say a superlative or two about Kelsey's voice. It's AWESOME, really intimate but powerful, too. I didn't know people with voices like this came to Bible schools. Hopefully a video of that will end up on here. Also I'm leading worship Sunday evening. There are always two church services on Sunday, morning and evening, with music and a student's testimony and a speaker. Different worship teams and "family groups" lead the worship. (A family group is a small group that meets Monday nights for a more intimate Bible study led by a student.) Anyway, my worship team is leading it this Sunday evening, and we decided to do a "total praise" service, with songs basically focusing only on God Himself, not my own troubles or experiences. Obviously those songs aren't bad or anything, but we just wanted to do this one time idea.

This week everyone had a "secret angel" who would write them letters or give them (good) food or do their duties for them; whatever practical ideas that would bless and encourage their person, whose names we drew from a bag. I got a letter and some chocolate from my angel, and to my person I organized a scavenger hunt, using, of course, Bible verse as the clues. I am at Bible school, after all. It's nice to see some of the friendships that have formed here. Here are some of my friends:

From left to right: Kelsey (who I'm playing with in the talent show; she's from Oregon), Ruth (Britain), Robin (Germany), Samara (Canada), and Laura (Minnesota).

This was the group I went to Vienna with on travel weekend. Oh man, that's a whole other story, and I'm running out of time. Anyway, Robin and I hit it off from the beginning, and he's definitely my closest friend here. Maybe, maybe even my closest friend in a long, long time. I've been learning how to open up to people and take myself seriously since I've been here, and Robin's sort of been the test subject. Robin and I go on long walks sometimes, even though it's pretty cold nowadays (though I should mention, the snow has been hit-or-miss, and currently we have no snow to speak of). Anyway, Robin is 20 years old wants to be a teacher of government or geography, or something related. Kelsey is another one I talk with a bit. She's 21 and was studying to be a singer, but some things happened and she's abandoned that for now.

Benni (German, left) is one of my room mates, and he's another guy I treasure a bunch for a number of reasons. He's going to study medicine after Bible school, and wants to be a children's doctor.

Wow, okay, time's up - dinner's ready. I didn't write half of what I should've. This didn't even break the surface. Well, then you can probably be expecting at least one more of these soon.

Till then, farewell; I hope everyone had a nice thanksgiving.

-Michael