From Czech to Check

Well, we’re back in the good ole’ U.S. of A. No more signs I can’t read, so more bus-metro-metro-bus-tram-bus connections, no more grimaces of disgust in response to smiles of greeting…yes, it’s good to be back.

However, it’s also tough to be back. I’m sure Alison and I haven’t even scratched the surface of our need to process the last year. I sense in us an almost frantic need to talk about our experiences with people, AND we haven’t really ventured out much into the “real world” of America in order to begin re-entry.

Despite all this, we’re excited about the days and weeks to come. There is a lot going on in North America this summer for the Raskins! For that reason I am opting to keep this blog, though the “Czech” pun no longer really applies. I know we haven’t been the most faithful “updaters,” but hopefully we can keep a modestly recent account of news and stories. Who knows? But for now, thanks for “checking out the Raskins” and hopefully there will be more in store soon!

 

München mag Dich

“Munich Likes You.”

Aww. Well, we like Munich, too. This simple little one-liner city slogan couldn’t put more aptly the sympathies we felt resonating from the very walls and avenues of Germany’s Bavarian capital. The city is, quite plainly, likable. One might even argue lovable, though no doubt the sight of Munich come early October could sway one’s opinion.  However, having forgone a sojourn to Oktoberfest back in the Fall, I can’t really speak to the raucous side of this city. All I felt while wandering its little center was…calm.

I’m not really sure what we expected, though we had recently heard comparisons of Munich to Pittsburgh (a shout-out to at least one frequent reader of this blog). “Ugh,” I thought, “not Pittsburgh!” Of course, I have never been to Pittsburgh, but for some reason the thought didn’t sit well. I pictured large monuments of industry, billowing smoke stacks and soot-covered facades along litter-strewn alleys. (I doubt this is an accurate mental image of even Pittsburgh, but until I’m proven otherwise, it’s my image and I’m sticking to it!).  Anyway, Munich was anything but industrial from what I could tell – massive green parks, towering churches, and manicured gardens all lulled us into a relaxed state that remained until our hasty departure the following morning.

I have to admit this is one of the first places where I got truly lost. Alison and our friend Becky didn’t seem to notice (or care), but I was totally turned around. It was one of those I-turned-left-when-I-should-have-turned-right things, and we just kept walking. The nice thing about Munich, however, is that for such a “big” city, we never felt too far from where we needed to be. AND, getting lost was nice. We found a beautiful river, a pseudo-castle-thing, and a park where we plunked down for a picnic. Not bad for botched navigation.

Our final moments in Munich were marked by what I can only assume to be two true Bavarian experiences: drinking beer at an outdoor cafe-ish setup in the setting sun, and gobbling down horseradish and meat at an old-world brauhaus. The only thing missing was the oom-pah band. Maybe next time.

Cafe Culture in Munich

 

B-B-Q

“Is ‘bbq’ an event or a food?” inquired one of our friends today trying to sort out some vocabulary usage.

In my ubiquitous mode of dutiful assistance to my ESL companions here at IBTS, I replied, “Well, technically it can be both…and a verb…in fact, you could say ‘We are barbecuing barbecue on a barbecue’ and you would be grammatically correct.”  I think that sorted it out.

Don't worry Abigail, you aren't on the menu...despite some students' wishes.

Anyway, today we basked in springtime glory (and nearly 70 degree weather) by cooking loads of meat and playing volleyball. It all felt very…Californian. Like I was back at La Jolla Shores unloading palettes from a friend’s pickup onto warm sand.  But instead of sand we were walking on freshly trimmed grass and goat droppings. It’s basically the same.

The meat we got from a local butcher in a small town just outside Prague – tons and tons of pork chops to be precise, all with enough seasoning to look like a salad. And sausages of course. Let’s not forget we’re in the Czech lands here. The only thing missing was the potato salad…which I guess here would be some variety of sauerkraut. We finished up the sunny, joyous day with a little campfire. The big surprise came when some of our friends busted out marshmallows, chocolate bars, and something akin to graham crackers. I haven’t had a s’more  for a long while, but for almost everyone present today it was an entirely new phenomenon. I had so much fun watching these students trying to get their mallows roasted just right and then hearing their amazement at how dang good the things taste. As I said to one girl…”now go forth and spread the good news.” It was a good day.

Fun Fact: European marshmallows roast entirely different than American marshmallows. They take about 10 seconds to be completely charred (unlike the 10-minute seeming jet-puffed variety back home) and as far as I observed these don’t catch on fire (which is half the fun of s’mores in my opinion!).

 

1 Week, 13 Bible Studies

No, don’t worry. That’s not the norm. I’m not a pastor yet after all.

Back to blogging after a long hiatus, and you would think that I might begin by recounting some crazy travel adventure or zany cross-cultural confusion. Well, for good or for bad, I’ve decided that my heart and my mind have lately been trained upon the ever-more mundane yet equally-ever-more significant reality of the community that Alison and I have found here in Prague and at IBTS.

This was brought home to us throughout the last week, as Alison and I sat through 12 bible studies led by the 12 “CAT” students (Certificate of Applied Theology) that we teach in the areas of ‘communication’ and ‘practice of ministry.’ For me, tack on the normal Tuesday night study we attend, and that’s a whopping 13 bible studies in the course of 4 days!

“Why subject yourse…er…privilege yourself to that many holy huddles?” you may ask. That’s a good question.

For the 4 weeks prior, Alison and I had been teaching a unit for communications called ‘Leading Small Group Bible Studies’ to these up-and-coming lay leaders, and we determined that an appropriate final project would be to have these students lead the two of us (and two of their peers) in a short bible study so that we could assess how they handle preparation and group dynamics. All in all, this was their third such exercise with a small group in the 5-week period, thus over the last 5 weeks there were a total of 42 bible studies held on campus among this little group. We’re tough instructors, what can I say?

“What on God’s green earth does this have to do with community?” you may now ask. That’s another good question.

We are SO proud of the progress we have seen in the work of these students; I mean, they hit it out of the park. I had some of the most rewarding discussions about little passages that I’ve had in years with these students, some of whom have never engaged in such an enterprise.  In general, this reflects a theme throughout the last 7 months as a whole – growth. Many of these students came here in September barely speaking English. Now they are some of our closest friends here in Prague, people whose perspectives and faith challenges us on a daily basis. We have witnessed students grow in their abilities, grow in their confidence, grow in their character. It’s truly a blessing for us to see.

Furthermore, we really feel like we have been allowed to be a small part of that growth. That’s a humbling thing. What’s even more humbling, however, is that I realize just how much these students are helping me to grow in my faith, to experience my calling and my passions in new ways. And that’s really what community is all about, after all. Reciprocal relationships, supporting presences, and a love that always challenges us to keep growing into the people we never realized we could be.

If I leave Prague in 2 months wondering what God did with this year, and whether I’m any stronger of a preacher/leader/pastor/etc. when I get back, I can remember 4 days and 13 bible studies, and I can rest in that.

 

Continuing to Serve

Alison is truly an amazing woman, let me tell you. One of the staff of the church here in Prague and IBTS approached her recently and asked if she would work as a liaison between the school/church and an organization here in Prague working with underprivileged children, under the umbrella of the large organization known as Teen Challenge.  Alison has visited the center in Prague and tomorrow we are hosting an informational breakfast for students to discuss ways that they can be involved with this group.

It’s exciting to see the ways that we have both maintained a life of ministry even in this time of rest and adventure, and I’m really proud of Alison for putting herself out there to meet the needs of vulnerable children and teens in a foreign environment. Watch the video below for more information on Teen Challenge’s ministry among the Roma children of Prague:

Teen Challenge Center for Children and Youth from Jonathan Palmer on Vimeo.

 

Serenity

The Sukiennice, or Cloth Market, in the Krakow Rynek

As I sipped at my cup of warm spiced wine and wandered about the bustling market, I couldn’t help feeling as though I had stumbled upon a little piece of European heaven. Alison was off looking at decorative ceramics, a choir sang Christmas hymns, the light was quickly fading to a deep blue behind St. Mary’s Basilica, and I just wandered around. What could be better?

Krakow, Poland, right before Christmas. We decided to use some of our quiet holiday time to travel around Southern Poland, rushing about trying to take in as much as we could before freezing to death or collapsing from tired legs.  One week of travel included the Czech University town of Olomouc, 4 nights in Krakow, trips to Auschwitz and nearby Salt Mines, and a final day in the Polish city of Wrocław. Rather than opting for the hosteling scene in Krakow, I went with a reservation through a site called AirBnB.com – one of the new and popular services for people to rent out private accommodation.  In our case, we found a wonderful loft-apartment right in the center of Krakow for just about $50/night! Now that’s the way to travel.

An alleyway of Stare Miasto

A longer stay in one spot, particularly in a place that felt more “homey,” gave us the chance to really feel Krakow – its laid-back aura of beauty, its deeply religious population, and its love of good Polish food. It’s truly a gem, despite typical stereotypes about Poland being dismal and dreary. We were surprised by the active population around the city. The Christmas market I mentioned above was constantly abuzz, and the churches were as well! At one point in a Dominican church, Alison found herself standing in line for what she thought was a glimpse of some view or touristy photo-op. After a few minutes, however, she realized that she was standing in the long line for confession! We spent a few more minutes roaming about the nave and slyly taking pictures before being run off by a grumbling cleaning lady. It was interesting to experience a place in Europe where the big churches are actually very much in use.

While there weren’t many interesting stories or crazy experiences happening in Krakow, I think it was an absolute highlight for me just because of the city itself. It was somehow authentically Europe – I can’t even put my finger on what that means yet, but Krakow had it (whatever “it” is). I’ll stop droning. Enjoy the pictures

Alison knocking at the gates of the Barbakan, the old guarded entrance

St. Mary's Basilica on the Rynek

Lions and...well, just lions...oh my!

Alison discovers her calling - shopping for Polish ceramics! Taken at the Christmas Market in the Rynek

 

2,000!

You beautiful, beautiful people. Over the last week or so, our all-time readership hit the 2,000 mark. I for one am somewhat proud. I imagine this is something like the feeling that parents have watching their children grow up. Don’t quote me on that or anything though…

As a reward you are getting a post on Poland! It might even be a multi-parter! Whoa. Enjoy!

 

Czech Holidays Part 2

The best experiences abroad, I have often found, are the times where you (for a brief moment) fear for your own safety.  The lingering prospect of some bizarre international death, the type of which would make for an incredible story or a feature slot on “world’s craziest moments caught on tape” or something…now those are the situations that really lead to memories.

This is the best way to envision our whole feeling about celebrating New Year in the Czech Republic.

That is to say, our experience with this particular holiday was one of incredible fun, but an incredible fear for our lives as we wove through crowds of drunken revelers all armed with personal fireworks.  It seems as though the Czech fondness for alcohol is equally matched by a fondness for explosives. It would of course then be only natural to find these two things occurring in conjunction come New Year’s Eve. The Czech ring in the New Year just like every other country around the world, no cultural traditions to learn here – champagne, midnight parties, dancing, drinking, and (sorry America) fireworks.  In our case, we joined the throngs in downtown Prague, and made our way to the heart of the action along the Vltava river.

All in all, it was quite a sight – and a sound. The carefree atmosphere was frequently punctuated by ear-splitting BOOMs as people set off powerful fireworks all over the city.  They were shooting off of the Charles Bridge, off of the tops of historic churches, and even exploding in the middle of town squares. This was all prior to midnight too.

We made our way into the very center of it all at one point, Charles Bridge, but after a few minutes decided to evacuate the premises – things were growing unruly quickly.  After some navigating of the pressing crowds, we made our way to a somewhat calmer locale along the river. Stress on the “somewhat.” We still had a view of the river, where countless boats sailed along the calm waters, with the Castle and cathedrals dotting the landscape behind.  At midnight, the “official” boat sounded the foghorn, and Alison and I shared a midnight kiss as the air on all sides of us exploded with God-knows how many colors and shapes.  The official fireworks were fired off a boat in the river, but they were joined by the unofficial explosives of people on all bridges, streets, and squares of the city.

It was a truly beautiful, if somewhat intimidating, evening. The fireworks continued for the remainder of the night, and occasionally a paper lantern would float peacefully through the air (or get stuck in a tree, threatening to set it ablaze…). We survived with only minor injures, as our friend Andrew caught an ember in the eye that causes some discomfort for a few minutes.  Other than that, our experiences with this Czech holiday was…well, memorable.

Alison enjoying Old Town Square with some of our New Year’s crew, Dee and Marta.

View of the Charles Bridge over the Vltava, December 31, 2010

 

A Little More International?

Around here, it hardly seems possible. However, we had an amazing opportunity this weekend to worship with a group of Burmese Refugees who have recently been moved to the Czech Republic. This group, displaced by the oppressive military regime in Burma (now Myanmar), will be acclimating to Czech culture and learning the Czech language as they try to start new lives here. I can only imagine the hardship these people have experienced in their lives.

Our good friend Nancy wrote about the experience (and then some), which you can read here. I would also encourage you to learn more about the situation in Burma/Myanmar, and keep the people in your thoughts and prayers.

 

Czech Holidays Part 1 – Christmas

Our experience of Christmas in Europe has been, well…confusing to say the least.

Now that’s not bad; confusing can be fun but it’s still confusing.  This is probably caused by the fact that we are surrounded by people from so many cultures that we have our dates, foods, traditions, etc. all mixed up. However, there are some certified Czech traditions and differences when it comes to this holiday that deserve special attention. Here are some of those differences:

1. Christmas Cuisine – While many of you back home in the U.S. of A. likely tucked into a nice Christmas ham or turkey, the Czechs have a traditional Christmas meal of a different sort. Kaprh is the Czech word, but you know it as Carp. Served in several ways on Christmas Eve, Carp is the fish of choice, sometimes even dished up in a style called “Carp-Head Soup,” but normally served fried. Days before Christmas, carp-sellers appear in the streets of the cities with huge bins of live Carp for buying, and they’ll even butcher it for you on the spot! We hear most take it home to an awaiting bathtub however. We’ve been surprised to learn just how many European cultures traditionally have seafood for Christmas dinner – all the more reason to have Christmas here in my opinion!

2. The Timing – While kids across America anxiously await Christmas morning, struggling to sleep the night before a massive present-opening overload, the Czechs have this age-old childhood dilemma solved. You see, Christmas is celebrated (i.e. traditional meal, presents, etc.) on Christmas Eve in its entirety. This avoids the awkward downtime between presents and dinner on Christmas day…well that might not be their reasoning, but I like the idea of it.

3. Santa Who? – Santa Claus may be somewhat universal, but he appears in widely various forms. For example, we witnessed a more Slavic (Russian, for example) tradition here at IBTS involving “father frost,” a similarly benign present-bestowing old man. Well you can leave that at the door in the Czech Republic. Here, the presents are delivered by Baby Jesus himself! Not adult Jesus, mind you…baby Jesus. “Eight Pound, Six Ounce, Newborn Baby Jesus, in your golden, fleece diapers, with your curled-up, fat, balled-up little fists pawin’ at the air…”

4. Christmas Magic – There are plenty of other Czech Christmas traditions. Some of my favorite involve keeping a fish scale under you plate throughout dinner for wealth in the new year, and one tradition that says the first person to stand up from the dinner table will die. Seriously. You can read about these more magic-minded traditions here.

While all of this is fine and good, we unfortunately did not participate in any of the above traditions. Sad times. However, we did have a wonderful Christmas dinner (American style) with some good friends here at the school, and Alison and I opened presents on Christmas morning along with Skype video to our families and pancakes made by yours truly. Though we did decide to incorporate a little Euro flair into our Christmas traditions – we’re going to try to enjoy fish for Christmas Eve Dinner here on out.