Dad Leaves...:(

Well today was a sad day... I parted ways with my dad. Not only has my dad been my personal chauffeur and translator these past two weeks, but he has been a loving and laid-back companion. We had such a great time together, and I couldn't help but shed a few (or several) tears at the airport this morning.

But where were we? Ah, yes...let's backtrack a couple days. Yesterday we left the Lake District, a collection of lakes just east of Salzburg. Have I told you about this place? It is b-e-a-utiful. It reminds me of some prime backpacking locations in Canada.

We spent one night in the Lake District, in the town of Mondsee. We stayed in a hotel called Panorama; they couldn't have chosen a more fitting name! We were up on this huge hill surrounded by meadows and the occasional cow. Farms spattered the countryside, and there were plum trees lining the road. (I assumed these were free. Part of the hotel price, right?) All of the houses were white with dark wood trim, and everyone had flower boxes by their windows. To top it all off, we had a great view of Lake Mondsee and the mountains surrounding it.

We spent yesterday driving around the lakes before heading back up to Pilsen. I demonstrated my best culinary skills for my dad with a late dinner of instant soup, popcorn (pre-popped and salted), and some carrot chips. He raved about it. (See "laid-back" descriptor in first paragraph.)

Dad and I treated the pastor at the school to some very fancy McDonald's coffee in the morning. The pastor has been very helpful in making us comfortable in Pilsen, and we wanted to say thanks with a cheap cup of coffee. We had a nice chat, he and Dad said their good-byes, and we headed off for our hour-long drive to Prague.

After Dad and I returned the rental and hugged good-bye, I took a bus to the city center in Prague to explore for the afternoon. I only spent about 4 hours there, and it went by in a flash! I alternated between wandered like a fool and trying not to look ridiculously touristy. But first I ate. I have my priorities.

So to sum up, I love Prague. I can't wait to go back and spend the day exploring! Thankfully the fare is pretty cheap between Pilsen and Prague (155 ckz, or about $8) and it takes less than 2 hours. There are so many beautiful, historic buildings to see. (Okay, and the food was amazing. Don't judge.)

Tonight is my first night alone in my apartment...all of a sudden it feels so much bigger! Now that I'm all on my own, I'm feeling my first case of nervous excitement for what's ahead with student teaching. All I can do is trust that God will be with me every step of the way. So, so grateful that God kept my dad and I safe and happy as we traveled. Thank you all again for your prayers and support!