Family Away From Family

     Done with week two and it feels like we have been here a lot longer then two weeks. Not because I don't like it here or because I am really missing my home, but because we have already created our family away from family. It is so cool to sit around with all of Paul's classmates and here about their culture and their up bringing. It is not often that you can be in one place and learn about so many different cultures. I have really just gotten to see how God has created such a wide range of people and it is the coolest thing, Everyone is already talking about how we should all spend Christmas together and how we need to travel together. We have really created our self a family away from family here. It is so amazing. Now sadly it is a bunch of guys and just a few girls, but we all still love it. I know the teacher's here pretty well now here and they are allow know that I am pretty bored during the day so they have given me a little task...They asked me to take pictures and right a report on the soccer games the guys played last night against Buhler workers here and then the BBQ that evening. So here is my report...

                                                    Family Away From Family

You have the Swiss Milling School, Course 56 E2 against the Former SMS Students Association; the current students start out with the ball and very quickly lose the ball. Within the first 5 minutes of the game the former students score. Give it another 5 minutes and once again former students score. From everyone observing from the sideline, this is how the rest of the game goes. Former Students Association wins 9-1, but if you look at it from the current student’s point of view, they won. That whole game they all fought so hard to score just one goal and one goal is what they got. As I sat on the sideline and watched them play, even when at half they are losing 6-0, everyone comes in with their heads up and laughing. They all sit down to have a drink and all are just enjoying being together and playing the game of soccer. You would think the first words to come out of everyone’s mouth would be, “well we suck,” or “can we just call the game.” But everyone was trying to figure out what they needed to change and what they could do better. It would be so easy for every one of them to put their heads down and just give up. Not these guys! They got back out there to finish what they started. This half they held The Association for a good 15 minutes without scoring. Though the game was already lost, the current class pushed even harder. They tried to overcome their lack of traction, but most continued to slip and trip due to improper shoes. With only about 20 minutes left in the game, they finally score. I have never seen a bunch of guys get so excited about anything. Everyone storms onto the field. It looked like they had all conquered the world. The final whistle blows. The current class lost 9-1.

After the match everyone heads over to eat some dinner and the class sits down to eat together. As I sat and watch these wonderful classmates talk with each other, you realize that they are not only classmates, but a family. Each one of these students comes from very different countries, cultures and backgrounds and yet they all come together and had a great time together.

 That night I never heard anyone say, how awful they were, or how they never want to do that again, but they all talked about how they all want to get together again to play. They challenged the former students to a rematch at the end of the course. They sat around talking and laughing about the funny moments where someone slipped, or how sore they are, or the occasional moments of stardom. They all lifted each other up, like a family. It is just amazing how close you can get to people in two short weeks. I guess when you spend every day together and all are away from home, you create that kind of bond fairly quickly; that is exactly what this amazing group has done. They have created a family away from family.