1st week in prague

call me a homebody, but i think the most relaxing parts of my day are when i get to home at night and just sit on my bed w my laptop and just reflect about my day. my days have been fun-filled and eventful, but i find the most peace just sitting and thinking. maybe i think too much. o well. i am me.

1st week is almost over kinda. im in class for only 4 days outta the week so tm is like a friday. its gone by fast. its been blessed tho. ive seen God at work. ive seen myself be challenged and ive seen opportunities where i need to act more and stop being so lowkey (or how many people say..being "asian"). i feel like asians get a bad rep bc we're passive. well truth be told...im passive in many incidents. these last few days, ive experienced different cultures in a sense. the prague culture (given) but also the white american culture. ive lived in an asian, christian bubble for the past 4 years. i love it. its encouraging. but its only a small speck of the diversity and personalities out there. i had so much anxiety leading up to this trip mainly bc....man when was the last time i really got out of my comfortable, fluffy, happy bubble. in other words, i was scared to interact w white people. i dont mean to sound racist..im really not. but its been like 8 yrs since ive been in community w the caucasian race. i must say that they have exceeded any expectation and many have really shown me that...God's people are truly created to be in relationship w one another. its amazing. small gestures. small conversations. small initiations w me from them. ive truly appreciated the people ive met. ive been encouraged by their intentionality. it has made this week enjoyable. for instance, i kinda live away from everyone. they all live in building d w suites connected. i live in building e in a double-bed room. last night, im in my room..kinda lonely haha kinda away from everyone bc i really dont know what people are up to and where they are. knock on the door. oh hello there. 2 girls i had recently met are like..you need to get out of your room. lets go. get get get get. at first im like...man..i havent showered..im sitting talking to people..i feel "comfortable." but of course, they drag me out to the local pub. best 4 hrs in a drinking atmosphere ive been in ever. much different from 6th in austin (where i feel like the majority of people go just to get hammered). pubs are so much more chill and people have a grand time just chatting and joking around. and its a treat. i met a good amt of people just so willing to spring up any conversations from all walks of life. its great to hear people's stories, tell people mine, and just laugh at silly things in the world. what an experience. started from a blessed gesture. or even small things to me really show me the beauty of people and how they influence emotions and attitudes. like this morning. im waiting for the tram to go to school. kinda standing there alone bc i just missed the last one. a group of people are walking up to the tram and one girl just so happens to catch my eye and she has a very enthusiastic smile and waved at me. i was kinda like..whoa..hello too. how can i not smile? how can i not feel loved in a small sense? how can such a small gesture make me feel welcomed? the people ive met have been so loving and intentional and its really welcoming. im sure they could all tell..man this guy doesnt know many people. but they dont just stand there and ignore me. they find instances to interact w me. they invite me to things. they keep asking me to go on their weekend trips. they get excited to be in community. like...really excited haha. i sit here and wonder..wow. im apart of a fellowship at UT. a large fellowship. and yet i hear the unwelcomeness that people take away from experiencing the fellowship. sure...everyone's different. everyone's personality is different. i know i know. but what if...our joy and our love would just pour out w a smile and a wave just to say "hey! i acknowledge your presence and for that i am smiling." i would like to be apart of that. i would like to see that. im sure she wasnt planning it...like oh..i see andrew. we kinda met last night. im gonna plan for a big wave. she was like. andrew! *wave* (i mean..i dunno. maybe?). but i still hope i can love like that. love w/o thinking. no planning. no nothing. just be so in love w loving people that its natural. i need to work on that. stop thinking. just love. thats a good concept to hold onto.

ok that was too deep. so far...i walked the town the first day i got there. i went on a 4 hr walking tour of the town the other day w my group and we ended up at prague castle. it was the longest walk of my college career. goodness. but i saw some awesome things in prague. some small nooks and our tour guide was wonderful. so much rich history and stories. i love it. i took a lot of pictures, but i couldnt tell you much bout each building now. but prague castle is one of a kind. its beautiful. i love castles. they are so unreal. the architecture is astonishing and the intricacies are so detailed. people's talents amaze me. esp like back in the day w/o awesome technology and techniques and what not. like they were still legit. thank you God for talented people. but yes...i saw prague castle earlier tonight too. its beautiful during the day but at night..it is just gorgeous. so peaceful. i was in awe just to stand in one of the courtyards and look at the highest point. too bad i didnt have my camera.

im going to south bohemia this weekend. suppose to see some more castles and mroe rich culture of czech. im excited. i hope to grow my relationships w people. ive truly enjoyed some of their personalities. they are like peppy...sometimes super peppy, but in the end, they bring a smile to my face. i mean...man.. smiles really make the world better.

my facebook is the sucks right now. my uploading of pictures keeps failing. i can like upload 3 so far and they arent cool. please work tm. ill leave w this note...






currently on my mind: aaron ivey.amos story