Traveling time zones again;)

Traditional family visit

Every time I'm in LA, I love to visit Jacky & Monica & aunt Willie (who just turned 92!). Lotte drove all the way to Hesperia, which took us four hours, because of the rain. Rain showers like we 're used to in the Netherlands, here, easily turn into floods because there 's not a good system to manage the water. Therefore the traffic slows down. Aunt Willie invited us to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant where we also met Jacky & Monica. "Gezellig!" - We stayed with them for the night, played a Dutch game and stayed inside because it was freezing- although with a nice view on the snowy mountains!

Bracelets

Because Lotte moved to the States when she wasn't even18 years old, we developed a special mother-daughter relationship. We don't see each other often but when we are together, it's quality time. This week Lotte surprised me with her wish to get us permanent jewelry as a symbol of our love and relationship. See photo. Feeling grateful!

Hockey

If an American talks about hockey, he means "ice hockey" and what we call hockey is here called "field-hockey". Ryan bought us tickets for the LA Kings who were playing in the Arena downtown LA. Until then, I'd, never heard about them;) They put me a Kings shirt on and suddenly I was a fan and found myself yelling "Go Kings Go! Go Kings Go!" ;) It was exciting and yes, I was wearing the right colors: they scored the winning goal In overtime. YAY! 

The full America experience

Afterwards we (Ryan's parents were also joining us) stopped by at a hotdog place "Oki's Dog", suddenly, while waiting for Ryan and Jeff's favorite dish, police cars lined up in the street and we found ourselves in the middle of a police chase. A helicopter with a search light, cops with guns and machine guns, arresting a guy in a car, commendinghim to step out and to lay down on the ground. We were watching it first row, behind the window, but Sue was hiding under the table;) Fair; you never know when it turns into a shooting. But we survived and I had the full American experience with hockey, hotdog and a police chase;)

Not ashamed about the gospel

I enjoyed exploring the new neighbourhood, watching people and their daily life. The Americans like to make their political vote very public by putting big bilboards in their front garden or to tell the world proudly about their son or grandchild who is best student at the best university by decorating their cars with stickers. They're neither ashamed to carry out their love for Jesus. I found three houses, one with a window painted, one with clearly legible the name Jesus near de frontdoor and another with a bible verse and painted stones set out in the grass. See photo's. I don't see this often in our country. I love Jesus and love to tell about Him but to paint this on my window... I like these differences.

New vocabulary

Still improving my vocabulary. You know the word "nursery", right? If you hear someone telling about his backyard and is about to buying new plants at his friend's nursery... would you be confused?  I was so glad Lotte had just taught me that word the day before when we passed a "tuincentrum" with the big sign "nursery". So during that conversation I was fully confident reacting like O yeah, they will have plenty choices, yeah you 'll find what you need in the nursery :)))

On the way home now. Thankful for the new memories and experiences, beautiful conversations, for getting to know new people and for all I've been learning. Thankful that I've the opportunity to travel and to work remotely. Zoom meetings and online organizing, combined with the Californian or Mexican sun, dinners & drinks close to the beach, arrests, games, family, friends and fun.

And now happy to go home to Peter and our other kids! And tomorrow?  I'll be teaching again! I need to remind myself that they 're learning Dutch haha not English.

Hope to see you soon or later, thank you so much for tuning in, being interested in my journeys! Better together;)

Love, Marieke