Who Do I Live and Learn With?

First week is done. Its hard to believe its only been a week.  Having only four of us, we already know each other so well, it seems like we have known each other for much longer than 6 days. I don't think I've explained where we all come from so I'll do that now!

Alex is from the states (Oregon) and is the baby of the group at 18.  His dad actually is Slovak so that is how he ended up here. He is really funny and doesn't seem 18.  He is learning Slovak faster than the rest of us, but I blame it on him having slovak genes.

Janna/ Janka (pronounced Yanna and Yanka) is our only Slovak.  Her english is very good, and her vocab is growing because of us. We lean on her to interpret for us and to teach us new words. She isn't from Banska but she lived here to go to school so she knows the town. However, that makes it difficult when we are ministering on the street because she knows people. Its harder to be bold in your own city. It's more of a shock I think.

Art is from Holland (yes now I kinda am kicking myself for not learning dutch when i had the chance). He has very good english.  But he seems to speak a little of every language. And as a result, he does a good job at picking up words in Slovak. And he seems to be able to talk to anyone in any situation even with the language barrier.  It is amazing to watch. He has no inhibitions what so ever. He also is extremely funny because he has no inhibitions. We can laugh for an entire meal just at his antics.  We joke that we will have very defined abs by the end of the dts.

So all four of us get along really well already. Its amazing. Its already like we are a little family.  In a larger group usually there are smaller groups that are closer knit. We don't have that because its impossible.  I feel just as comfortable with each student. I'm sure that the same closeness will happen soon with the staff (which is a married couple, Michel and Myska from the Czech Republic) who live in the hostel with us.

So that is our DTS.  Six people sit at meals at the house, so we have a very small course. But I wouldn't wish it any other way.