Conversations

We are finally starting to be able to actually chat with people (depending on the subject). I (Emily) have met three of our neighbors that live around the same stairwell as us. Jason finds more conversation out on the street, walking around the neighborhood. Thank you all for your prayers that we would meet more people. Please continue to pray that we would meet more of our neighbors and that we would have the boldness to speak to them when our paths cross.
A couple of nights ago, we had the amazing privilege of eating dinner with a Neapolitan family. They prepared and served pasta with zucchini, peppers with tomatoes, eggplant with tomatoes, sausage, and sliced zucchini cooked in olive oil. For dessert, we had fresh watermelon, cherries, oranges, apricot, and gelato. We were so full by the time we left that evening, but the food was so wonderful! Talking with the family was a lot of fun. Occasionally, we needed someone to translate, but a lot of the time we could actually understand what was being said. Please pray for this family and their salvation. They are a sweet, sweet family with big hearts, but one claims atheism and the others do not have a personal relationship with Christ.
We have one day and one week left of language school. In school, we have good days and bad days. Some days, it seems like we understand all or most of what is being said in class and we're even able to respond relatively easily. Then, we have days that it feels like we're starting back at square one. Please pray that during this last week of school our brains will stay alert and that we will retain the information and skills being taught.
Last thing, we plan to return to the states in August. When we return, we will be going through the visa process again. Please be praying for the person behind the counter at the Consulate. Please pray that the process will be smooth and not lengthy. We are looking forward to seeing everyone, but the longer we are away from the language, culture, and the people we've already met, the harder it will be to settle back in when we return to Italy. We love and miss you guys!

Cumana

The Cumana is one of the many forms of transportation available for us to use in Napoli. It is a train that runs above ground, mostly in tunnels, on a track. This is the transportation that we use to get to some of our teammates’ apartment. As we left their place this particular time and walked to the train station, we noticed that practically no one was out walking or driving, which was odd for a Friday night at nine in the evening. Then, when we got to the train station, it was completely locked up. We had no idea what was going on. We went back down the street to catch a cab ride home. We had to pay 20 euros to get home! Needless to say, I was not happy and I felt very taken advantage of. I was finally able to cool down, but not until the next morning. :D
On another note, the first week of language school is over. Even though I feel a lot better about language school, Jason feels a lot more comfortable using what he is learning out in the community. We have three more weeks of language school. Please be praying that we will retain the information being taught and enjoy the learning process.
I met a lady in our apartment complex on Friday. It was the first time I had seen her here. I talked to her mostly about taking the stairs and riding the elevator and the weather. However, I did not think to introduce myself or tell her that I live one floor above her. She was very nice. Please pray that I would run into this lady again and have the right mind to introduce myself. Also, continue to pray that we will keep meeting our neighbors and building relationships with the people in our apartment complex. Thank you all for your prayers and support. We wouldn’t be here with out them!

New Day, New Class

The test is over! We started our new intensive classes today. We are in separate classes this go around. We will keep you posted on how that works out. After class, we strolled around for a while and tried to familiarize ourselves a little more with our neighborhood. We made another visit to the grocery store, this time with a much better outcome. The last time we went to the grocery store, the cashier was more than a little frustrated that we could not understand her questions. This time, our cashier (different one from the last visit) was very gracious and we could understand most of what she said. Getting out and visiting stores in the neighborhood is getting easier as we learn more of the language. Please keep us in your prayers as we begin our new classes. It is sometimes very frustrating to not be able to just speak what you're thinking in a way that the other person can understand. Please pray that we will have an abundance of patience during this process and that we would encounter people in our neighborhood that have the patience to talk to us. We miss you all!

Long Awaited Update...

Sorry for the long delay in updates. About a week and a half ago, I (Emily) got pretty sick. We aren’t sure what caused it. My only guess is suppressed culture shock. Because of this, we missed a day of language school. Then, last week, we had a week off of school. As you can see from the post below, we took this opportunity to visit the island of Ischia. Then on Friday, we had a visitor from the states. We walked around our neighborhood (Vomero) and told him what we’ve learned so far about everyday life here.
Tomorrow we will resume language school. We will first be required to take a test to show our level of comprehension of the language so far. This level will determine which class we will be in for the next four weeks. Please pray that we will be able to recall what we’ve learned so far.
Thank you all for your continued support through encouragement and prayer. We appreciate all that you have done and are doing. Please pray that we will have the boldness required to start new relationships and the discernment to know where God is leading.

Ischia

Last week we enjoyed a week free from language class! It was a much needed break for both of us. On Wednesday, we decided to go explore the island of Ischia. It was beautiful. We rented a motor-scooter and drove around a small portion of the island. We got lost several times, but the people we encountered were always willing to help us find our way. We really enjoyed this trip and hope to return there soon.