Sundays

 I love Sundays, I have only been here for three Sundays yet every Sunday is has been wonderful. Every Sunday Kristina and Serta pick me up and we meet with Zvanko and Nada at Nada's parents house for a large lunch. This is really a happy time. The whole family comes together and cooks and laughs in the kitchen. It reminds me of my own family and makes me appreciate even more how my friends here have integrated me into their family. They always try to incorporate me into the conversation and make me feel accepted. Even when I do not understand what is being said at the table it still is a good time. They say the if you have two identical plants and put one surrounded by a loving and good environment it will grow stronger than if the other plant was left alone. Just simply being with these people I feel happy, I really love my Croatian Family.

The food is completly wonderful, again it was full of flavor and very succulent.For starters there was soup that was to die for. I always like it so much, I really should learn what it is made of. It looks simple but it really yummy. We then had chicken prepared in multiple ways, with sides of rice and peas, salad, and a kind of buttered noodle dish. It was really good. As you can see in the picture, it not only taste good but it looked good too! After stuffing myself so much that all I wanted was a nap, we had homemade doughnuts. Obviously I couldn't turn this down! I somehow found room and boy were they fantastic! Not like our doughnuts in the states, a little thicker and tasted a but like lemon. I really enjoyed them!

After spending most the afternoon at Nada's parents house, Kristina, Serta, and myself were off to the hockey game. It was the first night for playoffs and the team they were playing is from Czechoslovakia. This game was nothing like last weeks game, it was like watching a completely different team. They were fast, sharp, and fierce. Withing the first two minutes the team scored! The entire match was like this, back and forth back and forth. At one point someone got hit in the teeth with a stick and he was knocked out. Luckily he came around and skated off the ice but not after leaving a huge trail of blood. As much as I wish I know how to play hockey, I much prefer my teeth! But in the end we were the winners! It was such a good game!

I really love my life here, I love the friends, people, and things I am doing. It would not be anything without the people I spend my Sundays with. They make me feel like I belong and it helps me to not miss home. I cannot wait for next Sunday already! Every week here is full of so many new things. I am learning so much, I just cannot wait for spring to come so I can go travel and explore more of Europe also. Well it is time for bed.
Benda out