This past week we had the privilege of welcoming Enisa Dedic into our home. Enisa is the General Secretary of the InterVarsity-equivalent student movement in Bosnia. The kids loved their Aunt Enisa! Here are a couple of pictures:
Sunday, January 10, 2010
A Bosnian in Fresno!
One of the greatest things about being on staff with InterVarsity is that it's easy to care for the world. Between alumni of ours that are serving in far-flung places around the globe to events like Urbana, I'm constantly made aware that God is working in places far beyond my own little ministry sphere. What a joy it is, when Josh and I pray before he goes to sleep, to have our choice to pray for situations and dear friends in places like Afghanistan, Venezuela, Guatemala and Bosnia and (to name a just a few).
This past week we had the privilege of welcoming Enisa Dedic into our home. Enisa is the General Secretary of the InterVarsity-equivalent student movement in Bosnia. The kids loved their Aunt Enisa! Here are a couple of pictures:
This past week we had the privilege of welcoming Enisa Dedic into our home. Enisa is the General Secretary of the InterVarsity-equivalent student movement in Bosnia. The kids loved their Aunt Enisa! Here are a couple of pictures:
Friday, January 08, 2010
Friday, December 25, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Bathroom 2.0
Two weeks ago now Bob the Builder and I tackled the floor in the kids' bathroom. One day and done. In the end, we had to demo about and inch and a half of flooring from previous incarnations, and in the process we discovered a good amount of leakage under and around the toilet. The good news? A level, dry and normal floor!
Three pictures. The first one is the before shot. You can just make out the water spread line. Next, mid-project. Yes, for a short while we had wood floors! Finally, the finished project. Good
times.
Three pictures. The first one is the before shot. You can just make out the water spread line. Next, mid-project. Yes, for a short while we had wood floors! Finally, the finished project. Good
times.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Last race of the season report
Last Saturday, Amy and I loaded up the kids in the family truckster and headed over to Fresno State for the Toys for Tots Fun Run. We had a great morning! Here's my list of the highlights:
1. Watching Joshua race the quarter mile kids race. The little man was amazing. He did his new running shoes proud! We think he finished 4th among the 7 year old boys, but the best thing was that he had a great time. He's got his race bib and green ribbon up on the wall in his room; pretty cool.
2. Winning something. I won a running race for the first time in 20 years. No kidding. OK, so it was just my age group, 35-39, and this was not a huge race or anything, but still, it was fun to win (for the record, I think I finished 10th overall). The etched plastic Christmas ornament was alright, but the look of awe and glee on my kids faces when they called me up to the podium was the best. Superdad!
3. My time. As I was with the Turkey Trot, I was aiming for sub-20 minutes for this 5K, and I just missed. 20:18. I went through the 1 mile at 6:13 or so, the 2 mile at 13 flat and then 19:44 at the 3 mile. Next year, more speedwork as preparation and no injuries (sore knee this time), and the 20 minute barrier falls.
4. Full contact. I knocked down the woman who went on to win the women's race. No kidding. I did it. I went all Zola Budd on this woman. What happened is that as we raced together through the first mile or so, she kept dropping back and then catching up to me. When she would catch me, she would then cut right in front of me, causing me to break stride. This happened 3 or 4 times, and then the next time, well, let's just say that I didn't choose to slow up. Her heel overlapped my right leg and the next thing I know, she's faceplanted on the road. Don't mess with Rob Dixon.
5. Everything else. This is a great event. Santa showed up, The Little Caesar's dude was there, Red from Red Robin cruised by and the Marines were there. Lots for the girls to do, and Amy came home with a big ol' bag of fruit. We all agreed that next year, everyone's running!
Here are some pictures from the day:
1. Watching Joshua race the quarter mile kids race. The little man was amazing. He did his new running shoes proud! We think he finished 4th among the 7 year old boys, but the best thing was that he had a great time. He's got his race bib and green ribbon up on the wall in his room; pretty cool.
2. Winning something. I won a running race for the first time in 20 years. No kidding. OK, so it was just my age group, 35-39, and this was not a huge race or anything, but still, it was fun to win (for the record, I think I finished 10th overall). The etched plastic Christmas ornament was alright, but the look of awe and glee on my kids faces when they called me up to the podium was the best. Superdad!
3. My time. As I was with the Turkey Trot, I was aiming for sub-20 minutes for this 5K, and I just missed. 20:18. I went through the 1 mile at 6:13 or so, the 2 mile at 13 flat and then 19:44 at the 3 mile. Next year, more speedwork as preparation and no injuries (sore knee this time), and the 20 minute barrier falls.
4. Full contact. I knocked down the woman who went on to win the women's race. No kidding. I did it. I went all Zola Budd on this woman. What happened is that as we raced together through the first mile or so, she kept dropping back and then catching up to me. When she would catch me, she would then cut right in front of me, causing me to break stride. This happened 3 or 4 times, and then the next time, well, let's just say that I didn't choose to slow up. Her heel overlapped my right leg and the next thing I know, she's faceplanted on the road. Don't mess with Rob Dixon.
5. Everything else. This is a great event. Santa showed up, The Little Caesar's dude was there, Red from Red Robin cruised by and the Marines were there. Lots for the girls to do, and Amy came home with a big ol' bag of fruit. We all agreed that next year, everyone's running!
Here are some pictures from the day:
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Turkey Trotted
So I did a Thanksgiving day Turkey Trot again this year. If you remember last year's debacle, this was a very different experience. But it was a bit of a debacle nonetheless. Here's the story.
I came into the race lacking sufficient training, particularly speedwork. Also, I had (as usual?) some injuries. This time, put me down for still-healing right ankle tendons, a sore left knee and a tender right hammy (thank you racquetball on Monday night!). In spite of all of this, I was hopeful for a sub-20 minute tour de Woodward Park. Here's my recap of the morning:
6:40: Wake up only to realize that I had slept through my alarm. Not only that, but with the whole crew coming and an 8am gun, Amy and I had to leap into action. It wasn't pretty.
7:01: After a Dixon-family-getting-put-together-in-the-morning record, we pulled out of the driveway to head up to the park.
7:14: Two-thirds of the way to the park, at the corner of Shepherd and Willow, to my horror I realize that I had forgotten my race bib. What am I, a rookie?!?
7:32: Back in the driveway at home with Amy running in to get the number off the couch. I'm standing next to the running van trying to stretch something. In the car, the kids are totally baffled by what is happening.
7:46: Make it to the park, find easy parking, meet up with Adam and Brian and do a half mile warm up run to the starting line. Having to run to the starting line is becoming a Thanksgiving tradition for me!
8:00: Gun goes off and so do I. After the first quarter mile or so, I'm in the top 15 runners on the course. I'm flying. I'm also breathing hard.
8:06: I come through the first mile in 6:10. I can't believe it. It has literally been 20 years since I've run a mile that fast. I'm still in the top 30 on the course, and at this pace, breaking 20 minutes is very much an option.
8:13: Let the reader understand that the second mile on the State Course is the tough one. Couple of hills, including a delightful little number called the "Killer Hill." Unfortunately, any training I have done recently has been on flat roads exclusively. Quite honestly our driveway is the biggest hill I run up on a regular basis. So I suffer through mile 2 but still manage a 13:08 at the 2 mile mark. Still in with a chance...
...except that about a quarter mile past the 2 mile line, the power goes out. Like totally out. I have nothing. It's the wall and I'm stymied. I pull to the side, I'm groggy, I start jogging, people pass me, I'm confused. Misery.
8:21: I stagger across the finish line in 21:23. It's one second short of a "modern-era" 5K PR for me, but I could care less. The chute worker asks me if I'm OK. "I think so," I say. In the end, I finished 9th in my age group, 105 overall out of some 1,400.
What's the moral of the story?
1. Half marathons and 5Ks are apples and oranges. I've trained this entire year for the longer distances, not these short ones. As a result, my leg turnover needs some work. Really I was sprinting for that first mile and it would be great not to have to do that!
2. If you are going to race on hills, you should train on hills. Enough said.
3. At some point, it's mental...and I've got some mental strength to build up! My High School running buddy Mitch used to say that it's "90% mental." I think he was maybe mostly right. I'd put it at like 55% I think. But clearly if I'm going to actually try to race and win things, I will need to get tougher upstairs. I imagine that the only way to do that is to keep trying, so in that sense, I'm glad to have gone out hard and to face the wall.
What's next??! One more race in 2009. Another 5K, this one at Fresno State on the 5th. Can't decide what I'm more excited about...Joshua making his debut in a quarter mile kids race or another chance to go under 20 minutes! Let's call it a tie. It's gonna be great.
I came into the race lacking sufficient training, particularly speedwork. Also, I had (as usual?) some injuries. This time, put me down for still-healing right ankle tendons, a sore left knee and a tender right hammy (thank you racquetball on Monday night!). In spite of all of this, I was hopeful for a sub-20 minute tour de Woodward Park. Here's my recap of the morning:
6:40: Wake up only to realize that I had slept through my alarm. Not only that, but with the whole crew coming and an 8am gun, Amy and I had to leap into action. It wasn't pretty.
7:01: After a Dixon-family-getting-put-together-in-the-morning record, we pulled out of the driveway to head up to the park.
7:14: Two-thirds of the way to the park, at the corner of Shepherd and Willow, to my horror I realize that I had forgotten my race bib. What am I, a rookie?!?
7:32: Back in the driveway at home with Amy running in to get the number off the couch. I'm standing next to the running van trying to stretch something. In the car, the kids are totally baffled by what is happening.
7:46: Make it to the park, find easy parking, meet up with Adam and Brian and do a half mile warm up run to the starting line. Having to run to the starting line is becoming a Thanksgiving tradition for me!
8:00: Gun goes off and so do I. After the first quarter mile or so, I'm in the top 15 runners on the course. I'm flying. I'm also breathing hard.
8:06: I come through the first mile in 6:10. I can't believe it. It has literally been 20 years since I've run a mile that fast. I'm still in the top 30 on the course, and at this pace, breaking 20 minutes is very much an option.
8:13: Let the reader understand that the second mile on the State Course is the tough one. Couple of hills, including a delightful little number called the "Killer Hill." Unfortunately, any training I have done recently has been on flat roads exclusively. Quite honestly our driveway is the biggest hill I run up on a regular basis. So I suffer through mile 2 but still manage a 13:08 at the 2 mile mark. Still in with a chance...
...except that about a quarter mile past the 2 mile line, the power goes out. Like totally out. I have nothing. It's the wall and I'm stymied. I pull to the side, I'm groggy, I start jogging, people pass me, I'm confused. Misery.
8:21: I stagger across the finish line in 21:23. It's one second short of a "modern-era" 5K PR for me, but I could care less. The chute worker asks me if I'm OK. "I think so," I say. In the end, I finished 9th in my age group, 105 overall out of some 1,400.
What's the moral of the story?
1. Half marathons and 5Ks are apples and oranges. I've trained this entire year for the longer distances, not these short ones. As a result, my leg turnover needs some work. Really I was sprinting for that first mile and it would be great not to have to do that!
2. If you are going to race on hills, you should train on hills. Enough said.
3. At some point, it's mental...and I've got some mental strength to build up! My High School running buddy Mitch used to say that it's "90% mental." I think he was maybe mostly right. I'd put it at like 55% I think. But clearly if I'm going to actually try to race and win things, I will need to get tougher upstairs. I imagine that the only way to do that is to keep trying, so in that sense, I'm glad to have gone out hard and to face the wall.
What's next??! One more race in 2009. Another 5K, this one at Fresno State on the 5th. Can't decide what I'm more excited about...Joshua making his debut in a quarter mile kids race or another chance to go under 20 minutes! Let's call it a tie. It's gonna be great.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Pics from the race today
Today James and I ran 13.1 miles. We had a great time. Here's a couple of pictures, and, yes, that is a beer in my hand. What can I say? Most races have water stations, this one had a beer station!
Friday, November 06, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
City to the Sea
So there I was yesterday morning, standing in the middle of Higuera in downtown SLO with the number 149 pinned to my running shirt. Sunday was the 2009 City to the Sea half marathon from SLO to Pismo. Undertrained and still hobbled by tendinitis in my right ankle, I gave it the old college try (literally) and finished in 1:50. Not spectacular, but right in the middle of the two half marathons I've done since last November. All things considered, I'll take it. I had a great time.
What about the ankle?!? Here's the crazy thing...only two or three small "twinges" throughout the race. That's it. It's so strange because just a couple of weeks ago 3 miles on the grass in a park caused me all this discomfort. On Sunday, I managed 13 miles on pavement with no problems. And, it gets better. A day and a half later, still no pain in the ankle. So what gives? Was I miraculously healed? I did have Josh pray before the run. Was it the 3 Aleve I took 20 minutes before the gun? Adrenaline? Endorphins (whatever they are)? Good running buddies? Doing what I'm increasingly passionate about? What? I'm not sure, but I'm going to go with the power of Joshua's prayer life I think.
Here's a shot of part of the crew that shared the experience. It's always better with buddies!
What about the ankle?!? Here's the crazy thing...only two or three small "twinges" throughout the race. That's it. It's so strange because just a couple of weeks ago 3 miles on the grass in a park caused me all this discomfort. On Sunday, I managed 13 miles on pavement with no problems. And, it gets better. A day and a half later, still no pain in the ankle. So what gives? Was I miraculously healed? I did have Josh pray before the run. Was it the 3 Aleve I took 20 minutes before the gun? Adrenaline? Endorphins (whatever they are)? Good running buddies? Doing what I'm increasingly passionate about? What? I'm not sure, but I'm going to go with the power of Joshua's prayer life I think.
Here's a shot of part of the crew that shared the experience. It's always better with buddies!
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Overheard this morning in Target...
Grace, as we walked past the bra section: "My mommy likes these. They keep her tummy warm..."
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The evil news always comes out eventually...
Story from CNN.com about stolen and later adopted children during the Guatemalan Civil War in the 70's and 80's here. Heart-breaking...
Monday, September 07, 2009
An Interview with Rob's right ankle
A Fly in the Soup sat down recently with Rob's right ankle to check in about how the recovery is going. Here are some excerpts from the interview:
AFITS: So can we start with you reminding us about exactly what happened?
RRA: Yeah, so we were about 1.5 miles into a run at the end of July when I just fell apart. Something wasn't right, so I pushed the pain button and Rob had to stop.
AFITS: Any diagnosis from the Dr.?
RRA: Look, I'm not bitter, but let's be honest. What does Rob's GP know about ankles anyway?!? He's an internal medicine guy for the love of God! We went in early in August, he sent us for an X-ray (it was negative) and then he referred us to the Physical Therapist.
AFITS: And have you gone to the PT?
RRA: We've been twice now. I get nervous each time. That dude pulls me, pushes me, twists me, bends me. It's like he's working out his personal angst on me! The PT thinks that I have some tendinitis.
AFITS: Getting better?
RRA: Not sure. We haven't had the sharp pain that we had initially in weeks now. But there's a dull ache that is persistant. The PT has us doing some exercises with a band and some stretching. We take Aleve. And we're resumed the elliptical and on Saturday we tried a mile on the track.
AFITS: And?
RRA: It's tough. Again, no sharp pains, but lots of soreness. I've heard Rob say that I don't "feel quite right." I just think we're both frustrated. Really frustrated.
AFITS: You and Rob are scheduled to run a half marathon next month in SLO and then a full marathon in Fresno in November. What are the chances of those races actually happening?
RRA: Honestly, it's probably dipping below 50/50 that we'll be able to race. Training time is running out! We're going to try 2 miles over at Clovis High today, so we'll see.
AFITS: Good luck for your continued recovery!
RRA: Thanks. And thanks for the time. Love your blog. I read it all the time.
AFITS: So can we start with you reminding us about exactly what happened?
RRA: Yeah, so we were about 1.5 miles into a run at the end of July when I just fell apart. Something wasn't right, so I pushed the pain button and Rob had to stop.
AFITS: Any diagnosis from the Dr.?
RRA: Look, I'm not bitter, but let's be honest. What does Rob's GP know about ankles anyway?!? He's an internal medicine guy for the love of God! We went in early in August, he sent us for an X-ray (it was negative) and then he referred us to the Physical Therapist.
AFITS: And have you gone to the PT?
RRA: We've been twice now. I get nervous each time. That dude pulls me, pushes me, twists me, bends me. It's like he's working out his personal angst on me! The PT thinks that I have some tendinitis.
AFITS: Getting better?
RRA: Not sure. We haven't had the sharp pain that we had initially in weeks now. But there's a dull ache that is persistant. The PT has us doing some exercises with a band and some stretching. We take Aleve. And we're resumed the elliptical and on Saturday we tried a mile on the track.
AFITS: And?
RRA: It's tough. Again, no sharp pains, but lots of soreness. I've heard Rob say that I don't "feel quite right." I just think we're both frustrated. Really frustrated.
AFITS: You and Rob are scheduled to run a half marathon next month in SLO and then a full marathon in Fresno in November. What are the chances of those races actually happening?
RRA: Honestly, it's probably dipping below 50/50 that we'll be able to race. Training time is running out! We're going to try 2 miles over at Clovis High today, so we'll see.
AFITS: Good luck for your continued recovery!
RRA: Thanks. And thanks for the time. Love your blog. I read it all the time.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Family Fun Day #4
Let's see...sorry to those of you waiting on proverbial pins and needles for our most recent Family Fun Day updates. Day #4 happened a couple of weeks back. We scoured the internet for things to do in Fresno and we came up with...drumroll...Simonian Farms. Yep. Simonian Farms.
Simonian Farms is this family owned and run farming operation on the southeast side of Fresno (SE corner of Clovis and Jensen for you locals). Website is here. From our experience, these four things are true:
1. They have a lot of old, hulking tractors at Simonian Farms. And, for some reason, many of them are displayed on stilts.
2. Littered amongst said old, hulking tractors are other old, hulking things, including scales, phone booths, ovens, sinks, etc.
3. The claim to fame for Simonian Farms seems to be the September 5, 1995 visit of then President Bill Clinton. Pictures everywhere. Site here.
4. They have a lot of stuff for sale in the store, and this would be the reason to grace Simonian Farms with your presence. Our family enjoyed the toffee peanuts and the candy fruit slices. We topped it off with some Mexican soda. It was a pleasant snack in the shade.
A couple of pictures:
Simonian Farms is this family owned and run farming operation on the southeast side of Fresno (SE corner of Clovis and Jensen for you locals). Website is here. From our experience, these four things are true:
1. They have a lot of old, hulking tractors at Simonian Farms. And, for some reason, many of them are displayed on stilts.
2. Littered amongst said old, hulking tractors are other old, hulking things, including scales, phone booths, ovens, sinks, etc.
3. The claim to fame for Simonian Farms seems to be the September 5, 1995 visit of then President Bill Clinton. Pictures everywhere. Site here.
4. They have a lot of stuff for sale in the store, and this would be the reason to grace Simonian Farms with your presence. Our family enjoyed the toffee peanuts and the candy fruit slices. We topped it off with some Mexican soda. It was a pleasant snack in the shade.
A couple of pictures:
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Injury report
If you read all the running books out there, or if you peruse Runner's World, you'll come across some version of the notion that "injuries are a part of running." Sad to say, I now get that. Here's my tale of woe:Two weeks ago, I was out on a run, like the second or third training run in preparation for some races this Fall. I was about 1.5 miles in and I all of a sudden felt a sharp pain in my right ankle. Specifically, it was just at the point where my lower leg meets my foot on the top. The sharp pain lasted for a few seconds and then subsided. I cut the run short and headed in.
Two weeks later, I'm still hurting off and on. I tried a three miler on the Clovis High track that next Tuesday and survived it, though I still had some nagging pain. So yesterday I hit the Dr. We did an x-ray, he messed around with my foot, and here's where we're at:
1. X-ray was negative, so no fracture. Evidently there is a bone in that location that sometimes breaks for runners, requiring surgery. Good that it was not this! There is a chance that we're talking about a stress fracture that is not showing on the x-ray, but if there is, the treatment is essentially the same.
2. With no break in a bone, the options are damaged cartilage, loose ligaments and inflamed tendons. He's thinking the it's the tendons. He said there is a tendon that goes from the shin to the top of the foot, and that it is likely that I've inflamed that badboy from overuse. His quote: "you likely did something to it initially at your marathon and it just needs to recover." Related (or not?), the Doc says that my ankles are pretty stiff and inflexible.
4. So, the treatment: rest, ice, physical therapy and Aleeve. My plan is to eliminate running and to cut way back on walking for the next month. I'll ride the bike and get into the pool instead. I'm penciling in a goal of running this race in late September, and from there we'll see about this one and then this one.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Overheard in the TV room...
Lucy, running up to me excitedly after watching a promo on Cartoon Network:
"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, are you going to run the Scooby Doo Marathon?!?"
"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, are you going to run the Scooby Doo Marathon?!?"
Monday, July 27, 2009
Family Fun Day #3
So let's give Family Fun Day #3 last week a C. Just a C. For starters, we have amended our criteria from "new, free and local" to "new, free, local and indoors." It was just hot last Thursday! Because of this, our destination was the Woodward Park Library. Why there? We had a hot lead on a Star Wars lego display. Unfortunately, we were too late and the display had already changed. Instead, it was "let's color on musical notes" and we got Josh his first ever library card. Ultimately, what salvaged the day was lunch at Famous Dave's BBQ. Props to Joshua for accumulating the free kids meals during last year in 1st grade! Here are a couple of shots from the library visit:
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Turns out that my blogging has taken a hit recently in favor of my twittering, or tweeting, or whatever they call it. You will, however, notice that I've rigged my twitter stream to show on the right side bar of this blog. It's also the same updates that show up on facebook, so no need to create a facebook account, Mother! What's the difference between twitter and blogger? I like what Eddy has to say on the topic here.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Saturday, July 04, 2009
How I spent my Fourth
First of all, because of the time difference, as I post this blog the fireworks back home will have just ended. Which means that for this one night, my street turned into the freakin' Gaza Strip. So Lord, please protect our home!
Some thoughts on our first full day in Sarajevo:
1. It's a terrific place to run, at least along the river. I got up yesterday morning and did 5 miles up and back. It was great. If I could change one thing, it would be to turn the brown river blue. Then it would have been perfect. More running to come this week for sure. I have my eye on a run up to the Olympic stadium on Monday.
2. Sarajevo is a complex place. The architecture changes from Austro-Hungarian to ancient Turkish from one block to the next. There's wild diversity in ethnicity and culture. One old piazza holds a mosque, an orthodox church and a Catholic cathedral. Shot up buildings next to brand new skyscrapers. Ancient metal workers sharing a slice of the economic pie with Swatch and Benetton. Poverty and wealth. Young and old. Natural beauty and frustrating pollution. It's an Olympic city with the scars of war. Truly, Sarjevo has it all. For me, so far it's a bit dizzying and hard to pin down.
3. Diet. Let's talk about how all I ate yesterday was bread and cheese. In multiple forms. Including an amazing Margherita pizza for dinner (for you Amy!). Tomorrow I'll venture out and try meat. To drink, lots of Water, a Coke at dinner and two delicious rounds of hot chocolate.
4. History. My inner history major is very happy here. Because everywhere you go there is something historical to see and experience. Don't get me wrong, much of it is painful. And yet there is a power in the story and in understanding the context. In particular, reminders of the war are everywhere, from "Sarajevo roses" on the sidewalk to buildings still pockmarked by bullets and shrapnel to tombstones in the public park because during the war they ran out of places to bury the dead.
Coming up next...
Sunday: Church with the team and then relax for the day. Soccer maybe?
Monday: Day in Mostar with Enisa with possible side trip to Medjugorje.
Tuesday: Day with the student team and with the EUS staff team. I'm going to predict no fewer than 4 rounds of kafa...
Wednesday and Thursday: Overnight trip to Zenica to see our second student team and then on to Banja Luka to see the city and vision for potential expansion.
Friday: Whatever during the day and then an EUS social at night.
Saturday: Hike to a nearby waterfall and then dinner that night with Bauers.
Sunday: Outta here at 1pm!
Thanks for the emails everybody! And for the prayers as well. Here's a shot of James and I from Starigrad:
Some thoughts on our first full day in Sarajevo:
1. It's a terrific place to run, at least along the river. I got up yesterday morning and did 5 miles up and back. It was great. If I could change one thing, it would be to turn the brown river blue. Then it would have been perfect. More running to come this week for sure. I have my eye on a run up to the Olympic stadium on Monday.
2. Sarajevo is a complex place. The architecture changes from Austro-Hungarian to ancient Turkish from one block to the next. There's wild diversity in ethnicity and culture. One old piazza holds a mosque, an orthodox church and a Catholic cathedral. Shot up buildings next to brand new skyscrapers. Ancient metal workers sharing a slice of the economic pie with Swatch and Benetton. Poverty and wealth. Young and old. Natural beauty and frustrating pollution. It's an Olympic city with the scars of war. Truly, Sarjevo has it all. For me, so far it's a bit dizzying and hard to pin down.
3. Diet. Let's talk about how all I ate yesterday was bread and cheese. In multiple forms. Including an amazing Margherita pizza for dinner (for you Amy!). Tomorrow I'll venture out and try meat. To drink, lots of Water, a Coke at dinner and two delicious rounds of hot chocolate.
4. History. My inner history major is very happy here. Because everywhere you go there is something historical to see and experience. Don't get me wrong, much of it is painful. And yet there is a power in the story and in understanding the context. In particular, reminders of the war are everywhere, from "Sarajevo roses" on the sidewalk to buildings still pockmarked by bullets and shrapnel to tombstones in the public park because during the war they ran out of places to bury the dead.
Coming up next...
Sunday: Church with the team and then relax for the day. Soccer maybe?
Monday: Day in Mostar with Enisa with possible side trip to Medjugorje.
Tuesday: Day with the student team and with the EUS staff team. I'm going to predict no fewer than 4 rounds of kafa...
Wednesday and Thursday: Overnight trip to Zenica to see our second student team and then on to Banja Luka to see the city and vision for potential expansion.
Friday: Whatever during the day and then an EUS social at night.
Saturday: Hike to a nearby waterfall and then dinner that night with Bauers.
Sunday: Outta here at 1pm!
Thanks for the emails everybody! And for the prayers as well. Here's a shot of James and I from Starigrad:
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