Scotland Ho!

Planes, trains and...more trains delivered us at last to Perth, Scotland. We arrived on a beautiful sunny day to the lovely welcome committee of our friend and boss this year, Annelie.

This is in our hotel room at the Parklands on the South Inch. The lighting is awful but I liked the pictures, so...The balloon says "Welcome Home!" What a treat and what an impression this extravagant train station welcome made on Claire, a greenhouse gas consultant we sat with and talked with on the train from Edinburgh to Perth. You just never know who might be touched by something you do for someone else.

We are tired and elated; in love with and annoyed with one another; homesick and falling in love with our new home. Leaning on God.

Gradual Culture Shift

Today was the first day of our Scottish adventure. We began in Portland at 5:40 a.m. Does EVERYONE take a photo of feet on PDX carpet? Just in case it's obligatory...

Then it was off to Canada! Definitely it's own country (Canadian friends!), but not so very different that we needed to try strange food or speak a different language (or try to understand "English"). French always followed our familiar English, on the flight and on public transportation in the city of Toronto. Americans all know the "eh" and "aboot" thing so we feel very at home still. Because this IS the first day of our 365 day adventure, we had Indian food for dinner - HA! Crazy kids. 

We are exhausted and exhilarated, not yet burdened by homesickness and still leaning on God.