Where I truly belong.

[5.30.2011. Germany.]

And after the ups & downs & shuffling around, I have found 

my home away from home. 

And I couldn't be more  

happy. excited. inspired. thankful. blessed.

xo-

alles ist jetzt in ordnung.

 

 [my good friend Kim and me saying goodbye last week before I left.]

I am sorry for being away so long.  This past week was crazy-- and not in a good way...

It's kind of a long story and I don't really think the details are necassary-- especially because I am totally writing a book or movie about it-- you'll definitely get to read/see it... 

In a nutshell, my host family was lovely. Correction: my host mom and the children were wonderful. I loved and love them still, dearly.  my host dad was awful. just awful. he was not nice to the mom, which I immediately did not feel okay with, and then he decided to start doing so to me. I, refuse to be treated in such ways. 

I decided to leave immediately, after the dad and the mom told us (me and their children) they were seperating. this was on the third day of my stay. 

the dad was furious when he found out I was leaving to my friends (aka, lifesavers) in Kiel. He yelled for a long time. it was terrifying, but now I am safe and happy.

I am so grateful for my friends and family. Without them, I would maybe be homeless in Braunschweig. 

From one of the worst days of my life, to having an amazing day the next: 

life can be crazy. 

But God is always loving and looking after us.

I must also say, that when I was stuck in the first family's house, and I was terrified and alone, I felt like I should call the number of a lady I became in contact with that day on the au pair site.  When I called she could tell I was terrifyed and she talked me through everything. She was a stranger, but really, I think a very very wonderful person God brought into my life at that exact moment for a very important reason.  I am going to stay with her family and potentially be their au pair, but until then, she has taken me under her wing and helped me through one of the scariest times of my life. She even called my parents in the USA after I called her from the train station and needed to tell them something I wasn't able to do.  She not only helped me, she talked my mom through it as well. 

She is such a blessing.

So after a week I have found a potential new family and they live very near my friends.  It may be exactly what I was meant to end up doing. I know that everything happens for a reason, and with my last host family, I hope my purpose was to help the mom know that she, nor anyone, should ever be treated so badly.  

I know I am where I am meant to be at this very moment, and always.
But whew, I am glad I have finally stopped shaking. 

I'll try and update more, until then, 

infinite love,

Anna

how a year can change everything.

 {via: flickr.}

holy moly. what a whirlwind of a year it has already been-- a beautiful whirlwind; definitely. 

i am overwhelmed with projects & homework galore, working daily, as well.  i can hardly believe it's my fourth year of university. woah. isn't it silly that after switching majors approximately 5 times, i am still unsure of what to do with my life?

frightening? yes. secretly exciting? absolutely.

i leave for germany may 17th. i know the time between then & now is going to fly.  that's how it works, after all. but i am thrilled!  i am au pairing for a wonderful family that lives outside of berlin.  i am going to teach their little babes english. dream.come.true.  i am also applying to attend courses while i am there at the university. i've had a cutout that says "in Deutschland studieren" that i cut out of a study abroad brochure & pinned to my bulletin board a few years ago.

if you would have asked me a year ago if i still was going to study in germany i would have most likely said no. 

but that's the beautiful part about life & growing up & learning more about yourself everyday.

it's amazing how much your dreams shift & change in the matter of a mere year. but it's lovely how my path has directed me back to pursuing my longtime dreams.   

even if you try & tell your heart to hush, it will prevail in the end. every time. i'm sure of it.

here i am, preparing to live in germany in less than two months & i am more content than i have been in far too long.

& holy moly, it's a wonderful feeling.

xo-

"To love would be an awfully big adventure."

{via weheartit.}

Mmmm... the sweet sweet smell of spring break. the sights, the beautiful sunshine, rising late in the morn...

spring break is a wonderful time of the year indeed. 

 but my f-a-v-o-r-i-t-e part? having time to blog! & finally telling you all the exciting things i've been hiding up my sleeves---

first off, i've been significantly busy trying to arrange a lot of things. like, ya know, au pairing in Germany starting this summer! i decided to look for potential au pair summer jobs after i returned from the UK. (ok, really i signed up for sites the second day i was in the UK...)

after straightening out some minor details & finding a lovely family, it's official! i'm leaving may 17th to spend time with my dear Love, Deutschland. 

i don't think i could be anymore excited. i am ready to meet the sweet little ones & teach them english. (teaching english to little german children has been a long standing dream of mine. see! dreams do come true. everyday.)

so dear friends, I am about to go on a full-fledged adventure! can you believe it? because i can't. nope. still waiting to wake up from this dream of goodness. the best part? i'll have time to still blog- it's going to be the BEST.