My brain in 3... uh, 4 nations

Just got back from a trip to Sevilla. What a privilegio, to have the posibilidad in more than one country gelebt zu haben! Perhaps it kommt with the terrority, having lived in 4 nacionen, mi mente está sometimes totalmente confused mit Sprachen and finding the apropos word. Ich start to say a palabra, and se me ocurre the word in uno de my other languages. (at the right is my host family while I visited recently: Paloma the mom, Paco the son, and Inma, my student friend... along with Johnny & Abraham).

Travel (das Reisen… viajar)… will do that to me! At times (a veces… manchmal…), I hesitate, porque estoy speaking in one language, such as Deutsch, but the palabra español will come to my brain primeramente. I train myself, having a button on my portatil so that I can change my keyboard Sprache by clicking on a pequeño Flage of that nation.

In general, my vida (life, Leben) is sort of like that in este momento. I am loving working with Connexxion in dos countries—España y Deutschland. Plus I disfruto von great feedback und Unterstutzung to be supervised and coached by an American organization. My corazón (Herz, heart) is torn. When people ask me, wie es oft passiert, which nación yo amo better or where I prefer to live, ich kann nicht completamente say.

I do not want zu sound overly stereo-typisch, but part of me is very American—growing up with football games, conservative roots, a “can-do” actitud, and eating out. Another side of me will never get Vancouver out of my system—die Multi- culti adventure of different culturas together. Ein andere Teil von mir ist German – the ability to say what I think de verdad, to appreciate a sense of Zeit, agenda and planning. An enjoyment of simple Dinge in der Natur and hiking. And an appreciation for logic. Yet another Seite of me is español—a pride in one’s roots y familia, enjoying being complimented (“Hola, guapa!” which is a typical greeting so etwa wie “Hi there, Beautiful!”). I love being treated como una dama (lady). Loudly expressive Gozo (joy … Freude!...), y el desire (Wunsch… deseo…) to “chill” y not be on a tight schedule (I am certain to be tarde, so por qué sweat it!?). I can’t choose. I’m sort of all of the above! Soy un poco de todo lo de arriba. Ich bin ein bisschen von allem, was da oben steht.

Paul the Apostle is my héroe, und he actually nos anima (encourages us … herausfordert…) to lay down our personal “rights” and adjust to the cultures & convictions of the people around us. He must have had diferentes lados (sides) of his preferencias y personality, too, as I feel que I do. It's a fun way to leben!

“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible… I have become all things to all men.” (1. Corintios 9:19, 22)