We are in Phoenix airport, home at last

Schronnbrunn Palace

We are in Chicago, 1 more flight to go!

First flight home Vienna to Brussels, Belgium

On plane now for first flight home. Debra & Al should be in Prague.

Salzburg & Wolfgangsee Lake

Cafe Fingerlos, Mirabell Gardens, Hellbrunn Palace

Salzburg pictures

Day 1 Salzburg

We saw Rick Steve today(have a picture of him) Walked around & saw a lot today. Dinner was antipasto for me & Jeff. Bolognese pasta for rest of the gang & tiramisu. Our reward today was clouds & cool weather.

We are in Salzburg

Our work at the Haus is done and we were sad to leave. The time has gone by so quickly. We had much better experience on train this time. We just arrived to Salzburg and Hotel Mozart. We have a pretty good view from our room.

Panorama Restaurant

This year for the last night at Haus we went to the Panorama Restaurant. Outside is a beautiful view of Vienna. Unfortunately it was breezy & rainy so we sat inside. Then, the rain stopped. Oh well. It was good food and fun to be at a different place. Tomorrow we get up early to take train to Salzburg. Night!

Napkins

My wife is in charge of napkins and has the entire Haus folding napkins for lunch and dinner plates. She practices from a book at night. This may or may not surprise you.

Al's finished cross

Last Class Day for Students

Today is final day of classes for the students. It's amazing they complete a course in such a short amount of time. It's like summer classes double timed. Yesterday I went with another short-term worker to one of the classes in the afternoon. We helped the professor role-play with his two students for two different scenarios. The class was Christian counseling so we came in with a problem that the professor had given us to role play and the student didn't know what the problem would be until we arrived. Then while we role-played the professor observed how they handled the situation and gave them feedback. They both did very well considering English is a second-language and applied what they had been learning during the practice session. The student that I role-played with was actually Jeff's prayer partner from Hungary. He later gave me a small package which I think is a seasoning for soup. It was his way of thanking me for helping him in class.

In case I have not shared previously the professors who come here are all from accredited universities in the US and travel here to teach the same course they teach in the US, but it obviously is compressed version. They also have a doctoral program that TCM is working to get established here. All of the professors and staff serve here just as we do so the students see the professors washing and drying dishes. It teaches them how to be servants of God as many have not ever seen it in action like it is here. Like many cultures there is man's work and women's work., there is work above their level and work below their level. However, as Jesus demonstrated himself we must serve each other and I can't think of a better place that teaches servanthood like the Haus.

This morning a fairy brought cards and a bag full of goodies for my birthday. A card with Starbuck's gift card somehow made it's way all the way to Austria! I also got a lot of chocolate and a Vienna key chain. Our guest services team sang Happy Birthday to me this morning and they are all amazing singers so it had harmony.

Al finished his cross and they have it by the campfire now. Unfortunately it rained last night so we didn't get to sit up there. Instead we sat by a fake fire in the patio classroom. This group of students are wonderful singers and it was great to listen to them. They sing with such passion. It sounds awesome when we sing the same song, but in different languages.

I learned that my prayer partner does not have a husband. I'm not sure if she is a widow or not, she doesn't speak English and doesn't seem to like the translator in between when I do find someone who speaks Russian. She did say she has two sons but they are not believers. She is an older woman and seems to be very nice. Tomorrow most of the students leave and we will do our big clean-up day. It's gone by so fast.

Birthday Girl

Sandy says thank you for the cards, treats and well wishes.

Debra making dough

Eis Peter, Baden

97 degrees with humidity in Baden today. We sat and listened to orchestra in Baden Park for a little while in the shade, but it was still hot!

Music in the park

There is live music in the park at Baden on Sunday. We are having some refreshments while listening and trying to stay cool. The temperature is 97 deg F and 30% humidity.