a room of my own ::my little hiding place::

Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful.

William Morris

I love this quote I found on a blog:

"The furniture you own should be a culmination

of all the different people you have been

at different points in your life."

I love that our little spaces tell so much of who we are.

We create stories around us,

for us to enjoy and to remember.

I have lived in so many different houses,

flats, rooms, cities, and countries.

But each one of them has given me the space I need

to contemplate,

to reflect, and to escape.

I'm so grateful for all of the wonderful memories

I've created with special people

in all of these special places.

I just wanted to share a glimpse of my sanctuary in Prague.

Here is where I sneak away from the chaos of the city,

where I hibernate in winter,

where I bake in the afternoon,

where I cultivate my mini Spring garden,

where I read & write & reflect,

where cry & shout & laugh.

This has been my home.

Love&Laughs,

H

My Last Month in PRAGUE ::a bucket list::

Once I knew that I would definitely be leaving in a month

I decided to create a list of activities to do

before my time here expires.

Some of these things I have already done,

some I have put off for the past two years,

some I just want to do because it's spring

and spring in Prague is just lovely.

Archery. I want to be Katniss Everdeen. 

And this little spot is a nice climb up a hill way out of the center.

Paddle-boating on the Vltava.

A completely different view of the city from the water.

A great way to relax and chat about our amazing adventures over the past two years.

A grand picnic in Stromovka Park with many friends. The largest green area in the city, 

a part from Divoka Sarka, which is a national park near the airport.

I really want to go inside the Rudolfinum, the symphony house in Prague.

What better way to see it than to go to a concert? There's a piano & violin recital next week!

This is a seasonal thing, but I really want to bake something cherry related!

I've found so many delicious recipes on my favorite blogs.

{see my Wanderlust page}

I have many parks I want to re-visit: Petrin hill, Vysehrad, Divoka Sarka,

my secret garden in Mala Strana. And I have so many books to finish reading

before I ship them home, so, put 2 & 2 together and + an ice cream

= lots of time spent out of doors.

I'd really like to go into this church. Can you believe I've not been in!?

I've also heard it's got a killer view from the top, St. Nicholas.

Another thing I can't believe I haven't done yet is really explore the castle area,

known as Hradcany. I think I'll tag along on my roommate's tour one day.

This weekend I will be leaving on a little two-day trip to Cesky Krumlov

with some friends to go rafting down the river.

We went last year and it was seriously the best trip of the year!

This might just be my last time in the Czech countryside for a long time...

And, finally, as my time comes to a close, I may splurge and get myself a massage

before I spend the following six weeks with lots of crazy Italian children 24/7.

One of the many things I'll miss about Prague is the relative cheapness of such services,

things I would never even contemplate getting done in the U.S.

{manicures, pedicures, massages, waxing, hair cuts, etc.}

So there it is!

My Prague Bucket List!

*some of the photos are my own. Some were found on Pinterest.

Changes

It's May.

Spring is here. In full bloom.

Summer winds slowly blow through the city,

making yet another seasonal change inevitable.

And with it, I have some changes of my own.

Are you ready?

I'M MOVING TO ITALY!

I will be teaching at summer camps here.

Then going home to visit family here for a bit.

Then joining YWAM Milan here in the fall.

And after that.....

I'm crossing my fingers for a direction to go in or a job offer in Italy.

I have a little less than a month left in this great city.

A city I have always loved, a population I'm growing fond of.

My decision to move and leave behind my teaching job

and all of my wonderful (and sometimes slightly annoying) students

was more difficult than getting on that plane two years ago.

Yet, as each day passes I am beginning to get into an

Italian state-of-mind.

I am so, so excited for this new chapter in my life.

A little apprehensive. A little nervous.

I've got chaos roaming around in my brain.

But I'm believing that Jesus has got my back.

Leading and following me. And with me now.

In this chaotic springtime madness.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." 

{Proverbs 3:5-6}

I love that nothing ever stays the same.

But it also breaks my heart.

Change is inevitable.

Everyone can change.

And everything does change.

Change is what I hope for.

Changed people. Changed cities. Changed countries.

Changed lives &

a changed world.

Arrivederci da Italia! A presto!

H

*Photos found here and here.