ADDRESS

Joanna Branson
JMEM / DTS
Untere Dorfstr. 56
02747 Ruppersdorf, Germany

Wilkommen

Why does every German word look like the name of a beer?

I made it, after

three hours of plane delays, one and a half of which spent sitting in the plane with no air conditioning,

two trains without a single person who speaks english, and several naps in the airport. 

This is what the train stations look like. Germany is full of fantastic old buildings. 

While we were there, no one spoke. It was completely silent waiting for the trains. I loved it.

The Water Castle isn't what I expected, but its just as wonderful. Its not like a stone castle with dungeons/chambers/moats, its more like an enormous cottage with hundreds of windows and gardens and five stories. It has a nice cold basement complete with food rooms and a dark room (yay!) and right outside my window is the stone bridge leading up to it, and some goats that yell at me in the morning. 

When we were driving from the train station, we passed a huge field of windmills right next to the base. So amazing. I'm sure I'll be putting up pictures of it soon. 

Its a little awkward right now, there's only seven students here. But everyone gets here Saturday! I already feel at home at this place. Thank you God for bringing me here.

Right now I'm sitting at my laptop, listening to one of the YWAM staff mopping the staircase, singing worship hymns to God that are echoing throughout all four floors and I am so excited for the next seven months. 

No need to say goodbye

I'll be back before you know it. 

Mix tape #1 - See Ya Later

1. Scatterbrain (As Dead As Leaves) - Radiohead

2. Boats and Birds - Gregory and the Hawk

3. Raindrops - Regina Spektor

4. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

5. The Old Days - Dr. Dog

6. Grace - Phil Wickham

7. The Call - Regina Spektor

8. This Will Be Our Year - Ok Go

9. Transatlanticism - Death Cab For Cutie

10. Kingdom Come - Coldplay

11. Last Time Here - The Album Leaf

12. The End Has No End - The Strokes

High five to Rachael D, Kristina, and Lizzie for coming to my house and giving me the best going-away presents ever. 

Bonus high five to Heather for being the last person I'll ever text from my phone and for being the inspiration of 3 or more songs on the Mix #1. 

This is going to be an amazing seven months. The hardest part of all was tonight. 

Thank you God for this chance. Thank you God for Nicky Hackett. Thank you God for providing everything I need to follow my dreams, the ones you painted on my heart yourself. 

Just because everything's changing

doesn't mean its never been this way before.

I'll come back when you call me, 

No need to say goodbye.