Archive for Johanna Johnson
May 9th Update
I returned last week from a fabulous couple of weeks in France! As our big seminar, the six YAGM Americans in Slovakia spent three days in Paris followed by an incredible week at the monastery in Taize. For those who don’t know what Taize is, it is an ecumenical community of about 100 brothers which […]
Gustavus Wind Orchestra Reunion
My biggest excitement in January was the Gustavus Wind Orchestra’s Eastern European tour which took them right through my area. Having played in this group myself for 4 years (including my own international tour to Scandinavia 4 years ago), I still have not only a great affection for the group in general, but also a […]
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! (Veselé Vianoce a St’astny Novy Rok!
St’astny Novy Rok! Happy New Year! I think it will be. I admit that Christmas was very hard for me – I spent 2 days in tears. I not only missed my family terribly, I also missed my Christmas. Hardly any candles, no Joy to the World, hardly any familiar Christmas carols (save Silent Night, […]
December 8 Update
I will report that I am starting to feel comfortable… and that I believe this to be both good and bad. The good is obvious – who doesn’t want to be comfortable? I have some friends, I am (finally!) able to communicate with some people in Slovak (and/or German), I feel the teachers at school […]
Trudging along
I continue to trudge along. The word “trudge” is specifically chosen, because it reflects the best how gracefully I seem to be going along. It sometimes seems that everything I have tried to do has been promptly greeted by a roadblock. Second and third tries are often equally unsuccessful. As a result, I have had […]
Learning the Language
Since I got here to Vrbovce, it has been a constant struggle to simply find some footing, though I think I’ve finally found a bit of a ledge. Most people don’t speak English (though I am increasingly glad each day that I know some German, since that is a very common second language here… I […]
Reflection from Johanna
Perhaps while at Gustavus, I didn’t feel I was contributing directly to society (though I’m sure I was in some way, simply by my interactions with people), but I learned important skills in how to contribute to society. That being said, I have found many of the skills I gained and honed at Gustavus have […]
In Vrbovce!
Funny turn of events: I will be teaching English in a school! In fact, that is a large part of my job, it seems. I will teach some combination of 3rd, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade English, either by myself or helping Jarka, the current teacher of all those. (Possibly also an evening class for […]