Timea from Hungary

Hello Everyone,

I am Timea, a gypsy girl from Hungary and I will be an intern for Atlantic Bridge for almost a year. 

I arrived to the Eindhoven Airport on 30^th of September at 14:40. John and Nel were waiting for me and gave me a big hug, and I forgot about my family back home for a moment. The Vierslag will be my home for the next year. I was here two years ago for short time, so I know where I was coming. 

Now I am already here for a week and I feel much peace and love and happiness. I wish I could have come sooner. People are friendly and the atmosphere makes me calm. The town of Kruiningen is so peaceful. I love it! It is familiar. People are always smiling when they look at me.I went to the Frites shop here and the lady knew that I am not Dutch because she spoke in English to me even if I had not said anything!

I am a very small gypsy girl, only 1 meter and 50 cm tall. I wear shoes of the size of a ten year old child. In my country there is much discrimination about the gypsies but I don’t feel this here, because everyone is kind to me and I already feel that I am a member of this village.

A few years ago I visited Sweden for two weeks, and people called me sunshine because I was always smiling. I hope I can bring some sunshine to Kruiningen, my new home.

A nice dentist
On Sunday I had a horrible toothache so I told to Nel what’s up and she advised me to go to the dentist. I didn’t want to go, because my experiences were really bad in Hungary. But John made me calm by saying that this man is the kindest person he knows. So we went, but during the way there, my heart wanted to jump out of my body, I was a little bit feared and very excited at the same time. We were waiting a few minutes in a small room and a lady came and called me to come where the dentist was. His voice and smile was really calming. John was right! He was kind and I’m looking forward to go back for my second visit on Monday! 

Timea from Hungary 

EVS volunteer with Atlantic Bridge

Christina D'Onofrio from New York

Hello everyone, and thank you for taking the time to read my blog!  I just graduated from the St. Bonaventure University in New York  State and a few weeks later I find myself in a small Dutch village entertaining the notion of helping to build a youth community both here and in the nearby city of Antwerp. The first days here I experienced information overload, as well as a six hour time zone difference. While I've had a great first couple of days, it's been very tiring. 

But I am here and it feels right. 

St. Bonaventure University was my home away from home for four years. St. Bonaventure University is rooted in the Franciscan tradition, modeled by St. Francis of Assisi.  We had a mantra: love God, love each other, and love the world around us.  That was our main focus.  Learning how to love God and to love the world He created.  There is so much hurt in the world that needs a touch of love, real love from a God who has enough of it for all of creation.

In my work with Atlantic Bridge this coming year, I hope to continue with  bringing God’s love into every situation He leads me to, whether it is a school classroom, a refugee center, a Bridgebuilders club, or just being with friends and families who are hosting me or driving me from place to place. 

As I have learned, Bonaventure means "good journey".  I would like to take you with me on this journey. I do so by writing about my adventures with God in a strange land as I build bridges of friendship, faith and understanding and as I share with young and old about the abundant love the Lord God has in store for us all.

 Next time I hope to share with you about becoming more acclamated with the culture and language as I meet new people! 

Christina D'Onofrio  St. Bonaventure University