Hello everyone! How are you guys?

Sorry for being a little late with the blog, but I have a good excuse. This week was travel week and then when we came back, VBS for kids started so I had a lot of obligations.

The beginning of the week was pretty relaxed. On Monday we had a meeting where we discussed ideas for VBS adults. This is something new that this congregation is planning to do. It’s kind of similar to VBS for kids, but some games and crafts might be different. We are all looking forward to it and cannot wait to make it happen.

In the evening we went to the fireworks because this was week of 4th July. We brought chairs with us, found a great place to sit and enjoyed the view. It was nice to see so many people together. Weather was okay, we were lucky because it wasn’t raining that evening. Music played in the background so the atmosphere was amazing. Truly a nice experience for me.

After that I packed my suitcase, prepared everything I need and went to pastor’s Brenda house. There I was greeted by two beautiful, cuddly dogs who immediately wanted to play. I played with them a little bit, while Brenda and her spouse Gail packed all our bags in the car.

We headed to Iowa. It was a long car ride but very interesting. On the way to Iowa we passed through Wisconsin and Illinois and I was able to see and learn more about those states. The landscape was beautiful and reminds me a lot of Vojvodina in Serbia. Lots of nature, forests, corn and wheat fields I saw and that is something that Vojvodina is also known for.  Pretty funny was that traffic jam in Chicago is quite similar to traffic jam in Belgrade so I’m used to crowded streets and sometimes slower traffic, but I had time to observe more things and take pictures of them. One of the best moments was when I saw the Mississippi river. We stopped in the park next to the river and took a break. I made some nice photos.

Gail’s dad lives in Iowa, on a big, beautiful farm, so after we arrived, we went to see him. There were also other family members, so we talked a lot about Serbia, the people who live there, what we do there. Everyone said something about themselves, it was good. I drove a four-wheeler and I was catching lightning bugs with kids. We also had chance to see other farms in the neighborhood because Gail’s dad took us on a mini tractor ride. He equipped the trailer with soft seats and put a little table too. He did a great job. He showed us pictures of the farm as it looked in the past. It was nice to listen to him how he talks about his life in the past, experiences and life on the farm.

In Iowa, I tried American pancakes and fried pickles. They were delicious. While we were there we visited some amazing places, like Dunning’s Spring Park, Phelps Park, Decorah Fish Hatchery, Backbone State Park etc. We went hiking too. Nature is perfect there and everything is clean, without garbage and it is nicely arranged.  I love being out in nature, walking and just admire it. I felt really relaxed and I charged my batteries definitely.

Probably the best part of the vacation was visiting the National Czech and Slovak museum and library. Many Czech people live in the city called Cider Rapids so they build and Czech village there. In the museum you can see and hear how Czechs and Slovaks came to the USA, what they did then, how they lived. Pastor Brenda and Gail learned more words in Slovak. It was interesting for them to learn more about other culture. The exhibitions are nicely arranged and everything is as authentic as is should be. It was nice to see that people appreciate their roots and their traditions. We also went to the restaurant and I had good Czech beer (real refreshment for hot day).

On the way home we passed through Indiana, so I can boast that I visited quite a few states in a short period of time. Almost forgot to mention, I tried corndog too. Lovely lady at the gas station gave it to me for free, when she heard where I was from. It has unusual but okay taste.

Although, this was a short trip, I really enjoyed it. It was entertaining experience for me. I met great people, tried new food, saw beautiful places etc. I will remember this for the rest of my love. We should certainly appreciate what God has given us and not take it for granted.

Thank you for reading my blog and again sorry for the delay. Hope to see you next  time. Have a blessed rest of the week!