CRAZY SMALL WORLD! I couldn't make up a stranger story - srsly!

So, I was invited to go to dinner with some of the staff from Ecumenical Diaconal Year Network in Hungary tonight. Basically, Evelyn (a volunteer from Germany), Eszter and her husband and the hosts, Petra and her husband... yes, I was Evelyn's date :) It was fun!

Anyway, I am passing along as much information as I had prior to the evening - Petra studied in the United States for a year. Well, I mean, my head is full of information, but that's the only important information you'll need for the following story. Also, the only information that Petra knew about me is that I'm a volunteer from Michigan.

So, we are sitting down for dinner and I had just gotten done telling everyone that I would be here, in Budapest, for Christmas. So, we are sitting down and I realized that it's English Christmas music in the background and I make a mental note to thank them later for the little piece of home. Then the announcer comes on and announces that we are listening to 91.3 WCSG. I go into shock and ask "How did you find this station? I know this station. This is from my hometown - did you know that?"
Petra, the hostess, then asks, "Are you from Grand Rapids?"
"Yes," I replied.
"I went to school at South Christian High School," was her response.
"You've got to be (kidding) me!" was my response, and maybe not quite so elegantly stated. You see, for those of you already lost, Home Acres (my home congregation) is about 3 miles from this school and I know a LOT of people that went to this high school, including some of my students in CHAOS.
"Yeah, I graduated in 1999. Why?" At this point, I explain to her what I just explained to you. Then I try to think of some of the more well-known people that I know that attended that school at that time. Matt and Ben.
"Do you know Matt Hulst and Ben Brinks? They are really tall, and probably basketball stars, and good friends."
"Did Matt have blonde hair?"
"Yes! He's one of my volunteers back home! Oh my word!"

She then proceeded to pull out her yearbook. So, any of you who were at SCHS in 1998-1999 - I saw your HS yearbook photos - that means you Jessica, Ashley, Matt, Ben, Kim, and Brad... oh yeah :P Great photos!

I'm in too much shock right now. I came home tonight realizing once again that this is such a SMALL world. srsly.



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The Ferencvárosi Tanoda makes cookies!

This was a four day process - not even kidding. This is the only day I documented: Cutting and pre-bake decoration
The previous day was "Dough Making" and the day after was "Baking Day" and today was "Nom nom nom (eating) Day"