Culture Shock

The observant American would notice 2 things upon their arrival to Croatia (and the same is certainly true in other eastern European countries if not the rest of the world). 1. People are generally thinner here and 2. There are far fewer McDonald’s and virtually no other fast-food joints in the country. The two are related. A year ago I came back to Croatia after an extended stay in the States. I was aware of the fact that I wouldn’t get things like Dunkin Donuts coffee or my supersize chicken McNugget meal when I got here so I stocked up before I left. I’ve never been a huge weight watcher, so I didn’t really keep track of what I gained. But I did weigh myself before leaving America and remember being surprised. Three months after being back in Croatia I weighed myself again. Due to having more free time I had been walking more, so I figured I would have lost some weight. Much to my surprise I found that I had lost 20 pounds without even trying! In fact I still ate things like chips, ...

Barack Obama's trip to the Middle East and Europe has been in the headlines, but there is something else going on that has perhaps even more significant global ramifications than Obama's foreign policy. The Yale Center for Faith and Culture is hosting a conference called 'Loving God and Neighbor in Word and Deed' - a continuation of an ongoing dialogue between Muslims and Christians. 'A Common Word' has as its basis the understanding that Christians and Muslims do indeed have a lot in common - including love for God and neighbor. Leaders from both groups are working to promote the commonalities in an effort to 'reorient Muslim-Christian relations away from a “clash of civilizations.”'. You can find out more about the conference at: http://www.yale.edu/faith/rp/rp-lgnwd-conf.htm Or "A Common Word" at: http://www.acommonword.com/ Or John Piper's critical reaction at: http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1032_a_common_word_between_us/

Ever since I was named the TIME person of the year two years ago I've been debating whether or not to grab my piece of the weblog pie. Now's the time. And as I begin blogging, my wife kindly reminds me that no one out there cares to read what's on my mind. She makes a good point - especially considering I often vent in order to rid my own mind of my thoughts. On the other hand, I've found that others have managed to spurt out profound little nuggets of truth that are produced by their admittedly normal lives. Maybe I can do the same. Since my wife and I moved to Croatia I have often been asked if I experienced culture shock. I usually tell them no and then go on to explain that my wife is Croatian and I visited Croatia a few times before we moved so it made the transition easier. But the fact is, I'm going through culture shock every day. They don't put ice in the drinks here in Croatia. The draft will kill you and they love their beer and their soccer. Th...