Some of my students enjoying "Back to School Night" last night.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Okay, I'm officially into blogging and I will do my best not to neglect for so long again! I'm going to jump right into life now because there's just no way I can go back and recount all I've done so far, not to mention there are few who would want to read it...
All that to say, I'm here, I'm feeling pretty settled, and WOW God is so good! I am living in a very cute house about 5 minutes from school (depending on traffic, which tends to be a nightmare, the only rule is that there are no rules!) My students are delightful, a bit of a handful, but very fun. There are 14 all together, about a third MKs, a third Guatemalan, and a third Korean (a dynamic I had not anticipated).
I was able to do my first bit of sightseeing today. I went to Antigua, a town about 1/2 an hour from here. It was very sweet, complete with cobblestone paths and ancient ruins. Another big selling point is that it is at the base of a volcano (active no less). Talk about reinactment of Mount Vesuvius if that thing ever decides to go. There's another volcano close to school that is usually putting off a good amount of steam, but everyone says that's a good sign. It means it's not accumualting and getting ready to blow.
As for life here, it's much different than I anticipated, not that I had a lot of anticipations, but nonetheless. It's an amazing mix of rich and poor, Americanized and distinctly Guatemalan, even green and city. But, I am enjoying discovering the quirks and learning how to navigate my way.
Well, I shall work on posting regularly and keeping you all up to date. I am also working on the whole picture thing, but they are to come. Thanks so much for your prayers and support, they get me through, day by day!
All that to say, I'm here, I'm feeling pretty settled, and WOW God is so good! I am living in a very cute house about 5 minutes from school (depending on traffic, which tends to be a nightmare, the only rule is that there are no rules!) My students are delightful, a bit of a handful, but very fun. There are 14 all together, about a third MKs, a third Guatemalan, and a third Korean (a dynamic I had not anticipated).
I was able to do my first bit of sightseeing today. I went to Antigua, a town about 1/2 an hour from here. It was very sweet, complete with cobblestone paths and ancient ruins. Another big selling point is that it is at the base of a volcano (active no less). Talk about reinactment of Mount Vesuvius if that thing ever decides to go. There's another volcano close to school that is usually putting off a good amount of steam, but everyone says that's a good sign. It means it's not accumualting and getting ready to blow.
As for life here, it's much different than I anticipated, not that I had a lot of anticipations, but nonetheless. It's an amazing mix of rich and poor, Americanized and distinctly Guatemalan, even green and city. But, I am enjoying discovering the quirks and learning how to navigate my way.
Well, I shall work on posting regularly and keeping you all up to date. I am also working on the whole picture thing, but they are to come. Thanks so much for your prayers and support, they get me through, day by day!
Monday, August 4, 2008
All my bags are packed...
Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but my bags have at least made it to my room, as for the packing part, well, all things in their time (scenario: what do you mean I'm leaving tomorrow morning, well, everything that's clean comes with me, that makes it so much easier to determine what stays and what goes...). But really, how do you pack for two years? I'm at a bit of a loss. I mentioned my shoes in church last Sunday, you know it's time to cut back when you have enough shoes to fill an entire suitcase. Some people have suggested that I get one of those little vacuum cleaner gizmos, but that will really only help if it also sucks pounds out while it flattens.
Packing aside, I am getting very close to leaving. My parents threw a big good-bye party on Saturday and I think the number one question was, "So, when exactly are you leaving?" And that is a question to which I wish I knew the answer. Once I have all of my support pledged I can leave, however, I am very close. On Wednesday I should find out more and I am hoping I might be able to leave yet this weekend. School starts August 18 and it's hard for me to do any planning here because I don't have the curriculum right in front of me or know exactly what kinds of supplies I have. So the teachers out there will understand the urgency of me wanting to be there as soon as possible, I find it's best to simply not think about it!
So, in summary, I hope to be leaving shortly, I should have a better idea on Wednesday, new teacher orientation starts Friday and regular teacher inservice starts the following Monday. I have a house I will be renting with another teacher (high school English, it should be fun to see how my Dr. Suess and her Romeo and Juliet styles mesh :) and our house is about 5 minutes from the school. We have a wash machine for those who have been wondering, we also have three bedrooms and two bathrooms, but that's secondary to a wash machine of course! As to everything else, I probably don't know, but I will tell you when I get there.
Well, that wasn't so bad. I think I can actually do this whole blogging thing. Whether or not you'll want to read it is up to you. Maybe I'll try to get fancy with pictures or something to lure you back, stay tuned for more...
Packing aside, I am getting very close to leaving. My parents threw a big good-bye party on Saturday and I think the number one question was, "So, when exactly are you leaving?" And that is a question to which I wish I knew the answer. Once I have all of my support pledged I can leave, however, I am very close. On Wednesday I should find out more and I am hoping I might be able to leave yet this weekend. School starts August 18 and it's hard for me to do any planning here because I don't have the curriculum right in front of me or know exactly what kinds of supplies I have. So the teachers out there will understand the urgency of me wanting to be there as soon as possible, I find it's best to simply not think about it!
So, in summary, I hope to be leaving shortly, I should have a better idea on Wednesday, new teacher orientation starts Friday and regular teacher inservice starts the following Monday. I have a house I will be renting with another teacher (high school English, it should be fun to see how my Dr. Suess and her Romeo and Juliet styles mesh :) and our house is about 5 minutes from the school. We have a wash machine for those who have been wondering, we also have three bedrooms and two bathrooms, but that's secondary to a wash machine of course! As to everything else, I probably don't know, but I will tell you when I get there.
Well, that wasn't so bad. I think I can actually do this whole blogging thing. Whether or not you'll want to read it is up to you. Maybe I'll try to get fancy with pictures or something to lure you back, stay tuned for more...
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