This day is definitely one that's going down in the books.
My class didn't start until noon, so I had all morning to relax, do my devotions, and yoga. It was a very peaceful and restful morning as I prepared to teach later in the afternoon. One of my flatmates decided to come with me since our schools are in the same direction. We walked to the bus stop (let me just preface that I have never traveled on this bus or this way for that matter) and waited. And we waited. There was no bus on the horizon and there were no people joining us at this bus stop. So, we did the "logical" thing and kept walking in hopes of finding the next bus stop--hopefully with more people waiting for it.
And so we went...walking and talking and enjoying the beautiful weather.
Then, I looked behind me and saw the bus. The bus that we were supposed to get on was quickly catching up to us. And so what did we do?
We ran.
With our bags clutched in our hands and our hair flying, we tried to sprint to the next bus stop.
Little did we know--the next bus stop was faaarrrr away.
Running in the streets of Skopje is faux pas enough as it
is...but having 2 Americans sprinting down to street was just plain
hilarious. As I ran, I became very conscious of my bring pink dress that
I was wearing. I was like a huge magenta target spot.
So, we missed the bus; we were running late; and, we couldn't find the next bus stop. Instead, my flatmate and I hopped in a taxi and tried to give the taxi driver directions to my school. My school is not exactly easy to find. It's in a neighborhood which does not have a major road going past it. Our taxi driver had to ask a pedestrian for directions which I found so hilarious.
Eventually I made it and I wasn't even that late. The teacher who is helping me was waiting outside of the school. She walked me to the classroom where most of the teachers were already seated and waiting. One of the good things about Macedonians (in this case at least) is that they are usually late.
I have 11 students/teachers. Once I got there, I introduced myself again and had them each introduce themselves. And from there, I started the lesson and things just started to flow. The teachers were laughing and working together to figure out what I was saying. Because they signed up to take this class, they actually want to be here and learn. I didn't feel any pressure from them to be perfect. They just want to learn, so that's what I'm going to try to help them do.
So...day 2 is done. Can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring (hopefully no more bus chasing though)!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
1st day of teaching solo
Well...this day has finally arrived. In the morning, all of the people who are teaching the elementary teachers met on the bus which took us to the Muncipality. We met all of the English teachers who will be helping us along with their principles and the mayor. First impressions are the worst. As I looked around the room at all the people sitting in chairs, I tried to figure out who was who. Who is my teacher? Who is the person who will be helping me? Who is the mayor? And then, another round of questions flooded my mind. What do these people think of me? How in the world am I supposed to educate educators? What in the world am I doing? Why has everything I’ve learned seemed to have fled my mind? And then of course the usual recorded pep talk in my head--oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness, you can do this, you can do this--starts up as I try to assess what is happening.
Despite how much I try to stop worrying and talk some sense into my conscience, I can’t stop the habit. It’s like my mind somehow thinks that by worrying I am some how controlling the situation that is scaring me. It always works out--in one way or another it always works out. Today was no different. I found out that my elementary school is actually very close to the Muncipality. That means no 45 minute trek out to the country--one worry taken care of. Then, I found out that I don’t have to team teach--and just like that the second worry flies out the window. My English teacher’s name is Vesna. She is like the cherry on top of this whole morning. Vesna was so completely supportive and informative and helpful. I am very thankful for her.
She walked me to the school, introduced me to several faculty members as well as her class of students, and showed me the classroom I’ll be teaching in. Only half of my class was present today. I don’t think everyone knew that today was the day that the class was supposed to start. Instead, we introduced ourselves and I explained a little bit about what this next week will look like. I also asked them a bit about their expectations for this class. It was nice to put faces on the people I’m finally going to teach. After that, Vesna showed me to the bus stop and explained the directions from my home to the school. I got on the bus, found my way home, and that was that.
First day of “teaching”=finished.
Please pray for confidence as I teach tomorrow and during the next 4 weeks. Please pray for my relationships with these teachers that I would reflect the light of Christ. And, please pray that I wouldn't worry so much--I have no more safety nets, no more hurdles to jump. This teaching experience has finally arrived and as much as I would like to "not and say I did" I can't and I don't want to. I have so much to learn, and I've been put in the perfect situation to learn--the whole experience is a bit overwhelming. I just hope that I'm cut out for this whole teaching thing.
Despite how much I try to stop worrying and talk some sense into my conscience, I can’t stop the habit. It’s like my mind somehow thinks that by worrying I am some how controlling the situation that is scaring me. It always works out--in one way or another it always works out. Today was no different. I found out that my elementary school is actually very close to the Muncipality. That means no 45 minute trek out to the country--one worry taken care of. Then, I found out that I don’t have to team teach--and just like that the second worry flies out the window. My English teacher’s name is Vesna. She is like the cherry on top of this whole morning. Vesna was so completely supportive and informative and helpful. I am very thankful for her.
She walked me to the school, introduced me to several faculty members as well as her class of students, and showed me the classroom I’ll be teaching in. Only half of my class was present today. I don’t think everyone knew that today was the day that the class was supposed to start. Instead, we introduced ourselves and I explained a little bit about what this next week will look like. I also asked them a bit about their expectations for this class. It was nice to put faces on the people I’m finally going to teach. After that, Vesna showed me to the bus stop and explained the directions from my home to the school. I got on the bus, found my way home, and that was that.
First day of “teaching”=finished.
Please pray for confidence as I teach tomorrow and during the next 4 weeks. Please pray for my relationships with these teachers that I would reflect the light of Christ. And, please pray that I wouldn't worry so much--I have no more safety nets, no more hurdles to jump. This teaching experience has finally arrived and as much as I would like to "not and say I did" I can't and I don't want to. I have so much to learn, and I've been put in the perfect situation to learn--the whole experience is a bit overwhelming. I just hope that I'm cut out for this whole teaching thing.
Ohrid
Ohrid, Macedonia.
A 3 hour drive, 15 people, 2 vans, and an umptin amount of mountains on either side of us.
Thursday morning to Saturday night.
Ohrid is a city most Macedonians have visited. It's a vacation hot spot for natives and for tourists. In the hot summer time, the cool air and cool waters for the lake draw many a people to its' shores. We came a bit too early for the hot weather, so swimming in the frigid waters was not appealing to any of us. It was supposed to rain the entire weekend, but God answered our prayers and kept the rain away until right before we left.
We stayed in a beautiful home located right on the shore. My room was on the third floor with the most beautiful view. That view was worth the cold nights and steep flights of stairs. Is there any better way to spend a morning than sitting on the ledge of the window that overlooks the lake to do devotions? This house is located in Old Town. There is a whole other part to the city, but we stayed in the most gorgeous part of Ohrid. The roads were cobble stones and very steep. There were rocky paths made all the way up the hills. A castle called Samuel's Fortress sat uptop the highest point in Old Town. You can see the entire city, the whole lake, and even Albania from up there. The wind blows ever so gently from the top of the fortress's wall making you never want to climb down.
I also got to see several sites being excavated. A church is being uncovered, a plaza-like space is being dug up, and I can't help but think...one day long ago this place used to be a regular place, a site that the townspeople were used to seeing. Then, over time, it disappeared, and people forgot it's meaning, and all of the sudden it's being recovered and the memories are trying to resurface. Being amidst a history that goes back so far can only make one pensive.
Josh and Rachelle took us to several other places around town. We went to a monastery, a village on the water, and downtown to the festival for Cyril and Methodius Day--it was a first to be in a place where we weren't the largest group visiting. I guess there are perks to going to a tourist hotspot if you don't want to stick out as a tourist. But, if I must be completely honest, the scenery completely outdid the attractions Ohrid had to offer. Nothing could beat the view of the mountains, the contrast of the rich green land to the brick red terra cotta roofs, or the fog that crept down the mountain side, or the rippling of the lake as the various sail boats rocked back and forth.
A beautiful weekend, simply beautiful.
A 3 hour drive, 15 people, 2 vans, and an umptin amount of mountains on either side of us.
Thursday morning to Saturday night.
Ohrid is a city most Macedonians have visited. It's a vacation hot spot for natives and for tourists. In the hot summer time, the cool air and cool waters for the lake draw many a people to its' shores. We came a bit too early for the hot weather, so swimming in the frigid waters was not appealing to any of us. It was supposed to rain the entire weekend, but God answered our prayers and kept the rain away until right before we left.
We stayed in a beautiful home located right on the shore. My room was on the third floor with the most beautiful view. That view was worth the cold nights and steep flights of stairs. Is there any better way to spend a morning than sitting on the ledge of the window that overlooks the lake to do devotions? This house is located in Old Town. There is a whole other part to the city, but we stayed in the most gorgeous part of Ohrid. The roads were cobble stones and very steep. There were rocky paths made all the way up the hills. A castle called Samuel's Fortress sat uptop the highest point in Old Town. You can see the entire city, the whole lake, and even Albania from up there. The wind blows ever so gently from the top of the fortress's wall making you never want to climb down.
I also got to see several sites being excavated. A church is being uncovered, a plaza-like space is being dug up, and I can't help but think...one day long ago this place used to be a regular place, a site that the townspeople were used to seeing. Then, over time, it disappeared, and people forgot it's meaning, and all of the sudden it's being recovered and the memories are trying to resurface. Being amidst a history that goes back so far can only make one pensive.
Josh and Rachelle took us to several other places around town. We went to a monastery, a village on the water, and downtown to the festival for Cyril and Methodius Day--it was a first to be in a place where we weren't the largest group visiting. I guess there are perks to going to a tourist hotspot if you don't want to stick out as a tourist. But, if I must be completely honest, the scenery completely outdid the attractions Ohrid had to offer. Nothing could beat the view of the mountains, the contrast of the rich green land to the brick red terra cotta roofs, or the fog that crept down the mountain side, or the rippling of the lake as the various sail boats rocked back and forth.
A beautiful weekend, simply beautiful.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Life is Becoming Normal
Life is becoming normal here is Macedonia. I'm starting to orient myself in the city--streets are now recognizable, certain cafes are becoming favorites, grocery ladies are becoming my friends, and I am beginning to recognize people in the streets.
Today is the 3rd day of teaching in the elementary schools. I love being with the kids and getting to know them for an hour. I love watching their faces as I'm teaching them something new and seeing them soak up the information. And, I love how excited they get when I ask a question and they know the answer to it.
I give some serious props to the seasoned teachers out there. After three hours of teaching each day, my throat hurts and I'm exhausted. My endurance is seriously lacking. In these last three days of teaching, I have learned so much about what it means to be a teacher and what it all entails. I have never paid more attention to how slowly and clearly I speak. Using simple English is much harder than you would think.
I challenge you to spend part of the day speaking and describing things as simple as possible--don't use any big words--use adjectives like big or small instead of gigantic or tiny. Even filler words such as um, uh, or well are words that you should eliminate from your speech.
There is so much to learn as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. Oh goodness gracious.
Fortunately, my fellow classmates are good at relieving some of this stress and overwhelming feelings. Today after class, it started raining. Part of our group hopped on a bus to avoid the falling water drops, but the rest of us took on the rain. Huddled under two umbrellas, we laughed our way to an icecream cafe before making our destination. For a couple of hours, we all crammed into the living room of some of our classmates to plan for our next phase of teaching. I'm looking forward to what this next stage will bring...but more details on that later.
The girls all came over to my apartment later this evening. We had started an all girls movie night a couple nights ago but was cut short on account of the late hour. Therefore, we were inclined to finish it--and the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies was just a plus in our wonderful evening. Ten of us shushed ourselves next to each other as we feasted cookies, decaf coffee, and the second half of Stardust. Chick flicks in foreign countries are just plain good for the soul. I may or may not have eaten one too many cookies, but if you had had a hand full of warm, gooey, chocolatey goodness I bet you would have been right along side of me stuffing face.
As Monday closes and Tuesday begins, I ask that you would pray for me and my group. We will be traveling to a city called Ohrid. It's known for being a vacation hotspot for Macdonians. Please pray for safe travels as well as creativity, organization, and patience as we continue to plan lessons. This next segment will be focused more on adult learners which is a bit intimidating since I've only ever taught people younger than me. Being on the go all the time really is exhausting--prayer for that would also be much appreciated.
I'm nearing that 2 week mark that I've grown so accustomed to. After Wednesday, I will be wading in waters I've never experience before. I guess whether or not I like it, I'll get to see if I can do this whole long term overseas thing...oh boy.
Today is the 3rd day of teaching in the elementary schools. I love being with the kids and getting to know them for an hour. I love watching their faces as I'm teaching them something new and seeing them soak up the information. And, I love how excited they get when I ask a question and they know the answer to it.
I give some serious props to the seasoned teachers out there. After three hours of teaching each day, my throat hurts and I'm exhausted. My endurance is seriously lacking. In these last three days of teaching, I have learned so much about what it means to be a teacher and what it all entails. I have never paid more attention to how slowly and clearly I speak. Using simple English is much harder than you would think.
I challenge you to spend part of the day speaking and describing things as simple as possible--don't use any big words--use adjectives like big or small instead of gigantic or tiny. Even filler words such as um, uh, or well are words that you should eliminate from your speech.
There is so much to learn as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. Oh goodness gracious.
Fortunately, my fellow classmates are good at relieving some of this stress and overwhelming feelings. Today after class, it started raining. Part of our group hopped on a bus to avoid the falling water drops, but the rest of us took on the rain. Huddled under two umbrellas, we laughed our way to an icecream cafe before making our destination. For a couple of hours, we all crammed into the living room of some of our classmates to plan for our next phase of teaching. I'm looking forward to what this next stage will bring...but more details on that later.
The girls all came over to my apartment later this evening. We had started an all girls movie night a couple nights ago but was cut short on account of the late hour. Therefore, we were inclined to finish it--and the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies was just a plus in our wonderful evening. Ten of us shushed ourselves next to each other as we feasted cookies, decaf coffee, and the second half of Stardust. Chick flicks in foreign countries are just plain good for the soul. I may or may not have eaten one too many cookies, but if you had had a hand full of warm, gooey, chocolatey goodness I bet you would have been right along side of me stuffing face.
As Monday closes and Tuesday begins, I ask that you would pray for me and my group. We will be traveling to a city called Ohrid. It's known for being a vacation hotspot for Macdonians. Please pray for safe travels as well as creativity, organization, and patience as we continue to plan lessons. This next segment will be focused more on adult learners which is a bit intimidating since I've only ever taught people younger than me. Being on the go all the time really is exhausting--prayer for that would also be much appreciated.
I'm nearing that 2 week mark that I've grown so accustomed to. After Wednesday, I will be wading in waters I've never experience before. I guess whether or not I like it, I'll get to see if I can do this whole long term overseas thing...oh boy.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Time to Start Teaching!
Today was the second day of being in the elementary schools teaching. I am in a group with 5 other students. We came up with a lesson about American cities both big and small. The plan is to have us teach the same lesson in multiple schools. So far I have loved getting in front of the class and speaking. I was a bit nervous entering into this whole teaching experience, but having a group to teach with is such a relief. I appreciate being eased into this whole teaching thing.
The response we got to our lesson and simply our presence in the schools has been so positive. We have even been asked to return to teach...unfortunately we cannot since our schedules are so packed. I can tell that the students like being taught by us--or at least they like smiling and waving at us in front of their friends:)
Either way, I'm happy to teach them. I never realized how fast time moves when you're trying to get through an entire lesson. We have only made it through our entire lesson 1 time in the 6 times we've taught this lesson. Forty minutes simply is not enough time to teach everything we want to cover...I never thought I'd say it, but I actually wished class was longer--gasp!
We finished at 10:30am which left us a glorious amount of free time to take naps, veg, and finish some homework. Tonight all of the girls are going to see the ballet Swan Lake. I'm so excited. More details to come...
The response we got to our lesson and simply our presence in the schools has been so positive. We have even been asked to return to teach...unfortunately we cannot since our schedules are so packed. I can tell that the students like being taught by us--or at least they like smiling and waving at us in front of their friends:)
Either way, I'm happy to teach them. I never realized how fast time moves when you're trying to get through an entire lesson. We have only made it through our entire lesson 1 time in the 6 times we've taught this lesson. Forty minutes simply is not enough time to teach everything we want to cover...I never thought I'd say it, but I actually wished class was longer--gasp!
We finished at 10:30am which left us a glorious amount of free time to take naps, veg, and finish some homework. Tonight all of the girls are going to see the ballet Swan Lake. I'm so excited. More details to come...
Monday, May 14, 2012
Superheros of the Classroom
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| saw The Avengers with a whole bunch of Macedonians |
Eventually we left group by group for our observation classes. We were divided up into 3 groups (we were paired with the people we live with) and all had different times to observe. My group's time was from 8:10-9:20pm, so we had lots of time to kill. We went to the Center for Foreign Languages. It's a school for all ages who pay for these extra English lessons. The class we got to observe was the CPE class. It's the highest level of English offered at this school. The teacher, Natasha, is a top notch teacher. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her conduct her classroom and help her students learn. I took lots of notes for future reference when I have my own classroom.
After the class finished, we asked Natasha to call us a cab because...well let's face it...we still can't converse in Macedonian. The cab guy picked us up and took us to the movie theater. Our entire practicum group plus a couple of our Macedonian friends wanted to see The Avengers. I loved that movie the first time, and I loved it the second time too. I still laughed at all of the best punch lines, but it was even funnier with a theater full of Macedonians. The movie was in English but had Macedonian sub titles that were delayed, so the laughing was also delayed. Above is a picture of me and my flat mates waiting for the movie to start. It was so much fun being with everyone!
It's a good thing that we get to sleep in tomorrow, because it's 1:35am and I'm still up.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
It's a very small world
Today I started the day with trekking to the other side of the city via bus for Macedonian language lesson #2. You should be proud because this is only my third day here and already I can navigate the bus system--and I know more Macedonian words! This day was more laid back than any other which made me happy. I'm still struggling with jet lag and culture shock started to set in today, so having a not so eventful day was necessary.
The best part of the day was definitely this evening. Our friend Katie invited the girls and I to a cooking class at her church. The pastor's wife uses this cooking class as a ministry for teenage girls while teaching them how to cook traditional Macedonian food. This class was packed with new people. I was pleasantly surprised that almost everyone in that room spoke English. It was so much fun. They taught us how to make this pork/veal/rice filling wrapped and cooked in steamed leaves. My description hardly does this recipe justice but it was the best thing I've tasted so far--and Macedonians can make some really good food.
The most interesting part was when a church group from Arizona piled into our little venue to eat with us. Apparently they are here for a month long missions trip working in Old Town which is where the very poor Albanian population lives. They are staying at this evangelical church for a couple weeks. There were more Americans at dinner than there Macedonians! I got to meet some great people who are very on-fire for Christ. After dinner, we had a short worship service (cooking and socializing took much longer than anticipated) with the mission trip people, the Macedonians, and our group.
The mission trip people went some where--they kind of disappeared after worship leaving us talking with our new Macedonian friends. This youth group was for high schoolers but several college-aged students help out with it. A group of 19 of us walked down to the main square of Skopje for icecream. Then we went to the center where there is this huge fountain with lights and shooting water. A massive statue of Alexander the Great riding a very muscular horse is erected on top. We sat on these stairs overlooking the river that divides the Albanian and Macedonian sides just talking and getting to know one another.
We couldn't believe and they couldn't believe that's we've only been here for 3 days. I feel like I've know these people for so much longer. I enjoyed wandering through the city with them..and I'm really glad they were there because I got all turned around and would definitely have been lost had it not been for them. I'm looking forward to becoming good friends with them.
The best part of the day was definitely this evening. Our friend Katie invited the girls and I to a cooking class at her church. The pastor's wife uses this cooking class as a ministry for teenage girls while teaching them how to cook traditional Macedonian food. This class was packed with new people. I was pleasantly surprised that almost everyone in that room spoke English. It was so much fun. They taught us how to make this pork/veal/rice filling wrapped and cooked in steamed leaves. My description hardly does this recipe justice but it was the best thing I've tasted so far--and Macedonians can make some really good food.
The most interesting part was when a church group from Arizona piled into our little venue to eat with us. Apparently they are here for a month long missions trip working in Old Town which is where the very poor Albanian population lives. They are staying at this evangelical church for a couple weeks. There were more Americans at dinner than there Macedonians! I got to meet some great people who are very on-fire for Christ. After dinner, we had a short worship service (cooking and socializing took much longer than anticipated) with the mission trip people, the Macedonians, and our group.
The mission trip people went some where--they kind of disappeared after worship leaving us talking with our new Macedonian friends. This youth group was for high schoolers but several college-aged students help out with it. A group of 19 of us walked down to the main square of Skopje for icecream. Then we went to the center where there is this huge fountain with lights and shooting water. A massive statue of Alexander the Great riding a very muscular horse is erected on top. We sat on these stairs overlooking the river that divides the Albanian and Macedonian sides just talking and getting to know one another.
We couldn't believe and they couldn't believe that's we've only been here for 3 days. I feel like I've know these people for so much longer. I enjoyed wandering through the city with them..and I'm really glad they were there because I got all turned around and would definitely have been lost had it not been for them. I'm looking forward to becoming good friends with them.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Hello from Macedonia!
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| The living room. Our landlord just put in this new TV. He said the other one was too old so why not get us a flat screen. |
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| Me drinking the best juice ever in our fully functioning kitchen (it's blueberry juice...how cool is that?!) |
Today we had our first Macedonian lesson. We learned some basic phrases such as zdravo which means hello or falla which means thank you.
So far I know how to take the buses, how to order certain foods, how to navigate to and from the apartment, and how to spell using the Cyrillic alphabet. Sometimes I feel like a 1st grader trying to sound out the letters on billboards and whatnot--but it has helped me a lot.
I'm also trying to get used to all the staring my group and I get whenever we go anywhere. Rachelle and our Macedonian friend Mafa took us on a tour of the city. We got to see several museums, farmer's markets, shopping areas, historic sites, and statues. This city seems to constantly be under construction. The reason for that is because there was a huge earthquake in 1967 that destroyed many buildings, sidewalks, and homes. They are still trying to repair Skopje. I also learned that Macedonia has only been an independent country since 1991.
This tour was almost like a crash course in Macedonian history. The coolest part was realizing that we could come back whenever we wanted! I definitely felt like a tourist today, but it's good to remember that it's not always going to be like this. Eventually I'll start working in the school (like next week). It's been so nice to have the chance to get used to the city and get a feel for where I am. I can't wait to feel like a part of this city and to be able to navigate like a native:)
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Chicago to Switzerland
In America, the time is 5:44 am while here in Switzerland it’s 11:45 am.
Flight #1: Chicago to Zurich- check
Flight #2: Zurich to Skopje- pending
Sitting in the very last row of my very large flight, I met a beautiful old woman. I don’t know her name--I usually don’t know the names of temporary airplane friends--but she’s German on her way to Switzerland for her bi-annual family reunion. Can you imagine having your family reunion in the Black Alps every other year? She is the one who pointed out the snow capped alps as we lowered onto the runway. Beautiful simply beautiful.
Beautiful is not how you would have described me as I attempted to sleep on the 8 hour flight. Try to picture this: black eye mask on, neck pillow around my neck, blanket on lap, ear plugs, tray table down, and legs crossed on top of it all while I’m hugging the complimentary pillow Swiss Air provided. I made myself chuckle just thinking about how I looked.
No matter how noble my attempts were to sleep, sleep did not come to me. So now I sit in the Swiss airport waiting for my next flight, sleepy and a little groggy. My fellow travel mates are passed out all around me--sleep only came to the few who have mastered the art of sleeping while sitting up right.
Perhaps it’s knowing that the goodbyes are over or that I am completely tired, but I can’t believe I’m in Europe. It’s raining pretty hard--but these rain drops are falling on Swiss land! Only a couple more hours until those rain drops will be falling on Macedonian land.--and I’m excited.
Flight #1: Chicago to Zurich- check
Flight #2: Zurich to Skopje- pending
Sitting in the very last row of my very large flight, I met a beautiful old woman. I don’t know her name--I usually don’t know the names of temporary airplane friends--but she’s German on her way to Switzerland for her bi-annual family reunion. Can you imagine having your family reunion in the Black Alps every other year? She is the one who pointed out the snow capped alps as we lowered onto the runway. Beautiful simply beautiful.
Beautiful is not how you would have described me as I attempted to sleep on the 8 hour flight. Try to picture this: black eye mask on, neck pillow around my neck, blanket on lap, ear plugs, tray table down, and legs crossed on top of it all while I’m hugging the complimentary pillow Swiss Air provided. I made myself chuckle just thinking about how I looked.
No matter how noble my attempts were to sleep, sleep did not come to me. So now I sit in the Swiss airport waiting for my next flight, sleepy and a little groggy. My fellow travel mates are passed out all around me--sleep only came to the few who have mastered the art of sleeping while sitting up right.
Perhaps it’s knowing that the goodbyes are over or that I am completely tired, but I can’t believe I’m in Europe. It’s raining pretty hard--but these rain drops are falling on Swiss land! Only a couple more hours until those rain drops will be falling on Macedonian land.--and I’m excited.
Monday, May 7, 2012
In Less Than 24 Hours...
In less than 24 hours, I will be boarding a plane that will take me far across the ocean to some inhabited land called Swit-zer-land. Thenceforce I will be whisked away to another far off land called Macedonia. This long awaited trip has finally arrived--and I think I'm finally ready!
Granted my suitcase is still in shambles as I rampage through my house making sure I didn't forget anything.
But, I honestly feel at peace with leaving tomorrow. These few days that I've been at home have been absolutely wonderful. It has been like a breath of fresh air to be with my family--but I can tell that I'm ready for an adventure.
And so as I embark tomorrow to these far off great lands, there are a couple of things you could be praying for...
1. Safe travels from here to Europe and back
2. Group dynamics--there's 10 of us in all who are going
3. Apartments to stay in that are close together and are safe
4. The missionaries who will be taking care of us while we are there
5. Creativity and the ability to learn as we observe and eventually teach English in 3 different settings (for children in school, adults, and at an English camp)
6. Culture shock
7. The ability to adapt to a new setting
8. To feel at home in Skoje, Macedonia
9. For us to lean on the Lord, listen to what He is saying, learn from Him who is the greatest of all teachers
10. The Macedonian people we will meet--students, friends, strangers, etc.
Thanks for your prayers in advance:)
Granted my suitcase is still in shambles as I rampage through my house making sure I didn't forget anything.
But, I honestly feel at peace with leaving tomorrow. These few days that I've been at home have been absolutely wonderful. It has been like a breath of fresh air to be with my family--but I can tell that I'm ready for an adventure.
And so as I embark tomorrow to these far off great lands, there are a couple of things you could be praying for...
1. Safe travels from here to Europe and back
2. Group dynamics--there's 10 of us in all who are going
3. Apartments to stay in that are close together and are safe
4. The missionaries who will be taking care of us while we are there
5. Creativity and the ability to learn as we observe and eventually teach English in 3 different settings (for children in school, adults, and at an English camp)
6. Culture shock
7. The ability to adapt to a new setting
8. To feel at home in Skoje, Macedonia
9. For us to lean on the Lord, listen to what He is saying, learn from Him who is the greatest of all teachers
10. The Macedonian people we will meet--students, friends, strangers, etc.
Thanks for your prayers in advance:)
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Blessed Rather Than Burdened
The cushion on days between me and this trip has dwindled even farther. Three days--only three days stand between me and Macedonia. The realness is continuing to seep into my mind. Last night I made flashcards translating English letters, words, and phrases into Macedonia--and I was hit all over again with how real this trip is and how completely unprepared I am.
Granted I probably should have started learning Macedonian before last night but hey, better late than never right?
As I am coming to terms with this inevitable trip I realize that I have been looking at it from an entirely wrong angle. For the past couple of weeks, I have seen going to Macedonia as a burden--a requirement for my major, something I have to do in order to find out if I am cut out for this ESL teaching thing, and a trip that forces me to miss out on many family events (my brother's high school graduation and my parent's 25th anniversary for instance). However, during my devotions I realized that this trip is actually a blessing rather than a burden. I have been given the opportunity to travel for the 3rd summer in a row--all expenses paid. I have the chance to gain some real life experience as a second language teacher while exploring a country rich in history and tradition! Excitement instead of dread is what I should feel, blessed rather than burdened, adventurous rather than cautious.
This morning I was reading Psalm 34. The verses of this chapter talk about the Lord's faithfulness and how He is our safe haven, our place of refuge. It reminded me to keep my eyes on Him, find comfort in His sovereignty, and rejoice in this wonderful blessing He has given to me.
"I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame...Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34: 1-5, 8 (NIV)
Granted I probably should have started learning Macedonian before last night but hey, better late than never right?
As I am coming to terms with this inevitable trip I realize that I have been looking at it from an entirely wrong angle. For the past couple of weeks, I have seen going to Macedonia as a burden--a requirement for my major, something I have to do in order to find out if I am cut out for this ESL teaching thing, and a trip that forces me to miss out on many family events (my brother's high school graduation and my parent's 25th anniversary for instance). However, during my devotions I realized that this trip is actually a blessing rather than a burden. I have been given the opportunity to travel for the 3rd summer in a row--all expenses paid. I have the chance to gain some real life experience as a second language teacher while exploring a country rich in history and tradition! Excitement instead of dread is what I should feel, blessed rather than burdened, adventurous rather than cautious.
This morning I was reading Psalm 34. The verses of this chapter talk about the Lord's faithfulness and how He is our safe haven, our place of refuge. It reminded me to keep my eyes on Him, find comfort in His sovereignty, and rejoice in this wonderful blessing He has given to me.
"I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame...Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34: 1-5, 8 (NIV)
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