Sorry for the lack of updates over the last couple of weeks.
School started 4 weeks ago and life has been a bit of a whirlwind since then. First of all, I LOVE my class! I could not ask for 12 sweeter students. I still wake up excited to go to work and ready to teach these kids. They are so much fun and it has been such a blessing for me to watch them as they learn and interact with one another. They are by no means perfect, but neither am I so we all have things to work on.
In the classroom, I've struggled with making time for everything. I reach the end of the day and feel as if it's blown past me and I've barely had time to squish everything in. I don't think that's an uncommon emotion for any teacher let alone a 1st year. The problem is that I could use about 10-15 more minutes for each lesson. Ah well...it'll work out. Already, things that used to take 20 minutes only take 5. The kids are in the routine now and I'm learning to simplify my lessons. I try really hard to be reflective at the end of every week and figure out what worked, what didn't, and what I can improve.
Last weekend was our staff retreat. We stayed at this super nice Hungarian hotel for 2 days. It was on Lake Balaton with these really great pools and outdoor excursions - so of course it was cold and rainy the whole time :) We made due though. There was a great indoor pool and sauna, massages, and tons of games. I was coerced into playing Dutch Blitz (the exact same thing as Nertz). Turns out I'm just as good at it and just as arrogant about being good at it in Hungary as I am in America. As one of my friends put it as she blocked me a few times, she was just trying to sanctify me. :)
My birthday was wonderful. ICSB has a "Birthday Elf" who decorates classrooms for the teachers. My door was decorated, streamers were across my ceiling and there was a huge banner on my white board. Surprisingly, lots of my kids knew it was my birthday and brought me gifts (aka chocolate, yum!). They were also outraged whenever my name wasn't announced over the PA in the morning. It was really sweet! That day we also had chapel and I was chosen to be in a skit about who it's easier to love - an obedient person, or a disobedient person. I proudly fulfilled my roll as the disobedient child meaning that I copied off of my neighbor, hit her with a mallet (and also accidentally hit myself in the process - that got a big laugh), spread rumors, and talked when my teacher told me to work quietly. My students were very curious about whether or not I was actually like that in school and defensive of me whenever it came out that I was more difficult to love than the obedient student. They also made all of 3-5 grade sing me Happy Birthday.
Life here is really great. It's finally cooled off. I wear my wool socks to bed at night to keep my toes from getting too frosty. Though I love my life here and love the people I'm surrounded by, both at school and in the UWM/expat community, I am constantly struggling with missing people back home. I miss family. I miss my friends. I miss my church. I have been assured numerous times that it is normal, and while it's nice to know that, it doesn't make dealing with the pain any easier. There are a few pieces of fabulous advice I've received that I wanted to share.
1) Don't try to rush into establishing deep relationships with the people here. It's hard because nobody knows you and you crave that connection with people. But the relationships will be more meaningful if they come about organically. And rather than trying to fabricate that deepness with someone, seek that with God. The times we feel the most alone are often the times when God does some amazing things in your heart.
2) Don't try to suck it up and ignore it. Cry. Feel your pain. And meet God in that pain.
So that's what I'm trying to do. My friend pointed me to Psalm 139. Verses 7-10 are so comforting. "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."
I'm far from home and I'm far from friends and family, but I'm not far from God. His right hand is guiding me, even here.
My newsletter should come out this weekend. And I will strive to update this more regularly. Here are some pictures from the last few weeks:
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| Lake Balaton - Our view from our hotel room |
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| The first thing I saw at school on Wednesday! Thanks birthday elf! |
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| The awesome Birthday Banner! |
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| We had a little protest against the destruction of the rainforests on Friday. The kids got really into it! |
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| Johnny's Bistro in downtown Diosd. American food and an owner who speaks English |
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| With my KSU roomie on gameday |
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| First day of school!!! |
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