The beginning of my life as a second year teacher

And we’re off! After a few days of training and preparing, we began school (for 8th grade and under anyways) last Wednesday. I was not nearly as stressed out as I was this time last year, which is fantastic. My room is generally set up, though it still needs a little work… I figure keep it simple for now, then add to it as the year continues. Last week went really well – the kids seem fantastic! I really miss my kids from last year still, and it’s funny to see them in someone else’s classroom, but I am quite excited about the new group that has come up. Only 13 of my 18+ kids were there, so hopefully those that were there will remember the general procedures over the weekend and help the other newer students this week and everything will stay smooth! Here’s to hoping, anyways…
This week I will start with my high school English class. I am very excited about teaching high school this year – I really want to challenge and stretch them to their limits and help them to be successful.
Life at home has been great as well. I love the family that I live with, and am attempting the whole Spanish speaking thing… not going so well grammatically anyways, but hopefully it will get better over the year. I’m trying to create a balance between working on school stuff and more relaxing and fun stuff, so I hope that that balance will not tip during the school year. I think that I have been able to see most of my friends here, as well as make a few new ones, which has been fantastic! Lots of food and laughter, which I hope to keep up during the year as well.

Thanks you for your prayers and messages!

Here we go again!

*Disclaimer: Ok, so right off the bat I am going to say that my goal (yet again) is to keep up with the happenings throughout the year via this blog. If you don’t see an update after like a month, please bug me about it. In a nice way, of course.
So starting off for those who don’t know, last year I got a job at O y M Hostos School in the Dominican Republic to teach preschool and 10th grade English. Well I went down thinking I was teaching 4th grade, but got moved around a bit. I’m sure you can read through the entries from last year or just what has been said in my facebook conversations, but it was an extremely challenging and amazing year. After much thinking and praying I decided that I wanted to come back for another year, so I am doing just that. I am currently sitting at the airport waiting for the pilot to arrive so that I can finish the journey back to the DR. I am at that point of being sad to leave my life here, but so excited about seeing the wonderful people that I have met there and getting started on my second year of teaching. There is something about having a general idea of what I am getting into that is exciting. Saying that, something is probably going to change all of that… oh well. I will do my best to keep you updated on the adventures of teaching as well as the outdoorsy adventures that tend to take place. Thanks for all of the prayers and support you guys have given me as I head out on this journey, again… someday I’ll settle down back in the states, but for now I’m all about this adventure and foreign country business.