There are weeks that go by with nothing to write about. It's just the same old stuff going on: school, detention duty, campo supervision, soccer games, hanging out with my house and the house next door, etc. The last two weeks have had many things that I've thought "I really should do another blog entry" but haven't gotten around to it. So let's see what I can do to catch up...
Two weekends ago I spent at a missionary conference. It was very interesting. The emphasis was mostly on determining where your passion lay, and then making sure that you were working in your area of passion. [Okay, it was understood that we all have things that we have to do...administrative things or whatever that we usually don't have a passion for, but our focus and ministry should line up with our passion.] I got a chance to talk with a number of missionaries there from all over Honduras in many different ministries. I spent some time helping a missionary learn how to use her iPad (she saw me using mine, said she got one for her birthday but had no idea what she was doing, and regretted that she hadn't brought it along...and then found out that her husband had brought it). There was a lot of relationship building and random conversations. It was a really good chance to get to know people, and think a little bit more of this transition that I'm coming up on.
Speaking of the transition back home, I have purchased my plane ticket to go back to the States. I'm flying in on June 17th. It's a Sunday, and this will allow me to go to my church here one last time, say goodbye to everyone, and get dropped off at the airport. It also gives me a week to get acclimated to the States again before seeing EVERYONE from back home at church. Arriving late Saturday night and going to church Sunday morning last December was a lot to deal with...I enjoyed seeing people, but wow. I don't know when I'm going to be moving back into my house, probably the beginning of July.
I will be coming back here on the medical brigade with my church the last week in July. I may also stay at the Ranch for a week or two before or after that to help the next teacher with figuring out the curriculum (or subbing if he's not here yet). I will definitely be back in time for my school back home to start. It will be an interesting summer to say the least. Last summer was all preparation to come here...this summer will be transitioning to life back in the States. Leaving is going to be really bittersweet. I miss people back home so much...but I'm going to miss the friends I've made here. Some of them I can keep up with on facebook, but my students here aren't on facebook (shocking I'm sure). The fact that I have a return date to Honduras, temporary as it is, will most likely be beneficial in that transition.
This week has been very relaxing. We're on Semana Santa (Holy Week) which is a week of no school...and I've taken them as vacation days, so I haven't had to do anything. Monday I went to Villa Elena - a country club - and had fun with some of the kids at the pool. One of the little kids in particular is fearless...he kept wanting to do flips in water over his head even though he can't swim...completely trusting that I would be able to get his head above water when he was done.
I've made it into the city a couple times for dinner...one night at Fridays (yes, they have it here) and last night was at a small Italian place. After dinner last night the group of us went to see Los Juegos del Hambre (Hunger Games). It was the first time I've been to the movies here. It was interesting. The movie was in English with Spanish subtitles. That meant that audience responses to what was happening on screen happened when people finished reading the subtitles, not when the characters said the lines. A little disconcerting, but I enjoyed the movie anyway.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Una Feria de Ciencias
About a year ago, maybe more, I took an online assessment about leadership...namely how I lead. The results were that I prefer not to, but I will take on leadership roles if necessary. But getting people to follow me isn't high on my priority list. I will assign tasks to others in my group, and if they do them, great. If not, it usually takes less energy for me to complete them than for me to convince others why they need to be done.
I mention this, because I was asked/informed last August that I was going to be putting together the Science Fair for the year. That, and the date (March 15), was pretty much all the information I was given...not too much to go on.
I mostly ignored it last semester, because March seemed so far away. It came back to me about the beginning of February that something was coming up that I needed to think about. In the middle of February I sat down with the principal and asked her what exactly she was looking for with the Science Fair. I was told that each high school student was either supposed to pick a topic to research and report on or was supposed to do an experiment. This was supposed to be something outside of class time - a project on their own.
I brought it to the students. The younger two picked topics to research. The older ones wanted to do experiments...but not research experiments...they wanted to do demos. Part of this is I've done demos for them, and they kind of wanted to do the demos themselves.
I was really nervous about it for some reason, and I think it goes back to my feelings about leadership. This wasn't something I could control and this wasn't something I could take over. I was "in charge" but I wasn't really doing anything during the Fair except for introducing who came next. I didn't have many guidelines for it...which in some ways is a good thing, because I'd rather be given freedom than given a strict set of instructions. In other ways it was uncomfortable, because I know from experience that my vision of something rarely follows other peoples' vision.
It went well. The students had fun for the most part, I'm pretty sure the spectators enjoyed it. It's a little flattering that half of the demos were ones I had shown the students. Another demo was one I've done in the States but not here. For all the students doing demos, I did make them give a scientific explanation of what they were doing and why it worked...they couldn't just decide to do a fun fire demo. (Three of the four demos dealt with fire...and no I'm technically not teaching chemistry down here, but there are many places where fire demos can fit...) Some of the younger students were there as well, and hopefully seeing the demos (or the fire stuff at least) sparked an interest in them. They seemed to think it was pretty cool.
I tried to upload pictures but the internet is being too slow here, so that's not happening. That may come later...for now I need to get back to work.
I mention this, because I was asked/informed last August that I was going to be putting together the Science Fair for the year. That, and the date (March 15), was pretty much all the information I was given...not too much to go on.
I mostly ignored it last semester, because March seemed so far away. It came back to me about the beginning of February that something was coming up that I needed to think about. In the middle of February I sat down with the principal and asked her what exactly she was looking for with the Science Fair. I was told that each high school student was either supposed to pick a topic to research and report on or was supposed to do an experiment. This was supposed to be something outside of class time - a project on their own.
I brought it to the students. The younger two picked topics to research. The older ones wanted to do experiments...but not research experiments...they wanted to do demos. Part of this is I've done demos for them, and they kind of wanted to do the demos themselves.
I was really nervous about it for some reason, and I think it goes back to my feelings about leadership. This wasn't something I could control and this wasn't something I could take over. I was "in charge" but I wasn't really doing anything during the Fair except for introducing who came next. I didn't have many guidelines for it...which in some ways is a good thing, because I'd rather be given freedom than given a strict set of instructions. In other ways it was uncomfortable, because I know from experience that my vision of something rarely follows other peoples' vision.
It went well. The students had fun for the most part, I'm pretty sure the spectators enjoyed it. It's a little flattering that half of the demos were ones I had shown the students. Another demo was one I've done in the States but not here. For all the students doing demos, I did make them give a scientific explanation of what they were doing and why it worked...they couldn't just decide to do a fun fire demo. (Three of the four demos dealt with fire...and no I'm technically not teaching chemistry down here, but there are many places where fire demos can fit...) Some of the younger students were there as well, and hopefully seeing the demos (or the fire stuff at least) sparked an interest in them. They seemed to think it was pretty cool.
I tried to upload pictures but the internet is being too slow here, so that's not happening. That may come later...for now I need to get back to work.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
March?!?!
Wow, time flies. Or rather I just get so involved in living life here that I don't notice the passage so much.
It's the start of another day...Thursday. Wednesdays for us are half-days, at least where school is involved. What that means is it feels more like a Friday or weekend, because by time I get to the end of the day, I forget that, yes, we did have school that morning. And Thursdays, in some ways, feel like another Monday. [Wouldn't you love to have two Monday mornings a week...].
I've mentioned here and in newsletters that I've been getting to know a certain student here more one-on-one. Well, about a month or so ago she came over to learn how to make brownies. Yesterday she came over to learn how to make bread. That is an all-day proposition...or rather an all-afternoon one. I directed her in mixing the dough, helping where necessary, but for the most part she made it (yes, I am a teacher to my core). It went well, and the timing was pretty good, the last pan came out of the oven about 5 minutes before she had to go home. Part of the reason it was cut so close is she didn't come over until about an hour or so after school got out for the day...even though I warned her she would need to come over as soon as possible. But it worked out, I got to spend some more time with her, and her family gets to enjoy the rolls for the next few days.
It's really hard for me to believe that in a little over 3 months I'm going to be heading back to the States. This time last year I was starting to get into the main part of fundraising to come here. Now I'm looking at transitioning back home, and what exactly that means. How do you go back to your old life when you've changed? I'll be going back to people who know me...but who know the me from a year ago. Some of them I've kept in close contact with, others send me an e-mail here and there. How do you describe a year of life experience when most people have an attention span of about 15 seconds when it comes to the question "How was Honduras?". How do you pick up the strands of your relationships with people when you've both been growing in possibly different directions for the last year. And how do I keep my focus on God, where it should be, when I'm going from a place with few distractions (and super-slow internet) to a world where everything is a distraction? The short answer is...I don't know, but I'm going to have to find out.
It's the start of another day...Thursday. Wednesdays for us are half-days, at least where school is involved. What that means is it feels more like a Friday or weekend, because by time I get to the end of the day, I forget that, yes, we did have school that morning. And Thursdays, in some ways, feel like another Monday. [Wouldn't you love to have two Monday mornings a week...].
I've mentioned here and in newsletters that I've been getting to know a certain student here more one-on-one. Well, about a month or so ago she came over to learn how to make brownies. Yesterday she came over to learn how to make bread. That is an all-day proposition...or rather an all-afternoon one. I directed her in mixing the dough, helping where necessary, but for the most part she made it (yes, I am a teacher to my core). It went well, and the timing was pretty good, the last pan came out of the oven about 5 minutes before she had to go home. Part of the reason it was cut so close is she didn't come over until about an hour or so after school got out for the day...even though I warned her she would need to come over as soon as possible. But it worked out, I got to spend some more time with her, and her family gets to enjoy the rolls for the next few days.
It's really hard for me to believe that in a little over 3 months I'm going to be heading back to the States. This time last year I was starting to get into the main part of fundraising to come here. Now I'm looking at transitioning back home, and what exactly that means. How do you go back to your old life when you've changed? I'll be going back to people who know me...but who know the me from a year ago. Some of them I've kept in close contact with, others send me an e-mail here and there. How do you describe a year of life experience when most people have an attention span of about 15 seconds when it comes to the question "How was Honduras?". How do you pick up the strands of your relationships with people when you've both been growing in possibly different directions for the last year. And how do I keep my focus on God, where it should be, when I'm going from a place with few distractions (and super-slow internet) to a world where everything is a distraction? The short answer is...I don't know, but I'm going to have to find out.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
How to Make Your Life Difficult...
It's been a while since I've written on here. That isn't to say that nothing has happened, thought a lot of it is more of the (now) routine variety, so I didn't feel the need to write about it. The last month or so has been pretty rough on me emotionally and mentally.
It started when I picked up a book that had been recommended to me called Inside Out by Dr. Larry Crabb. I'm the kind of person who reads a lot, and quickly. I've read 5 books in the last week. This book, however, wasn't one I could speed through. I spent a lot of time pondering what it was saying, and looking at my own life, seeing both steps I had already taken to get closer to God, but also ways in which I was still protecting myself. It was a difficult book to read, because it took me on an emotional, mental and spiritual journey...a necessary one, but not an easy one. I spent time processing with God, I spent time processing with other people (some of whom have and some of whom have not read the book). I'm not through processing, I know this, and I know there are some changes I'm probably going to need to make in my life when I return home, and even here to some extent. I don't yet know what that looks like, though...I'm still working on that, and God's still working on that.
In the morning before school, I sit outside on my back porch and read my Bible, pray, listen to music, e-mail people, etc. Last Wednesday I finished reading the New Testament, which I had started when I got here, pretty much read a chapter a day, etc. So I was thinking about where I should read next, and I remembered a couple of years ago a friend of mine had decided to read the Bible...the whole thing...in 90 days. I've read it in a year before (actually I started in January and finished in July...so less than a year), but I haven't ever dedicated that much time to reading the Bible every day. I started this a week ago...last Thursday...in Ecclesiastes. No, I can't explain why I started there as opposed to in the actual beginning of the Bible. I really like Ecclesiastes, though, so that might be part of it. And it means I'll be finishing my reading of the Old Testament at least with Proverbs, and wisdom is always good.
Well, this past week has probably been the most difficult week emotionally speaking that I've had here. I've had a lot of things on my mind, I've been restless and gone wandering around the Ranch pretty much every night. Most of the news I've gotten from home hasn't been encouraging. I'm pretty sure there's spiritual warfare going on. Which on one hand, reinforces the idea that I'm doing what I need to do...because when you're ineffective, often Satan leaves you alone. But the last week has kind of been the capstone to the last month, which has pretty much been kicking my butt. I'm not going to stop...but I do ask for prayer. My goal is to finish reading through the Bible again by my birthday...which is actually less than 90 days from when I started. If I don't make that deadline, I'm still shooting for the 90 days, but my guess is I'll do what I can to make it, even if it means staying up all night on Saturday before my birthday.
It started when I picked up a book that had been recommended to me called Inside Out by Dr. Larry Crabb. I'm the kind of person who reads a lot, and quickly. I've read 5 books in the last week. This book, however, wasn't one I could speed through. I spent a lot of time pondering what it was saying, and looking at my own life, seeing both steps I had already taken to get closer to God, but also ways in which I was still protecting myself. It was a difficult book to read, because it took me on an emotional, mental and spiritual journey...a necessary one, but not an easy one. I spent time processing with God, I spent time processing with other people (some of whom have and some of whom have not read the book). I'm not through processing, I know this, and I know there are some changes I'm probably going to need to make in my life when I return home, and even here to some extent. I don't yet know what that looks like, though...I'm still working on that, and God's still working on that.
In the morning before school, I sit outside on my back porch and read my Bible, pray, listen to music, e-mail people, etc. Last Wednesday I finished reading the New Testament, which I had started when I got here, pretty much read a chapter a day, etc. So I was thinking about where I should read next, and I remembered a couple of years ago a friend of mine had decided to read the Bible...the whole thing...in 90 days. I've read it in a year before (actually I started in January and finished in July...so less than a year), but I haven't ever dedicated that much time to reading the Bible every day. I started this a week ago...last Thursday...in Ecclesiastes. No, I can't explain why I started there as opposed to in the actual beginning of the Bible. I really like Ecclesiastes, though, so that might be part of it. And it means I'll be finishing my reading of the Old Testament at least with Proverbs, and wisdom is always good.
Well, this past week has probably been the most difficult week emotionally speaking that I've had here. I've had a lot of things on my mind, I've been restless and gone wandering around the Ranch pretty much every night. Most of the news I've gotten from home hasn't been encouraging. I'm pretty sure there's spiritual warfare going on. Which on one hand, reinforces the idea that I'm doing what I need to do...because when you're ineffective, often Satan leaves you alone. But the last week has kind of been the capstone to the last month, which has pretty much been kicking my butt. I'm not going to stop...but I do ask for prayer. My goal is to finish reading through the Bible again by my birthday...which is actually less than 90 days from when I started. If I don't make that deadline, I'm still shooting for the 90 days, but my guess is I'll do what I can to make it, even if it means staying up all night on Saturday before my birthday.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Advances in Language...
Random update (for those of you not on facebook)...I finally got my official residency ID card yesterday. I've officially been a resident since December 1, but now I have the ID card to prove it so I don't have to carry my passport around for official purposes (going to the bank, etc.).
One of my goals coming down here was to become, if not fluent in Spanish, at least a lot more proficient. The difficulty with that goal and living on the Ranch is that most people on the Ranch speak English, and the nearest translator is never more than a phone call away (and is sometimes right next to you). I could probably make it through my entire time down here without having to speak more than a dozen words of Spanish (to order food in a restaurant and to buy groceries at the store).
The first month or two that's basically what I did. I heard Spanish everywhere, but I definitely relied on students to translate for me, or other adults to translate for me. When people from the States spoke Spanish, I could usually understand it, but when the Hondurans spoke it, much of it went over my head.
By the end of September or beginning of October I was starting to understand the Hondurans when they would speak. I was at the point where I could recognize that I didn't know words they were using, but could identify (and maybe even look up) the word being used. And for me, that is one of the most difficult parts of speaking with them is identifying individual words, because initially they all seemed to run together.
In November I started taking Spanish classes with one of the teachers here, and that was very encouraging. It forced me to speak more Spanish. I was at the point where I could understand much of what was being said to me, but I never forced myself to speak it unless the person I was speaking with didn't know English. So actually taking a class did force me to speak a little bit more, and think more in Spanish.
Going home to the States showed me that I was functioning a bit more in the language, because it took a while for my automatic responses (thank you, excuse me, good morning, goodbye) to transfer back to English. Coming back to Honduras, on my first flight I was seated next to an elderly hispanic couple. He spoke some English, but she didn't speak any as far as I could tell. She was on the plane first, looking for her seat, and looking very confused. I saw her boarding pass as she was turning around and realized that she was sitting in my row. She was talking to herself in Spanish, so I asked her in Spanish if she was supposed to be sitting by me. She looked a little surprised initially (probably to hear me speaking in Spanish, because I had been conversing before with someone else in English), but realized that she was, but then she didn't know which seat, so she asked me which seat F was, and I understood the question and was able to answer it. A little thing, but it felt good. And when her husband showed up, she had him thank me for her in English...evidently she understood my Spanish, could see that I understood hers, but living in the States, was very accustomed to talking with strangers through her husband.
Now I'm in the second half of my year here. Yesterday my principal passed along the message that my spanish teacher had told her I was doing well in the language, which always makes me feel good. I had a conversation with my housekeeper today in which I understood most of what she said, and I'm pretty sure she understood what I was saying. I'm not taking translation at church anymore, and I'm usually understanding what's being taught. So while I would not yet say I'm proficient (and definitely not fluent), I may say that I'm functional in the language. I can have conversations about more than "Hi, how are you? What's your name? Pleased to meet you." The key for me is I need to keep pushing myself to practice and be willing to use the language. I also need to expand my vocabulary a bit...then again, I can be creative in getting my idea across, even when I don't know all the words...sometimes all it takes is a little bit of thought.
One of my goals coming down here was to become, if not fluent in Spanish, at least a lot more proficient. The difficulty with that goal and living on the Ranch is that most people on the Ranch speak English, and the nearest translator is never more than a phone call away (and is sometimes right next to you). I could probably make it through my entire time down here without having to speak more than a dozen words of Spanish (to order food in a restaurant and to buy groceries at the store).
The first month or two that's basically what I did. I heard Spanish everywhere, but I definitely relied on students to translate for me, or other adults to translate for me. When people from the States spoke Spanish, I could usually understand it, but when the Hondurans spoke it, much of it went over my head.
By the end of September or beginning of October I was starting to understand the Hondurans when they would speak. I was at the point where I could recognize that I didn't know words they were using, but could identify (and maybe even look up) the word being used. And for me, that is one of the most difficult parts of speaking with them is identifying individual words, because initially they all seemed to run together.
In November I started taking Spanish classes with one of the teachers here, and that was very encouraging. It forced me to speak more Spanish. I was at the point where I could understand much of what was being said to me, but I never forced myself to speak it unless the person I was speaking with didn't know English. So actually taking a class did force me to speak a little bit more, and think more in Spanish.
Going home to the States showed me that I was functioning a bit more in the language, because it took a while for my automatic responses (thank you, excuse me, good morning, goodbye) to transfer back to English. Coming back to Honduras, on my first flight I was seated next to an elderly hispanic couple. He spoke some English, but she didn't speak any as far as I could tell. She was on the plane first, looking for her seat, and looking very confused. I saw her boarding pass as she was turning around and realized that she was sitting in my row. She was talking to herself in Spanish, so I asked her in Spanish if she was supposed to be sitting by me. She looked a little surprised initially (probably to hear me speaking in Spanish, because I had been conversing before with someone else in English), but realized that she was, but then she didn't know which seat, so she asked me which seat F was, and I understood the question and was able to answer it. A little thing, but it felt good. And when her husband showed up, she had him thank me for her in English...evidently she understood my Spanish, could see that I understood hers, but living in the States, was very accustomed to talking with strangers through her husband.
Now I'm in the second half of my year here. Yesterday my principal passed along the message that my spanish teacher had told her I was doing well in the language, which always makes me feel good. I had a conversation with my housekeeper today in which I understood most of what she said, and I'm pretty sure she understood what I was saying. I'm not taking translation at church anymore, and I'm usually understanding what's being taught. So while I would not yet say I'm proficient (and definitely not fluent), I may say that I'm functional in the language. I can have conversations about more than "Hi, how are you? What's your name? Pleased to meet you." The key for me is I need to keep pushing myself to practice and be willing to use the language. I also need to expand my vocabulary a bit...then again, I can be creative in getting my idea across, even when I don't know all the words...sometimes all it takes is a little bit of thought.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Allergies? Really?
Since I've returned to Honduras I've had what I thought initially was a cold. I was coughing, sneezing, sinus problems, runny nose, whatever. But when I was inside certain buildings it was better, and when I was outside it was worse, and it didn't make any sense for any cold I've ever had...which leads me to believe that it's not a cold.
Growing up, the only allergy I've had to deal with is to a medication. I haven't had plant induced allergies, I don't dread the changing seasons. But i'm pretty sure there is some plant down here that is pollenating or whatever that I am allergic to...something I don't encounter back in the States. Because I'm not used to dealing with allergies, it took me until Monday to come to the conclusion that I might be dealing with allergies. Yesterday I took some 24 hour allergy medicine (one of the advantages to having keys to the clinic...I didn't have to wait for someone to get it for me), and I took another one today. I have noticed a difference. The symptoms aren't completely gone, but they're not as severe. On one hand, I'll take that as a win...on the other, I don't want to have to deal with this for however many months. The plus side is there are meds, the down side is I need them.
Hopefully the meds do what they're supposed to do, I'll get used to taking them, and I can get through this. It does beat feeling miserable and going through a box of Kleenex a day (not too much of an exaggeration).
Growing up, the only allergy I've had to deal with is to a medication. I haven't had plant induced allergies, I don't dread the changing seasons. But i'm pretty sure there is some plant down here that is pollenating or whatever that I am allergic to...something I don't encounter back in the States. Because I'm not used to dealing with allergies, it took me until Monday to come to the conclusion that I might be dealing with allergies. Yesterday I took some 24 hour allergy medicine (one of the advantages to having keys to the clinic...I didn't have to wait for someone to get it for me), and I took another one today. I have noticed a difference. The symptoms aren't completely gone, but they're not as severe. On one hand, I'll take that as a win...on the other, I don't want to have to deal with this for however many months. The plus side is there are meds, the down side is I need them.
Hopefully the meds do what they're supposed to do, I'll get used to taking them, and I can get through this. It does beat feeling miserable and going through a box of Kleenex a day (not too much of an exaggeration).
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year! :-)
It's very hard to believe that 2012 is here. Fortunately, my time home was enough to make me feel that at least it was winter. But waking up the first day of the year to birds tweeting outside my room...a little strange.
In the last year a lot of changes have gone on in my life, and I've definitely learned a lot more about trusting God and stepping out on faith. I started this blog a little over a year ago, and re-reading some of the entries makes me remember the ways, large and small, God has shown me that He is there, and this is where I'm supposed to be.
My time at home was definitely good. I'm glad I was there. But now I need to recover. Being here feels in many ways like coming home. I've been down to the school, seen people, spoken in Spanish...it all feels familiar. It's strange that this time last year I had just been asked to come down and teach, I still didn't know it was really happening, I was waiting on the official word from my school to see whether or not I was going to get a leave of absence. Four months later I had a ticket, and less than three months later I was here.
I know I have an interesting year ahead of me. I'm here (in Honduras) for 5+ more months. My time home definitely showed me that I'm supposed to go back to the States and teach there for at least one more year. After that, I really don't know what God has in store for me. I may be there, I may be here, I may be somewhere else entirely. It will be interesting in this coming year to see how I've changed teaching here, living here, and seeing how God has worked in my life and the lives of those around me. I know in many ways my perspective is different. I'm less busy here, and I like that. I'm not afraid of down time anymore, I know I'm not done working through some of my issues and stuff from my past, but I've definitely made strides in that, and I know that God can carry me through that and heal me. I'm probably going to try to back off of some of what I was involved in before I came down. School and Campus Life most likely won't change...but I don't know about a lot of the rest of it.
I'm sure there are a million stories and things I could say about the year, some of them rehashing what I've already written about, others are things I never wrote about, but this late at night nothing is really coming to mind. I'll blame part of it on tiredness, as I haven't completely recovered from traveling here, but a lot of it is looking back on the year, I'm more seeing it as one connected whole rather than individual stories. I'm looking forward to what God's going to be teaching me and how He's going to be using me this year. I hope I learn quickly...it tends to be easier that way. :-)
In the last year a lot of changes have gone on in my life, and I've definitely learned a lot more about trusting God and stepping out on faith. I started this blog a little over a year ago, and re-reading some of the entries makes me remember the ways, large and small, God has shown me that He is there, and this is where I'm supposed to be.
My time at home was definitely good. I'm glad I was there. But now I need to recover. Being here feels in many ways like coming home. I've been down to the school, seen people, spoken in Spanish...it all feels familiar. It's strange that this time last year I had just been asked to come down and teach, I still didn't know it was really happening, I was waiting on the official word from my school to see whether or not I was going to get a leave of absence. Four months later I had a ticket, and less than three months later I was here.
I know I have an interesting year ahead of me. I'm here (in Honduras) for 5+ more months. My time home definitely showed me that I'm supposed to go back to the States and teach there for at least one more year. After that, I really don't know what God has in store for me. I may be there, I may be here, I may be somewhere else entirely. It will be interesting in this coming year to see how I've changed teaching here, living here, and seeing how God has worked in my life and the lives of those around me. I know in many ways my perspective is different. I'm less busy here, and I like that. I'm not afraid of down time anymore, I know I'm not done working through some of my issues and stuff from my past, but I've definitely made strides in that, and I know that God can carry me through that and heal me. I'm probably going to try to back off of some of what I was involved in before I came down. School and Campus Life most likely won't change...but I don't know about a lot of the rest of it.
I'm sure there are a million stories and things I could say about the year, some of them rehashing what I've already written about, others are things I never wrote about, but this late at night nothing is really coming to mind. I'll blame part of it on tiredness, as I haven't completely recovered from traveling here, but a lot of it is looking back on the year, I'm more seeing it as one connected whole rather than individual stories. I'm looking forward to what God's going to be teaching me and how He's going to be using me this year. I hope I learn quickly...it tends to be easier that way. :-)
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