A busy new life

For the ADD:

I am here! I was sick, but I'm almost better. I was without a home, but now I have one. Classes started yesterday: I am neither a terrible teacher nor am I as good a teacher as I hoped to be from the get go. I am teaching English Literature to grades 7-9 and Bible to grade 12. Another teacher hasn't yet arrived, so I have taken over teaching some of his classes as well (putting me at a full day with no breaks - Ahhh!!!). I was stress, and I still am; although, I am no longer desperately struggling to keep on top of everyday responsibilities, so rest is near. The students here are upside down: the 12th graders are my most rediculous students and the 7th graders are my most calm, studious students. And as of today, I am officially here under a volunteer teacher status (meaning I don't have to leave the country in three months). I am SO GLAD to be here.

For the slightly more focused:

I spent my first 6 days here exhausted from my travels, discouraged at not finding an apartment as easily as I had hoped, and overwhelmed at how much work I had to put behind me before school started Monday (three days ago). I visited TONS of apartments, but most of them were lacking a number of things I considered essential (either being close to the school or being less than $400 or being near a muslim community) and none of them felt right. So I waited and looked until I was weary from the social interaction.

One of the teachers at my school suggested I talk with a certain couple who live close to the school. I was on my way over to Terry and Melissa's (where I was staying) and stopped by to say hello and see if their room was still available for rent. After three varieties of cake, a pudding desert, a cup of hot tea, and two hours of talking, they turned out to be an awesome christian couple (who have since been enormously hospitable and kind to me - such a neat couple!). Their apartment wasn't available for rent, but they walked me up to meet their neighbor, who kindly showed me through a BEAUTIFUL apartment she had available for rent.

The apartment is a two minute walk from the school, only $300 per month, and (as I found out the next day) right across the street from one of the few muslim apartment complexes in town. It also happens to be directly across the street from the town soccer field, so all the soccer or ultimate frisbee games we host this year will be able to retire into my home for some drinks and rest! (as popular as soccer is here, I'm stoked about the opportunity to have an apartment right across the street where the youth I meet can come hang out after games).

So God has provided. I moved in Saturday night, in time to settled for classes to start Monday. Classes are good, for the most part. One of the teachers is stuck in the states until this coming Sunday, so the rest of us have taken over his classes until he arrives. I went from teaching three English classes and one Bible class (in a six period day) to teaching four English classes and two Bible classes (in the first week of my first year of teaching). Day 1 was nerve racking. Day 2 was long. And now that Day 3 has come and gone I am beginning to feel like I am getting over the hump of constantly catching up with work I need to get done.

The students are a handful. I'm teaching 7th-10th, and 12th graders, all of which are completely different dynamics. They are smart, sharp kids who are more or less interested in learning (until you get to 10th and 12th), but their comprehension of English is nowhere near their grade level. I'm learning that I have to be checking if they understand the words I'm using (like sapling - from a short story we read - and ironic and emphasize). I have a LOT to learn. Already I could write a short essay on the things I KNOW I've done poorly, let alone those I haven't yet discovered.

That is my life. It's crazy; it's stressful; it's full of strange new social mores; and I love it.

If you are reading with intentions to pray for me, here's were I see my need:

1. I am stressed from all the new things being thrown at me. I'm beginning to have times I can slow down and relax, but they are still few and far between. I can keep this up for a little while, but it's not a healthy way to go about life. I'm asking God to help me get on top of my responsibilities so I can have time to recooperate.

2. I don't yet have the funds I need to stay here all year. As I stand right now, I can stay through December (with some cheap, college style living - you gotta love those big bags of rice), but I won't be able to stay beyond that. I am asking God to provide the funds I need if I am to stay here for the full year.

3. I've been so overwhelmed with trying to just make it through the school day (we didn't find out about my two extra classed until the night before classes started), that it wasn't until today that I was able to remember some of the students' names. I want to get to know my student. I am here to make a difference in their lives, and I would like to begin doing that now by getting to know them and trying to understand who they are as individuals. I suppose this goes along side my first prayer, but I want mental clarity throughout the day as I teach (the kind that comes from being at ease with what you are doing, so that you can look elsewhere - like into the lives of my students).

4. We have entered the Muslim month of Ramadan. They fast during daylight hours from food and drink (and have various get togethers and meals into the night). I hear the call to prayer all hours of the day and night; this is an intensely spiritual month for them. You know how I would ask you to pray.

And here are a few pictures of my apartment:

The first thing you see in my apartment

(I don't have furniture yet...)

In the meantime, this is my bookshelf

My front door

you just don't see doors like this in Israel!

(because there's no wood in Israel)

The local soccer field

- a view from my window