september/
october newsletter :)
hey! I know september and october have come and gone SO, finally- an update covering everything from my move down to the last month as a high school teacher :)
buckle up!
the picture to the right is of the outdoor education trip that the students take every year. this year the 9th graders ( who I am the guide teacher for, went to Valle Del Tetero- which is part way up the tallest mountain in the Caribbean called “Pico Duarte”.
more on this experience below
-comfy & cozy? -
to start, I arrived safely and with minimal complications, (praise God) except for my chronic overpacking problem :P. I was greeted at my new apartment by my two super awesome and sweet housemates, Izzy and Lauren. They are also from the states and around my age as well. I have my own room in the apartment so, I wanted to start making it feel like home and “me” as soon as possible. In typical fashion for me, I have signages, green and pictures all around my room.
the first week was bliss as I was able to adjust well to living with my new housemates, having the ability to shadow the teacher who taught English before me and, saying “HI” to all the friends I made in July once again. I very quickly started to already feel at home again as I was greeted with so many warm welcomes from students and staff members including the staff I hadn’t met yet. It felt surreal to see school running since I had only been on the property in the summer for training before this moment. so, the first week was full of learning ( as I still am) and, observing which was an amazing way to ease into my time here. I mostly was just trying to figure out -how was it possible that this is now my life?
I knew all of this was still a leap of faith and a time of trials were to come and I was making my move official, starting to build relationships with students and, beginning integration in the community by attending a church and allowing myself to jump all in to what God has for me here. Leading to “comfy and cozy?” as I felt like I was integrating and I was comfortable but at the same time ???( what in the world), as I was starting to understand just how much work this would require and what I signed up for.
day to day & day by day.
With this being said, I very much felt the weight of not just moving to another country would mean but honestly more so just what the weight of being a first year teacher is like, not to mention in a content area I never studied ( high school english). I feel the need to note here that Doulos is an English Immersion school meaning that these kids have been learning English their whole lives. When they get to High School, it is not “English as a Foreign Language “class, it is more comparable to an English class in the states. I teach 4 classes- 9/10th regular, 9/10th honors, 11/12 regular, 11/12 honors. Only the Lord would give me peace about saying yes to something I didn’t feel prepared to do lead fully but, had peace about anyways.
I am so thankful there are so many awesome people in place at Doulos like, a counseling team for the school, awesome administration and co-workers who are from all over the world to support me and uplift me at any moment. It has made my start much more feasible and peaceful.
Every morning at school, we start with a morning meeting that involves announcements, prayer requests and prayer. We also switch between English and Spanish every other day as Doulos values a bilingual environment and staff body. One of my favorite parts of the week is staff devotional every Friday morning. This always fills me up and I feel God speaking to me every week about resting in Him, giving Him my burdens and interceding and being in constant prayer. I feel blessed to be at a place that has chapel for the students as well as I have never worked at a Christian school before. To worship as a full staff and then after with the students is so special to me and something I cherish weekly.
I feel God moving in my class through conversations with students about their lives, the worship music that I play in class and, even having the oppertunity to host the upperclassman girls to my apartment 2 Saturdays ago. Moments like that always bring me back to what God has for me, or at least I feel blessed to be starting to get a glimpse of what He is using me to do. ( We ate waffles and made friendship bracelets and had the best time-as pictured below!
Abi and I, one of my 12th graders, for Saturday waffles in my apartment:)
