Over the ocean and through Chicago..it's home to Hillsdale we go.....

2,000 miles can be a big difference temperature wise. It’s weird for me to imagine warm, tropical Dominican Republic as I’m huddled under a blanket in “see your breath outside” weather Michigan. On the bright side, it finally feels and looks like winter and of course there are freckles of snow outside so perhaps we will have a white Christmas. Probably the best part of coming home was rediscovering my mom’s homemade bread, being able to get water from the faucet (my parents laughed at my enthusiasm on this one) and of course seeing the Christmas decorations up around the house…the stockings are hung by the chimney with care.

Getting to the United States was actually more eventful than normal. When I arrived in Atlanta, I went through security and they did a hand swipe on me for “explosives.” Apparently, my hands tested positive for something, so I spent the next half hour as TSA went through my things and I got patted down. I was actually most nervous about getting thrown into an interrogation room as you see in the movies with bright lights, but after discovering that all I was hiding in my book bag were pencil shavings and my shoes really weren’t bombs ready to go off, they released me.  

On the flight to Chicago, apparently Toto was found by the row behind us. After several radio calls asking for the owner…and walking up and down the aisles with the little white dog…..everyone thought it must have been a stow away and wondered how it could’ve possibly gotten on the plane and if the owners were looking desperately for it back in Atlanta. About a half hour later, the owners were found and apparently had slept through all of the announcements. I pity their alarm clock.

Being back home in Hillsdale is a very strange phenomena. It’s strange how different and yet how familiar everything feels. Sitting here eating soup and watching football with my parents makes it easy to feel as if the entire Dominican Republic experience was a dream, but at least I have the cuts, scrapes and bruises from my many adventures in the Dominican Republic to prove it really happened. Now, I get to go decorate the tree. My dad thinks it is done, but obviously all of my homemade ornaments from my elementary school years are missing. Tradition is tradition, and the tree is not complete without the angel with my second grade face on it that my dad lovingly named “napkin head” is on the top. It’s good to be home :D

I'm coming home...tell the world that I'm coming home!

14 days, 6 hours, 48 minutes and 11 seconds until I see my family, but hey who's counting? In all honestly...I truly believe that as the day draw nearer..I get more and more excited. Talking to friends and family on the computer makes me want to pull them from the screen and give them a huge hug. I think though being back in the states will be a little of a culture shock after getting accustomed to life here. Here are 10 things that I'm going to need to get reused to

1. There is such a thing as cold snowy weather- After having 4 months straight of sun and t-shirt weather... I'm sure it will be a shock to be donning the winter coat once more, but I am excited to have a white christmas. 2 weeks of snow is perfect to get sledding, skiing and snowballs fights in and then return to the tropical weather.

2. I will be considered normal- Perhaps the tannest Hillsdale resident...but still I I will lose my celebrity status as "americana" "rubia" and "gringa because everyone will look just like me. It will be strange walking down the streets without hearing "Dios mio, you are boot-i-ful...o hola rubia...  I feel like I will constantly be looking around, but it will be nice to be part of the background again.

3. English will be the only language- It will be strange to not hear Spanish on the streets anymore . I will be able to understand 100% of what people at stores, on the street and at restaurants are saying and they won't be able to switch languages to talk about that clumsy American.....but I know I will miss being able to use my Spanish and I'm sure I will accidently try to ask strangers questions in Spanish

4. There will be lots of cars- After living in a world of motos for four months...seeing a plethora of cars sounds outrageous.  It will be strange not seeing motos lining the streets or zipping in and out of traffic.

5. I can drink water from the faucet- This will definitely be hard to get used to. To think that if I want to I can stick my head under the faucet and take a big drink sounds outlandish after buying water from the colmado a couple times a week and pumping it into water bottles.

6. American money-I know this seems strange...but I found a $20 dollar bill that I hid in a book back from August...and I just stared at it for a while and thought how weird it looked. I have been handling Dominican pesos so long that American money looks ridiculous to me. Also Dominican pesos are worth a lot less. It will seem strange to go from spending $1,000 Dominican pesos at the supermercado to spending something like $25 dollars. What a big difference!

7. I will not have to light the stove- It seems such a ridiculous notion that to turn on the stove all I will have to do is push a button. I don't think I will feel quite as accomplished fixing supper in America without using a flame to light the stove...where's the thrill in that?

8. Laundry- Laundry machines!? What are those? I don't think I'll remember how to use a dryer after hanging my clothes on the line for the past four months

9. No more waterfalls, mountains or palm trees-I have gotten accustomed to seeing the mountains lining the outskirts of Jarabacoa that it will be strange to see the corn fields and evergreen trees of Hillsdale. Not that Hillsdale doesn't have its own comforting beauty...but it doesn't quite compare.


10. Talking to my friends and family without a computer screen between us- This is the greatest Christmas gift I could've asked for. I will wager that  I will cry when I see my family again because they have supported me so much here and they are home to me.

November Notes

So recently I woke wondering how many days I had until Halloween when I realized it was already November. The time has gone by so fast. I think the months are confusing to me because during November in Michigan I would be donning my winter coat and getting up early to karate chop the ice off my car windshield while here, it is still warm enough to go to the beach.

Speaking of which...I did get to go to the beach for the first time on Sunday. I was shocked to find that the water was actually...warm. For a Michigander like myself who always expects a battle of wits with freezing water...it was a very, very pleasant surprise. Though sometimes I wonder what it would be like to see the faces of the native Dominicans in Lake Michigan....in November. Polar Bear Club anyone?

This week I also went on my very first field trip with my class. We went to the zoo in Santo Domingo. Now, Santo Domingo is much warmer than Jarabacoa and so after about an hour of walking around and seeing the animals....we were covered in enough sweat to desperately want to go back to sitting on the air conditioned bus. We ended up eating at Price Smart which is very similar to Sam's club. Where we went wrong though was we gave the students pop and ice cream and then put them on a bus for two hours. It's amazing what students find to entertain themselves from telling jokes to taking off their shoes to stick their feet in their classmates' faces. Watching the students tap each other and pretend it wasn't them or hide behind curtains brought back a lot of memories from my own school days...it is weird being on the other side..a part of me wants to write apology notes to my elementary teachers for all the creative ways my classmates and I came up with to entertain ourselves on buses....also probably should include my parents on that list as well.

35 days until I go home for Christmas. I'm really excited about seeing my family again and I'm definitely wearing running shoes so as soon as I see them I can run like a crazy person to give them hugs...but I know that a part of my heart will be left here. Jarabacoa has changed for me over the past 100 some days. It has gone from a scary unknown foreign city...to  a place I've grown to call home. I'm beginning to believe that home is not a place, but people. People who you can relax with, laugh with and cry with. God is so good and I honestly don't understand or get why he has blessed me with so many amazing friendships here, but I'm so thankful  that no matter where life takes me, God will be there and in Him I will always find my home.

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:19
s.

Random Thoughts from a Random Mind....

I've been here three months! Three months, a quarter of a year as I recently told a friend back home. Here in the Dominican Republic the people have already started hanging Christmas decorations and lighting up Christmas trees. Our office at school is fully equipped with a cardboard box chimney and of course an aluminum tree. It was always a tradition at my house to wait until after Thanksgiving to put up Christmas decorations, so it's odd to see them up before Halloween has even struck. Surprisingly, with the Christmas decorations I'm beginning to long for the colder weather. I miss sweatshirt weather.and hot chocolate weather and sitting on the heater with a book weather.

I finally feel like I'm acclimated to the D.R. and life here...definitely will never completely fit in what with my reflective white skin and blonde hair but I'm doing alright finding my way to the shops and conversing or at least attempting to converse with the people here. Actually sometimes when I've been (attempting) to speak Spanish for a while...I find that I start thinking to myself in Spanish until I finally remember that I don't have to, since surprise surprise...I speak English. I've also begun my own war with the ants in the kitchen. I learned that they bite...but armed with a sponge and spray I think I do alright as the powerful Goliath....

My students are doing well. They are busy little bees and sometimes I feel a lot more like a mother than a teacher...especially when I need to tie their shoes...dust them off when they fall, or convince them that shaking their butts all around the classroom is probably not the best use of their time. They love to talk, chat, scream, laugh, run and slide everywhere. Some of them have definitely mastered how to whine out, "Miss Nussbaum" and they have all gotten this amazing talent of losing every single one of their pencils. They love to cry over the small stuff and play teacher by pointing out the things that everyone else is doing wrong, while simultaneously doing the same thing. They've tested my patience in every way and there have been days when I come home exhausted. In the end though, the price is worth it. I love those moments when they finally get the lesson or when they finally do something nice without any reason at all. I love that they enjoy sharing "Miss Nussbaum" spottings from the weekend every Monday and that they really mean it when they say "good morning." Life is so much more exciting as a kid. Everything holds much greater significance from a loss pencil to a opportunity to play a game..and it has definitely caused me to open my own eyes as well.

With Christmas decorations popping up all over town and "Feliz Navidad" appearing in shop windows...I'm beginning to look forward to seeing my family for Christmas and meeting my new baby nephew. I'm looking forward to snow, Sunday homemade waffles Christmas cinnamon rolls and ping pong showdowns. I cannot believe Christmas is less than two months away and soon and very soon I won't have to peer at my family through a screen but can actually hug them in person and that is probably what I'm looking forward to most of all.

October With a Side of Honesty

I was looking through my journal and was very humbled. I cannot believe how a journal of feelings and problems going on at the time can be such a testament to God's love, wisdom and of course patience. I wish I was a better journaler because so often we can only see how God worked each situation out from reverse and by that time we are knee deep in another problem trying to find our own way out of the muck and ignoring the bridge God is pointing us towards. 

I am stubborn and sometimes I believe I know what is best for me when reality is I don't. In October of last year I became to feel like it was time to leave Will Carleton and teach abroad. Month after month...my journal entries question why God would ask me to leave a job I was good at, a place I loved and everything I was comfortable with. I tried to find every excuse to stay, but I knew I had to go, and now I cannot imagine not being here.

What would my life be like if I decided not to come, I don't even want to think about it. Yes, it is harder to do laundry, get used to the power going out twice a day and light a stove with a lighted chop stick and oven mitts, but I wouldn't trade it. I love the people I've met here and how this already feels like home. I love that I can walk to the ice cream place...run in the morning...laugh until I snort and have people in my life who are like family.

I love how we always think that we are doing God a service when we follow Him, but I hate that. I hate how people so often equate following God's will with sacrifice. Trust me...God doesn't need me...He never will.I think God has to laugh at me when I say "okay I'll do this God, don't want to, but I'll do it as a favor to you."  He chooses to use me as a gift to me, so that I become a better person. I could've stayed in Hillsdale and I would have had a great year, but I would have missed out on so much. It is almost scary to think about how close I was to not coming, how I tried to find every excuse in the book to stay where I was comfortable.....safe and in my predictable little pattern,

So I guess what I want to say is that I'm thankful and humbled. I see how different my life has become over the past couple of months and I'm so happy to be here. I think I need to realize how my own ideas of my happiness are so often clouded and limited to time. I have no idea where I'll be in a year or two, what I will be doing, but looking through my journal has given me peace. My life will not go the way I expect, the way I plan, it never will, but looking back I will be able to see how the puzzle pieces slowly fit together to make a life far more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. 

Tales of a Fourth Grade Something

I think one of the things I'm most thankful for here is that I still have the opportunity to teach. Honestly, I'm sitting here trying to imagine what else I could be doing and it scares me a little bit. I think that I'd lose a bit of myself if I wasn't teaching. Don't get me wrong, the students have definitely tested my patience and the class has practiced "silence" many times, but at the end of the day, there is no job I'd rather have.

I think that the hardest thing about teaching is that you have to be vulnerable You have to be willing to get up each morning being prepared to pour all your energy, all your patience, all your love and all of your knowledge into the students and you have to stand up in front of the students knowing that sometimes everything you have won't be enough. There are days where I don't have the patience to answer the 20th question on the homework assignment, talk to the frustrated parent or deal with the crying kid, the kid who bullied him and maintain the class at the same time.  \

I remember the first time, I realized I didn't have it altogether and a little panic set in, but then I remembered that I don't have to have it altogether and when I fall, I've got a God who says "I've got this, give all you've got and don't be afraid, because I will refill you." I love those moments, because I'm reminded of God's presence because I can tell you if it were me, I'd be crying at my desk or running around the room screaming. There are times when I cry out, "I've got nothing." and God answers, "But I've got something."

I also think teaching students, teaches me a lot about my relationship with God, while actually more about my own stupidity when I approach God is similar to how some of the students approach me. I am very humbled when I see students who try to be really sneaky thinking that I won't see what they are doing. They think if they are low to the ground or scoot across the floor I won't see them.  Sometimes I think God must laugh at us like I laugh at my students' attempts to hide from me.

Also, occasionally my students don't trust my directions and try to do it their way and then they fail miserably and get even more confused. An exasperated me tries to untie all their mistakes, but then I've reminded of all the times I've tried to do the same thing with God and well it has turned out the exact same way.

I love teaching though with all my heart and I live for those moments when the student finally realizes that he can do it. I love seeing his face slowly change when he solved the problem that had been giving him trouble and actually I think I screamed for joy out loud yesterday when the student I tutored finally mastered a concept we had been working on for a while. Yes, he jumped a little bit, but if I can scream for my sports team, I'm definitely screaming for my student. He approached me today for the first time for a hug  and it is moments like that which make it all worth it to get up the next day and do it all over again.

So, I guess what I want to say almost two months into the Dominican Republic is I love being in a new environment and meeting new people, seeing new places and trying new adventures, but I'm also thankful that my job stayed the same and I get to keep that part of me that is more comfortable dancing to Silly Songs with Larry with 9 year olds than surrounded by people my own age at a party. I thank God each day for those 15 little bodies who drive me up a wall, but who I wouldn't trade for the world.

Blessings from the DR

God is good and I just don't get it. There have been so many times here when the exact thing I prayed for, the exact thing I desperately needed God provided in a way that exceeded all my expectations. And also there have been things I didn't pray for, that God decided to grant me anyway. Sometimes I feel like screaming at the sky," I know that was you God, but I don't deserve it, none of it." It still astounds me that when we pray, when we fall to our knees, the most powerful being is willing to answer some of our most superficial needs. Honestly, in order to survive, I don't need friends or a good place to live or even the ability to talk to my parents, but God has granted me these things and so much beyond. I'm so thankful that the thousands of times I mess up and the times I ignore God, he still helps me. There is such security and courage knowing that the troubles we face in this world can never overwhelm a God who loves us.

So, I've decided to make a list of blessings, or at least some of the blessings, that God has granted me, though none of them I deserved. I think living in such a cause and effect world, it is so hard to understand why God would give so many beautiful and perfect gifts even when we neglect to pray or read the Bible.

1.My parents' encouragement and their willingness to be there for me no matter what- The first couple of days were hard to adjust to a brand new life and I am so, so thankful for my parents. Hearing their familiar voices always makes my heart smile and even my Dad's sad little jokes are a (little) funnier thousands of miles away.  I am so blessed with two amazing Godly parents as role models. I love that they support me and are backing me 100% and I feel so much more confident knowing that at the end of the day, my parents will laugh with me, cry with me, pray with and of course send me oyster crackers in the mail.

2. Having a great class-My students are already finding a way to sneak into my heart. I love the way they attempt to say "Nussbaum" like "Miss Nussbumps" and how they insist on giving hugs every time they see me. I love the way they grab their desks and push them right up against mine as their sneaky way to ask for help without saying the words and I love how they quietly sing "Pharaoh, Pharaoh" under their breaths during transitions. I love how easily they forgive and easily they love and how honest they are. Sometimes I think the adults should go to school and learn from the students.

3. Opportunities to attempt to speak Spanish-I'm thankful for the opportunities to work on my Spanish and I'm very thankful for the people on the other end of the conversation. I'm thankful for their lies of "you speak Spanish very well" and I'm thankful for their patience as we struggle through a conversation. I especially love practicing Spanish with people who aren't fluent in English...that way I feel slightly less of an idiot because I feel like we understand the difficulties together.

4. I'm thankful for the people here- I honestly never expected to meet so many great people here so soon. It sounds kind of depressing, but I whole heartedly believed I would be a lonely mess the first couple months here and was all prepared to eat my fair share of Oyster crackers and watch movies.God though, put people in my life already who are some of the nicest, most selfless people I've ever met. They are willing to help me find places around town, meet for dinner, play sports together and even listen to all of my awkward stories. I'm so thankful for each and every one of them and the way they've made me already feel at home here in this brand new country.

5. Skype dates with my little niece-I think it is hard to top seeing my little two year old niece on Skype as she says "Ta! Watch this! Ta, where you at?" She is so sweet and one of the greatest blessings in my life.  I also love talking to my sister and am so excited to meet my little nephew come October.

6. New cooking opportunities-I am actually so excited to try out new recipes and experiment with cooking. Some of the experiments of course haven't turned out, but I just learned how to light the stove, so cookies here we come!!

7. Friends back home-I don't know what I'd do without them. Thank you for keeping me updated about life back in the States. I especially have to thank Miss Courtney O'Shaughnessy for being a blessing in my life for the past 6 years. I love how we are basically the same person and I love how I can tell you anything and everything. I can't tell you how many times I'm so thankful that God put us together in that Spanish class, granted one seat away from each other. I'm so glad that you are just as awkward as me, so that when I meet my awkward quota for the day, 10 minutes after waking up I know someone understands me.

 8. God's presence- I've been so humbled by the countless reminders of God's presence. I have a sense of security and peace that is not my own. I feel like I can rest, knowing that I don't have to have my plans perfect because I'm not in control and I don't have to be. I'm so, so thankful, that when my energies run out, when I come to the end of my rope and I have nothing else to give, God provides.

Often people say it is hard to be a Christian because of all the rules and regulations, but I disagree. I think life would be so much harder without God. What would I do when I came to the end of my rope like I do countless times? Where could I possibly turn? It literally scares me to think of a life without God, a life where He wasn't there. There are things I will not do because of my beliefs, but there are so many more things that I can do because of them. I can cry out for help, I can trust, I can have peace and security even in the midst of troubles. I'm so thankful for the reminders that the relationship with God is more valuable than anything I could ever name and though I fail a thousand times He still lifts me up and holds me and reminds me that He is there.

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself,' the Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."' -Lamentations 3:22-24

10 things I've learned in the Dominican Republic

Greetings! I cannot believe I've been here for 3 weeks. Sometimes when I'm walking into town I look around and it hits me all over again...I actually live here! Here are 10 things I've learned from my first  days here.

1. Motos are about as numerous as the ants here...Walking around the city you cannot go anywhere without seeing people riding "motos" (scooters) everywhere. Some Dominicans have even mastered wheelies with people on the back. Also instead of taxi services there are conchos where you can get a ride on a moto to your destination, these are ubiquitous everywhere and they get your attention by hissing at you and pointing to their moto.

2. Traffic laws are merely suggestions- Babies are held on motos, people on roller blades cling to trucks are they roll down the streets and forget about traffic lanes.

3. Eggs, Milk, Peanut Butter, Pasta and Bread are staple foods.  Creativity is a key for people without microwaves or stoves, so my goal for this year is to learn every possible way to cook an egg  I'm looking forward to experimenting with skillet meals as well. If someone were to write a skillet meal recipe book, I'd bet they'd be a millionaire down here.

3. Canyoning is an amazing experience- Repealing down waterfalls and cannon balling into rivers...what else is there in life? I felt a little like Pocahontas as we waded through the rivers, crawled under waterfalls and skipped over rocks.

4. Planning ahead doesn't exist-Making plans more than a couple of hours in advance is ludicrous. Most days you don't know where you will be in an hour or so. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but there is an amazing freedom in it as well. Not having your day planned to the minute gives you  time to actually be present with the people you are with and not worry about what is coming next.

5. It is possible to trip over everything-I think anyone who knows me, knows this was coming.  Sometimes I feel like the princess and the pea, but except for feeling a pea through a mattress, I find every bump that exists and trip over it.

6. Power goes out is a daily occurrence- "La luz se fue" is one of the most common phrases I've used here and it means the power went out. It usually goes out 2 times a day, but luckily it doesn't affect me as much as it would in the States. The air conditioning isn't affected because there isn't any and some of the lights were already out to begin with. It also forces you to converse instead of hide behind a computer screen. Perhaps everyone should turn their power off at least once a week to look up and notice the world around them.

7. Students are the same-Sometimes you think that being 1776 miles away, the students would be completely different, but my 14 students remind me so much of the ones I left behind in the states. They want to love and be loved. They greet you in the morning with a hug and when you notice them, a sly smile crosses their faces. They also say what they think and some of their honesty makes you laugh out loud. Students everywhere have a way to sneak into your heart and stay there.

8.  Sleepovers are the best-One of the best part of being in the Dominican Republic are the sleepovers. Pulling all the beds into the living room and watching movies is one of the best parts of the day. We are all so different, but we have become a family. Dipping animal cookies in nutella and cake batter while watching movies could bond anyone.

9. People legitimately care about others- It is amazing how kind the Dominicans are here. They will go out of the way to help you. I love how they take the time to speak Spanish slowly and help out in any way they can. The parents of my students have been very welcoming as well as the other Dominicans I have had the opportunity to meet.

10. God is everywhere- This is my favorite one. I think traveling to a new country and a new place, makes you realize how great and far reaching God's reign is. It is so beautiful to attend church services in Spanish and see how even though I cannot understand every word that has been spoken, these people have relationships with the same God that I do. The God I cry out to in English answers prayers in every language and is worshiped all over the world.

" I know you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, " Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know."- Job 42:2-3

I love this verse, because it reminds me that even though I don't have a set plan everyday, God does and that is no place safer than in the center of God's will.

Sleep, Spanish and Spinning!

So this ends the first week of living in the Dominican Republic. It feels like time passes so differently here. It definitely feels like I've been here for many months now and so it is strange to think that less than a week ago I was in the United States. Well, there are definitely many more things I need to do to feel completely acclimated, but I think I'm off to a decent start. I can find my way to the gym, the school, the local restaurants and stores and for my directionly challenged self that is quite the accomplishment.

Though I'd love to tell you about all of adventures...I will give you a top five and hopefully you can surmise the rest.

1. The hardest part of this week was actually sleeping. I don't know why, but I was so awake the first four days and got maybe 1-3 hours of sleep each night. My mind just wouldn't turn off. I didn't feel sleepy, but it got pretty boring by the 5th hour of being up. Though we are thousands of miles away, my dad even read to me over Skype to try to help me fall asleep! There were times I even thought I forgot how to sleep. Anyways, I finally slept through the night on Thursday! Who knew that sleep could be such an accomplishment when babies are so good at it.


2.  I've joined a gym and have gone to it several days for classes such as spinning and Zumba. Now, let me tell you...I didn't know it was possible to sweat that much. I think my face was actually starting to melt. The spinning class was ridiculous...the sweat was dribbling into my eyes and the only thing that kept me going was watching the bigger ladies who were just going to town. Who wants to bow out when older and fatter people are still working? That's just plain old embarrassing. So, of course when I got off the bike my legs could barely support my weight and as soon as I got home I fell asleep.


3. There is a cat that desires to be a house cat...or more particularly our house cat and learns how to be a little more sneaky everyday. This cat will wait by the door and when you go to unlock the gate to leave the house or when you go to bring in groceries..it is extremely difficult to keep the cat out and get yourself in. Yesterday,,,I tried to outsmart a cat. Instead of going out the front...I believed that it would be easier to leave through the back and then walk around. So...I left through the back door and locked it behind me before discovering that there was no real way from the back to the front and I didn't have the key to the back door. So I ended up walking through a jungle of trees and hopping a wall to get back to the porch. One for the cat...zero for me.


4. The city is a lot nicer than expected. As I'm beginning to learn how to make my way around the city, I 'm beginning to appreciate the country and culture and realize that the people here and the daily life isn't that different from the United States. You can go to the gym...meet friends at a restaurant and go shopping. Air conditioning is not common, though it is available in some restaurants. The scenery is definitely different than Hillsdale with the palm trees and mountains. I like that everywhere you go there are people walking and going about their business and that Dominicans are very used to Americans, they won't give you a second look except to ask if you need/want a ride to your location.


5. Finally, I've learned that attempting to speak Spanish is a lot like the cat trying to get into the house. Each attempt is a little better, but still not quite making it through the door. I don't understand everything that is said and often when I speak Spanish I need to repeat it or say it a different way, but hey mistakes are all part of the learning process. Poco a poco, I will learn.

Well I guess that caps off my first week and I'm so thankful for so many things. I'm thankful for wifi and a wonderful place to stay,  I'm thankful that I can skype with my friends and family and they don't feel so far away. I'm thankful for the new friends I'm making here. But most of all I'm thankful for a god who never gives up on me. I've felt God's presence in so many ways down here and it is such a comfort to know that even 1,776 miles from home, God is just as much here as He is there.

"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 n 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."  -Psalm 139: 7-10

First Day in the Dominican Republic

Greetings from the Dominican Republic!! I am alive and well My flight here was fairly uneventful and I got to meet cool Americans in Miami and Santiago, DO who were here for missions. It is so interesting that the English language can bond people so quickly in other countries. In United States, you would never go up to a stranger and start talking to them, but when you are the minority...it is almost mandatory. Anyways...I was most worried about customs and all they did was take my forms and allow me to pass. The people were waiting for me as soon as I exited and then we drove up into the mountains of Jarabacoa. We made it to the apartment around 11:30 p.m. after stopping at Frescos for hamburgers and flautas. The apartment is more spacious than I expected. There are three of us living here and we have a living room...dining room...entry way...kitchen and all of us have our own bedrooms. Sleeping was a little difficult that first night...since it is a little hotter than my air conditioned house and the dogs and motorcycles never ever stopped calling out and answering each other. I take back everything I said about snoring....

Overall...it has been a great time meeting people and I've really enjoyed walking around the town. Being in a new culture though is a lot to get used to.Waking up in the Dominican Republic made my heart hurt a little bit for home. I'm not going to lie...it is hard being someplace different and being forced to be okay with being uncomfortable. 

I'm grateful though for the fact that being in a new setting makes me more aware of God's infinite goodness, strength and support. I know that it is hard and I know that it will continue to be hard...but I've also been so blessed to see that when my knees hit the floor and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, God has picked me right back up in ways I can only say thank you for. The songs "Whom shall I fear"....and "Just Say Jesus" have been flowing through my head like a mantra. 

I'm looking forward to exploring more of the city tomorrow and possibly buying that fan that I've been dreaming of. I'm including some pictures of the apartment and the city itself. 

Good Night and Best Wishes!! 

Preparing for the Journey

5 days until I leave....this thought definitely feels surreal. I think the people around me are more aware of the fact than I am....especially my dog who has taken a habit of following me around the house and laying next to me in whatever room I end up in.

With the end in sight, I've begun packing my suitcases and I was shocked by how quickly they filled up. This is one of those times when I would love to have a bag like Mary Poppins. Apparently I own more clothes than I ever thought I did or else my suitcases shrunk as I packed. Oh well...I guess I am slightly glad that there is a weight limit because dragging these two suitcases through the airport will be less than pleasant.  A part of me thinks that if someone robbed me of one... I would chase after him saying... "Take the other one...it's heavier."

I fly to Jarabacoa (good luck pronouncing it) on Sunday and actually begin teacher service days on Monday. I'm looking forward to beginning work right away...since twiddling my thumbs in a far off country sounds less than appealing. School begins the 17th and I will be teaching fourth grade to 15-20 students. Luckily for both them and myself, I will be teaching completely in English. The apartment where I will be staying is very close to the school campus and I will have a very short commute. I will be living with another American teacher and am very grateful for that. 

I've really enjoyed the last couple of days and visiting with family and friends. I'm so thankful that we live in a world with email, internet and skype....so even though I cannot squish everyone into my suitcases... I can still bring them with me on my journey. I know there will be tears in the future, as goodbyes are never easy but I'm looking forward to seeing what God has in store for me in the upcoming year. 

The end of a beautiful chapter

So as many of you know I will be heading down to the Dominican Republic come August and be teaching 4th grade down there.  I decided to keep up a blog to record all of my adventures that are sure to come. 

I guess I should start with the obvious question that no one dares ask, "Why?" Usually people make changes when they are unsatisfied with their life, but I have a life I would wish only on my favorite people. I absolutely love my job at Will Carleton Academy and honestly believe the time I spent working there were the best years of my life.  The teachers are helpful and supportive and the students...my students taught me more about life, love and grace than anyone else has ever done. A very large portion of my heart is wrapped up in that place and  I have never loved anything more. So why am I leaving? I'm leaving because I know that it's time. 

6 years ago when I was but a wee little senior in high school. I felt a call on my heart to teach abroad. That sounds a little cliche, so I guess I should say it more like studying abroad and speaking fluent Spanish became an unquenchable dream of mine. I knew it was something I needed to pursue, so I decided to double major in both elementary education and Spanish. Fast forward four years and I'm a senior in college looking for a teaching job for the fall. I looked both domestically, but also in Central America. I ended up talking with some people who had worked at Jarabacoa Christian School and they got me in contact with the director. She was in desperate need of teachers then and there were a lot of sleepless nights debating whether I should leave everything and move now. 

It ended up being my mom's wise counsel, though that helped me the most. She urged me to teach two years in the United States and get some experience and also pay off my student loans. She even encouraged me to apply at schools in my hometown so that I could live at home and save money by not having to pay rent, or other living expenses. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't at all looking forward to returning to my hometown. I applied at schools simply to humor my mom. My independent self desperately wanted freedom and the thought of returning to Hillsdale felt a lot like eating crow after vowing on several occasions, I was off to see the world. 

I had a couple interviews in Hillsdale and the one at Will Carleton Academy went horribly as far as I remember. I prayed that God would give me a sign about whether this was the job for me and after in my opinion completely bombing the interview, I remember sitting on my floor and my dad came in and I distinctly told him I was thankful that God had at least slammed that door shut for me. I ended up getting a call for a second interview and was so shocked. I hate to admit it, but after accepting the job, I didn't feel it would amount to much, it was something to do while I paid off loans and prepared for future jobs where I was more suitable. I am only saying this...because I was wrong....so hopelessly and desperately wrong. The job I thought I was "settling" for became the love of my life and the place I felt most at home.

Loving Will Carleton was both a blessing and curse. I loved being at work and Saturdays and Sundays were my least favorite days. I hated the summer breaks and longed to be back in my classroom. It was a curse, because it made it impossible to leave. My heart was so wrapped up in Will Carleton, that I couldn't believe God would ever want me to leave. In September, though, I began to feel the pull, the subtle realization that it was time. I tried to ignore it, I tried to avoid it, but I truly couldn't. I began to write journal entries, trying to wrestle my feelings, trying to find some loophole; some way to allow me to stay. But in the end after many prayers, I realized that Will Carleton Academy was a gift...a beautiful gift, but it had an expiration date and I had to give it up. My prayers soon changed from "God don't take away Will Carleton"... to "God help me let go." It is a subtle difference but a very big one in my case.

I don't want you to think that I'm dreading the thought of going to the Dominican Republic because it is something I've always longed to do. I'm so excited and would be disappointed if for some reason I couldn't go.  I want though with this post for you to understand what led up to this decision. The tears and heartbreak that inevitably comes with the ending of a beautiful chapter, but also the excitement and nervousness as I look ahead toward the next one.