First week of school!

I spent my first 2 weeks preparing, planning, and getting to know my coworkers. While that time was absolutely necessary and extremely useful, by the end of that time I was ready to actually meet my students! Some of the students coming back hadn't been to school physically in over a year and a half. It's been so good to officially open the doors of the school. And now I am proud to announce that last week we made it through our first full week of school! Yay!

The past week has given me a better idea of what life will look like for me in the upcoming months. I have 4 different classes of advanced English, ranging from grammar and vocabulary lessons with my Básica A (elementary) students to a full-on literature class for my Bachillerato (high school) students.

It's been a big change for me going from teaching 1 class 5 times to teaching 4 classes only once, meaning I spend a lot more time planning than before. While I've had to brush up a bit on my knowledge of Tom Sawyer and Animal Farm, I've enjoyed the challenge of planning 4 classes of various English levels. Well... for the most part...

In many ways, this time has felt as crazy as any other start of a school year I've been a part of. Figuring out the logistics as you go. Sometimes figuring things out only after a couple failed attempts. Teachers and students are both excited and nervous about a new school year. Everyone is in it together. No one person is completely sure what's going on 100% of the time, but we're all pretty sure it's going okay. These seem to be universal start-of-school sentiments.

And there are other times when the reality of teaching at a Christian school in the middle of the jungle hits hard. As I look to teach a literature class with only PDF versions of the books while my students don't actually have personal devices with which to access said PDF during class. As I wait on student workbooks to arrive so we can begin the unit. As I can finally talk about God's redemptive story that's at work in my life in the lives of my students. As I actually get smaller classes than ever before because the school is so much smaller than any other school I've worked at. As I am surrounded by the beauty of God's creation of the Amazon Rainforest while walking to my classroom. As I have been welcomed into a school family like never before.

I am really looking forward to this school year, as daunting as it feels right now.

A lot of work lay ahead, but I know that I will be sustained through all of it. I am grateful for the support I've received from both people here and people back home. I am grateful for your prayers, and I ask that they continue as we get back into a school year routine.

Thank you for your love and prayers. I've felt them so deeply, even from thousands of miles away.

¡Bendiciones!

-Katie