School has been in session now for 6 weeks and I have been in Moscow for 7 weeks. "Staying busy" is how I have explained my time here so far to family and friends back home. Although it may seem that I have had more "free" time than not, I am constantly filling the free time with little things. School is one form of busy. I am constantly engaged in school activities, planning, teaching, tutoring, fulfilling my duties, and helping students and families in any way needed. I am also busy outside of school with English cafe, exploring the city, and spending quality time with my flatmates. Busy sums up my entire life here but I wouldn't use busy as a negative word.
In the 'teaching realm', second grade has been a huge adjustment. We have been learning academically, spiritually, and socially. Each day is a new challenge of some sort but as a class we work through it together. In the end, we come out on top. We gain experience together in every thing we learn. Currently we are learning all about: Cursive letters, poetry, how people change and grow, government, and Moses. We learn through reading, writing, using imagination, hands on activities, building curiosity, songs and videos, and through each others experiments. I am so blessed to have the class I have now, all of my students love each other and get along great. They encourage each other, help each other, and support each other.
Outside of my teaching life, I often stay busy. September was filled with many adventurous, fun filled, relaxing, happy, activities. My flatmates and I decided to host a Ladies Game Night where we had 14 Ladies in our apt. Thankfully we have been blessed with a nice big apt to host fun nights such as this. It was a night full of laughs and new friendships built. My flatmates and I went on an adventure to Kolomenskoye Park where we went to a Honey Festival. Honey is a huge deal here in Moscow. We walked around to all the vendors and purchased our share of 7 different kinds of Honey. After this we walked through the park and my flatmates climbed some apple trees and picked apples. It was a fun filled day together. I had the opportunity alongside of 9 colleagues to go see, "Phantom of the Opera" live in a Russian theater. It was a beautiful production. I am thankful for great friends to embrace the Russian culture together thru show. The Moscow Marathon took place this month and I was a part of this by being the photographer for a student at our school who ran the marathon. What a fun experience for him but also for those of us who went and cheered him on at different stations. During this month I also had the chance to be a part of our English Cafe group again, where I speak with Russians who speak little to advance english and our staff went on staff retreat to a little retreat center out of Moscow. It was beautiful and the atmosphere was filled with Fall. :)
Although this past month was swamped with activities whether school related or not, I enjoyed all the opportunities I had to be a part of each event. I gained more knowledge of the Russian culture. I have grown closer to my colleagues and students. I have embraced the beauty of Gods Creation, and I also have stepped out on faith more. God is carrying me through each and every day!
Praise Reports:
- Umida's family made it back to Moscow safely from Uzbekistan
- Weather is absolutely perfect and beautiful
- Dental problems are solved!!!!
Ways you can pray for me:
- Continued support flow
- Me - I joined the praise team at my church
- Sickness and Chicken Pox has infected our student/teacher body
- Our school, staff, students, and families
