Back to school!

Well tomorrow (Monday) is officially the first day of school, after being pushed back from swine flu, and I think I can actually say I'm ready! Maybe not to be waking up at the crack of dawn or lesson planning my life away, but I'm ready to see my students and get back into a routine. This past week I've been at school every day for inservice and to get ready, so it was a productive week and I already feel a difference between being a 1st and 2nd year teacher, which is a HUGE relief! I have been a little nervous that this year would still be super stressful with some of my classes changing plus getting new curriculum for my other classes, but I am definitely feeling ahead of where I was this time last year. I hear it improves more and more each year, so I'm just thankful to feel some difference at this point.. now I just pray that it continues! So if you think of me tomorrow you can pray that my nerves won't act up, that I can get my classes off to the right start, and that I will be able to relax so that my students have a feeling of calmness and peace on the first day.

One big prayer request I have for the year is actually related to the Bible class I'm teaching this year. I just found out about a week ago that it changed to a different class than I was expecting, and I will now be teaching a course that surveys the ENTIRE Bible.. ah! Talk about being stretched.. but I guess that's where God likes to keep us, right? I will certainly be learning a lot this year, but my need for prayer beyond my own knowledge of the content comes from the fact that almost 100% of my students in that class do not know Christ as their Savior, which is an incredible opportunity but also a huge responsibility. I am definitely relieved that I will have these students by themselves so that they have the chance to ask questions and so I can really spend time teaching the foundational beliefs of Christianity and God's entire plan for redemption from the beginning of time, whereas I might tend to assume that students know some of those things when the class is mixed with lots of MK's. So please please pray that the Spirit will be present in that class this year.. that He will give me wisdom to know where my students' hearts are.. that I will create an environment where those students feel comfortable asking their questions.. and that God will open their hearts to really hear what He has to teach them this year.

On another note, I got to get out of Lima on Friday when our staff went down to Pucusana, a little over an hour south of Lima, to stay at a house right on the water just for the day to relax and spend time together before classes start. I didn't get the best pictures, but I have a few that give you the idea of where we were. We go to go out on little boats to see the islands nearby which had lots of pelicans and sea lions. It actually reminded me of Islas Ballestas, where I went with my mom, dad, and Erin this past January.. just a scaled down version.

Mostly teachers here (from left): Jared, Nancy & her daughter, Amanda, Jenna, and Eden, + a new student at our school, Jesse, who is living with our director

Today I got to spend the afternoon with the Peter's, who just got back from traveling to Machu Picchu and Arequipa all week. They came to see my school and my house... in a combi of course to give them the full experience :) Then I took them to the open air Magdalena market to get a little cultural experience. But they'll be leaving tomorrow night so I won't see them until Christmas now.

Lindsay, Evan, and Mr. & Mrs. Peter's in my new house