Tengo Libertad

Exams are graded.
Final grades are proofed.
The classroom is clean enough.
The kids are gone.
I am free!


I should be using this time wisely by planning for next semester, but I just don't want to think about school right now.

So how about a joke...
How do Guatemalan sheep say Merry Christmas?
Fleece Navidad!


I am so thankful for this semester. I am still amazed that right now I have the privilege of living in Guatemala, teaching at IAS, and so much more. I am very blessed! I don't deserve to be here, but this is where God has me right now. I am praying that when I am back in the States for Christmas, I am not praised for what I've been doing. I am sure people will want to hear stories and updates, which I want to tell! But I also want friends and family to know that I am not doing anything special. I am teaching kids in a different country. My life here has become routine and comfortable. And yet, every day is a crazy adventure, because I serve a radical God. Life with Him is different and unordinary, as it should be! Often I crave adventures. Yet this semester I have learned that no matter where I am or what I'm doing, as long as I am following God's lead, life with Him will be an adventure!

On another note, we are losing the current 5th grade teacher and computer teachers. So, if you want to join me here after Christmas, let me know, and I can get you the info!

Hooray for the PTA

The PTA is so kind (amable) and hosted a dinner for all of the teachers and staff tonight. We ate a traditional Guatemalan dinner at a nice restaurant, which lasted almost 3 hours! The PTA really cracks me up, because they always make a point to distinguish themselves as the PTA. At the Thanksgiving feast, every PTA mom wore the same orange shirt (that was quite revealing in the back, I must say!). At the Christmas play last week, they all wore red sweaters. And tonight, although it was just a dinner with the PTA, teachers, and staff, the PTA wore buttons that said "PTA" just in case we weren't sure who they were, haha! As I was leaving, I was telling one of the moms how I'm always cold. Her solution: get a man, haha!

Finals begin tomorrow, which means half days for the students and grading for me! I will be stationed in the library with the other middle school and high school teachers! Too bad we can't wear jeans...wah, wah, wah.

I already received two Christmas gifts from students. The first was a Mickey Mouse sweater, which is identical to one the student wears...so we could be twins! The second was a Scooby-Doo clay mug! It should be interesting to see what I get tomorrow!

It's hard for me to believe that the entire first semester is almost over. I am really looking forward to seeing family and friends in JUST 6 DAYS!

Para Sus Manos

Betty was cleaning one of the bathrooms today and stumbled across a little container that kind of looked like a mini Purell. It was all in English, so she decided to ask me ("the English expert") what it said. I was eating dinner when she brought it to me. Without really looking at it, I started explaining (in my awful Spanish) that it was soap for your hands that doesn't need any water. She was kind of understanding, but to help with the process, I decided to show her how it worked. I put some in my hands and began rubbing my hands to let it soak in. Yet, it wasn't soaking in. I decided to actually read what the container, which said "Swiss Navy Lubricant: Passion Fruit." I thought to myself, OH MY WORD...this stuff is on my hands! So, I quickly washed it off my hands and explained what it actually was! The two of us could not stop laughing! Haha, too funny!

Check. it. out.

IAS Teacher Promo Video 

Finals are FINISHED

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race...at least in regard to writing finals! (We've been studying 2 Timothy in Bible, so I thought this was appropriate!) So now I am focused on reviews and grading! Every math class took a test today. So you would think that would make it  an easy day for me...but it seemed like no one studied for the test, so I constantly had students at my desk asking if they were doing it correctly. I kept having to say, "I want to know what YOU know!" I even joked with one girl that I should just write my name on her paper. It's days like today that make me doubt if I am an effective teacher. Why are they still struggling with this concept when I feel like a broken record? Why do they still have questions? What should I have done differently? What is the balance between my responsibility as a teacher and their responsibility as learners? 


Tonight the elementary kids are starring in a Christmas play. I'm going to watch/help with crowd control. It should be fun and cute! It's crazy to think that I will be in Dallas in 11 days! Sometimes it's hard to define "home". Right now, Xela is my home. And yet, Dallas is home, because so many of my friends and family live there. I am so, so excited to see friends and family! It should be a great two weeks!

Seis Mas

So I just finished writing one of the seven tests at a cafe (thanks to a sweet friend and great 90s music for motivation)! Now I'm home. I have eaten dinner, and I'm caffeinated. Hopefully, I can write at least 4 more tonight! Here we go...

Feeling Overwhelmed

There is so much to do for school, and yet, right now I feel so overwhelmed that I would rather do anything but what needs to be done. In college, my room was always really clean and organized around finals. Why? Because I chose to do anything (including cleaning!) instead of studying for finals. Well...now I'm on the other side of things. Instead of studying for finals, I have 4 different finals to write, and all of them are due to the principal this Wednesday! (Yet, finals don't begin until December 14!) On top of that, I have 3 tests to write for this week, 4 separate projects to grade, other assignments to grade, 4 finals reviews to write, 3 more studies of 2 Timothy to write, and lesson plans to finalize. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I don't wanna! I need an attitude adjustment and some motivation. Any ideas? It doesn't help that I am so, so cold! The weather here is muy loco. This morning, there was frost/ice on the ground. This afternoon, I was sweating and got sunburned. And now, I am wearing two pairs of socks, running tights, fleece pajama pants, a long sleeve t-shirt, a thinner fleece jacket, a thicker fleece jacket, and a scarf! Even with all of these layers, I am still cold! Supposedly it is only going to get colder! I am thankful to be coming back to the States so that I can get some much warmer clothes! Ok...I going to try to be productive now...or I might just get a good night's sleep and try again tomorrow! Buenas noches!