Late Night Grading

Grading is a lot more fun when kids write funny things. In Bible, I usually have a few questions that they have to answer when the bell rings. However, 2 weeks ago (yes, that's how behind I am with grading!) I let them choose what they wanted to write about one day. This is what one student wrote:

"Hi Ms. Barnett. Today I hit you with the ball. I was sorry for it. It's just that the game was really intense and we had to win the doritos so things happen at a certain point. I hope you dont get a bruse because if you do then...that would be bad because you will have a purple dot by me. I have an idea if a bruse come out you should put by [student's name] so when you leave you can remember of me. If it gets like the balls sides that would be awesome JK."

Another student wrote:
"Once upon a time there was a young girl. This girl was known as a witch. She would always be bothered. They would paint her desk with lots of names. When they saw this girl, everybody would say, 'Burn the witch.'" 

Sometimes it's the little things! Though teaching can very time consuming, I really enjoy it!

Gracias a Dios

"Gracias a Dios" is a pretty common phrase here, which means thanks to God. I am thankful to Him...

• In the beginning, I really struggled being here without someone really close to me. There are three newly married couples that teach at the school. While it's fun to hang out with them and get a glimpse of what a young, godly marriage can look like, it is sometimes hard. I really desired a husband last semester. Yet, it's funny how when I dwell on what I don't have, I miss out on seeing what I do have. Being single has allowed me to live with this great family. I get to practice Spanish, even when I don't feel like it. I get to go to family gatherings, which includes many, many birthday parties! I get to hang out with the 15-year-old daughter, who is so fun. AND...I get to spend time with one of the most God-fearing women I've met. The mom loves the Lord and trusts in Him with everything. When I have come to her with things that are bothering me, she has Scripture to comfort me. I could not ask for a better living situation!
• This afternoon I got to hang out with a student and her family. They invited me to their house, and we ate homemade hamburgers, which were so delicious! We also played the Spanish version of Twister and Wii. They even sent me home with cookies and candy. 
• Though teaching is a ton of work, I really enjoy it! I like the school, and I like the students, even when they give me a hard time! 
• Over Christmas break, Allie and I realized that she makes more money in a month at her part-time job than I do all month, haha! However, each month, all of my needs are fully met with some leftover!
• A few other teachers and I are studying 1 Corinthians on Monday nights. It is nice to really study each verse and discuss it. Last semester we read The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller, but I am enjoying actually studying a book of the Bible this semester.
• Though IAS is a Christian school, sometimes the Christian part is what you make it. So, I have been praying that more conversations among teachers would be about the Lord, and it's been cool to actually have these conversations! God is so good!

No Staph

According to the test results, I'm Staph-free! Wahoo!

Per Request

• It's no secret that I have a problem laughing at inappropriate times, and Friday was no exception. One boy who never raises his hand, actually raised his hand. So, of course, I called on him. Then, he proceeded to describe someone at the school by saying, "He smells like sweat." I was not expecting this response at all! Now a good teacher would have said something like, "That's not a nice response," or "That's not appropriate to say," and would have continued teaching. I, however, started laughing and could not stop! Even as I tried to keep explaining systems of linear equations, I kept laughing!
• Three teachers currently have some weird, penicillin-resistant strand of Staph. Apparently it is asymptomatic, so they have had it for about 3 weeks without even knowing it. The symptoms that they eventually experienced were stomach issues (like food poisoning), fever, and sore throats, along with urinary tract infections. So I went to the private hospital this morning to get a throat culture and blood test. I am hoping I don't have this, especially because the treatment includes multiple butt shots! I should know the results by Tuesday.
• I am thinking about changing the name of this blog...any suggestions? 
• Yesterday we planned to hike Santa Maria, one of the volcanoes here in Xela. We were going to leave at 7:30 PM, hike through the night, sleep for a few hours at the top, wake up, enjoy the sunrise, and then head back home. I had prepared myself both mentally and physically. Though I packed a bunch of fleece and wool clothes, I knew that I was going to be freezing. However, I knew it would be worth it! It would be one of those experiences that I would never forget! Yet, as 7:30 rolled around last night, there was lightning and some thunder. We still met at the park, ready to go. We even hopped in the bus and drove a little bit, hoping the skies would clear up. Instead, it started raining really hard, so we turned around and hung out at someone's apartment. Hopefully, we will try it again next Friday.
• We have a staff retreat in 2 weeks at a waterpark about an hour or two from Xela. I am excited for the mini vacation and warmer weather! The school pays for the entire trip, which is an added bonus! Also, I've heard that there's a spa, so I'm considering getting a massage!
• This afternoon I went to the zoo. Really, "zoo" is a loose term. There were ducks, foxes, birds, malnourished monkeys, one lion, two jaguars, and that's about it. It was actually really sad. I am not really an animal lover, but I felt bad for them. About 10 teachers from Inter sponsor teenagers that go to a school created for kids that have to work during the day to help support their families. So the event at the zoo was a way to spend time with these students. We played field-day type games and then ate snacks. It was fun! Right now, the relationships still seem a bit forced, so I am hoping that we can do more things like this.
• I have to give the school an answer about next year at the end of this month. During Christmas, I felt strongly about signing a two-year contract, but now I am not so sure. I am trying to be very prayerful about this decision, and I would appreciate your prayers as well. It's hard, because most of the current teachers are not coming back next year.