Howdy! I hope this post finds everyone doing well! It has been a great couple of weeks since the last post. Here is what has been going on...
My kids are still amazing. We are having so much learning all kinds of things in second grade. I have never seen kids get so excited to do work and finish their centers. They are just precious. I have lost sleep these past two week staying up till 1am pinning cute ideas of how to teach various ideas. We made some pretty cute safari people....just sayin'. Everyday I ask what their best part of their day is and without fail one students always says, "seeing you." I feel so blessed. :)
Skype dates. I was THRILLED to get Skype with Ms. Mitchell's class. I am amazed how much technology has changed since I was in second grade. I adore her class and I am so excited our kids will get to "meet" eachother. Also, I got to talk to my bff from pfo....Becca. Its so cool we can encourage each other in the field an ocean apart. She has had some adventures in Ghana. :)
Dengay??? Had I known of this disease before coming to Suriname I may have been a bit more prepared. It is carried through a specific kind of mosquito and makes you very sick. Of course there are different strands, but all make you wish you were dying. You get bit and then 10 days later the symptoms show up. You have to wait it out. I say all of this because one of our teammates got it last week and was out of work for about a week. You can stalk up on vitamin B and sleep with a mosquito net, but other than that... PRAY. I am having to take my fear to the Lord or I may never leave my room. Bugspray is the new perfume around here. I will be stalking up at Christmas.
Spa day - sorta. My school's secretary, Fabienne, and my new friend, Ashley, took me to get a pedicure, brows tamed, and shopping. We headed over to the Brazil district. It was so much fun!! It was nice to feel like a woman again. A cup of coffee was served to me on a saucer and it was DELICIOUS! Brazilians sweeten their coffee when they make it so my 5 tablespoons of splenda was not needed. Anyway....the pedicure experience was different than I am used to...hard chair, tub of lukewarm water, "hairdryer/drill" for dead skin...but my feet looked good and I was so thankful! What we might look down on at in the States is just a different way of doing things. Then we got to go shopping...I have found a great place!! I restrained and only bought one purse but I can't wait till next month's outing and I can get another. When I got home, I was thankful for something that felt home-ish.
Standardized Testing...already??? We had our first (of three) installment of MAP testing. I was kinda freaking out about it because there was no meeting about it. I am so engrained from the CRCT I was ready to sign my life away before the students started the test. But apparently it is different here. :) It was no big deal...the stress level is no existent. All my teacher friends are welcome to home here in about March or April if they want.... :)
MY BOXES CAME!!!!!!! My boxes finally came!!!! Praise the Lord!! The bill has not!! Keep praying about that!!! I am a wee bit nervous... oh well! The shipment arrived Thursday afternoon while school was still in session. My kiddos were so excited they were jumping up and down! They probably thought something inside HAD to be for them! And some of it was! I turned on N'Sync Christmas as well as Justin Beiber/Mariah Carey "All I Want for Christmas is You" while I opened and sorted out my items. It felt like Christmas. Then I would like to call the box effect happened. It was so nice to have a reminder of home, but then I have never felt so far from home. I can't come home easily and that made me sad. It was like after you open all of your Christmas presents and you sit back and say that's it?? or you are super sad the hype is over. I am so glad about all the friends and places I enjoy here, but today I miss those who know me best. I wish I could hop in a car and come see you.
Not so sporty spice. Dusty, Jen, and I did a "5k" last weekend. We do them for the free t-shirts...not for the exercise. Don't be fooled. :) However, as we were "wogging" (walking and jogging combo in case my lingo throws you) I saw some familiar scenery that I saw at the starting line. I was thinking Jen and I were doing well on time. So I asked her what the time was. She said 5:26. It had only been 26 minutes and we were almost done???? Now I am gonna give you about 2 seconds to be mondo impressed with my improved athletic ability...waiting....waiting...ok...here is the truth. Apparently, it was only a 3.4k. So we ran...just not the full 3.1 miles only 2.1. But that is still better than nothing. Our next run is for the police station. They are raising money for a new building. It is going to be September 22nd. Maybe I will have go-go gadget legs by then...one can wish.
Alright friends/family. That is all for now. Know you are loved and thought about often down here NORTH of the equator. (I was corrected by my mother that I am not south of the equator like I have been saying, but actually north. It kinda ruins my cool factor but I will learn to carry on.) DON'T FORGET....you can text me for free....
Megan XO
