Well I am clearly off to a great start at frequently updating this bad boy. I'm confident I will have more material to work with once I get to Jakarta.
Last week I was given my flight info for the trip to Indonesia. I am flying Chicago-Qatar-Indonesia spending one night in Doha, Qatar. I was a little surprised that I am flying over the Atlantic and not the Pacific, but I can't complain with getting to check Qatar off the bucket list. A huge blessing through all of this is that a friend I met at the conference in Iowa, Brad, will be making the trip over there with me. It will be nice to at least have someone that I know during the travel. Unfortunately, Brad will be teaching on the other end of Java Island for the two years we are over there, but we will be able to hang together during our orientation meetings when we first get to Jakarta.
This last week I was fortunate enough to go back and visit the two schools where I did my student teachings. The first class, from Lawrence, went on a "History of Lawrence" field trip where we visited various historical landmarks in Lawrence. I have been very lucky to call Lawrence home the last 5 years: what an amazing blend of people, entertainment, and history. I can't say thank you enough to my first cooperating teacher, Mrs. Price, for all the things she taught me and the support she has given and continues to give me. I cannot imagine where I would be, both personally and professionally, without being assigned to her 3rd grade classroom first semester. This morning I went back to my second placement for Field Day. I remember Field Day being the best day of the year when I was in elementary school and I was honored to try and help any way I could. I know I sound repetitive, but I cannot stress how lucky I was to be placed in Ms. Weatherford's 6th grade classroom this semester. The students at Perry-Lecompton were a joy to be around each day. After getting such a great placement first semester I assumed that karma would give me a tough assignment my second go-around - not the case. I really started to see my teaching improve this semester and working with Ms. Weatherford has given me a leg up on any other first year teacher. She was a lot of fun to work with and had a very similar sense of humor to mine. The only thing I would change is that she is a huge K-State fan (the room is painted purple), but at least it wasn't Mizzou. She is also a very devout Christian and helped serve as a model for me in that aspect.
I still haven't worried about the move. My biggest concern was that I wouldn't be able to meet people to go adventuring with while over there. Thankfully, my buddy Christian (who just wrapped up his first year with Bina Bangsa School in Jakarta) said that people over there are almost always down to travel. Ms. Weatherford gave me a couple books on trying to interact with Muslims in an Islamic country. I am very excited to get over there and see how different the culture is compared to what I have known here in America. Ramadan starts right after I get there so I'm sure I will have some good stories to share as soon as I get acclimated.
Only a month away. I've got a lot of travel coming up in the next month trying to see everyone/do everything before I leave. Can't wait to get over there and see what I have signed up for.
Take care, everyone.
