I Have Dreams You Know...

Hello all,

I'm alive, have no fear! Things have been super crazy busy. I cannot believe that I only have about 2.5 weeks left until Christmas Break! Wow...this time went so fast. I thought it was just dragging, but now that I think about everything that I want to do and that I have to teach before then...yikes!!

     Thanksgiving break was last week. That was much needed and was fun and relaxing. I didn't see ANY SCS people the whole time, other than the people I went with. That was surprising. I didn't get any turkey or mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving...sadness. But my mom did promise me a Thanksgiving dinner when I go home ...definitely looking forward to that!

     On break I had balanced meals actually...not gonna lie...my body went crazy. My digestive system couldn't handle it...I'm going to be uncomfortable for the first week of Christmas break I'm sure.

     I love my students and I'm going to miss them so much during break. Some days they frustrate me more than anything in the world...but...I love those kids.

     I've been really stressed out lately about a lot and just relaly confused about life. I just don't understand things and I want to be in control and all knowing...lol. I know it won't happen...but the human inside me wants it. My faith has been like a rollar coaster out of control. I never thought that it could be so hard...even if surrounded by people that call themselves Christians. Really shows that it doesn't matter where you are......sigh...

     I cannot wait to see my family and my friends!!!! SOOO VERY SOON!!!

Oh yes...i forgot!  My spanish lessons are going very well and I am getting better. I can understand a LOT more, but I still don't like speaking...I need to do it more. One funny thing I did a couple weeks ago was I called the taxi and said, "estoy en mi cama" hehe...woops...(that's "I'm in my bed" instead of saying "i'm in my house") lol

     Well, I went to the capital (Santo Domingo) on Sunday for a few days for a teacher's conference. It was like an entirely different world there! There are SO many people! There are about 9 million people on the entire island and about 4-5 million live in Santo Domingo. It was so crazy there!

     It's probably worse in traffic than New York City. I felt like I needed to be ready to die every time I crossed the road. There are no traffic lights...so...that was interesting. I'm still trying to decide if I liked it or not! haha. I didn't get to see much, so I do want to go back again some day. I just don't know if I can make a judgment call on my likes/dislikes yet.

     The conference was like one I've never been to before. Normally I feel challenged and inspired after conferences...this one...I felt put down and discouraged. I felt like I was a horrible teacher and there was too much that I needed to change that was even possible to do. And...talking with the other teachers that went...I know I wasn't alone. There were a FEW things that I agreed with, but not a lot of it.

     On our way TO Santo Domingo we passed by an accident...I always hear about them...how common they are here and how nasty they are because of the crazy driving, but I've never seen one yet...until now. It was disturbing and I shouldn't have looked, but my curiousity got the best of me. I'm still quite disturbed when I think about it. It was the first horrible accident that I've seen in my life and the first person I've seen that was clearly not living (other than at funerals). It really woke me up...I just really feel for the families and those that are losing people right now.

     The hotel was really nice and it was nice to have air conditioning! I was actually FREEZING the entire time I was there and I was ready to get back to normal. This week is crazy and I am so tired! The conference was exhausting! And getting back into teaching is really hard. I'm so glad I only have 2 more days to teach until the weekend!

     I'm really missing home right now for several reasons...only 2 more months left! i KNOW it will go fast!

     Pray for Stephanie (a friend from college) she's in the hospital and has been having brain surgeries! i'm scared for her and I wish I could visit her, but...the distance thing is causing an issue...

     Sorry, it's been a while since I've updated this.  Things have been SO busy lately! I do NOT know where September went! And now October, is almost half gone! This next week at school I am going to the capital for 2 days for an ESL conference. I am really excited about this! So this week I only have 3 days of school and the week after that we only have 4 because of parent-teacher conferences. There's only ONE week after that and then it's NOVEMBER! Oh my word...seriously...this is SO crazy! The first quarter is almost over! That means...that I am already 25% done with the year! YIKES!

     Nick came to visit for a weekend. That was great! It was great to see him and it was great to be able to show someone from home the places that I see everyday. I wish he could have stayed longer though!

     My students are doing so wonderful! I love them so much! Things have been really stressful though. And you always hear teachers saying that teaching is your entire life and I used to question whether it was actually worth it. IT IS SO WORTH IT! I wouldn't change a thing.

     I feel like there are so many things I need to change. I find it really hard for me to communicate with the parents. Most of them can understand a little English, but a few of them don't really understand any. It is so hard for me to communicate concerns or comment on their children. I know how important this is, but the language barrier is definitely there. It's so frustrating sometimes. Like, even the little things of telling the parent if their child got hurt during the day or something like that...it's so hard to do.

     I've been working a lot on my spanish, but the stress from everything else has been affecting my spanish. I get frustrated easily during some of my spanish lessons if i don't understand something. But my tutor is so great!

     2.5 more months till I get to go see everyone in WI! It will go fast I'm sure. Seems like I haven't been here for over 2 months already...but at the same time...it seems like I've been here forever!

     I have made a couple really good friends here. It has helped me get through the issues of being so far away from people that love and know me. One of these friends left yesterday for the states. She was a student teacher here. This made me really sad. My other good friend...she doesn't think that she is going to be staying here after this year. God has been so great to provide these friends for me. He knew what I would need once I got here, but I don't want to let them go...you know there are those people that just really understand you. The people in your life that just seem to form a tight/close relationship despite the shortness of the relationship. I really do not know what I would be going through if I did not have this friend here. I can't imagine...and I am being selfish...I don't want her to leave. Yes, I have other friends, but it's not the same.

     Anyways...ending on a good note...IT'S THE WEEKEND!

the NOT so joys...

-i've been waiting for my mail since I got here.  We only get mail every 2 weeks and 1.5 months later...they tell me the reason i haven't gotten any mail is because they forgot to add me to the mailing list.  Sigh...I was quite frustrated about that today.  Serious...I look forward to mail day...and it's quite sad when you never get anything...   especially when you were expecting things

-i've been really tired lately...

-we have swine flu going around the kindergarten!  apparently the swine flu isn't as serious as they thought it was going to be though...

the joys...

-i use a lot of motions when i'm talking to my students so that they will understand me more.  One of my students has picked up on this and has started using motions when he talks back to me. haha...he is SO adorable.  He also told his mom "I talk slow so my teacher will understand me."  and...he really does. hahaha!  It's rare that I can keep a straight face when he talks to me. 

-i've taught my students to say "oh my word" instead of "oh my god" and it's SO adorable hearing them say "OH MY WORD!"

-i'm learning more spanish and my tutor said that i am doing very well

-i've been making NEW friends both inside and outside of school (aside from the teachers) and it's really nice getting close to people that i don't work with all the time (though i do love them too) 

-i've been getting close to a few people...and it's just really nice knowing there are people here that are like me

Hello again

     I feel like I am all settled in now both in the classroom and in my apartment.  I am just waiting on my new teacher's desk in the classroom and then I will be all organized.  I feel like I know what I am doing more than what I did before.  It's crazy to think that I've been here for 3 weeks already!  I am really loving it here...but I do miss my friends and family.  My roommates and I get along very well along with our neighbors in the apartment building.  We no longer have to share our apartment with cockroaches!!!  Our apartment was sprayed for them and we had the joy of sweeping up the dead ones that we found laying around.  Better dead than alive I suppose...

     My kinders are so adorable.  I have a few that are going to be a challenge, but I love them all so much and I cannot wait to see them all learn and improve!  On the third day of school, two of my boys said their first sentences in English!!!  It was so adorable!  It made me so happy I almost cried haha.  Most of my students don't understand me and that makes things hard a lot of the time, but things will get better.  I need to keep thinking of things that I can do to help them learn their English. 

     I was really worried about the parents liking me and all of that.  So far, I love the parents and I feel like the parents are just so involved and care so much about their child's education.  A few of the parents have come to me about concerns already, though.  One of the parents said her daughter is really nervous because she can't understand what I am saying all the time.  I really like that she came to me and said that so that she could explain to her daughter in spanish that everything is ok and she doesn't have to worry about it.  This just makes me more determined to find new ways to help them understand...without speaking spanish.  It is hard for me to not speak spanish to the kids...it would just be so much easier. 

     I am so excited for my brother Nick to come visit me in a month!!  I cannot wait!  But I wish he could stay longer.  There is just too much to do and too much to see!  Oh well, I will be thankful for the time that he will be here! 

     Well I hope that everything is going well where you are and I miss you and love you all!  Keep praying for me as I teach these wonderful children!  Pray that they will feel God's love and know that there is a different life out there.  Oh yeah...if you don't know already, most of these kids are not Christians.  Already in kinder, there is a lot of anger and hurt in these kids...just pray for them.  Thanks! 

hola mi amigos!

          Well, today was my first day!  It started out interesting enough...more interesting than I would have liked.  Diane planned on picking me up around 6:30, which didn't happen. But that's alright with me.  We got to the school around 7 and as i searched in my bag...I realized that I had forgotten my keys to get into my room.  SO...i planned on being an overachiever and getting there early, but I couldn't get into my room until the bus got there at 7:30. 

          Well the story gets better.  When my aid got there at 7:30, she checked the storage room to see if it was locked.  (You can get into my room through the storage room).  As you have probably guessed already...it definitely was NOT locked.  So, I definitely stood outside my room while there was an unlocked door right next to me.  Sigh...yes...that's the beginning of my day. 

          I got things ready, but never really felt like I was ready.  I wasn't nervous, but I definitely did not feel ready.  I only had 7 of my 11 students today.  They are all so incredibly quiet, but...i have a great feeling that this will soon change.  Only two of my students speak English...this has been interesting so far.  I was actually able to understand what they were saying most of the time.  I was pretty proud of myself. 

          This whole week we have half days...and I'm so thankful...I feel so exhausted today after just a half day!  But...I think it's just because I was able to actually rest.  I wasn't tired until I sat down and had time to think about it.  So, I've made changes to my plans for tomorrow and I'm about ready to head to bed...at 5 PM.

Well, I'm back in the DR.  It's hot...and humid!  I heard someone say that the other day the dew point was 78%. which...i'm not really a weather expert...but it just sounds horrible!  haha.

we had teacher's meetings all last week.  it wasn't too horrible!  it was great to meet all the new teachers and get to know them.  i can't wait until all the returning teachers are back so that i can see them all again! 

my roommates, neighbors, and i went bowling last night. that was great fun!  we are all pretty bad. we took our Haitian neighbor with us.  He is so nice and he drove us there and opened all the doors for us...what a true man should be like. lol

it's really hot...

our apartment is nice...other than the kitchen. we have a water leak, so whenever we turn on the sink there's water all over the floor.  we also have a nice selection of cockroaches...but hopefully both of those problems will be resolved soon. 

i'll put pictures of my classroom and apartment up soon...after i get them both all organized and decorated.

PS...it's hot here...in case i forgot to mention that

I saw a lizard in my room...and if you know how much I freak out about spiders...this is about the same!  I walked into my room, turned on the light...and SCREAMED AND RAN OUT OF THE ROOM.  The poor little lizard probably peed itself!  But seriously...seeing it scurry across my wall...YUCK!  Pam came back into my room with me to get it, but we couldn't find it!  The good thing is that I haven't seen it again.  So, it must be gone! 

Cute things that my students have said this week...

1. "Miss Kari, no!"  "Miss Kari, I don't want."  (talking about me not leaving...oh my word...they seriously make my heart melt)

2. "When I'm a teacher I am going to know everything.  Teacher's know everything."

3. "Miss Kari, I am having a party on Monday and I'm going to invite YOU!"  (after my heart broke...I told him that I was leaving on sunday.  Oh my word...that face...ugh...I can't even tell you about how much it hurt me!  And then he got this HUGE grin, pointed at me and yelled "I'M GOING TO HIDE YOU!!!" ahhh...kids...they make me so happy

These kids are too adorable.  They've been attacking me every time I come in the room.  It's cute until they choke me to death and they pile on top of me...lol.

I saw the biggest moth I have EVER seen in my LIFE!  It was the size of a small bird.  I'm pretty sure it was the size of my hand. It was enormous! 

When I think about leaving this place...my heart feels like it's about to break.  I love it so much here.  It's such a great adventure and such a great experience!  I feel closer to God here...like I have to rely on Him more....

I am only teaching half days right now.  I get the morning to go around the school and observe other classes or work on stuff, then I teach from after lunch till the end of the day.  I only have 3 normal days of school with these adorable kids left...Friday is our Dad's Day Celebration.  The kids will be there with their dad's from 8 until about 10...then they leave and I'll have the rest of the day to work on my portoflio.  But I am going to HATE saying goodbye

This time went SO fast!!! I cannot believe the end is almost here. I'm leaving Saturday morning for the beach and we are staying there overnight and then I leave on Sunday for the US!

1. I tried the Dominican Milk - hmmm...it scared me real bad.  They don't refrigerate it and it's in a box type thing.  I was really fine with the idea of not trying it, but I was offered some today and decided "what the heck...do it."  So I tried it.  It tasted weird...but not as weird as I thought it would taste.  I can't describe the taste...just that it tasted weird. 

2. Tostelitos - LOVE these...wow.  They are fried bread things with meat inside of them.  yummm

3. Dominican Birthday Cake - it was...different.  The cake tasted the same, but the frosting was...really...sticky.  It was the consistency of marshmallow fluff and tasted like coconut.  I guess they make the frosting from egg whites? 

4. Cachi - or something that sounded like that haha.  It's mashed up platanos (which are the small banana things that really don't taste at all like bananas).  This was...idk...I didn't care for it, but I ate it.