It is hard to believe that a year ago I had just finished my first quarter in the masters program. I had my sites set on student teaching in St. Lucia in the Southern Caribbean and I was about to get into two and half weeks of full time work at the office during Winter Break. A year later and I am working one more week at my job here in Bellingham and getting ready for the adventure of a lifetime. I still have lots of little things to take care of- credit cards, figuring out what I am going to pack, printing too much paperwork, etc but that is not what I want to concentrate on. Yesterday my fellow children's ministry volunteers threw me a little going away party and one of my good friends asked me what I was most excited about and what I was most nervous or anxious about. It's those things- the experiences I am anticipating that I want to concentrate on now.
I am excited to meet people from different places. My host family is from Spain. My hosts for a couple days when I arrive are from Italy. The students/teachers will be mostly from Finland and the college students I will be working alongside as well are from all over Europe. I look forward to talking to them about educating and what they think is important and worthy of study. I am curious to to learn what they think of Americans and what I can learn from them. I also look forward to being able to share some of my knowledge with them.
I am excited to be a teacher with students and colleagues who support me.
I am excited to stay with a family who understands the blending and interactions between different cultures and to experience life with them.
I am excited to see a real winter even though it is going to be so cold!
I am excited to learn some Swedish and Finnish.
I am excited to try reindeer! It will happen!
I am also a little nervous. People, smart people, educated people, are going to put me in charge of a classroom. Ahh! Don't they know I am still learning myself? I know, it is time for me to put faith in my Lord and in all of the skills and knowledge I have acquired and have confidence. I promise to do my best.
I am nervous to be traveling so far away by myself but I am a little thrilled by the adventure of it all.
I am nervous about the language barrier but if my middle and high school ESL students can do this everyday so can I.
I am nervous about jumping into the ice-broken ocean every week with my host family (yeah this is something they do even when it is iced over!) but if they can do it.... yeah no great response here. I am just terrified of this one. But I will do it (this is for you roommates and Explorer's League volunteers)!
Most of all, I am excited to be opening up the next chapter in my life, the second to last chapter in my graduate career, and the first chapter in my life as a real teacher in charge of a real classroom.
Thank you for all of your support. If you would like to see me before I leave I will be in Bellingham until Dec. 20th and then in Kent from Dec. 21-Jan. 2.
Jutellaan myöhemmin! (Finnish for "talk to you later")
