Sabbath surprises:)

Okay after skyping awesome people, winning dutch blitz by a HUGE comback and journalling for 2 hours I think this blog post is way overdue:)

Weekends are such a welcomed event here for me! I would say when I was at southern "TGIF" and usually complete the friday with an early load of laundry, lunch with a friend and dress up (peacock) time for vespers. But here its a whole other ball game. I don't think I've ever been able to truly say the welcomed phrase "THANK GOODNESS it's friday" until this year. Last week Jenessa emailed the SM's and announced that we could skype Southern for the afterglow program to talk to friends or outgoing SM's. I got pretty excited. The time was set for 12:30 my time and 9:30pm Tennesse time after vespers. In turn I decided to stay back because church is thirty minutes away plus potluck equals Sophie would NOT be back in time for any of those skype times. We have to have someone with us at all times ...can't be alone so Andrea said she would stay back with me since it's hard to travel with her leg in a cast and PLUS she is from southern so it worked out perfectly. We tried to stream the vespers program but no luck... that's not much of a surprise. Even plugged in and turning off wireless and with NO ONE else on campus it still does not have the power to stream anything faster than a slideshow of pictures. I was kind of disapointed to be signed off skype seeing no one i knew or come talk to me. Jenessa said she would call back if anyone came and asked for me. Kind of opened my eyes to how many of my friends have left southern...but then I got the call back :) It was exactly what I needed to see, the two smiling faces of some very beautiful people in my life. Juliana McGraw and Lauren Brooks:) had a nice conversation with them and really laughed at the comment they made "so will you go to the beach by the ocean and get a tan that will make us jealous." HAHA I had to gracefully inform them that aside from even my own preconcieved idea of the "islands"there is no ocean access where we are except a muddy lagoon and the fruit consists of coconuts and bananas and tarro :) It was blessed to talk with them, really lifted my spirits.

Last week was quite the experience! I have started teaching HS science classes and if you know me AT ALL you would know that I dispise the science. When I say that this year is "stretching me" that is an understatment. I am being stretched beyond my wildest dreams...or nightmares lol. I did make my students aware of this fact (my dislike of the sciences) before I started teaching but also made them excited that we would be ...learning together... One of the students said "I use to like chemistry, but this year I hate it..." well thats what i'm walking in to.. So one week down I was hoping it would only be two weeks, but the computer lab renovation is taking much longer than expected so who knows how long these kids will have to suffer through me teaching chemistry, physical science, and senior physics. Its a challenge.

The temperature with no signs of slowing down. Teaching is not only fighting with student discipline or trying to get them to listen but also to try and ignore the dripping of sweat off your body with the heat of the blazin sun. I was told it only gets hotter in the next few months. IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE. This is the canadian talking, no i will NEVER acclimatize.

So my challenge this week. Try and get the students to enjoy or at least participate in football. I've been trying for weeks and its an uphill battle. This teaching aspect is really starting to take a backburner when more of my time is spent just trying to get them to step onto the field.

My PE dept. Southern family has been an absolute lifeline to me this year. I ask for a web site to order equipment they send it. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and its amazing how every single act, down to a note in the mail can really make my day.

So advice for today (after playing the "at least" game with Andrea) "don't take your friends for granted. you'll miss them like everything when they're gone."