Down in Kandern the weather was lovely this past week, and we spent time time in the 70s. Of course the children were beside themselves, and we were all acting a little silly, from the overdose of vitamin d. :) Friday brought cloudy skies and rain, and on Saturday we awoke to snowflakes, as the retreat center was in a much higher altitude. Of course this gave us the perfect setting to stay inside and discuss the many things on our agenda. I was thankful for the weather, because if it had been sunny and warm, I would have wanted to be outside.
This time away together was not so much a "retreat" in the sense that we were not there simply to relax, but to spend time in active discussion about our school. Since our staff is comprised of both German and American teachers, things can be challenging at times. It's difficult for me to try to explain just how our school works. Technically, we are a German school, and are therefore held responsible for following German laws (of which there are many!) regarding education. While we are connected to BFA and do teach missionary students, the other half of our mission as a school is to teach German students and be a light to their families. Many of my students specifically come from non-Christian families, and would otherwise not hear about the love that God has for them. The families sign them up to attend our school primarily to learn English, and to some extent, "put up with" our Christianity. This aspect of my ministry here was unexpected when I first came, but now I understand more of what my role here is. Suffice it to say, I absolutely love my job.
Anyway, at our retreat we discussed many things from policies to scheduling (as a very new school, many things are in flux) and the cultural and personality differences that we have among our staff. One constant need we have is to understand where we each come from, and our approaches to education. There are many miscommunications, and just about everything from devotions to staff meetings need to be translated into both languages to ensure complete understanding among our staff. I am learning to appreciate our differences, and the wisdom that comes from having colleagues with such varied backgrounds and experiences. We are very different, but all have the same end goals-to love our students, teach them to the best of our ability, and share God's love with them. It's really very simple when it all boils down, and I am so thankful that I get to work at such a wonderful school with such incredible people every day.
My favorite part of the retreat was getting the change to get to know my colleagues better on a more personal level. Due to the tight scheduling at our school, and the fact that we eat lunch in the classroom with our kids, we don't often get the change to sit down and chat. I especially loved getting to talk to our PE/Art teacher, who has been a missionary for many years and grew up in Japan, but lived in Russia for several years before coming here to Germany. I loved learning more about Japanese and Russian culture!
All in all, it was a great time, and we are excited about the plans for next year. I am excited to be able to help make plans, knowing that I'll be here for at least another year (yes, I did say that!) to see them through. :)
