End of the School Year
Summer is upon us, and I have finished my second full year of teaching! I don't quite know how to sum up this year of teaching. It was full of new experiences, opportunities for learning, fun adventures, and more love for these students than I could have ever thought possible. As ready as I was for a break from school, I was sad to say goodbye to my students. Most of my English kids were going back to the States for the summer, and one was leaving for her year of home assignment. One good thing is that the German teachers and students will continue with school for another month because they take more holidays during the school year than we do. This means that I can visit them! I actually had the chance to teach for Hanna, my partner teacher, on Friday morning because she was traveling out of town for a wedding. It was so fun to spend the morning with just my German kiddos. They were surprised but excited to see me, and assured me that they hadn't forgotten their English! One fun thing we did for math time was cut open a gigantic watermelon, or Wassermelone (10 kg or 20 pounds) and count all the seeds. Then we made a bar graph. What a fun way to practice our math skills in the summer, yes? I have much better pictures of their juice covered faces, and will include them in my next newsletter! |
| Just some of our seeds-our watermelon had 673 black seeds in total! |
As wonderful as our school building is, it wasn't built to accommodate children with disabilities. Our three story building has staircases on both ends, and that is how we get from one room to another. All year one of my students, who has Muscular Dystrophy, has had difficulty with the limitations our building places on him. He struggled to climb the stairs to our classroom on the second floor every day, but loved the friendly company of another caring and helpful student who slowly walked with him up and down the stairs. My heart swelled as I watched their friendship grow this year. The fourth grade classroom, however, is located on the third floor of our building, and many times this year I worried about my student having to climb the additional stairs to his new classroom next year. After talking it over with our principals, CB (she teaches fourth grade) and I decided to switch classrooms, so that he wouldn't have to. The day before our last day of school, we all got together to move our classrooms, and what a day it was. Children going up and down the stairs, carrying things, full of excitement and happy to help. My new classroom is full of boxes and piles of things, but Hanna and I managed to get some things put away (out of sight, out of mind, right?) so that she can finish her last month of teaching in a mild state or organization. As difficult as moving can be, it was all worth it!
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| My German principal playing soccer with some of the boys at recess. |
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| The view from my new window! |
One of the aspects of living here in this community is the fact that it's transient. People are always coming and going, simply because of the nature of being missionaries living on support salaries. Most come for a term of two years, although there are those that stay for a longer term. And then every 5 years, missionaries have to leave the country for a year due to visa regulations. A few weeks ago we had a staff appreciation dinner for everyone who works in any capacity for BFA, and we honored those who were leaving. There were many who had served a 2 year term, and then there were those who had been here for 10+ years, and each person was given a tribute written by friends and other staff members. It was a sweet time, and helpful to those of us who are new here, and don't know everyone. It reminded me that there are so many people who have come here just like I have, and who have left their mark on this place. And of course there will be many more!
The sad part is the people that I know who are leaving, either for a short time or permanently. Thankfully, almost all of my friends are here for at least another year, so I don't have to say goodbye...yet.
Summer Plans
Summer! Yay! I've been enjoying my time off (even if it's only been a week), and have spent it doing some fun things with friends who are also staying for the summer. So far, I have:
-Continued to practice my German
-Helped throw a Star Wars themed birthday party for a family friend (he'll be in my class next year)
-Walked/hiked some fantastic trails in the area (watch out for scary ticks-they are NOT fun)
-Picked strawberries from a field
-Had a watermelon seed spitting contest
-Gone to the town pool several times
-Eaten outside in the sunshine
-Helped a friend move apartments
-People watched at a Starbucks in Switzerland
-Enjoyed humidity and the summer thunder/lightning storms it brings
-Had a wonderful picnic with my church in a park in Basel
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| Our church picnic in the park! |
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| View from my window on a rainy summer evening. |
As you are supporters and friends, I wanted to make you aware of a big change that will be happening in my life here at the end of July. Due to the BFA community being so transient as I mentioned earlier, housing here can get tricky. There are a limited amount of apartments and houses for missionaries in the area (small, quaint towns mean fewer housing options), and every year at this time a "shuffle" occurs. Based on the fluctuating amount of incoming staff and leaving staff, housing becomes available and housing is also needed. I am currently living in a 4 bedroom apartment, and have 3 other roommates. We love our apartment! The rent is cheap, it's big enough for all of us, and it's a great place. Unfortunately, 2 of my roommates will be leaving, and BFA is seizing the opportunity to give it to a family. It's completely understandable, but causes a bit of a hassle. My roommate Rachel (who also teaches with me at the elementary school) and I have decided to live together again next year, and the apartment we were given has a higher rent, and higher utility costs. The reason I mention this is to inform you of the new financial need that this creates. I will sit down and calculate the exact amount, but a rough estimate would be about 150 euros additionally each month, which translates to around $200. I humbly ask you to prayerfully consider if you would be willing to help me with these additional living costs. I will be sending out more information about this later in the summer!
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| Rachel and I in Interlaken. |
