I was happy to hear that Spaniards celebrate Halloween. Not because I love Halloween but because it was a day that in my childhood I would plan my costume months before. My mom made most of our costumes the years I wasn't going to be a "Autumn fairy" or "Snowflake", using my ballet costume to go trick or treating in. One of my all-time favorite costumes was when I was Beauty. For my birthday that year I had a Beauty and the beast party and mom made me a Beauty dress (the yellow one). I loved it :)
Even this year I was able to "dress up" for Halloween. Every year ECA has a StaffCo hunt where the student council and members of the staff dress up and walk around a mall hoping not to be identified by the groups of students hunting for us. You could walk around the mall, shop (but only 6 ft inside the store) or sit and read.
I felt like I was Jason Bourne trying to act normal but very aware that people were seeking me out. I also went blonde for the event. I've always wondered what I would look like as a blonde and I decided to just go platinum (thanks to my local Asia Store - the equivalent of Dollar Trees in Spain).
There were 13 total "hiders" and one group of students found us all. It was a fun, an interesting night. One that mall security wasn't thrilled about and constantly circled ("inconspicuously" of course) around our group at the end of the hunt.
We had a good time and no one was confiscated by mall cops (there was a close encounter but the individual was spared).
Happy Trick-or-Treating!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Canned Pumpkin - The Little Joys in Spain
This week we were blessed to have a half day on Friday, marking the end of the first quarter of school. I finished the quarter talking about credit cards and calculating finance charges on unpaid balances with my Practical Math class. After they painstakingly calculated the average daily balance for problems in class, one girl said, "Do you have to do this for debit cards too?" Nope, I told her. To which she replied, "I think I'm going to go with that option."
I really enjoy teaching that class. So far we've talked about salaries, taxes, budgets, and now credit cards. It's rewarding to see the kids learn about these topics and starting deciding I'm going to do this...or I don't like this. For the class, they have to make a portfolio, which will include a budget, tax return, and resume on a career that they want to pursue after graduation. It has been great to watch as they seriously consider their calling and applying principals to be wise with their money.
Last night, we attended ECA's Fall Festival. We've helped with our church's Fall Festival for the last several years, so we were excited to be a part of a Fall Festival with a Spanish twist :) We had the huge privilege (and jealousy of many others) to be the Dessert Contest judges. We judged between 8 different desserts from Pecan Pie to Caramel Corn, and finally on the winner, Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge. We wrapped up the night trying to explain the game of Corn Hole to Spaniards in Spanish (very difficult), line dancing the Electric Slide to a non-"Electric Slide" song, and eating delicious chili and cornbread with friends. We had a great time and best of all, I purchased two cans of Libby's Canned Pumpkin. Why was I so excited you may ask? Because canned pumpkin (like pepperoni, crescent rolls, and good quality cake mixes) is non-existent in Spain. And how best to celebrate fall than with Pumpkin Cheesecake muffins or Pumpkin Roll. Mmmmmm....so excited to use my canned pumpkin :)
Lastly, I praise the Lord for a wonderful start to a Sunday. We listened to JD Greear's recent sermon from the Summit Church on "I Don't Belong Here" 1 Peter 1:1-10. Just what I needed to hear after finishing this week. I hope you are challenged today in your faith. Peter says in 1 Peter that we are strangers, aliens, in this world. We don't belong. We don't fit in by reacting differently to struggles and trials in our lives compared to the world. As Christians, we have a hope that while we may struggle, and have suffering, we look to the resurrection of Christ and the hope of everlasting life and know that this short time here on earth will be worth it when we see Christ in eternity.
I really enjoy teaching that class. So far we've talked about salaries, taxes, budgets, and now credit cards. It's rewarding to see the kids learn about these topics and starting deciding I'm going to do this...or I don't like this. For the class, they have to make a portfolio, which will include a budget, tax return, and resume on a career that they want to pursue after graduation. It has been great to watch as they seriously consider their calling and applying principals to be wise with their money.
Last night, we attended ECA's Fall Festival. We've helped with our church's Fall Festival for the last several years, so we were excited to be a part of a Fall Festival with a Spanish twist :) We had the huge privilege (and jealousy of many others) to be the Dessert Contest judges. We judged between 8 different desserts from Pecan Pie to Caramel Corn, and finally on the winner, Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge. We wrapped up the night trying to explain the game of Corn Hole to Spaniards in Spanish (very difficult), line dancing the Electric Slide to a non-"Electric Slide" song, and eating delicious chili and cornbread with friends. We had a great time and best of all, I purchased two cans of Libby's Canned Pumpkin. Why was I so excited you may ask? Because canned pumpkin (like pepperoni, crescent rolls, and good quality cake mixes) is non-existent in Spain. And how best to celebrate fall than with Pumpkin Cheesecake muffins or Pumpkin Roll. Mmmmmm....so excited to use my canned pumpkin :)
Lastly, I praise the Lord for a wonderful start to a Sunday. We listened to JD Greear's recent sermon from the Summit Church on "I Don't Belong Here" 1 Peter 1:1-10. Just what I needed to hear after finishing this week. I hope you are challenged today in your faith. Peter says in 1 Peter that we are strangers, aliens, in this world. We don't belong. We don't fit in by reacting differently to struggles and trials in our lives compared to the world. As Christians, we have a hope that while we may struggle, and have suffering, we look to the resurrection of Christ and the hope of everlasting life and know that this short time here on earth will be worth it when we see Christ in eternity.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Ushering into the World of Blog
So this is my first official "blog". I know, I know...I am so not with the times of the blog world, but with Facebook, Twitter, Skype, FaceTime, etc., you get a little overloaded and I feel like you start duplicating between all these means of communication because I know my life is not "that" exciting for me to uniquely maintain all of these.
Nonetheless, I am going to attempt at blogging. I, personally, am inspired by a fellow teacher here at ECA, Miss Shar Carlson, because every time I read her's, I laugh out loud hysterically at how she captures her day at ECA so perfectly.
So - next Wednesday marks 3 months we've been in Spain. Part of it feels like it's flown and part of it feels like I'm not moving at all. We are definitely busy with ministry. Our days begin at 6:15 (M & W) and 6:30 (T, R, & F) in which we rush, get ready, eat breakfast, feed dog, walk dog (Adam - not me :), I have "weekend duty"), get our things together, and then bolt down two flights of stairs to meet Cami who is our gracious ride to school every day. That puts us at getting at school (now when it's sooo dark outside, and depressing) at 7:15 (M/W) and 7:30 (T,R,F). School commences at 9:10 and from there it's a whirlwind of 5 classes of 50 minutes, a 40 minute lunch, and 2 more 50 minute classes. While Adam is teaching most days from 9:10-1:40, I am holding down the finance office fort, making change, collecting tuition, paying bills, and balancing the books. After lunch, I teach the Practical Math class until 3pm and then school ends at 4pm. We usually depart at 5:30-5:45 most days, hopefully getting back to the piso in time before Carson's bladder explodes on our hardwoods.
Our weeks are busy and go by rather quickly, and we look forward to the weekends greatly :) We are excited each Sunday to go to Centro Evangelico, the church plant we are helping with. It has been established for sometime and currently has 3 other missionary families working in it as well. We range between 10-25 people a Sunday, but have not seen the same mix of people since we started helping 3 months ago. We have also already seen one lady, Gloria, accept Christ! Keep praying for her!
So when there is time to sit and rest, we stand amazed at the opportunity and privilege to be here in Spain. There are days, especially the last week or so, when I long to see family and old friends. And while I yearn to be back in "comfort", I look around and am reminded at how lost this world actually is, and it takes people getting out of their comfort zones to share the Gospel and spread the name of Jesus. We should never take this privilege/call lightly.
Nonetheless, I am going to attempt at blogging. I, personally, am inspired by a fellow teacher here at ECA, Miss Shar Carlson, because every time I read her's, I laugh out loud hysterically at how she captures her day at ECA so perfectly.
So - next Wednesday marks 3 months we've been in Spain. Part of it feels like it's flown and part of it feels like I'm not moving at all. We are definitely busy with ministry. Our days begin at 6:15 (M & W) and 6:30 (T, R, & F) in which we rush, get ready, eat breakfast, feed dog, walk dog (Adam - not me :), I have "weekend duty"), get our things together, and then bolt down two flights of stairs to meet Cami who is our gracious ride to school every day. That puts us at getting at school (now when it's sooo dark outside, and depressing) at 7:15 (M/W) and 7:30 (T,R,F). School commences at 9:10 and from there it's a whirlwind of 5 classes of 50 minutes, a 40 minute lunch, and 2 more 50 minute classes. While Adam is teaching most days from 9:10-1:40, I am holding down the finance office fort, making change, collecting tuition, paying bills, and balancing the books. After lunch, I teach the Practical Math class until 3pm and then school ends at 4pm. We usually depart at 5:30-5:45 most days, hopefully getting back to the piso in time before Carson's bladder explodes on our hardwoods.
Our weeks are busy and go by rather quickly, and we look forward to the weekends greatly :) We are excited each Sunday to go to Centro Evangelico, the church plant we are helping with. It has been established for sometime and currently has 3 other missionary families working in it as well. We range between 10-25 people a Sunday, but have not seen the same mix of people since we started helping 3 months ago. We have also already seen one lady, Gloria, accept Christ! Keep praying for her!
So when there is time to sit and rest, we stand amazed at the opportunity and privilege to be here in Spain. There are days, especially the last week or so, when I long to see family and old friends. And while I yearn to be back in "comfort", I look around and am reminded at how lost this world actually is, and it takes people getting out of their comfort zones to share the Gospel and spread the name of Jesus. We should never take this privilege/call lightly.
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