The New Normal & Back to School

The boys home boys in their school uniforms!

It’s finally back to school time! Considering most of my friends back home started teaching already in early August waiting until the first day of October has felt like forever! J School started on Tuesday with flag raising, prayer, and worship. I’m even starting to know a few of the creole worship songs so I could sing along. But even when I don’t know all the words the heart of worship in the staff and children is beautiful. I’ve been learning about the power of Jesus’ name from my Haitian friends in a way I never really have before.

Kindergarten cuties!

The first day of school was such a typical first day! So much excitement, the smell of newly sharpened pencils, backpacks everywhere, posters being hung on the walls, learning the new routines, kids testing limits, etc. I get to spend time everyday with the kindergartners and then an hour once a week with the other grades. Wow are those kindergartners a handful, but I’m so glad I get to spend everyday with my favorite age group! There are 9 students in the kindergarten class and they range in age from 2-7. It’s such a difference in ages that it makes teaching even more challenging. Their two Haitian teachers are amazing though and each day that I come into their room to do English class I’m amazed how how even the two littlest ones are following the routines (most of the time!). I’m excited to see them all at the end of the year and see their progress.

Education here is not a right for everyone. As I was walking to school this morning my teacher heart was so sad to encounter numerous kids not wearing uniforms, which shows they got to school somewhere. Such a small percentage of kids here actually get to go to school everyday and learn how to read, write, do math, etc. I just feel like sometimes we don’t realize how good we have it in the US. Our school is for the kids at the boys and girls home, our Haitian staffers children, and some other local children. If you are interested in helping our community students with the costs of school check out: http://childhope.org/our-work/education/ for more information.

It’s amazing to me how quickly life here has become my new normal. So much of the time I don’t even think about all the things that make life different than Nebraska but here’s some real moments from the past few weeks:

-Katherine (my roommate) and I were watching a movie in our room when all of sudden (seemly out of no where) a HUGE spider was in the middle of our floor. It took us five attempts at hitting it with a shoe before it actually died upon which it shriveled up and didn’t look like it had been a giant monster 2 seconds before.

-I’ve been learning how to hand wash my clothes. A couple of the little girls showed me how to do it the Haitian way. I’ve tried and they laugh at me because they’re so much better at it at age 6 than I am.

-I opened up my backpack yesterday to put some stuff in it before I headed to school and found a tiny little lizard sitting on one of my books staring at me. He was cute, but I did let him back outside of our house.

Thank you so much for the people who have written emails or facebook messages. I can’t even explain how encouraging it is to get messages from people. I need and cherish your prayers so much! Also if someone can figure out how to get me a pumpkin spiced latte I would love them forever! ;) 

My roommate Katherine, me, and a member of a team from VA.