[Sunday, October 31, 2004]
Hello friends and family!
I enjoyed a warm, summery feeling kind of day today with friends from church. After church the young people had dinner at someone's home and then we spent the afternoon and early evening playing games. I assume you all had a nice day as well, only probably a little cooler than mine was! I can't believe that tomorrow is November! I will be coming home for Christmas vacation 7 weeks from today. The time is flying by. Just last week we finished the first quarter of the school year, which is why I didn't write last weekend. I was extremely busy doing grade cards and new things for the 2nd quarter of school. There is one event from last week that I would like to tell you about...... I went to my first tea party. It was quite fun. One of my student's had a tea party for her birthday and I was invited. The girls all dressed up in nice dresses and called each other by Miss. It was very cute. Her family members dressed up as the servers and we had a bell to ring if we needed anything. The table was decorated very fancy and we had little tarts to go with our tea. Almost all the girls from our class were there and it was such a neat time to spend with them outside of school. After tea we watched a movie and then the girls went off to play while I chatted with the girl's mom for a little while. Anyways, I was quite excited because after 23 years I got to attend a real tea party.
Well, for the past few days little kids have been walking the streets asking strangers for a gift. It's kind of like trick-or-treating but it last for about a week. Also, the Mexican schools have off 3 days this year for the holidays- Day of the Dead and All Saints Day. They had off Friday and get off Monday and Tuesday. I've seen the marigolds set out on the street for a few days now.(If you don't know what I'm talking about- last year I wrote a blog after seeing what the Mexicans do for the Day of the Dead and you can find that blog in the first November blog in my archives from last year. If you didn't read last year, I encourage you to do that because as a Christian it's an eye-opening experience to see what other people believe.)
This weekend is the annual PCS camping trip, which should be a lot of fun. I do hope it's not as cold and wet as last year! I have been more spoiled this year with such beautiful weather. Rainy season is over now and the temperature continues to reach 80 during the day. However, I do miss seeing the colorful leaves on the ground in Ohio and feeling the change of the seasons. I will look forward to winter for a couple weeks when I'm home at Christmas!
Well, I want to tell you once again that I appreciate your many thoughts and prayers. I greatly miss the people of LBT and my family in Ohio as well as the friends I have scattered throughout the US. I pray that God will bless each of you in a special way this week!
Angelina
I enjoyed a warm, summery feeling kind of day today with friends from church. After church the young people had dinner at someone's home and then we spent the afternoon and early evening playing games. I assume you all had a nice day as well, only probably a little cooler than mine was! I can't believe that tomorrow is November! I will be coming home for Christmas vacation 7 weeks from today. The time is flying by. Just last week we finished the first quarter of the school year, which is why I didn't write last weekend. I was extremely busy doing grade cards and new things for the 2nd quarter of school. There is one event from last week that I would like to tell you about...... I went to my first tea party. It was quite fun. One of my student's had a tea party for her birthday and I was invited. The girls all dressed up in nice dresses and called each other by Miss. It was very cute. Her family members dressed up as the servers and we had a bell to ring if we needed anything. The table was decorated very fancy and we had little tarts to go with our tea. Almost all the girls from our class were there and it was such a neat time to spend with them outside of school. After tea we watched a movie and then the girls went off to play while I chatted with the girl's mom for a little while. Anyways, I was quite excited because after 23 years I got to attend a real tea party.
Well, for the past few days little kids have been walking the streets asking strangers for a gift. It's kind of like trick-or-treating but it last for about a week. Also, the Mexican schools have off 3 days this year for the holidays- Day of the Dead and All Saints Day. They had off Friday and get off Monday and Tuesday. I've seen the marigolds set out on the street for a few days now.(If you don't know what I'm talking about- last year I wrote a blog after seeing what the Mexicans do for the Day of the Dead and you can find that blog in the first November blog in my archives from last year. If you didn't read last year, I encourage you to do that because as a Christian it's an eye-opening experience to see what other people believe.)
This weekend is the annual PCS camping trip, which should be a lot of fun. I do hope it's not as cold and wet as last year! I have been more spoiled this year with such beautiful weather. Rainy season is over now and the temperature continues to reach 80 during the day. However, I do miss seeing the colorful leaves on the ground in Ohio and feeling the change of the seasons. I will look forward to winter for a couple weeks when I'm home at Christmas!
Well, I want to tell you once again that I appreciate your many thoughts and prayers. I greatly miss the people of LBT and my family in Ohio as well as the friends I have scattered throughout the US. I pray that God will bless each of you in a special way this week!
Angelina
[Friday, October 15, 2004]
Hello family and friends,
With God's help I've made it through another week. It's been a great week. Last Saturday, my church had a prayer retreat outside of the city. It was a good time to be with people from church. My friend, Kathryn, was also there with us. We had a few hours of praying in groups or as individuals, reading the Bible and worshipping the Lord through song. I had many opportunities to pray aloud in Spanish and it was good. I'm continuing to work on Spanish by having a private tutor. I also am talking with more non-English speakers at church and youth group. I just love learning Spanish! It's a great language. I'm finding more and more words in Spanish that are like English words- so things are connecting more for me.
I'm currently looking into Masters programs at OSU for next year. Although I am not 100% sure, I believe that I will be at home next year. I could use your prayers as I make that decision in the next few months. So, I'm starting to get excited about the idea of being a student again. I love school and I love to learn. (I guess that's one reason why I am a teacher.) I also am looking forward to being at home with my family and also being able to be involved at LBT for more than just the summer months as it has been since I left for college in 1999. So, while I am enjoying the school year here, I'm also looking forward to God's plans for the future.
Speaking of school, my students give me such joy. They have worked very hard and are very well behaved. Monday will begin the last week of the first grading period- meaning that I'm almost 1/4th of the way through the school year. It has been flying by. I truly want to enjoy every minute I have here in Puebla and learn as much as I can about the Lord. He has taught me and continues to teach me so much through my time here. Thank you for the role you have played in sending me to Puebla.
On Wednesday I was able to watch the Presidential Debate and am now more than ever anxiously waiting for my absentee ballot. We found out from the Allen County Board of Elections that it was mailed at the very end of September, so I'm expecting it anytime. Please pray that it will reach me in time and be returned in time. Thanks. Have a blessed day!
Angelina
With God's help I've made it through another week. It's been a great week. Last Saturday, my church had a prayer retreat outside of the city. It was a good time to be with people from church. My friend, Kathryn, was also there with us. We had a few hours of praying in groups or as individuals, reading the Bible and worshipping the Lord through song. I had many opportunities to pray aloud in Spanish and it was good. I'm continuing to work on Spanish by having a private tutor. I also am talking with more non-English speakers at church and youth group. I just love learning Spanish! It's a great language. I'm finding more and more words in Spanish that are like English words- so things are connecting more for me.
I'm currently looking into Masters programs at OSU for next year. Although I am not 100% sure, I believe that I will be at home next year. I could use your prayers as I make that decision in the next few months. So, I'm starting to get excited about the idea of being a student again. I love school and I love to learn. (I guess that's one reason why I am a teacher.) I also am looking forward to being at home with my family and also being able to be involved at LBT for more than just the summer months as it has been since I left for college in 1999. So, while I am enjoying the school year here, I'm also looking forward to God's plans for the future.
Speaking of school, my students give me such joy. They have worked very hard and are very well behaved. Monday will begin the last week of the first grading period- meaning that I'm almost 1/4th of the way through the school year. It has been flying by. I truly want to enjoy every minute I have here in Puebla and learn as much as I can about the Lord. He has taught me and continues to teach me so much through my time here. Thank you for the role you have played in sending me to Puebla.
On Wednesday I was able to watch the Presidential Debate and am now more than ever anxiously waiting for my absentee ballot. We found out from the Allen County Board of Elections that it was mailed at the very end of September, so I'm expecting it anytime. Please pray that it will reach me in time and be returned in time. Thanks. Have a blessed day!
Angelina
[Saturday, October 02, 2004]
Hello to all my faithful readers! I hope that you've had a good week. My school week ended with Parent Teacher conferences. On Friday the students went home early and parents came in the afternoon. With some parents I was very relaxed and I was nervous with others. Parents can be intimidating to a teacher because if it's the first conference you don't know what to expect from them and you don't know what they expect of you. However, everything went well. I enjoyed meeting with the parents and discussing goals and such for their children. God was definitely with me at that time.
For this whole week my students have been work on group history projects. They have been using construction paper, yarn, craft sticks and other materials to make a model of the fort at Jamestown. They are loving it! It's been the excitement of the week. They've been doing a really good job, too. It's been a challenge at times trying to figure out how to make different things work- which I hope will teach them that the people who actually built Jamestown ran into problems of their own when getting started. I've been very encouraged with their work. I hope for them to be done on Monday.
On Sunday, I took my friend Iliana out to lunch for her birthday. At home we think, out to eat- Applebee's, Golden Corral, Bob Evans. Well, we went to McDonald's. I was so excited. It was the first time I'd had a hamburger or french fries since I arrived in August. It was a long trip to get there, but we made it. Iliana and I have become friends over the last year and it was neat to spend some more time getting to know her. She is learning English so I helped her practice and of course I got to speak in Spanish. We really had a good time!
Well, God has been really teaching me lately. I've been studying in the books of I and II Samuel and God has really used it to challenge me. One thing for sure is that God isn't finished with me yet. He has shown me areas that I need to change and He is directing me in that. So, thank you for your prayers because God is hearing them and answering! I hope you, too, can experience the pleasure and pain that comes with God's work in your life! Have a great week!
Angelina
For this whole week my students have been work on group history projects. They have been using construction paper, yarn, craft sticks and other materials to make a model of the fort at Jamestown. They are loving it! It's been the excitement of the week. They've been doing a really good job, too. It's been a challenge at times trying to figure out how to make different things work- which I hope will teach them that the people who actually built Jamestown ran into problems of their own when getting started. I've been very encouraged with their work. I hope for them to be done on Monday.
On Sunday, I took my friend Iliana out to lunch for her birthday. At home we think, out to eat- Applebee's, Golden Corral, Bob Evans. Well, we went to McDonald's. I was so excited. It was the first time I'd had a hamburger or french fries since I arrived in August. It was a long trip to get there, but we made it. Iliana and I have become friends over the last year and it was neat to spend some more time getting to know her. She is learning English so I helped her practice and of course I got to speak in Spanish. We really had a good time!
Well, God has been really teaching me lately. I've been studying in the books of I and II Samuel and God has really used it to challenge me. One thing for sure is that God isn't finished with me yet. He has shown me areas that I need to change and He is directing me in that. So, thank you for your prayers because God is hearing them and answering! I hope you, too, can experience the pleasure and pain that comes with God's work in your life! Have a great week!
Angelina
