Back Home!

Hello friends and family,

I thought I would send you a little update on my life post school year.

June 6th was our last day of school, which was celebrated in the traditional JCS way, with Water Day. On the last day of school every year, the bomberos (firefighters) come to school and spray all the kids down. It's normally pretty hot by this time of year, so the water shower is a fun and refreshing way to end the school year. I spent the next week packing up my classroom, hosting and attending end of the year events, like awards night, 4th grade class parties, and report card night.

Water Day!!!

We cleaned our desks with shaving cream on the last day of school

Two of my fourth grade boys and I at the end of the year awards ceremony

I threw an end of the year class pool party

For their final project, my kids wrote and illustrated their own books and, on one of the last days of school, we read them to the first graders

After it was all over, my roommate and I headed to the beach for a few days to relax and unwind from the busy school year. It was good to get away before packing to come home. 


My final days in the DR were spent packing up my things, cleaning the house, and saying goodbye to lots of great friends. And on the 22nd, I headed back to Indiana. After a very long day, with stops in Miami and Dallas, I finally made it back to Fort Wayne. As always, it's great to be back, and this summer is sure to be a busy one. My body is still adjusting to being back in America and all its yummy food. I'm finding myself a bit overwhelmed by choices and options. I don't think I've ever realized how many options/choices there are for everything in the U.S.. I went to a church potluck the day after I got home, and was taken back by the varieties of pasta salads available. I know that's a silly example, but I think I've grown accustomed to a bit of a simpler life. What happened to rice and beans with chicken or beef? Some things will be an adjustment, I'm sure...


So now, you may be asking, what's next?


As most of you know, I am now back in Indiana. And as some of you may not know, as I hinted in my last post, I will not be returning to Jarabacoa for the next school year. I originally signed a two year contract to work at JCS, not knowing if I would extend that contract, but being open to it. I wrote my last post, still unsure what my decision would be.


However, for many reasons and after lots of prayer and counsel from important people in my life, I realized that my time in DR was over, for now. I say for now, because, if I've learned anything during my two years in the DR, it's that God surprises us a lot with his great big plans. I would love to one day return to the DR, but for now I'm taking it one day at a time, and God has me here right now. However, I am going to miss it so much, especially my kiddos!!


Teaching and mentoring kids and teens has confirmed my passion to work with them, I just don't foresee myself doing that within the field of teaching. I don't know exactly what that will look like yet, but eventually, I know I'd like to go back to school. Maybe guidance counseling or social work? We'll see what God's got for me long term.


As for the near future, I will be starting a new job as a Program Manager with Best Buddies Indiana on Monday. I feel so blessed to have a job, let alone one that seems to fit what I want to do so well. Best Buddies is an organization that works with individuals with special needs and pairs them with a college, high school, and middle school buddy. Best Buddies has chapters at schools across the world, but I will be working specifically with high school chapters in Indiana. My job is to work with high school volunteers and school chapters. I will help train them, pair them up with buddies, and help them carry out Best Buddies initiatives within their chapter. The job allows me to work with high school students, but also, to do a variety of other tasks, including planning, working with people,  and using my communication skills.


As of yesterday, I am living in Indianapolis with one of my friends from college and her roommate.They are graciously letting me squeeze into their two bedroom apartment until their lease is up in October, and we can look for a three bedroom place to move in to.  I'm so grateful to have a place to live and friends to go along with it. It will surely make this transition much smoother. 


With that being said, I want to thank you all so much for your faithful prayers, friendships, and support throughout these two years. I know I haven't been the greatest at this blogging thing, but your steadfast support has been greatly appreciated, nonetheless. Without your encouragement, these past two years might not have even happened. I truly believe my time in the DR has been one of the most amazing, stretching learning experiences of my life, and God has used it to teach me more about who I am, who He is, and where he wants me. And for now, that is here. I am excited to see where this new chapter of my life is headed. Of course, this isn't the end of this journey, but just another part of it. A part in which I still need and appreciate your prayers and support. I've only been home for a weeks now, and I know there is sure to be cultural frustrations/differences I will encounter as I adjust to life here in the states. I really haven't lived in one place since high school. In college I lived in South Bend part of the year and Fort Wayne another part of the year. Right after college, I left for the DR, but spent my summers and Christmases at home. I am ready to be settled, and have a bit of consistency. I never thought I'd say that!! Pray that God continues to bring the right people (including a church community) and opportunities into my life that will provide that support and consistency. And of course, pray for continued wisdom to discern God's voice and direction along the way. 


Thank you again!!


"I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.  In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" --Colossians 2:2-3

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see--how good God is

I read an article in Relevant Magazine the other day, that talked about how we often get sucked into, what the author referred to as, the first third of things. When everything is exciting, new, and just challenging enough. For most of us; however, when those feelings of anticipation wear away and we are served a big heaping plate of reality, we freak out. 

Confession: I'm totally one to fall for the first third of things. I can easily envision the big picture of some new decision or project, but once I realize the difficulty and work involved in something, I tend to grow anxious. I too-easily lose the joy and anticipation. My closet at home is full of half-begun projects (a t-shirt quilt, a scrapbook of junior year prom pictures, etc.), my bookshelves full of books I started to read, but couldn't get past the first few pages. Yes, silly things, but nonetheless, evidence of an unhealthy habit. 

I've been in the DR for a year and  half now, and I can safely say that I am out of the first third stage of my experience. I knew this would be the case coming back for a second year, and I was determined to not let new struggles make me bitter. But alas, after late nights of grading, long days of hyperactive 4th graders, big changes at school, and showdowns with lizards who cunningly find a way to invade my bedroom (I'm terrified of lizards, for those of you who don't know), I found myself at the end of last semester burnt out and lacking joy. 

After a wonderful break at home provided me with time to renew and relax, I returned to the DR, once again determined to not let my joy be deflated. And this time, I think God decided I really needed to understand this message. It seems like this whole semester, I have been bombarded with messages about the importance of 'joy'. 

Our school's virtue of the month for January was joy. I recently taught my student's about Job's joy in the midst of everything he went through. I heard devotions and sermons about finding joy in the Lord. 

I think I've been doing a lot of 'tasting and seeing' this past year and half. In fact, I'm starting to realize that perhaps this was one of God's original purposes in bringing me here. I think God knew I needed to be reminded of his love, provision, and control. 

God's been telling me to open my eyes and see what he has done for me, how he has directed my steps, protected me, and provided for me. These reminders help renew my joy when I am tempted to quit or have a bad attitude. From little things to big decisions, his faithful work in my life and in the lives of others has increased my joy.  

Some things that renew my joy:

1--Waking up to mountains outside my window.  I love mountains, and I get to be surrounded by them all the time. This country is so beautiful, and all I have to do is look out any window of my house to be reminded of how good God is. Even when it rains, it is beautiful. And it has been raining A LOT lately. Watching the rain clouds move in and envelope the mountains that  surround us until they completely disappear is just as beautiful as when the sun shines on the miles of mountains and green palm trees. I take this display of God's goodness for granted too often. 

2--Having a REAL beach (sorry Lake Michigan... you just don't cut it anymore) only 2-ish hours away doesn't hurt either. I had the privilege of visiting the beach about 3 weeks ago for Semana Santa (or Spring Break) with some awesome friends. I love everything about the beach, and it will surely be one of the things I miss most when the time comes to move back to Indiana. I think living closer to an ocean has helped me face my fear of it. A year ago, I would barely set foot in it, but over Spring Break I was totally embracing it: I even boogie boarded! It may not seem like a big deal, but it was. The particular beach we were at is close to a surf beach, and my friends all wanted to learn how to surf. They couldn't quite convince me yet to join them.  Mostly because I knew I would be absolutely terrible at it. I mean let's be honest: Mandy's coordination + a sport that involves a lot of balance= disaster waiting to happen. Baby steps. But I did get to sit and watch and soak up the warm sun and take lots of pictures of the pretty ocean. 

3--14 (now 13) loco, but beautiful fourth graders. As most of you know, teaching 4th grade was never really in MY plan (neither was teaching, in general, for that matter). I was asked to take up the position when I got here in August. Although, it has been extremely challenging and I have felt completely incompetent and unprepared at times, I am confident that teaching these kiddos has been a defining experience in my life. I have seven boys and seven girls in my class, and they are handful. 

Who knew 4th grade was so full of drama? It definitely is in the DR. However, I am convinced that God knew exactly what he was doing in placing me with these specific kids. As overwhelmed as I have been at times by them, I am also constantly overwhelmed by their need and desire to love and be loved. Each comes from a very different faith background, socioeconomic class, and life experience, but, as 9 and 10-year-olds, they still need and want to be loved, especially those that may lack it otherwise.  My hope is they get a little of that love from me, and that it shows them a glimpse of the love that God has for them. 


Some of you have been praying for my kids, specifically one or two of them. Thank you. I can actually see the fruit of your prayers this semester  in some of their lives. Continue to pray for them, that they see and understand who Jesus is. The DR is a hard place to grow up. Really, growing up is hard in general, but the culture of the DR is surrounding my 9 and 10-year-olds with stuff a child in the states would not encounter until adolescence. Although I teach 4th grade, I sometimes feel like I deal with middle school and high school issues. Kids grow up too fast here, and knowing how to teach and care for these 10 going on 15-year-olds is difficult. Pray for wisdom!! Although, they are a handful, they are also a hoot. They are probably the funniest group of kids I've ever encountered, as you may be able to tell by the picture above. Everyday, they make me laugh.


4--My own classroom. Last year, as a high school teacher, I was a floater. The students stayed in their class all day, and we would move around to them. So I would lug all of my papers and supplies with me to each class, and then retire to a tiny little closet of an office that I shared with 4 others. It was a good lesson in organization, but it was rough. However, it has made me extremely thankful for having my very own classroom this year. Probably one of my favorite parts of teaching has been organizing and decorating my classroom. I have a special day of the week set aside where I just work on stuff in my classroom (hanging poster boards, making a new homework system, organizing folders and papers, etc.). I absolutely love it, and I feel so much more organized and prepared when I'm not lugging everything I have in a canvas duffel bag. I was so frazzled by the end of last year, I know that God knew I needed the sort of stability that comes with having my own classroom, and he showed me, again, how he provides for even the littlest things. I won't post a picture of it, because I blogged a slide show of it a couple posts back.

5-- Growing relationships with high schoolers through Young Life. As I mentioned last year sometime, I've been able to get involved with Young Life Jarabacoa, a ministry focused on showing Jesus to the high school students of Jarabacoa, specifically at JCS and Doulos (the two English-immersion schools in the city). Not teaching high schoolers this year has helped strengthen my relationship with some of them. It's always hard to be both teacher and friend-figure. But I've been able to make deeper connections with certain high school girls this year, because I am not their teacher. 

In fact, I had the opportunity to take some of these students to YL camp two weekends ago. Camp is a jam-filled time of fun, games, music, quality time with high schoolers, and most importantly, a presentation of who Jesus is and what he did for each of us. It was an awesome way to spend more time with these kids, get to know them even better, and watch them open up about stuff they are dealing with. Camp weekend was exhausting, and I think I am now finally caught up on the sleep I didn't get during the weekend. 

6--Crazy, random adventures. One of my favorite parts of living here is all of the fun, outdoorsy, adventurous things available to do. We've got waterfalls, mountains to hike, motorcycles to ride, etc. This place is an adventurers dream. Previously, I would have never considered myself one of these 'adventurers', but living here is slowly turning me into one.  The past few weeks, Johanna and I and some of our Dominican friends have gotten in the habit of going on little mid-week adventures. Three Wednesdays ago, we went on a spur of the moment moto trip up to the mountain behind out house, and then last week, we went horse-back riding. Then, we did this:

In conclusion, God is good. enough said.

"I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. I live and breathe God... Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see--how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him." -Psalm 34 (The Message)

p.s. sorry if my formatting is less than awesome on this blog post. I'm trying to get the hang of putting pictures in my entries. 

p.p.s sorry if this is the longest blog entry you ever read.

a funny fourth grade story

Here's just a quick note about something funny that happened this week in class. This past Monday before school, I wrote this week's Bible verse on the board. My kid's know to get out their Bible notebooks and copy the verse down first thing. Accidentally, I had also written morning instructions right above the verse. So Friday, when my students had to recite their memory verse (like we do every Friday), one student came to my desk and said, "Please put your things in your cubby and copy down this week's verse into your Bible notebook. You have heard it said, 'love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I tell you..." and proceeded to tell me the rest of the verse.

All week he had thought that my morning instructions were a part of the verse he had to memorize, even though we had gone over it and practiced it as a class many times throughout the week.

Oh the things you have to think about when teaching fourth graders

Lesson learned: draw a line between different pieces of information you have written on the chalkboard.

New Year, New Classroom!

Hello friends and family!

Just wanted to drop a quick note and say hello! I'm back in Jarabacoa for my second year, but this year I will be teaching fourth grade!! We start school on Thursday. After all the craziness dies down, I will write a more thorough update (hopefully, this weekend). But for now, here are some pictures of my classroom.

School Update!

Where to begin? I think the last time I wrote about school, I was still just in the beginning days of first semester—struggling to simply figure out what I was supposed to be doing. Thankfully, I have developed more of a routine since then, but it has definitely been a learning process—figuring out which things work and which don’t, and learning how to handle Dominican high school students.

Some things I’ve learned:

• High schoolers are intimidating—especially when many of them are taller than you.
• Grading papers is the LEAST fun activity. Ever.
• High school students talk WAY too much. To any of my high school teachers, I apologize if I ever talked in your class. I feel you.
• Students come up with really sneaky ways of cutting corners on assignments and projects.
• However, teachers naturally adapt and develop special powers for sensing these sorts of shenanigans.

No, but really, I have been stretched in so many ways over this past year.

Through this experience, I have come to better understand who I am and what my passions are. God has confirmed in my heart a passion for working with high schoolers in some capacity. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my students this year. I’ve learned that I don’t have to be the type of leader to them that is wild, super funny, crazy, and outgoing; because sometimes kids just want somebody they can sit down and talk with—someone who will listen, even if all they have to say is how cute Zac Efron is. Finding the line between teacher and friend is very difficult, especially in such a social culture. I’ve been fortunate to establish some really great relationships with some of my students—even though it has not been easy and it has cost me some sleepless nights and tears. Yet, this only confirms to me that I am where I am supposed to be for now, even if I don’t understand why at times.

Also, I think God has given me a passion for helping people develop a love of learning—teaching them that knowledge doesn’t always come from a book and that what they are learning in school isn’t just teaching them math and science, but that it has the power to instill in them a sense of amazement, curiosity, and desire to continue learning through all their experiences in life. Getting them to change their perspectives on this has been difficult, especially when it comes to reading. Most of my kids are self proclaimed “Book haters.” My goal this year has been to teach them to view books as a tool to open their minds to the world around them, instead of as a tool to pass a test—teaching them how to think, not simply know.

I have also come to realize that teaching as a classroom teacher isn’t necessarily the way I am gifted to teach these things. How then do I go about doing this? I’m not quite sure yet, but it has become pretty clear over this past year that I do not see myself being a classroom teacher for the rest of my life—though, I guess, God could always have other plans. I would still very much love to serve kids and teens in some educational aspect, but what that will look like, I am not sure. I do plan to continue here at JCS next year, but my job description may be changing. JCS, as a school, is going through a lot of changes, with the hopes of making the school better—changes which began with the hiring of a new director in January. I am excited about these changes, but it means that everything is kind of up in the air. I may be teaching high school again next year, but there may be other opportunities available as well. Please be praying for wisdom and discernment the next few weeks as the administration makes these crucial decisions and for patience for me as I wait to find out what I will be doing next year. 

Christmas in the DR and at Home!

I was very blessed to be able to go home for Christmas—something that would not have been possible without many of you. So, thank you! It was wonderful to be able to go home and spend the Holidays with my family and friends—to indulge in the comforts of home a little bit, like consistent hot showers, dryers that dry your clothes with heat, not by spinning them in a giant salad-spinner, and mom’s home cooking.  It was also a much needed escape and time to relax after a crazy, busy first semester. 

I left for the states only three days before Christmas, so I was also fortunate to be able to experience a glimpse of what Christmas is like in the DR. The last few weeks before break were full of Christmas parties, banquets, and programs—not to mention, final exams and grading. All the festivities were exciting, yet exhausting. At the JCS Christmas program, I was able to perform two songs, “Away in the Manger” and “Silent Night,” with the after-school music class I had co-taught that semester. I was also able to perform a duet to “Winter Wonderland” (one of my holiday favorites) with another JCS teacher and a Dominican friend of mine, who accompanied us on guitar. I have always loved music and singing. Even though I would not consider myself exceptionally gifted or anything, it was nice to be able to do something I enjoy and to use the musical experience I have gained over the years. 

All in all, it was definitely a very Merry Christmas!

A very long overdue update...or at least an introduction to an update ;)

First of all, I would like to apologize for my lack of posts these past few months.

I’ve been fortunate in my life to have visited many places and experienced some incredible, life-changing things. But each of those times, I felt like I was simply stepping out of, or taking a break from, my normal life for a brief moment only to return and take my place once again. Yet this time, this has become my life. Every day, this place feels more and more like my home—at least a sort of temporary home. I have a life here—with responsibilities, friends, a job. So I feel less and less like somone having crazy, overseas, life-changing experiences. Even though I would not hesitate to say this experience HAS been life changing. So perhaps, the more I become accustomed to this new life of mine, the more I tend to get sucked into its routine. There is a tendency to forget that I still have obligations, responsibilities, and a place in a life back home. That I have friends and family whose support and encouragement allows me to be a part of this life I am living here. People who need and want to know that I am still alive and that I haven’t been swept away by some Dominican man who wants a visa–though I’ve had offers.  

All of that to say, I am deeply sorry to those of you I have kept uninformed. I’m going to try to keep my posts shorter, so that I have time to write them more frequently. I am not going to try to give you every detail of my life these past few months—because that would be THE longest blog post. Ever. Like Guinness Book of World Records material. Life has been busy, busy, busy—yet, awesome and challenging. Instead, I will try to give you the highlights, and include some pictures this time!