It's Here

Today is moving day!

There are so many thoughts and emotions running through me this morning - excitement, sadness, "Am I forgetting something important?" and, "Boy did I have some weird dreams last night!"

My bags are packed (minus a few carry-on items...e.g. my laptop). I think they're under the weight limit (barely!). And in a few hours, I will be driving South to Miami to fly even farther South to...La Paz!

My friends and family have all been incredibly encouraging this week. God has used their words to spur me on and build me up as I start out on this new journey. Thank you all!

So, once I'm settled into my new apartment (?) or condo (?), and once I figure out how to use our internet, I'll be sure to post an update to let you all know just what Bolivia is like!

Here are a few other thoughts running through my mind this morning...
"Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping Thy presence my light."
(We sung this at church yesterday. Talk about perspective!)

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."
-Corrie Ten Boom (if you don't know who she is, Google her!)

"We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." -2 Corinthias 4:7

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

0 days 'til departure!

One Week

In one week, on Monday, July 25 at 2:00 p.m., I will be boarding a plane in Miami and flying to the Bolivian altiplano (high plains). It's hard to believe it's coming so fast!

Just over a week ago, I got back from my 2 week Pre-field Orientation (PFO) in Southaven, Mississippi. Two weeks may sound like a long time to sit through dozens of sessions about transitions, assessment, and culture - and it was - but I had so much fun that the time actually flew by.

There we were, 80 or so teachers getting ready to jet off to schools around the world (literally!), staying in high school classrooms on creaky cots. Our days were filled with sessions to prepare us for our journeys ahead, and our evenings were filled with pick-up games of volleyball and soccer and whatever else came our way. Over 2 weeks, we played more card/board games than I've played all year! We even got to go to a Red Birds minor league baseball game in Memphis. (They won!) We watched fireworks and Super 8 in our spare time, and I got to know an amazing group of fun, talented teachers who God is calling to Korea, Indonesia, Ghana, Peru, Venezuela, Suriname, Turkey, and...the list could go on!

In the actual orientation part of PFO, we explored how different cultures interact with one another, and identified areas that could create conflict as a result of cultural misunderstandings. We took several personality tests and inventories to learn how we work in groups and how we deal with conflict. It as eye-opening to step back and think about my own tendencies. Some sessions dealt with our safety on the field, and some sessions dealt with the stages of transition we will experience as we move to a new country.

One of the highlights of the orientation was meeting our school director (Scott Frost), the other new teachers who will be going to La Paz, and a veteran teacher (Alison, that's you!) who has been teaching at Highlands for 4 years! Alison and Scott gave us the inside scoop about life in La Paz, and Alison gave us some lessons on cultural norms...like the proper way to greet strangers and close friends. We have a great team. I already feel really connected to my four new friends, and I am so excited to work with them this school year.

Here we are!

Maegan, Becca, Julie, Alison, and Me

*Please pray for these girls as they get ready to move. We're all in the packing and goodbye stages of this journey, which can be stressful, exciting, and sad all at the same time. Also, please pray that our whole team of teachers (new and old) at Highlands will be united with the same mindset and love and grace for each other this year, and that the trip to La Paz will go smoothly and safely for all of us.

Another highlight of PFO was learning how NICS was started, and how God is working through its schools around the world. You should go read about it. :) http://nics.org/history

It's not the whole story, but it gives you a basic idea of how NICS became what it is today.

This quote pretty much sums it up:

"This was not originally intended to be a global plan to reach the world, but God's heart for the world pushed us forward, as he opened our eyes to what he was doing in our midst."

And that's pretty awesome if you ask me.

7 days and counting!

Counting Down

Well...with each passing day, the distance between me and La Paz shrinks. As of yesterday, I'm at the one month mark. It feels like it's coming fast! Yikes!

Tomorrow I leave for my 2 week Pre-field Orientation in Mississippi. At the orientation we will have several seminar-style classes to teach us about some of the different issues we will face in our schools and the issues we will face as we move abroad. Some of the titles on our schedule include, Safety: At home, at school, Third Culture Kids (referring to students who are expatriates), and Learning to Adapt. Plus, I'll get to meet some of the new teachers I'll be working with next year. I'm really looking forward to that!

As a whole, I am feeling pretty apprehensive about teaching this fall. I'm so excited to be a teacher, but so much of this is new to me! I feel like I'm learning a lot as I go...I've been taking a lot of fears to God in my prayers lately. *

And on that note, I do have a few prayer requests this time around. Please pray for me...
1) to have peace and confidence in the days leading up to the start of the school year (a.k.a. trusting God with the transition)
2) that I will be prepared to teach/that I will have time to prepare
3) that our team of teachers will be ready, will get along well, and will be centered on serving God
4) for safety in traveling and emotional, physical, and spiritual health in all the adjustments


*Based on my fears, I have been thinking on these verses lately:
"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged." -Deuteronomy 31:8

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9

Both of these verses were said to Joshua as he prepared to take over leading the Israelites when Moses died. I'm sure it would have been an intimidating transition. Moses had some big shoes to fill! After all, he had led the Israelites out of Egypt, led them through the Red Sea, and led them through the desert for 40 years. God, of course, was the one who performed the miracles in Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and provided food and water for the people throughout that time. Nevertheless, I'm sure Joshua must have felt insufficient for the job. Thankfully, faith in an unfailing, all-powerful God was the requirement for the position. We know from reading the rest of Joshua's story that he faithfully listened to God's directions and God gave the Israelites great victories as he and the people obeyed. Pretty cool.

Another good reminder: "Who of you by worrying can add even a single hour to his life?" -Matthew 6:27

So true. "Cast your anxiety upon him for he cares for you." -1 Peter 5:7

28 days til departure!

Answered Prayers and Little Surprises

God is good.

In the process of moving to another country, there are many unknowns. I have so many questions, sometimes I don't even know where to start! Several of these questions involve the availability of items I take for granted. For example, "Will I be able to buy a jar of peanut butter there?" or "I wonder if they have cereal there." Most of these questions are pretty unimportant. I can live without peanut butter. I'll find something for breakfast that doesn't involve crunchy flakes in milk. However, there are some other questions that are more essential.

One of my fears about the transition involves my asthma. For those of you who don't already know, I have exercise and allergy induced asthma that I control with a fast-acting inhaler. My asthma is triggered by physical activity (anything cardio), allergens and pollutants (dust, cat hair, cigarette smoke, etc.), and dry, cold air. Being high in the mountains, La Paz is said to have a somewhat cold and dry climate. Additionally, many people suffer from shortness of breath due to the altitude itself. These factors make me wonder, "How is my asthma going to react when I'm there?" and "What if I can't breathe?"

Anyway, one of my questions about the transition has been, "Will I be able to get enough inhalers to last while I'm in Bolivia?" and "Do they sell them there?" I've only ever gotten one inhaler at a time. Now, I'll need at least 4 for August to December. I started praying that God would make a way that I could get 6 inhalers (a six month supply) to take with me on my first move.

Well, I went to the doctor and presented my request to her. She said she would write a prescription for 6 months but she didn't think they would give me more than 3...I kept praying. When I went to pick up my inhaler, they had mistakenly only entered one inhaler into the computer. I explained my situation to the pharmacist who told me she could give me 6 inhalers, but my insurance would only cover one. However, my insurance only knocks $5 off of the cost of the inhaler anyway...And, she told me she could give me a "card" (similar to frequent buyers card, I guess) that would knock off about $5 for each. After a few minutes, I walked out of CVS with 6 inhalers in hand! Thank you, God!

God is continuing to open doors in this process. He is faithful, and he continues to surprise me with his goodness (which I guess I should really expect since he is always good). Some of these surprises have come in the form of sale purchases.

I was praying about what jacket I should buy for the trip (I know it may sound silly to pray about what jacket to buy, but I did it anyway! I pray about lots of "silly" things.). There were a few factors that went into this decision. 1) It is cold. My jacket should be warm. 2) It rains a lot (even though it is dry?). My jacket should be waterproof. 3) If I hike in the mountains, there might be snow. Again, I need a warm, waterproof jacket. 4) It warms up a lot during the days, and the weather changes quickly. I need a jacket that I can change when the weather changes. 5) I don't have a lot of packing space to work with...So, in conclusion, I need a multi-purpose jacket to accomplish these goals.

I looked around online and found some "3-in-1" Northface jackets that have a removable fleece liner and a waterproof shell with a hood. They looked perfect! If it is cold and rainy (or snowy!), I could wear a warm, waterproof jacket. If it is just cold, I could take out the fleece liner and just wear that. Or if it is just rainy, I could just wear the outer, waterproof shell as a rain jacket. Like I said, perfect. Except...shopping for a warm, waterproof jacket in Florida in the summer does have its challenges. Plus, all of the online sellers seemed to be sold out of my size or were charging a pretty hefty price for the jacket. Hm...after several hours of searching and indecision, I found a jacket in my size (in an agreeable color) for a large but reasonable price. I submitted an offer to eBay and...was informed that the item had already sold. Ok, God. I guess that's not the one! Back to the search engine.

As it turns out, when I searched again, a new site popped up. A site that was selling the jacket I wanted, in my size, at 50% of the price I was about to pay for it! Wow! It is surprises like these that make me laugh and celebrate God's goodness. God is a good Father to me. Even in some of the "silly" things (non-life-altering things), God continually shows me that he is taking care of me and that he loves me. Some days, it is finding a parking spot. Other days, it is finding my keys...And some days, it is getting a GREAT deal on a warm, waterproof jacket!

Factors, and Planets, and Graphs, Oh my!

As I have been preparing for Bolivia, I have checked many things off my list:

• Get visa (Check!)


• Get shots (Check!)


• Buy waterproof jacket (Check!)

But, in the midst of these preparations, I have been clueless as to what kinds of school supplies and teaching resources I should even think about bringing. Until yesterday, that is.

Yesterday, I learned that I will be teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math AND 6th and 7th grade science this fall!

I have to say, I was really nervous when I first found out what subjects I was teaching because I do not consider math and science my strong points. In fact, this makes me laugh because anyone who knew me in middle school and high school knows that math was definitely NOT my favorite subject, and science was my LEAST favorite subject.

However, over the past several years, I have really grown to love both math and science. Science because it is so practical. It's life! Everything involves some kind of science. Plus, the more we know about science, the more we know about God's amazing design of our world and the worlds beyond.

I read the 6th and 7th grade science standards yesterday and some of the things I will be teaching are basic anatomy, rock cycle, and the solar system! So cool. I can't wait.

And for math, there are so many fun things to explore during these grades. Again, it's all so hands-on and real! Measurement and angles, negative numbers, probability, algebra...It's all around us. Plus, it's like a puzzle. You have to brainstorm and experiment and explore to find the solution. Who doesn't like puzzles?!

I realized some of the things my 2nd graders learned this year are the very first steps to what my middle schoolers will be learning next year! 2nd grade, you're well on your way to middle school!

Now that I know, you can be pretty sure I'll be using my free time for the rest of the summer to brush up on my factors and exponents and endocrine systems and...Does it make me a nerd that I'm excited about doing this over my summer vacation? Haha don't answer that. :)


*Just a few verses about the Maker of science and the Author of math:

"The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of his hands." -Psalm 19:1

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." -Psalm 139:13

"By wisdom the Lord laid the earth's foundations; by understanding he set the heavens in place." -Proverbs 3:19

One Step Closer

I'm happy to say...my visa is in hand!
I am legally one step closer to moving to La Paz.

Caleb and I drove to Miami this morning with my paperwork to visit the Bolivian Consulate. I was nervous that I had done something wrong, but thankfully, my worrying was in vain. After making a few U-turns, we found the Consulate hidden in an office building down the hall from the Subway (as in the sandwiches) headquarters for Miami and Latin America. I handed over my paperwork (practicing some Spanish in the meantime), and within the half hour, I walked out with my official visa!

Then, Caleb and I drove to Calle Ocho where we had lunch at what he described as a "Cuban Denny's." My Lechon Asada (roasted pork), rice, and yuca was deliciosa, and it gave us both a good chance to practice our Spanish.

After lunch, we bought a flowers from a small stand outside of the restaurant for my parents' anniversary. *Congratulations on 24 years of marriage, Mom & Dad!*

...62 days and counting!

What's new?

Well, it's been just under a month since my last post, and I have a few new things to report!

First, the big event of the season for me...

...Graduation!

After 4 years, 40 classes, and several thousands of dollars, I stepped across a stage, shook a few hands, and became an official alumnus of Florida State University. Yay! In what was a whirlwind weekend, my family (minus Caleb) came into town, celebrated with friends and food, and helped me finish moving out of my apartment. I said goodbye to Bradford Oaks and several friends with a few laughs and a few tears, and we headed South to Plantation (Dad and Jeff spent an unexpected evening in Orlando due to car trouble, but made it home just 24 hours later than planned.).

I spent the next few days unpacking and trying to find new homes for my many belongings that seemed to expand as soon as I tried to fit them into my closet. I said goodbye to a few boxes of things that seemed like they would be more loved (or at least more used) in someone else's home, and after a little effort (and a trip to the storage unit), everything was settled into its new place.

Nearly as soon as I finished organizing, the company started coming! My first visitors were the Marvelous Madison and Excellent Emily. We planned to spend time basking in the sunshine, making friends with butterflies, and kayaking through the South Florida canals. We did do some kayaking, but due to rain and the threat of thunderstorms, our sunbathing and butterfly garden adventure had to wait. Instead, we spent the week eating ice cream sundaes, touring the Sawgrass Mall (we found some great deals!), and enjoying high quality entertainment together (The King's Speech, and Glee).

Madison and Emily left town on Saturday and were replaced by...the Sensational Celeste and her boyfriend Andrei as well as my Aunt Mary and Uncle Jose. We had a delicious graduation dinner with several friends and wonderful family members, which included highlights such as laughing our way through several YouTube videos and eating...3-LAYERED CHOCOLATE CAKE!

After a fun-filled week/weekend, I spent Monday doing laundry, running errands around town, swing dancing with Britnee and Annie, and repacking for a week away from home. It was quite a challenge because my trip included several destinations with even more activities.

Destination #1: St. Petersburg, Florida

Birthday festivities for Emily which included frozen yogurt, my first Zumba class, hibachi chicken and shrimp, beautiful days at the beach, quality time with 2 of my best friends, and, of course, big floppy hats!

Destination #2: Winter Park, Florida

Sushi with Madison and Celeste and Andrei thanks to a happy mistake! After dinner (and dessert), a relaxing evening of American Idol. Finally, meeting my ride to Destination #3.

Destination #3: Charleston, South Carolina

A weekend of swing dancing, relaxing on the beach, and hanging out with new and old friends...Pure bliss.

Destination #4: Plantation, Florida

Finally home! Ah...After a week away, I was relaxed and ready to sleep in my own bed once again. At least for a few days! :)

*Drumroll please...In case you're wondering why I haven't included much news on Bolivia, it's because there hasn't been much new news! BUT here's the latest (for my most faithful readers...): the past few days have been filled with visa preparations (filling out the application, taking a terrible passport picture, etc.) and reading my Pre-field Orientation materials. And today, I got my shots! Thanks to modern medicine, I will no longer have to fear the threat of Yellow Fever or Typhoid Fever.

Next item on the agenda: taking my visa application to the Bolivian Consulate Miami.

66 days and counting!