Some thoughts about things

I've been having this feeling about here. I can tell that I like this place. I can feel myself loving it. I think I will probably cry when I leave. But nevertheless this feeling, I think I may also get homesick for the midwest. I will miss fall coming in this year and the way christmas comes at andrews and also with family. I don't think I'll ever miss driving in the ice but I will miss the snow. I was thinking about how I will be happy the leaves will stay on the trees here but alas, thinking that I"ll miss the process of them falling makes me miss that part even thought it's still summer at home. I like the falling process but dont like how they stay gone for so long.

I can feel myself becoming homesick but it's a very sureal feeling because I can feel myself falling in love with this place too.

What I"m trying to do however is think: why give in to negative feelings about this place if I miss home when I will only be here a year to enjoy this beautiful place. There is a magnificent sunset almost everyday that causes the sky to become a brilliant glowing thing. At night there are crickets chirping and I can even pick out the mosquitoes buzzing. It's weird because it sounds like a mosquito is about to come fly by your ear but you know it's probably not because you're actually hearing how many of them they are that are far away. The view from the school is so nice too. There is a soft hill that comes up from the canal of water that passes by the school. The mangrove trees have such charm. And I know I"ll miss seeing geckos on the wall and having no one even bat an eye because they're so common.

I know culture shock is coming and I"m dreading that time but I think I'll be able to pull out of it pretty quickly. I'm already through two whole weeks and that baffles me. This is going to happen so fast I don't think I should get caught up on wanting to leave.

My students are good kids. I can see so much potential in them. I gave the first test yesterday. Chemistry. The average of all the scores was exactly a 75. This indeed is an average but I know they are capable of so much better! the highest was an 88 and I didn't have any A's. I'm going to have a discussion with them and also help them understand that it is their responsibility to learn in the same way that it's mine to teach them. It can't be one sided or there will only be one sided results.

I was working in my classroom last night and on my way back to the apartment I stopped at the deck that looks over the water and hill. It was kind of scary walking over there in the pitch blackness but when I began talking to Jesus the feeling melted away. I sat there for about a half an hour just soaking it in. Telling him that I don't want to get distracted by homesickness. I have everything to be thankful for. It was beautiful.

The starts here are magnificent. You can see the milky way very clearly. Even with street lights on near you it is brilliant because there's nothing besides the island lights for miles and miles of ocean. Sometimes I forget that I'm on an island and then I'll be in the car and drive up a hill to see that at the top you can see it in the distance, or we'll drive past it.

I almost went running this morning; but it was raining. I think maybe I should have gone anyways. I plan on starting next week no matter what. Things are less stressful now. I'm getting a hang on things.

Please pray for Olivia who woke up with chills this morning and went to the hospital for some medicine. I'm hoping it's only a short cold or something. Kristen got a stomach bug last week from eating some milk that probably had been left out before the store. Several students have some kind of cold right now and are missing school too. Pray that we all stay well. I had a banana, some papaya and an orange this morning in hopes to ward off anything that might decide to bombard my body.

Today I'm giving a biology test and physical science test. I think they will do better than the Juniors did with chemistry. They seem to still think school is important. We'll see how it goes. Pray for them and my Seniors who will have a physics test on monday. They are serious minded but I don't think they're holding on to what I tell them. They understand but their homework says they don't.

Sabbaths are very nice here. They give that needed break. I can finally think and recollect myself for another hard week. The people here all have wonderful voices too and it's really nice to hear them singing at church. I'm very thankful for Sabbaths.