End of Week 4 of school.

We have just finished the 4th week of school.  This was a short week, because Wednesday was Brazilian independence day and Thursday was a 1/2 day.  Thursday and Friday were Parent teacher conferences.  Those went well.  It would be nice if we could get the air conditioner in my classroom working because it gets really hot.  I guess it's a good thing that I'm not in there very long. (From:  7:30 - 8:30, 9:45 - 11:25, and 1:00 - 3:00)   It is just so hard for the kids to focus when it is so hot.
AVA is still in need of several teachers.  And those of us who are here are still in need of our work visas.  I have everything in for mine except the background check.  I had the background check but it expired...grrrrr.  This week, Marj (school secretary) took me, Carly and Kathleen to get fingerprints done at the federal police.  They have now been sent off for the background check.  Hopefully these come back soon so we can send in for the visa.
There are 3 missionary families who live in the neighborhood next to the school who have been more helpful than anyone else.  They let us us their internet and their Vonage phone.  They even feed us so we don't starve.  :)
Oh yeah, I can't forget...I GOT A MICROWAVE!!!! Now left-overs won't go bad before i can eat them.

Guess that's all for now!

First Week of School!!

 We are almost done with the first week of school.  I have 8 students in my class, 3 girls and 5 boys.  Things are going well so far.  My kids are great and my schedule is even better.  The schedule is the same Monday   - Thursday and every Friday we go 1/2 day.  We start school everyday at 7:30.  Monday - Thursday we have class from 7:30 until 8:30 then my kids go to Portuguese class.  At 9:15 the kids go to Merenda (snack and recess).  They come back to class at 9:45.  At 11:30 they go to Art or PE until 12:10, which is lunch.  Lunch ends at 12:55.  Finally we get to go home at 3:00.  On Friday, We have Chapel from 7:40 - 8:30, then Portuguese from 8:30 - 9:15, and Merenda from 9:15 - 9:45.  Then I have my kids for the rest of the day which ends at noon. It really is a perfect schedule.

Here are some pictures of my classroom:

Close up of border around black background.

Close up of border around green background.

Pictures!!!

 This is my bedroom.

This is the bathroom.  The only separation between the shower and the rest of the room is a small step .  OH yeah and you cannot flush the toilet paper.  That is sure something to get used to.

I have green toilet paper.  There is also orange toilet paper available, but green is more fun.

  
These 3 pictures are of my kitchen.  The center one is my clothes dryer.  I finally have food in the fridge because Tara took my roommate and me to Lider (the grocery store) to help us get started with food.

 
 
Yesterday, Saturday, a family whose kids go to AVA took us to the Bosque.  There were all kinds of critters at the Bosque.  The Bosque is part of the rain forrest that has been fenced in so that it won't be touched by construction.  We had a lot of fun running around the rain forrest with Hannah, one of the 8th graders from AVA.
Today we went to eat lunch at their house.  This family has all sorts of critters in the back yard.  They have rabbits, chickens, and dogs.


 

Saturday!

My roommate, Carly, and I went to the Bosque (a rain forrest in the city).  We got to see all sorts of tree and critters.  (I will have pictures soon.)   After we got back, we decided to take on the bus system and go shopping.  Luckily we had our friend Kathleen who had taken the bus before to show us what to do.  We went to a couple stores then to the mall.  The mall is air conditioned, which is one of the few places that is.  Carly and Kathleen were able to find toys and such for their class rooms.  We ate dinner in the food court at the mall at this place where you put the food on your plate and they charge you by weight. Sort of like cafeteria style.  On the way back to the apartment we went to a store "that has the things Big Lots didn't want".  At this store Carly and I were able to find more things for the apartment that we still needed.  We got canisters for rice and beans, clothes hangers, small round containers for left over food, other kitchen stuff.  Carly and Kathleen were able to find other things for their classrooms there as well.  We had lots of bags by this point, so we took a taxi home.  That is interesting since none of us speak any more portugese than to say hi (oi) please (por favor) thank you (obrigada) debit (débito) and we ate "straw potatoes"  (batata palha).  

I'm Here!!!

Yesterday was crazy!  I was to fly from Memphis to Miami then to Suriname and from there to Belem.  Everything went perfectly until I got to Miami.  It took me at least 30 minutes to find the Surinam Airways counter to get my boarding pass.  Once I found the counter the people there told me that I needed a transit visa just to change planes in Suriname, even though I was told that I would not need one.  I had to lug my carry-on bags (50 lbs worth) and get a taxi to take me to the Suriname Consulate so I could get a transit visa.  I spent $15 on the taxi there then $15 on the visa and another $15 on the taxi ride back to the airport.  All this for a visa that I didn't even need, in fact the folks in Suriname never even looked at my passport.  I got into Belem and my ride was waiting for me as I came through customs at about 3:30 am.  They took me to my apartment, which I had to climb 2 flights of stairs to get to.  One was regular stairs, however very narrow, the other was a spiral stair case.  (I will have pictures coming soon, but my camera battery is dead at the moment.)  The next part of crazy is that both beds in the apartment were wet because the rain came in through the window.  So needless to say I had to change the sheets before going to bed. I finally crawled into bed around 4:30am.  I got a few hours sleep and got up around 10ish and tried to take a shower but I could not figure it out.  Then I spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out the lock on the gate so I could get out of my apartment. AHHHH!  I finally got it to unlock and I made it to the school, so i could look around and meet people.  

4 days and counting!

I GOT MY VISA!!!!!!!  

After freaking out for the past few days that I did not have my visa yet, I got a call yesterday from the folks up in Virginia who were working on the visa for me that they had received it and that it would be over-nighted to me.  Daddy called around 11 today to say that it was at the house, so no more freaking out.  I knew that God was in control of the situation with whole time, so I don't know why I was worried.  

This week has been crazy trying to see people before I leave. 

Monday --  I went to Chuck E Cheese with Katie and Thomas, I helped Robin with her room at school, Mom and I went shopping. Tuesday -- I went to Pei Wei with Sharaze for lunch, then I helped Diane clean up the house for Habitat for Hope, and Catherine took me  to the teacher store where I got monkeys for my room, then dinner at Grandma's house.

Wednesday -- My favorite sister and I went running around all over the place (Chick-fil-a for lunch, and other stuff)  Robin came over to help me pack (sort-of) -- I did, however, find the books I wanted in the many boxes in the 100 degree attic -- then dinner with Niki at Fuji Cafe.  Mmm sushi!

Here it is Thursday -- I ate lunch with Holly at La Hacienda.  I still have a ton to do i'm going to Chili's with Sarah then Mom is helping me to finish packing (hopefully finish).  

Then there comes Friday, Saturday and Sunday which are all equally as busy as the rest of this week has been.  Maybe I can sleep on the plane!

Step 2!

Today I leave for Pre-Field Orientation.  I have to drive all of 20 minutes down the road to Southaven to get there, but I will be there for 2 weeks.    After orientation I will have only 3 weeks before I get on a plane to go serve in Belem, Brazil. 

God has provided so many people in my life who have been blessed enough to financially support me.  I am still in need of some financial support.    

Ahhhh….. I have so much to do and only 5 weeks to get it all done.