Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

I couldn't think of a better way to end this year than spending the last couple weeks with my family and friends here in the United States. It was different leaving the Dominican Republic this time, because it had become my home, not just finishing a short term mission trip. Yet, I felt like I was going home, too. I started to wonder what or where is "home" anymore. But those thoughts were quickly tucked aside when I saw my family waiting at the airport and later walking into momma's house all decorated for Christmas. It has been a time of rest, refreshment, and catching up on life.

I've spent a lot of time traveling, but have enjoyed some much needed downtime. I've been able to see all the Christmas lights I love at this time of year. I've bundled up in layers to brave the cold (yes, 40s and 50s are cold compared to 80s or 90s). I've had to remind myself how to drive, and not by Dominican rules (stoplights/stop signs aren't optional). I've made many trips to Walmart (and other stores) and packed out my suitcase for the trip home with things I can't find in the Dominican Republic. There are moments I've found it very strange being able to understand people wherever I go, such as church, the store, restaurants, and not having to have someone translate for me. I've had my fill of my favorite foods (and put on a few pounds). It is great to see my family and our time together has been so precious, but a part of me misses home. I wonder what my students have been up to, how my neighbor is doing, and I miss the sun and warmth. It's like being caught between two worlds, but I'm learning to enjoy the moment I'm in.  

Earlier this evening I mentioned to my family that I wasn't going to post anything about the new year because, academically, we are only halfway through the school year (so it doesn't feel like the end of a year). But, it makes sense to look back at this time of year to see all that I've come through and look ahead to what the future may bring. I started 2015 with this verse and it only seems all to fitting to claim this verse for the next year:"But forget all that- it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." (Isaiah 43:18-19 NLT).  God's ways are so much higher than mine. 

Looking back...

This past year has been a year of major changes! I loved living back at home with my mom for several months during my transition time. It gave us some good time together before I moved out of the country. She was so willing to open her home to me. For that I am very grateful!  After a short interview process I accepted a teaching position at Santiago Christian School in the Dominican Republic in February. In many ways I felt like I was taking a flying leap into the unknown. However, God had been preparing me long before this. 

The school I had been teaching at for 11 years closed its doors in May. Letting go of this familiar setting was hard, but I had to trust that God had a perfect timing for this tough change. I really enjoyed my last year with a great group of students, and goodbyes were very difficult. I knew that was the end of one chapter, but the beginning of the next.

My younger sister graduated from high school. It was a time of celebration and time to let her test her wings. I'm glad I was here to watch her finish her senior year. She's accomplished so much in her high school years and I couldn't be more proud of her! She is now in college to be a dental hygienist and working two jobs.

I made some great memories with the junior high and high school youth groups. It's been a joy watching students grow in their relationships with each other and seeing their commitments to follow Christ. I treasure the memories we've made over the years and the relationships I've made with them as well as the youth sponsors. One of my greatest moments was seeing one of our students baptized in Lake Michigan (it was freezing). I will admit I miss the interactions I had with the older students since I moved to the DR.

I also watched my niece graduate from preschool in June. I can't believe she's started kindergarten. Time is flying! All three of them are growing up so fast. Two are now in preschool and one in kindergarten. 

My big move to the DR happened in July. I love the song "Day One" by Matthew West. This felt like it was day one of the rest of my life. It was a new beginning, a fresh start. The following months were full of adventures and learning how to live and teach in another country. I was able to make a classroom into my classroom/our classroom. Now it is filled with student work and projects to show what we've studied. I also had several opportunities to travel this beautiful island, and I still have so much to see.  

I'm so grateful for the support system God has given me both in the US and the DR. The other teachers and staff at SCS have become like family to me. We have laughed together and cried together. We've rejoiced on the easy days and encouraged each other on the rough days. I couldn't be in a better place. I am thankful for the times that God has answered my prayers like I wanted (like getting the job at SCS) and the times He chose something different (like months of severe migraines). 

Looking ahead....

I am excited to see what this next year will bring! I continue to adjust to life in the Dominican Republic, and I'm sure there will be more changes/challenges along the way. My goal is to learn the language and be able to reach out more to the community in whatever ways that God opens doors. I want to grow in my relationship with God, so I can be a living example of Christ for my students. I may not know exactly what will happen in 2016, but I have seen God prove His faithfulness to me time after time and that won't change. So....

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

A Time of Thanksgiving and Adventures

I can't believe it is already December!! I have been in the Dominican Republic for almost 5 months and in less than two weeks I will be going home to visit my family. I am so excited! I love technology, but nothing can take the place of being in the physical presence of your family and friends. School is flying by. My students are teaching me important lessons as much as I'm teaching them.

We've had a lot of fun learning about animal adaptations in science, starting multiplication and division, and learning how raisins are made in reading. At Thanksgiving I had them put all the things they were thankful for onto note cards and we made a bulletin board full of our blessings. It got them thinking (and me) about all the things God has given us and reminded us to be thankful for not just the good things but also the hard things.

My roommate, Kyla, is busy prepping the students for our school music program. We are getting into the Christmas spirit, as much as we can with the temperatures here being in the high 80s or low 90s, with music, baking (they bake, I eat), and lights. I bought and decorated a little Christmas tree, which I must say I'm very proud of.

A couple nights ago Darlene drove me around looking at some of the Christmas lights in town. We figured out that most people decorate inside, because we didn't see many outside decorations. There were a few brightly lit trees. I love Christmas lights!

In mid-November Santiago Christian School had a Family Fun Day. The parent's association did a great job putting this event together. So many people were involved in pulling this off. There was a great turn-out. The students couldn't stop talking about all the fun inflatables, the great food, and the rides they went on. It was awesome to see our campus full of students and their families!

Thanksgiving was very different for me this year. The Sunday before Thanksgiving the SCS staff did get together for celebration with all the traditional foods for an American Thanksgiving. We ate till we couldn't move and ate some more. We enjoyed fellowship and a time of worship. It was like a big family get together- with my Dominican family. But, I wasn't home for the Thanksgiving traditions of cooking dinner with my mom and sisters, eating together around the table, sharing blessings from the year, playing games, and eating leftovers for days to come. This year I spent Thanksgiving traveling around the island. 

A couple other teachers and I headed to the southern part of the Dominican Republic for a few days of vacation. The drive was beautiful and took us through the mountain back roads of the country. I loved driving through the small towns and taking "peeks" into the lives of Dominicans. I always said that traveling wasn't just about reaching your destination, but enjoying the adventures along the way. We had construction, winding/rocky roads, GPS sending us in circles, stopping for cows, etc. After several hours of driving through winding roads, we made it to Barahona.

We stayed at a bed and breakfast that was right next to the water. It had a pool, but we were gone so much that we didn't actually use the pool. The first night we just settled in and enjoyed the view of the sunset over the water.

Genny taught us a new game- Unexploded Cow, which sounds like an interesting game, but is quite fun. It reminded me of the games my family would play after our Thanksgiving dinner (adding in lots of mosquitoes).

The second day we set out early to go to Bahia de las Aguilas- "Bay of the Eagles". We stopped several places along the way to take pictures of the incredible view.

We decided to stop at the Haiti/Dominican Republic border, because I hadn't been to the border before and wondered what it was like. It had a chain link fence that separated the two countries.

It used to be open for market days and people could cross back and forth. But, in recent months they have closed it down. You could see people of both sides talking and a couple people were sending food to the Haitian side. As we left, I felt a sense of sadness, knowing the difference between the quality of life between the two sides, and I can't do anything to change that for those that struggled. We continued on to Bahia de las Aguilas. It is part of a reserve, so you go to this restaurant where you pay and take a boat over to the beach (only a few minute boat ride). We stopped at Lover's Beach, a very small beach on the way, to do some snorkeling.

Then we went on to the main beach. I love walking the beach looking for shells. I also got to do some more snorkeling. I could see starfish and multi-colored fish. The reefs look pretty healthy. The water is beautiful with so many colors of blues! It's really clear too. I love that we can go to the beach at the end of November and it's still warm. It was a long day, but a great day, enjoying God's beautiful creation- from sunrises and sunsets to the Caribbean Sea and everything in between. The next morning I was up with the sun. I had to get some pictures of at least one of the breathtaking sunrises I see daily here in the DR. It was so worth it! I sat in stillness as the waves broke against the shore and thanked God for blessing me with eyes to see and ears to hear.

This day we decided to travel all the way around Lago Enriquillo. It is the largest salt lake in the Caribbean. It is rapidly growing for reasons not entirely clear.

The government actually had to relocate a whole town to higher water because of flooding issues. There are trees that have been completely submerged over the last few years.

We saw quite a few rhinoceros iguanas running around. This one kept yawning (or maybe he was telling me to back off), so I waited with my camera ready for the next "yawn". They weren't scary at all (except when they all came running towards us at the beginning).

It is home to the largest population of American Crocodiles in the Caribbean, which frequently came to mind as we took a boat ride around the lake. I must admit when the boat driver first pointed this crocodile out I was very skeptical that it was even real. I thought it was a fake placed there to wow the tourists. We sat there watching it for several minutes without it moving, mouth open. UNTIL, it turned and flipped into the water right in front of us. Then all skepticism was gone.We saw quite a few in the water around this cove area. And I was secretly praying the boat wouldn't malfunction right then. The boat ride was an awesome opportunity, since it took us right through the trees that were partially submerged and right up to the crocodiles. It was over an hour ride. Well worth it.

Our last stop was at a Taino cave right down the road. The hike up to the top was not entirely pleasant by this point of the day, but it was interesting to see the carvings and the panoramic view of the lake from the top was breathtaking. Unfortunately, I started feeling ill and this was the end of sight-seeing for me on this trip. However, our adventure did not quite end, because on my way to dinner I decided to lock the door on the way out of our hotel room and leave the key inside the room. I felt so bad since we had to wait a while for them to find the right key to unlock it. Later, I was able to laugh about it. What is a trip if it doesn't have memorable moments?

We stopped in Santo Domingo on the way home to pick up some things from IKEA. This place has so many things, including escalators (and those that know me know I love escalators!). After some rearranging, we were able to load up the car and head back to Santiago. So, maybe this wasn't my traditional Thanksgiving, but it is definitely one that I'll remember.

Today Darlene took me to Camp David, a hotel and restaurant up on the mountain, which has an amazing view of all of Santiago on a clear day. We watched the clouds roll through and were able to see planes fly in to the Santiago Airport. 

It is always hard to get back into school after a break, but we had an awesome week. I think counting down days until Christmas break is helping us have something to focus on. Both students and teachers are in need of an extended break, and I know many of us are very ready to see family back in the states! 

So these are snippets of my Dominican adventures from the last month. My pictures don't do justice to the beauty all around me. Every day I stand in awe of the place God has called me to serve- from the sunrise to the smiles of my students to the sunsets each night.