This new life of mine

I've been continuing to adjust and learn about this new place that I call home.  Despite having lived in Port-au-Prince for two years, I am often in shock and awe of my surroundings here in Gonaives.  I am so incredibly thankful that God has allowed me to be a part of this place...a part of this family.  Sometimes when I look around, I can't help but wonder how I got to be so lucky to be here.

Jubilee school has been in session since September 6th.

I've been working hard to write lesson plans and get to know my students.  I am the kindergarten homeroom teacher, and I teach four different classes each day: Kindergarten English, two different classes of 1st grade English, and 2nd grade Science.

The children forgot a lot of the English that they learned over the summer.  So, I have been spending the large portion of my time catching them up again and reviewing what they learned last year.  The students challenge me on a daily basis.

My classroom is one half of a large room.

The room is divided by three large cabinets.  The other half of the room is for another class.  My students and I are blessed to have four walls and a roof over our classroom.  

This set-up does occasionally make it difficult for my students and I to stay focused.  The noise coming from the other class often gets too loud to concentrate or hear.  On top of that noise, I also get the noise of the pre-k class because there are holes in the wall that we share with Pre-K.

While it can be frustrating, it sometimes makes me laugh when my students decide to join in with counting, reciting, or singing when they hear the other classes.

The school is located in Jubilee, which is literally located in the city dump.  So, when I look outside my window I see people going to the bathroom or watch dump trucks burning loads of trash.

In the distance you can see the trash burning

In between teaching, I've found myself as a mediator for arguments between children, rubbing cream on little bodies covered in ringworm, holding down a small child as he gets stitches in his head, or simply just getting to know the people of Jubilee.

It is a hard place.  A harsh place.  A beautiful place.