I've mentioned before how odd it feels to experience culture shock when returning to America. Since being back in Pennsylvania for a week, I've noticed that...
... Computer paper looks so short! In Europe, we have A4 paper, which is 11.7 inches instead of 11 inches long.
... Neighborhood streets seem so wide! Sure, we have highways in Germany. (I'm sure you've heard of the Autobahn...) However, streets in the town where I live are notoriously narrow. In fact, it's completely normal for everyone to go up onto the curb/sidewalk when pulling over or parking their cars. I think I'd get strange looks if I pulled onto the curb here in PA!
... People here have an accent! Somehow being away for 10 months has made the Philadelphia/New Jersey/New York accent seem a bit stronger this time. And apparently I have a "European accent"?! I'm not sure what that sounds like...
... Cars are so big! It doesn't seem as easy to "zip around" when most people are driving SUVs and minivans. (Not to be confused with 15-passenger dorm vans, which are a common sight at BFA.)
... I can use cruise control! Adjusting back to driving an automatic car wasn't as challenging as I thought it would be, and I am loving using cruise control again! Better make use of it while I can this summer.
... I don't stand out when I'm speaking English in public! When I hear an English conversation in Starbucks, I'm not guaranteed to know that person. And I'd better be careful what I'm saying about that person just a few yards away from me on the beach.
... So many people look vaguely familiar! Do I know them from high school? Church? College? ... Or do they just look like someone I know from BFA?! (Okay, maybe this is a problem that comes with age, not culture shock!)
I'm thankful for the richness of experiencing life in different cultures! Culture shock is worth it to stay connected to life here and life there.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
You're Invited!
Checklist for tomorrow:
-- Make sure all of the lights are off, windows shut, plugs unplugged...
-- Leave house at 5 am with 3 suitcases
-- Flight to Brussels
-- Flight to PA
-- Hug my family!
And I can't wait to see YOU, too! I look forward to catching up with you at church, at Starbucks, at your house... I'm anxious to hear how the Lord has been working in your life this year, as well as share stories from my time at BFA.
Also, you're invited to my summer celebrations! I'd love to be able to share with you about what God is doing here at BFA. I'm thrilled to also have a western PA gathering this summer, so I hope to reconnect with friends in the Grove City area, as well as Newtown. Let me know if you plan to attend one of these dessert nights with yummy food and German giveaways!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Accelerating to the End!
Accelerate, accelerate, accelerate -- BRAKE!
That's how the end of the school year felt! With so many special events, "last" this and that, and goodbyes to say, time seemed to speed up to the finish line. Now, dorm students are gone, and many staff fly to destinations around the world this week. And I'm left here reflecting on the whirlwind these past two weeks (and months!) have been.
To end well with my small group, I had them over for pizza dinner. We shared prayer requests, decorated picture frames together, and just enjoyed conversation together. It was a bittersweet time, as one of the girls also announced her recent decision to move to America to live with her parents now that they have received a permanent visa. We will miss Jin greatly next year, but I am confident that the Lord will continue to work in our lives here and Jin's life as she moves to Hawaii.
My class wrapped up our Medieval Times unit with a second annual knighting ceremony, class trivia game, and shield-making contest. The kids and I wore medieval-type clothing, and we listened to music of the period (although that wasn't their favorite!). Some of my students with no prompting from me at all, created a shield that said, "Thank you for being my teacher!" Warmed my heart. :)
The last day of school always seems to go so quickly! We began with an hour in the classroom, and I was super excited to do something new with this time. Ahead of time, I asked each student to give a one word or phrase description of each of their classmates. I then used these words to create a Wordle for each of the students, which I glued onto a piece of construction paper with a picture of our class. On the reverse side, we created a sort of class yearbook by signing each other's papers. These were laminated before the end of the day and will serve as placemats for each of the students (and their teacher!). I did also give class awards ("blessings") again this year, which the students enjoyed as well.
Zoomed in on the Wordle on my placemat
The students' comments to me - so sweet! (names removed)
Next, we had our closing chapel time. We prayed for each of the students and teachers leaving our school, which actually included me as I am going to be working at the middle school next year. How special to have one of my fourth grade students pray a prayer of blessing for me. After a soft pretzel and drink, we all headed outside into the surprisingly nice weather for our field day!
And just like that, the year is finished. This weekend we had high school awards, graduation, and staff picnic... and slowly, this town is emptying out as students and staff alike spread out around the globe. We are going from here to be refreshed and to share about our experiences at BFA this year. We're processing many feelings and changes, and we've faced different challenges this school year, but we can say with joy that God is faithful!
Monday, May 28, 2012
My Rock of Refuge
'Tis the season for multiple blog posts in one week...
Change is all around me. I'm working on end-of-the-year report card comments. We had our last small group gathering yesterday, where one of the girls shared that she will be moving to America next week. One of my roommates moved boxes of her stuff to her new place this morning, and furniture is being rearranged in our apartment. This week will hold awards ceremonies, class celebrations, closing chapels, and of course, graduation. Indeed, change is all around me.
There's a strange feeling in my heart at this time of the BFA year. It's an undercurrent of chaos, a tinge of insecurity. Things won't be the same again.
It's not surprising that the devotion I read in Jesus Calling a few days ago pertained directly to these feelings: "In a world of unrelenting changes, I am the One who never changes. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Find in Me the stability for which you have yearned. I created a beautifully ordered world: one that reflected My perfection. Now, however, the world is under the bondage of sin and evil. Every person on the planet faces gaping jaws of uncertainty. The only antidote to this poisonous threat is drawing closer to me. In My presence, you can face uncertainty with perfect peace."
At a ceremony this weekend, the middle school principal made these three statements: Change is inevitable. Growth is intentional. God is immutable. You can't avoid change, especially at BFA and especially at the end of the school year. People come and go. Classes come and go. Having said goodbyes before somehow does not make it any easier to do so again. But, how I choose to respond and where I place my trust is what really matters.
Praise God, I can rest on the sure foundation of the Rock! "Be my Rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for You are my Rock and my Fortress." Psalm 71:3
Change is all around me. I'm working on end-of-the-year report card comments. We had our last small group gathering yesterday, where one of the girls shared that she will be moving to America next week. One of my roommates moved boxes of her stuff to her new place this morning, and furniture is being rearranged in our apartment. This week will hold awards ceremonies, class celebrations, closing chapels, and of course, graduation. Indeed, change is all around me.
There's a strange feeling in my heart at this time of the BFA year. It's an undercurrent of chaos, a tinge of insecurity. Things won't be the same again.
It's not surprising that the devotion I read in Jesus Calling a few days ago pertained directly to these feelings: "In a world of unrelenting changes, I am the One who never changes. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Find in Me the stability for which you have yearned. I created a beautifully ordered world: one that reflected My perfection. Now, however, the world is under the bondage of sin and evil. Every person on the planet faces gaping jaws of uncertainty. The only antidote to this poisonous threat is drawing closer to me. In My presence, you can face uncertainty with perfect peace."
At a ceremony this weekend, the middle school principal made these three statements: Change is inevitable. Growth is intentional. God is immutable. You can't avoid change, especially at BFA and especially at the end of the school year. People come and go. Classes come and go. Having said goodbyes before somehow does not make it any easier to do so again. But, how I choose to respond and where I place my trust is what really matters.
Praise God, I can rest on the sure foundation of the Rock! "Be my Rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for You are my Rock and my Fortress." Psalm 71:3
Sunday, May 27, 2012
A Post from "Queen Bee"
On Friday I got to be "Queen Bee" in my fourth grade classroom. Our balloon countdown spirit day was "Be a Bee" in honor of the year-end spelling bee! Many of the students joined me in dressing in yellow and black -- we were the queen bee and worker bees!
With about 30 spelling lists of 20 words each, the students have learned 600 spelling words over the course of the school year! I narrowed it down to a list of about 130 for them to study, and only 48 words were used in the spelling bee itself. I chose words of increasing difficulty for each round of the bee. All 10 participating students made it through the first round, and several made it to the final round (round 8) to compete for first place.
To accommodate different learning needs and to keep students accountable for every word in the bee, all students wrote every word on a piece of paper. When all pencils were down (within 30 seconds), then the speller in the spotlight would spell that word aloud. Other students would not be eliminated if they spelled that word wrong, but I was able to later see students' overall scores. Several students who were eliminated early in the bee actually scored higher overall than the finalists!
Of course, the spelling bee champ (from the verbal spelling bee) and the overall best speller (from the written test) both enjoyed their chocolate bar prizes. Mmmm, M-I-L-K-A!
With about 30 spelling lists of 20 words each, the students have learned 600 spelling words over the course of the school year! I narrowed it down to a list of about 130 for them to study, and only 48 words were used in the spelling bee itself. I chose words of increasing difficulty for each round of the bee. All 10 participating students made it through the first round, and several made it to the final round (round 8) to compete for first place.
To accommodate different learning needs and to keep students accountable for every word in the bee, all students wrote every word on a piece of paper. When all pencils were down (within 30 seconds), then the speller in the spotlight would spell that word aloud. Other students would not be eliminated if they spelled that word wrong, but I was able to later see students' overall scores. Several students who were eliminated early in the bee actually scored higher overall than the finalists!
Of course, the spelling bee champ (from the verbal spelling bee) and the overall best speller (from the written test) both enjoyed their chocolate bar prizes. Mmmm, M-I-L-K-A!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Recording Session!
You never know until you ask... So I did!
I wondered if it would be possible to take the elementary chapel band to the local recording studio in Kandern. There is a strong music ministry here through my mission, as well as a music school for college-aged students called SchallWerkStadt. They have a really nice recording studio and interns who are learning about recording techniques. I asked if we could get a tour and record a track -- and they said yes!
On the day of our trip, it was torrential downpour. As the two chaperone moms and I drove the short 5-minute commute from the elementary school to the studio, hail began to pelt our cars and the vehicles on the 80-km road slowed. Closer to our destination, we encountered large puddles, mud slides, rocks on the road, and even an exploded sewage pipe. The excitement of the storm on top of our anticipation of the recording had all of the kids jumping up and down. I reminded them of the importance of listening to directions and staying as focused as possible so that we could get a good recording.
Mr. Davis met us in the lounge and showed us the control room, instruments, and sound-proof vocal recording area. Each kid got a headset that would be connected to a microphone in the control room and my microphone at the piano (in another room). We did a few run-through warmups of the song we would record ("Oh, Happy Day"), and then we began recording! After three tries, the sound techs and I were satisfied with the product. I'm not sure what we were more excited about... hearing the playback of the recorded track or watching Beni electronically mix the sound!
The trip to the recording studio was a great way to close out the year with these amazing students. I have loved imparting what I know about music, worship leading, and loving Jesus to this enthusiastic group. While I won't be leading the elementary chapel band next year, I'm looking forward to teaching the chapel band elective at the middle school. Who knows, maybe we'll take another trip to the recording studio next year!
"Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples." 1 Chronicles 16:23-24
I wondered if it would be possible to take the elementary chapel band to the local recording studio in Kandern. There is a strong music ministry here through my mission, as well as a music school for college-aged students called SchallWerkStadt. They have a really nice recording studio and interns who are learning about recording techniques. I asked if we could get a tour and record a track -- and they said yes!
On the day of our trip, it was torrential downpour. As the two chaperone moms and I drove the short 5-minute commute from the elementary school to the studio, hail began to pelt our cars and the vehicles on the 80-km road slowed. Closer to our destination, we encountered large puddles, mud slides, rocks on the road, and even an exploded sewage pipe. The excitement of the storm on top of our anticipation of the recording had all of the kids jumping up and down. I reminded them of the importance of listening to directions and staying as focused as possible so that we could get a good recording.
Mr. Davis met us in the lounge and showed us the control room, instruments, and sound-proof vocal recording area. Each kid got a headset that would be connected to a microphone in the control room and my microphone at the piano (in another room). We did a few run-through warmups of the song we would record ("Oh, Happy Day"), and then we began recording! After three tries, the sound techs and I were satisfied with the product. I'm not sure what we were more excited about... hearing the playback of the recorded track or watching Beni electronically mix the sound!
"Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples." 1 Chronicles 16:23-24
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Loving Well
This past weekend I was blessed to have the opportunity to lead worship with two other BFA colleagues for a women's retreat in Switzerland. For many of the ladies from the international church in Basel, this was their first-ever women's retreat! What a pleasure it was to lead them to the foot of the cross through music. It was great to also hear solid teaching from the Beth Moore DVD on "Loving Well" -- loving people who are easy or hard to love, close friends or enemies or strangers.
It's weekends like this one that I can especially sense the Lord's purpose and design for my time here. I hadn't prepared any "filler" music, but there ended up being several times when they needed background piano music during meditation/prayer, and the Lord provided the notes and the chords for each of those moments. I could really sense Him playing through me. What a perfect reminder that He guides me and uses me in ways that I can't imagine!
Shelley (vocal), Me (vocal and piano), Brittany (guitar)
It's weekends like this one that I can especially sense the Lord's purpose and design for my time here. I hadn't prepared any "filler" music, but there ended up being several times when they needed background piano music during meditation/prayer, and the Lord provided the notes and the chords for each of those moments. I could really sense Him playing through me. What a perfect reminder that He guides me and uses me in ways that I can't imagine!
Friday, May 11, 2012
Honor Your Mother...
Today we celebrated our moms with some fun games and special hand-made poetry books! It was so fun to have ten out of the twelve students' moms join us for the last hour of the day.
Game 1: How much do you know about your mom?
(Ten trivia questions to answer and then compare with mom!)
Game 2: Mother's Day Pictionary
(Phrases moms say -- like "Do your homework," "Don't jump on the bed," and "I love you!")
Poetry share: Quality time with Mom!
Other fun in class lately...
Playing Apples to Apples to review nouns and adjectives!
Counting down the days until the end of school!
(It's hard to believe that we're already at 12!)
(It's hard to believe that we're already at 12!)
During finals week in college, many students blew up balloons to pop after each final. Thanks to Pinterest, I got the idea to modify this for my class. I put slips of paper in each balloon with fun activities. Each day we pop another balloon and celebrate the end of the year in that special way. Today was barefoot day!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Fruit Detour!
J: "Oh no, oh dear..."
D: "I can't believe this!"
S: "And this is where I come in. I'm patience. Most people want more of me, but they have a really hard time getting it..."
It was a thrill to watch my twelve fourth graders perform "Fruit Detour" this morning. I wrote the script a few weeks ago to sum up what we've learned about the fruits of the Spirit this year, and it has been so fun seeing the characters come to life during rehearsals over the past week. Although the students were nervous to perform for their parents and peers at chapel, they did a great job! (Can you tell I'm a proud teacher?) I even got to have a cameo appearance as a banana... what a thrill! :)
I shouldn't have been surprised that tonight's reading for high school small group also mentioned the fruit of the Spirit: "What disturbs me most is when were not really bothered that God living in us has not made much of a noticeable difference... When we exhibit the peace that surpasses the world's understanding, that's when the world notices. That's when people say, 'Your Lord -- He is God!'" (Francis Chan in Forgotten God)
I pray that my fourth grade students, small group girls, co-workers, and friends all see the fruit of the Spirit in my life. That they would be drawn to worship Him. And ultimately, that they would be compelled to live lives surrendered to the Spirit.
D: "I can't believe this!"
S: "And this is where I come in. I'm patience. Most people want more of me, but they have a really hard time getting it..."
It was a thrill to watch my twelve fourth graders perform "Fruit Detour" this morning. I wrote the script a few weeks ago to sum up what we've learned about the fruits of the Spirit this year, and it has been so fun seeing the characters come to life during rehearsals over the past week. Although the students were nervous to perform for their parents and peers at chapel, they did a great job! (Can you tell I'm a proud teacher?) I even got to have a cameo appearance as a banana... what a thrill! :)
I shouldn't have been surprised that tonight's reading for high school small group also mentioned the fruit of the Spirit: "What disturbs me most is when were not really bothered that God living in us has not made much of a noticeable difference... When we exhibit the peace that surpasses the world's understanding, that's when the world notices. That's when people say, 'Your Lord -- He is God!'" (Francis Chan in Forgotten God)
I pray that my fourth grade students, small group girls, co-workers, and friends all see the fruit of the Spirit in my life. That they would be drawn to worship Him. And ultimately, that they would be compelled to live lives surrendered to the Spirit.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tag der Offenen Tuer
This past Saturday was the Tag der Offenen Tuer (Open House) at the elementary school! We welcomed families of our students, as well as members from the German community, to tour our school, hear presentations from the elementary choir, enjoy a buffet of finger foods, and visit various "fair-like" stations.
I also had a variety of props from the high school drama prop closet -- wigs, vests, capes, boas, hats of all types -- which made the photo booth even more fun!
In addition to creating the posters and programs for the event, I had a blast running the "photo booth" station. For a backdrop, I hung a black sheet on the German chalkboard mounted in my classroom. This chalkboard is unique because it slides up and down along the wall to adjust height! This of course worked out perfectly for a photo backdrop that needed to fit behind tiny toddlers and tall adults.
I also had a variety of props from the high school drama prop closet -- wigs, vests, capes, boas, hats of all types -- which made the photo booth even more fun!
Taking photos also gave me a chance to talk to families, some of whom were locals from the town. It was a stretch for my German :) but also a great opportunity to make them feel welcome at our school and continue to build bridges into the community!
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