Merry Christmas

Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it!

Shout, you lower parts of the earth;

Break forth into singing, you mountains,

O forest, and every tree in it!

For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,

And glorified Himself in Israel

Isaiah 44:23

On their way!

My family is currently on a plane flying to AFRICA!!!

Still can't believe it.

It's here.

It's here. Wednesday. The last day of classes, and the beginning of Christmas vacation. Maybe I just have unreasonable expectations for my feelings, but this is not how I expected to feel on December 19. It's like it hasn't hit me yet. I'm still planning on doing a lot of work over the next two days, so I know that my break doesn't really start right away, but still. I should be at least a little more excited, right?

I am excited about all the things that I'm planning on accomplishing over break. Once I have the freshmen's health test graded and entered, I can focus my energies on making lesson plans, power points, and worksheets for next semesters classes. All this planning is exciting, but it is at least partly responsible for my lack of break inspired enthusiasm.

In addition to feeling like school is continuing on into break, I'm having a really hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that my family will be here in Kenya on FRIDAY! It's crazy! I'm so incredibly beyond excited, but at the same time, not completely believing it. I've been planning and waiting for this weekend for so long, it seems impossible that it's already arrived.

While it seems odd to see the kids all packing up and leaving, I know that it's time for a break. Regardless of what this break does or does not hold in store for me, I'm glad it's here. I'm grateful for the change of pace, and I'm looking forward to being able to fill my days to the brim with family and friends.

Stuck

Stuck, trapped, whatever you want to call it, that's exactly how I've been feeling lately. I think it's the end of the semester that's finally getting to me because recently I've realized just how incredibly confined I am. I don't have my own car here, and while I can walk out to the road and grab a Matatu (public van type transportation), there's only so far I can travel in one of those. Not the mention that I have to find someone to go with me, and with only seven possible candidates, my options are often scarce.

Christmas break is promising to provide just the change of pace I've been craving, and I'm so incredibly excited! While I may be buried underneath a pile of ungraded papers for a few days, the vast majority of my four weeks off will be spent traveling with family and friends. I can't wait to travel around Kenya, from the Masai Mara to coastal Mombasa. I love it here at Maxwell, but after teaching for 4 straight months, I'm definitely looking forward to the chance to getting off campus for more than just a few hours at a time.

Midterm Exams

I gave the freshmen a semester test for biology lab last week. On the back of the test, I offered them extra credit for giving me suggestions for what the SMs should do over Christmas break. This is what one student came up with:

1. Give all the students 100% on their tests
2. Give presents to (this student)
3. Go to Masai Mara and smuggle a baby lion to Maxwell
4. Eat
5. Throw toilet paper at people
6. Write Merry Christmas on Facebook and whoever liked or commented go to their wall and say "Dog cat human" on their friends wall
7. Drive a car out to the town and throw money not coins

I'm going to miss my students.

This is just a taste of what the same student is dreaming up for his own break! (Notice the mosquito killing)

Student Quotes

Rudy: Ms Emily, what color is your hair?
Me: Brown
Rudy: Are you sure?
Me: Yes. . . ?
Rudy: It looks gold

(In the middle of a biology test) "Ms Emily, who are you voting for in the election? Obama is my uncle!"

"You're so emotional!" 

 "Ms Emily, do you have kids?"

These kids say the craziest things and ask the craziest questions. Sometimes I really have to wonder what is going on in their heads! Most of the time, the freshmen are ridiculous, but every once in awhile they surprise me. Like when one of them asked me,

"Ms Emily, can a person change their character?" 

Discipline

These past couple weeks, I've been a terrible disciplinarian. Terrible. Not that my recorder class has ever been well behaved, but even my freshmen are walking all over me, and I've done nothing to stop it. This morning in biology, I don't think there was ever more than 2 seconds worth of quiet, and if those two seconds existed, I missed them. It was bad.

I'm sure that my lack of control of the classroom stems from several things, but one of them is the feeling of inadequacy. How am I supposed to stand up in front of a class of over 20 children and command their attention if I don't feel like I have anything worthwhile to say to them? Part of the problem is the planning. Finishing my powerpoint the night before I present it doesn't do much to inspire confidence. The other problem is in the word feel. I feel inadequate, and I don't feel like I have anything worthwhile to say. There's a stark contrast between what I feel, and what I know to be true. If I've learned anything in the past few years, it's that feelings come and go, but God remains constant. Isaiah (currently my favorite book of the Bible) gives me so much hope, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever." (40:8)
Today, I may not know how to be a great disciplinarian, but I do know that I am God's, He has chosen me, and He will not cast me away. (41:9)

"For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'" (41:13)

Gratitude Lately

November was a good month. Ushering in the holiday season here in Kenya is strange, yes, but oh so wonderful! Lately, there has been so much food, fun, and friends to be thankful for!

Yummy Indian food

Warm friends on cold nights

Santas in sandals

Awkward moments in Nakumatt

Chaco tan lines

Sundays spent wrapping Christmas presents 

Incredibly talented housemates

SmartShopping

Disney princesses

A sky that continues to take my breath away