Giving Thanks

I have been so sick for the past week. Everyone's picking up this bug. Although I've been downing vitamins and such, it got the best of me. I lost my voice this week. I am helping with the praise team at church and feel awful about it. Headache, stuffiness, poppin' ears...I know that I'm not at my best, but it still sounds AWFUL!

I'm really grateful for the church here. I'm just left in awe. It's nothing like I have ever experienced. God has given me this amazing group of people to be around and to learn from and under. I just look at this whole worship team experience. In the past, if I've screwed up something, I would be heavily criticized with no guidiance (and I make mistakes all the time...as I'm sure others do as well). I don't know about you, but I feel really bad and one of two things happen: I feel so bad that have a hard time correcting what needs to be fixed OR I become obsessed with fixing the problem, that it just consumes me.

I was corrected today about something I was fully aware of, however, it was done such a loving way. I think this is the first time I don't feel miserable after a bad job. So, to that person, thank you. It's also a great lesson for me to remember in my teaching...

I'm finally starting to make friends at church. I'm quite sad though. One girl that I really like is leaving to return to Baghdad. I know she'll be back at times, but I wish I had more time to spend with her.

I'm also starting to feel comfortable around people in my Bible study. I've been the "entertainer" for the past couple of weeks. :)

It's been one full month of regular schedule at school. Regular schedule means busy, busy, busy. We are also working on some accreditation. I'm invovled in the process, but I don't really understand it. I have to make comments on things that go on at the school in terms of curriculum, etc. I just don't feel that I can make a fair judgement since I've only been at the school for two months. Oh, well. It is a very valuable learning experience for me.

In other news, after one month of 1st year Arabic class....I'm moving onto the 2nd year. Apparently, I'm ready for it! YAY!! حالأس

It's Starting to Feel Like Summer!!!

It's finally starting to feel like summer. The weather is beginning to become bareable. It probably reaches low to mid 90s now. Still humid. This morning we were late for work. Our bus was in/was stuck in traffic from an accident. I wasn't clear on the information. The driver had to change buses and we got picked up 40 minutes late. Some of us missed homeroom.

I remembered that one of my students had put her phone number in my phone. (The exact converstion was "Miss, I'm putting my number in my phone, so call me!! Me: What will we talk about? Boys? Student: "YEAH!")

I called her and told her we were late and ask if she would take care of things. She was so surprised that I called.

When I arrived at school, my students were so concerned because they thought WE were in the accident. They ran up hugging me. I really love my students. And at the end of the day, they all hugged me goodbye and told me they love me. Aw! I love them, too!

I've been teaching the Friday Church for 12-14 year olds. I'm teaching deep doctrines!! I'm so amazed that these kids actually KNOW their Bible!!! These kids quote it left and right to me!!! I don't think I've ever experienced anything like it in the States. Imagine a room full of 25 12-14 year old Bible quotin' kids!!!

So my schedule is starting to pan out. Ramadan is finally over. Things are beginning to become "normal." After teaching for 4 hours, I offer free tutoring on Sundays, Chinese language and culture club on Mondays, tutor for pay on Tuesdays and Thursdays and have meetings on Wednesdays.

I did get my drivers license, but I have done anything or gone anywhere...

Oh well. Maybe for December break.

AND....I voted today!!!!! My ballot was "lost" in the mail. It looks like I forgot to put the school's PO box number on the request form. I put the school name figuring it would get there...NO! It's been sitting at the post office for a week or two. Thanks to my friend, Ala'a, I was able to vote today. :)

Music Ministry Conference (Dubai)

I was able to attend a ministry conference at the Dubai Evangelical Community Church. I took a ride with some people from my church and had a great time!! I took a seminar on singing (it was a lovely reminder of all the things I learned in training) and a seminar on how to write worship songs. I've had some ideas, but didn't know how to put them down on paper. It was a great experience.

Ramadan is Finally Over!!!!

We are on our 9 day break for Eid-al-Fitr, which is the celebration of the end of Ramadan. I'm so happy for this for several reasons. First, we will finally be on a normal school schedule. Secondly, if I'm hungry at 3 PM, I can go to a restaurant and eat...not to mention drink water in public!!

Some friends from church and I went to the beach last night and had a little BBQ! We were "ambushed" by some Egyptian men, who would just not leave us alone. At first it wasn't a big deal. I'm used to the attention from being in Taiwan (ei locals wanting to take a million pictures with me because I'm American), but this was quite different. I need to remember this for next time.