Dear Friend,
Today I was walking to school to get some extra grading done over the weekend. It was mid-day and the sun was shining bright. I stepped outside in my T-shirt, capri pants and flip flops. I looked up with my eyes closed to feel the sun on my face. I smelled the freshly cut fields and heard the birds gaily chirping. To be honest I almost felt like I was in Switzerland. I couldn't help smiling and praising God for such a beautiful summer day. Then it hit me, it isn't summer, it is the middle of JANUARY! I laughed to myself at the fact. I can't believe I am in Indonesia and get to experience summer weather all year round. I love being hit with the facts of my life and having a new amazement of God who brought me to this country where I get to experience so many wonderful things.
The same thing used to happen to me at college. Most often in the dinning hall. I would be standing in line waiting for food, watching the hustle and bustle of the Chartwells workers and it would hit me, "I'm in College!" I would go back to the 'people watching booth' where my friends were waiting and I would say, "You guys! We're in college!" With a smile and a laugh they would reply, "Uhh, yeah, Becka, we've been in college for 3 years now." I guess I was always amazed that I was actually in college because when I was little, college was my end goal. I was going to college. I didn't know what I would do there nor what I would do after wards; I figured I would get my MRS degree because that is what happens after college. Thankfully my good friend Claudia kicked that idea out of my head my freshman year and made me find a realistic goal for my life beyond college, because there WAS life after college. I am forever grateful to her for that, because obviously I did not get my MRS degree and I did have a goal for a particular profession, to become a teacher, which is what led me to Indonesia.
Life is crazy, like a roller coaster (I know, how cliche, but I finally understand why people say that, and not just because of the ups and downs). Sometimes in life you want to scream and cry, sometimes you want to laugh and throw your hands up, sometimes you are scared of what may happen next, then excited at the rush of what is happening; in the end, even though you know both the good and bad feelings are going to come, you still want to ride the roller coaster and you actually look forward to the downhill thrust after the gradual climb up the treacherous hill. So enjoy the treacherous hill, because that's when the fun part is about to start. (Gradual and climb were two spelling words last week for my students... I should tell them I used those words in a sentence)
Well, I hope your week goes well,
Rebekah
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Crunching Leaves
Dear Friend,
Today I was able to crunch two wonderful sets of leaves at two different times. Yes, crunchable leaves in January. You see, we don't have Fall here in Indonesia, but occasionally leaves get old and fall of their trees, then they dry up and lie waiting for me to crunch them. I was a little skeptical about their crunching ability, but was pleasantly surprised. Both sets of leaves that I stepped on sounded like biting into a really fresh Pringles chip. Once I wanted to collect a shoe box full of prime crunching leaves and save them until February and then sprinkle them on the side walk to watch people excitedly crunch them, because one rarely ever sees crunchable leaves in February.
Speaking of crunch. Once I was babysitting these kids and we were having dinner with baby carrots as the veggie. Naturally the 5 year old boy didn't like them and wasn't going to eat them. "Let's see who can make the biggest crunch," I said right before chomping into one of my baby carrots. C-R-U-N-C-H! His sisters immediately joined in the carrot crunching game. "I think that was an 8!" "Oh wow! Definitely a 10." "That carrot barely made a sound, 2" Eventually the 5 year old joined in. He took one carrot and bit as hard as he could, "Wow! That was really loud~!" we all exclaimed. His big blue eyes lit up at the praise he recieved and he decided to give the same baby carrot another big chomp; unfortunately, this one was followed by a cry of pain. The carrot was too small and he accidentally chomped on his finger! I looked at his big blue eyes and pouting face, then one giant elephant tear glided down his cheek. So much for the "let's make eating carrots fun" game.
Today was the first day of school in 2011. We have some student teachers in grade 2 and 3. I can't believe just one year ago I was in the exact same shoes; experiencing my first overwhelming day in a new school wondering "How will I ever do this?" But then, I always managed; we all did, that's college. We would receive assignments that are hard, crazy and time consuming; which we 'brilliantly' left to the last minute to complete, but then we always do finish them, and finish them well. I miss those crunch days. Running to the computer lab after choir, creating a cover page and adding page numbers, printing out my paper, "Come on printer, come on!" I would whisper, then sprinting up a flight of stairs, running across the green soggy grass in front of the chapel, dashing through three sets of double doors, running up another flight of stairs and finally arriving in the classroom to hand in my paper right as class is about to begin. All I still needed was to staple the pages together, but we always ended up doing that in class. I also miss studying in the library with friends, taking study breaks by running around outside, grabbing a buffalo wrap from the Blink, or posing for silly pictures with our computers. Ahhh the "good ol' days," ha, I know, it hasn't been long enough to be good old days yet, but eventually it will be! I wonder how long must you wait to be able to say, "in the good ol' days..."
Well anyways, I hope you have a splendiferous week!
Your friend,
Rebekah E. S.
Today I was able to crunch two wonderful sets of leaves at two different times. Yes, crunchable leaves in January. You see, we don't have Fall here in Indonesia, but occasionally leaves get old and fall of their trees, then they dry up and lie waiting for me to crunch them. I was a little skeptical about their crunching ability, but was pleasantly surprised. Both sets of leaves that I stepped on sounded like biting into a really fresh Pringles chip. Once I wanted to collect a shoe box full of prime crunching leaves and save them until February and then sprinkle them on the side walk to watch people excitedly crunch them, because one rarely ever sees crunchable leaves in February.
Speaking of crunch. Once I was babysitting these kids and we were having dinner with baby carrots as the veggie. Naturally the 5 year old boy didn't like them and wasn't going to eat them. "Let's see who can make the biggest crunch," I said right before chomping into one of my baby carrots. C-R-U-N-C-H! His sisters immediately joined in the carrot crunching game. "I think that was an 8!" "Oh wow! Definitely a 10." "That carrot barely made a sound, 2" Eventually the 5 year old joined in. He took one carrot and bit as hard as he could, "Wow! That was really loud~!" we all exclaimed. His big blue eyes lit up at the praise he recieved and he decided to give the same baby carrot another big chomp; unfortunately, this one was followed by a cry of pain. The carrot was too small and he accidentally chomped on his finger! I looked at his big blue eyes and pouting face, then one giant elephant tear glided down his cheek. So much for the "let's make eating carrots fun" game.
Today was the first day of school in 2011. We have some student teachers in grade 2 and 3. I can't believe just one year ago I was in the exact same shoes; experiencing my first overwhelming day in a new school wondering "How will I ever do this?" But then, I always managed; we all did, that's college. We would receive assignments that are hard, crazy and time consuming; which we 'brilliantly' left to the last minute to complete, but then we always do finish them, and finish them well. I miss those crunch days. Running to the computer lab after choir, creating a cover page and adding page numbers, printing out my paper, "Come on printer, come on!" I would whisper, then sprinting up a flight of stairs, running across the green soggy grass in front of the chapel, dashing through three sets of double doors, running up another flight of stairs and finally arriving in the classroom to hand in my paper right as class is about to begin. All I still needed was to staple the pages together, but we always ended up doing that in class. I also miss studying in the library with friends, taking study breaks by running around outside, grabbing a buffalo wrap from the Blink, or posing for silly pictures with our computers. Ahhh the "good ol' days," ha, I know, it hasn't been long enough to be good old days yet, but eventually it will be! I wonder how long must you wait to be able to say, "in the good ol' days..."
Well anyways, I hope you have a splendiferous week!
Your friend,
Rebekah E. S.
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