Overdue

I apologize for how overdue this post is...once you start putting something off, the easiest thing to do is to continue to put it off (like right now I'm thinking how nice it would be to get up and make a cup of tea...after that point, it's not likely I would return to this post). In between new haircuts, preparation for the Spotswood team's visit, their actual visit, and recovery from said visit, it's been pretty chaotic here. [Side-note: how do new moms or moms in general ever have time to blog? They probably have less time than I do...]

I've finished teaching my first semester of many at the BSC. It's been quite the learning experience being at the front of the classroom instead of sitting at my desk gazing up at the teacher waiting for them to tell me exactly what's going on. Sometimes I feel like I'm treading water trying to keep up with the curriculum, specific needs that students have, and the classroom dynamic--all of which I'm familiar with from a students' perspective. However, the teachers' perspective is radically different. I've never had so much authority over a group of individuals.

Some of my students working on an assignment

An additional thing to consider is being a teacher in Asia. Teachers here in Thailand and other Asian countries are treated with so much more respect than in America. I thought that I would need to earn my student's respect through my ability to teach and the extent to which they learn English but not so here! They call me "Ajarn" (which means "teacher") or just "Teacher." They hand me the title despite how inadequate I feel in the role. To them though, the fact that I am a native English speaker makes me more than qualified. I think that the more time I spend teaching, the easier it will get (duh) and the more I can weed through the material I'm given to decide what is effective and what isn't. I also want my students to have fun learning English. It might turn a subject that they dread into a class that they look forward to.

One day on this blog, I'll discuss more teaching philosophies and spend more time reflecting on the subject. I think it will be healthy to record things that I learn as a teacher since that is my primary position here in Bangkok--Missionary/English teacher.

Anyways, the Spotswood team's visit was all kinds of awesome. Words can't even describe how encouraged I was by the time we spent together. C.S. Lewis said “Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?” Minus the good fire (unless you consider Thailand's weather to be a suitable alternative), there probably isn't any pleasure on earth as great as this.

I got experience what it says about fellowship in Colossians, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." There were many van rides where we sang worship songs, Disney songs, other songs that blessed me so much. I had so much thankfulness in my heart to God and I pray that the team was as blessed as I was...

The girls at House of Blessing

The whole group at the Grand Palace with some Thai friends