Here I am, sitting down to update, and I'm not sure at all what to write about.
Classes are going really well here! I'm much more confident when I teach our beginner class now, and I'm really enjoying getting to know all the staff and students at the school as well as neighbors I've met in the building. I learn just as much through teaching as the students do, or more. It's exciting when I'm preparing a lesson, and I can say: "Ah! So that's what present continuous is!" There have been some very amusing moments in class both when I make a mistake and when the students make a mistake. I'll have to post some of the more memorable quotes some time.
Spring is now officially here! Temperatures are usually around 97 degrees F during the day, and when I look at the future forecasts, the temps just steadily increase as time goes on. We'll be around 102 F by the end of this week… yippee! And I'm told this is nothing compared to what it will be later! It isn't bad since it isn't humid at these temperatures like it would be at home, and so far we've made it without turning on any AC in our flat, which makes me proud. (Of course, it does help that the temp goes down into the 60's and 70's at night and we have ceiling fans that could double as jet engines…)
I think I've either gotten over my culture shock, never had it, or haven't had it yet, because I find that I'm increasingly at ease here. I can cross the street without flinching, ride side saddle on the back of a motorcycle through Indian traffic without thinking I might fall off, ignore people staring at me, and have small interactions with people without constantly thinking I'm going to humiliate myself (though that doesn't mean I don't…).
Saturday before last was a Hindu holiday called Holi, a celebration of good triumphing over evil and spring time. On Friday night there were lots of bonfires and fireworks, and on Saturday there was a country-wide war of colors. Picture a typical summer-time water gun fight, except instead of water, colored dyes are used. I didn't participate, since the colors tend to leave you looking tie-dyed for a few weeks, but I watched from the safety of my balcony. My roommate played, and she's still pink, with nice burgundy-pinkish highlights. The roads and walls of buildings are still stained pink, yellow, green, and purple, as well as the goats and cows in the road. I think if I'm ever in India again on Holi, I'll definitely play.
In other news, I've been through my first sandstorm! Not terribly amazing or dramatic, but worth mentioning! And the temperature went down afterward, which was very nice! I've also begun to pick up random bits and pieces of Portuguese from some friends I've made here. It's amazing the vocab you can pick up from a two year old who speaks no English. I can now recognize "I don't want it", "It's mine", "daddy/mommy/aunty said no", pink, bottle, thank you, I'm sorry, good night, NO, "come with me", princess, pink, mine, aunty (that's me!!), spin, jump, no, pink, and some more pink." It's a lot of fun to pick up and use, since two year olds couldn't care less if you understand them, as long as you're willing to play with them!
This post is a bit rambling, but I hope that's all right! I'm seeing God move in amazing ways here, and I can't wait to share more in detail when I come home! He's showing that He is sovereign, no matter what the circumstances seem. He's also showing very firmly that He doesn't NEED us to work, He's perfectly capable of that ion His own, but He wants us here and following Him.
I'll post again very soon! Until then, here are some prayer requests, as well as a promise of more photos soon!
1. We continue to battle occasional illness. Colds, bad stomachs and the like. Please pray for protection and health, as we don't want to spend any time bedridden!
2. We're currently planning to travel a bit and see more sights in India, which is very exciting! Pray for plans to go through and for safe travel, as well as a good rest when we return before we continue teaching.
3. At the moment, I find that I am not sleeping well at all for some reason, and I can definitely feel it during the day. Please pray for good sleep and rest at night so that I have energy to teach and do what I'm supposed to be doing!
That's all for now, folks! Thanks for your prayers and for keeping up with my adventure. God bless and keep you all!
Kaitlyn
Classes are going really well here! I'm much more confident when I teach our beginner class now, and I'm really enjoying getting to know all the staff and students at the school as well as neighbors I've met in the building. I learn just as much through teaching as the students do, or more. It's exciting when I'm preparing a lesson, and I can say: "Ah! So that's what present continuous is!" There have been some very amusing moments in class both when I make a mistake and when the students make a mistake. I'll have to post some of the more memorable quotes some time.
Spring is now officially here! Temperatures are usually around 97 degrees F during the day, and when I look at the future forecasts, the temps just steadily increase as time goes on. We'll be around 102 F by the end of this week… yippee! And I'm told this is nothing compared to what it will be later! It isn't bad since it isn't humid at these temperatures like it would be at home, and so far we've made it without turning on any AC in our flat, which makes me proud. (Of course, it does help that the temp goes down into the 60's and 70's at night and we have ceiling fans that could double as jet engines…)
I think I've either gotten over my culture shock, never had it, or haven't had it yet, because I find that I'm increasingly at ease here. I can cross the street without flinching, ride side saddle on the back of a motorcycle through Indian traffic without thinking I might fall off, ignore people staring at me, and have small interactions with people without constantly thinking I'm going to humiliate myself (though that doesn't mean I don't…).
Saturday before last was a Hindu holiday called Holi, a celebration of good triumphing over evil and spring time. On Friday night there were lots of bonfires and fireworks, and on Saturday there was a country-wide war of colors. Picture a typical summer-time water gun fight, except instead of water, colored dyes are used. I didn't participate, since the colors tend to leave you looking tie-dyed for a few weeks, but I watched from the safety of my balcony. My roommate played, and she's still pink, with nice burgundy-pinkish highlights. The roads and walls of buildings are still stained pink, yellow, green, and purple, as well as the goats and cows in the road. I think if I'm ever in India again on Holi, I'll definitely play.
In other news, I've been through my first sandstorm! Not terribly amazing or dramatic, but worth mentioning! And the temperature went down afterward, which was very nice! I've also begun to pick up random bits and pieces of Portuguese from some friends I've made here. It's amazing the vocab you can pick up from a two year old who speaks no English. I can now recognize "I don't want it", "It's mine", "daddy/mommy/aunty said no", pink, bottle, thank you, I'm sorry, good night, NO, "come with me", princess, pink, mine, aunty (that's me!!), spin, jump, no, pink, and some more pink." It's a lot of fun to pick up and use, since two year olds couldn't care less if you understand them, as long as you're willing to play with them!
This post is a bit rambling, but I hope that's all right! I'm seeing God move in amazing ways here, and I can't wait to share more in detail when I come home! He's showing that He is sovereign, no matter what the circumstances seem. He's also showing very firmly that He doesn't NEED us to work, He's perfectly capable of that ion His own, but He wants us here and following Him.
I'll post again very soon! Until then, here are some prayer requests, as well as a promise of more photos soon!
1. We continue to battle occasional illness. Colds, bad stomachs and the like. Please pray for protection and health, as we don't want to spend any time bedridden!
2. We're currently planning to travel a bit and see more sights in India, which is very exciting! Pray for plans to go through and for safe travel, as well as a good rest when we return before we continue teaching.
3. At the moment, I find that I am not sleeping well at all for some reason, and I can definitely feel it during the day. Please pray for good sleep and rest at night so that I have energy to teach and do what I'm supposed to be doing!
That's all for now, folks! Thanks for your prayers and for keeping up with my adventure. God bless and keep you all!
Kaitlyn
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