Week One... Done!

ghWell, I've officially been a grade 5 teacher for 8 days now....and only one kid sent to the principal's office! I'm exhausted and overwhelmed but definitely surviving! I have 28 kids in my class and a full time teaching assistant since I have a girl with downs syndrome and a boy with aspergers. It's a weird time of year to get a new teacher, so the kids are definitely pushing me to see how far they can get. I think I've stood my ground and we're making baby steps but I imagine it'll be a few more weeks before I have the "great class" I've been told I have. I've had my fair share of eyes rolled at me. Grade fives are at that fun age of hitting puberty and developing their attitudes. And the girls... well, girls can just be really mean to each other. Curriculum aside, if I can teach them how to get along it will be a successful year.

One of my goals this year is to have balance. Too many teachers work all day and then work all night. The truth is, our job will never be done and we can always do better, but sometimes you just have to walk away. If the kids don't learn every aspect about the Greek environment, they still might actually grow up to be decent people. So I've been workig hard, but trying not to work TOO hard. It's a job, but at the same time, it's only a job. Thankfully I work with several other people who share that philosophy.

Although I miss my sleep-ins, it's good to be out working and hopefully influencing kids' lives for the better, even if they do drive me a bit nutty. But it's only 20 weeks 'til summer.... not that I'm counting!

What would you do with 10 million dollars?

I read today that Zimbabwe has just introduced a 10 million dollar bank note. Sounds like a lot of money. Unfortunately it's less than 4 US dollars. When Joel and I arrived in Zimbabwe just over a year ago the exchange rate was 1,200 Zim dollars to 1 US. Now it's over 2 million to 1. That's hyperinflation for you and it doesn't seem to stop. What would you do with 10 million dollars? If you live in Zimbabwe, not much.

Working Woman

It's almost 10am and I'm still in my pajamas. Life is good. But as of tomorrow I'll be up bright and early. Last week I got the exciting news that I've been hired by the Peel board as a permanent grade 5 teacher. I was shocked when I got the call, as I've applied for so many jobs since returning home from Zimbabwe in July. I even interviewed for jobs I was sure I was going to get... but turns out I was the only one who was sure! I'm very thankful for a permanent job in the middle of the year. The current teacher was hired to a new position in the board, opening up her role.

For my last few years of teaching I taught ESL (English as a Second Language). It was my dream job... working with small groups of kids, teaching language (no math or science!!), watching kids go from silence to non-stop talking and learning how to read and write. It was the perfect job for me and it didn't require a lot of after school hours. The hardest part of going to Zimbabwe for me was giving up my job. And while I knew that getting back into ESL right away was unlikely, I had no idea how hard it was going to be to get any kind of teaching job.

The neat part about the school I'm working at is that they have a focus on social justice. They were really interested in our work in Africa and I know that's what tipped the scales in my favour. It's neat that the reason I gave up my job, is also the reason I got my new job. I officially start on the 21st but am going in tomorrow to meet the kids and start getting ready. I'm overwhelmed and scared but overall just incredibly grateful. I've enjoyed the slow pace of the last year and a half, but am more than ready to jump back into the working world!

Jeanne Assam

On Sunday December 9th, a gunman shot two people outside New Life Church in Colorado Springs, and then charged inside apparently planning to kill many more. Because of earlier shootings at a nearby Youth With a Mission Base, there were armed security guards in the church. One of them was Jeanne Assam, who confronted the man as he came inside and eventually shot him dead. She credits God for helping her take him down. (See story and related videos here)

Not surprisingly Jeanne is being hailed as a hero as her act likely saved hundreds of lives. While I understand where this is coming from and why she did it, I find it all fascinating. I've come to the place where I guess you could label me a "pacifist". And while I know I am definitely in the minority, as a Christ-follower I don't believe Jesus taught us to use violence, but instead to radically love our enemies. Easier said than done I know, but it's what I believe and hope to live out. Out of interest I did a google search to try to find out if anyone else had a problem with what Jeanne did and surprisingly I found almost nothing... only articles and blogs about how this shows how ridiculous pacifism is and how guns save lives.

While I'm not here to judge Jeanne Assam and understand that lives were lost in this tradegy, I still have a hard time with the fact that so many Christians don't think twice about the fact that she also took a human life. What do you think?

A Canadian Christmas!

Christmas was exciting for us this year as it was our first as a married couple in Canada. Our first Christmas was spent on a plane crossing the Atlantic and then completely jet lagged in Zimbabwe. We were on a whirlwind exploratory trip to see where we might spend a year in Africa. Our second Christmas was spent in a rural Zimbabwean village with new friends. We napped, went for a hike, picked wild fruit, sat under the shade of a tree, napped again, ate fresh goat and danced under the stars. Definitely a wonderful Christmas we will never forget. But this year we got to be home, with family, turkey and snow. We are lucky to live in the same city as both of our families so we had lots of time together.

As we have just moved into our new house we went back and forth on getting a tree, as it just felt like another project. But Joel spotted a Loblaws deal... a 6 foot tree for $14. Although I prefer a real tree, I couldn't pass up the deal and the convenience. In 20 minutes our tree was up and decorated and Christmas at the Percy house began. On Christmas Eve Joel was working at The Meeting House so I decided to join him for the night. It was a beautiful service. Christmas morning we opened stockings and our gifts, then headed to my parents for breakfast. We spent the afternoon and evening with the Percy's sharing gifts, playing games and eating turkey. I have to say that it beats goat any day! We had Miller Christmas a few days ealier and had more time with family in the days that followed. Nothing beats time with family and I was thankful to share Christmas with them on the same side of the world!

Our Christmas Tree in Zimbabwe and Joel's snowflake creation

This year's $14 bargain... a step up from last year's paper tree

I got to make dessert. Birthday cake with money in it.... a Miller tradition resurrected

My nephews Isaac and Ari... first Christmas

I gave Jane Cheer Bear for Christmas. She loves pink and I have a soft spot for Cheer Bear... more on that story another time.