We work hard for the money. Well, when we work we work hard, but Stephen and I are both blessed beyond belief that our jobs are rewarding, but not all-consuming.
Me...
This past Monday I started my brand new, part-time online teaching position and after just a few days I am already really enjoying it. The class I'm teaching is beautifully designed. Students login, complete course projects/readings, and also complete units through the commercial language program Rosetta Stone. My job is to make sure the students are logging in and staying on task. I also help trouble shoot any issues that arise, grade assignments, and respond to student e-mails and phone calls. All of my students come from two rural school districts – one near Lubbock and one near Dallas – that don't necessarily have access to or funds for a certified in-class Spanish teacher. All of my students actually attend Spanish class as a period throughout the school day by going to a computer lab with a campus facilitator. This past week I've been in super close contact with the campus facilitators at both high schools who have been great resources and great hands-on help to my new students. My job is a unique mix of administrative work and teaching. I like it!
I've also had an unprecendented amount of translation contract jobs this month. I continue to work for the biological/adoptive family reunions and in the third week of August alone, I translated four different cases. I was also contacted recently by a non-profit agency here in Guatemala and did a written translation of a project report for them. The translation opportunities are like Wheaties for my brain and are (most) always interesting.
Stephen...
Yesterday, 15 students from the University of Texas arrived in Antigua to start their Fall semester study abroad program. Starting Monday, these 15 students will be staying in Guatemalan host homes and be taking Spanish classes, archeology classes, and history classes. I'm going to call Stephen the "associate teacher" for the history classes instead of the assistant teacher because Stephen will be leading a good portion of these classes by himself. The real professor of the history classes will come down to Guatemala twice this semester, but is leaving a lot of it up to my husband. It's exciting for him and great practice for what he'll be doing full time next year. As a teacher, it's also been cool to see him go through the lesson planning process and get excited about a new school year.
We attended a welcome dinner with the students last night. Maybe it's just steam still blowing off from my 30th birthday fire, but the students seem so young. I found myself thinking more about Sam studying abroad one day than I did thinking about my own experiences studying abroad 10 years ago. I was also privy to a conversation that went something like this:
Student 1: "Oh, I'll be celebrating a birthday while we're down here, too, in October."
Student 2: "Oh cool. What year were you born?
Student 1: "In '91."
Student 2: "Wow, you'll be 20 this year!"
Student 1: "I know. I'm already having a hard time with that. It feels so old."
Megan's brain: "Whaaaaaaaa? Born in the nineties?? Old? Whaaaaa?"
Stephen and I have great opportunities, have conversations daily with amazing people, get to live in a different country, read great books, and when we work hard, the money is just the icing on the cake.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Honkeys, Honies, and Hun
I don't always feel like I need a seatbelt for life, but this past month Stephen and I decided to strap one on. We both agree it was such a good idea to wear that we're about to tighten it for the upcoming months - just to be safe.
Here's a little description of our July seatbelt required ride:
* On the first Saturday in July, we celebrated Ruth's 2nd birthday. She's pretty darn cute, folks, and I wish a thousand wishes that you could see her and know her. Sometimes the young motherhood stage of life feels long and laborious (most days I think I'll really feel liberated when I'm no longer wiping anyone's butt or bathing anyone but myself), but the reality is these days are short-lived. Ruthie is talking up a storm. She is understandable by most, but likes to start the majority of her words with the "h" sound. Monkeys are "honkeys," she likes to have "hun" (instead of fun) and she's happy to tell you that she's going to be a big "hister." Even when the days feel long, I know that her honies (ponies) and honkeys will probably only live another six months or so. And then I know the time really is fast. Happy Birthday, sweet Ruth.
* On the second Saturday in July, we said goodbye to my dearest friend this past year in Antigua, Christina DeLeon, and her daughter, Elizabeth. Tina had been living in Guatemala for three years trying to legally adopt her daughter. We celebrated that her long adoptive journey was finally over with a lovely dinner party at my house. She's back home in Dallas, now, and it was bitter sweet to see her go.
* During the third week of July, my daddy came for a visit. This is the third trip he's made during this past year and we were so blessed to have him here again. The kids really have a relationship with him and it's special to see. Between the coffee tour, the zip-lining adventure, bike riding, swimming, and more, we kept busy and made some fun memories.
* On the third Saturday in July, Stephen and I hosted our very first small group through our church here in Antigua. One day I will sit and write a more specific update about our church experiences here because we no longer attend the super evangelical, Pentecostal church we attended the first few months of our time here. Since January, we have been attending a church called "La Vida Real." The church encourages small group attendance (since there is no Sunday morning Bible study for adults) and Stephen and I have felt moved in the past two months to start one at our home. We had anticipated a group of English speakers, but during the past two weeks of meeting, it has already taken a shape far beyond our expectations. Besides being conducted mostly in Spanish, we have been blessed to meet new people and start new relationships just by opening the door to our home.
* And speaking of our home, on the last Saturday in July, we moved! That's right, we packed our bags and moved...to a different block in our same neighborhood. On August 16th we will celebrate our first anniversary of living in Guatemala. Our rental contract expires then and we were interested in finding another rental in which the bedrooms were closer together. Although my Guatemalan friends have a hard time understanding, baby Georgia can't stay in my room too long after she's born and I was itching for a place where I didn't have to climb stairs in the middle of the night. A friend of mine in our neighborhood agreed to rent us her beautiful home for this coming year and we are so happy to be here. I didn't anticipate moving one block would be that difficult, but after the last toy and the last pair of socks were finally put in their place, I was pooped!
* Although we moved out of our "old" house this past week, it is still not unoccupied. Stephen's parents arrived on August 2 for a ten day stay and get have their room, heck their own house, across the block. We are now enjoying our time with them. Although it's been a while since the kids have seen them, Sam and Ruth have warmed right back up, enjoying cuddling, reading, and playing with Mimi and Granddaddy.
And yes, that's just the past five weeks! The metaphoric seatbelt has been nice security during all the activity.
Ahh, and mentioning activity, there's just one more story from this month I've got to share. On the last Monday of the month, Antigua celebrated Saint James, patron saint of the city, with a day off from school, lots of activities, and full fair grounds which included everything from a very precarious Ferris wheel, to bumper cars, to churros. Sam and Ruth decided to ride a helicopter ride that moved up and down as it spun. Before they loaded into the helicopter, we gave Sam a big speech about taking care of Ruth and comforting her if she were to get scared. About 30 seconds after the ride started, Ruth was smiling, raising her hands, and squealing with delight. And my son? Well, he was freaking out. I guess we gave the speech to the wrong person.
We tighten our seatbelt for the next three months as we anticipate my new job, Stephen's new job, Stephen's initial job application process for next year, our adjustment into a new house and the kids sharing a new room, and, you know, a new baby.
Here's a little description of our July seatbelt required ride:
* On the first Saturday in July, we celebrated Ruth's 2nd birthday. She's pretty darn cute, folks, and I wish a thousand wishes that you could see her and know her. Sometimes the young motherhood stage of life feels long and laborious (most days I think I'll really feel liberated when I'm no longer wiping anyone's butt or bathing anyone but myself), but the reality is these days are short-lived. Ruthie is talking up a storm. She is understandable by most, but likes to start the majority of her words with the "h" sound. Monkeys are "honkeys," she likes to have "hun" (instead of fun) and she's happy to tell you that she's going to be a big "hister." Even when the days feel long, I know that her honies (ponies) and honkeys will probably only live another six months or so. And then I know the time really is fast. Happy Birthday, sweet Ruth.
* On the second Saturday in July, we said goodbye to my dearest friend this past year in Antigua, Christina DeLeon, and her daughter, Elizabeth. Tina had been living in Guatemala for three years trying to legally adopt her daughter. We celebrated that her long adoptive journey was finally over with a lovely dinner party at my house. She's back home in Dallas, now, and it was bitter sweet to see her go.
* During the third week of July, my daddy came for a visit. This is the third trip he's made during this past year and we were so blessed to have him here again. The kids really have a relationship with him and it's special to see. Between the coffee tour, the zip-lining adventure, bike riding, swimming, and more, we kept busy and made some fun memories.
* On the third Saturday in July, Stephen and I hosted our very first small group through our church here in Antigua. One day I will sit and write a more specific update about our church experiences here because we no longer attend the super evangelical, Pentecostal church we attended the first few months of our time here. Since January, we have been attending a church called "La Vida Real." The church encourages small group attendance (since there is no Sunday morning Bible study for adults) and Stephen and I have felt moved in the past two months to start one at our home. We had anticipated a group of English speakers, but during the past two weeks of meeting, it has already taken a shape far beyond our expectations. Besides being conducted mostly in Spanish, we have been blessed to meet new people and start new relationships just by opening the door to our home.
* And speaking of our home, on the last Saturday in July, we moved! That's right, we packed our bags and moved...to a different block in our same neighborhood. On August 16th we will celebrate our first anniversary of living in Guatemala. Our rental contract expires then and we were interested in finding another rental in which the bedrooms were closer together. Although my Guatemalan friends have a hard time understanding, baby Georgia can't stay in my room too long after she's born and I was itching for a place where I didn't have to climb stairs in the middle of the night. A friend of mine in our neighborhood agreed to rent us her beautiful home for this coming year and we are so happy to be here. I didn't anticipate moving one block would be that difficult, but after the last toy and the last pair of socks were finally put in their place, I was pooped!
* Although we moved out of our "old" house this past week, it is still not unoccupied. Stephen's parents arrived on August 2 for a ten day stay and get have their room, heck their own house, across the block. We are now enjoying our time with them. Although it's been a while since the kids have seen them, Sam and Ruth have warmed right back up, enjoying cuddling, reading, and playing with Mimi and Granddaddy.
And yes, that's just the past five weeks! The metaphoric seatbelt has been nice security during all the activity.
Ahh, and mentioning activity, there's just one more story from this month I've got to share. On the last Monday of the month, Antigua celebrated Saint James, patron saint of the city, with a day off from school, lots of activities, and full fair grounds which included everything from a very precarious Ferris wheel, to bumper cars, to churros. Sam and Ruth decided to ride a helicopter ride that moved up and down as it spun. Before they loaded into the helicopter, we gave Sam a big speech about taking care of Ruth and comforting her if she were to get scared. About 30 seconds after the ride started, Ruth was smiling, raising her hands, and squealing with delight. And my son? Well, he was freaking out. I guess we gave the speech to the wrong person.
We tighten our seatbelt for the next three months as we anticipate my new job, Stephen's new job, Stephen's initial job application process for next year, our adjustment into a new house and the kids sharing a new room, and, you know, a new baby.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)