Hello friends!

Sorry I've been so MIA lately. I know I haven't posted much on my blog.

This weekend marks about 5 weeks since I've been in Toronto. Lots of things have happened since then. I've started teaching since August 14th, and slowly getting used to my schedule and my kids. It's been 2 weeks now, and BOY it feels like a lifetime! Haha.

I'm teaching grade 4, and my kids in general are chatty but sweet. Some kids are easier to handle than others, but let's just say that I'm learning which strategies work and which strategies don't. So far, I've done more assessment to see where everyone is and now the tough part is figuring out where to go from there.

As for the actual planning, I'm slowly getting used to the routine of going to school at 6:45 am and teaching the kids all day, and then staying behind after 3:15 to print stuff out and do the lesson planning for the next few days. It's hard though because by 3:15, your body and brain is just DEAD tired and you just want to go home and sleep. But you can't because there's still planning to be done.
I think one thing God's really teaching me right now though is just taking things little at a time.
I'm the type of person that likes to have things in "control" and "in order" and "structured." However, with lesson planning, it's impossible to have EVERYTHING in "control" and "in order" without getting super overwhelmed.

SO, I think that right now I'm taking it day by day. I'm hoping that later on though, I can plan more ahead but I realize that with teaching, the kids never go at the pace you expect them to be at. They either take WAY longer than expected, or way SHORTER than expected. Haha. So I always have to push everything back.

I'm also trying to get everything in my classroom more organized because I feel that things are a bit "chaotic" right now. I have folders to put things away now, so I need to get that set up. I have student work to put up as well, but thank God for office assistants who will help me with that :)

Life at home is really nice though. I hired a helper to clean, wash and iron my clothes for me. I know, for you Canadians out there, you're like.. "What?!" But here in Indonesia, it's very common to have a helper and they actually could use the money. So it's beneficial for the helpers to get work because otherwise, they wouldn't be able to earn money. I'm glad to help in that way. And I get my house cleaned which is nice because I never have the energy to clean when I get home from school.

One thing that I've realized more now that I'm in Indonesia is that even though I don't consider myself rich, I was actually MUCH wealthier than I realized. Back home, I thought I wasn't "rich" but you know what, the fact that I was able to go to university, and eat 3 meals a day and still have money to spend, I was WAY more wealthy than I thought I was.

Here, I see little kids on the streets, trying to do whatever they could to make money. I see kids selling kroepoek (crackers) and other small items just to make a living. KIDS... who should be out having fun and playing all the time. I see older men making money by jumping onto public transportation vehicles and playing the guitar for us, hoping that we would give them money.
I see all these people selling food on the street, even though it's not legal, just so that they could make a living. Even at the school I'm in, we have people who work to photocopy things for us, laminate things for us, and move furniture because we don't want to do it. This is their WORK. And they're not even getting paid much to do it. So yeah.. it's crazy.

Yet at the same time, teaching at my school, I also realize that there are a bunch of super RICH kids who have EVERYTHING done for them. They throw huge birthday parties, and compete to see who can give the best, luxurious loot bag.
There's such a huge gap between the rich and the poor, and the question is, what am I going to do about that?
I think part of the reason God placed me here is because I got too comfortable back home, being ignorant of the poor.
HERE, it's EVERYWHERE I go. At school, when I'm at the mall..
And this is a good challenge for me.. to be more empathetic and do something to make a difference.

 That's it for now, but be sure to stay tuned for further updates!

Unfortunately, it's kind of a pain to upload photos onto this blog. So check my facebook for tons of pictures! Or add me on instagram: jennifersoedirgo


Till next time!
Blessings

So it's been almost 2 and a half weeks since I've been here in Indonesia. And it's been a very interesting, fun experience.

So much has happened, and I'm constantly reminded that in ALL things, God is in control. And that I need to yield to that. 

The first week I was here, it was all fun and introductions and just getting to know each other. The following week and this week has been a bit more stressful. So much information was being thrown at us, and it was getting overwhelming. I've had to wait in lines for 2 hours just to talk to bank representatives. I got a bit of diahhroea before too, so that was not fun. :S Don't get me wrong- the people are supportive and amazing. It's just.. I've kinda been plunged into reality here. HAHA. The first week was almost surreal. It was like.. everything was so new and exciting, and it was all fun and eating and getting to know each other. Haha. Now, it's the real thing. It's WORK. Lots of work too. 

I'm at my grandmother's house doing some lesson planning. Things are progressing SLOWLY. I really hope everything gets put together in time before I start school next week!  But that's the thing. No matter WHERE you are in life, whether you're a child, a student, an adult, a senior, there's ALWAYS something to worry you. But it's up to US not to let it get to us.

And I think this entire past year, God's really been drilling that lesson inside of me. From failing my driving test, to experiencing a death in the family, to feeling anxiety over my future, etc, to making the ultimate decision to move away from everything I knew and was familiar with and starting afresh in Indo. I was always in this constant mode of "STRESS STRESS STRESS" and it actually affected my health. And look how everything turned out. I got my license, I have a job, I have some people I can be close to... and I worried for nothing. 

It reminds me of something Joyce Meyer said. She said that worrying is like rocking in a rocking chair. You're constantly moving and tiring yourself out, but it doesn't go anywhere. And this is something that I need to constantly remind myself of. 

God has proven Himself faithful to me EVERYTIME. I may not have gotten my way all the time. But it turned out for the better. So I have to continue to remind myself that He is IN control. 

When things get overwhelming with lesson planning, classroom management, I need to just say.. "God brought me into this, He'll bring me THROUGH it." 

Same goes with homesickness. Even though I've only been gone for 2.5 weeks, it seems like I've been here for so much longer, and I do miss my mom & siblings at times (even though I have great family here in Indo). During the times when I just wish I was back in Toronto, I need to remind myself that GOD's got it. He will bring me through it.

On a more positive note though!!! I'm pretty much done classroom decorating. It was fun. Hard work but fun :) :)  AND I've been spending some time with relatives, and it's been grand. I'm really enjoying getting to know my uncle/aunts/cousins/grandma, etc. Not to mention all the awesome Indo food =) Haha. Too bad I have to watch myself for the next couple of weeks just to avoid more diarrhoea. 

But yes, this week, I'll be doing a lot of lesson planning, spending time with extended family, and hopefully everything will be ready in time! Prayers for health + effective lesson planning + peace would be greatly appreciated. Anyway, that's all for now. Stay tuned for more updates !!! God bless.