another new beginning

Have I mentioned that I have a new job at a Christian school in the Muslim country of Kuwait?

For the first 3 years, I taught at an International American school. Although technically secular, the school must offer the study of Islam and censor all teaching material in order to be approved by the government.

So besides the fact that we observed Muslim holidays, the students took courses studying the Qur’an, and there wasn’t even the slightest mention of the Holocaust, it was pretty much just like a regular public school.

Here enters in my new school.

Today was our first official staff working day. I say “official” because we all know that we’ve been working for days (or weeks) now, but today we actually had to be at school.

Once arriving at school, I was summoned up to the staff lounge (more like a staff hallway) to pick up the new textbooks, of which there are about 6 million for the 5th grade. All from A Beca.

(Did I mention that I’m the 5th grade homeroom teacher now? They never found another teacher and it was only practical to merge the four eighth graders and nine seventh graders and move me down there. I did, technically, offer to do this last May, so I’m not complaining.  It’s funny, because I was pretty sure it was what God was asking me to do, and when the school decided against it in May, I just figured I was confused. Turns out…not so much!  God and I are still working on this communication thing. I don’t trust myself nearly enough yet to believe that what I sense is actually from Him…)

Anyways. I digress. Continuing on….

After unloading all the books in my classroom, I opened up the cabinets to discover a million MORE books. And dirt. And other random materials like bulletin board decals and whatnot.

6th grade books.

Old math textbooks. (etc etc etc)

24 little cubbies for the kids (as imma need every one of them).

One of the fourth graders came and gave me company for a while – she’ll be one of the good apples. It helps that her mom is a teacher there, too.

And then we had a staff meeting. Which involved a time of praise and worship, Bible reading, and prayer…before we even began the meeting. The Senior Pastor’s wife gave us all journals so that we can write down the changes that happen this year, the growths (okay, now that I repeat it, it sounds like we’re middle-schoolers ourselves…)

The meeting was good, I met a lot of people and even remember many of their names.  Katie G kept making me socialize. It’s for the better, I’m just good at shying away from it.

After the meeting, I was in the secretary’s office, looking at the Bible Study books (of which there is a plethora).  Her office is connected to the director’s office by a small window (with no glass, just shutters). His office was locked. She needed some specific books from there. So I climbed through the window…

Seriously, this year won’t be boring.

Nope. Not one bit.

And I love it.

Choosing the red pill was totally worth it.