February 12, 2011
-
Basic Schedule
Monday-Wednesday:
5:30 wake up and go to the gym, shower, get dressed, eat
7:00 Go to Alcance and do opening assembly for 1-5th grades, and then the little kids
8:00 Go to Cajueiro Claro—get dropped off at the entrance of the main road and then walk 4k down one hill and up another to get there. When there, have some teaching time and playing time—normally involving being barefoot and playing soccer.
10:30 Walk back, return to the apartment, shower, and get back to the school to eat lunch and teach music and choir classes from 1-4pm
Thursday and Friday start off the same, but instead of Cajueiro Claro, I am helping with PETI in the morning and afternoon: Character/Bible and (very basic) English classes.
By the time I get back home, around 5pm, I make dinner and flop on my bed. Monday I go grocery shopping, Thursday is “domestic day” (laundry and cleaning), and Friday is church at Cajueiro Claro. The other days I make sure I am organized for the next day and am asleep by 10pm
I have figured out a couple things so far:
1. I am going to have killer leg muscles someday soon. Flavio, while huffing up the hill with me to Cajueiro, said “Look on the bright side—maybe this is God’s training for us to start another ministry even farther into the middle of nowhere.” And I thought I was an optimist.
2. Getting to know the kids (or re-know) is best done through play: my dodgeball skills have greatly improved this week, and my soccer skills–except anything to do with hitting the ball with my head. I draw the line. Bonding is sweating and dirty feet, giving a high five after a good play.
3. I need to take good care of my feet. It is worth the 3 bucks to get a pedicure…that poor lady spent 15 minutes digging all the dirt out of my big toe.
4. I am finally going to be “Brazilian-a-fied” and take multiple showers per day. I average 3 now.
5. It is a blessing to be living this life. I love it. Teaching, my kids, getting to know new kids…it is busy and tiring, but oh-so-wonderful.
6. It is ok to exhausted and just blah around for awhile. Down time is therapy, my friends.
7. Hmm, let’s see how adding 3 nights of post-grad classes is going to work in March…
