another anniversary

I have been here for one month...actually one month, six hours and a handful of minutes. I think, no wait, I know culture shock is setting in. It's not really a reaction to the environment as a reaction to who I am. College football has started back home and for the first time since I was like 10, I won't know what's going on or be able to watch it. A whole lot of my knowledge is useless here. Plus,I can't be the teacher I was at Tipton because I'm not at Tipton. Everyone goes through this. It stinks but it's reality. It's a mourning process and a time to push through to the reality that our worth is found in only one place: in the hands of Christ.

It's been a while since I've updated this thing so I don't even know what to write. I tend to have these great stories in my head, but then I never get a chance to record them. I guess here are some happenings that stand out:
1. We had a great rainstorm the other day. Rain is a treat here. The kids go crazy. One of my junior girls was standing outside and admitted that she was giggling inside. It was a great storm. The wind was blowing cool air and the temp dropped like 20 degrees. Then it just started pouring. you could see the storm coming from the distance. I let my students stand outside. It was hard to resist. It felt so nice.


The storm

2. I bought some UHT milk instead of powdered milk. It's one thing I really miss from the US-milk and cereal. (If you've never traveled outside the US, it's hard to describe how our milk is so much different than the rest of the world.) Anyways, I paid about $2.50 for 1 liter. The first time I poured it, I spilled some. Whoever said, "Don't cry over spilled milk" has never paid $2.50 for 1 liter. ;)

3. It's still hard to get used to how expensive food is here, and we're not buying prepackaged food here. If we want chicken, we buy a whole chicken (that still has all the insides intact). I know after a while I'll just have to get used to the fact that I'll spend more on food here than the US

4. I'm starting to get to know the kids better. I'm liking that.

I guess that's it for now..