Starting Year 2

August 9th marked my one year anniversary of living in Germany. It's amazing to think how much I have learned and done in the last year! I feel so blessed and fortunate to live, serve, and teach here. 

My new house in Kandern. Amy and I live on the second floor. 

I remember this time last year having to figure SO many things out. Things such as, where to put my garbage, how to register as a resident of the town, how to get food, what I was teaching, how to set up my classroom, and so much more. Friends and I would often say how our brains felt like overflowing sponges that just couldn't take in any more information about what we were doing and where we were living!

It is so wonderful to see how far I have come and to be starting year 2! I know where the garbage goes and how to weigh and price the bananas at the grocery store. It is nice to be able to continue in the friendships formed last year and to be excited about greeting and helping out the new BFA staff. 

What a difference a year makes! I can look back and see how far I have come and the process of transitioning to this special place. 

School starts on September 2nd and I am looking forward to this new school year. There is still lots to do in this next week with new curriculum to work on and prepare, cubbies and desks to label, and new materials to sort. This year I will have 21 students in my second grade class. What is unique about this class is I will have 16 German students and only 5 English students. I am excited to get to know this group of students even better and to guide, love, and teach them throughout this next year! 

Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement as this new year begins! I can't wait to continue to share my experiences and stories with you!

Here are some pictures of the preparations:

Sorting the book in my classroom library!

New Guided Reading books ready to go!

The 1500 books that Amy and I organized this summer :)
Can't wait to see them in use!

Thanking God for a year of His faithful provision and guidance. It's great to be starting year 2. How has He blessed you in the last year? 

Deutschkurs- "German Course!"

"My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever. "

Psalm 145: 21

Since coming to Germany I have really been enjoying the opportunity to improve my German language skills!

I always wondered why I had such a strong desire to take German for so many years in high school, rather than Spanish, which is so important in the education field in America. It made so much sense when I found out about Black Forest Academy, an international school in Germany. It was so clear how God had been orchestrating this position for me and how He saw the big picture.

Although I hadn't taken German since high school, it was so helpful to have a framework for building new vocabulary and for understanding more and more of the language when I came to Germany last August. Because I teach at a bilingual elementary school I have lots of opportunities to hear, read, and use German throughout my regular day. I have also been attending a German church which has also been a huge blessing. I am so thankful for what I have been able to learn throughout this last year!

Going into this summer I had been thinking about taking a German course while staying in Germany, but hadn't taken the time to research language schools or any other options that might be available. However, this July I came across a great opportunity and was able to commit to taking a course in a nearby city for four weeks. I'm so glad I did!

Today was my last day of class and I certainly had mixed feelings as the course came to a close. I have learned so much and wish I could keep going onto the next level! However it was also a huge time commitment along with lots of homework and I welcome the break to catch up on other summer projects as the new school year is quickly approaching!!

My course books and handy dictionary I borrowed from Amy :)

Here are some of my favorite parts about my German class:

• My class was super diverse and I got to meet various people from all over the world that are currently living in German on Switzerland.
• My classmates all come from different language backgrounds and so we are forced to practice and use our German together as the only means of communication!
• It was an intensive course! My first week in class started out with the theme "entrepreneurship" and what it takes to own your own business. I quickly wondered, "what have I gotten myself into?!" This was followed by other topics such as environmental issues, government and politics, addictions, etc. In the end, it was a great challenge!!
• I feel more comfortable in skills such as speaking and writing in German where I previously felt more insecure.
• One day during our politic unit, we were put in groups to run a campaign for a class mayor. The class ended up voting for me as our "Bürgermeister" or mayor!! Very fun :)
• I made some great new friends and got to hear about different people's unique life experience!

Some of my Deutschkurs classmates/friends before we walked to a café together!

God truly knew the plans He had for me all those years ago when I started learning German in middle school. It is my hope to keep learning Deutsch and am so thankful for what I have been able to learn, use and practice!!