The Best Kind of Mail

     It is such a wonderful feeling to get one's own things in the mail. That sounds silly, but when you are thousands of miles away and have shipped your own things and then proceed to wait weeks for them to arrive, it feels good when they finally do. Four out of my five boxes of my personal and teaching items that I shipped from home are here. I'm trying not to be worried about the fifth box, yet it's difficult as it contains many of my teaching files. As for the others, it's not that it's a good feeling to have material things here, but to see MY things. When I'm in a brand new place with no idea on when I will ever be moving back, it's such a relief to open up boxes of my books, my jewelry, my shoes and purses, my teaching supplies, my Spanish books (now I have no excuse, I must get to work), my photographs. Although I can replace many of these things, it's just an extra comfort to be able to hold onto the things that are already mine and carry so many memories.

     I only wish that my family was in those boxes too.

     I have completed my first two days of school. My first two days as a real teacher. It's honestly an odd feeling, knowing that this is me, I'm in charge of the room, and only me. Everything in that classroom, kids included, are under my control. This is it. Given the circumstances of it being the first days of school with 5 year olds, and with it being my first year teaching, as well as the fact I'm in a brand new school, culture, and I have students who don't understand a word I say in English, the first couple of days went very well. Nothing was out of the ordinary of the regular first days of school type of stress. My students are amazing so far, and I cannot wait to get settled into the year and really get to know and teach them. I am in for quite an interesting year. Right now it's still so overwhelming though. Yet, God is good. God is very, very good.