Life as a teacher..

The work of a teacher never ends. I work all afternoon at the school teaching the classes, and then I work all night and the next morning preparing the classes for the next day, then start teaching in the afternoon again and the cycle just keeps going. When Friday comes, my day off, I work around the house and do all the duties of a wife. Clean house, wash clothes, and then I find a little time to rest and watch a couple of TV shows for relaxation (the English shows of course.. like Cake Boss and Supernanny). And that is life for me right now, but it's a good life. I am still so happy and blessed that I have a job. The feeling of waking up and knowing that people that are counting on me (the sense of responsibility) is rewarding. There are times when I am so tired and I don't want to prepare classes, but I just keep pushing on and know that it will get easier soon.

The two subjects that I am having difficulty with right now are, Economics and Government. I think this is because I didn't really like having to take these subjects in High School. Therefore, teaching them has been a little bit challenging. But I love a challenge. It makes you stronger and you can learn a lot from it. So being a teacher is good. I think I am learning a lot, just like the students are. Although, I have the great advantage of not having to do all the required assignments and final tests.

Today is another working day for me. I am preparing for my classes, so that I don't have to stay up late every night next week. But today, I get to work in a very interesting environment. Joao is finishing up his Masters program for school and he has classes all day on Saturdays. So, today he had to go to a city that is about an hour away from home and I decided to join him. I really didn't want to stay at home by myself and miss him all day, so I told him I would take all of my school stuff and be studying while he has classes. And I must admit, I am getting a lot done in the time that I am here. I have no distractions, like I would at home, and the environment of being at a college reminds me of my years at Mississippi College.

The college is beautiful. The floor is full of mosaic tiles and there are tons of columns and archways throughout the building. It almost has a little bit of a French atmosphere, with little tables and chairs that you could find at a cafe in France and stained glass windows on the grand entrance doors. There is even a small little balcony space by the stairs were you can go and sit and look down at the busy street and see the buildings surrounding you. I told Joao as we were walking through the streets to go eat lunch, as I saw all the old historical buildings, that I felt like we were in another place. There is so much of an artsy look here and I am enjoying the adventure of being here. And the little bit of time that I have had with Joao for lunch and the small breaks in between class is great. A whole lot better than having to go a whole entire day without him. What can I say? He is my sweetheart and being with him makes me happy.

And that's all the news I have for now. Other than the fact that the pretty flower that I was telling you about last week, is now dying. It has made me kinda sad because I was enjoying the violets when I would wash my dishes. Now, I guess I will have to buy a new one or maybe I can ask my father-in-law to help me bring it back to life. I don't think it is completely dead; but then again, I don't know much about gardening and taking care of plants.. haha. I hope all is well with my readers and that you are having a blessed weekend. Until next time.

Love -V

There is a "first" for everything...

First time to ride the bus by myself. First time to be a teacher. First week of teaching. First time to teach Brazilian students. First time to eat lunch in a school cafeteria as the teacher and not the student.  And the list could go on and on. As you can see this week involved a lot of "first" things for me. But I think that's what made it so interesting and kept be going throughout the week. I will admit that it has been a very busy and tiring week, but definitely a good one.

I now have a deeper appreciation for teachers and all the hard work they put into each class. Its been a lot of work behind the computer this week, making PowerPoint slides, researching materials, finding videos and pictures to show, and finding anything that might help make the class a little more interesting and fun. And then of course I have been doing a lot of reading for each class. But I found out this week that I love my new job. It requires a lot of hard work on my part, but it is very rewarding at the end of the day when you see your students smiling and having a good time in the class. I love to see my student's face when they understand what we are talking about, and when they get the right answers to the questions that we discuss in class. It's great! I already had one student come up and tell me how much she is enjoying the class and that she really likes the high school program. This is what gives me motivation. I can't fail the students. They have a lot to learn and I am now the one responsible for teaching them all the things they need to know.

So yes there was a lot of nerves at the beginning of this week, and a lot of "first" times for this and that. But I can say that overall, it was a very blessed week. I am learning new things every day and becoming more confident of my life here in Brasil. Just the other day as I was riding the bus home, I realized how much this place is starting to feel like a real home for me. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with a great job here and that I am beginning to feel more independent, responsible, and needed again. Which is a very good thing, because I was getting tired of staying around the house all day by myself. It is good to have a purpose and feel successful in life. God is good, and I praise HIM for the peace and strength that HE continues to give me.

And one more thing.... I bought some pretty violets the other day, and I put them right outside my window seal in the kitchen. I am enjoying taking care of the beautiful flower and watching it grow, as it produces new buds and then slowing blooms to its full potential. I love the beauty of God's nature and how even through a simple flower we can see His Love and His Greatness.

Love,
Victoria (the new teacher)