A New Chapter

Well, today I changed teaching positions, and I don't know quite how to feel about.

They called me up from the kindergarten to the main campus today where I was to go talk with the principal. Sonya the Russian teacher that is around my age that also works with the 3 year olds came with me. As we walked up there, I wondered if it was a possibility that there would be a change, for that is not an uncommon occurance at MES, but we also half joked and half worried that we were in trouble for something we might have done.

So, when we arrived, they cut to the chase and let me know that they were wanting me to work at the country campus. They told me it was my choice; however, if they were needing someone at that school, I couldn't very well say no. You see, two English teachers ended up leaving not too long ago, so it opened up a need there, and earlier in the year I had mentioned to one of the people in charge that I felt more qualified for older kids, so this new position is more what I had been hoping for originally.

Well, I will now be headed to the country campus tomorrow morning to meet the teachers and get familiar with the school. I'll be teaching pre-schoolers (our version of kindergarten). It's not much older than 3 years old seemingly, but I know that they'll be able to do a lot more, so that will be nice. Unfortunately, I am pretty attached to the 3 year olds and the teachers at the kindergarten. As I mentioned in my last post, I was just getting to where I felt really adjusted. It's also hard because there were things I was praying for and hoping to happen in the kindergarten that now I won't get to see happen. I don't understand what the Lord's plan is in the change, but I know He's got it under control. All I know is that it's feeling bitter sweet right now. I'm going to miss the kindergarten a whole lot, but it'll be neat to do something different as well..

Snow
Intricate, delicate
Gently sifting down
Anxiously I await it
My lashes anticipate the embrace
Snow

It snowed today, and it was quite beautiful! It was probably better than the best snow that our neck of the woods in Arkansas gets all year, and... we went to school. We even played outside at recess, making snowmen and having snowball fights. Russia has definitely got the US beat in recess fun! Unfortunately, I don't have pictures. My semi-descent camera broke, so I probably won't be taking many pictures until after I get back from break in the states, which is only about a month away!!! :)

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Ld, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Well, I have almost been in Moscow for three months, and it is so hard to believe. It is really flying by, especially now that we have become adjusted.

Much has gone on in the last month (?) since I have posted last. All 8 kids have now officially started kindergarten, so it's been fun to have the whole group there most of the time. There are 3 boys and 5 girls, and I think they are starting to warm up to me much better than I might have previously mentioned. It's inevitable that spending 9 hours a day with people can make you beging to become attached to someone, especially cute little three year olds. And while this is not the age or exact job description that I had in mind, now that I have gotten into the groove of what I am doing , I am enjoying it much more. We have fun...

Leah, Rick, Kelly (a student at one of the universities here), and I went to a Cska vs. Manchester United football game(soccer for all you Americans ;) ). Manchester won 1-0 in the last 2 minutes of the game. It was my first professional soccer game, and it really was so much fun! The men definitely out numbered the women however. Oh, and the fans were so into the game too, very unlike in the socialness of games typically in the US it seems.

Then, a group of us went to Beauty in the Beast. It was in Russian, but it was sooo good! It was the same music and story line as the cartoon, but it had some Russian flavor to it :)! Oh, and Bell was so beautiful, but she was actually blonde. We weren't sure about that at first, but she really did turn out to be excellent. Then, there was a very flamboyant candlestick, who was Leah's favorite. He would move his hips every chance he got! :) Oh, and then my favorite was the break-dancing carpet of course! I think he was supposed to kind of be like the foot stool in the cartoon.

Finally, last week, a few of us spent the week in the UK. It was for fall break, and it was a much needed break. We first went to London for a few days and saw as many of the big things as we could. I enjoyed getting to see London and be surrounded by English speakers and a culture much more similar to the US; however, my favorite part of the trip was... Scotland.

We spent the last 5ish days in Scotland, and it really was beautiful. I am so excited that I finally got to do this, because I have been wanting to for a really long time. Even after having gone and come back, it's hard to believe it happened! We went to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the Highlands. I will put up some pictures later! Oh, and we had the most magnificent dinner at a friend of some friends here in Moscow. His name is Gus, and he lives in Edinburgh. He is just the neatest guy, so we felt pretty lucky to have gotten to spend an evening with him... There really is much more I could say about the trip, but I'll spare the details unless you ask!

Now, I am back at school and have about 5 and a half weeks until I head home for Christmas... it's unreal, but I have to say that I am so completely excited about it!

Cheers (They say this in Scotland for "bye" and "thank you," and I just love it!),
Becca