Christmas in Romania

Sarah and I have spent the past week in Galati, Romania visiting her brother John. He works at a center with children from very poor homes. The center provides the children with one meal a day, showers, clothing, tutoring, counceling, devotions and worship time, and love! Because it was a vacation week, the activity at the center was a little different. On Monday, the kids put on a Christmas show for their parents and sibilings. It was really cute...the kids did a great job! After the show, the children presented their siblings with Operation Christmas Child boxes (that they had to "earn" by doing work around the center). Each year my family puts together boxes for Operation Christmas Child...it is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. This year I was able to see the faces of children who recieve them! What a gift to witness the joy on their faces!
The next two evenings were spent caroling with the children. The first night we went around to many of the children's homes. The second night was to the homes of people who support the center. Since the carols were in Romanian, I was mostly singing jiberish :) What I enjoyed most about those evenings was the relationship I build with one of the girls (each adult was paired with a child). She taught me some words in Romanian but most of our communication was through hugs, laughing, and making faces.
On Christmas Eve, we had an all-nighter at a local family's home. We played games, did crafts, decorated cookies, sang carols, had a time of reflection and thanksgiving, affirmed the children, ate a delicious Romanian meal, the kids opened their Christmas gifts (Operation Christmas Child boxes), and we watched movies until morning! The most precious moment of the evening was when one of the little girls opened her box and there was a baby doll on top (Just what she'd asked Santa for!)...she closed the box and wasn't interested in looking at anything else :) She was so excited! These kids will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Christmas day...after sleeping a few hours (we were all tired from the all-nighter), we spent the majority of the day in the kitchen :) Pancakes, coffee, mimosas, fruit and chocolate...what a yummy breakfast! Then more food prep for dinner with friends in the evening...I made Grandma Smallegan's wonderful egg nog (they had never had egg nog before!) and Sarah and John made a broccoli casserole and apple crisp. The best part was surprising my family with a skype call! It as so good to see them and just talk. I later realized that was the first time we had really "seen" each other since I left (my internet always makes the video freeze when we talk on skype). What a great Christmas present!!! What a wonderful Christmas...

A Different Kind of Christmas

Today Sarah and I are headed for Romania! We are going to spend the holidays there with her brother John. Next destination Italy! From Naples to Rome to Florence to Bologna to Cinque Terre to Venice...we are going to see the sites.

I pray you have a wonderful holiday! Missing you all! Sending my love...

Tis the Season

How I miss Christmas music 24/7, stockings being hung, decorations everywhere, snuggling by a fire with hot chocolate while snow gently falls outside...
Desperate to bring some Christmas cheer to Morocco, Sarah and I bought our very own "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree last night! What a great friday night...decorating our Christmas tree, listening to favorite holiday tunes, making snowflakes and paper chains for the window :)
Today we went to a Christmas fair (like a craft fair) and back to a friend's house to make Christmas cookies. This is a big tradition in my family (and one of the things I look forward to the most!)...every year Grandma Smallegan labors to make dozens of sugar cookies, frosting, and toppings for decorating. So, it was such a blessing to be able to do that here in Morocco too :) Stephanie was a wonderful host and we had so much fun decorating cookies with her two small children, Noah and Sara. Lunch, dozens of cookies, coffee, and Christmas movies...can life get any better than that?!
Although I miss sharing this with family and friends, there is something about this season that warms the soul and brings such joy...oh wait...that's Jesus! I pray you all have a blessed Christmas season as we celebrate the most precious gift of all. Sending all my love...

More pictures are up...

My pictures from our Marrakech adventure are on my Picasa web album!

Giving thanks...

Happy Thanksgiving! During this season of giving thanks, I'm reminded of all the blessings in my life...a wonderful family, job, new adventures (just to name a few). While I wish I could have enjoyed the turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie, my Thanksgiving had a bit of Moroccan flare :)
Our holiday weekend was spent in Marrakech. We stayed at a beautiful riad run by a french man and his monther...like a B&B. Our time in Marrakech was mostly spent in the souqs (bargaining markets). We honed our bargaining skills (Papa you'd be proud!) and were called a Berber by many of the shop owners (The Berbers are the original people of Morocco and are known for being hard bargainers) We also toured the Bahia Palace which was a great display of Moroccan architecture.
The big excitement of our trip was the camel trek in the Sahara! We left from Marrakech in a 4x4 and drove 7 hours east to Zagora. The drive there was amazing. Morocco has such a diverse landscape. Our driver/guide was funny and even gave me an arabic name: Nora. In Zagora we got on camels and headed out into the desert. Camels are not very comfortable to ride...FYI :) We reached our tent, enjoyed some Moroccan mint tea, a traditional Moroccan tagine, and called it a night. You only live once, so we decided to sleep outside under the stars instead of in the tent. It was cold but the stars made it totally worth it!!! 5 shooting stars :) What an amazing world we live in...thank you God! We are so blessed.

World Kindness Day

For those who didn't know, Friday was World Kindness Day. Earlier in the week I recieved an email from a friend about the little boy Noah and his Chistmas wish. So on Friday, I had my kids make him lots and lots of Christmas cards! They did a good job. It was really funny to read some of them. Their writing skills are not the best, but their intent was evident. My 6th graders asked me to include a letter to Noah inviting him to write back :) I hope Noah is blessed by our huge envelope of Christmas cards from Morocco!

Being welcomed home...

One funny detail I forgot to add...When Sarah and I returned from Tangier, there was a little bird in our apartment! Getting it out was an adventure ;) And it had conveniently left it's markings ALL OVER our apartment :)

Tangier

This weekend's adventure...Tangier! Since Friday was a Moroccan national holiday, Sarah and I decided to take advantage of the extra day off from school :)
After a seven hour train ride, we finally arrived in Tangier. Our afternoon was spend at the home of Morgan and Bruce (a contact Sarah had recieved). We had such a good time. It was so nice to be around people who understand us! They were a sweet couple and very fun to be around.
Saturday morning we met John (another contact) at the Cafe de Paris (where Bourne Ultimatum was filmed!!!), got some food, and headed out for our hike. The climb was refreshing. It was really nice to be away from the city and enjoy clean air. The view from the mountain was gorgeous! We could see all the way across to Spain. On our way up the Rif Mountains, we came across a herd of sheep and goats. We even saw a baby lamb that had just been born! As we continued to climb, we were engulfed by a cloud. It was like we were in our own world.
When we got back to town, we grabbed dinner and headed to the carnival :) Riding the Pirate swing, we felt like kids...it was great! What a wonderful day!!! New friends, new sights, new experiences...

Am I really old enough to be a chaperone?

Yesterday was AAC's first Halloween dance! As the "cool young teachers", Sarah and I were drafted as chaperones :) We also volunteered to help set up for the dance. This was a bit frustrating, however. The girls had great plans but didn't know how to put them into play. The result...guess who did all the work? Yup...us! Instead of completing a task and moving on to something else that needed to be done, they just stood around, talked, and figured out what to wear!!! Every time we asked them to do something, they would agree and disapear. This, unfortunately, is due in-part to their wealth and having maids that do everything for them. I think this was a good learning experience for them and for us. Next time, we will be sure there is someone in charge and specific tasks are assigned :) In the end, though, everything looked GREAT!
The dance itself was a whole other experience. Beginning with our own chaperone dance party (because none of the kids were there yet), the evening was a lot of fun! One interesting thing about teaching overseas, is that it isn't weird to "hang out" with your students on the weekend. So, my students repeatedly asked me to come dance with them. I did...but it was a little strange. I didn't really feel like their teacher...it made our age difference feel even smaller :) We had fun though; and the kids really enjoyed themselves!

Islam classes and new friends

Tuesday, Sarah and I went to the first of four classes on Islam held at our pastor's house. The classes are to help us get a better understanding of the culture we are now living in. It was interesting and very informational. I'm excited to see what the next few weeks hold!
Our trip there was a great reminder of the wonderful people who live in this country. Our first taxi driver spoke a little English and was very nice. He asked a woman who was riding with us to help us get our next taxi! People here really are nice...there are wierdos but we have them in the states too :)
The best part of the evening was meeting five other young women. I have really missed having good Christian girlfriends to talk with. One of the girls invited us over to their apartment after church on Sunday for a "Bring and Share". I am hopeful that these could be some really good (non-school) friends!

Rabat

This weekend Sarah and I embarked on our first solo adventure! We got up early on Friday morning and packed our backpacks so we could leave right from school. It took us a while to find a taxi that would bring us to the train station but we finally made it, got our tickets, and ran to catch the train. Since we were some of the last to board we got to stand for the entire ride! We began in the back (Sarah got stuck in the doorway of the bathroom!). Later we moved to the hallway...which had a better view.
Our plan was to stay in a small family run motel in the medina. However, we found out that our dinner destination was not open yet and right next to it was a big, nice hotel called Hotel Balima. We decided, for convenience and because it was getting dark, to stay there instead. We settled in, ate dinner, and called it a night.
Saturday began with breakfast at the hotel; putting on our backpacks, chacos, and sunglasses; and heading out with cameras to be tourists! Walking down Ave. Mohammad V, we had to laugh when a man came skipping by us shouting and giggling, "I love U.S.A." What a way to start the day :) First stop...the medina. Now medinas are where most tourists get lost. I wouldn't say we were completely lost, but we weren't exactly sure where we were either :) But, we made it out alright and with a few purchases as well!
Next stop...the kasbah. This is the oldest part of Rabat (the original "ribat"). Much like the medina, the kasbah had the narrow winding alleys. The difference though was the peaceful nature. So different from the hussle and bussle of the medina, I felt like I was in a new world. We made our way through the winding streets to the Andalusian Gardens. It was so nice to be surrounded by so many green things! In my lovely, dirty home of Casablanca (with white contrete buildings...casa - house, blanca - white), I miss the trees and grass and flowers.
On to Le Tour Hassan and Mausoleum of Mohammed V... Le Tour Hassan would have been the second largest mosque of its time (if it had been completed). Unfortunately the sultan died before it was complete and later an earthquake hit, leaving only the unfinished minaret and a forest of pillars. The Mausoleum is where the coffin of Mohammed V is kept. This building was amazing on the inside...intricate tile work, carvings, gold everywhere...it was incredible!
We ended our day with the Mega Mall :) Although it was not so "mega", it was nice to go to a mall. We walked around, got some ice cream, and called it a day. We were tired, but we had fun!!!

*** I put pictures from this weekend on my Picasa album...just so you know :)

Building Relationships

Last weekend I had two opportunities to make new friends! First, I went out for lunch with a young family. We had a great time learning more about each other and God's calling on our lives. They were such a neat couple and their kids were adorable! It was so nice to be with a family (even though it wasn't my own). I loved it!
Later that afternoon, Sarah and I went to the church soccer game...kind of like church softball except these guys are professionals :) If I'm honest, I hardly watched the game. The pastor and his wife were there as well as another couple from the church. It was really nice to talk in a relaxed setting (without responsibilities, or other people) As we began talking, it came out that one of the women went to CALVIN!!! We were the bigger people and continued talking :) Also at the game was a local Moroccan woman. She was so friendly and offered to help Sarah and I with our Arabic!

I am so lucky to have so many people who care about me! I miss everyone from home, but I have also been blessed to find a number of friends here. "Starting over" is not easy, and sometimes I wish I could just go out for coffee with my best friends. Yet what a cool thing that I get to build friendships with so many different types of people.

My new home

It's hard for me to believe that I've been living here for 6 weeks now! Morocco is really beginning to feel like home to me. The dirt and the noise, markets, crazy taxi drivers...I love this place :)
Nothing too exciting has happened...go to school, come home, eat, grade, plan, sleep and do it all over again. I started tutoring an 8th grade boy this week. He is the son of one of my co-workers and lives in our building...pretty nice set-up. Weekends are slightly more eventful. Friday nights Sarah and I crash after a long week and have been in bed almost every week by 8!!! Wow, are we old or what :) Saturdays are for errands, work, going out with friends...we have a good time.
Last weekend the owner of the school took Sarah, myself and another teacher out for dinner and to a jazz club. The evening was quite entertaining...I wish I could have video-taped it! To start off, he was and hour late for picking us up (welcome to Moroccan culture!). Standing next to our building, dressed up and with a male co-worker waiting for our ride, we can only imagine what it looked like! At the restaurant he asked us about 20 times whether we liked this place or not :) He also called his daughter in Boston and put Sarah on the phone with her (because she is a Sarah too). Then at the end of our meal another teacher from the school came over to join us because his friends had left. From there we went to a jazz club, Amstrong. Picture this...Sarah and I at a night club, standing awkwardly next to three 40-year-old men! The band was very good and played quite a few song we knew. It really was a nice evening...just an interesting one :)

Pictures

I sent this to many of you but just in case...here is the link to my Morocco photo album!

http://picasaweb.google.com/laura.smallegan/Morocco

This Week's Happenings

It was a short work week due to the ending of Ramadan but I was surprisingly tired. I think anytime my routine gets messed up I suffer a bit :) But here were the highlights...

1) Attempting to run to the beach with Sarah, my fellow math teacher, and his wife... It was a beautiful run but Sarah and I were not quite ready for the distance (or able to breathe super well because of the polution). This is something to work on :) This was our first time seeing the beaches of Casa! It was beautiful and fun to see so many futbol (soccer) games going on. We went to a cafe on the beach and ordered coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice...perfect way to start the morning.

2) A little fun/practical shopping - coffee mugs, bathroom rug, dust pan, candles, a hand mixer :) You need to enjoy the little things in life!

3) Visited a juice bar with some staff members --- kiwi-orange juice...mmmmm!

4) Night out with the girls... Can't get much better than dinner and dancing :)

5) Went back to CIPC for church... I'm anxious for this to feel like home. Everyone is very friendly and I can't wait to start forming relationships! We had a guest pastor today from Illinois! He had a great message on courage and talked about needing to choose to listen to only God's voice. Our scripture was from Romans 12:2 and Acts 27. It was great because he talked about how we sometimes throw away hope during the storms of life but we need to have the courage to choose God's voice and direction even when life doesn't change around us! He said, "There may be nothing else you can do but that doesn't mean there's nothing else that can be done!" I love this...so encouraging for where I am in life!

6) A day of rest...naps, fresh juice, a good book...life is good!

I love and miss you all! Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. May God bless each of your weeks.

A Weekend Away

This weekend Sarah and I, as well as four other teachers, were able to get away from the city and enjoy a weekend at the beach! We rented an apartment in Skhirat, a small town near Rabat. It was a beautiful location and so relaxing (exactly what we needed). Arriving Saturday afternoon, we made dinner and sat around and talked for the rest of the evening. The big event of the evening was seeing a small sliver of moon in the sky! Ramadan ends with the new moon and so this meant one more day of Ramadan...which also meant no school on Monday or Tuesday! Sunday was spent at the beach, and for the first time in four years I was able to thoroughly enjoy reading a book :) That evening two of our friends made a Tajine (another traditional Moroccan dish made of meat and vegetables) YUMMY!
We squeezed in our last hours of sun on Monday before heading back to Casa. Now Monday was Eid (much like our Christmas), but we were told the trains would still be running. No so. This was the beginning of our adventure home :) Three taxis, and a lot of close contact, later we were back home! Yeah!

Moroccan Dress Day

Thursday was the 27th day of Ramadan (it lasts for 29 or 30 days depending on the moon). For the Moroccan people, all of wednesday night is spent praying. The people gather at the mosque and other places for this night of prayer. At school we celebrate Ramadan coming to an end by having a Moroccan dress day. Teachers and students are encouraged to wear traditional Moroccan attire. Sarah and I went to a market-like place called the habus to get our own jelabas! It was so fun to see the kids dressed up!
Unfortunately I got sick after my first class on Thursday and had to go home. I tried going into school again today but ended up leaving again due to intense stomach pains. Thankfully my fever is starting to go away and my appetite is coming back...all good signs since Sarah and I had plans to travel this weekend!
A funny story though... As you know my 6th graders have been anything but easy. Apparently my substitute was a little late for their class yesterday. Ironically it was my trouble makers who were the first to come running to the principal saying, "Miss our teacher isn't here! Where is our teacher?" And her response was, "Well she's sick. You made her sick." They just stood there stunned...we'll have to see how long that lasts!

Moroccan Cuisine

Tonight a group of teachers went out to a new restaurant in town called the Stone Cafe. It was a really nice building with three different restaurants, each on their own level. After walking up a beautiful (but very large) spiral staircase, we reached the Moroccan restaurant. Since breaking of the fast is around 7pm and we got there at 9pm, the place was empty. We had a seat and out came "appetizers": Harira (traditional Moroccan soup), milk, dates, sweet mint tea, fresh orange juice, and some Ramadan specialty sweets. The main course come out on a large plate and contained an assortment of real Moroccan cuisine. I was not sure what anything was so I took a bite of what I thought was chicken covered in a sauce. As I began to chew I quickly realized the squishy, and somewhat slimmy, substance was not chicken. I kept chewing to be polite and a fellow teacher started saying what the some of the different things were. Then just as I was about to finish chewing and swallow, she said, "and that is sheep brain"! So yes, last night I had my first taste of a sheep's brain. Can't say I'd have it again but now I can at least say I've tried!
One thing I've noticed about myself in my short amount of time here is that my brain has stopped listening to people talking. Since I can't understand what is said most of the time, when someone is actually talking to me I usually have to ask them to repeat it (just ask Sarah...she thinks I might need hearing aids). A classic example of this also accured last night when a gentleman (who obviously worked there) came up to our table, said something, and then left. I leaned over to my friend and asked what he said. She said, "He asked if the volume of the television was okay...(pause)... He was speaking in English!" Hopfully this problem gets better as I learn more French and Arabic :)

More Moroccan Firsts

Last night Sarah and I experienced our first thunderstorm (which we've heard is quite rare for this time of year). Although I am not easily awakened, I did wake up and realize that our windows were open. I closed the ones in my bedroom and then went to the livingroom to close those. Meanwhile Sarah had woken up also and went to make sure my windows were closed (knowing I can sleep through almost anything). It was at that moment that I came around the corner...both frighted by the sight of unexpected dark shadows, we screamed (and then laughed once our hearts had stopped racing)! What a great bonding experience :)
Things were quite wet yet when we woke up. And, upon arrival at school, I quickly figured out that the school was not built for heavy rains. I knew it wasn't good that the water began filling the hall more and more as I approached my classroom. And quess what awaited me...a flooded classroom! What teacher doesn't want to see that an hour before class begins :) Thankfully someone was able get it out (they use giant squeegies to clean the floors) and I still had a half hour to prepare! Can you think of any better way to start a day?!!!

Okay NOW I'm a Real Person :)

It's just after 7pm and Sarah and I are sitting on the roof of our apartment building enjoying the peaceful calm that comes over the city at ifta. It's a beautiful thing.
The most important thing though, is that we survived our first day of teaching!!! I was quite nervous and hardly slept (althought that was partly due to the louder than usual street life last night) BUT everything turned out great! I did sweat through my shirt within the first half hour of being at school...but that's beside the point :)
Coming into this year I was a bit nervous to teach high school (partly because I look like I'm their age). However, after today, I'm pretty sure those classes are going to be my favorites. I was talking with Jodi (my principal) today after school and she told me that a number of my high schoolers sought her out to say thank you for hiring me! That pretty much made my day!!! My 7th graders are 7th graders and my 6th graders are pistols...I'll need lots of prayer for that situation. When I tell them to stop talking and pay attention they say "okay" and then continue talking to their friends! AHHHH! But, from what I've heard they are that way for every teacher.
Tonight Sarah and I are going to try to relax and get things prepared for tomorrow...yeah for homework ;)

The Staff

What an interesting mix of people I will be working with this year...a very diverse group of personalities! Because of Ramadan food is a bit more difficult to get, so we have been doing a number of things together as a staff. These times are quite entertaining :) Just to give you an example...one night we went to a teacher's apartment for nachos. She proceeded to get out her disco ball and spot light and dance. Then to everyone's surprise the 60 year-old social studies teacher gets up and starts shaking his hips along side her!!! Need I say more...we have some characters among us!
Seriously though, everyone is so nice and willing to help with anything. The preschool teacher wrote out a list of survival arabic words, which has been very helpful. We bought a map of the city and are beginning to get our bearings. Today we went to the Marif market...what a wonderful array of fresh food! That is a definite perk of living here.

ifta and the plummer

Tuesday night we were invited as a staff to a family's home for ifta, "breaking of the fast". It was a beautiful, large home (it's amazing what amazing homes you can make out of concrete!). Our time began the traditional Moroccian soup and a pigeon soup...I opted for tradition :) We also were served fresh fruit juices and Moroccian mint tea. After that course, we moved to a large coffee table filled with different cheeses and pastries. Everything was delicious!

Since it is Ramadan, people don't really work during the day because they are fasting...this makes them tired and grumpy :) SO, the work day picks up around 9pm! When we moved into our apartment there was not a faucet on the bathroom sink. Therefore, we made due with the kitchen sink for a few days. The plummer had come earlier in the day but didn't have what he needed (I'm beginning to realize that's how things work here...stuff doesn't get done right the first time). Despite the fact that we don't speak french or arabic and he didn't speak english, we were able to make another appointment for 10pm. This would have been okay except for the fact that he didn't show up until after 11pm!!! He fixed the sink and then moved on to hook up the washing machine. In order to do this, he needed to drill a hole through the cabinet to hook up to a water supply. So it's 11:30pm and the drilling begins. (Now remember we live on the 5th floor of an apartment building) As we plug our ears and the apartment starts to shake, a very angry arabic man walks in our door and starts yelling at me in arabic! I hold up my hands in a puzzled manner and apologize (which he probably couldn't understand) and he storms out! I think he likes us ;) So finally after 10 minutes of loud drilling and 15 of assembly, we were able to go to bed. It was a pretty eventful day.

I'm Here and Safe!

I have arrived! However it was quite the experience getting here...

Saturday morning I woke up with pink eye so I had to contact the on-call doctor for a perscription and make an unexpected stop to the pharmacy :) Our flights from Detroit to Chicago and Chicago to Montreal were smooth BUT when we arrived in Montreal they made us go through customs, pick up our bags, and check in again (which we were told when we checked in that we wouldn't have to do!) We arrived to the check in desk just before they closed the flight. Thankfully there was a wonderful gentleman who helped us get through security and said he would personally make sure our luggage made the flight. What a God-send! So, we ran through the airport to catch our flight only to find out that the crew had not arrived yet (so much for rushing)!
Once we boarded the plane, the flight was good. They gave us dinner and then woke us up at 4:30 for breakfast (it's Ramadan and Muslims can't eat after sunrise). When we landed we had to get on a bus to be brought to the terminal. After we boarded a man came on with a sign for Tunis (spelling?) and pointed to another bus. Since neither Sarah nor I know French or Arabic, we were a bit confused. We stayed on the bus hoping we were in the right spot...and it was! We went through customs, got our luggage, found our people, and were on our way to the apartment.

Some Facts...

• Morocco is in northern Africa (yes I did have to look this up!) and the weather is similar to the Carolinas.
• Casablanca itself is a large city, 4 million, but Morocco is a beautiful country located on the North Atlantic coast.
• The country is completely Muslim; but I’ve heard of a strong community of believers that live in Casablanca.
• The school is a private American school of around 200 students in a wealthy area of Casablanca. I will be teaching in English but the school is trilingual: English, French and Arabic.
• The student population is 60% Moroccan, 20% American, and 20% other. Class sizes are no larger than 22…which is really nice!
• The staff is from all over the globe: America, Honduras, Guatemala, Great Britain…and include a wide range of ages!
• I will be teaching four math classes: 6th grade, 7th grade, 10th grade Geometry, and 11th grade Algebra 2
• The curriculum I am using is what I used during student teaching.
• While the pay is not what I would get in the states, it is tax free and the benefits are pretty good. Sarah and I will be given a fully furnished, two bedroom apartment with satellite and wireless internet. Transportation to and from school is provided along with lunch every day at school. I get health insurance and money for furthering my education. …Really this is pretty good considering all the expenses I would have accumulated in the states (rent, car, gas, insurance, cell phone…)
• Casablanca is a $50 plane ticket away from Europe! This will allow me to travel like I have always wanted and dreamed about!
• Sarah has been a good friend since my freshman year of college. She is a strong Christian, experienced traveler, and a fun person to be around. It is such a comfort to be going with her.
• My family got a webcam and skype…now mom will really have to learn how to email :)

My Story

Prior to spring break, Hope student teachers received an email about a principal from Morocco coming to interview for an elementary and middle school teacher. I immediately emailed my friend Sarah Koon (as a joke) and asked, “Is this our future?” She replied with interest, interviewed with the principal, and was offered a 5^th grade teaching position. At the end of her interview, the principal said to her, “Now the only thing that would make this more perfect is if you had a friend who was a middle school math teacher who could be your roommate.” Sarah told her about me and the principal asked Sarah to call me immediately and to have me contact her. The next day I found myself in an interview that I had not anticipated and with a job offer on the table. After a few days of prayer, questioning, and discernment I have decided to accept the offer. I am so excited and a bit nervous about what this experience will hold.