Simplificar: To Simplify

Minimalism:

Here is an idea that has been floating around in my head for the last few months. Minimalism. The idea of, essentially, less. Less of everything that weighs you down, with the hoped-for end of leaving you with more of the things you love. Essentially, less of everything consumerism says you should want in exchange for more of the pleasures you cannot buy.

Less:
Clothes
Commitments
Paper
Junk
Clutter
Stuff
Useless items
Furniture
Decorations
Luxuries

...while some of these may be difficult to give up, the idea is that you gain...

More:

Peace of mind

Space in your home/room

Intentionality about your life and your things

Ownership of what is left (versus your stuff owning you)

Natural beauty, opportunities to enjoy it

                                        ...and most of all...

TIME! (for things like)

Being with your kids

Chasing your personal passions

Reading a good book

Being with your spouse

Prayer

Exercise

Cooking wholesome meals

Personal development and learning

Reflection

Building lasting relationships

Things with MEANING (aka not watching TV) 

...essentially everything you have always wanted time to do but never have managed to find room for....

This is a totally new idea to me (and in confession only slightly because of our house decree to "live simply"). If I had to guess, I'd wager this curiosity comes from a dissatisfaction with the material world and the realization that things don't make you happy. Meaningful work, important relationships, and learning make me happy. People can adapt to living with a lot less that I have had most of my life. I am in no way ungrateful for what I have been given and I am not saying everyone should do this. I have just found a personal road to Christ's calling to us to leave behind our material items (or at least some of them) and find a search for meaning outside of what consumerism and advertising dictates is "happiness."

Enseñar: to teach

teaching, a wildly vivacious verb

to form

to mold

to discipline

to respect

to attempt

to fail

to reflect

to change

to discern

to learn

to grow

to prune

to nurture

to provoke

to correct

to mentor

to guide

to accompany

to love

to teach

to be

I am these verbs, I am a teacher. It is not my job, my vocation, or my passion.

It is my entire being. It is my identity. It is my soul.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Luchar: to struggle

What better word for this half year of teaching that I have made it through so far. Struggle. There have been excellent moments, and there have been some I'd rather not repeat. Being a first year teaching is very difficult, especially in my second language. There are time when I know I could do a better job if I were teaching in English and not being at my best is frustrating; however, the challenge of it all is so much more beneficial to me (even if I admit it through gritted teeth). Unfortunately, being a first year teacher is just part of the deal, you have to start somewhere. As ALL professional teachers can tell you, it is tough, but if I just keeping preparing myself mentally I usually can accept the fact I am not as good now as I will be in 10 years and can move on.

 

Below I would like to take you through a picture journey of our year so far... here we go.

 

Begginings:

Donations:

 

Learning:

(I love this learning wall, it is such a visual way to see what we have covered so far this year!)




Vocabulary and Concepts:

The Chittlins/Chiquitos/Rugrats:

(ven diagram the first graders did of instruments that make high/low sounds... or both)

 

Posted with Blogsy

Nadar: To Swim

March 2013

A smidgen of our annual beach trip with all of the babies, toddlers, and children from Casa Suyapa

• Teaching kids how to swim
• Flying kites
• Untangling kites
• Making sandcastles
• Watching them get destroyed
• Unbelievable humidity
• Mid day naps in the sand
• Floaties 
• Fried fish!
• Long days
• Hot nights
• Some of my best memories

Discubrir: To Discover

Notice:

Hello to all who have at one point read my blog and have been disappointed seeing as I have not published in a VERY long time. I apologize. It is harder than you would think carving out time to explain to everyone the incredibly unique life that happens here at El Rancho. 

Question:

Lately I have been doing a lot of personal reflection and thinking. Recently we went on a retreat where reflecting was a central theme which started me doing some serious "self-discovery" or perhaps better said "personal examination." I discovered an interesting question: 'why am I so happy here.' It's a great question, and I am very grateful that I can ask it. Yet, it is still interesting to me because I am so frustrated at various times for days or even weeks at a time... (and I am talking about frustration like I have never felt before)... how is it that I am almost entirely certain I have never been happy? 

Answers:

I reduced my answer to this question in 3 answers. 

1. I am always learning. Teaching classes completely in my second language, learning about culture, how to navigate a city like Tegucigalpa, how to overcome numerous obstacles, reading all the time, and new skills like making excellent flower tortillas by hand (easier than you think). 
2. I have meaningful relationships. Relationships that nurture and challenge me (not necessarily the same person). Relationships with the kids (that have to be won on a day to day, week to week, and month to month basis. Relationships that I thought might not work.... but do, somehow. 
3. Meaningful work. Even on the toughest days, even when I am sure that I am the most useless human being on the planet because I will never see the results of what I do, even when I doubt what I do will make any difference to these kids..... somewhere deep, (DEEP) down, I have to know that what I am doing is meaningful, if I didn't I wouldn't be here, and I wouldn't be this happy. 

Idea:

This experience has led to realize, to discover, to believe a truth about myself and my future. I can forge my own destiny. I can be whatever I want to be. As frustrated as I am here, I am still happy; in the future, if my life does not have this balance, I will know one of these three answers is missing... which means something will have to change. I can only hope if a day ever comes where I am in a situation like that, I will have the courage to make a change.