Carlsbad Caverns from Spring Break

So, over Spring Break (a couple of weeks ago), I went with my roommate Malorie and her boyfriend Pat to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It was truly mind-blowing! I don't think that I've ever been in caves before. If I have, they have now paled so much in comparison that the memory is obsolete. It was about a two and a half hour drive through parts of Texas and into New Mexico. Along the way, we actually were able to experience another National Park: the Guadelupe Mountains. They are the highest point in Texas and are very beautiful... and very different from the Rockies. We spent most of the day at Carlsbad, hiking throught the caves.

For the most accessible (and most visited) part of the park, you have two options: hike in or take the elevator. There was no question about our preference. So, we began the hike which took us circa two and a half hours. You're on a paved path the whole time, and it's dimly lit. I was actually really impressed with the artistry behind the lighting. There is so much to take in while you're down there, but the lighting guides you through it. Highlighting this, backlighting that. It did make it quite dificult to take pictures. To do it properly, you would need a tri-pod and a long shutter speed without a flash to capture the colors and feel of it. But, pictures don't do it justice anyways. The sheer amount of space within this caves is unreal! But, I'm jumping ahead.

As you hike down, you are at a pretty steep grade, traveling throught the natural mouth of the cave, and down into the depths. Since you are the one guiding yourself into it, you are forced to realize the grandeur and the juxtoposition of this underground world. "Wait, weren't we just standing on top of this?!" You would have to make yourself look up and marvel at the vertical spaces. Almost like being in a cathedral but on a much grander scale, and way more beautiful (in my humble opinion). God is an artist that we aspire to be like. You hike from room to room of this cave, constantly working downwards until you get into the "Great Room". Oddly enough, it wasn't my favorite spot... I don't know that I had one favorite spot, but I really enjoyed the hike down.

The Great Room is where the elevator spits people out, so they would miss all of what we had seen over the last hour and a half! This part is quite level and even somewhat wheelchair accessible. We also saw some more water that was still forming active There were fun formations with names such as: The Lion's Tail, Rock of Ages, Whale's Mouth, Fairy Prairie, and the Bottomless Pit. (I had to say the last one in the same voice as "The Pit o Despair". That only resulted in the ensuing of hilarity Princess Bride style. Heck yes!) It was a fay full of fun antics balanced by revered and awe-struck whispered. Because of the immensity, they ask that you keep your voice down to prevent a cacophony of echoes. The only disappointment of the day was when we discoverd that everyone has to take the elevator out of the caves. The path is one way only, probably for some unknown safety reasons. Despite our hike being shorter than we intended, we still had a grand old time.

There are a grand total of 113 caves in this National Park, and those two and a half hours were spent only exploring one. They are also discovering more new caves every year! Apparently, you can pay to go on guided tours of other caves requiring some spelunking gear. Bring your own boots, gloves, and AA batteries, they'll supply the helmuts, knee pads, and headlamps. :) I would love to go back, camp there for a while, and do some more exploring... maybe someday. So, it was an adventure I would highly recommed to anyone. Plus, because we lived so close, it only cost us the price of gas (1 full tank) and $6 a person. A deal of a lifetime!

Stephen Froiland

I received an e-mail today informing many of the alumni of Trinity at River Ridge that former art teacher Stephen Froiland passed away on Tuesday. To me, this proved to be quite the shock. He had been living with Crohn's disease for years and liver cancer apparently. From the sounds of it, I think the family knew it was coming... but I didn't. Needless to say, it shook me up. He was my art teacher at the end of my Trinity career and he was the one who helped me come into my own as an artist. I accomplished more than I could under his guidance. Seeing his passion in the classroom every day was a true inspiration of the power that creating visual art could have on one's life.

I developed my love of Bougereau, Waterhouse, and Leighton because of him. He encouraged me in my creativity and gumption within my own art form. He gave me ideas and ways to explore them. I still have a work that I have been piddling with since my senior year that he helped me with. (For those in my class, does "siren" ring a bell?) I have so many memories of discussions and true encouragement from him. Even after graduating, I would look forward to the conversations that I could have with him in the hallways during quick visits. He always encouraged me to keep painting, drawing, and creating art... and I have. It has been an outlet for emotions of all kinds: a way to grieve, a support to others, a celebration of joy, an expression of longing, an honoring for loved ones, and a transfer of feelings that can't be expressed in words.

He was an amazing artist and I always regretted the fact that I was never able to visit his rented studio space that was located near one of my favorite coffee shops. (Jeremy, I think it was by Black Dog Cafe.) So, I honor him for his passion in life for art, teaching, working with ambitious teenagers, his courage, and his steadfastness. I hope to be able to affect the lives of my own students as he affected mine. In his short forty-five years of life, he was able to accomplish so much.

As I write this, I am listening to the soundtrack of "The Mission". For some reason, it has occasionally reminded me of him. (Not the songs of impending doom, the serene ones.) Now it seems more appropriate than ever. The romantic, classical quality of the score just tears at your heart strings. It relays this mix of joy and sorrow, as does this time surrounding his death. He is with His Lord now, and is freed from the suffering that he endured for so many years. The tears stream down my face and yet I rejoice in the knowledge that he is finally resting at peace. Thank you for everything that you have taught me, Steve, you will be dearly missed.

Planned Part is Over!

It's been great being back in Minnesota. It was such a joy-filled time to be able to be at the Community Meeting on Sunday and see everyone once again. The week has been good, very relaxing, and somewhat productive. After running around at a super high fast pace for the last three months, I'm trying to figure out how this slow-paced life at home works. I still want to be productive and there's a LOT that I want to accomplish during this time. I am now pretty much certified as a real, live teacher. Woo hoo! So, that means I need to find a teaching job for next year. That is what this month is about primarily. (I am in the Twin Cities for a month. I will head back up to Morris for the last three weeks of the semester, graduate, home for 3 days, and then head to Scandinavia for 2.5 weeks. Wow!) But, besides that month and a half spanning mid-April to the end of May, this ends the "planned part of my life". College is done, living situation is being investigated, jobs are being pursued, etc... That's a weird realization.

Since I've been back, I have finished my first draft of my resume and am starting on cover letters today. I have my eye on some different job posting sites, but will also be keeping track on individual school districts. I suppose I should insert some more details here. I have a few (loose) criteria for life next year. I need to be in a location where there is a branch of the People of Praise (any branch). Four years being away from a branch is more than enough for me! I feel the Lord is calling me to teach next year, most likely in a full-time teaching position where I have my own classroom. (Well, at this stage in the game, that's what I would like.) I would really like to live in some sort of a household with other singles or a family. And, I want to be more involved in the City-Building, Missionary lifestyle. I have been involved, and I consider myself to be a missionary already, no matter where I am. But I want to take that and make it my all... every day of my life, my mission in life.

So, as a result of all of these elements, I believe that I will most likely be in the Twin Cities metro area next year. This is exciting to realize and I'm finally starting to get glimpses of what life could be next year. I have talked to numerous people about this, and it seems pretty clear that this is where the Lord is calling me for now. In addition to that foundational call, it's even more exciting for many reasons: I grew up here, but haven't really come into my own as a full member of this branch; my family and so many of my friends are here (inside and outside People of Praise); there are many possibilities for household life here; my teaching licenture is in the state of MN, so no re-licenture is necessary; there are many districts and types of schools to pursue employment opportunities in, I'm not limited to one or two districts.

Many things are unknown, but it's all quite exciting. Even though this is the end of the "planned part", I know that Someone Else has an even greater plan for my life. That's all I need to know in order to have peace and trust in Him. Amen!

Way Overdue

I apologize for the severe lack of posts lately... it has been crazy chaotic and then sleep took over. Such is life! If you don't know already, i write this from the homeland of Minnesota. I don't think I ever realized how much I enjoy being able to come back to this beautiful state until I flew from the desert into this land filled with lakes and trees. Yes, El Paso has mountains, but still doesn't win my heart over completely. So, it is good to be back. However, it wasn't an easy last couple of days with my students.

I have really created a strong bond with my students in El Paso, my first real class that I've ever had where I felt that they were mine. This responsibility for them was obviously in the classroom, but it also spread to all parts of their lives (as it should). I wanted to figure out a way to say goodbye to these little people who have been my purpose and my livelihood over the past three months. I decided I would write each one of them a letter. I was able to get most of the twenty hand-written letters finished over Spring Break. However, I saved the ones that would be the hardest to write until the end. I had intended my students to bring them home and read them there, after we had already said goodbye.

I prepared myself for a fun, but assuredly emotional day on Friday and that's what I had. Short version: they ended up reading their letters at the end of the day as I passed them out. Some of them began to cry because of the truly heart-felt and encouraging notes that I had given them. They came up to hug me ("Group Hug!") and I started crying because they were crying. And because I was crying, even more of them started crying! I know, it was indeed a vicious circle of love. :) I would bet that within that last half hour of Friday when we said our goodbyes, that at least 3/4 of my students cried. I guess I know that they love me and I hope that also means that I made a difference within these few months.

During these few months, I really bonded with a few of my boys, often times the bigger trouble-makers out of the group. They need stability and to learn responsibility, so I admit that I gave them a bit more attention. I took the time to individually pull aside the three who I grew closest to at the end of Friday: Ricardo, Alfonso, and Angel. I reiterated some of what I had written to them in their letters, and it is certainly a tall order: "Promise me that you will always take the time to make good decisions. Never take the easy way out, because it's never worth it. Don't ever let anyone push you around and don't ever push anyone else around. Promise that you will always be a gentleman. Never let your anger get the best of you. Don't fight with others. You know that you're better than than, and I know that. Now show them that you're better than that. Choose your friends carefully and help each other make good decisions. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something. Work hard, and you can do whatever you set your mind to."

So, I hope they stay in touch. These are the ones whose futures I am slightly concerned about, but I think they'll be ok. Well, I pray they'll be ok. God has taken care of them this far into their little lives, He's always got them in His sight. So, after some tears and more hugs than I can count to my kids, I did what I came to Texas to do. I taught them everything I could (not just academic content either), I spent time with them, I loved them, and then I let them go. It was a great three months and I will never forget them, my first real class. Here's some pictures:
Here's some of my kids playing a Spelling game to review for their test. Sparkle, anyone? It was great fun and we're clearly having fun.

This is Angel. You'll notice the tears visibly streaming down his face. And yes, I was crying too. But, the picture taken immediately before this one was too sad to post. He's bawling. It's the saddest picture I've probably ever seen.

This is my class... well, almost all of them. Pretty cute, hunh? That's Alfonso with the attitude standing on his desk upper right. Ricardo is the one lurking in the background. I miss them already and love them tons. Father, watch over them and bless their futures. Give them the strength that they'll need to follow You and make good decisions each day. Amen!

A Bribe

So, today was my second to last day in my classroom. Many of my student have been quite vocal about not wanting me to leave. One of my boys who is a bit of a trouble-maker came up to me this morning and said "Miss Coleman, why can't you stay? I want you to. If you stay, I promise I won't be bad any more. I'll be good!" Something like that just breaks my heart, how can it not?! (His behavior has actually improved drastically within my time here through meetings with his grandma (his legal guardian) to get all of us on the same page.) Tomorrow will be an interesting and emotionally-draining day, I am sure.

By the way, here's a story from Nightline that I just saw... interesting indeed. http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=2935819&page=1

Perspective on History and Other Thoughts

It is interesting how timing works because I was just talking to one of my roommates / fellow teachers about this and then I read Rus' post from 3/19/07. Here's my thoughts.

Because I am licensed to teach all subject areas Kindergarten through sixth grade, we have a lot of variety in the classes that we take in the Elementary Education program at Morris. This past fall I took a class of teaching methods in Social Studies. A shift in my thinking clicked into gear: Social Studies is not just history and geography like so many of us were taught throughout the years; it is the study of ALL things social: sociology, psychology, political science, anthropology, history, geography, and more! (You would think that this would be obvious, but it wasn't to me.) We need to teach it like that, and there are so many opportunities there. So often SS is seen as the most boring subject, but I see it as the subject with the most opportunities. (It's not always automatic, but I keep reminding myself of it.) By teaching it this way, it can be integrated into any of the other subjects: math (population growth, country statistics, travel, dates, life expectancy comparisons), science (pollution, ecology, renewable energy, engineering / architecture), reading (primary document, texts, everything), art (archeology, art history, pottery), music (well, that one's pretty obvious).

By viewing the world with all of these pieces intact, you see a more complete picture of how things work. It makes everything more relatable both to us and between all of these parts. Rus was talking about seeing the nation of Israel in a few different lights (from both the Israeli and Palestinian perspectives). One of the books from our school library that I read over Spring Break was called "One More River". It is the story of a Jewish family who move from Canada to Israel to join the life of the kibbutzim along the banks of the River Jordan (the former border between Israel and Jordan). It's a book of young adult literature, so an easy read but packed with stuff to think about. I recommend it!

This ties into why I really want to teach upper Elementary to Middle school (grades 4 - 8). I realized a while ago that there is an important distinction. So much of teaching at the primary level is building the foundation for their future education. This is part of why I want to teach at this level: get 'em while they're young! :) But, I want to be able to introduce really "meaty" topics to my students and incorporate that into my everyday teaching. I want to be able to really discuss what we're talking about in class. It's hard to do that with twenty-two 7 year olds. Yes, it's possible to a certain extent, but you can go so much deeper with students as they begin to mature.

Especially when you begin to delve into the genre of Social Studies, the possibilities become endless and can be very challenging. I want to incorporate current events into my teaching, for both my students' benefit and for my own. I want them to see the connections between what occurred in the past and what continues to happen in the world today. I haven't had the opportunity to teach much SS since I've been here in TX, only a week on the Texas Revolution. (yeehaw!) But, there has been other things that we have done with reports on Martin Luther King Jr., various presidents, different states, and other topics. I think my favorite moments were the conversations that we had centered around the Civil Rights Movement. These kids are still pretty young, and it's really interesting presenting those sorts of topics for the first time that they really start to get it. So, there's some of my thoughts for now. A bit random, but that's how my brain works today to give you a tiny little insight.

Reflections on Fear

At the first Missionary Conference with the People of Praise this past New Years, I was being attacked more than ever before by the spirit of fear. I kept praying against it on my own and with others, but I couldn't seem to shake it. Finally, a word came forward that shot straight to my heart. I have held tight to that word for the past few months. It keeps me in the right frame of mind, where I know the Father wants me to be. Here's what I wrote as a reflection on it:

I hear Your Voice calling,
I feel Your heart-prodding,
And I wonder
What is this fear?

Never have I known one,
Never has one known me,
Like You.
And yet, what is this fear?

You call out "You are My joy, My love."
Your existence makes me possible.
We yearn for one another, that coexistence.
But, what is this fear?

And so I turn, to open surrender.
Through shaky tears,
Amidst the shadows,
I cast aside all fear.

Any challenge or price,
Any risk or sacrifice,
I stand firm with my Love
And will not choose fear.

And a prayer I wrote a few months ago that still rings true:
No matter what the cost. No matter how hard it is or how uncomfortable it may be. No matter the sacrifice... I have pledged my life to You, my Lord and King, the love of my life. No walls or barriers, whatever You want. No turning back. My life is different now. I see the world through new eyes. I have a lot of work to do and many things to pray about. But, I cannot, will not be afraid. You are my strength. You are my all. You are my Lord, my Shepherd, my Guide, my Master. You are my love... literally. All of the love that I have ever been capable of feeling or showing to others is because of You. Amen!

Prayer Request

Many of you have gotten e-mails from me over the last couple of weeks regarding my dad's job situation. Very brief synopsis: he's been working in Nevada for the last 3.5 years after being laid off in MN. Great job, bad location. Under the radar from NV, he applied for a Dean's position at a Minneapolis college where he used to be a professor. Read on...

Hot Off the Press!

I just got a call from the Chair of the Search Committee at Minneapolis
Technical and Community College related to the position I interviewed for
last Friday: Dean of Workforce Development.

They interviewed 8 people and have narrowed the field to 3 finalists ... I
am one of the finalist. The follow up interviews with the President and Vice
President of the MCTC will be in a couple of weeks. Since I "serve at the
pleasure" in my existing job ... I'm trying to stay under the radar as long
as possible. The finalists are public information, but they are not
broadcast.

I sincerely appreciate your support and prayers ... I will keep you posted
as we go to the next level.

God bless!
Mick
So, prayers are needed now, more than ever. When I got the e-mail a few minutes ago, I started freaking out. (Just ask Jeremy Osterhouse) :) He likened it to being in a state tournament, now he has to be the best out of the top 3 competitors. God can do this if He wants to though. Lord, I'm handing this over to You even more than before. Hold my family in Your hands and move in power. Bless and guide all of those who are involved in this process. (But, oh Father, You know how badly I want this, how much we need this.) Take it, Lord, and move... Amen!

A Toast to my brother

Today is my brother Johnny's 20th birthday. I have a lot of love and respect for that man. He has grown a lot over the past couple of years and really come into his own element. Like me, he has a lot of passion for life and the relationships therein. I'm proud of his initiative for going way the heck over to George Mason to study Sports Management. Sports have always been a huge part of Johnny's life ever since he was about five or six years old: T-Ball, Biking, Baseball, Soccer, Roller-Blading, Ice Skating, Basketball, Golf, Lacrosse, Tennis... just not running! He'll be great at it once he finds his niche. He's got a great girlfriend, Erika, who is already starting to be a part of the family... she fits right in!

Johnny and I have always been close: both while growing up and now. I love that bond that I'm able to share with him. Part of it was probably the fact that we were the same size and everyone thought we were twins while we were growing up. (Because I was so small, he caught up to me in height and weight when he was two years old and I was four.) I cherish those countless talks that we've had late at night. Some of my favorite memories are probably the times he would come into my room during high school and sit on my bed, just wanting to talk. We obviously don't see each other that much right now, but we'll still talk on the phone. It's not as much as I would want or an ideal situation... but it works.

Happy Birthday, Johnny, I love ya'!
(Photo courtesy of Bob Cunningham)

Kick off to Spring Break

So, it's officially spring break here in El Paso (as it is in many other locations around the country). We have the whole week off from teaching, which is honestly a little weird. You see, after Spring Break I only have 1 more week of teaching and I'm flying back to MN (for good) two weeks from today. I know, it's nuts. So, honestly, I would just as soon not have break now and get home a week earlier instead of staying here. (It's not that I don't love being here... but I think you see where I'm coming from.)

So last night was a great way to kick off spring break, we had a lot of fun. Alicia Mendez is a Morris alum living and working here in El Paso. She's the one I went to Mexico with. She wanted to hang out with us, so we met her for dinner at "Taco Cabana" which was really good for being a fast food place. (I had a delicious shrimp quesadilla.) Then we went to Marble Slab for ice cream and hung out for a while. We wrapped up the evening by going to the cheap theater and seeing "Stomp the Yard". I was mind-blowing! I love any form of dancing and this was radically different from what I'm used to. I have a lot of respect for those people. It also made me really glad that we don't have any Greek Society at Morris. I have enough sisterhood (and brotherhood) without it. The best thing about the night though? All of this came to a grand total of $5.00. Heck yes!

So, the Spring Break week begins. Mary and Kirsten are both heading to MN for the week and the significant others of Cara and Mal are down here. And then there's me! Hopefully there won't be many awkward situations. I want to do some hiking while I'm here and get to White Sands National Monument (1.5 hours) and maybe Carlsbad Caverns National Park (3 hours). I would like to go with some people, but if there's no interest, I'll probably go solo. Yeah for hiking and national parks! I may hang out with Alicia some later on this week too. She's down here with a program called the Master's Commission which she described kind of like a Christian Peace Corps. This upcoming week is their big spring festival and there's a lot of speakers coming in. It would be great to have some more Christian Fellowship down here, so we'll see how it pans out. Keep me in your prayers this week and God bless!

Six Flags Over Texas

As I previously mentioned, this week I have been teaching (and learning) about the Texas Revolution. Next week is the Alamo! So, we were having a discussion about it today and its relation to the Texas state flag. Anyways, my teacher brought up the information about where Six Flags (yes, the amusement park) got its name from. There are many Six Flags, but the first was in Arlington Texas and its full name is "Six Flags Over Texas". It derives its name from the SIX national flags that have flown over the state of Texas. Six! The lovely line-up of this national identity crisis in the making goes: France, Spain, Mexico, Republic of Texas, United States of America, and the Confederate States of America (and then back to the USA). Gotta' love that Texas pride! (Yes, it's a different world over here.)

After our field trip on Wednesday, we went to a park near the school for lunch and to play. I ended up reffing my first football game ever. It was pretty hot out (it's been in the mid to upper 70s all week). So, I borrowed my Ninah's baseball cap... Texas Longhorns! So, I'm running around with my kids, yelling, laughing, having a great time, in jeans, a T-shirt, hair in a pony tail, Texas Longhorns baseball cap on my head. "Do I look like I belong in Texas now?" "Yeah, Miss Coleman, you look cool!" "You look different!" :) It was quite fun. We got back to school and I was still wearing the cap. I ran into one of my roommates in the hallway and she said she didn't even recognize me! Well, I guess I don't wear that many baseball hats, especially not with my professional teaching wardrobe. Almost the weekend!

Thin Line between Trust and Mistrust

We went on a field trip today called "Kids, Kows, and More" it was pretty fun to experience with them and an amazingly gorgeous day outside. (I even got my first sunburn of the year... gotta' love this complexion!) :) It's funny to come from Morris, the land where cows live next to the football fields and horse stables. Some of these kids had never been that close to cows before! I don't think I had realized how much I actually know about agriculture while being a city girl. I guess that happens when Mom grew up on a farm, Grandpa Bell raised hogs and other animals, my uncle Larry still farms in Iowa, my uncle Mark has an acreage with horses and and hay crops in Washington, and 3 of my cousins (Mike, Bill, and Tony) run their own Millenkamp Cattle Company. I guess going to Morris helps, too.

As I have mentioned before, I have started to really bond with some of my students. Some of my boys who like to cause a stir are actually the same ones who have been working their ways into my heart. The thing about bonding with students when I'm only gonna' be here for 2 more weeks is that I get attached. Because I have emotionally invested in my kids, it sometimes gets complicated. I trust them through that bond, but today that was tested. I found out at lunch today that two of my favorite boys apparently beat up another boy from a different section of 4th grade. Obviously I was upset to hear this and surprised nothing had been mentioned. So, I casually asked one of the offenders if anything happened after school. "No." "There's not anything you want to talk about or tell me?" (confused look) "No. Why, what happened?" "I heard that there may have been a confrontation between you, Alfonso, and another kid." "What, like we jumped him?" "I'm not accusing you of anything. I just wanted to know your side. I'm trusting you and would really hate to find out that you weren't telling me the truth." I left it at that for then.

The 3 boys involved talked to one of the other teachers after school and I guess that the accuser (one who had a bloody nose) started changing his story. "Maybe it wasn't them... I don't remember..." When I heard this, I guess there should have been some relief, but I was equally upset just in a different way. There are mixed stories being told, but the accuser is not the most trust-worthy. I guess we'll just see how it pans out. But I was upset because throughout the day I was flirting with that thin line between trust and mistrust. I wanted to trust my boys, this other kid impacted me, and I started to cross that line. However, I was immediately relieved that I never formally accused them of anything. Keep your head at all times, be fair, listen to all stories, and trust your gut I guess.

I made sure that I talked to my boys about it before they left for the day. They're not incapable of doing what they were accused of and I was concerned that their anger may tempt them to retaliate. I talked to one of them at length about how he deals with anger and what should be done. I expressed concerns about how some of the boys joke about beating people up or getting into prison. "You're so much better than that. You are above that kind of behavior. I know that and you know that, but you need to show them that, ok?" So I told him to have a good night, not to let his anger get the best of him, and I would see him tomorrow. I "gave him a pound" (knocking fists) and sent him on his way. I was still upset, but doing ok. All in a day's work.

I guess this somewhat minor situation just got me thinking about trust and mistrust in general. I want to be able to trust my students and those who I surround myself with in life, simple as that. However I also realized that who I trust lies in my own hands. Yes, we're obviously impacted by other people's actions. But when it comes down to it, I make the decision of who I am going to trust.
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Update as of 3/9/07:
Nothing has really come of this confrontation as far as discipline or other academic affairs go. When talking to the boys about what should be done, they said that they were just not going to hang out with this kid any more. Good plan!

One of my other students reported to me today that there was a near confrontation between the younger brother of the accuser (from the other class) and one of the accused (Angel, the one I talked to at length about being above such things). I guess that this kid was basically trying to pick a fight / taunt Angel before school this morning. But what did Angel do? He continually ignored him and kept walking away from the situation. Way to go, little man! There's one of my first good examples of what I can teach these kids beyond the classroom.

Taking Chances

One of the great things about my teaching here in Texas is working with my cooperating teacher, Sandra Perez. She has been working with student teachers for many, many years. When we were talking together, she mentioned that she had an awful cooperating teacher during her own student teaching experience. So, she's made a commitment to take in as many student teachers as she can to "give back". And let me tell you, she's great at it. She said that she sometimes takes in up to three student teachers a year. That's a huge deal!

Some of my roommates here have kind of struggled working with their teachers because many of their teachers do not want to give up control in their classes (which is totally understandable; these are their classrooms). We're supposed to teach full time for at least 2 - 3 weeks while we're here. However, Sandra is really good about letting me do / try pretty much whatever I want. I started teaching on my 2nd day here! I've also been full time teaching for six weeks already... this is my last one. I think that because of this, I've really connected with my students. I'm gonna miss them like crazy!

I've had to figure out the delicate balance between not knowing much about something and knowing a lot about other topics. Both my university supervisor and advisor have made comments regarding my teaching and the knowledge that I bring into the classroom. Because I have had so many diverse experiences (in great part due to my education through the classes I have taken at Trinity and chose to take at UMM). My advisor said that as a student in class, in my conversations, and while I am teaching I stay on track with the topic, but I also draw information from everywhere that enriches or expands on the idea. This is great, but when I'm teaching I have to be careful... my students may not see where I'm coming from right away. It was great to hear that distinction.

On the other end of the spectrum, I'm not afraid to try something new with these students that I've never done before. For example, this week I started teaching to these native Texan students living on the Mexican border about the Texan Revolution. (Bring it on!) :) So, it'll be a fun last week and a half... lots of new experiences and adventures still left to be had. Huzzah!

Mexican Adventure

I went to Mexico today! El Paso is literally right next to the border between the USA and Mexico. You can see Mexico from outside of our apartment and drive along the Rio Grande on I-10. It's nuts. One of the UMM students who student taught down here last spring (Shelly) has an uncle living in El Paso who does mission work into Ciudad Juarez (in Mexico). She crossed over with him and another teacher (Alicia) many times to help out with his work there. Alicia is actually still living down here, working and studying. Today Malorie, Alicia, her friend Heather, Ed (Shelly's uncle), and I went over to Juarez for about 8 hours.

It was a great day, started off with great music by Manu Chao (courtesy of Joshua and Naomi Caneff) in Spanish, Portugese, French, and English... gotta love it! We met at the mission house in El Paso, loaded up into Ed's H3 (yup... a Hummer 3) and drove across the border. It's really easy to get into Mexcio, you don't even have to stop, just drive on through! Despite the fact that it only took us a few minutes to get into Mexico, the difference is immediately noticeable. Houses are falling down / over... actually, I would not call them all houses. Many are shacks, boards in a pile with a tarp or tin roof over them, and a fence around it if they're lucky. We went through many parts of the city and it was amazing the difference that a mile or even a few blocks could make.

So, we're driving around, looking for someone to tell us where to find our first delivery point, and it started to hit me how akward this was. We're driving around an extremely impoverished area, and even though it's cool to be in a Hummer... this doesn't seem right. It's not like I don't already stand out enough in these Hispanic communities. :) We visited the first children's home briefly, got some lunch at a restaurant downtown, and continued on to our next location.

We arrived at our final destination at the end of their lunch time. We walked into the main dining area and found about 30 children eating their noon-time meal. The four of us women ended up sitting down with the kids as they finished and began talking to them. None of them spoke English, so for the first time since I've been here, I was really able to use my Spanish! (Malorie and Alicia also speak Spanish.) One of the staff said that they have from ages 2 - 18 sometimes, but the majority are from about 5 - 10 years old. While introducing ourselves to one another, I started talking with some of the little girls about names. They wanted to know my complete name (I usually go by Karina when I speak Spanish) and they loved saying it over and over again: "Karina Maria Isabel Coleman" It was a lot of fun. Some were fascinated by my blue eyes or my freckles, but mostly by my hair. At one point in time I had two girls and one little boy playing with it... it was an experience!
Malorie's digital camera proved to be a big hit, as is the usual case. All of these pictures were actually taken by an 11 year old girl from the Home who we spent most of the afternoon with. It's amazing how much can be translated through pictures and how exciting it can be to have your picture taken. They wanted to be remembered; they wanted to be in the camera, on the screen. For a while, they were all lining up so we could take a picture of each of them on their own... their moment to shine.

It was great just to be able to play with these kids and give them some love and attention. I think that they're pretty much on their own for playtime and don't interact with adults too often. You could tell that they loved every minute of it, and so did we. I was bouncing some of the little ones around, tickling them (see new profile picture), picking them up, carrying them around, and giving LOTS of hugs. I was talking to 4 year old Jose when they came over with the camera. I scooped him up and threw him on top of my shoulders. You could tell that he had no idea what was going on, and had probably never sat on someone's shoulders. He was squirming all over the place, so you can tell I'm cautiously holding him in the picture. He was all smiles though!
We were only able to stay for a couple of hours at this Children's Home, but it was worth it! We said our goodbyes to the kids and gave another round of hugs. I don't know if I'll get back over in the last 3 weeks that I have here, but I'm glad I was able to go at least once.

When we were headed back towards the Mexican-USA border, the traffic was nuts (as we expected). As previously mentioned, we didn't even have to stop to get into Mexico, we just drove through the gates. However, it was about 1.5 hours that we sat in the car, waiting for our turn to get through the gates, talk to the border patrol, and be on our way. Whew! It was interesting to say the least. But, it was worth every minute of that wait to bring the children their needed supplies. More importantly, it was great to give them some love as we are supposed to live our lives. This was painted on the wall of the dining room... not only should we let the little children come to the Lord, but we should bring Him to them through our actions.

Team El Paso

Here's a picture of my and my Texas roommates (known to our professors as "Team El Paso"). Cara and I only have 2 weeks of teaching left (plus a week for our Spring Break). Mal, Mary, and Kirsten are staying another month to teach Spanish in the high school near our apartment. (They're double majors with Spanish Secondary Ed.) Good times!

From Left to Right: Malorie, me (Karen), Mary, Cara, and Kirsten.

And here's Scotsdale Elementary School where I teach 4th grade!

True Gratitude and Growth

Sometimes I cannot help but stop and look around at my life. It is times like this when I am able to stop and breathe, and I am filled with true gratitude for all that the Lord has given me. The best thing about birthdays is getting to talk to everyone! So, even though I should have been doing lesson planning, I was on the phone for most of the night with people in Minnesota, Virginia, Nevada (that's just my immediate family), Texas, Indiana, Colorado, and Costa Rica!!! Technology is a beautiful thing... for more reasons than one.

This past year was a crazy one, mostly one of growth. I don't consider twenty-two years to be very many to have been on this planet. But, I did catch myself in the mirror today and was fairly pleased with what He's been up to in that short amount of time, especially recently. Within the last year, the Lord has really been working in my life, in my heart. I especially have a fresh perspective on some of the relationships in my life. I truly cherish those who He has brought into my life both at Morris, through the People of Praise, and also from other areas of my life. They keep me in check, in perspective, balanced. I always have a number of people who I can talk to at any time about anything. The Lord has blessed me immensely in the last two months as well through my roommates in El Paso. We've known each other for a few years and had all of our classes together for the past two years in the El Ed Program. But, I never expected it to be going as well as it has been. It was immediate, no akward period of adjustment or anything. It's odd though because I realize these months here will provide us with a bond, but it doesn't mean that we're going to be great friends or even stay that close after graduation. I'm sure we'll keep in touch in terms of teaching, and I'll think of them often... but you know what I mean.

That is one thing that I have been thinking more about recently, which I should have been expecting. There was a time near the end of my senior year of Trinity that I realized that I would not stay in touch with everyone from our small class of 55. This was a hard realization because I had kind of fallen / put into the role of "class organizer" -> the one who knew everyone, where they were going to college, most of their birthdays and middle names, their possible majors, one of the seniors on yearbook, etc... I am the only class representative for our class, I'll coordinate things in the future. I think that because of this, I held onto people for longer than many do. For the first two years of college, I stayed in touch with most of my class and would give the "Christmas / Summer updates" to people. I've gotten away from that in recent years to a certain extent. I still really value these people and it is truly my pleasure to serve them by being a link between them and Trinity.

I guess I have been realizing the value of relationships being two-sided. They have to be two-way streets. I don't want to have to put all of the effort into my friendships. There has to be a mutual commitment to something or someone for it to work. I've been realizing that I shouldn't feel bad about not putting myself through the agony of exhausting myself over things like this. I'm not giving up, I'm not going to change who I am, who I love, or what I value. However, I've had to convince myself that sometimes people float in and out of our lives, it is natural. It's a hard reality to swallow, but as a result of the choices that we make, it is true... it is what we choose, all of us. And I'm OK with that now.

And that is one reason why I love my life in the People of Praise. It is how I am choosing to live. It is what I am inviting others to live with me. It is who I am choosing to live it with. Won't you join us?