Stateside Again & Re-Entry

As of today, I have been back in the states for almost two weeks. It has been a crazy two weeks, that's for sure! Thank you so much for all of you who are already (and still) praying for me and keeping me in your thoughts, as I need them for my upcoming major student teaching assignments. In the mean time, let's talk about re-entry shock.

The number one thing that has frustrated me about re-entry (i.e. returning back to the states) is this question:

So, how was China?!?

I want to be gracious and understanding towards people who inadvertently ask me this question. At least they're asking, right? On the other hand, having to find a way to answer this tactfully makes me feel as if the person asking doesn't really care about my experience. I have to determine how much to share with them, how much to entrust them with.

Let me clear up a couple things: It's Thailand. Chiang Mai, Thailand. And it is. Not was. The country hasn't fallen off the edge of the earth. And it is not just a country, it's a culture. A way of life. It's people with goals for the future and a rich heritage in their past. It's where half of my heart lives. Sixty-six beloved teenagers and a host of colleagues and friends whom I love call Chiang Mai home, at least for a time. God was working there before I went and He is working there still. He is working in the lives of missionary kids whose families are stationed there and He is using them to show love to his Thai, Hmong, Lao, Karen, Lisu, Lahu, and expatriate children, as well as those who live in various other Southeast Asian countries. Chiang Mai is just a three hour plane flight from roughly one third of the world's population. It is not only a relatively safe location for international workers, but also a hub of many missions organizations. So much is (not was) happening in a place as seemingly dark as Asia.

My overseas student teaching experience is technically over, with just paperwork to complete before I can graduate, but God's work in Chiang Mai, Thailand is not. My encouragement to people asking is to make the was question about the trip and the is question about the country, people, and work God is doing. The trip is over, but the country and God's work there, the people, memories, desires, cravings for local food, and relationships are not.

At this point in the re-entry process, I am reflecting on this experience and learning from it as I compile everything I did during student teaching into a portfolio that demonstrates what I have learned about teaching. Processing the past three and a half months have been difficult, but rewarding, and I am so blessed to have enjoyed that time in Chiang Mai.

Trying to give and receive plenty of grace during the re-entry process,
--

"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."

About Student Teaching

Dear Friends,

I have finished my first week of student teaching! This week was full of making schedules, talking with teachers, observing classes, and meeting my students. I have nailed down my daily schedule: I have three planning periods, three 9th grade classes, one tutorial (study hall), and one 12th grade British Literature class. This allows me to work both with the freshmen and the seniors, which is really going to stretch me, but I am excited for it! I start full-time teaching in February, but I will be teaching all three 9th grade classes on Monday and Friday this coming week, and reviewing homework on Tuesday. Most of student teaching is not the actual teaching. Most of my time, at least right now, is spent planning. I'm planning an overview of the quarter, my lesson plans for next week, my bulletin board idea, fun games and activities I can do in the classroom, and more. Already, hours have been spent with my cooperating teacher to nail down things like expectations, standards, classroom management, and schedules. The good news is that I feel very involved. I feel as if my cooperating teacher and I are partners, working to bring about the common goal of knowledgable and disciplined and compassionate students. And that is really exciting.

In terms of what is going on personally, I am still adjusting to the time change and jet lag (Thailand is 12 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time). I have been blessed to be hosted this first week by three sweet teachers who live across the main road from the school. They have been super sweet in caring for me. They have all raised support to serve at GIS, which is really a testament to their hearts for students.

On Tuesday, I went out with these ladies to eat Italian food. From left: Leslie, Zoe, Christine, and me. Zoe is the high school librarian and my ride to school each morning. Such a lovely bunch! My plans for this weekend include brunch with Christine and Zoe and shopping with Leslie.

I will be renting a townhome/duplex place with a social studies teacher named Becky and an elementary teacher's aide named Cara for the remainder of my three months here. This place is in the same neighborhood as the school and just a short walk away. The girl who currently lives with Becky is getting married this weekend, so I will move in once she has moved. Cara arrives late Sunday night from Texas, and she will move in shortly after that.

Speaking of Cara's arrival, I am reminded of the current political situation in Thailand. I am in the northern part of Thailand where it is calm, but there have been political demonstrations in Bangkok. I would ask you to lift up that we would remain protected in Chiang Mai and that, if there are demonstrations, they would be peaceful. We are taking precautions, and most people at the school believe we will not have any trouble.

Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement! I have been really blessed by the opportunity to make friends, meet students, get to know people, and learn from some awesome teachers and staff. I already feel like GIS is a family and I am blessed to be here for my student teaching.

There is always much more to write about and I appreciate your patience in giving me time to write some more of it! Until then,
--

"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."

Stateside Update 14: Eagerly and Anxiously

I wanted to subtitle this post "21 days and no visa," but I really don't want to start a waiting-on-the-visa countdown. So, moving on...

After having to submit flight itineraries and background checks (twice) and being asked to change the type of visa I applied for, I am still eagerly (anxiously?) awaiting my passport to be returned to me with a visa sticker inside. I'd worry myself sick if I didn't have prayers for peace overflowing inside me.

In the mean time, I have done quite a bit of research on where I'm going and how I'm going to get there, and I thought it might be useful for anyone else planning a trip to Asia. My cooperating teacher told me one very important thing to keep in mind: You can get anything in Chiang Mai. From what I've read and heard, Chiang Mai is a medium-sized city (the fifth largest in Thailand) and is an interesting juxtaposition of history and modernity. The Thai culture is also very influential in Chiang Mai. I am looking forward to seeing cool animals, riding in songthaews, visiting wats, and drinking lots of Thai tea! I also hope to get to visit The Chiang Mai Flower Festival, which is in February.

If you are planning to travel overseas soon, here are some of my suggestions for traveling:

• Register with the US STEP program. It lets the embassies in the countries you are visiting know that you will be there, and it provides a safe way for your family to contact you if something unfortunate were to happen.
• 10 Ways to Survive a Long-Haul Flight, brought to you by IndepedentTraveler.com. Who would have thought that Gatorade would be an excellent hydrator for long flights?
• I'll be flying Korean Air for my long flight from ATL (Atlanta) to ICN (Seoul/Incheon) on an Airbus 380-300. But I will also be flying from Seoul to Bangkok to Chiang Mai (round trip), in addition to my round trip flight to Hong Kong for the last five days of my trip. If you're going overseas, I suggest you research the in-flight entertainment; airplane size, seating arrangements, and amenities; when meals are offered and what they might consist of; etc of all flights you will be taking. Also research the airports in which you will be spending layovers, especially if they offer Wi-Fi, recharging stations, certain restaurants in the arrival/departure areas, and if they accept different currencies. I'm a big planner, so I really benefit from even a basic idea of what my travel is going to be like. I think the most important thing to research is size and weight limits for luggage (on each airline's page).
• Speaking of booking flights, I recommend Kayak.com. I used Kayak for the first time for this trip and found it cheaper than Expedia.

And some suggestions for packing, preparation, and trips to Asia:

• Check out this slightly outdated, but relatively useful WikiTravel article on the city of Chiang Mai. 
• 8 Reasons Why You Must Pack a Scarf when traveling to any international locale, courtesy of DIWYY.com
• Blogs, tips, and ideas for travel to any Thai city from Thaizer.com
• I also have a bunch of resources for women living overseas, as well as student teaching and Third Culture Kid resources, over at my Spring 2014 Pinterest page.

I would like to ask you to help me out in two ways: 1. Share your tips for flying, life overseas, or teaching international kids as a comment below, and 2. Join me in praying for my visa to be processed quickly, for safety in travel, and for the students and fellow teachers with whom I will be working.

For more information on joining my prayer team or supporting me financially, check out the Support page.

May your preparation be worship.
Until next time,
--

"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."

Stateside Update 13: Twenty-Nine Days, Friends!

I just purchased plane tickets, emailed my roommate (a sweet girl named Cara), signed papers, budgeted for housing... The countdown is on!

This week has been very stressful as I have been trying to get everything completed and I am definitely indebted to all of you for your support and encouragement... And for putting up with me when I get annoying or have to miss work or stay up late. I'm so grateful for you all!

With that being said, if you are interested in supporting me financially as I am preparing for this trip, please visit my Support page. I have an online donation system set up if you are interested in supporting in that capacity. My first need is always prayer, however, so feel free go to the Contact page and indicate that you would like to serve as a member of my prayer team to receive consistent updates.

Whether or not you are considering supporting my student teaching trip financially, I would like to ask you to take a moment to consider supporting Grace International School, where I will be student teaching. For those of you who don't know, Grace is a school primarily for missionary families, as families do not pay tuition and teachers raise support. In addition, Grace has struggled with a legal issue over the last few months, and they are in need of relocating. You can help support the efforts of the school by Giving a Day's Pay, Grace's new initiative. The online calculator determines you much you make in a day and makes it easy to give that amount to support Grace.

Finally, I am continuing to learn what it means for my preparation to be worship. It is so easy to get sucked into the fear that I will not be able to afford this experience, or the dread that my jet lag will be debilitating, or the anxiety of feeling like I will not able to complete all my assignments. And yet, when I realize that this experience is an incredible blessing that not many people get the opportunity to enjoy, I find myself thankful and overjoyed. In addition, thinking of the ninth graders I will have the opportunity to meet, teach, and befriend keeps me going. What a blessing it will be to see His Body at work in Asia.

Thank you for your care and compassion.
With love,
Alex
--

"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."

Stateside Update 11: Someone's Been Prayin'

Dear Friends,

For the past few days, I have been extremely nervous and anxious about heading to Thailand in approximately 53 days. I have been so worried about plane tickets, visa applications, finances... And I can't even speak a word of Thai. (Well, I take that back. I know how to say one word: Sa-was-dee-kah, which is "hello.")

I'm especially anxious because I am nearing the end of a busy semester and I still have so much more to do: lesson plans, papers, recitations, work duties, classes, observation hours, chapels, etc.

However, I have good news tonight! First, I received emails back from staff members at the school where I will be student teaching and they requested information and provided information that I needed, specifically a letter for my Thai visa application! I have been waiting for this letter for a very long time and I am blessed beyond blessed to receive it today. As the title of this post says, someone must have been praying for me during this time, because my fears about receiving and resubmitting the visa letter have been assuaged.

Second in the realm of good news is that this afternoon I finished my big lesson plan that I will be teaching this coming Wednesday to a class of 9th graders. This is extremely exciting and I'm blessed to have the opportunity to work with these students hands-on and in person as extra practice and preparation for my future teaching career. The lesson is a tiered lesson, which means I'm dividing the class into groups for the purpose of differentiation. I am placing class members into four teams, each honing in on one of the three learning styles: auditory, visual, and, for two groups, kinesthetic. It's finished as of this afternoon and I am so grateful to have it completed.

Speaking of differentiation, which is a popular buzz-word in the educational field nowadays, I want to talk for a brief minute about student teaching overseas versus in the states. Someone asked me recently to consider what it would be like if I had decided to stay in the states for my student teaching. "Wouldn't it be so much easier?" they asked. Well, yes, probably easier, I thought, but also not as rewarding.
I was a little bit taken aback at their question. I mean, humans typically don't choose to do something challenging because they feel like it. We do difficult things because we believe they are best, because the end result is worth it. If you put more work into something, you usually receive more out of it.
Anyway, I am reminded tonight as I thank the Lord for his provision that the more difficult work I am putting into student teaching overseas (versus the work I would put in if I were student teaching in the states) will produce a greater reward in the end. I will have the opportunity to love on precious students, like Third Culture Kids. I will have the opportunity of a horizon-broadening travel experience. I will see what education looks like in another country. I will meet a lot of new people and see a lot of exciting places. I will see God's hand at work in Asia.

The cool part about choosing to complete my student teaching overseas is that it is a form of differentiation. I have friends who are putting their whole hearts into student teaching at the public school in this town. We need people to do that. But we also need people willing and planning to go overseas, even if just for a semester, even if for several years. No choice is arbitrarily better than any other, but I know I am called to go to Asia for this experience. Differentiation is good, my friends: God doesn't want all his sheep in one pasture... Or all the learners only learning visually, for example.


Thank you for reading. Have any thoughts to share? Comment below.
If you are interested in giving financially or in kind towards my student teaching trip, please check out my support page.
--

"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."

Stateside Update 10: Housing and Plane Tickets

Dear Friends,

Most of the preparation for overseas student teaching occurs in spurts. Complete the application... Wait... Hear back about acceptance... Wait... Hear back about potential placement... Wait... Receive finalized placement... Contact school... Wait...  There's been a lot of waiting, because there is a lot of unknown in the process.

However, today I received really great news!

I got an email from the recruiter at Grace International School regarding housing and airplane tickets. GIS uses an outside organization to locate housing for their teachers. Today, I began communication with that organization by way of an intake survey to help determine my housing needs.
I also began the intensive research needed to locate plane tickets. This is the first time I have had to coordinate my entire international airfare on my own, and I have already requested advice from the GIS recruiter. Please pray that I would not be anxious about airfare or finances but that God would provide exactly what I need.

My trip to Thailand is becoming more and more real as it becomes closer, and I am reminded that I am so blessed to have this opportunity. As always, I covet your prayers, and I am indebted to you for your encouragement and support. If you would like to support me financially or otherwise, please visit my support page or send me an email. In addition, if you did not receive one of my prayer cards via snail mail, but would like one, please let me know and I can get that out to you.

Entirely dependent upon Him,
--

"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."

Stateside Update 8: Tuesdays for Thailand

As I write this, I am entering the second week of my last on-campus semester at Toccoa Falls College. This means that I have about four more months until I leave for Chiang Mai, Thailand!

There is much to be done in these next four months before student teaching begins. During this semester, I am taking my final five classes as well as observing 100 hours at the local schools. I am currently working out details with Grace International's recruiter on dates, housing, etc. I also just heard from my cooperating teacher, who indicated that I will be working with the ninth grade in the spring. This is extremely exciting news!

Also in terms of preparation, I will be heading to Indiana at the end of this month to complete required overseas student teacher training with CCTECC, the department of Interaction International that coordinates student teachers. I am flying to Indiana with two friends, Michelle and Priscilla, who are also student teaching in Asia. Please keep the three of us in your prayers for safety and peace regarding travel.

Speaking of prayer, a number of people have already contacted me about supporting me through prayer, and you can join the prayer support team, too. I have been really blessed just knowing that people are engaged in prayer not only for me, but also for the people I will meet and the country in which I will live. Current prayer needs include finances for my airplane ticket to Thailand, safety during traveling, strength and endurance to complete the schoolwork required this semester, and peace for my family.

In addition, Grace International, the school where I will be student teaching, is experiencing legal difficulties regarding their buildings. The school's Facebook page details days of prayer and court decisions regarding the case (and it also features cute pictures of students).

With this great need for prayer, I would like to extend an invitation for you to join me in remembering these prayer needs on a consistent basis. I'm informally calling it "Tuesdays for Thailand," which just means that Tuesday is a reminder to lift up GIS, my student teaching, and the country and people of Thailand. I feel that God has laid on my heart the importance of setting aside specific times and setting up certain reminders to bring things before Him; otherwise, I often forget to give Him my worries.

Would you join me in remembering Thailand on Tuesdays? In addition, there are more details about prayer and financial support on my support page.

Thank you!

--

"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."
"‎It is the people who endear the city to our heart." - Chandler

Stateside Update 7: Summer Plans and 7.5 Months

I have officially finished my junior year of college with all As this semester. Tomorrow, I'm heading to Mentone, Alabama to work at a girls' summer camp for ten weeks. Then it's a road trip with my grandmother and a drive down to Georgia to take the teacher certification test before I move into college for the last time. Crazy!

I sent the following email out to my supporters, family, and friends, and you may have stopped by here because you received that email. Welcome! I hope you'll stick around, watch the video, and sign up to receive email updates in your inbox! 

Friends and Family,

Last week, as I finished up my junior year of college and got ready to calmor into my overflowing car and drive home, a dear friend stopped me and told me about the impact I'd had on her last school year. She said that experience had encouraged her to impact the girls on her hall this school year and she thanked me for the role I had played in her life as she now ministered to others. That was such a blessing!

I realized today that each of you has been that impact for me. Through your support emotionally, mentally, spiritually, physically, financially, and in every other way throughout my life, you have influenced me and inspired me to be an influence on others. Just as God comforts us so we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4), you have all impacted me, so I desire to impact others.

As part of that influencing, I will spend the next ten weeks working at a girls' summer camp in Alabama, loving on some young ladies and having fun with them while encouraging teamwork and spiritual growth. In the fall, I will return to Georgia for one final semester of college before completing my student teaching at Grace International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand from January to April/May 2014. I will return to the states just in time to graduate from Toccoa Falls College in May. As you can see, it's going to be a busy year, but God is good!

I would love for you to join me on this adventure and continue to support and impact me as I go support and impact others. I can't do it without you. I plan to update my blog instead of sending out emails, so if you would like to receive updates, follow my blog at www.AlexsAdventuresinAsia.blogspot.com. You can also sign up to receive posts by email to stay in the loop!

What I need most is your prayers. Prayer requests and praise reports are listed on the left hand side of [this homepage], and I am also asking for people who will commit to prayer as a part of a prayer team. Let me know if you would be interested. The reason this is so important is because Satan does not want people going about God's will and doing God's work. Even seven and a half months before I leave, your prayers are needed because God is already working in Thailand and Asia even now. And He is doing great and wonderful things.

Thank you!

 --

"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."
"‎It is the people who endear the city to our heart." - Chandler