Cabarete

Guess what...

I LIVE HERE!!! :)

All the couples...

Los Tigeritos... Ricardo, Braulio & Daniel

Mi Amor...


Last weekend we went to Cabarete. It was election weekend here, so we had a few extra days off. It was really fun to spend the weekend with so many of the people I love the most here in the DR. It was a relaxing as we head into the crazy last few weeks of school.

Master's Class

Me touring Santo Domingo with my professor.


A fellow California, Pamela from Davis, has taken a few courses with me.
This last week I took another Master's class. This one was on Curriculum Design and Assessment. I learned so much and am so excited to start implementing some of what I've learned in the classroom. On top of having a great class with a great teacher - she taught us a previous class this year - I got to observe in various classrooms at the International school where the program is held. I learned so many great things and got to take the best from each teacher and classroom. It was a very busy and information packed week! I also got to take the professor around to see some of the sights in the capital. Joan DelaValle is one of the most sincere and caring teachers I've had in my educational career.

What does God want?

These are the homes of a couple of my students.

As I consider what it means to be American (born with privledge) while living and serving here the DR, I feel I am called to lead an even more humble lifestyle. As I struggle with this and how I can best bring glory to God through my life, I find Henri Nouwen's words are more able to express my thoughts...

Can we truly live with the poor? Although I live with them and share their life to some extent, I am far from poor. I live in a nice home with a running water & a water heater. I eat 3 good meals a day and I get to take a hot shower, sleep in, and have relaxation when I want it.
So my living with the poor hardly makes me poor. Should it be different? Some say yes, some say no. Some feel that to be a missionary for the poor, you should be no different from them, others say that such is not realistic or even authentic.
Adapted from Henri Nouwen, Gracias, Wednesday January 20th

I will continue to seek out God's desires for my lifestyle here and be open to any changes that might bring.