First day of Orientation

Dear family and friends,

Today was my second day in the Dominican Republic, and the first day of new orientation with the 8 other new teachers. I moved in with my host family, along with another teacher named Meredith who is also living there. A woman (Judy) and her daughter (Chanel) and mother live there. They do not speak English, so it is forcing me to practice my Spanish! I don't have any funny language mistake stories, but I'm sure those will be coming! I just don't know enough to understand the mistakes I'm making right now!

Orientation was just with new teachers, so I got a tour of the school and learned more about Dominican culture and history. The school is completely gorgeous, with lots of space. There is a botanical garden the fourth grade designed and built last year...and a huge plot of land with space for a vegetable garden (which I know I will be using with my first graders), and an enormous ampitheater that was recently built and where the entire school gathers every morning for assembly. I will post pictures soon!

Please continue to pray as I adjust to this new place and culture - it is very overwhelming right now and I'm trying to take everything in! Please pray that I would trust completely in God and focus on others rather than my own feelings of fear/inadequacy! Also, please pray that I would continue to focus on learning the language, even when it gets hard/frustrating! Finally, please pray for my class of students and that God would continue to prepare them to learn, and give me the wisdom I need to teach them - classes begin two weeks from today.

Thank you so much for your prayers - they are very much needed and appreciated!

In Him,
Erica