GOooOoO Eagles!

Along with teaching Spanish and ELL, I have the privilege of coaching the JV High School volleyball team.  I was very excited to be able to help out with the team and get to know more students in the school.  I have 9 freshman and sophomores on my volleyball team and they are a joy to coach.  The girls come from all over the world including North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.  It's definitely a global team.

Since our school does not have a gym, we go to three different gyms every week around the city of Vienna.  At times it can take us up to 30 minutes to get to some of these gyms.  While the traveling seemed cumbersome at first, I soon came to realize what a blessing it was to have time with these girls on the subway.  It was an extra 30 minutes to get to know them personally and build relationships with them.  I do not know where a lot of them are spiritually, but I hope that this season I can be an example of Christ to them.

This past Monday we had our first volleyball game.  We learned of this game only about a week after we had starting practicing.  I had no idea how our team would do.  Some of these girls had never even touched a ball before!  However they played so well and ended up winning the game!  Please keep these girls in your prayers.

My spunky little team

Girls in action!

Setter tipping it over

Winners! Yay!

Love these girls

For you fellow volleyball lovers out there you might like to know some of the differences between American and European volleyball rules:

1.  The coach has a specific area where he/she can only stay
2.  Each player is only allowed two substitutions!
3.  If serving underhand, you must toss the ball into the air before hitting it
4.  Most high school games are played best out of 5

It's a global classroom after all!

Today I brought my camera to school and had so much fun taking pictures of my students.  For some reason kids love having their picture taken and then acting silly in all of them.  Here is a little taste of what I get to experience in one of my classrooms!

A little video of the kids

Everyone got an A!

I love this picture and that he has this binder

Cutie

I like silly faces too!

I had my kids differentiate between God and man

... and I taught them the word "okedoke"

Bible class

My ELL class

Looking smart

*Names and countries not used for privacy reasons

Grüß Gott

The past two weeks have been quite the experience.  I knew that teaching in an international school would be different, I just did not realize how different it would be.  It has been really neat being surrounded by so many people from all over the world.  If you counted all the nationalities in the school, it would represent 1/4 of the world!  I am definitely learning a lot about different cultures, languages, mannerisms and life by teaching in this school.

I am currently teaching Spanish 1 to High School and Middle School students, ELL Content (English to language learners) and coaching volleyball.  All of my classes are so unique in their own way.  In the States, I was used to teaching Spanish to students who only knew one language, English.  Now I am teaching Spanish to Austrians, Koreans, Germans, Japanese, Africans and even Mexicans.  I can no longer use English as my foundation language but need to research other methods of teaching.  My ELL class represents every continent on the earth.  I have a lot of fun in that class teaching through drawing, acting and pictures.  Let's just say I was not meant for broadway nor the art world.  The students have a lot of fun trying to figure out my pictures!  Last week I taught my students how to say, "See ya later gator" and "In a while crocodile".  Now I am being called gator and crocodile every day :).  I truly enjoy teaching these kids Spanish and English and learning more about their culture.

The best thing to teach these students is about Jesus Christ.  In my ELL Content class I have the opportunity to teach bible.  My students had never owned a bible let alone knew how to read one.  This past week I gave them each a picture bible and taught them about the books of the bible, chapters and verses.  While we were practicing looking up verses, one of my Asian students came across a picture of Jesus on the Cross.  He put his hands over his face and squirmed in his desk for about 10 seconds.  Then the other students ran over to see why he was acting this way and ended up doing the same thing.  They looked at me and asked, "Why teacher?".  I was able to share with them why Jesus died on the cross and what that meant for us as sinners.  I do not know if they fully understood the concept, but fortunately we serve a God that speaks every language and can communicate to these kids when I cannot.  God is doing some mighty works in this school and I feel so privileged to be apart of it.  I thank you once again for all the support and encouragement I have received from you!  

The Hall of Flags

Every flag represents a student's passport country

**Pictures and videos of students and classroom are coming!

Living Conditions

Upon arriving in Vienna I had no idea what to expect when it came to our living conditions.  All I knew was that I would be living in an apartment about 20 mins away from the school.  The two previous tenants had worked at the school and were looking to sell most of their furniture, appliances and utensils.   Therefore, Becca and I decided to purchase everything and ended up coming to fully furnished apartment.  In addition, our school has become our landlord for our apartment which is very convenient in case something were to break!  It was amazing how God had provided most of our living needs within the first week.  We only had to buy a few things before truly feeling settled in our apartment.  We are so thankful for God's timing.  In addition, a few families and staff members from the school live in our same apartment complex and have been such a huge help when we needed something fixed or set-up.  Here are some before and after shots of our apartments!


This is what our apartment looked like when we first walked in!

Living room

Bathroom/Laundry room

Toilet room

Becca's room

My room

Kitchen

 After a month of unpacking, cleaning and decorating

 Living room

Living room different angle

Bathroom/laundry room

Toilet room

My room

Becca's room

Kitchen

Putting the groceries away in our tiny refrigerator 

 View from our balcony

 Becca and I went to middle school together :)

 

And so it begins...

Our School's logo!

This upcoming week is our first week of school!  I am very ready to start teaching again and be in the classroom.  This past week we had our staff orientation which was extremely helpful.  I was able to hear the history of the school and all the amazing things God has done to keep it alive and staffed.  Becca and I finally met the rest of the staff and have begun building many relationships.  It's exciting to see how excited everyone is to be here and the joy they all share for serving God through teaching.  I am ready to share these same experiences.  

Last Friday was the student orientation.  I was able to meet many of my future students and see so many unique interactions.  I truly believe we were able to experience a little bit of heaven.  In one school about 30 different countries were represented in an hours time.  They were so excited to see their friends and old teachers.  It was a cool experience.

I will be teaching Spanish 1 to High School students, Spanish culture and communication to Middle School students and Beginner ELL to middle school (English language learners).  In my ELL class, I have two Korean students and one Italian girl.  They are adorable and pictures will follow soon!  I would greatly appreciate prayer for this upcoming week.  While I am extremely excited I still have lots to do in order to fully be prepared.  Thanks again for reading my blog and for the prayers!

Some shots of my classroom!  

Still have some decor to do :)

Sights of Vienna

My time here in Vienna has been splendid thus far.  I thought I would share some cultural differences between Austria and America. It has been fun learning the differences and little hard adjusting to some.  Here is a list of what I've learned thus far:

1. Austrians love dogs!  They take them everywhere.  I've seen them in supermarkets, restaurants, train stations and even go into public bathrooms with their owners.  It is quite funny.
2. Austria is a very orderly and ruled based country.  If you do not follow their rules, they will let you know and somewhat discipline you.  Usually it is the old women taking their newspapers and smacking you which I have not experienced yet.
3.  Rules include: NEVER putting your feet on any type of seat, always standing on the right side when going up the escalator, never crossing the street unless the light is green, not walking in the bike path because they will run you over, and always bagging your groceries quickly at the grocery store
4. Stores are NEVER open on Sundays and Holidays
5. You will not find the toilet in the bathroom but in it's own room next to the bathroom
6. If you own a TV you will be taxed.  It is very common for the TV tax people to randomly show up at your home and make sure you do not have a TV and stealing from the government
7.  Both mayonnaise and mustard come in tubes
8.  Only refrigerate Milk after you open it
9.  Vienna is incredibly international and I probably hear about 10 languages on the Ubahn (Metra Station) everyday
10.  Everything is incredibly clean and kept clean!


Here are some pics from my adventures thus far.  I start teaching school a week from Tuesday and I am very excited to meet my new students!

Our first meal: Chicken Kabob

Center of the city!

Choosing their good side

Becca and I in the city center

The palace of Vienna where Hitler addressed the Austrians

Pretty Market 

A Memorial to those affected in the Holocaust 

Overlooking Vienna

Vienna with the Danube 

Becca and I

God has a good sense of beauty

The Dahl family with the High School Principal, Nels

An authentic Austrian meal: Chicken Schnitzel, vegetables, and grape juice

Becca and I at a staff outing

Becca and I's first meal in our apartment!

If you want to check out Becca's blog, click here:  http://beccasblog15.blogspot.com/

Venturing to Vienna

The past two weeks have been quite the whirlwind!  After 10 hours of traveling to Vienna, a couple sleepless nights due to jet lag and many very confusing German conversations, I finally feel settled in Vienna.  It is a beautiful city and most of the people here are very nice and welcoming.  However, there is a sense of spiritual depravity which is heartbreaking.  My roommate, Becca, and I have had a few chances to tour the city and the spiritual emptiness is very obvious in the Cathedrals, homes and people we encounter.  We are hoping to be able to establish quality relationships with people in our apartment building and in the city in order to share the love of Jesus Christ.  

Our apartment is located very close to the center of Vienna.  It is in a great location and very safe (hope that makes you feel better Mom :) ).  We still do not have internet yet but are hopefully going to get it this week.  We've been borrowing our fellow co-workers internet in order to stay connected.  We have met many fellow teachers at the school and everyone has been extremely welcoming and helpful.  They've taken us all over Vienna, introduced us to the culture, and have translated many conversations.  I've been able to see my future classroom and found out yesterday that I'll be teaching High School Spanish 1 & 2 (at the same time...yikes), Middle School Spanish culture and communication and Middle School ELL for beginners.  I currently have two Korean siblings in that class!  I am very excited to start teaching these kids and building relationships with them.  

Since we have been so busy, I have not had the time to put pictures on my computer.  I will be posting pictures soon though!  I also updated my prayer list and contact information so please check it out because I would greatly appreciate all the prayers!  Miss and love you all!  :)