And Then My Shoes Started to Burn...

How's that for a catchy title? Pretty good eh? Well. Here's the sitch. Today, despite the fact that I'm already suffering because of the extreme altitudes here and the fact that I just got done with my first week of student teaching...I went with some of the other teachers at the school to climb a volcano. (yes. an ACTIVE volcano). It was pretty awful. I won't lie to you. So awful, that I quit walking and rode a horse...it's true...I Claire Kinney pansied out and rode the horse, but that was actually pretty sweet. HOWEVER, the horse can only take you up so far, so the rest of the way I just climbed. Sweet...BUT when we got to the top...I did definitely see a volcano and I stood on top of the lava, to the point that my feet started to feel hot...which if you know me and my foot condition...you know is a rare occurance. It was pretty nuts. My pictures are all awful because it was dark, but i'll paint a picture of it from my mind or something...hahahaha...like that's even possible.

School is still going well, I think I'm finally starting to get into the swing of things. The kids are a little slow to warm up to me...but that's to be expected with me coming in half way through the semester and it's in the nature of Third Culture Kids...which if you don't know what that means...I'll explain it to you sometime...but not on my blog on the night I climbed a volcano. I taught my first lesson today and it went pretty well. I start teaching Bible on Monday, which is basically reading to the kids about Paul and holding up some flash cards...definitely doable.

I'm like falling asleep mid sentence here...so I'm going to go to sleep, but...I love and miss you all!

Peace, Love and Volcanoes,

Claire

Shoutout of the Day to Melissa Coffey: There was literally a time today when everyone around me knew what was going on and I had no freaking clue...because it was all in Spanish...you would have known...wish you were here.

I can't think of anything witty to write here...Sorry...better luck next entry.

Haley. Please be aware that this is for you because I know you will eat my breakfast if I don't update today. But anyone else who's reading...don't feel unwelcome on my blog. It's a free and open blog for everyone to enjoy. No prejudices here.

Also. When I get on here, the buttons are all in Spanish, so I kind of just click until I get it right...I am seriously regretting my decision to take German for 6 years of my life. So impractical. Seriously...I never thought I would say this, but everyone should be forced to take Spanish in school. Anyway, I digress.

So. I started school yesterday, which went well. I am student teaching in the 3rd grade, and there are 10 students in my class...a far cry from 137...It took me two minutes as opposed to two weeks to learn their names...great. Yesterday, I observed for part of the day and learned general information about the school the rest of the day, which was good and today I observed all day. I start teaching math on Friday, which I am excited about, since...I'll admit...I love math. Fact families here we come. Next week I start to teach Bible, which could be interesting considering the fact that I've never taught it before, or even had Bible class anywhere other than college...we'll see...I guess it can't be that complicated in third grade...

But all in all things are going well. I am stinking tired. Apparently the extremely high altitude here tends to have that effect on new comers...sweet...But I think that's about all I have for you today.

Peace, Love and Third Grade,
Claire

Shoutouts of the Day:

Smel: I wish I could watch St. Elmo's right now...I was thinking about the fact that you would definitely be the coke addict and I would be the suspected gay guy were our lives the movie...pretty unfortunate.

Mags: I definitely went to sleep before 9 o'clock last night...as I was drifting off, I thought of you and how proud you would be. I hope that big room all to yourself is treating you well and Mel isn't doing anything crazy...like making you stay up until 11:04 (clearly the devil's time of night)

Katie: Ultimate TWSS today.

Touch Down

Well. If you cannot tell from the title, I have arrived. The airport was easy breazy...probably because I prayed for a good hour of the flight there that it would be. Thanks, God. Stressful situation...averted. Anyway, I was picked up at the airport by the director of the school and his wife, and had (a great) lunch with them before I was taken to my host family's house.

The family I am staying with works with another ministry (kids alive) and they send their son Jared to the school I am going to be working at. They are great! Jared is nine and I have already played about 15 rounds of catch phrase, some game called bouncearena and some game on his play station. So far. So great. I also went to a church service with them tonight (in English) and there were more people from Kentucky there than there are at Taylor...I'm not even kidding. It's pretty great. You all know how I feel about the state of Kentucky...

Everything is going so well, thus far. I start school tomorrow, and I'm really excited! But it is time to go to sleep. This has been one massive, stressful, and great day. You can now all sit in eager anticipation of my next blog entry...try to find something fun to do to pass the time...i know it'll be rough...but you can do it!

Peace, Love and Customs,
Claire

Smellisa Coffey Shout Out of the Day: At church today, I literally got introduced to the entire group, like I was an announcement. It reminded me of that one time we were at St. Matthews (or is it St. Pauls...not sure) and they made us stand up in front of the entire congregation and introduce ourselves. Yikes. Shockingly, this was less stressful.

Shout Out to Haley: Today I saw a man wearing cargo shorts over plaid pajama bottoms...I don't know why, but when I saw this I immediately wanted to tell you...

Shout Out to Maggie Haire, Katie Barnes and Gina Dammeyer: Yesterday, I fully had the intentions of making a video of me lip syncing to Friends are Friends Forever (Michael W. Smith) to send to you all, telling you I missed you...but I couldn't figure out my camera...maybe one day soon.

Here goes nothin'...

Well friends (or people reading my blog...I guess you don't technically have to be friends),
I am doing the unthinkable (and not stereotypical at all...) and setting up a blog that can hopefully keep the world (aka. my world) updated on my whereabouts and activities while I'm gone for the next 7 weeks.

What am I doing? A very good question. Here is what I know.
I am leaving on Sunday, October 25, at an unholy hour of the morning, to fly to Guatemala City, Guatemala, where I will remain for the next 7 weeks. I am fulfilling the second portion of my student teaching, the first of which was spent in Gas City, Indiana, teaching 7th grade science at RJ Baskett Middle School. While in Guatemala, I am going to be student teaching 3rd grade at the Christian Academy of Guatemala and staying with a family that sends their son to that school, something I think I could go as far as to call the opposite of my current situation. Any other details you might be wondering, I cannot tell you because then I would have to kill you...not actually...I just don't know the answer myself.

So here's to a little leap of faith, that will hopefully end up as an amazing and impacting experience both for the students and people I interact with while I'm down there and for myself as well.

Any prayers you would be willing to shoot up on my behalf are greatly appreciated, especially as I get ready to embark on this adventure.

Peace, Love and Airports,
Claire

Shout out of the day to Smelissa Coffey:

Remember that time you loved the movie CAMP? I'm watching it for you on the plane ride down. (subshout outs to Sarah Vogel and Emily (crabtree) Downey, who also love this movie).