Fourth quarter push

Hello! This crazy school year is coming to a close soon, but there are still some very critical weeks ahead before things start winding down.  It feels like I’m coming up for air briefly to request prayer and update you fine folks about my work here.

We’re close to having our full staff roster together for next year—at least that’s how it seems—and I now know who is and isn’t returning.  Basically, all my peers will be here again, but we’ll be missing a few veterans.  Please pray for us all as we work hard to finish out the year. We have our battles, with external circumstances and issues as well as the daily struggle to let the Spirit lead. I pray that we will be able to model contentment and hardy faith to our students and that they will be able to take their cue from our example.  My time with my friends here has remained consistently positive and encouraging even though I’m sort of always bedraggled under my heavy teacher workload.  I’m very grateful for my friendships here.

The responsibility of preparing my AP Physics students for the big external exam continues to demand a lot of energy.  The curriculum is so demanding, in fact, that I’m having to relegate necessary cumulative review to outside of class even as I rush to finish all the content during normal class hours.  It is incredible how much these students have to learn and process, and they are doing a stupendous job. But boy I’m tired. In the past month we have covered almost one textbook chapter a week—edited and arranged by yours truly.  Please pray that the students would watch our King put things together in unexpected ways to prepare them for the exam on May 8.  They have learned a lot, and that is probably plenty reward already.  But I would love it for God to honor their hard work with a pleasant ending to the year.  All that said, this stressful season is an excellent opportunity for myself and the students to trust God and his provision, with a good attitude and a mature life balance.  Easier said than done, but we’re attempting it. Just a few more weeks to go!

To wrap for now: my other two classes are going along swimmingly, far as I can see, and there have been no huge crises in any other categories apart from one bad medical situation for a missionary couple we’re acquainted with here. That situation looks to be resolved for now.  Wonderfully, they have since moved to the place for which they’ve been preparing these past two years. Meanwhile, I have not had another anomalous swelling episode since last I updated you, praise God! I have a sneaky suspicion it may be a reaction to Ibuprofen, and I will probably test that theory after things have settled down a little bit academically.

Thank you for all your prayers and for your patience with me as I struggle to keep the lines of communication open in this super-busy year.  Next year looks to be much more manageable, Lord willing.  Please think of us over here as you pray these next few weeks.  I hope to send another update later in May or early June.

-Nate

Looks chilly up there

We’ve been focusing mainly on trigonometry in Pre-Calculus this semester.  It’s neat to set students up for AP Calculus, which is the next class I get to teach them.

Some of us teachers and friends were able to attend a concert consisting of a few opera singers as well as a famous one from Albania.  Getting a slice of society.

A random little event I saw one night, ostensibly showing support for cycling–I’m definitely a fan!

This semester we set up a new whiteboard in the staff room in which we share subject material in each class on a weekly basis.  I struggle to give my colleagues something to work with for cross-curricular purposes, but it’s still a cool idea.

It’s pretty special to be able to watch an Albanian brother at church give a sermon with a scholarly flair, complete with map of the ancient near east having Albanian labels.  Truly, our faith is a global thing.

A scene from chapel time at the high school: blind taste testing of various food types. Mushy bananas, yum.

Snow can be beautiful, especially for places that barely see it.

Another fun game night at the “Dorm”–a cluster of nearby apartments in our building inhabited by some GDQ staff.

The guys made it all the way to the finals this year, which is not necessarily a given in our small pool of international schools.

Fastest move ever! Here a group of friends from a couple different teams help a member move her possessions inside of, 8 minutes?

This year the high school drama team put on “Much Ado About Nothing”, and I had the fun opportunity of stepping in as sound guy.  The kids had the whole room laughing both nights.

Just a little snapshot of life. Here the local caterwaul choir is shifting about above the apartment building’s garage.

We have our K12 art teacher back and she’s been busy spurring on art projects in many places. Here is a canvas painting that all students were encouraged to contribute to.

A fun Saturday breakfast in the “Dorm” to celebrate Summer Day and our long weekend back in March.

Taking some moments away from lesson planning to repair a busted lace loop–I was out of black thread.

Taking a breather walking back home after church listening to a podcast about “whiteness” in America while passing by quite a diverse landscape of Catholic and Muslim architecture.

Spring has arrived at last!

Spring break was full of work and catch-up unit planning, but I was also able to get out for several mini-trips. One of them was a visit to the beautiful Lake Ohrid in neighboring Macedonia.

The fortress on top of the hill in Ohrid City. There are plenty of castles in this region but I’ve only seen a handful so far.

Some of us went on an overnight camping trip on the next mountain over on the other side of Mount Dajti. The views were spectacular.

View from the other side of where we camped.

Quick laces are fantastic, but replacements are a chore to install….I do love my Salomons though, can you tell?

You know you teach at a Christian school if… (Side note: “Cheese or Theologian Name” was hilarious!)

I either forgot that we had cherry blossoms at our gate or I never properly noticed. This year they were gorgeous.

I went all out for this year’s Spirit Week. Here I’m participating in Crazy Hair Day in my own unique way. It was highly controversial.

And here I’m putting a wacky twist on Formal Day with a Harry Potter themed vest that a wonderful family friend made for me. Sure wish I had thought to keep the odd beard for that one! Thank you for all the love you folks have sent my way these months. I’ll be in touch closer to summer.