The Last Week
Our last week is bitter sweet. We know nothing will be the same, even if we come back, so everything is for the last time. On the other hand, there are arrangements to be made to get home, and we look forward to that. "Travel is the school of humans" said Anwari in the 12th century.
On Monday our middle school students at CISP finished reading and studying Proverbs. That was a major undertaking. On Wednesday we finished discussing Madeleine Takes Command, the book they read together after Tom Sawyer. Madeleine is a French-Canadian in the 1600s. So I have taught my last class at CISP, and today I taught my last class at UNYP. It was hard to say good bye, because I truly love these students. I thanked them for all they taught me, and suggested they all get their tuition money back, because I should pay them for teaching me more than I taught them. I also asked their forgiveness for all the cultural mistakes I made, for the taboos I unwittingly broke, and thanked them for their graciousness and kindness. I wish I could take them all back with me to my home!!! Each student shook my hand and thanked me for coming, hoping I will come back to teach another course.
So now I am grading papers, getting supplies back to the appropriate school, and doing last minute school work.
There were only 3 of us at Book Group because of holiday activities, but we had a good time together. Its amazing how friendship can grow so quickly when a few people meet for a couple of hours once a week, even though it was only seven weeks.
Yesterday evening we attended our last Faith and Learning Get-together. One professor presented his work in the area of ethics, and we all gave our two-cents worth. It was a fun discussion about whether religion belongs in the public square, if so, when and how?
Yesterday I also met with the Human Resource officer at UNYP and we went over my salary. Twenty per cent of my meager wage was taken out for income tax, but I can't get it back. The good side is that I don't have to declare it or fill out paper work. The down side is that I have donated about $400 to the Czech government, when I could have used it to cover expenses. Oh well, Render to Caesar what is Caesar's...
On Monday our middle school students at CISP finished reading and studying Proverbs. That was a major undertaking. On Wednesday we finished discussing Madeleine Takes Command, the book they read together after Tom Sawyer. Madeleine is a French-Canadian in the 1600s. So I have taught my last class at CISP, and today I taught my last class at UNYP. It was hard to say good bye, because I truly love these students. I thanked them for all they taught me, and suggested they all get their tuition money back, because I should pay them for teaching me more than I taught them. I also asked their forgiveness for all the cultural mistakes I made, for the taboos I unwittingly broke, and thanked them for their graciousness and kindness. I wish I could take them all back with me to my home!!! Each student shook my hand and thanked me for coming, hoping I will come back to teach another course.
So now I am grading papers, getting supplies back to the appropriate school, and doing last minute school work.
There were only 3 of us at Book Group because of holiday activities, but we had a good time together. Its amazing how friendship can grow so quickly when a few people meet for a couple of hours once a week, even though it was only seven weeks.
Yesterday evening we attended our last Faith and Learning Get-together. One professor presented his work in the area of ethics, and we all gave our two-cents worth. It was a fun discussion about whether religion belongs in the public square, if so, when and how?
Yesterday I also met with the Human Resource officer at UNYP and we went over my salary. Twenty per cent of my meager wage was taken out for income tax, but I can't get it back. The good side is that I don't have to declare it or fill out paper work. The down side is that I have donated about $400 to the Czech government, when I could have used it to cover expenses. Oh well, Render to Caesar what is Caesar's...
posted by Pastor Lori Wiley at 6:31 AM
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