Catching my breath

So, it's a new year, a new semester, and soon, a new house! I'm really excited to move. It will be great to have my own place and from what I've seen of it so far, it's really nice. :-)

We are starting our 2nd cycle of classes and so I've begun my lessons. I only have 33 teaching periods this semester, but a good deal more students. It will work out. Always does.

My father is currently having a bit of a rough time. He has been back in NY since the beginning of December and recently found out he has lymphoma. We'll find out later this week what stage he's in, but he's currently in a lot of pain and just doesn't sound the same. It hurts that I'm so far away while this is going on.

A friend of mine passed away earlier this month after battling brain cancer for 4 years. It's wierd to think I won't read his e-mails anymore.

Life is always changing and always moving on, and all I want is to be able to stop and catch my breath for a moment. Sometimes I feel like I'm not meant to be an adult because it's all too fast paced. I enjoy being able to take time and look at the stars and lay out on the grass. It's pretty fantastic. But I never really get that chance. I like to have picnics. I like to enjoy the little things. ::sigh::

Time to get back to work. only two more lessons today and then hopefully I will be moving. YAY!

Transitions....

On Saturday, I will be heading north for the month. It will be great to be off the mountain, away from the rain, and just generally, with other people. I love it here and I love my friends, but mountain fever has set in and I really just want to get away for a bit. It will be great to see some friendly faces, some of whom I haven't seen in a LONG time... it will be nice to see them, and to meet new people who have a heart for India (after all, why would you give up your Christmas to come here if you didn't have at least a little place in your heart for these kids).

I can't wait to see what God is doing in their lives and what God will do while they're here.

When I return, life will be a little hectic for a while as, more than likely, I'll be moving into a different house. The story is a little complicated, so I won't bore you with it on here, but it hasn't been easy, and my roommate and I just feel that we'd both be better off in our own places.

If you could please pray for my family at home as they are going through things and my grandmother is ill, and just their health in general. Please also pray that if it's God's will for me to come home this summer that it works out. Everytime we get a little ahead, something comes up, so please just pray for that. I would love to be able to come home and watch my brother graduate, but I know that it may not be possible.

I keep waiting anxiously for a package that I know was sent 3 weeks ago. I would love to get a package, especially right before holidays, but we'll see how that works out.

If I don't get a chance to write in this again before Christmas, I hope you all have a very good holiday and remember the true reason for the season.

All my love,
Mel

Oceans....

Oceans in two senses: the ebbing and changing of life, and the literal ocean that separates me from home....

The first: ebbing and changing of life.... I've gotten back both my evaluations from Margaret and Pratap and I'm pleased with what they said. I know in one lesson they can't really see how my class operates, but I think they got the picture enough that they understood. The things they gave suggestions on are easy to improve. Pratap was very pleased with how the concerts went. He said he was apprehensive about how the concerts would go because there were so many new teachers, but he was very pleased. That's good to hear.

On Friday night we said goodbye to Cathy (one of the student teachers who was here). She left on Saturday to travel in India for a little while before going back to the states. Jenny leaves tomorrow. Margaret and Paul leave Wednesday. It's crazy. Two weeks from today I'll be up north for the break. It will be so good to get off the mountain.

::sigh::

The literal ocean: Friends are coupling, doing their senior recitals, getting married, having kids, getting jobs, buying houses, and I'm sitting here on top of a mountain. I love it here, but knowing I'm not settled is, well, unsettling. Wishing I could be home to see my family, to meet the new members that have come into the world, the one that will come in a few months. I would love to be able to be there. But then I have to remember: even if i was in the states right now, it would probably be June before I got to see her. Christmas I'd probably be able to see some people. But for the most part it would be June no matter where I lived.

I guess it doesn't help that I'm awful at updating. :-)

It's the last teaching week here at school, and I'm extremely excited. Concerts are over, my life is slowing down a little. I have a fridge and an oven at home on which to cook and store food. Life's moving up.

Have to go fix a xylophone, peace out!

Hi!

I will not be political. If you know me, you know where I stand, and that's all there is to it.

I will however say, that many actions of Americans have me saddened for our country. I have been bombarded with e-mail, comments, and just general webpages discussing the outcome of the election. hearing that people are scared to walk outside on their own college campus because of the result of the election is scary. Hearing someone say that if McCain had won, they were gonna smack a white person. It makes me sad to be American. The behavior from people on BOTH sides have me really glad I'm in India.

That is all I will say on this issue.

And that I'm praying for America. For its leaders. And its people.

"Great week" /end sarcasm

I wish I could say it's been a great week since I last wrote. I can't say it's been awful, because it truly hasn't been, however, it's been trying at times. Getting ready for RSM, trying not to die, not having a real weekend, getting sick on Saturday night, and just plain RAIN! I will not complain about it, though, as I've done my fair share of it recently. I always try to live in the moment and try to be where I am and no-where else, but with my mind, it's hard to keep it in one place, but that has been my challenge this week. To live the moment and be here fully. Afterall, the next moment is not guaranteed. Just because you wake up in the morning does not mean you will go to sleep that night. We should be thankful for all moments and live them each to their potential.

I haven't really had a chance to write, not did I really say too much last time I wrote, but I was contemplating the shortness of life. What brought this around? Well, apart from friends that have died in the last couple years, it is also about a friend of mine from elementary school in NY. She had cystic fibrosis, and passed away last Sunday (the 12th). I can't say we were extremely close, but we were definitely in classes together and sang in chorus together, and I can picture her in our kindergarten yearbook in Mrs. Freshauer's class.

I haven't received news from home in a good long while, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I tried to call home last week, but could not get through. I haven't had any news about Sky, so if you know something, please tell me. He's in my prayers and on the hearts and minds of some of my friends here as I've asked for prayers to be sent his way.

Also, if any of my family is reading this: E-mail me!!!! It's the most convenient way to stay in touch with me. I have to bring my laptop up to school in order to skype, and that's not always easy (especially in all this rain).

I did get some news today that I can't wait until it's time to share it! I know some people here read this, though, so I really shouldn't say for now, but it really makes me appreciate God's timing and grace.

Have a happy rest of the week and I'll get back to you guys soon!

Community

We were not created to live alone. We were not created to deal with death. We were created to live in community with eachother sharing our lives and everything we have. Sharing our hearts, our emotions, our mundane.

But in today's world, it is so hard to have that. People mess with other peoples' hearts. People don't think it matters what you do. People wonder why they always feel alone and are always searching for the next new thing out there.

Because we're not supposed to be isolated. We're not supposed to have to build walls just so we don't get hurt (again). We need to tear these walls down and build real relationships where we share with eachother, where we spend time with eachother.

I think one of the best parts of India is tea time. Where we all head to the staff lounge for tea/coffee, a snack, and conversation. Where we talk to people instead of sitting in our office, isolated from the rest of the school. I thoroughly enjoy talking to people, whether they're the same people I talk to everyday or someone I just happen to see every few days. It's good to hear how their work is going and to get out of "band world" for a bit.

It's good to step outside ourself and be there for a friend who needs us. To say "it might not feel good today, but it will pass". It's good to be able to say "well, we're all busy today, but November is right around the corner". To be there for someone else. This is one reason India has a leg up on the world. Most schools teachers get into the staff lounge after a huge day with too many students and gripe. But here, yea we gripe, that's true, but more often we go up there and we talk to each other like people. That's kind of nice.

This has no point. I'm really busy, and sometimes stressing, and sometimes crying over the dumb stuff, but even just the small breaks in the staff lounge are a great release and a chance to be a person amidst all the "teacher" that I have to be.

<3

Of Mice, Men and beaches....

I had a wonderful, relaxing, amazing, and refreshing three days at a beach called Varkala in Kerala. I pulled a muscle in my back on the first day, however, so I didn't go down to the beach after that day. I pulled it in the water (letting myself get pounded by waves and body surfing... you know, the good stuff), so it was well worth it. You may be like, "So why didn't you at least go sit on the beach?" Well, the beach is down a cliff, so you have to go down stairs. Sore back plus vertigo means a Melissa that isn't going to make it, lol. I'm only peeling a little bit after all the sun, and I'm so glad to be tan!

On the way back from Varkala, we had an overnight train. At one of the stations where we stopped, a man came up to the train window and tried to open the window. He was really persistant. It was quite scary. The mouse mentioned in my title has to do with the mouse that plagued our carriage. O, India. It was really nice to have hot showers at the beach, though!! (I still don't have hot water at my house)

Since being back I've done a bit of sleeping, ate at Tibb's last night, and tonight I think I'm going to Fay's before volleyball. It should be a good night.

It's RSM month, which means that I have to stay after school to wait for students to drop in. This means that there might be a whole lot of updates this month. :-)

I had my first "evaluation" as a probationary teacher today, and it went well. Pratap (my HOD) even said "good job" at tea this afternoon. That is quite refreshing. Any kind of observation makes me nervous and it's good to know the first one went well. We began talking about the spring trip today as well, and there is a possibility I'll be going to Bangalore again. :-)

Tomorrow we're recording the AMIS auditions, and if we're done in time, I'll go to CE. If not, I'm going home and going to bed.

Hmm... not much else going on in my life at the moment. It's retreating monsoon season now, so rain's come and are very heavy when they do. My clothes have been trying to dry for days and it's just not happening. I'm going to pull some of them in and put them in front of the fire tonight (I've gotten quite good at lighting a fire).

Keep praying for India and the persecution here. And pray for the missionaries throughout this country. Some you know, some you've heard of, and the many that we don't know.

I guess I'll write more some other time.

PEACE!