Thankfully, things have started to fall into place and we both feel comfortable and positive about how all of our classes are going. A new year and new classes always presents new challenges and for Amanda especially this year has been a chance to get to know a whole new group of students for the first time which always takes adjusting. This year I (Matt) am teaching World History for the 7th, 8th, and 10/11th graders (all of these are different courses with different textbooks, etc.), Geography for the 9th graders, a once a week fine arts class called Humanities for the 8th graders, and the same philosophy of science class I did last year for three of this year's seniors. Amanda has 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10/11th grade English literature/composition classes and is also teaching 6th grade Social Studies again this year.
Additionally, after school three days a week Amanda has been tutoring a student and I am taking Russian lessons with one our teachers twice a week after school. Between all of this, we haven't felt like we've had a lot of down time, but as we settle into a good rhythm of lesson planning and preparation we are doing a better job of finding time to relax. It's kind of scary to think that this is already the fourth week of classes for this year. It still seems like its just the beginning, but we are almost halfway through our first quarter!
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us during this past month since we returned to Russia. It has been busy and at times quite stressful, but we are doing well and know that God is sustaining us and working through your prayers! I'm sure this year will continue to have its share of challenges, but we believe it will be a good year for the school and that we will continue to grow and adapt as teachers. We continue to feel incredibly blessed to be able to be here.
One of the most important events of the first quarter is coming up quickly for us. Next week is IA's third annual spiritual retreat for the High School students. Amanda and I will both be going on it again this year and it will be held at the same location outside of the city as last year. Look for a post sometime next week after it is over! The retreat will run from Monday to Wednesday of next week and we will have speakers flying in from the US to lead our sessions. This is a very important time for our school spiritually as we take time out from normal classes to spend time bonding as a school and focusing on knowing God better.
Please join with us in prayer for this year's retreat. We have many students who are not Christians and this is a great opportunity for them to experience His presence. Please pray that our students will have open hearts and be receptive to God's leading during this time. Pray also for our speakers and for us teachers that will be going along to supervise, lead small groups, and lead games that we would all have wisdom and do our part to make this time not just a fun time but a spiritually significant one.
On a different note, last weekend we managed to get out for a bit and pay a visit to New Holland, the formerly closed-off area of St. Petersburg that we posted a few photos of from our boat trip in the last blog entry. The island is finally open to the public regularly for the first time since the days of Peter the Great. In the past it has served as a military barracks, shipbuilding yard, prison, and radio station among other things. Now it is being redeveloped for public use and currently has a restaurant, art displays, a small garden and farmers market, and sports fields for public use. Below are some photos we took along with a few other photographic odds and ends we've accumulated in the past few weeks:-)
A view of the pond in the center of New Holland. It was a gorgeous clear day and the sky reflected wonderfully off of the surface of the water.
The garden area. Each of the small plots is sponsored by a local business and growing a variety of different plants.
Our more horticulturally savvy readers may know what this plant is, but I have no idea what it is. All I know is that it looks fascinating!
In the distance you can see part of the main gates that flank the waterway leading out of New Holland. We posted pictures of what the arch looks like from the water in our last post.
It's Amanda!
The white ship in this photo is the yacht of the Danish Royal Family. The Queen of Denmark was in St. Petersburg paying a state visit and staid on this yacht during her stay. The ship behind it is a Danish naval vessel that I assume came as an escort.
This is a mural that we walk past every night on our evening walk that Amanda is particular likes.
Night sets in on Maly Prospekt.
A giant inflatable character stationed outside of the exposition center near our apartment.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading!
-Matt
A view of the pond in the center of New Holland. It was a gorgeous clear day and the sky reflected wonderfully off of the surface of the water.
The garden area. Each of the small plots is sponsored by a local business and growing a variety of different plants.
Our more horticulturally savvy readers may know what this plant is, but I have no idea what it is. All I know is that it looks fascinating!
In the distance you can see part of the main gates that flank the waterway leading out of New Holland. We posted pictures of what the arch looks like from the water in our last post.
It's Amanda!
The white ship in this photo is the yacht of the Danish Royal Family. The Queen of Denmark was in St. Petersburg paying a state visit and staid on this yacht during her stay. The ship behind it is a Danish naval vessel that I assume came as an escort.
This is a mural that we walk past every night on our evening walk that Amanda is particular likes.
Night sets in on Maly Prospekt.
A giant inflatable character stationed outside of the exposition center near our apartment.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading!
-Matt
I believe that the plant is called a kohlrabi. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope that the prayer week went well for you both, as well as for those in attendance.