A Prague Summer

What Do You Do In the Summer?

I often get asked this question. There is a misconception about the teaching profession, that teachers get 2 months vacation in the summer. Though we are not teaching the children during these two months, this does not mean work is not being done, especially for an International school. For our school the office is open all summer; making it possible for new families to come check it out as well as the office staff are preparing for the upcoming student body. Many of our teachers are planning and prepping for upcoming courses and some of us are even doing school ourselves.

Mluvíte česky?


Nemluvím český dobré, ale učím se český.
(Do you speak Czech? I don't speak Czech, but I am learning Czech.)
I joined 5 other co-workers in a two week intensive Czech class. It was a great time where our brains were stretched and I was given a lot more compassion for my students who are learning English. Especially learning to do math in a foreign language! Our teacher would give us math problems orally in Czech ie:
dvacet šest mínus sedmnáct (26 - 17) Not only do you need to think of what the numbers are but you also need to figure out the answer and say it in Czech. Devět! Made me think how I required my little ones to recite math facts not even thinking that they may be translating the answers in their heads first!  It was a lot of work and I did get frustrated at times but I am persevering!
Since it is possible to survive in Prague without learning Czech it is easy to give up learning the language. Yet, there is a desire in me to be able to say more than Nemluvím český, or nerozumím český (I don't speak Czech, I don't understand Czech). Little by little my vocabulary is growing and I am at the stage of speaking 3 -5 word sentences and answer questions. Only if people are able to ask the right questions that I know how to say the answers to ;)

 What do you do for fun?

Visit with People... 
One of the joys of being in Czech Republic for the summer is the chance to spend time with other missionaries who live nearby. In June I had the opportunity to go with a friend to visit with some missionaries from her team that are in Krakow, Poland. It is a city that is one of those little gems in Europe that wouldn't necessarily be your first pick of places to travel but it should be!
 It is great to be able to encourage one another and experience another culture.

 <-- Seems that I might as well embrace the culture that  surrounds me ;)

To see more photos of my adventures click here!

Celebrate Birthdays!

July is a BIG birthday month for a lot of my friends and so we had a number of birthday parties. Including my own :)

Though it looks like a giant
hamburger it is actually a cake!

Experience Czech Culture

One of the things Czechs love to do here is visit "the nature." Getting out of the city and going to a park, a cabin in the woods or a lake in the bush. There are number of man-made lakes near Prague and I was blessed by those with a car to be invited a long to enjoy the beach life. I think it is one of the things I miss about not being in Canada is having a lake nearby.

 

 Nothing like going to a beach that is surrounded by corn and wheat fields on one side and a forest on the other!

Go Hiking...

...is also another thing that is fun to do and Czech Republic is FULL of places to go and explore "the nature"

We went to an area called Český ráj and explored some castle ruins. Český ráj means Czech Paradise. Very good name for it!

It was a lot like being back in Canada, save for the castle ruins it was very much like travelling the hiking trails at home. A great time of fellowship with friends and seeing another part of this beautiful country I live in.

 

 

 

 

Serving Others

Something so small and yet so big! I made the "sacrifice" of being responsible for house sitting for a friend and fellow co-worker, as she and her family went back to the States for the summer. One of the major perks of watching their large and wonderful apartment was caring for their beautiful English Cream Retriever, Riah.

I miss having a dog around and have been blessed to care for Riah this summer.

 

What is Coming Up?

New People are Coming!

This year our TeachBeyond team will be growing and welcoming some new members that will be teaching in some of the National Schools. Our little team of 5 will more than double to 13! We are excited to welcome new team mates that will be coming this August. I will be helping with orientation and assisting our new members with adjusting to Prague, Czech life.

School is Coming!

It has been a great summer so far and with August comes getting ready for the school year. Many have started to ask what my class looks like for this year. I have heard rumblings that I may have a class of 5 students, although the lovely admissions lady told me to come back and ask her in August! 

My prayer is for at least a class of 10 grade one and two students, so we are maybe halfway there!

Pray with us for the upcoming school year. For the new staff that are coming, the staff that will be on home assignment and the needs that we still have for more staff to come.