End of May and June are a whirlwind of activities as the year begins to wind up and we squeeze in as many fun activities as possible. At the end of May we said an early goodbye to one of our classmates as her family returned to the Netherlands for 2 months to raise support; AND said hello to one of our new families from the UK who would be joining us for the last 3 weeks of school! Change is constant in our community and we say just as many goodbyes as we say hello. So at the end of May a year long prayer for another boy in our class was finally answered! Just in time for field day and our elementary field trip to IQ park (a hands-on science centre in a nearby town).
Field Day
Our annual field day actually took place on a field this year! We had colour teams, flags and pennants for prizes; students participated in a variety of events. Fun was had by all!
IQ Park
At the end of May we took the elementary grades 1-6 to a science centre called IQ Park in Liberec. A small town about an hour away from Prague. There were multiple floors with different things to explore including a model of the sinking Titanic, a mirror maze and various stations focusing on balance and motion,
Spring Concert
We were missing a few students since it is the end of the school year and few families had already left but this is our elementary kids singing Amazing Grace. So proud of our ELI girls (the little ones in the front) who started learning English in January and memorized all 3 verses!
Finishing Well
We finished our last week with a few tests, some fun songs and an insect themed part complete with insect snacks :) We finished our year with a whole different batch of faces than what we started with. Overall we had a great year and I look forward to the fun that is in store for us next year!
Worship time during our final elementary chapel.
Family Picnic
We finish the school year with our annual school picnic. It is a great time to wrap up the year and say goodbye to those who are leaving.
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| Some of my students for next years class! |
After a long day of picnic-ing a few of us took a paddle-boat ride on the river. Perfect thing to do on a hot spring day!
Saying Goodbye
Goodbyes are never easy and in the expat/international community they happen all too often. Some lament that we were never designed to have to say goodbye and I long for the day when goodbyes will be no more. I had to say a number of goodbyes this year as so many of our staff are transitioning on to new paths in their life journeys. Both my flatmates are headed back to the States meaning I had to say goodbye to my friends and my flat of 3 years.
Change is constant and even more so when you are a missionary teacher working with Third Culture Kids (TCKs). These kids who shudder at the question: "Where are you from?" Who ask every June "Are you leaving too?" Whose friends come and go as often as the seasons change. It is this world that I work in. The revolving door of people coming and going. There is a richness in the people I get to meet and the many lives I get to touch during the year. The heartaches when you have to say yet another goodbye and the desire to harden your heart towards making any new friends, with the knowledge that your time with them is short, is tempting. Yet I have been blessed by the many I have come to know even in those fleeting moments of 3 months, 6 months, 10 months, 2 years.
Though through all the change we know one who never changes. It is him I cling to. The understanding that though the seasons change and things will pass away God is eternal and unchanging and one day the goodbyes will end and the hellos will be eternal.
