luchar

“Give a man a fish, and you will feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime.”

If I were being honest, I would have to admit that it seems around each bend is a new challenge when it comes to school. I am often asked, what do you find most challenging teaching in Guatemala? And I would have to answer – the system. I am not a person that thinks inside of a box or fits a particular mold. And so…I am constantly in search of the balance, as the education I am accustomed to is so different from the customs here. And if I were being honest, I would say that it would be much easier to just fall into a pattern and change my teaching to fit the mold here. Each time I’m faced with a new challenge. Each time I find myself in a situation that required God clearly reminds me that I am to continue to teach the way I have taught for so many years and continue to challenge those in front of me with the personality that he has given me… which is often very direct. To do this I rely on strength, wisdom and discernment from God to guide me as I still have a huge language curve!

There are a few words in Spanish that I have found myself surrounded with. The first is “luchar” which means to fight and the second is “ganas”. Which is used more like, I don’t have the “ganas” to do this today or I don’t have the willpower to do this any longer. I find myself using these words often, for myself and for the students. The first year for anything is often one of the most difficult, and this year for sure is a test of my ganas in which I must luchar much.

This past week refueled me as I had other beside me other science brains who could break down the massive world of physics into words and demonstrations that the students could understand. They tasted the same frustrations, experienced the same need to press on, and for this I am grateful. The last day Trevor and Stephanie taught on energy, a concept foreign to the students. But they used every day examples and lots of demonstrations to teach the kids…. and the smiles on their faces and the excitement they had in the classroom encouraged me to press on in this manner. Yes we are in a different country, yes it is Here are a few more pictures from last week.