SURPRISE GRADUATION

I didn’t realize until I watched SGN’s graduation episode (watch here if you haven’t seen it) that I was considered a 2020 Graduate. Yep! I officially completed my Masters Degree in Education! What?!?! This 2.5 year journey has come to an end. To be honest, I didn’t think anything of it. I was just glad to be done and have that Masters Degree under my belt. I was excited to get my diploma, but I had no plans of celebrating. But my friends had a different plan!

On May 16th, my friend invited me to go for brunch at one of our favorite cafes that is a 10 minute walk from my apartment. Of course I said yes! I mean good food and good company, also you gotta eat :). I did not expect anything! We walked to the cafe, talking about our latest book reads and the week back to school. As we approached the cafe, there was nothing out of the ordinary. We started walking up the stairs and I saw some of my other friends. I was so confused, this was a random group of my friends. Friends from various places: school, TeachBeyond, girl gang, church. These were my friends, but they didn’t really know each other. And they were all dressed up. I asked what they were doing there and they just smiled at me. No one would tell me what was going on. I WAS SO CONFUSED. What could they possibly be doing? I finally realized I was the only one that didn’t know what was going on. So I started racking my brain, my birthday was a month ago…. we already did the whole good-bye thing…. what else was there?

Everyone kept asking, do you know what is going on? And for the life of me I couldn’t think of why everyone was there. I didn’t know. Then I heard it. From the third floor, the musical notes of pomp and circumstance floated down and I realized, OH! This is for my graduation. I couldn’t believe it. All these amazing people came together to give me a surprise graduation! Here came the tears. As I walked up the stairs, I was awestruck, that my friends would do this for me. They had everything. They made banners for the commencement exercise and even made me a diploma (because the real one was sent to my parents’ house in America). The had an entire program that included a commencement address, a time of worship, scripture reading, a graduation video, presentation of flowers and diploma, and a valedictorian speech (I was valedictorian of my class of 1 here).

So much work went into this plan and I was overwhelmed with the amazing love of the family of friends God has given me here! I cried tears of joy at the showering of love. It was a great surprise. I am still amazed that they had been planning it for a couple of weeks and I had no idea! They did a great job! And I am so glad that I got to celebrate this major accomplishment. I didn’t realize how much it would mean to me!

Lots To Be Thankful For!

​Thanksgiving was last week and who would have thought it would be so busy in a land that doesn't really celebrate Thanksgiving.

I had my 1st graders glue their turkey on their plate :). "but it's still alive" many of them said! LOL.  

This year at my school the foreign staff taught the students about Thanksgiving. My first graders learned about turkeys (known here as western chicken) and my third graders wrote essays about what they are thankful for. Then on Thursday our school prepared a "Thanksgiving" meal for the students. I told my kids that they would be getting to eat mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, and turkey because that is what we told the kitchen to make. However they got this:

They tried to make a Thanksgiving meal... :( 

This is legit Thanksgiving food! 

​After school my housemate and I went to our pastor's house for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a pitch-in/potluck meal. I made homemade rolls! Others made bacon green beans, carrot soufflé (I stayed far away from that!), mashed potatoes, corn & zucchini casserole, and honey baked chicken! It was soooo delicious. We wondered why we only did this once a year. I think we are going to have another one in December :). Friends help make Thanksgiving special!

Love the family God has provided here! 

Handel's Messiah! 

​On Friday, I joined my country director and his family at the opera. We had dinner at this little Italian restaurant down the street where we ran into other people from church. They were going to the same performance; Handel's Messiah. After dinner we walked to the opera house. Wow! The opera house is gorgeous! The architecture was amazing! I can't believe it took me over a year to come to a performance here! Handel's Messiah was amazing! The choir was beautiful and the orchestra was amazing. This was such a great way to begin the Christmas season (even though my Thanksgiving wasn't over yet!).

Church family at the opera! 

Cookie Decorating! 

On Saturday, I planned a cookie baking & decorating party with a coworkers family. They have 5 girls that like to bake and decorate cookies. We made 3 batches of sugar cookies (one for them, one for us, and one for advent at church). I started mixing cookies at 10am, and finished baking and decorating at 3pm. Lots of work and tired girls, but so much fun and a great Christmas tradition to carry on.

Teaching my language nurturer (teacher) how to make cookies ;) 

​I also made homemade roll (Texas Roadhouse) for the Thanksgiving dinner we had that night. I have learned that homemade rolls are actually super easy even when you don't have a stand mixer! I took rolls to the dinner and we had some delicious food! My friend made smoked turkey!!! (My first turkey of Thanksgiving) and others made green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing. It was such a delightful Thanksgiving meal! Then after dinner we watch 2 episodes of the new Gilmore Girls!!!!

Our girl gang Thanksgiving dinner (minus a few important people). 

On Sunday, the international women's club had a charity Bazaar at one of the international schools in the city. My housemate and I went to that at 10am. Many of the NGOs and other businesses have tents set up to share about their organization and sell products to raise money. It is a great place to get souvenirs and learn about other things people are doing in the city. They also have many concert to showcase the different nationalities. The church has a multicultural band that was the closing ceremony! I was supposed to sing with them, but they kept pushing back the time and I already had commitments with my team!

After the Bazaar, I headed to my country director's house and we had another Thanksgiving meal! Yes, I am pretty sure I had more Thanksgiving meals here than I ever did in the States.  Since there are many nationalities on our team, this was some of their first Thanksgiving! Super excited to share this wonderful thankful holiday with friends around the world!

I am so thankful for everything God is doing in my life. Even though I am on the other side of the world, away from friends and family, God has provided such amazing friends and coworkers that I am truly blessed to have in my life! God is here! Even in the midst of the rough times and hard times and the times I want to just quit. I am reminded that he has me here for a purpose and he shows me a glimpse of what he is doing here! I know it's not going to be easy, but I am so thankful to God with me!

Was even included in my family Thanksgiving photo in America (I'm on the phone :)) 

Happy Turkey Day!!!

Thanksgiving was last week and I do have to say it was one of my best Thanksgivings abroad. I was blessed to have the opportunity to attend 4 (that's right, FOUR!!) Thanksgiving meals! We basically turned it into a weekend of Thanksgiving :). ​

On Thursday, the young adults met at our apartment and we had a potluck dinner. It is really awesome to see people from all different nations come together to celebrate an American holiday. We had a ton of food and some great company! We also shared about what we thank God for. We should thank God daily for all we do. ​

Our young adults feast :) 

On Friday, we were invited to our pastor's house for a Thanksgiving dinner. ​My roommate and I brought a salad and bread to their apartment after school was over. It was so great to share in a meal with our pastor's family, our friend Kelsey, and a couple from church. The dinner was amazing, such delicious food! After dinner we played some card games. It was a great time of laughter and fun! So thankful for the friends God has given me here!

Our pilgrim hats.  

On Saturday, ​my friend Hương invited us to a Thanksgiving dinner with a club she helped start for locals and foreigners to become friends and help each other. At the event we had a brief history of American Thanksgiving.  Then we enjoyed a meal together. This meal included pizza and local food, someone also made mashed potatoes! Then while we were eating we did some discussion questions or at least tried but we weren't a very talkative group. After talking we separated into two teams to play a game of charades but with a twist. For this game of charades it was played like the game telephone but instead of words you used actions. It was so fun to watch the other team's actions change as each person performed for the next. By the time it got to the person who was guessing the action rarely looked the same as the beginning. It was hilarious! I laughed so hard I cried. 

Playing telephone charades.  

On Sunday, we had a small Thanksgiving meal at our house with our team. Everyone brought something to share. I made the turkey, in a toaster oven, for the first time. I was so nervous but at the end of the evening there was none left. Must have been good. :). My roommate made mashed potatoes and O made broccoli cheese casserole. Our team leader's wife made stuffing and pumpkin pie and our friends made cranberry cake, tiramisu, and apple pie. We had ourselves a feast with great company. It made a perfect ending to our Thanksgiving weekend. ​

Our Sunday feast! It was all delicious! The top is the main course and the bottom are the desserts.  

I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve here. I am thankful for the friends God has given me here that help to make transitioning here easier! I am thankful for the love of God on and in my life! ​