Year 2 begins!

We've passed our year milestone in Paraguay and the start of year 2 has been full of big changes.  We have moved into a large house with 4 other teachers from my school.  The house is fantastic-we have a pool, a great backyard with a patio that has a grill and a brick oven, a huge bedroom with our own balcony and bathroom, and possibly the best thing of all is our full time maid, Natalia.  It's nice to live in a place again where we can do one of my favorite things-entertain and cook for people. It is certainly an adjustment to live with other people again, but so far it's been really fun to have friends at home to hang out with after work. 

Another big change is that I've moved to teaching 7th and 8th grade Social Studies.  I have wanted to teach SS for a long time, but since all of my experience is in Language Arts, it's been hard to get a job.  I'm teaching World History and U.S history, two subjects which can be a lot of fun.  I struggled with the adjustment to teaching privileged kids last year, but now that I have some experience to lean on, I'm finding the job a little easier and more rewarding.  I'm having a blast teaching Social Studies, although it's a lot more work, as I'm planning everything from scratch since it's my first time.  Now that I have the hang of teaching at the school, I feel more confident experimenting with new ideas in the classroom and trying things that I would never have been able to do in a struggling school like where I worked in Seattle. 

The school is also undergoing many changes, including 15 new teachers and 3 new administrators.  I have a new principal, who has moved to Paraguay from China, but has also lived in Nicaragua.  He's a fantastic addition to the school and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the school year.   The second semester last year was difficult for me as a professional, but I have a feeling things have really turned around and I am feeling positive and recharged as an educator.  

We are of course plotting several upcoming travel adventures including climbing the tallest mountain in Paraguay (3,000 feet!) and visiting a nature preserve in the South of the country.  We are both looking forward to the many adventures our second year in this beautiful and sometimes baffling country we call home!