Hi friends!
I'm back in action with the blog, after too long of a break! We are well into second semester now, and let me tell you - it's going great! This semester I am teaching one less class than last semester, and my job is a bit more manageable. It is still a challenge, and it definitely keeps me on my toes, but having one less class to prep for has enabled me to have more of a life of my own outside of school.
I have joined a choir at church, and we are going to be able to perform a few concerts in the Basilica in the Centro Historico down town and other old, cool churches with great acoustics. I have been running again, and spending time in fellowship at a young adult group from church, and with other work friends. I even got to play Ultimate Frisbee today ("playing high" is in reference to that, and the altitude).
During the week my days consist of school, some kind of stress-relieving activity after school (running, music, friends), dinner and more work. It can be tedious at times, but there is a certain beauty to be found even then. I love my students so much, and as I see them learn and grow, I am realizing that it's going to be really hard to leave them come June. But that's so far away! So I'll stick to the present for now!
Presently it is the season of Lent, and I have found myself once again reflecting upon the meaning of this season - a time of surrender, sacrifice, and preparation for Easter and the celebration of Christ's selfless death and victorious resurrection.
In Ecuador, the few days before Lent, that is celebrated in some parts of the states as "Fat Tuesday" or Mardi Gras, is called Carnaval. And because Ecuador has a high Catholic population (and Lent is especially celebrated by Catholic brothers and sisters), Carnaval is a pretty big deal here. It is a national holiday, celebrated with parades and "playing Carnaval" with water fights and foam fights. During Carnaval, strangers throw buckets of water on you, carry water guns to soak you, and spray scented foam all over you - presumably as one last wild "hoorah" before the discipline of Lent sets in. My friends and I were at the beach during Carnaval. We discovered that our white skin made us even more of a target for foam and water, but all in good fun.
Upon returning from the Carnaval festivities and the nice little break it gave me from work, I've been thinking more deeply about the meaning of Lent and its contrast with the wildness the typically precedes it. While I know that it is not necessary to give something up for Lent, I have found it to be a very beneficial practice, especially if I add something in its place. It is a practice of sacrificing something small - a little piece of myself - so that I can focus on something bigger: the power and beauty of truth and what it means to know and discover it. If this is something you have never done, maybe you should give it a try :)
Speaking of the present, this week is also Spiritual Emphasis Week at school. This week happens once a semester, and it consists of a modified schedule with Chapel everyday hosted by a guest speaker or group. Please pray that it is time of growth, learning, and earnest questioning/seeking for our students.
And looking foward just a bit - next weekend I will be running another 10k, and I'm pretty excited for it. It will be my first race since Christmas. Then we will already be coming up on the end of 3rd quarter at school already! And as Lent comes to an end, my wonderful parents will pay me a week-long visit. Phewie... time flies... let's stay in the present for now.
Thanks for reading, and come again soon. ha.
Love and hugs,
Katie
