Day 1 in country was just as event filled and frenetic as the weeks leading to our departure. After a few hours sleep, we managed to rouse ourselves, shower, and roll over to Grace to begin the task of preparing for the year. Unlike many of our teaching counterparts, who had a couple of weeks plus new teacher orientation, we had 5 days (counting the weekend) to get curriculum, get our schedule, set up classrooms, and be prepared to meet our students. As if that wasn’t enough, most of the staff was on their way out to a 2-day staff retreat. But, good news, we thought…our principal informed us the house we were in may be available longer!! So we spent the morning finding curriculum and getting settled.
That afternoon our new friend Lori came to pick us up to begin showing us around, Bill remarked how exciting it was that the house would likely be available longer than six months, and at 9,000 Baht…what a blessing. Her response was “What!? You don’t have six months in that house, you have two weeks!! Besides, the rent is 20,000 Baht; there is no way they would let you stay there for 9,000!
Needless to say, this was quite a blow to our planning and schedule. So, now we have two more weeks to start school (in 4 days), find a house, get settled in, and begin some semblance of normal living, all while adjusting to a new country, new culture, new climate. Thus began the many “flexibility moments” God had in store for us.
