one month down

I'm excited about that fact. Ok, to be honest, the first week or two was a little rough. But I'm discovering something - I love my students. I've finally started to learn their names and their personalities, and I like them. A lot. For certain reasons, we're not allowed to spend time outside of school with our students. It's understandable and it's a good rule for a reason, but there's just one thing. I love my students! It would be so easy to become very good friends with them.
Even the class that started giving me problems has calmed down. They're not so rowdy anymore. It's so exciting when my students get excited about something I'm teaching. When they laugh at me in class, I love it. I know I'm getting through to them.
I pray that I will be able to make a good impression on them during these first weeks of teaching. This is the basis for how they will react to me and my message during the rest of the year.
Between planning lessons and classes, thinking about lessons and classes, and thinking about planning lessons and classes, I don't have much other time to spare. But I've had time to do some very fun things. This last weekend, we went to the Prague Castle gardens. They were gorgeous! Very European. There were peacocks running around the grass, and statues lining the walkway.
Here are some pictures of the trip to the garden:

St. Vitus's Cathedral in the background.

A fountain in the Prague Castle gardens.

A big European building!

Elsie and I with more European buildings at the Castle Gardens and the cathedral in the background.

As you can see, it was a fun trip. I have many more pictures and many more experiences. In the meantime, just know that Prague is beautiful and fun. I can hardly believe I've already been here a month. But it's good to know that I have much more time to do many more things here.
Keep me and my students in your prayers.