No Expectations

If there were such a thing as an instruction manual for life overseas, the first rule should be: No Expectations. Not in a negative way, as if nothing will  ever go they way you expect it to go, but in a realistic way, as in don't ever expect a thing to go any one way.

Case in point: When you have a signed contract, stating that you will receive a certain amount of money, you can expect to receive that amount come payday, right? No. Not right. Because when you are dealing with a language barrier, you never really can tell how things will go.

The word "net" has several uses in the English language. It can be the thing that catches fish. Or it can be the thing that goes swish after a made basket in a basketball game. Or it can mean the amount you are to receive AFTER taxes. In our case, it meant none of those.

You see, the powers that be thought that net meant gross. So the look of surprise on my face when I saw a very different amount of cash (which is how we get paid, gangster style) laid out before me made for a very uncomfortable situation in the cashier's room that day.

Don't worry, we got to the bottom of it. We made a compromise. And by compromise, I mean that the headmistress apologized and said that there was nothing she could do about it this year. She thanked us for teaching her a new English word: gross.

So, rule number one: No expectations. They only make for puzzled looks from the lady that pays you.

Tune in next week for the continuing misadventures of two English teachers living in Prague. Same Czech time, Same Czech channel.

So sorry for the delay in blog posts. The school year started and it took us a while to catch up with things. There were so many new names to learn and lessons to plan.

Let me tell you all a little story about train travel here. First though, think of how we board  an airplane in the states. Now, take that model of semi-order and destroy it. You now have a brief introduction to train travel.

When the train pulled up, we were standing in a line and waited to see our car number.  Well, they were not numbered, at least not all of them, so we had to guess. The line behind us became the line in front of us.

We finally figured out what car to get in and waited patiently to board. Then, people started passing us. Then, it seemed like the train was ready to leave while we still stood on the steps. People were speaking loudly in Czech and various other non-English languages. Panic began to rise.

So, with a rush of adrenaline and the ferocity of a linebacker, Tonya bulled her way through to our seats. I followed, with equal ferocity and a bigger piece of luggage. Lord only knows how many bruises we left on those poor people. But, we found our seats and were able to enjoy a comfortable three hour ride to visit some friends.

The fight to get to the restroom on this standing room only train car is a darker tale, one that need not be shared here...

See you soon! Same Czech time, same Czech channel.

Last Friday was our first real taste of being teachers in a new country. The Friday class schedules that we were given were totally different than the schedules that everyone else was given.  We only found out that we were late for class when a student knocked on our office door asking where we were. We both missed more than half of our 8th period classes because according to our schedule they were supposed to be our 9th period classes. We were also late to 9th period because according to David's schedule 9th was 8th period and Tonya's 9th period wasn't supposed to be until Monday. Confused???? So were we :).

How do you get to church on Sunday morning? Maybe you can walk there. Maybe you pick up a neighbor and get some coffee on the way. When you get there, do you say hello to friends, or maybe introduce yourself to a visitor that is there for the first time? 

We went to church in Prague for the first time this past Sunday. It was an adventure to be sure. We took a bus to get there. After the bus reached the end of its route, we took the subway (called the metro). After three metro stops, we then took a tram (think trolly car). After that, we walked upstairs to the service. 

All visitors were asked to introduce themselves. Tonya and I said hello, and then several other visitors gave introductions. It was crazy how many countries were represented under the same roof. Australia, Scotland, Cambodia, and England were all there. It was like the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. The Church Olympics. We even had someone twirling flags down front during worship. It was certainly different. 

Well, the next time you go to church, think about how you got there, and be grateful. We are so fortunate to have a great public transportation system here in Prague. There are lots of different options to be sure, but they are all very reliable. We are already getting our bearings, but that is another story for another time. 

Have you ever been pushed beyond your limits? How did that feel?

We have been challenged in every way imaginable in the three weeks we have been here. We are so grateful for it though, because it is getting us ready for life in the Czech Republic. It is interesting how you can be grateful for something, and at the same time, hate that it is happening. 

Training has been a challenge and a blessing. Our teammates are wonderful and we have loved getting to know them. Teaching ESL has been very rewarding. It has really stretched both Tonya and me as teachers. Some of the challenges have included: not knowing we are going to teach until about an hour before it is time to have a lesson completed, not knowing what or who we are going to be teaching until the last minute, and just the non-stop 8:00a.m.-10:00pm schedule has been tough. 

As I think of the upcoming year, this Reference from 2 Cor. 4 comes to mind:

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to G0d and not to us. ⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Je$u$, so that the life of Je$u$ may also be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for 

Je$u$’ sake, so that the life of Je$u$ also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 

What a privilege it is to carry the message overseas to those who so desperately need to hear it. 

Please continue to remember us in your prayers.

Our first weekend at training has gone very well! We go to meet all of our team members. There are ten in all going to the Czech Republic and about forty total in the entire program.

We had a great two weeks of riding out here to California, and were grateful that God saw fit to keep us safe.

Today was a little bittersweet as we gave our car away. It will be missed, but God has slowly been stripping away things from us that we didn't really need, so we praise Him for that. We logged 3,871 miles on it to get us here. It was so much fun to get to see our great country.

We went from North Carolina to Myrtle beach.
Myrtle Beach to New Orleans.
New Orleans to San Antonio.
San Antonio to Roswell, NM.
Roswell to Page, AZ.
Page to Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon to Six Flags in Valencia!
Six Flags to Pasadena.
Pasadena to Training.

Here is a picture from our travels. We were at the Grand Canyon.

At the beach this week with our family for the 4th of July. This is our last American holiday celebration for this year.