A new journey!

At the airport again, time for a new - three week- adventure. First destination will be Phoenix in Arizona, where I'll be joining a ministry week with "Restoring the Foundations". The next week to California, starting at aunt Willy's in Apple Valley, followed by San Diego, meeting with Sonya and closing in Redondo Beach at Lotte and Ryan's place. The last week I'll be reunited with my cousin and some precious Catch the Fire friends in Toronto at the ministry school. Full schedule, lovely people and new challenges, looking forward!

What have I been doing last year? After four years of freewheeling, I took concrete steps preparing myself to go back to the field of education, because my heart still beats for teaching;) I studied at the VU to get certificated as a NT2 teacher, which means teaching Dutch as a second language. During my internship at a language school in Amersfoort I really felt like I was back in San Diego, sweet memories! I think that awesome experience of language studying among people of all different countries has led me to become a language teacher myself. I know the feeling of lacking words to express well what's going on in my mind, the struggle to understand the grammar or the energy it takes to live in a different language-speaking environment. I've experienced funny miscommunications caused by culture differences and I know the important role of a teacher to encourage and to explain clearly, creating a safe place to practice and to make mistakes. 

As some of you noticed on Facebook, I have graduated, YAY (pfff, I'd underestimated the work!) and the last news is that I took a job as well! I will be working as a "ZZP-er" with the very new, fresh starting students, so that 'll be a lot of creative communication;)  So after my traveling, I'm stepping into another new journey, but still among all kind of nationalities;)         

At this moment I'm in Minneapolis, after a nine hours flight, waiting for my connected flight that will take three more hours. I felt so sorry for the guy who sat next to me, in the middle of our row.. his other neighbour was so heavily overweighted that he had no choice than to share his seat with her. Okay, I didn't feel so much sorry that I offered to switch seats.. yet, I allowed him to use my armrest;)  But I feel sorry for this lady too, it must be hard to live this way. I don't judge her, we don't know what's going on in people's lives, bodies, hearts. I hope she once will have a healthier weight.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         If you like to follow my journey, you're more than welcome!

love, Marieke