Adios San Antonio

Since I've last written, many aspects of my current life have come to a close. I've finished my job as a Chemistry teacher at Boerne High School and had to say good-bye to the best co-workers EVER! Then, I went on an 8-day field trip across north and west Texas (WAY FUN!) to close out my grad school class that has been going on for a year about Texas environments. I also finished up my last grad school class on June 30th to complete my master's degree from Our Lady of the Lake University! While I'm very glad to be done with papers and homework, I'm going to miss the great friends I've made through the program and having the opportunity to be around other great science teachers with super ideas!!!

Right now I've been in the process of saying good-bye to so many close friends that I've made over the past four years of living in San Antonio. I've been joking with people that I have lived "my entire adult life in San Antonio"! While it's been kind of sad saying so many good-byes, I feel fortunate to recognize all the amazing people that I have been blessed to know and have in my life. I know that many of these people have changed me and will be lifelong friends!!

In the midst of the sadness of leaving so many dear friends, I'm also ridiculously excited about this upcoming adventure!!! It's hard to believe that after more than a year of planning, going over to Nigeria to spend a year teaching science will be a reality on Sunday, August 17th when my plane leaves Moline, IL and will eventually, after a lot of flying, land in a town near Jalingo, Nigeria. There, I hope to meet many more amazing people and see what new and exciting plans that God has in store for me!

Beginning

Wow! This is one step closer to make everything more official! I am preparing to leave for at least a year to teach science at a school in Nigeria. I will be going as an Individual Volunteer through the United Methodist Church meaning that I will be a missionary in Africa teaching science!!! I am so excited about the possibilities that exist for the future of this adventure. My Christian faith and teaching science are two things that I am most passionate about in my life and I'm super excited to get to combine them in a year of volunteered service! I'll do my best to update this periodically before I go as new developments arise. Until I leave in August, I will be focusing most of my energies on finishing grad school and surviving the end of the school year where I will be sad to leave many great friends!