Silence Radio

Yes, yes, we're still here. This last month was incredibly slow and full and busy and wonderful. Let's try bullet points so that I stay brief.

• Matt finally finished teaching his class (yesterday)!! He's happy and has been working on small projects like writing proposals for conferences, writing a book review, writing his teaching philosophy and checking out the job market. This fall, he'll teach an intermediate language course, continue his dissertation and apply for jobs. Prayers appreciated that God will lead us to the right next step, even if it means turning down an offer and staying here. 
• I have read many Agatha Christie books, and I have finished all sewing projects for the summer.
• We've had dates with friends: movies and ice cream and dinner. 
• I have cleaned and organized my files/my classroom and it's all ready to go. I even have a new seating arrangement that will be much better than last year's.
• I bought these and plan to wear them sometime during the first week of school. 

• I also bought this button. It say "NO!" in 10 different intonations. It is hilarious. Also for the classroom, but perfect for the dorm too.

• I have beefed up the French club program: I got some grad-students from Matt's program to agree to come to my school to talk about their lives (1 French girl, 1 Belgian guy, and I need 1 more Canadian or Haitian). I also hope to bring my students to a play in town. It might be completely over their heads, especially at 85 minutes long... we'll see. 
• My fall term is going to be CRAZY. I know I've said that before, but it really is. Everything (minus the coaching requirement) is happening between Labor Day and Christmas: 
• I've got double duty (and back to back Wednesday-Thursday)
• The bulk of the advertising for School Year Abroad is then. I have to coordinate with the newspaper, the school blog, the chapel talks, the classrooms and the visiting representative.
• I have 5 advisees. My new goal is to see them on a two week rotation individually, and then get together as a whole group every 3 weeks. It's hard to keep track. 
• New in the curriculum this year: teaching level 4 AND... I've FINALLY made a contact in a French high school English class. This has taken me since May! She will have her students write to us in English and we'll write to them in French. It will continue all year and I'm absolutely thrilled at the possibilities. I hope my students will find it so cool to connect with a real French teen. 
• Plus, I'm planning a trip to France at Spring break. I'm hoping that it will take. There's all kinds of paperwork and advertising for that too, right away. If it falls through like last year, oh well.
• The school is filling up with students daily. There's so much activity: storage areas, moving in, registration, orientation, meetings... and of course, the faculty/staff are all in charge of that. 
• I went to San Diego for a week to visit my sister and her family and our Grandma Minnie. That will be a separate post!