Happy Wednesday Y'all
Today I'm in the middle of my Summer "vacation" here in my incredibly beautiful, but ridiculously hot and humid sweet home Alabama, where I am joining Erika and Shay for their monthly How We link-up.
June's prompt is How do you plan summer vacation? And since I often have people ask about my summer vacation plans, I thought I'd share a bit here on the blog.
My summer vacation has some similarities to that of other teachers...
I can sleep in almost every day.
I get to spend more time than usual with family and friends.
I don't have to teach.
I do Professional Development.
And so on...
But the difference is that I'm coming in from Senegal, West Africa.
After 10.5 months away from my family, friends, my home country, Chik-fil-a, and Dr. Peppers full of ice that was actually safe to ingest, along with fruits and vegetables I didn't have to soak in bleach water before consuming, I finally made my way back to the place I called my sweet home Alabama.
I hadn't hugged or chatted face to face with my family in such a long time.
So summer vacation will give me time for that.
But that's not all I'll be doing.
I'll be shopping for food, school supplies, and clothing needed to last me for another year in Senegal, since shopping options there aren't the best/most affordable.
I'll be soaking up all the time with family I can while I'm back. I have two nieces who are growing like weeds. And since I'm working overseas, I typically miss out on the majority of their little lives. So while I'm back, I'll babysit, watch dance practices, and spoil them as much as humanly possibly, to make up for all I miss when I'm back overseas. Not to mention all the time I happily spend with my mom and my brother and sister-in-law, and extended family as well.
And let's face it. I'll also be drinking lots of fountain drink Dr. Peppers loaded with safe ice. And I'll be eating Mexican food, Chik-fil-a, and all the broccoli, celery, spinach, sugar snap peas, and every other fresh/clean vegetable, I can get :)
I'll be doing some school work.
I'm finishing up my class through Southeastern.
And I'll be working on some paperwork for my teaching work, too. It's much easier to bring it home with me over the summer and have long, extended chunks of time to work on it. And hopefully, by spending this time on it, I'll be freeing myself from having to do so much after hours when school starts back in August.
And I'll also be attending Alabama's annual MEGA Conference, a week-long teacher's conference that happens every summer, where I'll be earning Professional Development hours and learning all I can to better serve my students.
And the main reason I'm back this summer is...
As a Missionary Associate with the Assemblies of God, I'll be traveling, speaking at different churches, meeting with pastors, etc., sharing my heart and passion for my missions work in Senegal and working to raise my missions support budget as well. In fact, I have 8 services set in the 7 1/2 weeks I'll be in Alabama.
So yes, I'm back for the Summer.
And yes, I'll happily enjoy not setting my alarm clock every day.
But that's not all.
Summer Vacation, for me, involves lots of family time.
It also involves a fair bit of work.
It involves missions work
and teaching work.
It involves reconnecting with supporters and churches.
It involves bringing awareness to the incredible group of kids God's allowed me to work with at the incredible school we all ended up at.
It involves raising funds to continue this incredible ministry.
Because, while it's honestly hard to be so far from my family for the majority of the year, it's worth it... It's worth it because I'm doing what I'm doing because God called me to do it. I'm teaching an incredible group of kids who would otherwise have no other schooling option in our country. I'm helping to further the Kingdom of God, through the education of an incredible group of children.
And for that, I'm blessed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shameless plug time...
If you're reading this and have more questions about the ministry I'm doing in Senegal, West Africa, send me an email at enichols85@gmail.com and I'll answer any questions you have.
If you'd like to support my ministry, either click HERE to give online, or send me an email and I'll give you instructions on how to do so another way.
If you'd like more info on Dakar Academy, the school where I teach, watch the video below or send me an email and I'll answer any questions you have.
June's prompt is How do you plan summer vacation? And since I often have people ask about my summer vacation plans, I thought I'd share a bit here on the blog.
My summer vacation has some similarities to that of other teachers...
I can sleep in almost every day.
I get to spend more time than usual with family and friends.
I don't have to teach.
I do Professional Development.
And so on...
But the difference is that I'm coming in from Senegal, West Africa.
After 10.5 months away from my family, friends, my home country, Chik-fil-a, and Dr. Peppers full of ice that was actually safe to ingest, along with fruits and vegetables I didn't have to soak in bleach water before consuming, I finally made my way back to the place I called my sweet home Alabama.
I hadn't hugged or chatted face to face with my family in such a long time.
So summer vacation will give me time for that.
But that's not all I'll be doing.
I'll be shopping for food, school supplies, and clothing needed to last me for another year in Senegal, since shopping options there aren't the best/most affordable.
I'll be soaking up all the time with family I can while I'm back. I have two nieces who are growing like weeds. And since I'm working overseas, I typically miss out on the majority of their little lives. So while I'm back, I'll babysit, watch dance practices, and spoil them as much as humanly possibly, to make up for all I miss when I'm back overseas. Not to mention all the time I happily spend with my mom and my brother and sister-in-law, and extended family as well.
And let's face it. I'll also be drinking lots of fountain drink Dr. Peppers loaded with safe ice. And I'll be eating Mexican food, Chik-fil-a, and all the broccoli, celery, spinach, sugar snap peas, and every other fresh/clean vegetable, I can get :)
I'll be doing some school work.
I'm finishing up my class through Southeastern.
And I'll be working on some paperwork for my teaching work, too. It's much easier to bring it home with me over the summer and have long, extended chunks of time to work on it. And hopefully, by spending this time on it, I'll be freeing myself from having to do so much after hours when school starts back in August.
And I'll also be attending Alabama's annual MEGA Conference, a week-long teacher's conference that happens every summer, where I'll be earning Professional Development hours and learning all I can to better serve my students.
And the main reason I'm back this summer is...
As a Missionary Associate with the Assemblies of God, I'll be traveling, speaking at different churches, meeting with pastors, etc., sharing my heart and passion for my missions work in Senegal and working to raise my missions support budget as well. In fact, I have 8 services set in the 7 1/2 weeks I'll be in Alabama.
So yes, I'm back for the Summer.
And yes, I'll happily enjoy not setting my alarm clock every day.
But that's not all.
Summer Vacation, for me, involves lots of family time.
It also involves a fair bit of work.
It involves missions work
and teaching work.
It involves reconnecting with supporters and churches.
It involves bringing awareness to the incredible group of kids God's allowed me to work with at the incredible school we all ended up at.
It involves raising funds to continue this incredible ministry.
Because, while it's honestly hard to be so far from my family for the majority of the year, it's worth it... It's worth it because I'm doing what I'm doing because God called me to do it. I'm teaching an incredible group of kids who would otherwise have no other schooling option in our country. I'm helping to further the Kingdom of God, through the education of an incredible group of children.
And for that, I'm blessed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shameless plug time...
If you're reading this and have more questions about the ministry I'm doing in Senegal, West Africa, send me an email at enichols85@gmail.com and I'll answer any questions you have.
If you'd like to support my ministry, either click HERE to give online, or send me an email and I'll give you instructions on how to do so another way.
If you'd like more info on Dakar Academy, the school where I teach, watch the video below or send me an email and I'll answer any questions you have.
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