Sunday, December 16, 2007

Regarding the name of the blog

Let me explain. If you have recently moved to an island where you are still incapable of speaking the native language, you are bound to make mistakes. For example, let's say I have been living on ohhh......hmmm...the island of Palau. And suppose I were to walk to a local shop with a fellow teacher-- we'll call her Jenny-- and greet one of the people who lives in the village. Let's also suppose he were to ask a question: the answer, naturally, would be "Bethania," the local school at which I would hypothetically be teaching. Now let's imagine that Jenny and I were to leave the little snack shack and continue back to the school, and Jenny would happen to congratulate me for being able to understand the question...at which point I would have to confess that I had no clue what the man had said, and might have possibly had the following conversation: "What country are you from?"....... "Bethania." or "What's your name?" ......... "Bethania." Both displaying my complete genius to the people in the area who would know exactly what Bethania really was, and how completely incompetent of a teacher was teaching their children!!!

This blog is to chronicle the days in the life of a teacher at Bethania boarding school in the Palauan Islands. Although the area is remote, and life goes on almost entirely unnoticed by the rest of the world, I want to share with you some of the interesting experiences--and lessons from the One who makes life and Hope possible-- that may happen in this tropical pin-dot on earth. I hope it adds some flavor to your day.