Visa

I am in Prauge right now sitting at Mark and Joanna's House and its so nice. I am enjoying much needed time of friends and old memoires. I woke up and had pancakes and Greenberry's coffee that my sister sent me.. yumm.

I have been working for the last about mmmm 2 months on getting my Visa. I receieved my work permit last week and it was great! I then booked a train ticket to Prague and rode for about 7 hours yesterday.. wait.. back up. On Wednesday, during my break I took one of my students and we met Mark Newell in Budapest near my house. I needed proof from the government that my apartment was real and valid. With many phone calls to Mark Newell and Doug Coppage I figured out what I needed and had the paper in 24 hours. God is good.

So, to my knowledge I have all of my paperwork and I'm ready to go and ask for this Visa. Today is Czech Holiday and the Embassy is colsed . So.. I am waiting and praying it comes on Monday and if it doesn't then I wait on Tuesday or come back in a few weeks.

I relearned this morning that God is good, that I have really given this to God because when I found out that it was closed I was not worried or stressed and knew that in His faithful timing I will have it. I must trust. Two verses that two of my favorite people sent me ...

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways ackknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy my brothers when you face trials of many kinds.... it develops perserverance and perserverance must finish its work so that you may be complete. (my paraphrase)

thanks for keeping up with me on my journey.
Joanna.

Thanks for the Birthday Greetings and Wishes

It has been a wonderful birthday weekend! I had a great day on Friday which began with getting my work permit from the Governemnt! WOOHOOO now I must get my Work Visa next weekend. Then afterwards I went to Shannon's house and had Enchiladas..yummy and birthday cake. Then we went to see the Golgota Gospel Choir and it was amazing. It was on top one of the huge malls here and they sang all kinds of Gospel songs. Then we went to CoffeeHouse and had a great time hanging out with friends.

Today, I met with my friends Rachael , Caroline and Timi and we went to wedding dress shops for Caroline who is getting married in march. It was awesome. We found amazing dresses and I have no idea how anyone could choose with all the different designs and such. Then Caroline treated me to the Baths.. Szecheni Baths. AAAAHHHh It was amazing. There is a sauna and lots of pools.

I'm now at the Newells and we had a wonderfully yummy dinner and cake and icecream. It was sooo great.

School is great. This week I have to go to Praha to get my visa! Keep Praying! Love to all and thanks for the wishes!

an update i sent

Dear Friends,
I have officially finished two full weeks of teaching. It seems that I am beginning to finally settle into a routine and my students are also finding routine from the summer vacation. I am carrying 23 classes per week and then some administrative and lesson planning hours. It makes for a busy week but I am thankful that I can leave when I am finished with classes. A plus to working in this system here in Hungary. I have wonderful students and I daily face the reality that English is sometimes not the most exciting language to learn and teach but we must all work together to learn and teach the language.

Of course, I stay busy hanging out with friends, going to Hungarian Hour, Ladie's Tea, Coffee House, visiting with the Newell's, meeting new friends and hopefully doing some mentoring. It is very busy and very very fun.

I am writing you to pray for my paperwork over the next few weeks. Next Friday, I will go to the work permit office to pick up my work permit. Once I have this in hand, I will be able to go to the embassy/consulate hopefully in Prague to apply for my work visa. It is necessary for me to have this visa in order to stay here in Hungary. This continues to be a tedious process and I don't always have the best attitude for it but I know that the Lord will provide my Visa. Please pray that this process will be quick and the visa will be granted!

Thank you for praying for me and thinking of me! I plan to write a newsletter this week!

Blessings, Joanna

My first week

My first week was very successful. I have had all of my classes. I have about 200+ students that I need to get to know. Its actually not that many considering some native speakers have twice that! I am really enjoying my classes and getting to know my students. There are many good times and bad times but I do believe that is part of teaching!

Yesterday, we finally completed our Faculty. We were short one teacher and Miklos came to fill the position. He lived in Gainesville FL and he is a huge Football fan. I think that's funny. He's all about the Gators and we were talking about the ACC and the different teams and the season. It just made me smile to have a little part of home… who knew that I , Joanna Foley, would enjoy talking about Football. (kelsea you woulda been proud).

I experienced a bit of culture shock this week. Its not culture shock of Hungary vs. America it was culture shock of .. Private School vs. Public School. I went to Private Christian School for all of my education.. K-University and its sooooo different. The swear words, the dress, smoking, the bits of non-respect.. It amazes me. I mean I knew it was out there but I was a bit sheltered. I still hold my students to high expectations (although I know they will let me down) I think that this year will be good.

Its been rainy and cold all week. Dad would have really enjoyed the weather. It only peaked 48 degrees one day. I've been wearing a jacket or fleece every day. Today its Saturday and I have been cleaning, and cleaning and resting. Tomorrow I will meet a colleague and her daughter to go to a museum exhibit here in Budapest so I am looking forward to that time. Her name is Marianne so please be in prayer about our interaction!!

Be blessed this weekend!

My Offical first day of teaching

I survived my first day of teaching. I got up at 6am.. And was out of the door at 710. I was at school at 730 to get everything put away and be in my first class at 745. I was eager, the students were..well let's be honest they were dreading that they had to be in school again. Nothing like a rainy day to make that worse. My classes went by with pretty good success. I had 11th, 10th, and 12th graders. I had 7 classes total.. And I dunno ..over 100 students.

The first day wiped me and I came home and ate lunch and took a nap. I started at 745 and finished at 1410 so that was nice. I was out of there in no time .. My colleague Szabi and I got on the Hév while over looking all of the students who were smoking outside of the school.

All to say.. I think I still like teaching ;-) I have one class that is going to be difficult. I was thinking while I was teaching.. I have these two students in this 10th grade class that TALK non stop. One is the class clown the other the jock. They reminded me of two guys in my class. At least the guys in my class stopped talking. They were distracting and I think they are going to be my hardest. I have them every day too. So.. Please pray for some extra patience in the 10c class. I know that I will be.

I have 13th grade for the first time tomorrow so I hope that they will be good, more advanced talking and so forth.

Well.. I just wanted to update you on my first day. Its rainy and cold here. So right now I'm drinking a cup of English Breakfast Tea and lounging in my sweatshirt and sweatpants. Comfortable :-)

I miss everyone.. Keep in touch!

Before my first day...

Its been a while since I blogged. I'm sitting in my apartment.. Just ironed my first day of school outfit.. (grey slacks and a white button down shirt). I'm really amazed that tomorrow is actually here. I arrived here two months ago and so much as happened since then. It really is amazing.. Wait. God is amazing.

I was at church today and Pastor Phil spoke about Matthew 7. He said many great things that were especially good for me to hear. One of the things that he said that hit home was that we as Christians should go into every day ministry with HOPE and Positivity. It was a great encouraging word for me seeing as I'm starting my first day tomorrow and I needed that advice.. I need to have great hope for my students, hope for my colleagues. I should have positivity no matter what happens. It shouldn't matter if the students aren't' getting concepts or anything but it is important that I stay positive with them. To remain hopeful with them. Jesus was the great teacher. He always taught with hope and positivity. Good words.

Its been a busy and tiring week at school. I have been at school everyday preparing lessons, getting stuff ready, understanding what I am supposed to do. I have no classes tomorrow but I do have 7 classes in a row on Tuesday. Good thing that it’s the introduction day. I will have 10th, 11th and 12th graders. I am excited. I have pencils and pens in my desk, post it notes for my books, some resource..(last min. teaching idea books) and other things. I sit across from Edina a last year university student teaching Math and beside me is Anna who I adore and also Eva who is teaching German. We don't have our own classrooms but we do have our own desk in one big faculty work room. I'll snap some pictures soon.

I saw Hairspray tonight. The weekend before school starts, Palace Cinema does this great thing where all movies are only 350 HUF (2.00) for any show. So a bunch of girlfriends and I got together and saw it. It was a lot of fun and helped me relax a bit for tomorrow. I have an apartment mate for 8 weeks. I'm looking forward to coming home and someone being here. Her name is Samm and she is from England. She and I have known each other since my first year in Hungary. She hails from Szeged and went to the school that Arden Is teaching at. Its been great ..soo great to catch up and hang out. So.. Its 10:18pm.. I'm pretty tired and I have to be at school very early.

I will write more about my first day and such soon. Please keep my work permit and work visa in your prayers. I am working on both of them!!

Thanks for staying in touch with me.