Where things are okay!

These last few weeks have been busy! But things are good. I have been spending insane amounts of time in the classroom. It is hard work! Teaching! Who, knew? Well just about every teacher I know says it's hard work. But I never believed them. They are all right. This is tough. Tomorrow Mary Johnson and Richard Sarkar will arrive in Balige for a visit. Which could not be better timed. I need some support of fluent English friends to talk about my visa. I was rejected for the long term work visa through Nommenssen University Department of Education and am watching hopes of staying for two years fade. But we are all praying and working to get a work visa through the Religious Department. It now seems likely that I will return to the U.S. in the middle of a major economic slump, with college loans, and no health insurance just as millions of other graduates flood the market- May/June. God said HA! But I know things will work out. I continue to believe miracles will happen and I will be staying for my whole term-two years. So realistically I am preparing to leave soon, and idealistically I am settling in to two years of teaching. What fun!

We celebrated valentines day by watching Audrey Hepburn and hanging out with chocolate. Sumatra has some of the world's best chocolate. Really superb. And the students and I had a lot of fun.

Today I went to the hair stylist alone. My Indonesian is good enough for me to explain not too short. But shorter for neatness sake. And I love my 'drunken Lutheran' the title of the hair cut Olga originally gave me while drunk many years ago. Some things never go out of style- Thanks Olga.