"Usted no está aquí a menos que Dios le quiera aquí."
"You're not here, unless God wants you here."
"You're not here, unless God wants you here."
La filosofía de una de mi profesoras
A typical first day of classes: meet the teachers, get the textbooks, exchange personal introductions with classmates, get a basic overview of the course and start learning the material. Oh wait, did I mention this was ALL in Spanish?
Here are some highlights:
1) I am in a cohort with 4 other people and we rotate from class to class together. After introducing ourselves to our teachers 4 different times during the day, I feel like I know them really well! Everyone has an attitude to learn and a great sense of humor! We found ourselves laughing a lot! It is a very positive and comfortable environment in which to learn.
2) It is incredibly inspiring meeting other students at the institute. Most are missionaries, and this is their last step before they embark to the country God has called them to. I love to hear their stories of "How did you end up here?" Chapel was also one of my favorite times this morning; the two men that head the student council at the school shared their testimonies. I got goosebumps just hearing the incredible and intimate ways God works in people's lives. He is so much bigger than we give Him credit for, yet He takes a personal interest in our individual histories.
3) Los maestros. I am so incredibly grateful to be at ILE. The teachers shared with us on multiple occasions that it is their passion to teach, and they correct you if you're wrong (especially in la clase de Lenguaje) which is beyond helpful if you're trying to learn to speak correctly! I finally learned how to say: "I was born in _____ and grew up in _____. And when I was ___ years old, moved to _____." By my final time of needing to introduce myself to the teacher, I was able to say it the right way!
I'm looking forward to everything I will learn here, but most of all to seeing how God is going to use this time.
There was an amazing poem (rewritten 1 Cor 13) shared in orientation that I think speaks directly to my purpose at the institute. I will loosely paraphrase one part I can recall:
1 Corinthians 13 (ILE style)
Here are some highlights:
1) I am in a cohort with 4 other people and we rotate from class to class together. After introducing ourselves to our teachers 4 different times during the day, I feel like I know them really well! Everyone has an attitude to learn and a great sense of humor! We found ourselves laughing a lot! It is a very positive and comfortable environment in which to learn.
2) It is incredibly inspiring meeting other students at the institute. Most are missionaries, and this is their last step before they embark to the country God has called them to. I love to hear their stories of "How did you end up here?" Chapel was also one of my favorite times this morning; the two men that head the student council at the school shared their testimonies. I got goosebumps just hearing the incredible and intimate ways God works in people's lives. He is so much bigger than we give Him credit for, yet He takes a personal interest in our individual histories.
3) Los maestros. I am so incredibly grateful to be at ILE. The teachers shared with us on multiple occasions that it is their passion to teach, and they correct you if you're wrong (especially in la clase de Lenguaje) which is beyond helpful if you're trying to learn to speak correctly! I finally learned how to say: "I was born in _____ and grew up in _____. And when I was ___ years old, moved to _____." By my final time of needing to introduce myself to the teacher, I was able to say it the right way!
I'm looking forward to everything I will learn here, but most of all to seeing how God is going to use this time.
There was an amazing poem (rewritten 1 Cor 13) shared in orientation that I think speaks directly to my purpose at the institute. I will loosely paraphrase one part I can recall:
1 Corinthians 13 (ILE style)
"1 If I speak fluently with a perfect accent, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of understanding languages quickly and can understand all the mysteries of the subjunctive, imperative and conditional, and if I have the grammar to ace all my exams, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all my hours and energy and give my mind to tiring efforts to understand a new language I may boast,[b] but if I do not have love, I gain nothing.
.And these three remain: Grammar, Phonics and Love. And the greatest of these is LOVE."
1 comment:
Get blog! I am glad you are here at ILE! I hope you have an amazing first tri. God Bless
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