Welcome!

Last July I spent five weeks in Quito, Ecuador and used a blog similar to this one to keep people back home updated. Once again, I am fortunate enough to travel to a new culture outside of my comfort zone. This time I will be working in a classroom of fifth graders at Bandung Alliance International School. I will be fulfilling my student teaching requirement for my elementary education degree from Northern Arizona University.
Here's the story: During my experience in Ecuador, I determined that I wanted to student teach abroad. NAU offers a program in which you can student teach through the Department of Defense on a military base in Europe. About the time I was in the process of filling out my student teaching application, Charity LaMertha, a missionary supported by Grace Community Church who has been teaching in Indonesia for four years, was in Flagstaff on furlough. I was telling her how I was looking into student teaching in Europe, and she said that there may be some opportunities through her organization to student teach abroad. She expressed her desire to have a student teacher, and that she would be returning to Indonesia next August (the exact semester I would be student teaching). It just seemed to fit. She talked to her principle and I talked to my advisor and thus started the process.
I really had to sell the idea to the administrators at the College of Education because only two other people have been allowed to student teach in a country at a school other than what NAU offers. I had to research whether the school was accredited, the curriculum they use and prove that my experience there would be comparable to student teaching here in the states. They agreed to take the risk and allow me to student teach in Bandung, Indonesia.
Bandung Alliance International School is located in Bandung, Indonesia about an hour and a half outside of Jakarta. The school is owned and run by the Network of Internation Christian Schools, which is an organization that goes in and takes over international schools that are struggling, spruces them up and provides them with qualified teachers. They have schools all over the world, including South America which could turn out to be a my next destination:) I will be living with two other teachers in a house three or four minutes in walking distance from the school.
I am excited for this adventure, but terrified at the same time. Those of you who know me, know that I have a lack of confidence when it comes to teaching, and on top of that I will be in a completely new culture on the other side of the world very far outside my comfort zone! I am excited that you all are interested in staying updated on my trip, and I would greatly appreciate it if you used this as a reminder to be praying for me as I take this huge step of faith. Despite my nerves, I know with all of my heart that I will be in the center of my Heavenly Father's will.