My weekday mornings generally do not find themselves so relaxed and casually paced. Tuesday dawned quite early with clear blue skies, awakening the birds with sunlight so that, by the time I greeted the morn, their songs were half sung. Sleeping in to 8AM or beyond is still a bit strange for me, but since the school year ended on June 20^th, I have not often found a reason to be awake prior to that time. The mornings lost in sleep have been wonderful, as are the lazy afternoons spent with a good book or in the company of a friend.

The 2013-2014 school year at International School of Tomorrow in Moscow was, in a word, hectic. Between all the varied events strung out along the four quarters, the staff barely had time to take a break before diving back into the strong current of busyness. The final quarter of the year, lasting eight weeks, spun like a whirlpool with the success of student honour rolls at its center. Aiming to end strong, my fellow teachers and I moved into high gear with a great focus on aiding our students to reach honour roll status and claim their prizes at the Awards Ceremony in early June. By the time those eight weeks ended, many of us collapsed at our desks, stared at the student progress cards, and wanted to weep in relief. Our students had done well. However, as we celebrated success in weariness and joy, the voices of our students intruded into our contentment with two simple words: “Summer School.”

Thus our frenzied classroom existence began again.

Summer school lasted three weeks. Heading up a class for one-act plays, I introduced ‘improv’ (improvisation) games to the class of eleven students. They all seemed to enjoy the class. Halfway through I gave them all scripts to learn for next year, at which time we may be able to perform the play either for the school’s student body or at the next Regional Convention. The students had a great time getting into their parts. Their energy kept me afloat for those three weeks.

Now, sitting in my room in the midst of summer holiday, I still find it hard to believe an entire school year has finished. The last ten months fluctuated between the speed of a snail and a cheetah. One moment it is September, then December, and then January seems to extend for three long months, but then abruptly it’s May, and…. You see what I mean. Time, essentially, ran away from me.

As summer begins, I wait in anticipation for a great adventure to begin. Although some of my closest friends have already departed Moscow for their respective homes outside the Eurasian continent, I am still in Russia waiting with bated breath. You see, a golden opportunity arose that I could not pass up: The chance to return to South Africa for a visit. Having been away from a country that unexpectedly stole my heart three years ago, I have desperately wanted to return. I know God’s plans for me in Russia have not concluded as of yet, which is why this trip to South Africa is to only last for a month. I will leave Moscow this Friday evening and journey to England, where I will visit with friends for a few days, before continuing onward to Johannesburg, South Africa. While there, I will return to the mission base I volunteered at for two years and serve with my friends in the school and community. I will remain in SA for the remaining days of July and into August. On August 19^th, I will return to Moscow, Russia, for a second year.

The decision to remain in Russia was not an easy one for me. This year has been riddled with difficulties and personal battles, but I have learned much during my time here. When I did not feel Him leading me elsewhere, I knew that I should remain in the Russian soil in which He had planted me. Until He tells me otherwise, this is where I will remain.

The Lord is always good to see us through every moment, a fact I did not fully appreciate until I moved to Moscow. When even the smallest need, like buying shampoo, becomes a massive chore because you cannot read the label, God encourages you with a helpful friend who can. When students refuse to see you as the authority, God reminds you of His incredible patience with His own worldly children. When the constant noise and clutter and press of people are on the brink of sending you over the edge, God sends soothing words of wisdom to your memory from His holy book. No matter the circumstance, God is there in the moment if we only stop long enough to see and hear Him. I have many lessons more to learn, but most importantly, there are still people here who need the Lord. How can I serve them if I am not in the place God told me to be? He loves these people, and of all the people on earth who could fulfill this position for Him, He chose me. A personal mission from God? Yes, please! With these thoughts in mind, I move into the future with a determined step. This summer will be one of rejuvenation. When I return in the fall, I will be ready for a grand new adventure.

Many changes lie in store for next year, but with such a strong support base at home and a God that knows no boundaries, what could possibly stop me now?

Spring seems to have lost its way to Moscow. She wandered in for the span of a week, but then disappeared again with the onslaught of a cold winter wind that blew in at the end of March. I suppose she got swept away then, though now, sitting in my bedroom, I look out and see glimpses of her returning presence in Russia. The birds are tweeting as white, fluffy clouds linger in a blue sky illuminated with sunlight. Time moves on.

With the conclusion of January, life at the school cranked into overdrive as we prepared for Regional Student Convention in the final week of March. RSC is a large event where students from various schools that incorporate the ACE curriculum gather together and participate in events that showcase their talents. From photography to needlework to acting, the events span a range of interests that provide an outlet for every student to perform in a field in which he or she is strongest. Events such as this occur around the world wherever ACE is used, and from these regional conventions, students who excel in specific areas may be invited to the International Student Convention in the USA. This provides an amazing opportunity for the children in our school here in Moscow, so many of the students in my class highly anticipate the Regional Student Convention.

With less than two months to prepare for RSC, however, we had to whip ourselves into gear as one-act plays scripts were memorized, artwork painted, photographs developed, essays written, Quiz Bowl questions studied, and athletic teams trained. I was placed in charge of three One-Act plays, each of which required hours of preparation. I also helped two girls with their Dramatic Dialogue, and aided my homeschooled student with his Poetry Recitation. By the time the final week of March arrived, I was ready to crash and burn. Convention, alas, did not allow for that.

Regional Student Convention lasts for five days at a rest place outside of Moscow, where we all stay in dormitories and have free access to the cafeteria, the rally hall, and various activity facilities. Ershovo is an ideal place for such an event, and I enjoyed my stay there. I acted as a judge for the following: Dramatic Dialogue, Famous Speech, One-Act Play, Group Bible Speaking, and Clown Act. I also aided in any other capacity I could, since my school is the one who hosts this event each year.

The week was a busy one, but at the end of it, I was content. I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere outside of the traditional classroom setting. I got to know my students and fellow teachers on a deeper level, and I felt much closer to everyone because of that. The week was rewarding. I could not have been prouder to see my students running up to the stage to claim their medals as they won first, second, or third place in an event for which they had prepared so hard. Their grins and beaming eyes spoke volumes.

Judging One Act Plays with Kris and Angela

Me with Masha, one of my students

Some of my crazy students

Me with my friend Amber and Han, one of our students

Caught in the midst of the mayhem that was preparation for Regional Student Convention, another special event happened that can not be overlooked: My wonderful father flew out to Russia in the second week of March to spend some time with me! (Okay, technically he came to Moscow to work with some friends and their organization by speaking at different universities, but I think we all know the real reason he came, right?) Being able to share my crazy, Muscovite life with my dad was one of the best gifts God could have given me. We explored the city together, enjoyed Krispy Kreme donuts just a few steps from Red Square, wandered through a museum going the opposite way of the crowd, made new American friends together, and much more than can possibly fit into a blog post. Honestly though, the best part was just spending time with my dad. I had missed our conversations, both silly and serious, and even the smallest thing, like receiving a text message just before bed saying “I love you” were some of my favourite bits of his visit. It’s never the big things that make a memory. It’s always the little ones.

With Dad in front of St. Basil’s in Red Square

Clinging to the coat tails of March on the 28^th, my birthday dawned with sunlight, a cold wind that blew through my jean jacket, and a terrible head cold that kept my pockets full of crumpled tissues. Still, the cold spring day that felt like winter passed with much fun and laughter, culminating in a dinner with good friends from the US and South Africa. Gathered around a table in TGI Fridays, we enjoyed our steaks and burgers while speaking English with our waiter, a Russian who, when speaking English, spoke with an accent carried across the ocean from New Zealand. Sundaes piled with whipped cream and an unexpected birthday song sung in English by the Russian restaurant staff drew the evening to a close. I would say my 26^th year bloomed into existence with a beautiful beginning. Who knows what happens next?