Dear Wonderful Friends and Family,

Rhein International Academy
The last letter I wrote informed you that our school would be closing its doors for good in June. We had four more months of school left at that point and I am filled with joy to attest to the ministry that was sown during that time. There were plenty of concerns expressed about the coming change, especially by my students, including “Why does RIA have to close? I don’t want to go to another school!” This birthed the opportunity to share about how we can have security in God when we have a relationship with Christ because He knows our needs and is good to provide for those need. As a staff it was our hope that anyone who observed the challenging reality of the uncertainty that comes with a school closing- many of our students have special needs and found it challenging to find placements elsewhere- would see our peace in the Lord.


The girls mastering climbing the rock wall. A big thank you to Dominic who belayed all of them up several times for more than two hours!

We took as many opportunities as the year closed to celebrate our wonderful school family through all school chapel times, tie dying shirts for t-shirt day, picnics in the park, rock climbing field trip, and end of year class parties including one at my apartment. The year ended well… with tears and sentiments of love flowing freely. We were not just a school, but also a family and it is my prayer that the Lord would allow me to continue to build the relationships I have started here.

Summer
My summer began with finishing cleaning the school and apartments. Once those were finished, I took the opportunity to visit some missionary friends in Rome. It was encouraging to fellowship with the believers there and to be uplifted by their faith. I feel incredibly blessed to have been so warmly welcomed into their lives.
Upon returning from Rome, I set to work on some long overdue sewing projects and tried to do a bit of relaxing. I have also used this summer time to continue to build relationships with my students and their families. I have had the opportunity to have dinner with some of them, one of which moved to Zurich in November and is leaving in August to move to Hong Kong. I also attended one of my students 8th birthday party where I got to spend a couple hours hanging with some of the RIA kiddos!


The girls on our last trip to the Dragon Park. It was too short, but we had tons of fun!

Now, I am in the process of saying good-bye to friends and working on setting up life again in the US. I have applied for teaching jobs in Chicago, Boston, and Boulder, but have not heard about any possibilities. I will continue to pursue these applications, as well as apply for other teaching positions. I have also decided to look into jobs in the non-profit sector and have found a few that seem quite interesting. These applications do not close until mid-August/mid-September, so in the meantime I will make my way to Oregon and try to find some temporary work (a couple leads already, praise the Lord).

Transition
Now that I will no longer be serving with NICS, the last support installment I will receive will be on 15 September 2009, which will consist of all the gifts received by 31 August 2009. If you send a support check after 31 August, it will be sent back to you. This is also when all automatic donations will be stopped.


The school Atrium full of boxes and furniture!

I will be headed back to Oregon sometime in mid-August. This is not finalized yet because I do not have the amount needed to purchase a plane ticket home, which will cost roughly 800 US Dollars. A possible way to help could be by donating frequent flier miles and/or assisting financially. Please prayerfully consider meeting this need.

Once I arrive in the US, I will need to find a place to live, as well as purchase things to re-establish life, such as a bike, bed, dishes, cookware, and so on. Please also prayerfully consider meeting these needs.

If you feel led to give, donation checks can be made out to Network of International Christian Schools with my project number on the memo line. Please send donations to:
NICS/OASIS
3790 Goodman Rd E
Southaven, MS 38672
Project # 001985


Some of the wonderful RIA staff on our retreat. Cold, but beautiful in scenery and spirit.

God bits
A couple weeks ago I was stuck by the fact that God is the God of the impossible! When our small staff was mentally preparing for the task of packing up the entire school (sorting papers, toys, books, furniture, art supplies, etc.), we were overwhelmed by the enormity of it. Our expectation was that the process would take at least a week, but probably much more. Parents, students, and people from the church community volunteered to help the staff with the task. They all brought such amazing energy and spirit to the project that it was completed in TWO days!! Praise the Lord Almighty!

Recently I was praying for a friend’s marriage relationship to be “rooted” in Christ and I realized that God has been trying (for a while) to teach me that when I am rooted in Him, it doesn’t matter where I live. Even though I may “uproot” every couple of years, His roots are beyond this world which means that my roots are wherever I go.
I have never been to a Catholic Mass before, but I was able to attend one of my students First Communion. Since it was on a Sunday evening, I happened to have my Bible still in my purse from earlier that day. I realized when I took it out during on of the scripture readings that no one else in the congregation had a Bible. When another one of my students came to sit by me half way through the service, I was curious if she would notice my Bible sitting on the pew, since she saw it most days on my desk. It took her no more than five minutes to ask me if I always took my Bible to church. I told her that I always did. She then inquired as to why and I responded that I take it so that I can better understand and know what the person up front is talking about. That was the end of the conversation, but as she sat there I could see her still thinking about it.


Friends and I camping. It looks warm, but that lake was full of snow melt in the middle of May. The Lord has blessed me immensely in experience, but even more in relationships!!!

I thank the Lord for the positive habits He is building in me that my students witness, I praise Him for the seeds He has allowed me to sow, and I pray that He continues to compensate for my shortcomings and work powerfully in each of my students’ lives.

I thank you wholeheartedly for your prayers and financial support over the last two years. The Lord has used you to bless me immensely through this experience. I pray He will teach you, grow you, and show you His immense measure of love!

Psalm 16
“Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.’

As for the saints in the land, they are excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
Their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Blessings!

Aubrey

Antonyms and Synonyms

You all probably know what those are, but might not remember the terms or never learned them. I might have learned the terms, but they didn't stick until college and I was learning how to teach them.

Quick review: Antonym: A pair of words that describe opposite things, such as hot and cold or up and down. Synonym: Different words that mean the same thing (all of which can be found in a Thesaurus), such as cold, frigid, freezing, icy...

Well, my students got the concept for the most part, although mix up which is which now and then, but the cutest part is that one or two of them can't say synonym. Then end up saying 'cinnamon.' My heart is warmed and I can't help but smile every time I hear it.

When it rains; It pours!

I am learning a new sense of meaning to that phrase. At least when it comes to actual rain. About twenty minutes ago a thunderstorm started to roll into the area. About ten minutes ago we had two huge claps of thunder that sounded like a cannon has blasted just a block away. Now, the rain falling from the sky in a way that can only be described as torrential! I can already see the rain more than puddling in the street. This happened yesterday, as well with hail and the storm rainfalled and bounced it's way into the school! Needless to say the kids lost focus, but I was happy because I love thunderstorms. Thankfully they seem to be popular this time of year in this area.

connections

The other day I watched an episode of CSI New York and it had to do with people who buy and sell the possessions of the victims of the Holocaust. It was quite well done and struck cords with me on several levels, but the most fascinating moment because it caught me completely off guard was when one of the characters spoke German at the very end of the episode and 1) I understood his statement before it was translated by another character and 2) the key word was one that my students had taught me just three days before.

It's awesome when I can learn from my students and even more so when it's applicable later on.

Another story along these lines was when I needed to pick up some cloves from the store to use in a recipe. Not ever buying these before, I searched on the Internet for a picture and then translated the word online, so I could know what word to look for. And, as I was walking home from the store unsuccessful in my search, I realized that a street I walk on at least every other day is named 'nelken' or 'cloves'!

I love making connections!!!

Pre-Oster

"Here comes Peter Cotton Tail hopping down the bunny trail. Hippity. Hoppity. Easter's on it's way!"

My parents gave me a blue bunny that sang that song one year for Easter and ever since then, the song comes to mind once Spring starts to spring. I don't know about where you are, but here the trees and flowers are starting to bloom. The reds, purples, yellows, pinks... makes winter worth it!

On a random and related note, this last Sunday was Palm Sunday and my church wanted to celebrate with some decorations, but the woman who was in charge of decorating (she is an awesome woman who always makes me smile with her bright and cheery uniqueness) didn't have any of her own palm trees and couldn't talk any of her friends with palm trees into letting her have some leaves; so instead, we had bamboo made into arches above the two entries to the chapel. This is something I love about my church. We take what we have, make do, and that's that. Things aren't perfect, well polished, or produced.

Pre-Easter festivities were held at Diana's this last Sunday complete with Oster eier (for my Swiss friends) dying and easter cookie decorating. I have included some photos of our very own Easter decorations, thanks to Amy-Jo who picked up the beautiful eggs in Strassburg, France. People decorate for all the seasons here and I wish I would have been more on top of things to get pictures of them all, but it is something I have enjoyed about living here and will miss when I leave. I need to remember to go out tomorrow and grab some shots of the various bushes in people's yards that have easter eggs hanging on them :)

I'm hoping to have people here for green egg's and ham (thanks Stephanie) on Easter Sunday to just relax and enjoy each other on the day we celebrate our Lord bringing us amazing hope. I hope to share more of that later.


Our Easter Tree proudly displayed in our window for all our neighbors to see.


My favorite of the hand painted, non-plastic, real eggs!


The three eggs that represent each of the roommates. Can you guess which one belongs to whom?

Fasnacht 2009

Fasnacht is fast becoming my favorite holiday. The events in the surrounding areas start the weekend before Lent begins.  Basel and Weil am Rhein start a week later, which I have been told is due to a Bishop from history presiding over two towns and instead of missing out on the festivities of one had the festivities in Weil moved a week later.

This holiday is essentially the Swiss version of Carnival in that it is a big hoorah before the 40 days of Lent abstinence begins.  It is also said to be a festival to help scare away the evil spirits of winter and welcome in spring.

The festivities began last Thursday with people dressing up in old fashioned night gowns and caps and the cliques walking around town in the middle of the night playing Gugge music (think of a big brass marching band that is off key). Friday and Saturday nights were full of German's walking around town in costumes and going to dance parties.

Sunday was the beginning of the main celebrations. After church a group of us gathered at Michael and Delynn's apartment which is situated in the center of town.  The Weil am Rhein parade begins in the town square just below. Each clique dresses up in the same costume and walk along with their float, either playing music or throwing confetti and goodies at the parade participants. I must say it was fun to watch this city I know to be so reserved and quiet get a little crazy!

However, Weil is tame compared to what happens in Liestal. This is a town just outside Basel that is known for it's Chienbäse (Fire Parade). They literally set wagons loaded with wood on fire and parade them down the streets. The parade does not begin until after dark and the wagons of wood all start just before the city gate. Since the gate is made out of wood, the fire department is tasked with hosing it down before each wagon goes through.

This year when one of the largest wagons stopped right in front of where we were standing everyone ducked at the same time because it was so hot, but I wasn't paying attention, so I got to see the flame shoot out over everyone hunkered down in front of me just before I ducked from the heat. The wagons of fire are so hot that the jackets of people in the front rows will melt.  This gives me an even greater respect for the people who not only carry the broomsticks of fire on their shoulders, but also run and dance with them as they make their way through the town streets.

(Me in front of one of the wagons full of wood ready to be set alight.)

(One of the smaller wagons making it's way through town. The largest have flames up to three stories tall. This one was only about two.)

After the Fire Parade is when the waiting game starts.  This year we waited out our time by having tea and snacks with the Stücklins and then hanging out at our friend Molly's. This is the point where I decided it would be wise to find a blanket and curl up for a several hour nap. Once everyone was collected and a bit of mischief was had it was time to venture out into the heart of Basel.  At 3:30am we found our places at Schifflände which affords the ability to see four different routes of the parading lanterns and piccolo/drum bands make their way through the lightless streets of downtown Basel for the tradition known as Morgenstreich. It is truly a beautiful and eerie sight! Since the sun was coming up by about 5:00am we decided we had seen plenty and headed to bed.

My Fasnacht celebrations ended this year with the kinder parade that took place on Tuesday. I had the joy of actually running into two students from RIA who had decorated and were riding on one of the floats. They thoroughly pounded me with confetti and I am sure I will continue to find it in my backpack during the year to come!

(My feet in the beautiful confetti!)

Both of the links in this blog will take you to sites that have more information on Chienbäse and Basler Fasnacht. I can personally vouch for the amounts of confetti used and that the streets are practically spotless the morning after the events are finished. When the Swiss go wild they go crazy, but as soon as the festivities are over things are back to their orderly ways.

The Big Update

Breaking News...
…Heart breaking news that is. I am sad to say that one of the main reasons for the timing of this letter is to inform you that NICS (Network of international Christian Schools) has made the decision to close Rhein International Academy. The reason behind this decision is because our student enrollment dropped significantly this year. Therefore, we do not have enough funding on our own to continue operating. NICS will fund the school through the end of this academic year (17 June), but cannot continue to take on the financial burden.

As I have begun to process and sharing this information, I am filled with a multitude of emotions. There is a great amount of sadness (for many reasons), but the Lord has been good to provide peace!

One of the things God keeps bringing to mind is an analogy He made real when I went hiking with a couple of friends this fall in the Aletsch glacier region of Switzerland.

Our goal for the trip was to get as close to the Aletsch glacier as possible and cross the new hanging bridge over the glacial river. What we hadn’t planned on was the hike taking seven hours and it pouring down rain for the first five. By the time I was climbing up the other side of the valley, I was tired, sore, and soaking wet (which is an understatement). On top of which, the path we had to climb was incredibly steep. We were basically going straight up a Swiss mountain!

As I was climbing, I had a mantra of, “I’m tired, wet, hungry, and cold. I can’t do it. I hate this. I don’t want to go any further!” flowing through my head. My friends were wonderfully encouraging and waited patiently for me as I slowly made my way higher up the mountain.

Whenever I stopped for a break, I would look behind me and see how far I had come and that the view was even more spectacular than the last time I had stopped. I realized that if I had quit halfway through the hike I never would have seen the amazing panoramic view of the Glacier and the Alps at the top. Not only that, but it is easier to see the bigger picture from above with everything laid out before you.

I think this relates to my life events often, but particularly in the situation of the school closing. At the moment, most of us teachers have absolutely no clue where we will be living and working next year. We also don’t know where most of our students will attend school because many of them were rejected from the other international schools in the area before coming to us.

The road before me is full of uncertainties and is not particularly appealing. I have the choice to walk forward with a grumbling attitude that refuses to acknowledge that there is usually a beautiful scene to behold at the end or to walk ahead, despite the challenges, trusting in the hope that God sees the full panoramic view of the situation and I will, at some point, get to relish in that view.

The view promises to be more than worth the effort, so I choose the challenging, stretching and growing hike!


The amazing view of the Aletsch Glacier at the end of the hike.

Connecting Life and Heart Strings
I have recently come across a couple verses that seem appropriate.

“Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Philippians 2:14-15 ESV

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:25 ESV

Prayer Requests
There are approximately five more months of school. Our goal as a staff is to make sure that the last semester of school is extra special. That being said, we are a small staff and wear many hats, so adding the extra umph and possibly extra activities could be quite taxing. Please be praying that our semester will proceed well, that the staff is able to squeeze every little bit out of our limited time to minister to the school families, that we have the energy to accomplish it all, and that we are able to end in a spectacular way.

As this letter is making it’s way to you, I will be looking for places at which to apply. I have absolute faith that God will provide. He has never let me down before. I am wrestling a bit with letting go of this place I love so much. But I do earnestly desire to follow His leading and not my own. Please pray that God will direct my next steps and that I will accept whatever that path might be. Please also pray that His peace would reign in my life as the uncertainty of circumstances continues.

Classroom Encounter
My students like to make pictures for me, about which I do not complain. Lately they have taken to hiding the pictures around the room and in the last few minutes of the day we play “hot and cold.”
One day, the game began as normal with me being very cold in the front of the room and becoming somewhat warmer as I moved throughout the room. At one point, one of the girls told me I was in Antarctica because I was so cold. The next was Germany because I was getting warmer. I started to get even warmer and I found myself in Africa, then Dubai. I started to get a bit colder again and was back in Greenland.

This was a new twist to the game that I had never thought of before and was a concrete reminder that I teach children who know the world well!


My girls and I celebrating the 100th day of school!

Lent: Ash Wednesday

So, I woke up today to hear my two roommates, Mallory and Amy-Jo, discussing what they were thinking of giving up for Lent. Now, for most of my life I was not even aware that Lent existed. One of the dangers of growing up Baptist, I guess. But, my education since moving to the Basel area has been enlightening.

The last two years I have been able to partake in the joys of Shrove Tuesday...pancakes are quite yummy! Irish ones have been my favorite so far and Crepes follow at a close second. Anyway, today is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. I didn't attend a church service, which I guess is a part of the festivities, but as I was on my run this evening I was trying to figure out from what I should abstain.

TV is always a good thing for me to cut out of my daily life. I am always trying to convince myself to read more books and listen to more music, but I find that I am always drawn toward the 'boob tube' as my parents would say. I also thought about other things that are major distractions for me and allow me to also ignore God, such as spending an abundant amount of time with friends. In order to edify and preserve relationships, I thought better of cutting off communication with people.

I was then reminded of how I always struggle to be consistent with my devotions and how it's easier to avoid God when I don't take time to sit quietly and be in His word. So, instead of abstaining this Lent, I have decided to make a commitment. I will do my best to do a devotion time every day for the next forty days!

Well, I best be off seeing as it's already after 9pm and I haven't done my devotions for today.

Little Activists

At the end of the day today, my second graders requested to be able to speak to the class about how killing animals is bad and to recruit the first graders for making signs to post on trees (because people walk by trees). I couldn't pass up the chance to let a good conversation happen, so away they went. I wish I could have videotaped the conversation. I had several moments of smirking, but was quite impressed with the arguments on both sides of the issue. Some remarks were, "people can always find other food." and "people should have a good reason to kill animals!" My heart swelled for my little activists :)

I can't wait to see where this goes...

Who needs an icebox when you can use the patio

You know it's cold when you're sitting at home wearing thermal underwear under your jeans and you are thinking of grabbing a blanket. Also, when you step out your front door and think, 'Dang it! I forgot long johns today.' because you can feel the air as if you are not wearing any trousers at all.

To try and contain the heat in our metal school building we have been keeping all the classroom doors closed.  After snack one day, I told the girls to clean up because we were going to head out. One of my girls looked at me with the most panicked expression and asked, "not outside?!" I chuckled as I rephrased it to "going out of the classroom." Thank goodness we have an atrium area where the kids can play.

One of the mornings the kids came to school announcing that it was -10 degrees Celsius (14 Fahrenheit)outside, which for someone coming from a temperate climate where the winters consist mainly of rain is stinking cold. Needless to say, while this first week back of school has been amazing and I have been reminded regularly of why I love my job, it has been incredibly frigid.

Not aspiring to be an icicle anytime soon -Aubrey

Holiday Catch Up

This holiday break has had the right amount of down time and laziness, as well as chaos...

Christmas Eve started off with me finishing some last minute local presents and watching Mama Mia! That afternoon I found myself enjoying the hospitality of the Reinle family. They live in Frick which I think is a pretty cool town name and they have a roundabout with a dinosaur in the middle of it which I also think is pretty cool. We had a wonderful time of fun and fellowship complete with a Christmas ham, for which I was very excited.

Although, I found myself having a mental battle of how to use my utensils during dinner because of the differences in table manners here compared to the States. I was always told to eat with my left hand on my lap and the fork in my right hand and if I needed my knife (which should not be often) I may transfer my fork to my left hand and cut with my right and return my hands to their original position when I was finished cutting. I don't know why this is; I just remember it being said and enforced again and again as how to eat a meal, especially while a guest at someone's house.

Well, in Switzerland it is considered incredibly rude and basically a sign of distrust to leave one's hand under the table and it is common knowledge that every meal is eaten with both fork and knife in left and right hands respectively. Hence, the mental debate which resulted in actual physical awkwardness!

The night rounded off well with a viewing of 'Elf' and a white elephant gift exchange. I brought bell earrings and a Christmas bear pin and walked away with a 'Swiss Card' which is a type of Swiss Army knife and a picture from Egypt of Tutankhamen with his wife. The present I brought to the Bible Study white elephant gift exchange also popped up here! I think I got the better end of the deal.

Christmas (day 1) began with an international breakfast at Diana's house complete with pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Then, off to church we went for the carol sing (one of my favorite parts about Christmas in Europe). Afterward, each of us went our separate ways and I enjoyed a walk about town and 'It's a Wonderful Life' (my first time seeing it) before lighting the candles on my tree and calling family. All in all it was a good Christmas day!

Christmas (day 2- that's right there are two days of Christmas in Germany; Also known as Boxing Day and Stephanstag). The plus side to this is that shops are closed so you are forced to relax, but the downside to this is that shops are closed so there is no option for entertainment in that area and you better hope you bought enough food on the morning of Christmas eve. I spent the day doing nothing and the evening sharing fondue with the Manduka family and Diana and Stephanie. What could be more fun!

On New Year's Eve I tagged along with Stephanie to the Reinle house again. We had Raclette with an added twist of mini pizzas because Raphael and Dominic's friend Lukas doesn't like melted cheese! I have to say that I found this intriguing for a Swiss person, but am happy for the addition to my food repertoire. Raphael had made a special stop in Basel so that we could enjoy A&W root beer. Which, of course, sparked an explanation of root beer floats and, somehow, Wendy's Frostys and fries. At midnight we went outside and welcomed the new year with Champagne, fireworks and by greeting the Swiss and French neighbors! The night came to an end around 4:30 am. Stephanie and I got to chatting.

Then the fun really started- Janet and Stephan's wedding...