This summer I will be attending an Spanish language immersion school in Chihuahua, Mexico. The school's name is Interaction. Here is it's website, Interaction-Mexico.com, if you would like to check it out.
I will be leaving on June 19 and returning on July 10.
My reasons for attending this school are twofold. First, I want to learn Spanish better so that I can be more effective in my classroom here in Bryan-College Station. My middle school ESL students are all Hispanic and I need to be able to teach in Spanish as a bridge to get them to speaking English. Also I need to be able to speak to my kid's parents, most of whom do not speak English. It has been very frustrating when speaking with the parents about a behavior or school work issue and not to understand them or to be understood.
The second reason for this is for preparation for ministry. What exactly that will be I do not know but sense that being able to speak Spanish is important for more than middle school. I will let God reveal the what, where and when, as just understanding the various Spanish verb tenses is sufficient focus for now.
The Interaction language school is the only one in Chihuahua. It is a Christian based organization that works with many churches in the States for spring mission trips. In fact that is how I came to know of it. Ben Haguewood from our small group Bible Study, recommended them based on prior experience with them on spring mission trips.
In addition to being in a Spanish speaking country, I will be teaching some ESL at a local orphanage. The orphanage has some 37 kids and a new library. The kids are elementary to middle school age. This should be fun to teach English to this younger age group. My contact at Interaction will be talking with the director later this week as to what they would like to have taught.
While I am off south of the border to learn Spanish, Linda will be getting ready to go to Wisconsin with her parents, and Bobby will be working and holding down the fort and taking care of our pets.
My passport has been renewed and reservations made.
Certainly this adventure will help make it a memorable summer!
dr
