day off for independence

off work today because of an independence day in afghanistan. I'm not sure how many they have but this is the one from England, like us.
so no school today, I'm going to watch a movie "etre et avoir" and sit in bed for while, maybe go to the gym before lunch and then after lunch talk to the rug guy on base. I also hope to tear up my room today and get lots of stuff that i never touch or use packed in boxes or put out in the hall.
I'm also conisidering what travel plans I MIGHT be able to make if I'm able to stay a while before coming home.
last night I went to the Czech bar on base with Ren and Miguel and watched them play foozball and then came back to my room at 9:30 cause i was dead tired.

last thanksgiving...

i like this pic of my and my siblings all in the kitchen doing stuff before the meal last year at thanksgiving. ha

almost a month!!!

Our contract is up September 26th, and last word we got form the subcontractor back home was that we'd be leaving the 15th, so that means one month!!! I'm super excited, I guess just the proximity of the date, something down inside of me is opening up a bit of freedom in letting out all those feelings of routine, what they call "groundhog's day" (the movie) way of life here and finally some change!! also all the things that i never let get on my nerves, now if I think about it I am saying to myself, I'll ge GONE soon, or something like, I'll never have to speak to this person again ( hopefully, never say never to God of course). anyway, all I have to do to cheer myself up a little is start thinking about being home for Christmas this year, or what enormous spectrum of colors I'll have coming up in my yard next spring! ha.
I am still praying daily that I will be able to stay an extra month travelling if God is willing to soften the heart of said subcontractor. It's hard to know where he stands because he is not able to communicate much since he's still working on another year's contract for some of the teachers here. another strange thing, is when talking to my students about leaving and how sad I definitely know I will be to say goodbye to them to return to my comfy American lifestyle and regarding the state of things here in Afghanistan. had a great day off today and another comes tomorrow, and there are only a few more weekends left to do final rug purchasing of course. ha

day off tomorrow....

these are pics of the book store room at the school. i was counting the books last week, and will again be doing that this thursday morning. I bring a power alternator from my room which changes 220 to 110 volt. so I can plug in the computer speakers I use with my ipod.

here is a student's glass of tea, they drink tea here with the leaves in the tea, so this is the dregs.

no deal

well just when I decided I was willing, the deal hasn't gone through. This was a contract through a connection on base, separate from who i'm working with now. Thanks to God for giving me the answer, now I can consider what choices may lie before me this next year back in the states.
I am also continuing to pray that I might be able to stay overseas until November 9th as I had been planning to do. The word here is that our boss will want us to return in September, but I've made plans to visit Senegal and London. I'll just have to wait to hear what possible options there are, if any. On the positive side, I'll have a lot more warm fall weather time to work outdoors.... also I'm hoping for options to work this fall at Metro Tech, barnes and nobles, or my dream job would be Bethany school district teaching ESL!
today went well, in class i was teaching adverbial connective words, and they were asking, aren't these also conjunctions, and I said NO, keep reading the examples.
it's been an excellent week.... oh yeah, also the good news about not returning next year is that I'll be in the US when my students come to Texas to learn aviation english. that will be fun to see them in my own country. ha
I lost my keys today on the way back from the gym, I have no idea where, I went to the BX to buy some chocolate sprinkles to put on my icecram at dinner, and then went to the gym, and then went by the rug store on base on the way back from gym, so I'll be checking those places tomorrow.
,

co worker

All week God has been asking me, are you sure you'd want to work another year here? weekthis is because of just working with different people overseas. I'm considering is it worth not coming back for, but I don't think working with a person should make the difference. That seems to be the old part of me in OKC where I was in a rut of controlling who I had to see or speak to or spend anytime with. For example non Christians or be around people who curse a lot, or with people who have nothing in common with me, etc.. Working here has taught me about getting along with others regardless, and definitley about doing my job regardless of the situation or poor leadership (that we started out with).
of course we still have no news about anything, and right now I'm trying not to get my heart set on travelling or coming back next year, and focussing on what plans I need to take after coming home this fall, finding work again, health insurance, and then all the exciting house and yard plans of course. ha but job comes first. And even then, I'll have to not be too picky on where I want to work or who with.
This week is going well at school, the students are great to kid around with, I have the top group, and they are, so far, accepting my explanations for the new grammar and lessons. ha

at my desk yesterday....

I get a good slideshow going on my computer while I'm teaching i can watch the screen change pics of my yard or home. you may notice some papers and magazines on my desk, and the antonio guadi dvd I watched yesterday morning, and my sister dana sent me a crawford cd, it's on the corner, and some water bottles, and lotion for my hands, also there is a Indian movie poster on the door near my desk. and I included a little detail of things on my desk.

thrus morn

There's no certainty if the contract will even go through for another year. So I am making plans for either scenario and looking on the bright side. For example if i DO NOT come back another year, well then I will most likely return this fall, with more time to do lots of yard work. and also i could make it to my college homecoming in october. so that would be cool.
I'm thinking optimistically for either outcome at the point. nothing is for sure......
one thing is for sure, I'm going to have to consider pulling up the carpet in my house to make room for some rugs someday. ha
I'm beginingg my weekend here in kabul this morning, not much planned. breakfast, then to the school to clean up my room and watch an Antonio Gaudi documentary in preparation for if I go to Barcelona. and then I'll prolly walk back early and come back to my room here on base to pick up a bit. I will work out my shoudlers this afternoon, and later dinner... hmmm
and lots of surfing and reading between time.
keep those emails coming.....