Family, Foundation, and Future.

In hand: late night Earl Grey tea.  My host family drinks as much tea throughout the day and night as my roommates and I do!  I am lovin’ it.

So, yes, I have been staying with my host family in Newbury, Berkshire for 4 nights now and it is incredible.  Gabrielle, my host-mom, is super thoughtful and knowledgeable.  She is very involved with the town council and knows so much about the history and current events of the town.  She took me on a nice tour on Friday through the town centre, which is really cute and only a walking distance from the house.  It has loads of stores, cafes, pubs, restaurants, and a movie theater.  I actually walked there by myself last night to see The Hunger Games again!  In case you’re wondering, it is better the second time. =)  Brendan, my host-dad, is helpful and has that classic, dry, British, Hugh Grant humor to him, which you know I love.  Speaking of that, I just finished reading "About a Boy," which was really wonderful and though I haven't seen the film, I couldn't help but picture Hugh Grant as Will the whole time.  It was also really cool because the book is set in London, and so I knew all the places and things they were talking about.  Fiona, my host-sister, is the best.  She's been so welcoming and willing to do things with me!  I've loved talking to her about.. everything basically, and we've made some great plans for my time here!  She even took me out to a pub on Saturday to watch the Chelsea/Arsenal game.  This is extra nice of her because the family is big on the rugby, but not so much the football.  Oh yes, I've also been told that I need to start calling it "football" since I'm here.  There are two more daughters, but they aren't living here at the moment and so I am staying in Hannah's lovely yellow room.  So perfect, right?

Between eating meals together at the table, watching TV, drinking tea and coffee together, and even doing "family" trips (we traveled up to Oxford today), I am really beginning to feel like a part of the family.  They've all been so warm and welcoming and helpful- I am so blessed and thankful.  And though I still miss my family, Alex, and friends SO much, I am no longer lonely.  I guess that's the power of family.

Cute cappuccino with Gabrielle!

The barista at Costa told me that he had to ask where I was from because he loved my accent!  So funny that I'm the one with the accent here!

Traditional Morris dancers in Oxford!

Just part of the famous Bodleian Library at Oxford.

Such a historic and cute place!

Part of my yellow room! =)

Tomorrow, I start my 6-week student teaching placement at Francis Baily Primary School in Thatcham.  I'm placed in a Foundation classroom, which is for 4- and 5-year olds.  Oh, I am as excited as you'd expect me to be, and more!  I'm so interested to see what the school system is like here in the UK and to see what the students are like.  I know that this will be a great learning experience for me, so though I'm feeling a little nervous now, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's beginning!  Pray for me!

This semester, I went through the application process for Teach For America, and I recently found out that I have been accepted.  For those of you who may not know, Teach For America is an organization that places teachers into schools where kids are growing up in poverty, dedicated to providing these students with an excellent education.  Ever since the Chicago trip that I mentioned previously, I developed a passion for this movement and decided that I want to love and serve students in these areas after graduating from Penn State.  So, I have been placed in Phoenix, which is exciting because it is a great city, I have family there, and it's closer to California!  Though I'm excited about my placement and making it into the program, I am also really sad as I think about the college chapter of my life officially coming to a close.  I've met the most incredible people through Penn State, RUF, and Starbucks.  It's so hard to imagine not seeing them everyday.  It's scary to imagine myself in the "real world."  It's crazy to imagine myself with my own inner-city classroom in less than 4 months.  I've already had moments of weakness where I feel overwhelmed with stress and fear, convincing myself that I can't do this.  But I know that in this, God can work through me.  And so now it's time to trust Him.  

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13