Hello again, I hope all is going well at home! I have had a challenging, but good week, like normal. I have been on a few adventures this week, which is what I love most about being here Life is always an adventure. Last Wednesday was a Dominican holiday so we didn't have school. We went to a place called 27 waterfalls. It was without a doubt the most amazing thing I have done here so far. The things I have scene on TV of waterfalls don't even come close to the beautiful sights I saw. I wish I could show you lots of pictures of it, but it wasn't just a sight seeing trip. I couldn't take my camera because we hiked around the waterfalls first, then we had to jump down them. I was jumping of cliffs into flowing water. I had a helmet and life jacket on. I was scared for the first jump, but then realized how much fun it was and after that it was a blast! I also got to slide down rocks into pools of water. It was the best water slide ever! Here is a picture of us right before we left.



















My kids are doing great! I love that I can start to see their progress. I am starting to learn more ESL strategies that have helped me in my teaching. It is so hard to teach kids who have no idea what you are saying. Ha, but it's getting better!






















I also got to take a day trip to the beach on Saturday. We took the bus! It was quite a experience. We ended up spending most of the day going to and from the beach. All of us that went were first year teachers and really didn't have a clue of what we were doing, but now we know for next time and I was proud that we made it there and back. It was great because it only cost me about $10 for the whole day, bus and all. Crazy how some things can be so cheep here and others are very expensive.







This picture was taken in our taxi on our way to the bus stop. We didn't realize it was so close. Ha, we could have walked!

I tried out a new Spanish church on Sunday. It was quite a experience. It was very lively. There was dancing and singing. It was great. However, my mind started to wander after the first hour of trying so hard to figure out what they were talking about. The service went form 9:15 to 12:45. Ha, they are so so long here!

Well I am already almost 1/2 way through my week. We have a teacher work day on Friday so I am hoping to get lots done and have a relaxing weekend. I will try to write again soon. Please pray that I could find some way to get help learning Spanish. It is so hard not knowing the language and the classes that they are supposed to give us at school have not started yet. Thanks so much for your prayers. Oh, and thank you so much to those of you who have sent me a package. I can't even tell you how much it brightens my day. I love it!! Love you all!

Ha, This always happens to me just as I am finishing something gross craws through my living room. It was way worse than a cockroach this time. A big spider. Ha, we went and got our neighbor to kill it. Ha, I have never scene one so big!! This is a bad country for a girl who is afraid of bugs! I need some sleep 5:30 will come very soon!

Hola! I don't even know where to start! It has been a difficult week. You know those days where you just look back and think, God how did you get me through that. Well I had a week like that! I am learning so much though, so it makes it all worth it. I think the main lesson I am learning is how to be content. We always think... when I get to... things will be different. God is showing me how to find joy in Him even when things aren't going exactly how you would like them. Anyway, God has blessed me with a very relaxful weekend. We stayed in last night and made pizza and watched a movie. It was great! Do you like my shirt Sarah?

























I spent some time this morning planning for next week. I still have work to do, but I can finish up tomorrow. I think just this little bit of rest has helped my outlook. I know that I can't do it all and that God wants me to relax a little too. He doesn't expect me to be serving others every moment I am here and that my real mission field is in the classroom. I feel like some of my friendships are beginning to grow, which is great because it has been so hard being away from my Arbor girls. Little by little I feel like I am actually getting a life here :) Even though most of the time I feel like a complete outsider, there are now times when I feel at home.







We went to see Dark Night tonight! It was a great movie and lots of fun! This is a picture some of my friends and I on our way to the show. I am always volunteered to sit on laps. Lots of fun!!

Here is a random picture of the art I got at the beach one weekend. It's hanging in my bedroom. Do you like it mom?

Please continue to keep me in your prayers. I appreciate it so much!!

AH!! I just saw a cockroach! It crawled under my roommates door. Did you know some of them can fly? Gross Gross!!!! Hate them!!

My inspiration for the day~

We are not called by God to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with extraordinary love. ~ Jean Vanier

Hey everyone! I am doing great! So glad it's the weekend. I have had some amazing days this week. God always seems to know exactly what I need to hear to help me through my day! School has been great! My kids are getting to know the routine and thankfully not crying when they come to school anymore. It is such a blessing to be around them.

Look at this one. It says "These are my friends" He put Miss Wilcox. Ha, I love it!

Last weekend my roommates and I had our first dinner party because we have furniture now! I made no-bake cookies. We had so much fun!

I am taking a break from lesson planning tonight. Some friends and I are going to McDonalds. Ha, I am so excited! American food! It is funny because going to McDonalds here takes planning. Ha, it's like a whole evening activity!

Please keep my safety in your prayers. We have had three robberies happen to teachers in the last week. No one has been hurt, but it is a little scary!! Love you all!!!

Hey!! I just wanted all of you to know that Ike went through this weekend and we are all safe. We got some rain and all of Sunday was very windy, but it wasn't too bad. Thanks for your prayers!

Hi Everyone! So it is my 4th week here and we have had 4 storms already! I haven't been nerves about any of them until now. Ike is a category 4, but the heart of it is supposed to pass to the north of us. So hopefully we won't get the worst of it. I got a email from the school telling us not to leave the city this weekend and the precautions that we need to take. I am told that since my building is made of cement it is safe and I am lucky to be on the 3rd floor because of flooding. It's all part of the experience!! Trusting in God for everything! I am sure everything will be fine, just keep me in your prayers.

















Anyway, I took a few pictures this week of my cute kids to show you. They are so great!! They make me laugh all the time. One of my kids saw a chicken running through our school yard and said Miss Wilcox get me that chicken, I'm hungry. Maybe you had to be there, but I was laughing so hard! They say the most random things!



















Well I should probably go to bed. It's past 2, I couldn't sleep! Thanks for your prayers! Oh, and thanks for posting! It is so great to hear from you. It really helps me to stay connected. Feel free to just write what is going on at home and how you are all doing. I would love that!!

Hi! I just wanted all of you to know that I am safe! We did get hit by hurricane Hanna, but it looked way worse on the radar than it actually was. We got the day off of school though, and it is beautiful out. We spent the day shopping for a table, which we got! Our apartment is really starting to feel like home. This week at school has been good! I am starting to feel better about everything. Things are flowing better and my kids are happy! The first two weeks were really hard! I had a kid who cried so hard the first day that he threw up. He kept crying for the first two weeks, but now, praise God, he is doing better! This on top of the normal first year of teaching stresses, feeling like it was unsafe to go anywhere alone, not speaking the language and coming home to a empty apartment every day, and feeling very stretched financially was all really getting to me. Things are going much better now though. It is still hard, but good. No matter what happened the day before I always wake up so happy to be here.


Here are some cute pictures of my kids working together to write a story about a bear. I love these kids!! They are so fun!

Last weekend I went with some friends to the beach. We had lots of fun. We went snorkeling. It was a clear beautiful day. This is a picture of my roommates and I crammed in the back of a jeep on our way to the beach.










After the beach Luis took us to his friends house. It was the most beautiful house I have scene here. These are some pictures of us at the pool. Look how white I look compared to all of them. Ha! I got to jump off of this waterfall. Lots of fun!














We have had lots of little adventures too. I feel like every day is an adventure!! Here are some pictures of us coming home from the corner store. We got a coconut, but didn't have anything to break it with, so we decided to drop it off our balcony. It worked!!

Here are some pictures of me and some friends at a really great restaurant we went to after church one Sunday. It was right in the middle of town and had an amazing view!

Well I should probably get some planing done on this hurricane day! I hope you are all doing great! I miss you lots!! Keep leaving posts, I love to read your comments! Pray that the weather doesn't get too bad, I heard there are more hurricanes heading our way. Oh, and I am trying to find a Spanish church that I can feel at home in, so please be praying for that and other ministry opportunities for me.