Laundromat Serenade

I posted this video as a link for those who received my September/October newsletter.  If you don't currently receive my monthly updates and would like to, just shoot me an email at annika.harmeling@teachbeyond.org and I would love to add you! 

So this is a small taste of everyday occurrences in Prague.  I'm not really surprised by anything unusual I see here anymore, though, I was intrigued as to why this little group placed themselves on a normal sidewalk where very few people would walk by, much less stop to listen to them... 

For those I couldn't share with this summer...

I am so thankful for the many opportunities I had this summer to share with so many friends and family members!  For those who did not get to see the video and powerpoint I made of this past year, this post is for you!  (Or for those who just want to see it again!)  I realize some of these pictures are repeats, but a good review never hurt anyone. Yes, that is the voice of a teacher :)

Compilation of several videos, just to give you a taste of CISP...

Here are some pictures from the powerpoint I made, just to give you an overview of life in Prague...

CISP

Old school building

My old classroom

                                     

New school building!

Pictures of new classroom to come!

CISP staff 2012-2013 at International Christian Educators Conference in Germany

Miss Harmeling's 5th Grade Class

Shamima, Margherita, Seung Hyun, Josiah, and Luke (and Flat Stanley and Herbert the snake)

Cereal box book reports :)

Elementary chapel in the 6th grade room

Playing worship songs together at a piano recital

Leading music in chapel

Daily Life in Prague

Scenery

View from my apartment window on a rare sunny day!

Also near my apartment, but shows a more accurate picture of what Prague skies typically looked like this past year

Charles Bridge over Vltava River

Can you spot the Prague Castle in the back?

Hiking in Czech Switzerland

After hiking/running at least 15 miles to get to Trosky in Cesky Raj
I have never been so glad to see a castle in all my life!

Food

Svíčková (sveech-co-vah)-
pork in cream sauce, with dumplings and cranberry sauce

Roast duck, dumplings, and cabbage

Španělský ptáček (shpah-nel-skee pta-chek)- Literally "Spanish bird"
Beef stuffed with eggs and relish, with gravy, dumplings and cranberry sauce
Are you noticing a pattern? :)

Shopping

Most of my grocery shopping is done at Albert,
which is a small grocery store chain in Prague.
There is an Albert about a block from my apartment
and another one is located a few blocks from CISP.

Closest thing to Walmart in Prague

I don't often frequent places like Tesco or IKEA
because I have to carry everything home on public transportation!

Faith Community Church

On nice days, we like to hang out in front
of the building before church begins

At my friend Christina's bday party,
who happens to have the same exact bday as me!!
Many friends from my church came to her party,
and as you can see, they are from all over the world!

Singing and playing piano with the worship team was such a delight and privilege this past year!


Friends

Becca is a very close friend from CISP

Through, Becca, I met Anicka at an English club
for Czech high school students

TeachBeyond friends at the ICEC conference in Germany

Jane and I met through our partnership with a Christian Czech school in Prague

My lovely roommate, Kim, teaches 6th grade at CISP

Sadly, my roommate, Kristin (on left), will not be returning to Prague this fall,
so Lindsay (on right) will be rooming with Kim and I.

I met Ellen at a bible study through
Faith Community, and we were fast friends.
We had lots of adventures together: cross-country skiing, English "lessons" with Czech friends (mostly just fun hangouts!), an airshow,  miles of hiking in the Czech Republic, and exploring the city of Prague.
I'm so thankful the Lord gave me a friend like Ellen to share life with this past year!

Ellen invited me to go skiing with her Czech student, Vaclav, and his colleagues.

After our skiing trip, I got to know Vaclav's wife,
Veronika, and their son, Andrew.
I had the great privilege to eat dinner with this family and Ellen each Wednesday, and I look forward to continuing this tradition
when I return to Prague!

God has blessed me with many more friends in Prague, though I don't have pictures of each one.  However, I am looking forward to pictures and memories we will have in the future!

As you can see, God has been so gracious to provide friends, community, and opportunities to serve Him and make Him known in Prague.  I am overwhelmed by His grace and love, which has no limits.  As I reflect on this year, I think Psalm 108:4-5 puts it best:

"I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;  

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; 

your faithfulness reaches to the clouds."

School Year Wrap-up

It's been a while since I have posted pictures, so here are a few highlights from the end of the school year...

Elementary Spring Program

All of the elementary students began the program singing "And Can It Be" while I accompanied them on the piano

The 1st-3rd graders performed a creative skit representing the days of Creation

The 4th and 5th graders had a diverse repertoire, ranging from traditional African songs to Classical songs in Latin. 

The 5th graders presented a skit pointing out Christ in every book of the Bible

4th-5th Grade WWII Wax Museum

At the end of our WWII unit, the 4th and 5th grade students put on a WWII Wax Museum.   

Each student selected a historical figure that contributed to this war, and they wrote a speech about the life and involvement of their particular characters.  They then created a costume and became that character for the event.  When a museum "guest" pushed the red button in front of a student, he or she would come alive and share about his or her character.  The event was a huge success and each student did a marvelous job dressing the part and presenting!

4th Grade

General Dwight Eisenhower
(U.S. Forces)

Margaret Ringenburg
(American WASP pilot)

Josef Stalin
(Soviet Union Leader)

Hannah Szenes
(Parachuted into Yugoslavia to rescue Hungarian Jews)

Eleanor Roosevelt
(U.S. First Lady)

Corrie Ten Boom
(Dutch Christian who sheltered Jews)

 5th Grade

Rosie the Riveter
(Symbol of American women work force during WWII)

Winston Churchill
(British Prime Minister)

General George Patton
(U.S. Forces)

Adolf Hitler
(Leader of Nazi Germany)

Getting ready for our museum "guests"

Hitler anxiously awaits his first "guest"

Even Hitler needs a water break every now and then!

This was my all time favorite scene of the whole event!
These little 1-2 graders were spellbound as Winston Churchill
delivered a passionate speech about his life and service to his country.
I dare say Luke stole the show.  He did a fabulous job!

The Three Amigos, as I like to call them.
Quite the interesting trio, wouldn't you say? :)

All School Field Day

To conclude our school year, the entire school met at our new school building to enjoy some field day games and then have a family picnic.  My colleagues Kristin and Matt and I were asked to organize the games for this day, so we split all the students and teachers into 4 teams: 

Sea Foam, Coral, Sunburst, and Aqua 

(yes, a beach theme because we certainly don't see much of the coast in a landlocked country!)

Although we had some rain showers in the morning, the games were a huge success!  Some highlights of the day were launching water balloons, a huge kickball game, and picnicking on the blacktop with many of the CISP families.  All in all, it was a great way to end the year and anticipate the upcoming school year in our new building!

Got to have a wheelbarrow race at any field day!

Oops! :)

                                             

Crab walk on the pitch

Good ole fashioned three-legged race

 

Another oldie, but goodie: Egg/spoon relay

This station was hilarious.
A student was blindfolded and had to walk through
the cone maze without knocking any down.
Another student had give them instructions
while our school counselor kept changing the position of the cones.  

The best activity of all... the water balloon launch!

Loading the launcher...

Ready, Aim, Fire!

As you may guess, it was quite difficult to actually hit the target with the water balloon, though we did allow the "target" to move around a bit to help.

This activity was so fun to watch!
Five students had to leap over, then under the person in front of them.
It got a little interesting with the various sizes of the students!

After completing all the other activities, all four teams lined up and had to pass
a water balloon over their heads or through their legs as fast as they could.

 It was a close race, but the Sunburst team pulled out in the end to claim the victory!

The elementary students had some water balloon fun while the secondary students and some teachers played a huge game of kickball

My favorite part of the day was definitely when my roommates and
I launched water balloons at the high school and middle school
students while they were playing kickball.
Kristin tried for a while but couldn't seem to keep the balloons intact,
so she handed over launching duties to me. Haha, so much fun! :)

We ended with a family picnic.  I'm so thankful for the CISP community!