This past weekend, Tim and I had the opportunity to be involved in the World Refugee Day Celebration at the Children's School of Rochester. It was an absolutely amazing experience and we are so excited about the opportunities to get more involved with the refugee community in Rochester.
The moment we walked into the gym, I was recruited by a teacher from school 5 to help paint faces (and arms, legs,and necks!) She asked if I had any artistic ability and would be willing to help. Artistic ability? No way! Willing to help? Not only willing but beyond thrilled to be asked. And I jumped right into it. Tim was ever so gracious and helped clean up the stencils after every painting job. :)
Throughout the day we interacted with children and families from East Africa, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, and other places. I had conversations with many of the children and loved the interactions. I talked with teachers from school 5 and 15 and heard all about their challenging yet wonderful jobs. I was invited to observe in classrooms, join a committee, and to apply for teaching positions. The teachers were so gracious, giving advice, being genuinely interested in my experiences, and welcoming me in so quickly! One of the teachers even introduced me to the principal of the Children's School while praising my willingness to jump right in, telling him about my experiences abroad, and writing my name on a piece of paper as a reminder. I have no idea if they have any openings for next year, but there is no school that I would rather teach at. My passions, my experiences, and my talents could be utilized so fully in a setting like this. I could go on and on and on about all of the positive things I admire about this school and its principal.
Regardless of whether I find a teaching job in the school, you can be sure that we'll be involved in the refugee community in Rochester. It is something that excites us both and I am so glad we were able to make these connections. Thanks so much, Jesse, for telling us about this amazing event!!
