What are cultural practices that you do without thinking? What foods do you eat that may be considered strange to others? Each culture has different practices and dishes that may be highly valued. In Spain people expect multiple kisses upon greeting, and in Thailand, people bow and wouldn’t dare touch one another. In Europe, slurping food is unacceptable, and in Japan it is a compliment. Learning cultural practices, and accepting the cuisine that is set before you is important in order to respect yourself and others. Here are a few cultural lessons I’ve learned in Peru, and may help you as you interact with others from similar cultures.

• In a group of people, always greet and say goodbye to everyone. If you are with people you don’t see on a daily basis, use a kiss or a handshake (depending on gender and level of relationship).
• Recognize that relationships are very important, which includes a lot of quality time with family and friends! (I love this aspect of the culture- I am hardly ever alone).
• Share your food with those around you, and eat all of your food. This is easy, as the food here is delicious- Peru is considered the culinary capital of the Americas!
• Be prepared to eat cuy (guinea pig) and alpaca- they are favorites here and only eaten for special occasions. Go to a trout farm to chat with the workers as they catch your meal and enjoy in the freshest fish you’ve ever eaten. Sip coca tea to help with the altitude, and if you are a coffee lover, try ecco, a substitute that is quite good. Try the salt from the mountain ponds too, and visit these salineras with a friend- they are beautiful! Oh, and did I mention potatoes? Plan to eat them two to three times a day, every day!

Now you have it! Just ask me for more if you are curious!

Good morning, Miss! I hear these words so often as I walk the hallways and enter the classrooms at school. The students are so polite and welcoming! The name of the school where I am teaching, Promesa, means Promise, and I am reminded each day that God has kept his promises to care for me and bring me joy.

My students are one way that God shows me his care, so let me introduce you. I am teaching all grade levels, from first grade to the senior class. When I enter the first grade classroom, students jump up, run to me, and we share a big group hug! The seniors often give me joyful smiles and ask how I am, and the grades in-between share their kindness too. Both students and colleagues also share their food with me at snack and lunch time, I am often invited to play volleyball at recess, and when I leave each day, I am bade many farewells.

Teaching here is definitely a learning and growing experience for me though too. Here are the main lessons I am learning.

Lesson #1 Be flexible and patient. The resources, classroom management, and lesson plans (or lack thereof), are vastly different from what I was used to in the states. I enter each class period not sure if I will be teaching solo or co-teaching, and not sure what the topic will be. I was told I that on my first day I would just be meeting the students, and instead I gave a presentation about myself and my home for the entire upper-school. Then I taught a couple of classes all by myself without any curriculum. Since then, I have had days of teaching solo when I thought I was going to be co-teaching, times when a co-teacher said they would be gone for five minutes but never came back, and every other instance you can imagine. Being patient and flexible is a necessity!

Lesson #2 Integrate more art into lessons. These students are so artistic, and they take their time and care to produce beautiful pieces. They are also happy and focused when doing art, and learn other school subjects better when they get to use their art skills. Art is such a beautiful skill that honors God and reflects his creativity and artistic nature!

Lesson #3 Connection and relationship is God’s work. I never thought I connected super well with upper-school students students until I tried it, here. To my surprise, and all thanks be to God, I love talking with my middle school and high school students! They seem to like me too, praise the Lord!

That’s all for the lessons, but to end, here is a short story for you from school.

Students eagerly called for me to join them on the tiny volleyball court, and I gladly began to play. However, in a short time, the volleyball was perfectly over the net, and a high school boy on the opposite team, and I, both went for it. He had an amazing hit, that went straight to my face. As I turned away in pain, I expected students to get quiet and awkward. But instead, the young men on the other team ran over to me to show their care. The player who made the hit was profusely apologizing, and doing what he could to take care of me. The next day, he checked in on me in the morning. I was so impressed. What I thought might put a block in my relationship with the high school students actually showed me more of their kind hearts! God is so good, and uses the most random events to bring us together!

Sara!? Among a throng of men’s voices outside the airport calling me to take their taxis, I hear the melodious sound of someone calling my name, someone who is expecting me. My hosts smile and greet me warmly. They take me to their home in Cusco, nestled in the Andes mountains of Peru, share a nourishing Peruvian meal with me, pour me coca tea, and care for me through conversation.

Since arriving, I have experienced so much I could share, but to start, I invite you to experience my surroundings.

From all around you, you see the Andes rising to meet the sky. From the brick buildings nestled among the mountains, colorful flags dance in the winds above you. On the street-side where you stand, dogs of every kind lay about lazily, while farm animals run past you on the street, or graze along the river. Men and women carry goods in colorful cloths on their backs, and little children ride along. You hear music floating through the air from fiestas and tiendas, and you breathe in the mountain air and earthy scents. You are in a place simply singing of God’s beauty.

Being here is an adventure, and I’m so glad God invited me!

Thank you for your prayers! Stay tuned for stories on the Incan ruins, the cuisine and culture, and, of course, my students and school!

Sights around my home. Can you find the sheep, dogs, and horses?

Why Peru? For years, I have dreamed of teaching in another country. In 2019, as I began to explore options. I wanted to teach at a school, somewhere warmer than Pennsylvania, and somewhere where I could communicate in Spanish. My mom told me about Promesa (Promise), a Christian school in the Andes Mountains of Peru. I emailed back and forth about the possibility of teaching there, but the next few years held other experiences for me, and Promesa was all but forgotten

However, the tug to teach internationally lingered. This year, God kept gently reminding me that he wanted me to pursue this desire. He opened the door to Promesa and called me to walk through. God was so gracious, and the timing and the support from my community was a gift from Him. People from a local missions agency so kindly prepared me for serving in Peru by sharing their wisdom, experience, and passion for the Lord through conversations, training and prayer. Lancaster County Christian School, where I have been teaching fourth grade, also agreed to support and encourage me as I followed God’s call. God then sent a long-term substitute to fill my place while I serve in Peru, a reminder to that He knows just what we need!

As I prepared to leave, my fourth grade students and their families were so supportive and excited to “follow” me to Peru, another sign of God’s care. My colleagues, my family, my church, my neighbors, and other friends covered me in prayer, and with so many well-wishes, I said “see you later” and flew to Peru! Preparing for Peru was a long journey, and that in itself has been a testament of God’s faithfulness. God always prepares us for the experiences He gives us, and I’m looking forward to seeing how God’s preparations will become even more evident as I serve here in Peru!

Eager monkeys, juicy pineapple, and the most polite and genuine people could almost sum up my time in Thailand! However, seeing God work and teach really was the spice to the cake (or should I say, curry?)

When I arrived, I went right to work painting a church building alongside new Thai believers. They brought me fruit to try, wiped paint off my hands, and reminded me that communication is key. Communication just takes extra effort when we can’t use many words! My time in the south proceeded to be filled with getting to know new believers who are on fire for the Lord despite standing out and facing danger from society and the spirit world. I also was able to teach English at local public schools which was so fun! The schools allowed me to share my testimony and lead praise songs, although they are buddhist schools. Wow! I came to learn and help, and God taught me so much about his Spirit and his ways of working while I got to see Him work in the Thai people in the south.

After my time in the south, I flew up north where I got to teach English to village children. They were always so excited to see our van pull onto their dirt roads, and bump carefully over the narrow driveways, through the rice fields, to our meeting places. We sang songs, told Bible stories, completed crafts, and munched on snacks. I was reminded of how blessed I am to know English, and how this small gift swings the door wide for ministry all over the world!

After my time in the north, the day came to fly back to the states. Leaving Thailand was bittersweet, but the memories I made and the lessons I learned will forever be in my mind and heart. God is so good, and such an excellent, hands-on, and experiential teacher!

We all learn in a variety of ways. Some of us prefer reading, others listening. We may also learn through kinesthetic, rhythmic, interpersonal or intrapersonal means, just to name a few. Because catering to different learning styles is a key component of education, I have explored with creating podcasts! So for those of you who like to learn through listening, here you go! For those of you who prefer other learning styles, I encourage you to check out my podcasts as well; they are short and worth the listen! The links are below

Just to pique your curiosity, – my first podcasts talks about why a little, homeschooled farm girl made it to and through a teaching program.

Life can be exhausting! If you’re wondering how reach out to those dear people in your life and still have energy, my second podcast might help you with that.