Learning Flexibility

One thing I have been learning all year, from the day I arrived, is flexibility. At first it really stressed me out having classes cancelled, schedules changed, and things not going the way I expected, but over time I have become more relaxed and willing to go with the flow. For example, this morning I finally had classes in Chamche. Because of me being in Canada for one Friday, the fair here for the next Friday, a school-wide fundraiser/fun fair day landing on a Friday, Independence Day on a Thursday and thus a holiday on Friday etc, today was only my fourth day in Chamche school all semester. In the morning staff meeting I found out that next Friday there is a school-wide fundraiser/fun fair in Chijacorral and that the Chamche students will be going there from recess on, so I will only have half the normal time in each class. I also found out that Chamche final exams changed and are now a week early, which happens to be 2 weeks from today. However, their exam week is only Monday to Thursday because Friday is Children's Day and there are no classes. The only day I am available to give the exams is Friday, so the regular classroom teacher will give my exam to the students sometime earlier that week. That is fine, except that being a language course, I like to include an oral component in the exam. I do not expect the Guatemalan classroom teachers to do this. So...what to do? I could either not have an oral component, or give it earlier. If I give the oral component a week early, that would mean NEXT CLASS! So this morning as classes started I had to think on the spot of what exactly I was going to have in the oral component (good thing I had already thought through the exam and had typed up a rough draft) and what I needed to go over in class so the students would be ready. But what about the students who were absent today? And can I get the exam to the secretary in time for her to photocopy? And will they remember anything I teach them anyways? Needless to say I've had to learn not to get upset at the principal for changing the exam dates or cancelling classes or not telling me all this sooner, not to get upset over the fact that these students aren't learning near as much as I had hoped or planned for in the beginning of the year, and not to get upset over the amount of work I now have to do in a very short amount of time. Sure, situations like this still stress me out and make me frustrated. It will take more than 10 months to change that. But I have come a long way this year in learning to be flexible. This is one thing of the things I am thankful for from this year that I will take home with me. It would be appreciated, though, if you could pray for me as this school year wraps up. I have a lot of work to do still and a lot of things I want to get done before I go. I want to make the most of my remaining 5 weeks here.