Slowly Settling In

We are slowly beginning to settle in in our home in Chiang Mai. Just as I was getting into a rhythm with the teaching at Payap we have the Thailand International Composers Festival on our campus. All classes are basically canceled so that students can go to the lectures and performances. It is a good thing because it features composers from all over Asia, especially Southeast Asia and showcases their new compositions. I am performing in the Chiang Mai Community Orchestra and Wind Ensemble in two concerts where we will be playing many of these new works. There is some very good writing and it is an honor to be able to help out with the percussion sections of these two groups. The students that take part in this are very talented and it's a good chance for much of the faculty at Payap to be involved playing with the students.

What this means is that I won't be seeing much of my classes this week because of the festival and then next week is mid-terms and classes are canceled for mid-terms. So it will be almost like starting over again two weeks from now. My Jazz Improv class was asking if we could go ahead and have class next week. That made me feel really good because they all seem to be enjoying the class so much. I'm enjoying it to. I really feel like relationships are beginning to develop and I am praying to see how the Lord wants me to progress. I really do like the students and am beginning to find the ones that are really serious about moving forward with their music. Good times.

Kalya just finished being sick the past couple of days. We are thinking it might have been the flu or maybe something she ate. Either way she is doing much better now and we feel good about that.

We are hoping that things will continue moving towards settling in so that we can begin looking into the volunteer work that we want to do in Chiang Mai with child trafficking. Pray for us to not lose sight of why we are here and that we would make the most of our opportunities to show the light of Christ with all of the people that we come in contact with.

My language skills are doing a little better, especially in the private lessons. The lecture classes are still a real challenge but I trust that it will get better and better as I continue on.

Thanks for all of your prayers and support. We miss home very much.

Bryan and Kalya