I have been at a YWAM base near Tyler, Texas for 5 days now. I had seen pictures and read about it on the website, so I knew that it was big (over 350 acres) but its really something else to experience it in person. There are dozens of buildings all spread out over the campus, and it's dotted with lakes and ponds - I was told that many years ago this was a fish hatchery place. (not quite sure on the terminology on that, a fish farm?) Then it belonged to David Wilkerson (the Cross and the Switchblade pastor guy) who then sold the ranch to YWAM super cheap. Now there are something like 250 staff here, with every imaginable sort of ministry, and many different training courses year-round filled with students from all over the globe (but it seems that they come especially from South Korea). I am here for 4 weeks to earn a certificate in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).
My first week of class was great. A normal day looks like this: Breakfast in the cafeteria at 7am. 8:30 is group prayer time. 9-12 is class. We break for lunch and start class again at 1:30. At 3:30 we have work duties - mine is to clean in my dorm (bathrooms, floors, windows, ect) until dinner at 5. Dinner at 5 seems so early to me - at home we often eat around 8! After dinner we have had time to do homework, but we may have some night classes next week.
Because the campus is so big and the buildings spread out, I get lots of opportunity to get outside for a walk. It's a good 5 minute walk from my dorm to the cafeteria, and my classroom is a bit further. I've done some exploring too, and these photos are from my walk last night.
Because the campus is so big and the buildings spread out, I get lots of opportunity to get outside for a walk. It's a good 5 minute walk from my dorm to the cafeteria, and my classroom is a bit further. I've done some exploring too, and these photos are from my walk last night.
This dog came barking and running toward me when I walked past his house. It could have been an intimidating moment, but I love dogs and hoped he wasn't as ferocious as he seemed so I squatted down and talked gently to him and offered him my hand palm-side up to smell, and after that his tail was wagging and I think we're friends now.
Its cool when you can see the moon when its not night yet. I also love that the little lakes here can be so glassy smooth and they make a nice reflection of the trees.
May I ask if you're going through a TESOL certificate course through School for International Training/ World Learning (in Vermont)? That is my alma mater.
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