“Teachers should be passionate about lifelong learning and equipped with the skills to keep evolving.” This principle has been a cornerstone throughout our teaching careers. Yet, it wasn’t until we stood in front of our elementary students that we truly grasped its deeper significance.

Over the years, we’ve learned that education is an endless journey. Our students have been our most profound teachers, demonstrating what it truly means to be lifelong learners. Their curiosity has pushed us to experiment with new teaching methods, embrace our mistakes, and discover creative ways to engage them. In return, they’ve shown us the importance of perseverance, honesty, patience, resilience, kindness, and so much more. These lessons will stay with us as we continue our growth as educators.

This June, we are excited to begin a new chapter in our teaching and counseling careers. We’ll be traveling to Egypt to teach English and social-emotional learning (SEL) to elementary students in grades Pre-K through 4th. This mission trip will serve underprivileged students in Upper Egypt. Six teachers/volunteers will be working under the guidance of Irini Mikhail at the St. Stephen Language School (https://stsls.net/). The school is overseen by His Grace Metropolitan Bishop Beman of Naqada and Qus. During this 3-week program, we will live and work in Egypt, helping students develop their English skills while fostering cultural understanding.

This opportunity allows us to continue doing what we love, all while fulfilling our personal dreams of travel and adventure.

Although teaching is incredibly fulfilling, it doesn’t always provide the financial means for such an adventure. While the program covers lodging and meals, your generous donation will help with expenses like visas, airfare, and the necessary educational materials for our students.

Any contribution, big or small, would mean the world to us! Thank you so much for your support, and we can’t wait to share this incredible journey with you!