Something New

Where to start.

I’ve been contemplating writing about our upcoming adventures, but there has been something holding me back. First it was that we were waiting on a decision, then it seemed we had made the decision, yet we were still waiting – waiting for the phone call, waiting for the official paperwork. I keep telling people that we are “probably” going to take jobs up in Northeastern Montana.

It is time I dropped the “probably.” While we haven’t crossed all of our T’s quite yet, we are almost there. 

Josey and I will be teaching K-12 music in schools that are just 14 miles apart, in rural Montana, just an hour from the Canadian border. Ask me five years ago if that is where I thought I would end up, and I would have told you no way. Just three years ago, I was an RA meeting freshmen from all over Montana, from tiny towns I didn’t even know existed. 

Until I got an email earlier this year, I hadn’t heard of Saco or Hinsdale either. And neither have you, unless I’ve unloaded to you about our opportunities within the last few weeks. Not only have you not heard of them, but you probably have no desire to go there either.  Cold, windy winters, mosquito infested in the warmer months, and twenty five miles from "town." 

Saco has a population of about 200 people. I will teach in a school of about 50 students, kindergarten through high school, and Josey will teach in a similar school of about 65 students. 

(The grey dot is in Bozeman, where we live now. The two stars are Saco and Hinsdale.)

There are some days where I still cannot even fathom having so few students. I am currently substitute teaching in a Bozeman elementary school, and am working with about 300 students. That is more students than there are people in the town of Saco. 

Something that I have to constantly remind myself is that bigger does not always mean better. In the case of education, students from these rural areas deserve a quality teacher as much as a student at a big school does. I know we can make a difference in the lives of those students. These kids are going to be our world. 

It’s still not easy for me to convince others that we have made the right choice. There are challenges that will come with the small population size, the distance from our families, the lack of paved roads other then the highway, the lack of shopping, and mainly the lack of a lot of the conveniences I have had my entire life. 

It is even more difficult to explain our decision to those who know we had job offers in much bigger, closer areas. But I have come to the conclusion that I don’t have to try to convince anyone anymore. It was our decision, Josey and I, and we prayed about it and talked about it for months. There are still days when we have doubts, but one thing we can say for certain is this - it will be an adventure, and an adventure we will tackle together.

We are gung-ho, go-getter people, who are going to put everything we have into these jobs. Our schools will collaborate and combine when possible to create larger ensembles, and I will have the opportunity to teach a math class, private lessons, and coach. Josey will finally get to fulfill his dream of being a bus driver (ha!), and possibly work for the Boy Scouts of America.  

We will get to start our married life living in a beautiful “teacher” home in Saco – a nearly brand new three bedroom home with outrageously inexpensive rent, directly across the street from my school. Our living expenses will be low, and we will be able to travel on weekends due to a four day school week. We will get real K-12 music experience, teaching elementary general music, beginning band and choir, pep band, and whatever other music students are interested in. We will have extremely small class sizes, which means we have the opportunity to work with students one on one in a way that most teachers don’t get to. 

I still pinch myself to remind me that yes, we are going to do this, this crazy, rural teaching adventure.

I told my mom that if we take these jobs, I’m going to start a blog about it. (Of course I also said that I would have to get a cat if we took these jobs… still unsure about that one.) I hope I am able to hold to my word and write about our adventure, so that my friends and family can see what it will be like to live and teach in small town Montana. 

I’ve called this decision many things – an adventure, a chance, a leap of faith. Whatever it is, it is happening. But first, we should probably have a wedding. 

With Love,

Chelsea

“For I know the plans I have for you.” – Jeremiah 29:11