Let me start by clarifying something, I never wanted to be a teacher and when I left college that wasn’t really my plan either. I do, however, try to live a life that is in-tune to the Holy Spirit. So when I felt like God wanted me in Slovakia I knew my intended career path was going to change too. Teaching in itself is not entirely new to me, I have taught children quite a bit in my years with the Boy Scouts as well as my summers with iD Tech Camps, but I think it was to be expected that things would be different here. One thing I like about being a teacher is observing the dynamics of a child’s mind. How they think. Why they act the way they do. Social pressure and its play in their growing maturity. These are all things I enjoy about my new job here in Slovakia. That, and of course, the feeling of enriching the young minds of tomorrow for the better of themselves and the future of society. Recently, I have been observing the oldest kids at Zaklanda škola Narnia (4th graders) experimenting with their growing understanding of economics. Today’s example is from a kid named Andy, pictured below holding some of his merchandise. He has started a small 100% profitable business selling recycled electronic components. Most have been broken or abandoned circuit boards but he also has a line of premium products such as blinking LED lights. He has managed to turn an instant profit of a few euros on the boards but I think he is finding that his current market can not support his more expensive premium products. What I find most interesting about all this is that his customers have absolutely zero use for their purchased goods. Upon purchase many of them simply look at them with one kid proclaiming his recycled circuit board as “his little city.” Another kid put his on the table and proceeded to giggle it around as if it was vibrating.

In another move that I did not expect, two newly inspired kids, pictured below, decided to disassemble their boards explaining later that they would then in turn sell the components individually. In all, I found what was unfolding in front of me rather interesting. One of the joys of being a teacher is that you interact directly with a continuously changing variable. I guess there are a lot of positives to becoming a teacher, more then I really anticipated. There are, of course, the less inspiring moments and at times they seem to overshadow the good but I will leave that for another day. Today, shall be remembered as a good day.