It's Official...I am a Teacher!

It is true...I have a job teaching high school English! I wrote the following poem from the perspective of walking into my classroom for the first time.

Clank! Rattle! Click!

As I open the door with my new key,
I am greeted by darkness and warmth.
I see shapes and begin to guess the structures.
Running my hand along the wall,
I give light to this room.
And I see for the first time,
where I will teach.

I see carpet and dry-erase boards.
I see a large desk and filing cabinent.
I see a bookshelf and 23 desks.
I see a Smart Board and podium.
I see textbooks and teacher guides.

Then I see it.

The
ONE
poster
hung.

And I know I have made the right decision.
A map of England, marked with Lakenheath and Mildenhall.
The very area I lived for 3 months
And embarked on this journey of teaching,
Already living in my classroom.

Satisfied, I turn off the lights
And lock the door.

Clank! Rattle! Click!

New Orleans or Bust!!!!

Let me preface my saying that I LOVE the South!!! I love Southern hospitality, crepe myrtle trees, magnolia trees, Southern literature like William Faulkner, Flannery O' Connor, Harper Lee, Truman Capote, Nora Zeale Hurston, Mark Twain, and I even love the contemporary Southern settings of Nicolas Sparks' novels! I love the Southern dialect and hearing some genuine "please," "thank you," "yes ma'am," "no sir" phrases. I'm a fan of Paula Dean, pink lemonade, sunshine, warm weather, and wrap around front porches. I am not a fan of Nascar, the rebel flag, or the stereotype that Southerners are slow and ignorant.

I knew a trip to the deeper south was in store when my friend, Brandi, moved to Louisiana and a favorite music artist was playing in New Orleans. My friend Emily and I roadtripped to Lafayette, Louisiana, where we met up with Brandi. We ate Indian Food and had some yummy daiquiri's. Surprising fact: You can order daiquiri's from a drive-thru window! The next morning we left for New Orleans. We drove through the swamps and Lake Pontchartrain (I love saying that word!) before we arrove in N'awlins! It was the world's hottest day in the "Paris of America!" We walked around the French Quarter and Bourbon Street and ate beignets and then got ready for the Thriving Ivory/Brett Dennen concert at the House of Blues! The concert was great, and the great music continued throughout the night. We enjoyed Bourbon Street after the concert, where the live jazz music billowed into the street.

A road trip cannot be complete without waiting in traffic for road construction, and we encountered that several times. We ventured off the beaten path a few times, laughed a lot, and enjoyed the trip! Here are some pictures!

Hello to the New!

All I can say is "Wow!" This past week has been crazy and full of new experiences!

New Experience #1:
I am still in the search for a "real job." By the end of this week I will have had NINE interviews! I really didn't think it would take 9+ interviews to find a job (am I doing something majorly wrong?!?..haha!) Looking on the positive side, I have seen 9 very different schools, and with each interview, I gain some tips on answering a question a little bit better.
Craziest Interview Location for a teaching position: at a Starbucks (I'd like a Chi Tea...and a job please!)
Busiest Interview Day: this coming Friday...two within 2 1/2 hours...eek!

New Experience #2:
I was getting bored and felt unproductive, as I love being busy! So I decided to find a summer job. I had done my research in the newspapers and had found a few places to apply. I first tried a bakery (because I secretly want to have my own someday!), but they needed someone year round, not just for the summer. Then I tried a bridal shop that was hiring, because I thought that would be fun...right? Wrong again! I filled out the application and then had an immediate interview with the owner, who I found out was not the nicest man! He didn't understand why I was applying because as he put it "I do not have any experience in this field." And I will not be gaining any in the near future either! After he finished explaining all of the knowledge one needs for work in a bridal shop (i.e. knowing what size a girl is when she walks into the store, what style of dress will flatter her body type, what invitations go with certain wedding themes, etc., etc., etc) it was exhausting, and I didn't think that was for me either! I walked out of the shop jobless, but I was determined to find a summer job.

Next on the list, a restaurant. My grandparents owned and operated a steak house for several years. They still have the building (it is just storage now,) but when I go in the building, I always think about and picture what it must have been like when it was open. My mom and her brothers and sister worked in it along with my grandparents, and they tell stories from working in the steak house. This old family steak house was the inspiration to apply at a restaurant. So I applied at one and found my summer job! They hired me as a hostess! I was excited; however, after working several shifts, I have realized that it gets a little crazy sometimes! I never realized all of the information hostesses need to know...phone numbers, how to give directions to the building, memorize table numbers, problem solve to mix and match tables for large parties, and a nice demeanor to deal with all the "happy people" in the world! Okay...so the job is not rocket science, but I was surprised with all of the technicalities that it entails. There are even hostess tests that I have to take...and pass!

New Experience #3:
I have always enjoyed working out and running, but have never understood lifting weights. I always like learning new things and trying new things, so I asked one of the trainers at the gym to help me develop a weight training program! He helped all right...helped make my arms sore...haha! I am working some muscles that I didn't know existed...and am hoping for some Michelle Obama arms!

Learning new things like hostessing and lifting weights and being turned down for jobs, has taught me life lessons. First, learning something new is humbling. Second, I have realized that there are many things that I do not know. I do not know how to manage a fast-paced restaurant, I do not know how to run a school, or even a bridal shop. Third, I have learned to stay positive, hopeful, and patient when it comes to interviewing and hearing back from schools.