Update

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I've noticed that I've been a little negative lately, so here's a dose of positivity for the blog.

Although this week was a tough one, I made it though. I'm currently at work, my residents are in bed, and I'm blogging from my laptop in the dark with wireless internet that WORKS for once. I am proud of my group project success in Voice and Articulation class, my first test (even though my score was a little lower than I wanted) in Anatomy and Physiology, and the fact that I made it through my interview for the program on Friday! Fingers crossed everyone, I find out if I made it in next week. And next week is midterms, which means I have THREE on Wednesday. Though I think I'm ready to take them now and just get them over with! It's not going to stop me from doing trampoline aerobics (also called Skyrobics) and seeing Rose Cousins at Eddie's Attic on Tuesday. Oh the choices we make in almost-grad school land. I was never this irresponsible during undergrad. Maybe that was part of my problem...hmmm.

Tomorrow I have to make it through a day of church with my residents and am going to try a yummy cauliflower casserole out on them! It's cheese and cauliflower and pasta, what's not to love?

I think I'm getting a hang of this being back in the states thing...

Well, I did it...

...I'm a full time student again, and I kinda love it. Doesn't mean I'll be making a significant amount of money anytime soon, but it does mean I will be finished with my Speech Pathology and Communication Disorders pre-reqs and ready for the program. This semester, I am taking:

1. Intro to Language Disorders
2. Voice and Articulation
3. American Sign Language II
4. Anatomy and Physiology for Communication and Speech

So I will learn how to talk good and learn how to make people talk good. LOL.

I suppose I need to take more of this into consideration every day:

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17 days into the new year and I'm still so amazed we're in 2012 already.
11 days into my 30th year and I just don't know how I should feel.

I suppose I shouldn't feel anything. I suppose I should feel exactly how I feel. Which is kinda burnt out, kinda tired, excited about classes but that's about it. Work is work and I suppose I should be happy I have a job, but maybe life will pick up.

I suppose that's all any of us are doing, just trying to get by.

Mondays mean nothing to me now

It's bothering me lately that my calendar has so many cross-outs on it. I have written in and penciled out my work schedule so many times, and it's wrong. With people going on vacation and returning and changing their minds, I have just about had it with messing up my schedule. I don't like indecision. Or maybe it's my own confusion. All I know is I need a new calendar. I need to start over. Does any one ever feel like they need a do-over in the great game of life? Does anyone ever feel like rambling? After all what else are blogs for? I know this post makes no sense what so ever, but this is MY little corner of the web and I can do whatever I want with it. In this big wide scary world, that's all the comfort I need right now. OK, off to clean and control the little bit of the world I CAN control. Peace.

Will someone let the cat out of the bag? Oh wait, already done...

I just received my nomination from the Peace Corps!

Primary Education Teacher Trainer
Departure Date February 2012
Central or South America

This doesn't mean much other than they are sending my file to the DC office and sending me my medical clearances.

Note to self: Brush up on Spanish.

We'll see what happens.

Just watched the doppelganger episode of How I Met Your Mother. I love the line where Ted says the thing about "we all become our own doppelgangers who are completely different people who happen to look just like us."


It fits in this situation, and in my life in general now. If someone had told me even five years ago that I would have been even THINKING about applying to the Peace Corps, I would have looked at them and thought that they were batshit f-ing crazy. Now I couldn't be more thrilled.

Life has strange ways of making us all put life into perspective and look at our selves differently. Not quite sure what I'm trying to say here. But I am going through a completely surreal time in my life right now and I just had to get it out in some form...

That has been my night.

Welcome to my world. Let the roller coaster begin (or continue) on this crazy ride we call life.

Need Some Positive Vibes Sent My Way

I've been way too negative as of late. So I've decided to take the "list one thing that made me happy today" approach to life. Because some days, that's just what one has to do to get through the day.

So here's my one thing: After missing her on g-repeatedly for a two-week span, I finally caught Emily online for forty minutes in between English Festival acts today. It felt great to catch up with a good friend after such a long time...and yes, two weeks without chatting is a long time. It's the little things that get you through this crazy Korea life.

And it's sad, but another thing that made me happy today is the fact that after over a month of repeating the same stories and interviews and drama scripts with kids, I can finally chuck it all in the garb-age and put it all behind me. It might have sucked folks, but ENGLISH FESTIVAL is FINALLY OVER. Maybe now I'll be in a better mood at work. Kids did well, and it's nice to step back and see the whole picture once in a while. I did catch myself thinking at one point, yes, these songs suck, but it's really awesome that kids this age have access to doing all of this in a second language, and felt a little proud to be a part of it.

I guess I have nothing else to say, just that I like to ramble, and I'm going to sign off before I do too much more of it. So much for blogging about things that matter.

Oh, and I did find a home for the rabbit I was fostering for most of my time in Korea. He went to a nice girl who has always wanted to own a rabbit and just moved to Korea. She seemed really eager to take him and I'm relieved I don't have to panic when my contract does end to find a home for him last minute. I loved owning the rabbit, but hated cleaning up after it, and of course, my situation is less than permanent. Maybe one day I'll actually live my dream of owning a few cats. Gosh I'm so old...LOL. Signing off. Leave comments.

Good God I'm Bad at Updating this Thing

It's not that I'm bad at updating; it's just that I don't have a whole lot of substantial things happen to me that merits updating. I promised my friends and family at home that I'd keep a blog of my Korea adventures. I knew it would be exciting. Honestly though, eight months in, I'm getting bogged down in daily routines, schedules, work, and more work. Not that any of that makes for even a remotely interesting post. I promise a more interesting post soon, and I'm a little anxious to deliver. But I just can't bring myself to do any of that.

What can I say? I've just been really consumed in work lately and I can't say that I'm really that good at it. I've lost the mindfulness that good teaching requires. That's what Korea will do to you I suppose. Just get it done. I'm almost "over" it. I suppose that is what eight months of it will do to you.

For those that have traveled and taught abroad, how do you keep that sense of energy and passion you had at the very beginning? How do you keep going? I have found a decent outside of work network of things to do and see, but I just can't seem to break over that that hump. Could it be that I am just "over" Korea? Is there such a thing?

Or am I just whining too much...

It's the little things

I've been finding myself getting annoyed at the little things lately. Just the everyday annoyances of living in a culture so different than my own. This is an entirely normal state of culture shock, or so I'm told. I'm in the one-month mark, so I suppose this is a normal place to be. I'm annoyed by the fact that I can't read the ingredients in anything I eat because it's all in Korean. (I used to think it's cool; now it's a hassle.) I'm annoyed by the fact that I get sneers and jeers on the subway because I am a white person. I am annoyed by the fact that I can't drink the water from the tap even though I am in a modern high-tech town. The list goes on. Tonight though, I come to you with the news that I am thrilled that I figured out how to work my new adapter/voltage plug so that I can charge my camera's battery. I haven't been able to do this in three weeks and it finally came (thanks, Mom!) It's the little things like that I take pleasure in. I shouldn't be so excited, but I really am. I'm excited that I can finally distinguish the six basic Korean vowels, even if I can't pronounce them. It's the little things people. Now I'm off to make a play list for what I hope will be my run tomorrow evening. I should be sleeping, it's after midnight, but I am awake because I slept later this morning. Good thing I don't have to be at work until 10! Woo!

"It's Under F, for Foreigner..."

says Hanna Teacher at our first Korean lesson Thursday night.

I don't know why I found this so funny, but it kind of sums up my life right now. File this one under F for Foreigner. And S for Stupid. No, just kidding about the last one.

I can't believe I've been in Korea for just over a month now. What happened to the time? It just flew away. Sure enough, there is a section in the Kilbo bookstore labeled F. That's where all the books printed in English are. No. Joke. I find this hilarious too. This is where I found my Korean for Starters book that I studied for over 2 hours today. Just basic consonants and vowels, nothing major, but wow this language is harder than I thought. My next lesson with the group is Tuesday. I'm beyond pumped.

I also had a foray out into the public on Thursday, and another one on Saturday. Thursday night after the Korean Lesson, I thought everyone was tired enough to go home and go to bed. I certainly was. But we ended up finding a cozy little joint in a new neighborhood to see the last twenty minutes of the Korea v. Argentina game (they lost) and be befriended by a local man who wouldn't stop buying beers. I was not in any mood to drink (having a cold and being exhausted) but that didn't stop anyone else. This man didn't speak any English, but that didn't stop him from mocking my decision not to drink. I'm pretty sure I was made fun of in a foreign language. Yup. Check that one off the life list. It was a pretty awkward experience had by all. I suppose I have many more of these to come as I stay in this foreign land for 11 more months. It's bound to happen sooner rather than later.

This week at work brought an interesting experience as well. A day known as picture day. One would think this would be relatively simple too. English teacher stands in the middle of the back row of two rows, 10 students line up in two lines, and the picture is snapped. Right? Wrong. These are one by one photos. Meaning, English teacher squats awkwardly next to one student as she pretends to read, and teacher pretends to help sound out words. No actual reading involved. And we took 20 minutes of class time to do this with 10 students. I haven't seen the photos yet, but I'm pretty sure I look pretty awkward in all of them. It's pretty amazing just how foreign this land can be sometimes.

Saturday night was Alex Teacher's birthday, so we all decided to go out semi-western style. Dinner at a pizza/pasta joint north of the river (which I prefer to south of the river I figured out) and drinks/socialization at a few western or semi-western establishments. One in Itawon (which is the foreign mecca I learned, the military base is there) so the first place we went to was a Canadian pub that had a World Cup game broadcast in ENGLISH! It was refreshing to hear for once.

Then we went to a louder place south of the river closer to where we live. I prefer to stay away from these joints. For one, you can still smoke in bars here, which makes it miserable for us nonsmokers. Second, they're incredibly loud, and while I don't do this scene much in the states, why would I start here? I mean, I'm glad I did do this for the experience and it was nice to see co-workers in a non-work atmosphere and socialize a little bit and blow off some crazy Korean workaholic steam, I don't think this will be a weekly occurrence. I've got to find some friends to pal around with in other ways that are more fun for ME.

Things I'm looking forward to this week:
1. My next Korean language class
2. Giving monthly tests in two classes makes it a relatively light teaching week because I only have to review the test material in those classes. Not so much prep.
3. No more phone interviews! (for another month, I suppose!)
4. Starting a new unit in both Kindergarten classes (means new songs! and new material!) Horray for teacher not being bored in class! Don't worry, I don't show it too badly!
5. Friday. Enough said. This place is crazy. I look forward to another weekend to myself to sight see around a bit.

Week Three Down

I know I should do an update to commemorate my third week in Korea, but honestly not much has changed. I still work long hours, I don't get out much. We found awesome Indian food near our apartment building and I had to turn in my lesson plans for my all day class five times before they told me they were OK. What kills me is the secrecy of this place. It's dawning on me more and more that English Hogwons are businesses more than schools, and that every decision made by upper management (AKA the Korean teachers/coordinators) is made from a business stand point rather than an educational one. What should be done in this situation is always answered with "What would make the parents happier so that they refer more students to our school?"

I think this was what was going on this week with my Kindergarten class. A parent called and said there was too much homework, so instead of OKing my HW plan like they did the week before (with three assignments per night) they revised it so that they only had to do two assignments per night. What they don't realize though is that HW affects the entire week's lesson plan, because whatever we do in class the kids copy for HW. So by chopping my HW plan to pieces, it causes me to rearrange my entire weekly lesson plan as well. Also, everything has to be done in the EXACT SAME ORDER as the day before. I thought I could get away with moving it around a little, especially after lunch, but NO. I'm growing bored of what I'm teaching and it's only the fourth week.

I'm the kind of person that needs reasons why I do things. This is the kind of place/school that doesn't like to give reasons. Just do this. OK. This will last for a while, and then they'll tell me to do this. It doesn't make a lot of sense. But I suppose then again it doesn't have to. Nothing is making a lot of sense lately. I suppose this is the culture shock talking. The Koreans want teacher's reports already, and while I've only known these students three weeks, I don't feel equipped to do reports on them without making something up out of thin air. Which I suppose all of the other teachers are doing just fine and don't have a problem with it. I just think too much and make everything more complicated. URG. Why do I have to be such a thinker? For Pete's Sake. Just do it. Don't ask questions.

I shouldn't complain though. I'm being compensated well, and I have little expenses. I can do anything for a year. The whole experience is making me realize that maybe I do want to move on and move up after this year. Maybe I do want to try my hand at teaching adults for a change. Maybe I want to go back to graduate school in a different field. I have no idea. It's intimidating when I think about it to think that I can do anything. Cost won't be a factor either.

I also need to work on taking that ONE class I need for Minnesota teaching certification. But if I'm not going to be teaching K-12, then I find it kind of pointless. But from an "I need a job" perspective when I get back to the states, it better happen. I better make it work.

I do want most of my experiences here to be not about work too. I want to find somethings to do that don't revolve around teaching children. While taking a walk around the lake this weekend was good, I need more than that. I need to go hiking in the mountains. I want to sign up for a Tae Kwon Do class and some language classes. The English teachers are talking about using their end-of-July vacation to go to Thailand, and I just might join them if my bank account gets set up in time to put my first month's salary in it.

Somethings have to change around here if I'm going to stay sane. That much I know. I'm fine. Really, I am. Just whining.

Greetings from South Korea!!!

Sorry it's been so long! I am finally what I think is settled in South Korea and absolutely LOVE IT so far. I haven't seen much of the city because I've been working crazy 12-hour days for the Koreans, but it's been a fun kind of work in getting to know everyone and everything and comparing it to how it is back home and trying not to judge too harshly. It's hard to believe I've been in Korea for a week already. Every now and then I'll have a moment where I go, "Holy cripes I'm in Korea!" and laugh really hard. Becuase it's so surreal still.

The city itself is really big, but you knew that. I fear this is going to be one of those "the buildings are big, the food is good" posts that the comedians make fun of when they talk about travelers because there is so much to say and I just don't quite know how to put it into words. I also fear that this is going to be a teaching-heavy post because that is honestly all I've done besides eat since I've been here. With the exception of this morning.

This morning I braved the subway system (which is actually really easy to figure out) to get to the other side of the city where the doctor's office was for my health checkup for my E2 visa validation. I went with the other new teacher (Jake-who was picked up at the airport at the same time as me and has been on this adventure with me from the beginning) and it took about three hours to wait, piss in a cup, draw blood, and take and x-ray of my chest. All while speaking broken English to me. It was pretty wierd.

The city itself is beautiful, and on my walk to school I walk through a nice park with the view of the mountains.

My teaching schedule is busy, and goes like this:

9:55-11:55 All day Kindergarten VENUS class--which I teach English speaking, reading, writing, math, science, art, and PE for three hours a day. I see these kids everyday, and they are so freakin' adorable. Time moves quickly because you spend no more than twenty minutes on any given activity. Not too challenging, just lots of giving stars and behavior modification like in Kindergarten in the States. These are the advanced kindergarteners in every way. They are older--6 in the U.S. but 7 in Korea because of some difference in how they celebrate birthdays which I havn't figured out yet. They come from wealthier families (they pay more for this class and all day care and school) and have English speaking parents at home that can help them with homework.

It is common for these kids to have an hour of homework a night, things like copying pages from English storybooks such as "I am a Caterpillar" and such. This really threw me for a loop. It's also common for the director to come in at anytime she sees fit and give the kids a good firm smack on the ass if they aren't listening to their English teacher. This really threw me too the first day. There are cameras in every classroom and the director sits and watches the monitor in her office and if she doesn't like what she sees she comes in and fixes it.

(Though she told me on my first day teaching that she has a lot of respect for me as a person with an education degree in America with teaching experience. She hasn't actually been in my classes that much at all and always tells me that she likes what she sees, so I guess I'm doing OK.)

Noon-1 I eat lunch. Lots of rice and veggies and soups. They eat A LOT of beef and pork here which I haven't yet braved--or don't think I care to. I told myself going in that was going to be an open minded person and try all sorts of cultural foods whether they had meat in them or not, and I'm sure I've had chunks of meat disguised as noodle in soups since I've been here so I'm not going to sweat it too much. Also, I think I'm going to learn to love spicy food. Everything is so spicy here. But interesting.

1:05-1:55 I meet with the the VENUS kindergarten kids for the last hour and finish out their day

Then the hogwon (after school) classes start.

I start these classes at 2 with another group of Kindergarten kids (but younger and not as developed in their English as the all day kids). I see these kids for an hour everyday and the routine is the same. We sing a song from their book (which they love and is so freakin' cute to watch) I do phonics flashcards with them and work on the storybook of the day and another workbook page if there is time. It's amazing how fast 55 minutes goes.

It's 3 pm and the older elementary students arrive and the kindergarteners leave for the day.

3-4 I have a group of 6 girls that would be in the second or third grade in America. They were a rowdy group of girls when I did my observation the first day. My director basically assigned them to me and said "see if you can calm them down a bit." LOL. No pressure there or anything. My first day teaching them ended and word has it those girls turned to the director and asked her if I had experience teaching and were really surprised that they couldn't get away with the shit they got away with in the other English teacher's class. Score one for Team Jennifer. They are one of my favorite classes so far because we can have actual conversations and they do enjoy learning. We're working on saying things like "I go to English class after school" and "On Saturday, I don't go to school" because we are on the schedule unit.

Discipline is really easy here, IMO. Give lots of stars and positive praise (the Koreans do the corporal stuff--it's actaully really disrespectful for an English teacher to raise her voice to a Korean student--but we can threaten them with the Bad List and a phone call home by the director and they straighten up right away.)

4-5 MWF I have a group of four kids that would be in the fourth grade in the US. I haven't started teaching them yet, because their current teacher has one more week here, but I've been observing this class and it's very similar to what I would do as a reading teacher here. They read a story from their textbook, (this week they are reading a very popular story in the US--Officer Buckle and Gloria, I thought that was funny) and answer questions. The director wants more competition in class. So while I am used to completing a worksheet collaboratively as a class with a group of students, she wants them to raise their hand and see if they can answer before anyone else. "They love the competition" she says. Different philosophy, it's not bad, just different is what I will keep reminding myself.

5-6 I have a prep hour and get my stuff ready for Kindergarten the next day.

6-7 MWF I have a sixth grade class of eight and they have a reading book and a listening book. They want me to mostly discuss vocabulary words and practice speaking with them, which is hard to do because the pre-adolescent phobia of public speaking has set in by this age. They are very self-conscious of how they sound speaking English, but can understand spoken English and read it very well.

And that's the end of my day. I am exhausted but feel accomplished for surviving the week.

Food here is good too. Meat is in everything, I'm starting to realize, but there are some things that you can get without it. First night I was here I went out with some of the Candadian teachers at the school and we went to a place where raw beef chunks were seared and grilled in the center of a circular table, which was bizarre. That's a really common thing to do in restaurants here.

Noodles with shrimp or fish is common, and I've been living off of kim-bop lately, which is a really cheap sushi roll with fresh veggies, tuna, rice, wrapped in seaweed. Yummy. I also had a bowl of noodles with squid in it for lunch one day, and the noodles were served in a cold broth. Strange, different, but really good.

There are lots of cafes with american and European sandwiches here too, and many grocery stores with western food. Haven't ventured to the grocery store yet, but that's Sunday's adventure.

I'm sure there are many more things I have to say. But that's it for now. Any questions? I really like Korea so far. More later!

P.S. Is there anything else you really want to know? I have lots of stories about the interactions between the Korean teachers and the English teachers, but I'll save that for another day. This is getting long! Can't wait to hear from you!

Do I sound like a stupid American yet? Comments and thoughts about the tone of this post and how you want to see these posts formmated are appreciated as well. There is so much to say about what's new, interesting, exciting, it's hard to take it all in let alone put it into writing. Let me know what you want to hear about!

Random things I know NOW

1. Koreans take an hour and a half for lunch. At least the ones at the Korean Consulate in Atlanta do. Seriously? NO ONE in the office at 1:20pm? How much effort does it take to process VISA paperwork anyway? When I finally did get there and turn in my paperwork, I get laughed at by the slight woman behind the glass after telling her it's my first time going to Korea. Nicely done. I guess I can expect a lot of this in the weeks to come. Also, they got my appointment wrong and I have to go back next Tuesday for my interview. Fabulous. Glad they have a whole week to check me out and make sure I'm not a criminal entering their country. Good grief.

2. I forgot how humid it was in the south. Seriously. The air just. sits. here. Moisture and all. Minneapolis has really spoiled me with its breezy and mild temperatures. I miss that. I miss being able to walk out to get my mail without sweating my face off.

3. It takes a freaking long time to go from Chicago to Atlanta. And I never want to do it in one day again. I suppose though, that it was worth it. Chicago is a really pretty city by the water, and BILLY ELLIOT was awesome to see at the Ford Theater for $25. Seriously, "limited view" seats are the way to go. They seat you fairly close to the front and side, and you really aren't that "limited" in what you see at all. Good deal.

Some things I know

1. My documents for my E2 teaching visa were sent out yesterday. Did you know it cost $72 dollars to send a light package via FEDEX to South Korea? That's not even the express! It will still take 6 days to get there. This shocked me, but at the same time, it's a huge load off my mind. Now I'm just waiting for my Visa Issuance Number so I can go forward with the process.

2. I have one more week at work. I've said most of my goodbyes already, and it's been really hard to leave. At the same time though, it's been really exciting and I'm looking forward to an opportunity for a fresh start.

3. Korean characters are really difficult to draw. I've been trying to teach myself basic Korean, and it's not going well. I'm hoping that it will become easier when I'm over there and I can actually use it and hear it in context, but until then I'm just going to keep watching video lessons on YouTube.

4. I haven't written anything of substance for a long time. As much as I wanted to get back into writing, and as much as I've told myself I'd keep going to writing groups, I just haven't done it. This frustrates me. I do have something I want to say, I just don't know how exactly to say it.

5. I hate packing. Although, I've been really good about keeping stuff down to a minimum this year. I realize that I've lived in three different residences in three years and every time I go to pack, it just makes me realize how silly all of my little stuff is. I already occupy enough of the planet with my space, I don't need a closet full of clothing I don't wear to go with it. I've made several trips to good will thus far, and I will make several more before I leave. I am still proud to announce that everything I own can be lifted and fit into my car, and I own a Mazda. That's impressive.

6. I will definitely keep posting from Korea. It has been asked several times from readers. I am confident I will have more interesting things to post about from another country. I'm not sure what tone it will take, but that will have to be determined when I get there. I know I'm in for some culture shock, so I'm sure I'll blog about that. I know I'm in for some food shocks, so I'll probably blog about that. As for anything else, we shall just wait and see. Surprises are good, no?

I just quit my part time gig!

I was really worried about this for a while, but in a totally honest email I lay out the facts of my schedule to my supervisor and she totally agreed, thanked me for my honesty, and welcomed be back anytime I wanted to pick up some extra hours. How awesome are these people? It just goes to show how much it pays to be honest with myself and others, I guess. Now I know what my limits are in terms of work. I feel like such a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I have tomorrow free, and I have the rest of February free to do what I wish with my weekends. Granted, the extra $$$ was nice, but totally not worth my sanity. I have enough to live on for the remainder of the school year, and that's all that is important. I also applied and got called back to a second interview with the Girl Scout Council up here for the summer, so that's exciting news. I need to get crackin' on my teach abroad application, because that's going to be my plan for fall. Go go gadget. Now I'm off to a totally awesome book release party for some totally awesome girls here.

Peace,

Recycled Art Girl

This is why January is not my month

Do you see what's happening in either of these photos? The snow that has been on the ground for three months already has started to melt. Only, it can't melt all the way because it doesn't get warm enough when the sun goes down. So the slush, for lack of better word, does what all slush knows how to do in below freezing temperatures. IT REFREEZES, causing an even bigger mess that was there before. Thank you slush, for wrecking havoc on my mental health, and that of my tires. I'm so ready for winter to be over.



Today, it happens to be raining. Yes, you heard me right. RAINING in JANUARY in MINNESOTA. It's gross. It sounds like a day to curl up with my laptop, a cup of tea, and NPR. Car Talk is on, as is This American Life, and that cooking show that I sometimes listen to. Oh, and I forgot my favorite, WAIT WAIT DON'T TELL ME!



Also, don't get me started on the HOPE FOR HAITI benefit telethon concert last night. My general feeling is this. If you celebrities care so much about Haiti, you are LOADED and can do something about it directly rather than gather together and sing a song for more recognition and fame you don't need. Yes, I understand that you are trying to gather money for a great cause. But really? You just want more screen time. You are all such hams. Why don't you go down there, and offer a hand yourself? I certainly would if finances allowed me to do that right now. But I guess not everyone is like that. Just my two cents. Also, the musical performances weren't that great. There, I said it.

Again, so ready for winter to be over. This week has been harder on me than any other because I've been sick, and have not left the house in four days, minus a few trips to the drug store for a re-stock of essential sickness supplies. I'm still draining fluid, but hopefully I will be back at work and resume all other activities on Monday. I registered for a few dance classes through community education this winter to break up the monotony, and I applied to Girl Scout camp up here. I had a phone interview this week and despite being ill, I still managed to be invited for a second interview. In the spirit of ending all posts on a positive note, I think I will sign off now. Feel free to comment, as always. Off to try to write some poetry for the OTHER BLOG.

Job Search Update

Organizations other than the school districts seem to be biting this week, as I have had two interviews at organizations and 2 more in the following days.

1. The first was at the FRASER SCHOOL for an infant room assistant teacher position. I'm excited about this one because it's full time and I would be a full employee of the school. I love the mission of this school. It's a full inclusion school and was founded by ONE woman with a special needs child wondering about the best environment to educate her child 60 years ago, before all of the research was done about children with special needs. The founder of this school was truly an innovator in the field, and it would be really neat to have a connection with this school from a career development perspective. I think I passed the section about infants too, as I didn't say any of the phrases in my previous posts. Awkward moments still abounded in this interview, because at the end of the question and answer period, the interviewers (two middle-aged women) asked me to read BROWN BEAR BROWN BEAR WHAT DO YOU SEE to them, aloud. They began acting like preschoolers, and I assume this was to gauge my reactions to the possible behaviors. Except, I wasn't just alone with the interviewers. I was in an office, with other people working in cubicles all around me. So here I am, making verbal commands to "keep your hands in your lap" and "keep your eyes on me" and walking around using PROXIMITY to control the behaviors of these middle-aged preschoolers with other folks watching. It was probably one of my most awkward interview moments I've ever had. But it was a second interview, so by then I should HOPE they already saw something they liked in my application materials and other questions. If not...I'll write it off as an experience (and material for future writings) and call it done.

2. Today, I had an interview at WAY TO GROW, for a family educator position. They wanted someone with literacy teaching experience in early childhood to serve as a school-readiness teacher in homes. They wanted someone with home visit experience. I talked about my experience as a tutor with Project for Pride in Living, I talked about my AmeriCorps experience, as well as my PCA experience with the Student Experience. I gave them what I had. I talked about my career goals, and they asked how long I planned on staying in a position if offered one. I said "as long as it took to build a solid relationship and finish what I've started." She laughed, and I finished with 5 to 10 years. What else was I supposed to say? It is a part-time job. I have no idea what I want to do with my life and skills. I talked a lot about professional development and how I am working to build the skills necessary to fit my employer's expectations. I talked about how dedicated to the mission I was. She finished with a question and answer session, and I asked some good questions, and she finished with a lecture about the next steps in the process, and I hope I am contacted for a second interview in the next two weeks. Or I will be calling back. All of these exciting opportunities lie at my finger tips.

3. In about an hour I have an interview for another part-time reading and writing tutor position with THE CITY, INC. I have no idea how their program works, but I know I do have tutoring experience. That much, I can tell them. I will update with further news as time goes on.

4. On Thursday (tomorrow) of this week, I will have an interview with THE WILDER FOUNDATION for a survey interviewer position in the St. Paul Public Schools. It runs September-December and I would be conducting assessments with students. It's definitely applicable for future reading teacher positions in schools, and would be valuable experience to have for future work.

That's all I have for now. Stay tuned for more at a later date...just getting it out there.

I seem to be posting weekly now

For no good reason at all...of course I could use the guise that I've been insanely busy trying to be the best I can be at work and at school, as well as at home, but really, I just haven't made the time for blogging. I'm not even quite sure where blogging fits into my life anymore. I've been watching movies for fun, not sitting down at the computer. I've been working out to relieve stress, not sitting down at the computer. Eventually, I would like to return to blogging and writing in general, but until then, until an inspiration hits, you lovely readers will have to deal with this mess of a blog to read. Random musings and quizzes and movie reviews when I feel like it. I did choose a new template, which I seem to do every month or so. I'm going to leave you now and go get some actual papers written and decide which assessments I am going to give for my case study this week. Oh, and probably do some reading in there. Feel free to leave comments on what you would like to see in this space, or just tell me to give it up, now! Happy Monday, and Happy Presidents Day. Enjoy the day off work, those who get one. And enjoy the day at work, those that are there.

I found employment...

Here, for now. It won't be fabulous and amazing, but maybe it will. It will give me the change to explore different teaching and learning settings and play around with different age groups, while giving me close to full time work. At the same time, I'm not excited to be subbing again. However, I'm not living at home, so it might be a little better than four years ago. At the same time, it's subbing, and it's exhausting. It's always having to be "on" all the time. It's always having to take a test when at a new school or center to make sure you have employment the days and weeks after you are there. The first month will be rough, but hopefully I'll get in with a center I like and be given steady employment for the rest of the year. I'm taking this slowly, one day at a time. One minute at at a time. I will be OK. I need help. I need a career counselor. I need a mommy. Good thing I'm going home. Hee hee.

I haven't called in 72 hours, and I'm not married....

...so by default, I must be dead.

Seriously, folks (and by folks, I do mean the parental units):

A word to the wise: I don't HAVE to call every SUNDAY to let you know I'm alive. I am a functioning, healthy, single woman living on my own more than 1,100 miles from my hometown. It goes without saying that I talked to you on Wednesday, therefore, I can go past Sunday without talking to you again. I have no news. I do not want to be REAMED on how I need a job and a mate.

Yes, it kinda sucks that a certain someone lost his first job. However, he will GET OVER IT. Coming from someone who has cared enough and lost oh, I don't know more than two jobs post-college, yes it hurts, but he will get over it. And maybe even learn something. I'm sorry I didn't call. Or maybe I'm not. Why do I have to be sorry. I'm living my own life. My own SINGLE life. That may be difficult for you to comprehend. But it's been workin' for me so far.

I don't need your money. I like that you care. But for God's sake (or maybe someone else's since you don't believe in Him) would it kill you to care on an interval that was less than 48 or even 72 hours long? I'm struggling to make it on my own here, and contrary to popular belief I CAN do it.

You just have to BELIEVE.

And HANG UP the phone.

Thank you.

Your adoring daughter,

RECYCLED ART GIRL

Thanks, Emmy!!!

I feel like this today, thanks to my job search. Strangely though, this is comforting...

The future. A scary thought, no?

I think I will be scoring for Pearson again, up here in the Twin Cities. I start my PCA gig on Thursday, and I take on the role of the other gravedigger in Shakespeare's Hamlet tomorrow. I really am going crazy, aren't I?

I have signed on to work three jobs starting next week. I'm going to go insane! It will be good for me. The discipline of having to be somewhere and do something again. When am I going to work out though? This leaves the EARLY MORNINGS only, and I hate exercising in the EARLY MORNINGS. Now that it's getting nice out, I might just go ahead and cancel my YWCA membership. Then again, it's only $20 a month. (I get the scholarship rate.) If I'm not using it though, how much further can that $20 a month go? Only time will tell. I'll give myself another week to decide.

Can you tell that I'm trying to be more financially responsible? I've always considered myself financially responsible. I do write down every purchase I make big or small, and a have only a little credit card debt to pay off. I worked my way through undergrad and let my scholarship pay my tuition, so I don't have any student loan debt to pay either. Somehow I'm getting the feeling though that I can let myself get real behind if I let it slide any more. I'm starting to STRESS!!!

I'm trying to figure out my next year's plan of action as well. It's looking like either become a full-time nanny here in the Twin Cities or move back home to Atlanta. I don't want to move back home. The financial security is nice (and alluring), yes, but the more I think about living under parental smotherage, the more I want to smother myself.

Maybe I'll take a teaching position somewhere. Like this school. I can do it! Maybe not. I'm so indecisive lately, and that scares me too. Every time I go apply to graduate school I want to smother myself as well. I get to the "Statement of Purpose" section on programs such as the University of Minnesota's Special Education Learning Disabilities program and I absolutely FREEZE. That's probably some kind of sign that says I should be applying to grad school right yet, right? Probably.

I've looked at all kinds of grad programs as well. Non-profit management, education, creative writing, public health, public service, even NURSING (my first major in college!) I can't justify the cost of going back to school just yet. I keep telling myself I just need to get more life experience. More years in the work force! Only time will tell. However, my education awards will expire soon enough! I'm so indecisive. Enough about my indecisiveness though.

This weekend was spent at the fifth grade Math Masters competition with some of my favorite Nellie Stone students, and researching some Life After AmeriCorps opportunities. Things will work out. I have faith. They will!