Back to School

Well, I didn't mean to stop writing for two weeks, but life's been busy and lacking in internet availability. However, now that it's the weekend, the new apartment is set up (and newly cleaned), all crises seem to have resolved themselves and the teaching adventure has begun, I'd say it's time to get writing.

Grown-up life (a.k.a. "the real world") got off to a rocky start, though it's evening out now. I have decided I intensely dislike the DMV (MVC here) and it's fastidious rules that have caused me endless inconveniences, expenses and anxiety in the course of just a week. Everything's basically been resolved now, but I still need to wait several more days before I can plate and actually USE my car. On the up side though, I'm loving the almost ridiculous picturesque-ness of this place and all that goes with it. This morning, I went for a run in the cool crisp fall air, and as I was finishing my loop, through the center of town, I saw all these people out for coffee, a pastry and the Sunday morning paper at all the local coffee shops and bakeries, or sitting on their front stoops with neighbors. Though I couldn't help but gag, I also enjoy that this is the kind of place where we do those sorts of things.

The start of student-teaching, thankfully, was much smoother than arriving back to NJ. Already, after only a couple days actually going into the school, I feel myself settling into the routine and rhythm of work life and everything I'm juggling (full-time student teaching, a side job, a class, and a personal life?) and it feels good. The high school I'm at is enormous and I'm sure I'll get lost at least once, but since it's divided into themed smaller learning communities, getting to know my work environment and the students that are a part of it seems less daunting. Nonetheless, knowing I'll actually be teaching in a little over a week is still pretty intimidating. It's funny how life works out - somehow 3 out of my 4 close friends from college are all teaching also. As though the fact that we're no longer really students weren't enough to process, we're also each in charge of students!?! Just yesterday, three of us sat around for well over an hour talking about our experience thus far, and how our "inner city" students weren't nearly as bad as everyone led us to believe they'd be. It's not going to be easy, but it's safe to say I don't think my situation deserves even half the raised eyebrows and wide-eyed stares of disbelief I got every time I told someone (from family members to complete strangers) what I was going to be doing after graduation. And of course, it helps that I've got plenty of people to sit back and debrief with about the experience!

Well, I'd better get to the work I have to do for this week. Until next time!