Last night our Spanish and French Clubs hosted an International Mixer. We invited all the exchange students from the area and bribed our kids to come with extra credit. There was quite the showing - 30 or so exchange students and maybe 80 of our students.
Aside from the obvious complaint of a 14-hour workday punctuated by watching children dirty dancing (and scolding them, of course. eeew. grinding.), it is a lot of fun. The kids have a great time. They meet people and tell me, "Wow, you weren't joking when you said there'd be cute foreign people here."
My personal highlight, though, occurred near the end. I was congratulating one of my Bangladeshi students on actually dancing at the dance (which he had previously said he would not do), when one of his international buddies from Pakistan walked up.
Boy: Are you a teacher?
Me: Yes.
Boy: Will you dance with me?
Me: No.
Boy: What??
Me: No.
Boy: Why not?
Me: Because I'm married and I don't dance with students.
Boy: It's just a dance!
Me: No.
Boy: Come on!
Me: No.
Boy: You break my heart.
Me: I will not dance with you. Why don't you ask one of those girls?
Boy: But I want to dance with you.
Me: But I said no.
Realizing this conversation could go on indefinitely, with my part of the script starting to be redundant, I walked away. My Bangladeshi student was laughing hysterically, of course. He claims he had nothing to do with it.
The next day, one of my other exchange students told me, "That boy was confused. We tried to tell him a teacher wouldn't dance with him, but he isn't used to girls telling him no."
A little dose of rejection is healthy for some people.
Friday, December 04, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Spanish Class Booker Awards
Stories written while I was out sick. They are translated for meaning, not accuracy (some of the words are wrong). :)
Un dia Brett juega en la clase de español y tiene hambre. Brett dice, "Mrs. Solan, hazme un bocadillo ahora." Mrs. Solan va a la cafetería y prepara un bocadillo en la cafeteria. En la clase de espanol los estudiantes van a la Chuck E Cheese. Mrs. Solan regresa a la clase y no hay estudiantes. Mrs. Solan dice "ay chihuahua. Yo necesito los estudiantes." Mrs Solan va la la chuck-E-Cheese y grita "Regresa a la clase ahora." Brett está en el agujero de bols y Mrs. Solan está muy furiosa. Brett agarra el bocadillo de Mrs. Solan y regresa a la clase de español. El Fin.
One day Brett plays in Spanish class and gets hungry. He says, "Mrs. Solan, make me a sandwich now." Mrs. Solan goes to the cafeteria and prepares a sandwich in the cafeteria. In Spanish class, the students go to Chuck E Cheese. Mrs. Solan returns to class and there aren't any students. Mrs. Solan says, "Ay chihuahua. I need the students." Mrs. Solan goes to Chuck-E-Cheese and yells, "Get back to class now." Brett is in the ball pit and Mrs. Solan is very furious. Brett grabs the sandwich from Mrs. Solan and returns to class. The end.
And choice exerpts from others:
El gato robato ataca humanos porque los cerebros son grandes. De repente, las baterías del gato robato mueren.
The robot cat attacks humans because their brains are big. Suddenly, the robot cat's batteries die.
Baillin Walling tiene dedos de salchica.
Baillin Walling has sausage fingers.
Hay una chica. Ella va al centro comerical con su cacahuate. Pero ellos viven en la selva. Cuando entran el centro comercial un mono ataca ellos y el mono come el cacahuate. Ay chihuahua. Ella va y compra un amigo nuevo. Ella compra un platano. Pero un mono ataca la chica y come el platano. El fin.
There is a girl. She goes to the mall with her peanut. But they live in the jungle. When they enter the mall, a monkey attacks them and the monkey eats the peanut. Oh bummer. She goes and buys a new friend. She buys a banana. But a monkey attacks the girl and eats the banana. The end.
El tiburon entra el centro comercial. El tiburon entra champs y compra los pantalones cortos. El tiburon va a la casa. La novia del tiburon dice, "no me gustan pantalones cortos. El tiburon dice no se. el tiburaon va a la cantina y bebe para olvidar sus problemas.
The shark enters the mall. The shark enters Champs and buys shorts. The shark goes home. His girlfriend says, "I don't like shorts." The shark says, "I don't know." The shark goes to the bar and drinks to forget his problems.
Un dia Brett juega en la clase de español y tiene hambre. Brett dice, "Mrs. Solan, hazme un bocadillo ahora." Mrs. Solan va a la cafetería y prepara un bocadillo en la cafeteria. En la clase de espanol los estudiantes van a la Chuck E Cheese. Mrs. Solan regresa a la clase y no hay estudiantes. Mrs. Solan dice "ay chihuahua. Yo necesito los estudiantes." Mrs Solan va la la chuck-E-Cheese y grita "Regresa a la clase ahora." Brett está en el agujero de bols y Mrs. Solan está muy furiosa. Brett agarra el bocadillo de Mrs. Solan y regresa a la clase de español. El Fin.
One day Brett plays in Spanish class and gets hungry. He says, "Mrs. Solan, make me a sandwich now." Mrs. Solan goes to the cafeteria and prepares a sandwich in the cafeteria. In Spanish class, the students go to Chuck E Cheese. Mrs. Solan returns to class and there aren't any students. Mrs. Solan says, "Ay chihuahua. I need the students." Mrs. Solan goes to Chuck-E-Cheese and yells, "Get back to class now." Brett is in the ball pit and Mrs. Solan is very furious. Brett grabs the sandwich from Mrs. Solan and returns to class. The end.
And choice exerpts from others:
El gato robato ataca humanos porque los cerebros son grandes. De repente, las baterías del gato robato mueren.
The robot cat attacks humans because their brains are big. Suddenly, the robot cat's batteries die.
Baillin Walling tiene dedos de salchica.
Baillin Walling has sausage fingers.
Hay una chica. Ella va al centro comerical con su cacahuate. Pero ellos viven en la selva. Cuando entran el centro comercial un mono ataca ellos y el mono come el cacahuate. Ay chihuahua. Ella va y compra un amigo nuevo. Ella compra un platano. Pero un mono ataca la chica y come el platano. El fin.
There is a girl. She goes to the mall with her peanut. But they live in the jungle. When they enter the mall, a monkey attacks them and the monkey eats the peanut. Oh bummer. She goes and buys a new friend. She buys a banana. But a monkey attacks the girl and eats the banana. The end.
El tiburon entra el centro comercial. El tiburon entra champs y compra los pantalones cortos. El tiburon va a la casa. La novia del tiburon dice, "no me gustan pantalones cortos. El tiburon dice no se. el tiburaon va a la cantina y bebe para olvidar sus problemas.
The shark enters the mall. The shark enters Champs and buys shorts. The shark goes home. His girlfriend says, "I don't like shorts." The shark says, "I don't know." The shark goes to the bar and drinks to forget his problems.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Top 10 Signs a Substitute is a Substidon't
1. The class average on an assignment jumped from 29% (with regular teacher present) to 86% (substitute present)
2. The two class troublemakers love him
3. Underneath the directions on the lesson plan, the sub wrote, "We didn't have anything to do in this period."
4. Chairs are strewn throughout the classroom
5. The vocab quiz the kids were supposed to take mysteriously disappeared
6. There are thirty extra vocab quizzes sitting on my desk
7. The most commonly used adjective students use to describe him is "Creeper"
8. "Is hot" has been added to the teacher's room nameplate
9. The word "GAY" was written across the whiteboard in red marker
10. There is a swastika in the corner of the whiteboard.
On an additional note, I have to figure out how to deal with a kid who made fun of my coworker's accent when she (kindly and without duress) took over my class so I could leave early. The kicker: there are 3 students in that period who are from other countries and have accents. Some people make me mad. Oh - and the other irony is that the mocker is black. Yeah. Let's put people down because they're different and they can't help it.
2. The two class troublemakers love him
3. Underneath the directions on the lesson plan, the sub wrote, "We didn't have anything to do in this period."
4. Chairs are strewn throughout the classroom
5. The vocab quiz the kids were supposed to take mysteriously disappeared
6. There are thirty extra vocab quizzes sitting on my desk
7. The most commonly used adjective students use to describe him is "Creeper"
8. "Is hot" has been added to the teacher's room nameplate
9. The word "GAY" was written across the whiteboard in red marker
10. There is a swastika in the corner of the whiteboard.
On an additional note, I have to figure out how to deal with a kid who made fun of my coworker's accent when she (kindly and without duress) took over my class so I could leave early. The kicker: there are 3 students in that period who are from other countries and have accents. Some people make me mad. Oh - and the other irony is that the mocker is black. Yeah. Let's put people down because they're different and they can't help it.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Fifty
Fifty Alternative and Appropriate Ways I Could Have Expressed Myself Better Than by Saying, "What the Hell?"
As turned in by Pablo today.
1. Wut?
2. Wut the google?
3. Wut the gout?
4. Wut did you say?
5. Wow
6. relly
7. why did you say that
8. critan
9. why me
10. thats cool
11. thats nice
12. I dint need to no that
13. how dos your mom feal about that?
14. shut the front door
15. rell mucher
16. good one
17. how did you no
18. I dint no that
19. thats not cool
20. why would you say that
21. thats stoker statis
22. I dint no you liked that
23. does you dad no
24. did you talk to my mom
25. how tells this liyes
26. how was your lunch
27. that angerd me
28. Im telling mom
29. Im telling dad
30. Ill git you back
31. holy stics
32. holy tost
33. holy goat
34. holy mother of mine
35. holy mike (boy in the class... last name deleted for privacy)
36. sond fun
37. you sond like sheep
38. you smell like sheep
39. are you a gout
40. how do you live with your self
41. look a goos
42. why mee
43. do you have to talk
44. I disagre
45. wut the dog
46. wut the can
47. wut the house
48. wut the school
49. wut the monster man
50. I'll google that
My personal favorites are #38 and #43. I'd also like to point out that this student can spell the word "would" correctly, but has trouble with... everything else. Can anyone figure out #s 8, 15, or 25?
As turned in by Pablo today.
1. Wut?
2. Wut the google?
3. Wut the gout?
4. Wut did you say?
5. Wow
6. relly
7. why did you say that
8. critan
9. why me
10. thats cool
11. thats nice
12. I dint need to no that
13. how dos your mom feal about that?
14. shut the front door
15. rell mucher
16. good one
17. how did you no
18. I dint no that
19. thats not cool
20. why would you say that
21. thats stoker statis
22. I dint no you liked that
23. does you dad no
24. did you talk to my mom
25. how tells this liyes
26. how was your lunch
27. that angerd me
28. Im telling mom
29. Im telling dad
30. Ill git you back
31. holy stics
32. holy tost
33. holy goat
34. holy mother of mine
35. holy mike (boy in the class... last name deleted for privacy)
36. sond fun
37. you sond like sheep
38. you smell like sheep
39. are you a gout
40. how do you live with your self
41. look a goos
42. why mee
43. do you have to talk
44. I disagre
45. wut the dog
46. wut the can
47. wut the house
48. wut the school
49. wut the monster man
50. I'll google that
My personal favorites are #38 and #43. I'd also like to point out that this student can spell the word "would" correctly, but has trouble with... everything else. Can anyone figure out #s 8, 15, or 25?
Thursday, September 03, 2009
School!
Three days down - one hundred and seventy-seven to go!
I look around my second year classes and think fuzzy thoughts about my students from last year. They are energetic and focused and well-trained. I've already broken their will and don't have to work too hard to manage them.
The first years are learning slowly. I appear all Sweetness and Light. Until you screw around.
I spent some time looking up some of my kids' disciplinary records. Holy cow - some of these kids were getting into Serious Trouble at a very young age (think snorting smashed hyros at school or bringing glass shards and threatening to cut someone until they're dead in 7th grade). Yikes.
In the meantime, there is much to get used to. High heels. Dress clothes. Performing the Mary Show 5 hours a day. Waking up at 6. You know, work.
On a completely unrelated note, I'm thinking about taking up Bog Snorkling. Anyone want to train with me?
I look around my second year classes and think fuzzy thoughts about my students from last year. They are energetic and focused and well-trained. I've already broken their will and don't have to work too hard to manage them.
The first years are learning slowly. I appear all Sweetness and Light. Until you screw around.
I spent some time looking up some of my kids' disciplinary records. Holy cow - some of these kids were getting into Serious Trouble at a very young age (think snorting smashed hyros at school or bringing glass shards and threatening to cut someone until they're dead in 7th grade). Yikes.
In the meantime, there is much to get used to. High heels. Dress clothes. Performing the Mary Show 5 hours a day. Waking up at 6. You know, work.
On a completely unrelated note, I'm thinking about taking up Bog Snorkling. Anyone want to train with me?
Friday, August 28, 2009
The Garden
Gardening proved to be an unexpected delight this summer - I wanted a hobby and found one that brought joy and awe and food all at the same time! Here are some pictures of my babies:
Nasturtiums taste like pepper, incidentally. Yes, those are jalapenos too - there are going to be a lot of them in about a week. Anyone want to come over for nachos?
P.S. School starts on Tuesday. Yipe!
Nasturtiums taste like pepper, incidentally. Yes, those are jalapenos too - there are going to be a lot of them in about a week. Anyone want to come over for nachos?
P.S. School starts on Tuesday. Yipe!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Polish in Me
I recently learned that my family is part Polish - it was one of those facts that everyone assumed I knew so they never actually mentioned it. Until this summer. When someone told a rude Polish joke to my cousin and she responded, "Um, I'm Polish," and stalked away pretending to be angry in order to leave the unfortunate jokster in a state of shame. My mom related this story to me and was shocked when I asked her if I was Polish too.
I've decided that it would improve my life greatly to practice partying like the Polish. Last Saturday, my dear cousin married a Polish girl. The wedding festivities were wild. There was a Traditional Polish-Catholic wedding mass, complete with a reading from the apocrypha (in Polish... I'm not sure what Tobit is about, and I keep forgetting to reread it) and a presentation of roses to Mary (the Virgin, that is). After the ceremony commenced much merrymaking in the form of a plethora of vodka. Lots of vodka. The bride and groom were presented with a loaf of bread (symbolizing God) and salt (symbolizing prosperity), which they had to eat. They washed it down with a shot of clear liquid - another tradition: whoever gets the one with vodka wears the pants in the family. The other is filled with water. Then lots of dancing and speeches in both languages. More dancing. Shouting at the couple to kiss. Singing the traditional toast. It was awesome.
So, large quantities of vodka aside, my new goal is to dance more and shout joyfully for people to kiss. I'll let you know how it goes.
I've decided that it would improve my life greatly to practice partying like the Polish. Last Saturday, my dear cousin married a Polish girl. The wedding festivities were wild. There was a Traditional Polish-Catholic wedding mass, complete with a reading from the apocrypha (in Polish... I'm not sure what Tobit is about, and I keep forgetting to reread it) and a presentation of roses to Mary (the Virgin, that is). After the ceremony commenced much merrymaking in the form of a plethora of vodka. Lots of vodka. The bride and groom were presented with a loaf of bread (symbolizing God) and salt (symbolizing prosperity), which they had to eat. They washed it down with a shot of clear liquid - another tradition: whoever gets the one with vodka wears the pants in the family. The other is filled with water. Then lots of dancing and speeches in both languages. More dancing. Shouting at the couple to kiss. Singing the traditional toast. It was awesome.
So, large quantities of vodka aside, my new goal is to dance more and shout joyfully for people to kiss. I'll let you know how it goes.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Summer, part 1
Well, we're on day 31 of summer. It doesn't feel like it's been that long at all. David and I recently returned from a 3-week vacation with my mom - first to the North Woods of Wisconsin for lakes and woods, hiking, biking, and small woodland creatures; then to Chicago for a day (Harry Potter Exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry, anyone?); then finally to the Lake.
The funny moments:
We tried to see the Chicago fireworks, but the city magazine gave the wrong time. Like, seriously wrong. We arrived when it was over.
One evening we went out to row a boat around, but the mosquitos were so aggressive and numerous, we made a very funny picture for my cousins, shrieking and slapping and spinning in circles.
Watching a mink family fight over a freshly-caught fish while rowing around the island in a wooden rowboat built for a 5 year-old ( a perfect fit for me, actually).
We were plagued with unseasonable weather for most of the three weeks. It was fairly cold and very rainy. We braved some hikes and bike rides anyway, but it made for a surreal summer break overall. Swimming is one of my favorite things to do at the lake, and it was much too cold for me to do anything but jump in and climb out immediately.
There was a lot of time for thinking, though. I thought a lot about my family - the lake has been an enormous part of my family history for four generations. My great-grandparents met there. My grandfather and father spent all summer, every summer there. My strongest and fondest memories of my grandparents and dad are at the lake. For many of those rainy afternoons, I was remembering. My grandma let me help knead bread dough with her in the kitchen, and she and I "fished" for nails off the dock with a magnet on a string (the construction workers are careless with nails, and there were many small children crawling around). She told me a story about one of her cousins slipping on a freshly-waxed floor on her hiney, and I thought she would suffocate with laughter - she laughed so hard I very seriously thought she was going to die (I was maybe 10).
And my grandfather has such a legacy up there that the folks at church talk to us just because we're related. He loved that place - I hope, for his sake, that heaven is very similar.
And my dad. Sailing, playing the cello on the boathouse roof, playing diving games with me for hours, and taking us for long boat rides up the lake. It was the happiest I remember him.
And when we leave, it's like having to say goodbye again.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Teacher Appreciation Week
Appreciate the teachers you know.
It's likely they've been given crap or a pink slip recently, and could use a thank you.
I got two cards today. They were both very sweet, and one of them even had my name spelled Mrs. Slogan. She's been my student for two years. It made me giggle, and I'll probably keep it for a long time because it makes me laugh.
It's likely they've been given crap or a pink slip recently, and could use a thank you.
I got two cards today. They were both very sweet, and one of them even had my name spelled Mrs. Slogan. She's been my student for two years. It made me giggle, and I'll probably keep it for a long time because it makes me laugh.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Almost May
I know I've been remiss in my blogging. Our vacation was fantastic - all day every day with the man I adore and this quality time in the sunshine no less... sigh. Oh for those days.
We've had three weeks of nonstop fun, including two WASLs, three somewhat grumpy parents (Yes, Mrs. So-and-so, you child may make up those points and knows how. I don't know why he didn't tell you himself.), and a lot of crap I need to grade before 9 a.m. on Monday. Too bad I forgot it at school.
There has been quite a bit of stress on the home front, the result of which is sleepless nights and a mean old cold virus. But after a little tense bit with David, in which outside stress was seeping in to our coupledom, we remembered to talk to Jesus and subsequently I feel constantly gushy about my life partner and try to tell him so in as many ways as I can think of. That was a long sentence. Good job! You got through it!
There are two big things I am excited for (three if you count the end of school coming up in 37 school days). Excitement 1: David and I were gifted a certificate to a night at a local hotel. We are going to enjoy a mini-vacation this very night! We're having dinner with a couple we really really like, playing a game or two with them, and hopefully then playing a game or two by ourselves. It should be awesometimes.
Excitement 2: I've decided to try gardening. Yeeps! I've never grown anything before in my life, so this is scary and exciting. I've done quite a bit of research (because I = nerd + teacher), and hope things actually grow. I still have doubts. But I planted my cool crops today - two kinds of lettuce, sugar snap peas, carrots, green onions, and dill. I also started lavender, strawberries, oregano, and basil (which has started coming up).
Meanwhile, it's time to start gussying for my big date tonight. Over and out.
We've had three weeks of nonstop fun, including two WASLs, three somewhat grumpy parents (Yes, Mrs. So-and-so, you child may make up those points and knows how. I don't know why he didn't tell you himself.), and a lot of crap I need to grade before 9 a.m. on Monday. Too bad I forgot it at school.
There has been quite a bit of stress on the home front, the result of which is sleepless nights and a mean old cold virus. But after a little tense bit with David, in which outside stress was seeping in to our coupledom, we remembered to talk to Jesus and subsequently I feel constantly gushy about my life partner and try to tell him so in as many ways as I can think of. That was a long sentence. Good job! You got through it!
There are two big things I am excited for (three if you count the end of school coming up in 37 school days). Excitement 1: David and I were gifted a certificate to a night at a local hotel. We are going to enjoy a mini-vacation this very night! We're having dinner with a couple we really really like, playing a game or two with them, and hopefully then playing a game or two by ourselves. It should be awesometimes.
Excitement 2: I've decided to try gardening. Yeeps! I've never grown anything before in my life, so this is scary and exciting. I've done quite a bit of research (because I = nerd + teacher), and hope things actually grow. I still have doubts. But I planted my cool crops today - two kinds of lettuce, sugar snap peas, carrots, green onions, and dill. I also started lavender, strawberries, oregano, and basil (which has started coming up).
Meanwhile, it's time to start gussying for my big date tonight. Over and out.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
I definitely signed in to type a blog with something specific in mind.
The topic fled my overworked brain. Sorry.
Meanwhile, David bought me a new bike and is putting it together right now. He's so good to me.
T-Minus 9 days until Cancun.
I remember! I read a really amazing book last week. A coworker lent me The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, and I read it in four days despite general business of teaching life. Memorable characters, hilarious and heartwrenching takes about a Dominican family, and brand new Spanish cuss words. I loved the family and every last member drove me crazy. I loved the snippets of history written throughout in a highly entertaining manner. I loved the Spanish phrases scattered throughout.
If you are a particularly sensitive reader, you may object to the cussing and occasional vulgarity (although it did add a great deal to character development).
The topic fled my overworked brain. Sorry.
Meanwhile, David bought me a new bike and is putting it together right now. He's so good to me.
T-Minus 9 days until Cancun.
I remember! I read a really amazing book last week. A coworker lent me The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, and I read it in four days despite general business of teaching life. Memorable characters, hilarious and heartwrenching takes about a Dominican family, and brand new Spanish cuss words. I loved the family and every last member drove me crazy. I loved the snippets of history written throughout in a highly entertaining manner. I loved the Spanish phrases scattered throughout.
If you are a particularly sensitive reader, you may object to the cussing and occasional vulgarity (although it did add a great deal to character development).
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Classroom Quotes
My kiddos say funny things sometimes. Here are my favorites:
"I'm psychedelic... no wait... dyslexic."
"What's the first answer (to the test). I mean, seriously."
"Use your pelirrojo powers!" (pelirrojo = redhead)
"How do you say methamphetamine in Spanish?"
"You should be biased. That's not cool!" (re grading assignments)
"I'm not mean! I'm nothing but Jesus to you!"
"I need a license because I'm flying a rotflicopter"
"You'll have to take your shirt off for me to hear you." (teacher to another teacher at lunchtime)
"I'm psychedelic... no wait... dyslexic."
"What's the first answer (to the test). I mean, seriously."
"Use your pelirrojo powers!" (pelirrojo = redhead)
"How do you say methamphetamine in Spanish?"
"You should be biased. That's not cool!" (re grading assignments)
"I'm not mean! I'm nothing but Jesus to you!"
"I need a license because I'm flying a rotflicopter"
"You'll have to take your shirt off for me to hear you." (teacher to another teacher at lunchtime)
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Birthday!
It was just the sort of birthday a girl needs after a long week slaving away at work. At school, my coworkers sent students to my classroom with miscellaneous toys, classroom kitsch, and car survival kit necessities. The students interrupted my class every 4-10 minutes all day with birthday wishes. It made the lesson go slow, but it made me feel good.
I went to Old Navy and bought summer clothes for our spring break trip to Mexico in exactly 1 month.
David planned a super-fun party complete with pizza, root beer, games and friends. It was great.
Highlight: At 5:25 a.m. David rolled over and sang a sleepy happy birthday. He's sweet.
P.S. am feeling better about Japan prospects. We'll hear back in April. I'll let you know.
I went to Old Navy and bought summer clothes for our spring break trip to Mexico in exactly 1 month.
David planned a super-fun party complete with pizza, root beer, games and friends. It was great.
Highlight: At 5:25 a.m. David rolled over and sang a sleepy happy birthday. He's sweet.
P.S. am feeling better about Japan prospects. We'll hear back in April. I'll let you know.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Interview
David and I had our interviews today for teaching in Japan. Both of us have been nervous about it for weeks - it's great that we made it to the next step, but interviews are scary.
I woke up at 4 am, my heart racing, after an interview dream. Definitely unable to fall back asleep.
The actual interview... it's hard to say. Overall, I would give it a 6 out of 10. Maybe a 7. I'm more used to teaching interviews - the panel is easy to read, and you know when you've said something right. I felt totally lost - I could read anyone's expression and two out of the three seemed harsh and stoic. They painted a really bleak picture of what our life could look like next year.
What if your job asks you to work long hours, but David's doesn't. You have to work a lot and don't see him very much. Is that ok with you?
How will you react when he gets an invitation for a weekend away and you do not? Or vice versa? Would you accept an invitation to a wedding if he was not invited?
If you are chosen to participate you will be lonely
Will you be satisfied if you are the only foreigners in your town, it is dark and cold, you are lonely all the time, and, did we mention you'll be lonely?
Ok, that last one is a slight exaggeration. but they did emphasize the loneliness.
So I came home feeling very doubtful about the whole idea.
And All I Wanted To Do was talk to someone, but the couch ate my cell phone. So I burst into tears and wrote a blog instead.
I'm hoping by tomorrow my perspective will have evened out.
I woke up at 4 am, my heart racing, after an interview dream. Definitely unable to fall back asleep.
The actual interview... it's hard to say. Overall, I would give it a 6 out of 10. Maybe a 7. I'm more used to teaching interviews - the panel is easy to read, and you know when you've said something right. I felt totally lost - I could read anyone's expression and two out of the three seemed harsh and stoic. They painted a really bleak picture of what our life could look like next year.
What if your job asks you to work long hours, but David's doesn't. You have to work a lot and don't see him very much. Is that ok with you?
How will you react when he gets an invitation for a weekend away and you do not? Or vice versa? Would you accept an invitation to a wedding if he was not invited?
If you are chosen to participate you will be lonely
Will you be satisfied if you are the only foreigners in your town, it is dark and cold, you are lonely all the time, and, did we mention you'll be lonely?
Ok, that last one is a slight exaggeration. but they did emphasize the loneliness.
So I came home feeling very doubtful about the whole idea.
And All I Wanted To Do was talk to someone, but the couch ate my cell phone. So I burst into tears and wrote a blog instead.
I'm hoping by tomorrow my perspective will have evened out.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Lady Doctors and Mood Swings
I went to my yearly Lady Doctor appointment this week. It was everything I imagined and more, and I don't mean happy things. Male readers, ye be warned. This is a girl post.
She was a very nice lady - stoutish and wearing a red corduroy dress. She chatted about traveling and foreign films while feeling me up, and I wondered how many times a day she chats about those topics, over and over again, trying to set her patients at ease.
Easily the highlight was when she put on her cute orange latex glove, squirted a big ole dollop of KY, and turned her finger toward me. Waving the finger at me, she said in a finger voice, "Hi, Mary. I'm all jellied up, I'm cold, and I'm comin' in!"
Seriously.
I also appreciated, "I just want you to know that I am here for all your contraceptive needs." Well thanks, doc. Part of those contraceptive needs included a birth control switch, which immediately messed me up. Bad. I've gone from deliriously happy to hopelessly depressed within 20 minutes. Gah! Hormones.
She was a very nice lady - stoutish and wearing a red corduroy dress. She chatted about traveling and foreign films while feeling me up, and I wondered how many times a day she chats about those topics, over and over again, trying to set her patients at ease.
Easily the highlight was when she put on her cute orange latex glove, squirted a big ole dollop of KY, and turned her finger toward me. Waving the finger at me, she said in a finger voice, "Hi, Mary. I'm all jellied up, I'm cold, and I'm comin' in!"
Seriously.
I also appreciated, "I just want you to know that I am here for all your contraceptive needs." Well thanks, doc. Part of those contraceptive needs included a birth control switch, which immediately messed me up. Bad. I've gone from deliriously happy to hopelessly depressed within 20 minutes. Gah! Hormones.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Happy Superbowl Sunday!
Football is the third most boring TV experiences in the world. The first is golf, the second business/financial news. All three boring experiences are, coincidentally, always being broadcast simultaneously on the gym televisions. As my students say (the letters - not what they stand for or they have consequences), WTF? Even Billy Mays would be more interesting than this!
Aside from that tangent, today is the Superbowl, which makes me excited about $3million commercials and snacks, but for totally different reasons. I've been reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, and I'm pretty sure I could come up with more efficient uses of millions upon millions of dollars. Uses that include feeding hungry people, providing clean water, and vaccinating small children. Uses that do not include making a 30 second commercial. That's $100,000 per second. Just for the ads. If I start thinking about other endorsements, player salaries, stadium upkeep, etc. I just get pissed off.
Now that I started thinking about poverty, I don't really want to talk about snacks anymore. I'm going to make BBQ meatballs. I've never made meatballs before, but they seem like a pound or so of Squishy Good Times.
Aside from that tangent, today is the Superbowl, which makes me excited about $3million commercials and snacks, but for totally different reasons. I've been reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, and I'm pretty sure I could come up with more efficient uses of millions upon millions of dollars. Uses that include feeding hungry people, providing clean water, and vaccinating small children. Uses that do not include making a 30 second commercial. That's $100,000 per second. Just for the ads. If I start thinking about other endorsements, player salaries, stadium upkeep, etc. I just get pissed off.
Now that I started thinking about poverty, I don't really want to talk about snacks anymore. I'm going to make BBQ meatballs. I've never made meatballs before, but they seem like a pound or so of Squishy Good Times.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
January
I apparently decided to stop blogging in January. Sorry. But now that the end is in sight, I can emerge from my non-communicative cocoon.
I've always hated January - I think I am only now, on the 29th, starting to feel like a person again. Living in a frigid, dark ice-cube is not how we were created to live - I mean Adam and Eve were made nekkid. But now it's starting to be light when I drive home most days! Sunday is February! One month closer to May!
Work has been... uninspiring until about yesterday. Yesterday, my classes were laughing and focused, on-task, and enjoying Spanish. It was awesome. Before that I learned a couple things about the Hidden Rules of the Classroom. Rule #1: If, during a verbal exercise in which you are supposed to be telling your classmates about a family member in Spanish, you say, "She has these enormous tits!" with hand gestures, you will not remain in my classroom. Rule #2: If you have a native speaker do your homework and he accidentally leaves one of his world history assignments in there with matching hand writing, I will notice and will no longer allow you to turn in late assignments.
Oh these kids.
David and I are planning a trip to Mexico for spring break, and that trip has acted as motivation for gym trips, getting out of bed, and not trying to cuss out the thermometer for reading 19 when I think it should be 91.
That's all I can think of. I'll try to be better about updates.
I've always hated January - I think I am only now, on the 29th, starting to feel like a person again. Living in a frigid, dark ice-cube is not how we were created to live - I mean Adam and Eve were made nekkid. But now it's starting to be light when I drive home most days! Sunday is February! One month closer to May!
Work has been... uninspiring until about yesterday. Yesterday, my classes were laughing and focused, on-task, and enjoying Spanish. It was awesome. Before that I learned a couple things about the Hidden Rules of the Classroom. Rule #1: If, during a verbal exercise in which you are supposed to be telling your classmates about a family member in Spanish, you say, "She has these enormous tits!" with hand gestures, you will not remain in my classroom. Rule #2: If you have a native speaker do your homework and he accidentally leaves one of his world history assignments in there with matching hand writing, I will notice and will no longer allow you to turn in late assignments.
Oh these kids.
David and I are planning a trip to Mexico for spring break, and that trip has acted as motivation for gym trips, getting out of bed, and not trying to cuss out the thermometer for reading 19 when I think it should be 91.
That's all I can think of. I'll try to be better about updates.
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