I just got this email from my dad:
"Can you email Alise? [My 13-year-old sister, in 8th grade] She is wondering why Social Studies is even necessary to study and breathes 'I hate it' under her breath."
Haha, so do I reform her or shun her?
:) just kidding.
Friday, January 16, 2009
don't tell Joe McCarthy
I'm going to China in a little less than a month to visit my trainer and first two converts from my mission. I'm getting pretty excited about my first visit to a communist country. My favorite parts about the State Department's description of China (make sure you read the one about crowds who gather to pose as a jury after "incidents"):
*Political power remains centralized in the Chinese Communist Party.
*Visitors are expected to register with the police within 24 hours of arrival in China. Americans planning on staying in private homes with family or friends must go to their local police station to register. (I didn't know that until just now. Thanks DOS.)
*American citizens should be aware that, in some areas, natural gas is not scented to warn occupants of gas leaks or concentrations. In addition, heaters may not always be well vented, thereby allowing excess carbon monoxide to build up in living spaces. Due to fatal accidents involving American citizens, travelers are advised to ensure all gas appliances are properly vented or to install gas and carbon monoxide detectors in their residences. These devices are not widely available in China and should be purchased prior to arrival.
*Security personnel may at times place foreign visitors under surveillance. Hotel rooms, telephones, and fax machines may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms, including computers, may be searched without the consent or knowledge of the traveler.
*Business disputes in China are not always handled through the courts. Sometimes the foreign partner has been held hostage, threatened with violence, or beaten up.
*Pickpockets target tourists at sightseeing destinations, open-air markets, airports, and in stores, often with the complicity of low-paid security guards.
*Arguments with taxi drivers over fares or over choice of route usually are not easily resolved on the scene. In some cases, Americans who instigate such arguments have been detained for questioning and have not been released until the fare is paid or a settlement is reached and the American offers an apology.
*Relationship fraud via the Internet is also a growing industry. While many Chinese citizens are sincere in their desire to marry and live with Americans they meet over the Internet, some are not. It is important to remember that immigrant visas to the United States are viewed by many Chinese as having a great deal of value, and it is not uncommon for people to enter into relationships for the sole purpose of obtaining a visa. Unfortunately, the Embassy is unable to carry out investigations of relationships of this sort, but all Americans are urged to approach such Internet relationships with caution, and to be wary of situations which appear similar to that described above. (And to think I had hopes of some agency to be responsible for investigating the legitimacy of my relationships...)
*China has a system similar to "911" in the United States which the Chinese can use to contact police or other emergency services. Americans can call 110 while in China to reach this service; however, there are few to no English speakers working for this hotline.
*Ambulances do not carry sophisticated medical equipment. Injured or seriously ill Americans may be required to take taxis or other immediately available vehicles to the nearest major hospital rather than waiting for ambulances to arrive. Rural clinics are often reluctant to accept responsibility for treating foreigners, even in emergency situations.
*Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in China. (I guess I'll have to get tested when I get home...I guess I should, since I never did when I got home from Australia. I wonder why my stake pres never got after me for that.)
*There have been increasing numbers of foreigners coming to China to receive procedures prohibited in the United States relating specifically to stem-cell research. Any person contemplating these treatments should be fully aware of the risks of such procedures. The treatments can be dangerous and untested. The results are not guaranteed. In many instances, patients going for treatment develop secondary infections that cannot be handled by these facilities. They are transferred to hospitals for treatment and are responsible for all additional costs, including repatriation back to the United States. In some cases, these treatments have resulted in death.
*The rate of traffic accidents in China, including fatal accidents, is among the highest in the world. Driving etiquette in China is still developing. As a result, traffic is often chaotic, and right-of-way and other courtesies are often ignored. Travelers should note that cars and buses traveling in the wrong lanes frequently hit pedestrians and bicyclists.
*The number of American citizens involved in serious and deadly traffic accidents in Beijing is increasing.
This one is probably my favorite:
*Most incidents (such as an accident) will draw a crowd. Drivers should remain calm. A crowd will usually move in very close to the accident and participants. In many cases the bystanders consider themselves to be an ad hoc jury. They may call for money, usually from RMB 100 to 1,000, to be paid by the party they consider at fault. The amount is not necessarily relevant to the amount of damage. A certain amount of bargaining is normal, even at accidents involving two Chinese parties. If a traffic police booth is nearby, you may wish to leave the vehicle and walk there to await the arrival of the police accident team [to hide from the crowd]. Alternatively, you may walk to a shop, restaurant, or other location nearby in the immediate vicinity and wait for police.Your vehicle should not leave the scene of an accident. Your actions may serve to further incite the crowd if they perceive that you are fleeing to evade responsibility for your share of blame or payment of damages. The crowd may attempt to keep your vehicle at the accident scene by standing in the way or blocking the roadway with vehicles, bicycles and other objects.
*Chinese customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from China of items such as antiquities, banned publications, religious literature (which may be imported for the visitor’s personal use only) [I knew this by word of mouth but it's interesting to read it in print]
*Non-American foreigners have been executed for drug offenses.
*Several Americans have been detained and expelled for passing out non-authorized Christian literature. Sentences for distributing this material may range from three to five years' imprisonment. (I'll leave my treasured pass-along cards at home.)
*Political power remains centralized in the Chinese Communist Party.
*Visitors are expected to register with the police within 24 hours of arrival in China. Americans planning on staying in private homes with family or friends must go to their local police station to register. (I didn't know that until just now. Thanks DOS.)
*American citizens should be aware that, in some areas, natural gas is not scented to warn occupants of gas leaks or concentrations. In addition, heaters may not always be well vented, thereby allowing excess carbon monoxide to build up in living spaces. Due to fatal accidents involving American citizens, travelers are advised to ensure all gas appliances are properly vented or to install gas and carbon monoxide detectors in their residences. These devices are not widely available in China and should be purchased prior to arrival.
*Security personnel may at times place foreign visitors under surveillance. Hotel rooms, telephones, and fax machines may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms, including computers, may be searched without the consent or knowledge of the traveler.
*Business disputes in China are not always handled through the courts. Sometimes the foreign partner has been held hostage, threatened with violence, or beaten up.
*Pickpockets target tourists at sightseeing destinations, open-air markets, airports, and in stores, often with the complicity of low-paid security guards.
*Arguments with taxi drivers over fares or over choice of route usually are not easily resolved on the scene. In some cases, Americans who instigate such arguments have been detained for questioning and have not been released until the fare is paid or a settlement is reached and the American offers an apology.
*Relationship fraud via the Internet is also a growing industry. While many Chinese citizens are sincere in their desire to marry and live with Americans they meet over the Internet, some are not. It is important to remember that immigrant visas to the United States are viewed by many Chinese as having a great deal of value, and it is not uncommon for people to enter into relationships for the sole purpose of obtaining a visa. Unfortunately, the Embassy is unable to carry out investigations of relationships of this sort, but all Americans are urged to approach such Internet relationships with caution, and to be wary of situations which appear similar to that described above. (And to think I had hopes of some agency to be responsible for investigating the legitimacy of my relationships...)
*China has a system similar to "911" in the United States which the Chinese can use to contact police or other emergency services. Americans can call 110 while in China to reach this service; however, there are few to no English speakers working for this hotline.
*Ambulances do not carry sophisticated medical equipment. Injured or seriously ill Americans may be required to take taxis or other immediately available vehicles to the nearest major hospital rather than waiting for ambulances to arrive. Rural clinics are often reluctant to accept responsibility for treating foreigners, even in emergency situations.
*Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in China. (I guess I'll have to get tested when I get home...I guess I should, since I never did when I got home from Australia. I wonder why my stake pres never got after me for that.)
*There have been increasing numbers of foreigners coming to China to receive procedures prohibited in the United States relating specifically to stem-cell research. Any person contemplating these treatments should be fully aware of the risks of such procedures. The treatments can be dangerous and untested. The results are not guaranteed. In many instances, patients going for treatment develop secondary infections that cannot be handled by these facilities. They are transferred to hospitals for treatment and are responsible for all additional costs, including repatriation back to the United States. In some cases, these treatments have resulted in death.
*The rate of traffic accidents in China, including fatal accidents, is among the highest in the world. Driving etiquette in China is still developing. As a result, traffic is often chaotic, and right-of-way and other courtesies are often ignored. Travelers should note that cars and buses traveling in the wrong lanes frequently hit pedestrians and bicyclists.
*The number of American citizens involved in serious and deadly traffic accidents in Beijing is increasing.
This one is probably my favorite:
*Most incidents (such as an accident) will draw a crowd. Drivers should remain calm. A crowd will usually move in very close to the accident and participants. In many cases the bystanders consider themselves to be an ad hoc jury. They may call for money, usually from RMB 100 to 1,000, to be paid by the party they consider at fault. The amount is not necessarily relevant to the amount of damage. A certain amount of bargaining is normal, even at accidents involving two Chinese parties. If a traffic police booth is nearby, you may wish to leave the vehicle and walk there to await the arrival of the police accident team [to hide from the crowd]. Alternatively, you may walk to a shop, restaurant, or other location nearby in the immediate vicinity and wait for police.Your vehicle should not leave the scene of an accident. Your actions may serve to further incite the crowd if they perceive that you are fleeing to evade responsibility for your share of blame or payment of damages. The crowd may attempt to keep your vehicle at the accident scene by standing in the way or blocking the roadway with vehicles, bicycles and other objects.
*Chinese customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from China of items such as antiquities, banned publications, religious literature (which may be imported for the visitor’s personal use only) [I knew this by word of mouth but it's interesting to read it in print]
*Non-American foreigners have been executed for drug offenses.
*Several Americans have been detained and expelled for passing out non-authorized Christian literature. Sentences for distributing this material may range from three to five years' imprisonment. (I'll leave my treasured pass-along cards at home.)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
They called me "promising"
These unbelievable, blessed words just arrived in my email inbox:
"Congratulations! It is with pleasure that I invite you to TFA's interview day. We enjoyed learning about you in your application and would appreciate the opportunity to meet you in person. You have advanced directly to the final interview stage and will not be participating in a phone interview."
Know what this means? I get to skip the phone interview, which was going to be absolutely the weakest part of my application.
Know what else this means???? Consider this from their website:
"The most promising applicants are invited to a final, day-long interview...most applicants are required to participate in a phone interview before advancing to the final interview."
This means I am one of the most promising applicants.
I could have written only this:
Hal-le-LU-jah!
"Congratulations! It is with pleasure that I invite you to TFA's interview day. We enjoyed learning about you in your application and would appreciate the opportunity to meet you in person. You have advanced directly to the final interview stage and will not be participating in a phone interview."
Know what this means? I get to skip the phone interview, which was going to be absolutely the weakest part of my application.
Know what else this means???? Consider this from their website:
"The most promising applicants are invited to a final, day-long interview...most applicants are required to participate in a phone interview before advancing to the final interview."
This means I am one of the most promising applicants.
I could have written only this:
Hal-le-LU-jah!
the awkward violin
My sister just sent this video to me. I need to password protect our home videos!
Summer or early autumn, 1995. I was 10. So funny.
Adding a soundtrack to Celeste's softball game
Summer or early autumn, 1995. I was 10. So funny.
Adding a soundtrack to Celeste's softball game
the foiled wordsmith
While this gives the impression that it is dedicated to someone, it is not: it is about elusive, unfinished poems. Circa 2005. Imagine your own punctuation because I haven't finalized it.
when i'm alone i sing to you
a song that's from my heart
but before i think to write them down
the words just fall apart
so somewhere else in pieces are
ideas once so clear
and you are left not knowing what
you have every right to hear
dimmed by all these city lights
the thoughts swim in my head
as i try to spin for you
the things i should have said
i heard a song not long ago
of poetry never born
of promise broken, love long lost
of empty souls who mourn
after they have gone
to collect the poems i've sung for you
they escape at come of dawn
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Remember. Rejoice. Rededicate.
G'day. I write to the hum of my newly beloved Baby Dinosaur (IBM A30), sitting under a wall of books bearing the noble marks of the Cyrillic alphabet, from within the Boston Public [Cathedral? Palace?] Library. I just saw this banner in the window of an elementary school on the Boston Common: 200 years. Remember. Rejoice. Rededicate. I'm not sure that the banner is descriptive of anything if not my day. I wish to reflect on each of these verbs and add reframe to the collection.
Remember.
Moroni 10:3-4. I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you.
The language in this call to remember the mercy of God from the beginning of time is inclusive of the life of the reader, to the moment when she takes the book into her hands--the time when she receives it. Revelation--a manifestation of truth--must be preceded by remembering and capturing with the heart the blessedness of her life.
Remembering and rejoicing are companions. As I remember my ancestors, I rejoice in their legacy, rejoice in their sacrifices, rejoice that they established the Boston and Cambridge area, rejoice that they established the church, rejoice in what portion of their heritage of character and spirituality I received with their genetic code.
Rejoice.
Reasons I have today to rejoice: I have given in to resenting winter, but the river is beautiful. I drove down Memorial Drive yesterday with the frosted gray Charles framing the Harvard buildings. I love my roommates; I suppose they love me. I am going to meet an important deadline. The lights are still up on the Boston Common, lit even during the cloudy daytime. If I were a child I would delight in the slush, so I will try to love the slush. I just took the office tests at my staffing agency and my recruiter was trying not to smile because my results were "excellent." I type 82 words per minute; Word and Excel were at 96%; PowerPoint at 90% (honestly I have designed only one PowerPoint presentation). On the T between Park Street and Copley was a pair of young friends, probably around 12 years old. One kid was black; the other, white. One was named Axel. They obviously enjoyed each other's company. We've come a long way so that can happen. It's a road that we never should have had to traverse, for morality's sake, but that little duo added some warmth to the world. Also while riding the T I saw the stop for the MFA and realized that, it being Wednesday, I can visit one of my favorite places for free this evening. I always feel more insightful and just enlarged after a couple of hours there.
Rededicate.
Something snapped into place today. I did something I used to do that made me feel like myself again. It's so insignificant that I'm not going to say what it is, but...okay...it had to do with lunch. So begins my resurrection post-Australia. I can feel that something big is in store for me if I work for it, even if it's big only because it's mine. It's nice to have that back. I'm getting more and more ready to receive it.
Reframe.
My Teach for America applications are due in more than 10 hours. I've intended to apply for this program for years. A couple of weeks ago Teach for America crossed my mind and, happy that I had not missed all the deadlines as I'd expected, I opened an application. I've been working on it incrementally since then. Now, I hear that women are hard on themselves. Until today I told myself I was procrastinating writing my resume and essays even though I had been researching and pondering and recording ideas. I now realize I was preparing them the whole time. This is reframing.
Rejoicing and a more literal reframing connect in this example. I was most intimidated by the need to submit a resume as part of my application. I did not understand my stress about this until I isolated its cause: I don't know how to frame a completely meaningful and qualifying experience, my mission in Australia, in 5 bullet points of black and white 10 point Times New Roman. So the first thing I did this morning was write a generalization of my experience and consolidated it into those 5 discrete points. I corrected some formatting and suddenly the document looked just fine. It is now safely attached to my online application, for which I rejoice.
Another reframing I have adopted over the past couple of days is the phrase "without apology." I often feel the need to explain myself, to justify the things I choose to do, even if they don't need it. Be an apologist for my normal/considerate/creative/unique/thoughtful behavior? No, I don't think I will... (within reason, of course. Please! :) )
Thus concludes my warmup writing exercise.
Oh, and I am committed to not falling in the slush.
Remember.
Moroni 10:3-4. I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you.
The language in this call to remember the mercy of God from the beginning of time is inclusive of the life of the reader, to the moment when she takes the book into her hands--the time when she receives it. Revelation--a manifestation of truth--must be preceded by remembering and capturing with the heart the blessedness of her life.
Remembering and rejoicing are companions. As I remember my ancestors, I rejoice in their legacy, rejoice in their sacrifices, rejoice that they established the Boston and Cambridge area, rejoice that they established the church, rejoice in what portion of their heritage of character and spirituality I received with their genetic code.
Rejoice.
Reasons I have today to rejoice: I have given in to resenting winter, but the river is beautiful. I drove down Memorial Drive yesterday with the frosted gray Charles framing the Harvard buildings. I love my roommates; I suppose they love me. I am going to meet an important deadline. The lights are still up on the Boston Common, lit even during the cloudy daytime. If I were a child I would delight in the slush, so I will try to love the slush. I just took the office tests at my staffing agency and my recruiter was trying not to smile because my results were "excellent." I type 82 words per minute; Word and Excel were at 96%; PowerPoint at 90% (honestly I have designed only one PowerPoint presentation). On the T between Park Street and Copley was a pair of young friends, probably around 12 years old. One kid was black; the other, white. One was named Axel. They obviously enjoyed each other's company. We've come a long way so that can happen. It's a road that we never should have had to traverse, for morality's sake, but that little duo added some warmth to the world. Also while riding the T I saw the stop for the MFA and realized that, it being Wednesday, I can visit one of my favorite places for free this evening. I always feel more insightful and just enlarged after a couple of hours there.
Rededicate.
Something snapped into place today. I did something I used to do that made me feel like myself again. It's so insignificant that I'm not going to say what it is, but...okay...it had to do with lunch. So begins my resurrection post-Australia. I can feel that something big is in store for me if I work for it, even if it's big only because it's mine. It's nice to have that back. I'm getting more and more ready to receive it.
Reframe.
My Teach for America applications are due in more than 10 hours. I've intended to apply for this program for years. A couple of weeks ago Teach for America crossed my mind and, happy that I had not missed all the deadlines as I'd expected, I opened an application. I've been working on it incrementally since then. Now, I hear that women are hard on themselves. Until today I told myself I was procrastinating writing my resume and essays even though I had been researching and pondering and recording ideas. I now realize I was preparing them the whole time. This is reframing.
Rejoicing and a more literal reframing connect in this example. I was most intimidated by the need to submit a resume as part of my application. I did not understand my stress about this until I isolated its cause: I don't know how to frame a completely meaningful and qualifying experience, my mission in Australia, in 5 bullet points of black and white 10 point Times New Roman. So the first thing I did this morning was write a generalization of my experience and consolidated it into those 5 discrete points. I corrected some formatting and suddenly the document looked just fine. It is now safely attached to my online application, for which I rejoice.
Another reframing I have adopted over the past couple of days is the phrase "without apology." I often feel the need to explain myself, to justify the things I choose to do, even if they don't need it. Be an apologist for my normal/considerate/creative/unique/thoughtful behavior? No, I don't think I will... (within reason, of course. Please! :) )
Thus concludes my warmup writing exercise.
Oh, and I am committed to not falling in the slush.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
togliero' la polvere
Magari ascoltando il CD da poco trovato "estate olimpica" il quale ho fatto in Atene mi dimentichero' dell'Australia. Poi sentiro' piu' campionessa, e cosi' riesca a fare sta candidatura.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
ho voglia di...
mi servirebbero
un abbraccio forte
la telefonata di un amico (qualsiasi) che mi conosce a fondo
il senso d'identita' che cerco da parecchio
senno' mi accontenterei d'un viaggio lungo lungo
un abbraccio forte
la telefonata di un amico (qualsiasi) che mi conosce a fondo
il senso d'identita' che cerco da parecchio
senno' mi accontenterei d'un viaggio lungo lungo
Saturday, December 20, 2008
it's a parade!!!
Here's a picture of Jeremia, my oft-mentioned three-year-old brother, riding a float in the Longmont Parade of Lights (I think). He's an angelface. This picture was in the Boulder Daily Camera a few days ago.
He is also hilarious. Apparently his new activity is to walk up to people, say "we're in a parade!" and throw candy at their feet. Today's projectile was candy canes stolen from off the Christmas tree.
Whyyyyyyyyyyyy am I not hoooooooooome right now??????
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
I [think I] made a decision!!!!!!
(Please leave comments; I'd love your perspective! The more specific the better! I'm really tired and I want to go home so I'm not going to try to write this well, but here are my ideas.)
Decision: I want to become a high school civics/social studies teacher with eventual intent to be a principal when the inevitable little people that look a bit like me are old enough. Or whenever.
The buildup: I've been telling Mr. Stumpf, my high school principal and mentor of sorts, for years that I'm interested in his occupation. His advice has always been to teach first so the other teachers don't look at you as an ivory-tower administrator, which I guess is another way to say out-of-touch idealist. When I make decisions it always takes a lot of talking myself into it so I get beyond just the abstract feeling that I want to do something to specific reasons why it is okay and fits in with my life goals.
What was it about today that convinced me: I went to a media literacy conference today, and got paid for it (sometimes I <3 temping), and realized that as a social studies teacher, I would need to read the newspaper every day, and that made my lil NYT-loving heart sing. Then I had a moment. Then I met a lady who was a teacher for 35 years and works in teacher development at Fenway High and invited me to just come hang out there. Yes please. Then I made a decision and felt right from the inside out, kind of like how I feel when I realize I love someone, the feeling that makes me cry.
What I'm looking foward to: loving those teenagers--even the unloveable ones, helping them understand their world and empowering them to influence it, processing current events together, gathering around the television when something dramatic happens, having an insta-community both of students and of coworkers, parent-teacher conferences, high school sporting events, lots of time to develop my interests and talents and to travel during the summer, maybe even to start a non-profit or something if I happen to feel like it, being a renegade, creating interactive lesson plans where the students can use their own agency to learn, being in the thick of real-life issues, civic engagement, politics, forgiveness of student loans, throwing my heart into something, dressing like a professional, having to learn new things all the time, teacher development conferences, being charming and enthusiastic, etc., etc.
My reservations: The thing that bothers me most about teaching is preparing people to do what I will never do myself. I went to a lecture by the U.S. Secretary of Education a couple of months ago and one of her education reform ideas is that high schools should have more adjunct staff, people with real life experience, to come in and teach kids. I would feel cooler as a social studies teacher if I had been involved in public service somehow. Also I always worry about if something is prestigious enough to justify using my endless reserve of brilliance on it. And if I would be good enough. (Those previous two statements are contradictory.) Also I'm scared of kids who don't want to learn, but I might be able to get to them too. Also I'm scared of decorating a classroom. And of my voice getting tired. And of being boring.
I did my internship as a high school teacher in Italy, and by accident too. Maybe it wasn't by accident after all!
What I need to do next: talk to people I love and admire and get their reaction (comments please!), talk to the lady in my ward here who is an assistant principal, talk to my high school principal and social studies teacher, learn Spanish, choose a graduate school, get an education-related job now.
The end. Please reply.
Decision: I want to become a high school civics/social studies teacher with eventual intent to be a principal when the inevitable little people that look a bit like me are old enough. Or whenever.
The buildup: I've been telling Mr. Stumpf, my high school principal and mentor of sorts, for years that I'm interested in his occupation. His advice has always been to teach first so the other teachers don't look at you as an ivory-tower administrator, which I guess is another way to say out-of-touch idealist. When I make decisions it always takes a lot of talking myself into it so I get beyond just the abstract feeling that I want to do something to specific reasons why it is okay and fits in with my life goals.
What was it about today that convinced me: I went to a media literacy conference today, and got paid for it (sometimes I <3 temping), and realized that as a social studies teacher, I would need to read the newspaper every day, and that made my lil NYT-loving heart sing. Then I had a moment. Then I met a lady who was a teacher for 35 years and works in teacher development at Fenway High and invited me to just come hang out there. Yes please. Then I made a decision and felt right from the inside out, kind of like how I feel when I realize I love someone, the feeling that makes me cry.
What I'm looking foward to: loving those teenagers--even the unloveable ones, helping them understand their world and empowering them to influence it, processing current events together, gathering around the television when something dramatic happens, having an insta-community both of students and of coworkers, parent-teacher conferences, high school sporting events, lots of time to develop my interests and talents and to travel during the summer, maybe even to start a non-profit or something if I happen to feel like it, being a renegade, creating interactive lesson plans where the students can use their own agency to learn, being in the thick of real-life issues, civic engagement, politics, forgiveness of student loans, throwing my heart into something, dressing like a professional, having to learn new things all the time, teacher development conferences, being charming and enthusiastic, etc., etc.
My reservations: The thing that bothers me most about teaching is preparing people to do what I will never do myself. I went to a lecture by the U.S. Secretary of Education a couple of months ago and one of her education reform ideas is that high schools should have more adjunct staff, people with real life experience, to come in and teach kids. I would feel cooler as a social studies teacher if I had been involved in public service somehow. Also I always worry about if something is prestigious enough to justify using my endless reserve of brilliance on it. And if I would be good enough. (Those previous two statements are contradictory.) Also I'm scared of kids who don't want to learn, but I might be able to get to them too. Also I'm scared of decorating a classroom. And of my voice getting tired. And of being boring.
I did my internship as a high school teacher in Italy, and by accident too. Maybe it wasn't by accident after all!
What I need to do next: talk to people I love and admire and get their reaction (comments please!), talk to the lady in my ward here who is an assistant principal, talk to my high school principal and social studies teacher, learn Spanish, choose a graduate school, get an education-related job now.
The end. Please reply.
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