Big Falls

Mom & Dad, Yusra and I went hiking at Big Falls today! It was gorgeous and nearly 60 degrees!! Heat wave!!!

high school kiddos

All of you know that within a few short months I will be standing in front of a room full of high schoolers, all of them smiling gleefully at me with their hands folded on top of their ready-to-go school supplies, ready to learn. waiiiiiiiiiiiit. Reality check. Half of them will probably be asleep, and the other half will likely be mildly entertaining my attempts to teach them history. Maybe somewhere in the middle?!

Anyways, this morning I had my first crack at my future. I am a volunteer "youth coach" with the Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network, a non-profit that is fighting for Immigration Reform and educational equality regardless of immigration status. I will be at Edison High School in Minneapolis once a week for 7 weeks, facilitating 2 classes. The classes are about immigration, getting their voices heard, etc.- and the students are all ESL. 

I'm happy to report that I loved it!! I was a little worried at first that the kids wouldn't be into it (one piece of the curriculum has them act out their favorite animal, for goodness sake. these are high school students!!) They really had fun with it though, and I enjoyed myself. I found their humor refreshing, and I felt more in my element than in front of the elementary kids in my Spanish classes. YAY! Not to say that one day with high-schoolers equals a blissful next two years, but I'd say it's a good sign that I didn't want to run away screaming- right?!

Spring Break!!!

I'm going on a cruise!!!!!! My friend Dee and I booked a trip on Friday night- something we've been talking about for awhile. We will fly to Tampa a week from Wednesday on the 18th- then board the ship the next day. It is a 4 day cruise and we'll be stopping in Cozumel, Mexico (an island... I hear it's safe!) on Saturday. We get off the ship on Monday the 23rd in the morning and fly back that day. I'm really excited!!!! 

UPDATE!

There have been a few, **cough**, requests for a blog update so that William Shatner's face does not continue to grace your computer screens everyday. I'm happy to oblige :) Here's what I've been up to: 1. School!! 2. Family time!! I have been very busy with school/work lately. Luckily, I have very minimal work due this week so I had a nice relaxing weekend! Not to say that my past few weekends haven't been relaxing... but this one was even more so, knowing that I wasn't procrastinating!! 

Last weekend, mom and dad came up for a visit. It was wonderful to spend some time with them in the cities! On Saturday we ate at Axel's Bonfire on Grand Ave (delicious food) and poked around in some of the shops on Grand Ave. On Sunday we went to church and had brunch at Duplex, a restaurant in Uptown. It was a great weekend!

This weekend, I went home again for some quality family time. On Friday night, Mom, Dad and I went to see Milk- a very good movie, as I have previously commented. Saturday got to spend time with Adam and Andrea, which was great! Emily and I (and her fiance CJ) also met up for a drink before going to Jessica's wedding reception. Jess looked beautiful in her wedding dress! Today we had a great family get together, complete with Tim, the A-team, Gma G, Dan & Nancy and Harriet! - here are some pictures! 

Homework Negotiator

I feel like William Shatner. Let me explain. I think you all know my procrastinating tendencies... that's usually when I blog. WELLLLLLLLLL let me tell you. This weekend was an exception. I have been kickin butt all weekend long on homework, and I feel like William Shatner in the Priceline commericals. Just call me the Negotiator from here on out :) . I somehow have been able to focus and get stuff done all weekend, and now I am in good shape starting the week. Not bad, eh? I'm off to a free and fabulous dinner now!! (We're having a small-group dinner reunion with the bible study/church group I was a part of last fall)

Adios amigos

OH and Emily are you happy with my seasonally appropriate background?! ;) 

No plastic?

I have an assignment for my Environment and Development class- I can't use plastic for a week. I'm technically in the 3rd day of not using plastic.... the only problem is that it's impossible. By 8 am on Monday I was already using it- my cell phone is my alarm, shampoo and every other cosmetic has a plastic container, my computer has plastic- you get the idea. So instead of not using plastic, I am choosing to use the assignment as an awareness tool rather than a true week away from plastic. :)

YEE HAW I'm goin to Texas

Most of you already know that I was accepted into Teach for America!! I was placed in the Rio Grande Valley to teach high school history. I was NOT expecting that, but I'm really excited about my placement. Above is a map of the Valley- it is a 4 county area that takes 2 1/2 hours to get from one side to the other. I talked to a TFA regional staff member this afternoon for about half an hour about the region and what it's like to be a corps member there. 

What I learned...

I have a 5 week training Institute in Houston from June 7- July 11. The week before Institute begins, I will be in the RGV for a one-week orientation. That week is a chance to get to know everyone else and the area. After Houston, most people find housing in the RGV. 

TFA will send a resume book to principals in the schools I could be placed in. This process goes from March-August. Schools will have to look at enrollment, returning teachers, etc. to determine how many openings they have. Then someone will hire me! 

The RGV is about 6 hours from Houston, and 3 from San Antonio. 

There will be about 100 other people accepted to the RGV region. There will be about the same amount of 2nd year teachers, so total about 200 TFA corps members in the region. 

The guy I talked to said he travels to Mexico fairly often. He also said that politically it is a fairly liberal area which surprised me! (Less conservative than other parts of Texas was my impression)

WHAT AN ADVENTURE THIS WILL BE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited about this new stage in my life, and the opportunities it will bring. While I haven't accepted the offer yet, I'm planning to. Thank you all so much for your support, confidence in me and encouragement throughout this process. I love you all!