Hey ya'll! You can catch us on Facebook too - we'll try to update both as frequently as possible with as much info as we have.
Flights get booked tomorrow! The end is near! We're almost there!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
edu'ma'cation
Today was my first day as a substitute teacher. I'm not sure if you've ever met middleschoolers, but they are certainly a challenging bunch. I have decided that being a middle school professor is by far the hardest job in the world - harder than my life as an Assistant, for sure. I have a few exciting stories to share with the masses.
-One girl asked me if I was 'just a substitute' or if I was doing this to be a real teacher. I said "No, actually I'm doing it in between leaving DC and going to Africa." to that she responded "I think being a teacher would be better than going to Africa - same amount of bloodsucking insects though."
-I let the kids call me by my first name. I had hoped it would help them be generally respectful - it worked with the 7th graders, not the 8th graders.
-In general, 8th graders are far more difficult than 7th graders. I figure there is something totally hormonal and psychological that explains that. or maybe they just take up more room because they sure are louder.
In general I enjoyed most of the kids and thought they were all pretty great. However, there were some bad apples. I wonder if there is anyway that educational experience can be individualized so that students can maximize their potential without outside influence from other students that may not be at the same level. For example, we watched a video today in the class I was subbing. A few loud talking students disrupted the entire experience for the class - whereas, what if they had all been watching the video on their laptops.
It also really made me think about what its going to be like working with similar-aged kids in Africa. Will they have the same respect issues? Will they be eager to learn? Will there be some kids who are eager and others who are annoyed? How do cultural differences affect our attitudes towards education? All these things I thought about working with the kids today. Maybe the thinking got in the way of disciplining and thats why they haven't called me back for another day!
-One girl asked me if I was 'just a substitute' or if I was doing this to be a real teacher. I said "No, actually I'm doing it in between leaving DC and going to Africa." to that she responded "I think being a teacher would be better than going to Africa - same amount of bloodsucking insects though."
-I let the kids call me by my first name. I had hoped it would help them be generally respectful - it worked with the 7th graders, not the 8th graders.
-In general, 8th graders are far more difficult than 7th graders. I figure there is something totally hormonal and psychological that explains that. or maybe they just take up more room because they sure are louder.
In general I enjoyed most of the kids and thought they were all pretty great. However, there were some bad apples. I wonder if there is anyway that educational experience can be individualized so that students can maximize their potential without outside influence from other students that may not be at the same level. For example, we watched a video today in the class I was subbing. A few loud talking students disrupted the entire experience for the class - whereas, what if they had all been watching the video on their laptops.
It also really made me think about what its going to be like working with similar-aged kids in Africa. Will they have the same respect issues? Will they be eager to learn? Will there be some kids who are eager and others who are annoyed? How do cultural differences affect our attitudes towards education? All these things I thought about working with the kids today. Maybe the thinking got in the way of disciplining and thats why they haven't called me back for another day!
or, "Boston Marriage"
I love the word "partner". I love what it means, and all the cultural meanings we have imbued it with since its origin. I love it partially because I have always worked in the gay community, so for me it has come to express love and a life built beyond what society cares for, because its what you need. But I also love it because to me it expresses EQUALITY between two people, the idea that life is an adventure you are going on together. I love it because it leaves gender with all its loaded meanings out of the equation entirely, and I love it because it refers to lovers and friends alike. I love the phrase partner-in-crime, and the way it feels when someone I love says "my partner" rather than "my girlfriend" or "my lover", although those have their place too. I just love everything it means and everything it stands for, and everything it says about a relationship it applies to.
Think about all the kinds of partnerships one might refer to with that word. Partners in a law firm, partners on a police force or in the military, partners in life, partners on an adventure, partners of convenience out hunting treasure and meant to soon part ways. It's such a cool word, such an awesome way to describe someone and such a neat thing to be. A "partner".
My partner in crime and I are buying our plane tickets on Friday - we'll keep you posted!!!
Think about all the kinds of partnerships one might refer to with that word. Partners in a law firm, partners on a police force or in the military, partners in life, partners on an adventure, partners of convenience out hunting treasure and meant to soon part ways. It's such a cool word, such an awesome way to describe someone and such a neat thing to be. A "partner".
My partner in crime and I are buying our plane tickets on Friday - we'll keep you posted!!!
Monday, November 30, 2009
File It Under "Crazy But True"
The assistants have left the building.
We are no longer running your life, your company, or your city. DC will just have to go on without us, as it has so many times before, as woman after woman exits out the revolving door and finds something new and exciting to do with her time. In our case, Rwanda. Go big or go home, that's how we roll, friends.
We had a pretty epic moving weekend (see motto above) in which one assistant got pulled over in Jersey (learn from our mistakes edition #4326785: trucks are not so much welcome on the Garden State Parkway) and took out some shrubbery (it looked at her funny) while the other survived torrential downpour in a loaded moving van. No one slept and several of us drank vodka with polish sausage as a chaser. There may also have been whiskey. BIG UPS AND THANK YOUS to the DC moving crew who loaded 2 trucks with 2 beds, 1 bookshelf, a futon and several dressers as well as, oh, hundreds of boxes, probably.
This is the moment we waited for: the beginning of the beginning. And we're so excited. Thanks for the memories DC, we'll do you proud. You made us who we are and we couldn't have done without you. You will generally not be missed. That's just who you are.
We are no longer running your life, your company, or your city. DC will just have to go on without us, as it has so many times before, as woman after woman exits out the revolving door and finds something new and exciting to do with her time. In our case, Rwanda. Go big or go home, that's how we roll, friends.
We had a pretty epic moving weekend (see motto above) in which one assistant got pulled over in Jersey (learn from our mistakes edition #4326785: trucks are not so much welcome on the Garden State Parkway) and took out some shrubbery (it looked at her funny) while the other survived torrential downpour in a loaded moving van. No one slept and several of us drank vodka with polish sausage as a chaser. There may also have been whiskey. BIG UPS AND THANK YOUS to the DC moving crew who loaded 2 trucks with 2 beds, 1 bookshelf, a futon and several dressers as well as, oh, hundreds of boxes, probably.
This is the moment we waited for: the beginning of the beginning. And we're so excited. Thanks for the memories DC, we'll do you proud. You made us who we are and we couldn't have done without you. You will generally not be missed. That's just who you are.
On the road...
Well - it has happened, the assistants are in their rightful places in Indiana and Mass. We had some amazing friends come over this weekend to help pack boxes, bleach things down and carry very heavy (and some fragile!) into moving trucks. Fueled by coffee and sheer will, we found ourselves actually moved out of the city. I won't lie, as I was driving a moving truck into the city at the crack of dawn and the sun started to rise over DC and the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial began to sparkle (like Edward Cullen!) I got a little teary. Okay - true fact, I cried a little. In my defense - I also cried a little when I got to my home state and saw the "Welcome!" sign. There were so many emotions running through us over the day - we started out sad to leave each other (again, after so brief a time together) but excited to get home and then as we left we realized with some epic anxiety that this officially meant we were leaving and meant we were going to Rwanda in six short weeks.
Now that I'm home, I'm moving in to a new bedroom in a house that I have never lived in. My parents moved while I was a senior in college, so I've never really had use for a bedroom here. But now - not only do I get to move all my stuff from DC into their house, I get to move the first 22 years of my life from one room to another, while infusing my DC life in to it. All the while, trying to remember what I really don't need, putting it into a clear plastic bin and storing it in my new closet - which is, by the way, the largest closet I have ever seen. The fun part about all of that is going through the wreckage of my entire adolescence and college life which is strewn through photos, tickets, nametags and passes, notebooks, journals, etc. I just found a journal that I kept when I was a summer camp counselor, the summer I fell in love for the first time. That will be fun to read one cold winter night.
The other exciting discovery was a set of china tea cups. There were six of them, all white with this beautiful little blue art on the side. I was in love with them and ran downstairs asking my mom where she got them and if I could have them. She said they had been my grandmothers and that I could wrap them up and keep them. I have never met my grandmother - she died before I was born, but I instantly felt a connection to her through these teacups that I knew I would love and that would grace whatever kitchen I found myself in next. It made me excited to feel close to her, excited to dip my toe into the pool of 'thinking-about-the-future' and made me excited to find other treasures buried amongst a room full of things.
Unfortunately, I didn't find anything else (yet - I'm about halfway done) as exciting as the antique tea cups, but I did find some old cross country pants from high school, my robe, jackets from all my old sports teams and my letterman's jacket. My mom got excited during the move and found photos from our family vacation to Disneyworld. My sister and brother had some of the most amazing photos in the pile. Seeing them so young and so happy was an awesome break to their current "teen angst" selves that we currently live with.
It's an exciting time for the assistants - we're making so much progress and are so close to touching down. Tomorrow one of us gets to substitute teach for the first time in her home state -- Jr. High Science - where she hears there is a very cute, young, new principal. Good things are happenin'!
Now that I'm home, I'm moving in to a new bedroom in a house that I have never lived in. My parents moved while I was a senior in college, so I've never really had use for a bedroom here. But now - not only do I get to move all my stuff from DC into their house, I get to move the first 22 years of my life from one room to another, while infusing my DC life in to it. All the while, trying to remember what I really don't need, putting it into a clear plastic bin and storing it in my new closet - which is, by the way, the largest closet I have ever seen. The fun part about all of that is going through the wreckage of my entire adolescence and college life which is strewn through photos, tickets, nametags and passes, notebooks, journals, etc. I just found a journal that I kept when I was a summer camp counselor, the summer I fell in love for the first time. That will be fun to read one cold winter night.
The other exciting discovery was a set of china tea cups. There were six of them, all white with this beautiful little blue art on the side. I was in love with them and ran downstairs asking my mom where she got them and if I could have them. She said they had been my grandmothers and that I could wrap them up and keep them. I have never met my grandmother - she died before I was born, but I instantly felt a connection to her through these teacups that I knew I would love and that would grace whatever kitchen I found myself in next. It made me excited to feel close to her, excited to dip my toe into the pool of 'thinking-about-the-future' and made me excited to find other treasures buried amongst a room full of things.
Unfortunately, I didn't find anything else (yet - I'm about halfway done) as exciting as the antique tea cups, but I did find some old cross country pants from high school, my robe, jackets from all my old sports teams and my letterman's jacket. My mom got excited during the move and found photos from our family vacation to Disneyworld. My sister and brother had some of the most amazing photos in the pile. Seeing them so young and so happy was an awesome break to their current "teen angst" selves that we currently live with.
It's an exciting time for the assistants - we're making so much progress and are so close to touching down. Tomorrow one of us gets to substitute teach for the first time in her home state -- Jr. High Science - where she hears there is a very cute, young, new principal. Good things are happenin'!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Grace
We began our journey towards Rwanda almost a year ago, and at times the road has been difficult and the dream seemingly forever just out of reach. But at the worst moments - when one of us lost our job, when one of us got robbed, when one of us didn't get the raise we'd been counting on, when one of us had to move (one of us was definitely the more massive mess this year, granted) - something has always come through, some small break from the universe or moment of clarity that made it all possible. At no point over the last year has saving every penny and working as much as possible and dealing with the red tape and bureaucracy been easy, but more importantly, at no point has it been impossible.
But this week, so close to the finish line, was the hardest week yet. We came up against a wall that, partially due to exhaustion and stress, seemed completely insurmountable. For longer than a moment, we thought we might have come all this way only to fail. And then two completely unexpected things happened: one of us received a generous donation from our employer, and one of us received an equally generous donation from an anonymous source that may or may not be the Polish mafia. Seriously: this actually happened. We both unexpectedly, unsought and unasked, received a windfall from the universe that means we will both be buying our flights next Friday, and in 6 weeks, barring acts of God and natural disaster, we will be on the ground in Africa.
When Assistant 2 found out her good news, she got on the phone with her friend Devin, barely able to explain what had happened, she was so stunned. And Devin said, "Well, that's what grace is - it's an unexpected, possibly even unearned gift just when you need it most."
We are so glad grace is with us on this journey.
A special thank you this Thanksgiving also goes out to our friend Pawel, who is amazing beyond words, and a true gift in our lives.
But this week, so close to the finish line, was the hardest week yet. We came up against a wall that, partially due to exhaustion and stress, seemed completely insurmountable. For longer than a moment, we thought we might have come all this way only to fail. And then two completely unexpected things happened: one of us received a generous donation from our employer, and one of us received an equally generous donation from an anonymous source that may or may not be the Polish mafia. Seriously: this actually happened. We both unexpectedly, unsought and unasked, received a windfall from the universe that means we will both be buying our flights next Friday, and in 6 weeks, barring acts of God and natural disaster, we will be on the ground in Africa.
When Assistant 2 found out her good news, she got on the phone with her friend Devin, barely able to explain what had happened, she was so stunned. And Devin said, "Well, that's what grace is - it's an unexpected, possibly even unearned gift just when you need it most."
We are so glad grace is with us on this journey.
A special thank you this Thanksgiving also goes out to our friend Pawel, who is amazing beyond words, and a true gift in our lives.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Giving Thanks
I have a friend who started a blog called "Naked Thanks" where she and her co-hort write one thank you note every day for a year. The entries are "naked" in the sense there are no false pretenses, no heavy adjectives to fill the spaces, just raw thanks. It's incredible and hilarious and these two women have a fantastic point of view that makes for amazing reading. But after being inspired by some of their entries I thought of a few things I was thankful for - and although I'm not a pro, I'll try to make them as naked as possible.
-Thank you best friend. You know who you are because I just call you 'best friend.' Thank you for teaching me the wonders of cooking a hot dog "New England style." Thank you for not making me feel fat when we would have nights filled with brownies and box mac and cheese. Thank you for having a rooftop pool for a few months. Thanks for cleaning when I was up at 5am everyday media monitoring and not making me feel badly about it. Thanks for introducing me to the wild world of 'sleepytime tea.'
-Thank you DC Public Transport. You have introduced me to some of the greatest stories in DC. Thank you for mixing all sorts of people all together, putting us in a cramped space and making us ride together while you wildly pump the brakes and fling us against each other. I have often enjoyed the smells of my fellow Washingtonians early in the morning after their sweaty trek to the bus. I've sometimes even been lucky enough to slip in to one of those trains that doesn't have working air conditioning in the summer - now boy, those are a fierce hot ride!
-Thank you for rain. It proves who in DC can really drive.
-Thank you for sleet. For if I hadn't seen it actually fall to the ground with my own two eyes I would have never believed it. Where I'm from sleet is what accrues on the ground after it came down as snow and a few hundred cars drove through it. It definitely did not fall from the sky and it was not considered 'winter weather,' sleet was what winter threw up and let everyone stomp all over. There is some sort of comparison there but the witty comment is escaping me...
-Thank you for the right not to be represented in Congress. They're screwing everything up so badly right now, it gives me a sense of ease to know that I didn't have any responsibility in bringing any of them in.
-Thank you for lobbyists. Only, because they throw all those parties with all those free cocktails and the awesome spanokopitas. They may get a bad rap, doing all that special interest business and blocking legislation - but they really throw some awesome parties. If you're ever thinking about coming to DC, follow those hill staffers right to all the awesome parties that include free food and booze.
-Thank you for the endless summer. It allows all the ugly men in DC the chance to get tan so from afar or whilst intoxicated look like sunkissed adonises.
-Thank you best friend. You know who you are because I just call you 'best friend.' Thank you for teaching me the wonders of cooking a hot dog "New England style." Thank you for not making me feel fat when we would have nights filled with brownies and box mac and cheese. Thank you for having a rooftop pool for a few months. Thanks for cleaning when I was up at 5am everyday media monitoring and not making me feel badly about it. Thanks for introducing me to the wild world of 'sleepytime tea.'
-Thank you DC Public Transport. You have introduced me to some of the greatest stories in DC. Thank you for mixing all sorts of people all together, putting us in a cramped space and making us ride together while you wildly pump the brakes and fling us against each other. I have often enjoyed the smells of my fellow Washingtonians early in the morning after their sweaty trek to the bus. I've sometimes even been lucky enough to slip in to one of those trains that doesn't have working air conditioning in the summer - now boy, those are a fierce hot ride!
-Thank you for rain. It proves who in DC can really drive.
-Thank you for sleet. For if I hadn't seen it actually fall to the ground with my own two eyes I would have never believed it. Where I'm from sleet is what accrues on the ground after it came down as snow and a few hundred cars drove through it. It definitely did not fall from the sky and it was not considered 'winter weather,' sleet was what winter threw up and let everyone stomp all over. There is some sort of comparison there but the witty comment is escaping me...
-Thank you for the right not to be represented in Congress. They're screwing everything up so badly right now, it gives me a sense of ease to know that I didn't have any responsibility in bringing any of them in.
-Thank you for lobbyists. Only, because they throw all those parties with all those free cocktails and the awesome spanokopitas. They may get a bad rap, doing all that special interest business and blocking legislation - but they really throw some awesome parties. If you're ever thinking about coming to DC, follow those hill staffers right to all the awesome parties that include free food and booze.
-Thank you for the endless summer. It allows all the ugly men in DC the chance to get tan so from afar or whilst intoxicated look like sunkissed adonises.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)