Quick recap of how work has been: crazy busy; calming of steep learning curve; relationship building with students and seeing improvements with them and their school work; feeling like I'm gaining trust and more support from the teachers I work with.
Now onto the other, slightly more fun things that have been going on lately.
Last Friday the North Olympic AmeriCorps Team traveled to Seattle to participate in the Washington State AmeriCorps Launch. Left the house at 5:30 a.m. Met up with most of the PA team at the Y at 5:45 a.m. Slept in the back of the van on the way to the ferry. Took one of the free buses to the Seattle Center and felt like a tour group. We had our matching AmeriCorps sweatshirts on and were walking around, slightly directionally challenged, underneath the Space Needle. The launch was fine, with some good rhythm exercises that were of course related back to how we can approach this next year (or so) of our lives. Lunch at an upscale, but yummy, taqueria with Megan, Meaghan, and Suze. Disaster preparedness training where the entire group got a case of the giggles. A younger version of Ellen DeGeneres led the training so at least it was entertaining! Got back later that night to have an English gentleman cook for me and Megan in our cheery, yellow kitchen. I attempted to get to sleep early, but that didn't happen. I ended up taking more of a nap that night rather than a full night's sleep to prepare me for the drive to Vancouver the next day.
Megan and I left our house, for the second day in a row, before 6:00 a.m. Got to the Port Townsend ferry with plenty of time and in time to watch the sun rise over the San Juan Islands. You know, just my everyday life! The drive was easy until we got to Vancouver, which I find really difficult to drive in. Maybe, just maybe, this time I got a better feel for at least part of the city. Megan and I got to my friend Haig's apartment where she climbed into the couch for a nap and Haig and I went for a delicious and lovely brunch with Haig's parents. Afterwards it was my turn to join in on the nap action. Finally, Megan, Haig and I managed to rouse ourselves and take a walk around his neighborhood gathering ingredients for dinner. Vegetable and shrimp risotto. YUM! Later in the evening we went to see the last show of The Parallels and basically had a grand old time early into the morning.
Sunday morning brought my tour of Vancouver to Megan, which really just consisted of me driving her to the west end to Stanley Park. It was super pretty, decked out in its fall colors. We opted for the "truck" border crossing in hopes of avoiding a two hour wait like the one I went through in July. It worked! After we crossed back into the USofA I got in contact with my friend Riley and made plans to meet up and have an adventure in Anacortes. First order of business, find delicious food for lunch. Riley led us to a new chowder house that did not disappoint. He suggested we take our food up to a lookout on Mount Erie, which we did and the views were amazing. The sky met the water, and at some points I really could not tell which was which. We also saw two bald eagles really close up, maybe 50 feet away. I am learning that in certain parts of the world bald eagles are actually viewed as somewhat pesky animals. From the cold, windy view point we went to Riley's house and warmed and woke up with some delicious coffee. Went to another park with more great views of the islands and water and some cool looking trees. Riley escorted us off the island and lead us to Deception Pass where we parted ways for the time being.
Megan and I returned home to our lovely housemate, Marie, who we had wished was with us on our adventure! We got to relive some of our favorite weekend memories while we told her about the loads of silly things we got ourselves into. I was exhausted from the weekend but so happy to see some people during it who I have known for a while. It's kinda crazy how there were some moments where my friends looked at me and just knew what I was thinking and feeling. They know me fairly well and I had forgotten how comforting a feeling it was to not always have to explain when I was kidding or describe how I really felt about something because they just know. I wear my heart on my sleeve, but sometimes I think it might take people a little bit to figure just how transparent I am when it comes to my emotions. Even though I got very, very, very little sleep this weekend (which those who know me well know is essential for me 98.5% of the time) it was exactly what I needed. Gorgeous people and gorgeous land and gorgeous experiences. I have to pinch myself sometimes. <3
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