The Grass is Always Green(er)

Having my mom here last week was great.  We got to sit and just talk for long periods of time, which we haven't done since I moved here.  I have to be honest, a lot of the talking was done by me, and I am so grateful that I have the kind of mom who sits patiently and really listens to me ramble out my thoughts about anything and everything.  It's pretty cool that she doesn't judge what I say, or say "I told you so!" even if she really has, or interrupt me even when she has a really valid point about something I'm saying.  My mom is the type of listener I want to be - patient, kind, and actually listens to everything someone is saying.

My mom and Lynn preparing veggie trays

Aside from chatting away, I also was able to show my mom the life I've created here.  She came with me to the After School Program (ASP), and immediately made friends with lots of people there.  I was amazed at how she got some of the kids to work with her.  Maybe it was because she's an "elder," or was someone new, but it was really cool to see her connect with some of the kids who won't often work with me.  The next day she went to school with me and participated in my routine there.  Afterwards we were off to the Lower Elwha Potlatch were she dove right into helping with the preparation.  Then it was an evening of watching dances and listening to songs.  I had to run around a bunch to help with various things and go up with the ASP to sing a song, but it was awesome to be able to go and sit with my mom for parts of the evening.

At the beach

Friday morning I was awakened by texts asking if the tsunami was going to hit Port Angeles.  I was confused and a little frightened, but figured if the sirens weren't going off we were ok.  PA ended up getting a 2.2 foot surge, but it didn't effect anything.  Originally my mom and I were going to go out to the coast, but because there were tsunami warnings we opted to go to the un-named beach and chill there.  Maise, Mom and I had a fun time strolling around.  A bald eagle flew really close over our heads, closer than I'd ever seen one before. Thank goodness Maise is a big dog; I don't have to worry about her being dinner for any birds of prey.  The tide was low so we could walk all over the beach and I explored the uncovered rocks, hoping for some tide pool animals, but, no luck!  As it started to rain we decided to head back to the house to go have dinner with Megan and Marie.  During the rest of the time my mom was here we went to Port Townsend and then Seattle.  It was so great to have her here and be able to spend time together.

This week I spent a lot of time preparing for my final Teach For America interview.  I decided to go into Seattle the night before so I could be rested and make sure I was on time for my interview.  Leading up to Friday I felt like I had my own personal cheerleading team.  One of the teacher's I work with offered to let me use her class as guinea pigs for the lesson I had to present.  Doing so helped me feel much less nervous going into the interview.  Lots of my friends here gave me words of encouragement throughout the week, one even texted me the morning of to wish me luck!  My family was great, too.  I got a call from my grandma right before I left PA, my dad sent an awesome text the morning of, and my mom bought me lunch and talked with me afterwards which really helped me feel calm before my personal interview.  I have to say that knowing that I had so many people who offered kind words and said they thought I'd be great really helped me feel at ease when I walked into the last part of the last interview.  I was excited, not nervous; ready to represent myself and my passion for equitable education.  When it was all said and done I felt like I did my absolute best and wouldn't have said or done things differently if i could go back and do it over again.

Now I wait until April 4th to see if I will get a placement or not, but in the mean time I am researching different options for myself in the Bay Area.  I'd really like to go back to California, and the diversity it offers. I'm also realizing that while I do like my independence, I really like living close to family.  My dad and I were talking about the "grass is greener" feelings, but in the end we both voiced the idea that Northern California really is one of the more diverse places I could live.  Whether I get a full time job and go back to school to pursue my Master's in Education, or "just" go back to school I am excited to take all my growth, learning, and experiences from this venture back to California.