i don't have a lot of time right now to catch up completely, but i am now residing in Gilbert, AZ. i say residing, and not living, because i have no intention of staying here for an extended period of time. a year or two at the most. i was kind of excited to come back to a dry climate, but then i got out here and realized just how dusty it is... not good for the lungs ya know? JJ really likes it out here though, and so i am just going to grin and bear it for the time being.
married life is great... definitely has its ups and downs, but the ups far outweigh the downs. the greatest thing? getting to wake up next to someone who doesn't mind giving you a morning kiss even when you have some pretty wicked morning breath! :) another great thing? seeing his smile when he walks through the door and sees me. i'm sure there will be some great stories for the blog.
the new job? well that's an interesting question. arizona is a bit more strict with hiring teachers... you have to be certified unless you work at a charter school... so i'm working at a charter school, waiting for my certificate so i can get a job closer to home. p.s. NEVER living in a big city again. that whole rush hour traffic has taken on new meaning for me out here. rush hour you ask? well it's actually rush THREE hours. if i'm not out the door by 6am (those of you who know me... well, all four of you who actually read this... know I am NOT a morning person) it takes an hour to go the distance that would normally take 20 minutes. i am teaching Spanish at a small alternative charter school in inner city Phoenix. my students are in gangs, recreationally use drugs every day, have 1-3 kids at 16 or 17 years old, and there are a couple girls known to "work" on 18th street... and yes, I mean "work." my students are anywhere from 14 years old to 21 years old, and they are all trying desperately trying to survive the streets and make something better of themselves... well maybe not all of them. the ones that are, however, are the ones that make the hour drive worth it. then there are the ones that break your heart. there is this one girl that's 20, and a crack whore... yeah, a real one. two weeks ago she came to school with two black eyes... oh, did i mention she was about five months preggers? apparently door knobs can give you two black eyes at the same time when you fall into them. anyways, last week she came to school with clear eyes, and a much better attitude. she was working so hard on her Spanish and was actually getting an A in the class. She got a 100% on her last test! I am so proud of her, but she disappeared on Wednesday and we haven't seen her since. I hope she's ok, and I hope she comes back, because she has so much potential.
did i mention that i made a great friend at work? she's GREAT! her name is Rachel and she is one of the history teachers. she is a member of the church, and she is HILARIOUS. we carpool just about every day now because it's nice to have the company, and it's nice to have someone to talk to about your day who really understands. she is in the trenches with me. i say, "do you have 'so and so,'" and she just says, "oooooh." no explanation necessary. :) it's awesome. there are a few other teachers, and office staff, that we are good friends with. we have happy hour every once in awhile. well, Rachel and i get waters and nachos, and the others have happy hour, but it's still nice to have the socialization.
anyways, i'm over and out for now. so here is to my dirty laundry... hope you have fun reading!
I love hearing about your life! This sort of helps you not seem so far away--sort of. Your students are lucky to have you. I know you care about them; you're a good teacher! Hugs to JJ
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