Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Coming Together: 18 Days To Go!


Over the past week everything seems to start coming together for my trip and starting to wind down (not really) with my student teaching….

             I have acquired my visa (YAYYYYY) which is in my passport – so I am ready to travel!!!!!!!!!! I was having nightmares and panic attacks that I wouldn’t get it in time and there would be a problem and then I would have to let my host school know which would be so embarrassing and not very professional. Lets just say that I am very happy to have gotten it in the mail! Yay for the speedy work of the NZ embassy!!

I finally have been able to talk to my host school and ask them what I really will be doing with my time over there. In their original letter they sent it said that I would be teaching math, science, and English. For those who know me I don’t know math very well and I wanted to be prepared and not arrive in NZ being perceived as the “stupid American” or someone who doesn’t know their material and subject matter and who is ill prepared. My school’s assistant principal contacted me and said I would get to pick the classes that would best suit my background. Together we will establish what classes I may take an active part in teaching (with the supervision of the normal classroom teacher of course J ) and what classes I might assist in (ie: give extra help to students who require extra support in class on a one-on-one basis – in this instance I will be reinforcing what the classroom teacher has taught).

            I am totally okay with doing this and not having as much control or say over all of the classes like what I am doing at North. It will be a nice change of pace than what I am going through now, which is grading all the time, planning and having my life consumed with student teaching (which is amazing but a break would be wonderful)

            Last Friday all of the overseas students at IU who have been going through this rigorous program over the past two years got together and talked about going over seas and we went over all of the assignments and journaling we will be doing to complete our graduate courses. After this meeting 3 IU students and myself went out to eat to get to know each other and talk more about how excited we were to leave! Like I said in my last post some of the girls will be around Auckland which is awesome and some will be in Hastings – which is known for their vineyards so we are planning on visiting and going on a bike tour of the vineyards!!! For those who know me know that I LOVE me some wine – especially from New Zealand! It will be so nice to have these women as a support system if there are any issues when I am overseas.

            I also got my host family placement tonight! I will be staying with a couple that is related to a teacher at my school. I will be staying (separate rooms) with another American student teacher who is going through the same program as I am but at a different university. She seems so kind and nice and since we will be working and living together I bet we will get to know each other really well J. It will be nice to have a person going through the same experiences with me. We will be walking to school every day  which will be so nice because I feel like I am never outside anymore because I spend all my time in my classroom or in the hallways. I am so excited to live with a host family – yes I have lived with roommates but never with a family other than my own. I am excited to learn their culture and just spend time with some Kiwi’s J.
           
            I officially have seven more days of student teaching then I am finished- today I was asked about my experience from some pre-service teachers and it made me think through the good, bad, and ugly over the past few months. I have worked with the best teachers around, worked with the most productive and best PLC ever and I am so grateful for all of the insight and experience they have taught me. I love my students and I am saddened that I have to leave (some of them are probably rejoicing). I keep having to remind myself that in just a few weeks I will have a new set of students eager to learn (hopefully) and probably interested in me and my culture because I am a foreign exchange student. It is going to be completely different and it will make me come out of my shell, think outside the box, and make me more flexible as an educator and as a human being.

            I am so excited to be leaving in just 18 days! I am still very scared but I know that this is what I am supposed to be doing with my life right now – there is a time for everything and at this point in my life, living abroad for a few months is exactly what I need.

PS. I have a phone interview tomorrow for a school in Houston – need all the prayers and good vibes I can get! Thanks!

PSS. Did anyone hear about the shark attack in Auckland?? Even though this is horrific is it bad to say that I still can’t wait to go swimming when I get there? (yay for opposite seasons!) Check out what happened- http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/27/world/asia/new-zealand-shark-attack/index.html

Monday, February 18, 2013

Conflicted: 25 days to go!


Welcome to my blog! On here you can read all about my experiences teaching and traveling abroad in New Zealand! I leave in exactly 25 days! I will be posting all about my life in Kiwi land - food, teaching, lifestyle, activities, everything and anything! This is basically a way for my family and friends to keep in contact and know what I am doing while I live and travel abroad for four months!

Okay so it’s almost time to set sail on an adventure of a lifetime. In exactly 4 weeks I will be stepping off a plan after 13 hours straight and arriving in sunny Auckland, New Zealand. It’s a scary thought to know that I wont be seeing my friends and family for four months – so many things can happen while I am away and I am afraid of missing it all. I am a person who hates missing things and always wants to be there for any type of life event - the good, bad and the ugly. I know I won’t be gone for a lifetime but still it is the longest I have gone being isolated from those I really care about. I know I am going to find people who I care deeply about in New Zealand, I know the all the ladies going with me from IU (some who will be teaching just a few miles away from me J yay! ) and another student who has been there for a few months already who can show me the ropes. I am just worried about loosing touch with those I care about here. I just hope this blog can help me stay connected with them and let everyone know what I am up to! 

I feel like I am completely not prepared for my trip yet but in the past two weeks I have done so much to make sure the majority is checked off my to do list. I am still waiting for my visa to be sent back to me (which is stamped in my passport so I am without both at the moment). I am also waiting to hear back about my homestay and who my host family will be! I was told that I would probably stay with one of the teachers at my school – lets hope I receive an email soon!!!  I finally bought my ticket – leaving March 16th and returning June 25th! This Friday I get to see all the girls (I think there is 9 total going to all parts of New Zealand) at our send off meeting and then we are going to go to dinner after and just talk about our upcoming adventure! 

I finally went to Indianapolis this past weekend and went to the dentist and doctor to make sure I am healthy and ready to go. I also went shopping and picked up a new pair of tennis shoes (trail running) some awesome gloves, winter hat, wool socks, and a pack cover at REI. I got a lot of stuff from my family and Jeff for Christmas like my amazingly warm down jacket, my favorite Patagonia better sweater, and my beautiful pack – 50 liters. So basically I have all the really awesome things handled but starting to pack up my apartment and getting things together to send out to school districts are the most important things that are now my priority – other than student teaching.
           
Even though I am so excited to go to New Zealand and start teaching at an all girl’s school I am saddened that these are my last weeks at North. I have really enjoyed my student teaching experience and would not have changed it for the world. I have the best mentor who has taken me under her wing and has shown me how amazing and impactful teaching is. I am working with juniors and seniors in AP US history, Core 40 Government, and Honors Government. I love having three completely different curriculums to plan for because I can do a variety of activities every day. Working at this school is such a blessing and I love spending my days there! Today actually was one of those – wow I really am a teacher moments – I gave back the graded papers my class had to do to prepare for the AP exam and I was harsh in grading them. I had people really mad, angry at me, and pouting all class long because I did not go easy on them – hopefully this means their next paper (due in a week) will be much better. It was kind of nice seeing them mad and angry because it finally is sinking in with some of them that an AP class is hard and they actually have to read and do the work to succeed in my class (light bulb!)

This week is also super busy because I have been the co-sponsor for North’s Habitat for Humanity chapter and we have our annual fundraising event on Thursday so I am helping putting all the final details together! Were hoping to raise $30,000 to help fund our 13th house in 13 years! This chapter is the most student active chapter in the United States – yup you heard that right! It has been so much fun working with those who are involved with this organization – they truly are making a difference in the world and making it a better place to live!

So I am conflicted – I love North and would stay there in a heartbeat and keep teaching till they kick me out but I know my calling is to go to New Zealand and student teach over there and live like the Kiwi’s do! I am so excited and frightened of the unknown but I know that doing this will be one of the best things I have ever done in my life. I am so excited to share my adventures and insight in this blog! J

My mantra for the next four weeks - 

“Life starts at the end of your comfort zone” 
Neale Donald Walsch