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
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