It has almost been 4 weeks since I returned back home and life has changed dramatically. Upon arriving from Australia on a Friday at 11:30 pm, I graduated the next day from UGA and also moved into my parent's house. So that makes 3 major life changes within 12 hours: continent, education status, and living situation. Jet lag was ridiculous and there was no telling what my sleep schedule was going to be from night to night; some mornings I woke up at 6 am and some afternoons I would wake up at 1 pm.
Since there was no job waiting for me here, the job search has been a top priority. I have a steady stream of applications going out into the real world with a trickle every now and then coming back to me. As of now, I have only secured a tutoring job for two hours every week. Not that impressive? You're telling me. It's better than nothing, and mom and dad have been more than gracious in allowing me to stay at home while I find a job and get stabilized.
The thought of moving back home always made me cringe, but I must admit that I don't have any complaints (yet). Peachtree City is not the most happening town, but I am almost grateful to have some down time. Senior year was the busiest I had at UGA by far and there was no break before starting student teaching in Australia. I also have the opportunity to volunteer with Janet at the Breast Cancer Survivors' Network. I worked with Janet in high school when her support group was run out of her house. Now she has an office and is receiving grants for her non-profit! It is so exciting to be back with her and see how big the organization is now. There are multiple fundraisers that they are working on and I have been able to help out because of the ideas that I picked up while being an officer in Make-A-Wish @ UGA. My only issue: all the pink.
Hopefully the next post that I write will include a job offer. Good luck vibes welcomed...jobs too :)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
La nuit mes yeux t'eclairent.
Two weekends ago I had the opportunity to meet Pierre. Read this next part carefully and see if you can follow...Pierre is studying abroad in Melbourne but is originally from a uni in Lyon, France. My former roommate and friend who's more than a friend, Michelle, studied abroad in Lyon last fall and roomed with Pierre, Arthur, and Katia. I knew all about these French roommates of Michelles but had never met any of them. Pierre and I finally met in Melbourne, Australia! So, got it? The world is so much smaller than you could have imagined.
Of course I visited and stayed with Tiffany in Melbourne but we both met up with Pierre on Friday at a bar right across Flinder's Street Station. The bar, Young & Jackson, was actually one of the oldest bars in Melbourne according to Pierre. Tiffany and I both ordered one of the Young & Jackson beers that they had on tap and enjoyed their brew. The three of us sat and sipped while talking about what had brought us to Australia, how we liked it, and well, the inevitable topic that brought us together: Michelle. Tiffany and I had both agreed that if things were weird with Pierre we would totally pull out an excuse of having to be home early, but we all decided that it would be fun to try out a bar safari that Pierre had found in his Melbourne tourist guide.
So once upon a time there was a Frenchman and 2 American girls wandering around downtown Melbourne in search of the perfect bar. After figuring out that the bar safari guide was a little outdated and finding themselves on a side street with obscure paintings on the brick walls around them, they decided to follow a group of people about their age into a hole in the wall. The hole in the wall proved to be the best bar in the land and everyone seemed to know about its charm because there was very little room to move or even find some chairs to sit down. The 2 American girls and the Frenchmen lived happily ever after until they decided to move on for the evening.
But really, we found the most adorable little bar with people our age and it was a literal hole in the wall. While Pierre and I were trying to figure out where exactly this bar was located on the map in his tourist guide, we had a self-proclaimed local come up to us and ask us where we were from and if we needed help getting anywhere. You know you've reached tourist status when the locals are taking a break from their beers here to try to help you.
The next day, Tiffany and I woke up late and went to see Harry Potter. I haven't read the sixth book, but I love those movies. I know they're never as good as the books but I love those movies! And I would watch Daniel Radcliffe all day if you asked me to.
We went over to Pierre's new house for an unofficial housewarming party. First off, everyone was awesome and friendly. Second off, everyone was from somewhere else. There were people from France, Peru, Germany, Spain, Italy, Norway, etc. It was so great to practice some of my French as well. I miss it so much and I was so relieved to be able to understand a lot of the words that they were saying. Tiffany was a little apprehensive to use the French that she remembered, which was "Je suis un anana" and "Je m'appelle...", but she later said that she had never felt so cultured. And really if you think about it, here we were (Americans) sitting in Australia speaking French (or Franglish) with people from all over the globe. Of course everyone there spoke English because languages hold such an importance in other countries besides America. Pierre made sure to play a little Lynyrd Skynrd for us to give us a taste of home...loved it.
The next day, I was about to head out of Melbourne when I got a text from Pierre inviting me down to Saint Kilda. I maneuvered myself around on the metros and trams (be proud!) and met up with Pierre, Irina, and Martin (all French). Upon my arrival, Pierre was hit in the head with a pigeon. No one saw this event occur but he assures us that a pigeon flew right into his head...Australia birds, what are you gonna do with 'em? We wandered down the pier and around the beach area before heading in towards land. We saw the famous carnival entrance welcoming us with a large clown's mouth. We were all pretty tired from the night before and traipsing around Saint Kilda so we caught the tram back to Federation Square where Irina and I enjoyed a delicious hot chocolate and the boys, who couldn't demascinulate themselves with un chocolat chaud, ordered a beer. It was getting late and I still had to catch the hour long train ride back to Geelong so I peaced out, and we promised that we would all meet again in either Georgia or France. I love instant friends.
Of course I visited and stayed with Tiffany in Melbourne but we both met up with Pierre on Friday at a bar right across Flinder's Street Station. The bar, Young & Jackson, was actually one of the oldest bars in Melbourne according to Pierre. Tiffany and I both ordered one of the Young & Jackson beers that they had on tap and enjoyed their brew. The three of us sat and sipped while talking about what had brought us to Australia, how we liked it, and well, the inevitable topic that brought us together: Michelle. Tiffany and I had both agreed that if things were weird with Pierre we would totally pull out an excuse of having to be home early, but we all decided that it would be fun to try out a bar safari that Pierre had found in his Melbourne tourist guide.
So once upon a time there was a Frenchman and 2 American girls wandering around downtown Melbourne in search of the perfect bar. After figuring out that the bar safari guide was a little outdated and finding themselves on a side street with obscure paintings on the brick walls around them, they decided to follow a group of people about their age into a hole in the wall. The hole in the wall proved to be the best bar in the land and everyone seemed to know about its charm because there was very little room to move or even find some chairs to sit down. The 2 American girls and the Frenchmen lived happily ever after until they decided to move on for the evening.
But really, we found the most adorable little bar with people our age and it was a literal hole in the wall. While Pierre and I were trying to figure out where exactly this bar was located on the map in his tourist guide, we had a self-proclaimed local come up to us and ask us where we were from and if we needed help getting anywhere. You know you've reached tourist status when the locals are taking a break from their beers here to try to help you.
The next day, Tiffany and I woke up late and went to see Harry Potter. I haven't read the sixth book, but I love those movies. I know they're never as good as the books but I love those movies! And I would watch Daniel Radcliffe all day if you asked me to.
We went over to Pierre's new house for an unofficial housewarming party. First off, everyone was awesome and friendly. Second off, everyone was from somewhere else. There were people from France, Peru, Germany, Spain, Italy, Norway, etc. It was so great to practice some of my French as well. I miss it so much and I was so relieved to be able to understand a lot of the words that they were saying. Tiffany was a little apprehensive to use the French that she remembered, which was "Je suis un anana" and "Je m'appelle...", but she later said that she had never felt so cultured. And really if you think about it, here we were (Americans) sitting in Australia speaking French (or Franglish) with people from all over the globe. Of course everyone there spoke English because languages hold such an importance in other countries besides America. Pierre made sure to play a little Lynyrd Skynrd for us to give us a taste of home...loved it.
The next day, I was about to head out of Melbourne when I got a text from Pierre inviting me down to Saint Kilda. I maneuvered myself around on the metros and trams (be proud!) and met up with Pierre, Irina, and Martin (all French). Upon my arrival, Pierre was hit in the head with a pigeon. No one saw this event occur but he assures us that a pigeon flew right into his head...Australia birds, what are you gonna do with 'em? We wandered down the pier and around the beach area before heading in towards land. We saw the famous carnival entrance welcoming us with a large clown's mouth. We were all pretty tired from the night before and traipsing around Saint Kilda so we caught the tram back to Federation Square where Irina and I enjoyed a delicious hot chocolate and the boys, who couldn't demascinulate themselves with un chocolat chaud, ordered a beer. It was getting late and I still had to catch the hour long train ride back to Geelong so I peaced out, and we promised that we would all meet again in either Georgia or France. I love instant friends.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Standing all alone in a black coat.
Only a few short months ago I was counting down the days until I left for Australia, and now I find myself counting down the days until I fly home. Leaving will be bittersweet, but I will be forever grateful to touchdown in America. There have been countless lessons learned (and taught...ha) this summer/winter and I have grown in innumerable ways.
Today I faux packed. Although completely unnecessary for most people, this was probably the smartest thing I could have done. First off, my packing is usually horrendous and secondly, it was imperative that I figure out how much space I would have left to allot for Cadbury chocolate. I plan on stuffing every shoe, filling every crevice, and overflowing every piece of luggage with Cadbury chocolate.
Rationale behind this?
1. I will miss Cadbury chocolate the most.
2. Everyone back home must sample even a small piece.
3. I may be addicted to it.
I have chosen to spend this last weekend in Geelong resting a bit. My host house here has two cases of swine flu in it and in order to make sure my immune system is ready for the long flight this week, I thought it would be best to let myself rest as opposed to traveling to Melbourne and drinking with les amis francais. I also have big plans to try to overcome jet lag as quick as possible. I am going to try and start being on East coast time before I leave with the help of some insomniac medicine courtesy of Sydney pharmacists.
My students at school are starting to catch on that I am leaving soon. One of the girls said she needs to get my phone number before I leave. I'm thinking passing out my email address might be more reasonable in order for her parents to avoid the costs of international phone calls.
Today I faux packed. Although completely unnecessary for most people, this was probably the smartest thing I could have done. First off, my packing is usually horrendous and secondly, it was imperative that I figure out how much space I would have left to allot for Cadbury chocolate. I plan on stuffing every shoe, filling every crevice, and overflowing every piece of luggage with Cadbury chocolate.
Rationale behind this?
1. I will miss Cadbury chocolate the most.
2. Everyone back home must sample even a small piece.
3. I may be addicted to it.
I have chosen to spend this last weekend in Geelong resting a bit. My host house here has two cases of swine flu in it and in order to make sure my immune system is ready for the long flight this week, I thought it would be best to let myself rest as opposed to traveling to Melbourne and drinking with les amis francais. I also have big plans to try to overcome jet lag as quick as possible. I am going to try and start being on East coast time before I leave with the help of some insomniac medicine courtesy of Sydney pharmacists.
My students at school are starting to catch on that I am leaving soon. One of the girls said she needs to get my phone number before I leave. I'm thinking passing out my email address might be more reasonable in order for her parents to avoid the costs of international phone calls.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Edelweiss
I could not have asked for a better holiday in South Korea. Jihyun (previously known as Chloe) and her family were so hospitable. They took me in for 9 days and really showed me the Korean culture. Our days were often jam packed with being tourists (mainly for my benefit), running errands, or wandering around Seoul. In our free time, Jihyun and I practiced our moves to the Hoedown Throwdown or received a cucumber face mask from Jihyun's mom. That's right, we were living the dream. I am going to put the link to the pictures down at the bottom of this post like before because there is just too much to write about.
Before I was in South Korea though, I visited Sydney for a few days. I was able to catch up with an old friend from Singapore who showed me around the city a bit. Sydney had so many tourists, and I had fun picking out who may or may not be American. Of course I saw the Opera House and thought of Nemo while I was walking along Darling Harbour. We went out one night to King's Cross and the next day went to the Fish Market.
Staying with Jihyun was such an incredible experience because her family is very Korean. Her mom is even a designer of traditional Korean clothes! Many Koreans like very firm beds so I slept on the ground with a mattress pad and a hard pillow with a ridge in it for your neck. After showering, I had a towel that was a little bit bigger than a dish towel. I was surprised at how well it actually worked and only had problems when I tried to put my wet hair up in a turban. Not as many people as I expected spoke English, so Jihyun and I made up a little dictionary of Korean words for me to use when I met some of her family members or was trying to complete a transaction at the markets. I think for the entire time I was there I only had maybe one or two "Western" meals. I tried everything they set in front of me. For the most part, all of the food tasted great. Jihyun's mom is a wonderful cook and the preparation that she put into the meals was amazing. There were only a few things that I was not fond of, like sea squirt and sea cucumber or the fat on the meat at one restaurant. Kim chee is a huge part of Korean food. It is eaten at almost every single meal (much like rice) and is prepared in bulk quantities months and sometimes years in advance because it is pickled cabbage and other vegetables. Vegetables were present in every meal and I ate more tofu in Korea than I think I ever had in my life. Tofu is one of those things that I was always skeptical of, but I think after this trip I will be more open to it. Like I said before, rice is eaten at every meal, but I bet you didn't think that they would take it one step further and flavour other things with rice. There was rice juice, rice milk, rice ice cream, rice cakes, etc. If Bubba Gump had it with shrimp, then I'm sure the Koreans have it with rice.
Returning to Australia was bittersweet. Once I returned though, I found that I only had 2 1/2 weeks before returning to the US! Now it is down to 9 days and I am really wondering where the time has gone. I only have one more week at Bellaire and all of the students are slowly realizing that my time is coming to an end. Brie has arranged for me to visit the other grade levels since I have been with the juniors the entire time. I will spend a day with the preps, middles, and seniors in the Senior Learning Unit. The Senior Learning Unit is one of the things that is unique to Bellaire. All of the seniors (year 5/6) are responsible for choosing their schedules and have workshops that they must attend. It is a very independent learning setting and I have always been interested in how it is run. The teachers must work very close together in order to ensure that all of the students are keeping receiving all of the appropriate classes and conferences.
Pictures from Bellaire, Sydney, and South Korea
Before I was in South Korea though, I visited Sydney for a few days. I was able to catch up with an old friend from Singapore who showed me around the city a bit. Sydney had so many tourists, and I had fun picking out who may or may not be American. Of course I saw the Opera House and thought of Nemo while I was walking along Darling Harbour. We went out one night to King's Cross and the next day went to the Fish Market.
Staying with Jihyun was such an incredible experience because her family is very Korean. Her mom is even a designer of traditional Korean clothes! Many Koreans like very firm beds so I slept on the ground with a mattress pad and a hard pillow with a ridge in it for your neck. After showering, I had a towel that was a little bit bigger than a dish towel. I was surprised at how well it actually worked and only had problems when I tried to put my wet hair up in a turban. Not as many people as I expected spoke English, so Jihyun and I made up a little dictionary of Korean words for me to use when I met some of her family members or was trying to complete a transaction at the markets. I think for the entire time I was there I only had maybe one or two "Western" meals. I tried everything they set in front of me. For the most part, all of the food tasted great. Jihyun's mom is a wonderful cook and the preparation that she put into the meals was amazing. There were only a few things that I was not fond of, like sea squirt and sea cucumber or the fat on the meat at one restaurant. Kim chee is a huge part of Korean food. It is eaten at almost every single meal (much like rice) and is prepared in bulk quantities months and sometimes years in advance because it is pickled cabbage and other vegetables. Vegetables were present in every meal and I ate more tofu in Korea than I think I ever had in my life. Tofu is one of those things that I was always skeptical of, but I think after this trip I will be more open to it. Like I said before, rice is eaten at every meal, but I bet you didn't think that they would take it one step further and flavour other things with rice. There was rice juice, rice milk, rice ice cream, rice cakes, etc. If Bubba Gump had it with shrimp, then I'm sure the Koreans have it with rice.
Returning to Australia was bittersweet. Once I returned though, I found that I only had 2 1/2 weeks before returning to the US! Now it is down to 9 days and I am really wondering where the time has gone. I only have one more week at Bellaire and all of the students are slowly realizing that my time is coming to an end. Brie has arranged for me to visit the other grade levels since I have been with the juniors the entire time. I will spend a day with the preps, middles, and seniors in the Senior Learning Unit. The Senior Learning Unit is one of the things that is unique to Bellaire. All of the seniors (year 5/6) are responsible for choosing their schedules and have workshops that they must attend. It is a very independent learning setting and I have always been interested in how it is run. The teachers must work very close together in order to ensure that all of the students are keeping receiving all of the appropriate classes and conferences.
Pictures from Bellaire, Sydney, and South Korea
Saturday, June 27, 2009
First the window, then it's to the wall. Lil' Jon, he always tells the truth.
The last day of school before holidays made me beyond happy. We had casual dress day and it also served as a spirit/fundraising day for children with diabetes. Everyone was supposed to wear all one colour and bring in a gold coin (either aus$1 or aus$2) donation. This little boy was wearing a Georgia Bulldogs t-shirt! He didn't have any real bulldog spirit or have any idea where he got the shirt, but, my goodness, he was wearing the shirt and that was all I needed from him.Gooooo Dawgs! Sic' em! Woof woof woof!
The first few days of holiday have been very relaxing. I have had the house to myself for a lot of the weekend, so I have been working really hard on my portfolio, watching movies, and trying to walk down to the shops at least once a day. I cooked a recipe my mom gave me for dinner for everyone and it was a success! Everyone seemed to like it and complimented me on the meal. Phew...sort of a relief since I'm so used to cooking for one, I wasn't even sure if the dish was going to be decent!
Even though I am enjoying my downtime, I am very much excited to get to South Korea with Chloe! She has been telling me all of the things that we are going to do and prepping me for any culture shock that I might have. Bring. it. on.
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