Hoskinwood Family

Wow...what a CRAZY two to three months it's been! I don't even know where to start. This is really the first time I've had to come back to this blog since I posted last in early June. Teach for America really put me through the ringer this summer. Whew... But not really in a bad way. Just in a really grueling, completely immersed sort of way. It is now mid-August and I start teaching school for the very first time in 10 days. How am I going to pull it off? Ninety or so 7th graders staring at me, waiting for me to tell them what to do, and how to do it. Will they like me? Will I be an unorganized mess? How do I get started? Unit plan? Lesson plan??? The self-doubting, panic fueled questions go on and on. Lucky for me, self-doubt and starting ventures being completely clueless...well, let's just say we are well acquainted with one another. HA! I laugh in the face of self doubt! Okay, so that's not really the case at all. But I do know that although I might fall flat on my face at first, I believe I am cut out for this teaching business in the long run. I think I have what it takes. I care about the kids and I think my sincerity will show. I find comfort, also, in the knowledge that pretty much every teacher that has gone before me did not know what they were doing at first either. And besides, as Dad always said, falling flat on your face builds character. Although, at this point, you'd think I'm about all filled up!

Let's see, when I wrote last, I was in the midst of my big fun San Francisco weekend with my brother, Gerzy, Courtney, Dave and Laurette. In 3 days we managed to: spend a day at the beach in Santa Cruz (hanging at beach, visiting some lighthouse, hanging out at another beach, going to the arcade, and having dinner), kayak the Bay, visit a brewery, barbecue at Courtney's, skate in Golden Gate park, bike at Golden Gate park, visit another beach, and have burgers in the backyard of Zeigeist. It has been great to reconnect with old friends! I was exhausted already when I arrived in London. I don't advise it. But I would do it all over again.

I have so much more that I want to write about to catch things up to speed for this summer, but now it is late and I have to get up somewhat early tomorrow. I am driving to Bakersfield (4 hrs) and back in one day to retrieve some belongings and to visit with Kel and Stu. I am making a vow to come back to this. It has been on my to do list for a month or longer and I want to write about my trip to Europe, and then post about my training institute also. It is Friday and I will be back Sunday night to write more.