Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Taking the Long Way Home


Since I'm directionally challenged, I found it particularly difficult to get home today after being dropped off at a new location. Luckily, I found the park I know so well and was able to meander my way home through it. Since the walk eventually felt quite therapeutic, I took some pictures of what I see on the regular just to share them with you.

I was feeling quite down in the dumps today (no "proverbial" needed today) because I felt as though my work here isn't as recognized as I think it could be. And since there are so many changes I was happy to make, gung-ho to make even a little while ago, it kills me that only now am I actually being asked to make those changes. I was full of energy, enthusiasm and the kind of spunk that comes with being a fish out of water in a new and limitless land. Now I'm at home and feeling rather comfortable; completely eased into my surroundings and no longer needing to prove myself as an educator. I have a job: it's stable. Need I do more? Nah.

I hate that feeling though: that nagging need to do more even when the iron fist of Budget tells me that it might not be worth it. If not for money, for notoriety? But even that is hard to come by. So I am sitting, stewing, and wanting to do more but holding myself back. Out of pure. Principle.

God, I've hit rock bottom: never thought I'd get here.

Did I just state I was doing something out of principle? What a douche.

Aside from that, I had three really great stories come out of the teaching part of my job. One young girl came to me, teary-eyed and somber, telling me all of the things that were making her sad on this day. God, when they really trust you, it really does make it worthwhile.

Then a kid was found doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing. The joy. He was returned to me by my boss (god, don't I know where my kids are? Whoops), and held captive by me while the others were allowed to hoot and holler on the gym equipment. The great thing was though, he helped me do the adding up of the kids' tests (I can't stand adding simple numbers together) and what was a tedious task actually ended up taking very little time, leaving us much of the period to gab about being 14. Pretty awesome.

And the last thing. Some of my Year 9 boys were sitting, waiting to see the principal. It was strange for them to be meeting with him (quite serious at any rate) and since no one actually knew why they were meeting with him, I assumed it was a good meeting. Ha! Anyway, on my way out, I popped down to one of the kid's ears and whispered, "He looks super pissed, buddy." Sufficiently left to sh*t his pants, I walked away laughing, thinking the kid was going to get a pleasant surprise when he was awarded some medal of bravery or something.
Gulp. I was wrong.
Kids got in all kinds of trouble.
Whoops.
Still...it's fun to make them squirm a bit.

Anyway, here are the pics from my long walk home.
I hope your day is going as well as mine turned out going :)
















































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