Recap of a Year of Blessings

I've been writing this post in my head now for several months, but I have been procrastinating actually writing it.  It's been nearly a year since I last wrote, so today I decided I would get out of the house and write this for real.  It's going to be long (which is why I've avoided it for so long), but it covers a whole year so it needs to be.

As many of you know, my life-long dream was to be a member of the Trojan Marching Band.  But only some of you know that once I achieved that dream I sometimes questioned whether or not it was what I really wanted to be doing.  As a freshman in the band you have a lot thrown at you: dance routines, music, traditions, practices three times a week, and 6:30am practice on Saturdays, and if you mess up you mess up in front of 90,000 people.  It can be quite overwhelming, and naturally a spirited organization like that can be a rather intense environment.  Sometimes after a particularly rough week of insanely hot practices in the summer sun I would wonder why I was still doing it.  But then Saturday game days would arrive, and when I took the field for the pre-game show the world just kind of got quiet, and as I listened to the crowd roar as we spelled out USC and Trojans I knew in that moment that it was worth every minute of blood, sweat, and tears I spilled during the week.

I tell you this to illustrate that sense of peace, contentment, and sense of purpose.  It often seems like those moments are few and far between, which is why we cherish them so much.  I write to tell you that I had so many of those moments this year that I've simply lost track.  This last year, with all of it's stress and uncertainty has been so full of blessings for me that I've been overwhelmed with the sense that I am where I am supposed to be and I am doing what I am supposed to be doing.  They say timing is everything in life and this last year has proved that to me.

Blessing #1
"This last year" really started last March, when I randomly applied to and was accepted by Vive Peru.  I spent six weeks last summer in Peru teaching flute, traveling the country, and improving my Spanish.  By the time I came back it was August and most schools were already starting.  As a result, I was late in the game for job applications and was not able to get a full time teaching position.  That was kind of stressful, but I was also thankful that I would have time to recover from six years of college and six weeks of traveling.

Blessing #2
Last summer my Meme (grandma) went through intense surgery for cancer.  She was in the hospital for quite a long period of time and needed people to stay with her in the hospital overnight.  "Luckily" I did not have a job, nor did I have kids, school, or other responsibilities that required my presence and attention.  I am not the only one who stayed overnight with her during this time, but I think I can safely say that I was the one who was able to stay with her (at night) the most (my pepe, aunts and uncles, and mom took turns during the day and some of the nights as well).  This was fine with me, I tend to sleep all day and stay up reading all night anyways.  It was hard to see my meme like that, she is a very strong and independent lady who likes to care for everyone else around her, but I will always cherish the time I spent with her and the opportunity I had to take care of her for a change.  She was able to return home in October (and has since made a near miraculous recovery).

Blessing #3
Around this same time I was hired by a tutoring company down the street from my house, and I was finally able to go through the orientation and training required to start as a substitute teacher in the district I grew up in.  These things started picking up just as Meme was able to start doing things more on her own again.  I also worked up the nerve to introduce myself to the band director at one of the high schools, who just happens to tailgate next to me and my family at USC football games.  He recommended me as a flute teacher to his students and I was able to start giving private flute lessons.  I was also still getting catering gigs now and then on the weekends.....that makes 4 jobs.
       In November I started worrying more about money and my job(s) situation.  Subbing wasn't happening as often as I had planned.  I had made it onto a few teachers' preferred sub lists, but waiting for that phone call between 5 and 7am was killing me (you all know how much I love getting up in the morning).  Luckily technology saved me.  I was able to download an app for my computer that "rang" every time a subbing gig became available.  Once I got this app I started subbing every day, and I was able to be selective: I only did jr. high and high school and I only did history and language arts classes.  Here is what my day looked like from November until the end of June:
7:15am-2:40pm subbing
3:30-7:00 tutoring
7:15- 7:45pm flute lessons

This schedule changed a little in the spring, but it was still roughly 7am-8pm.  I had subbed at every high school in the district except for Eleanor Roosevelt, which is the newest high school in Corona-Norco (it opened after I graduated).  I had never been there and really wanted to sub there. I finally got the chance in December.  I was subbing in a Spanish classroom when I heard a knock at the door.  A young, very pregnant lady said hello and told me she was there to observe me.  I was very confused and said, "Oh, are you a student teacher?" (she looked my age or younger)
She said, "No, no, I'm a full-time teacher here."
My confusion grew...."You know I'm just a sub right?" I said.
 "Oh yes, I'm looking for a long-term sub to take over my classes when I go on maternity leave," she replied.

Blessing #4
I had just started getting the hang of subbing in a different class every day and then I was presented with the opportunity to take over for the English Language Development teacher for four months.  I was very nervous about being in charge of teaching a bunch of kids how to speak and improve their English, but I figured it was a bad idea to turn down an opportunity.  In January I started teaching at Eleanor Roosevelt everyday in the same classroom.  It was very, VERY challenging, but I learned so much.  Some days I swore I would not go back the next day, but sure enough  I went back and things were better.  They aren't kidding when they say that teaching is a roller coaster.  I stayed in this classroom until the end of April.  During that time I really fell in love with the school, the staff, the students and my whole experience there.  Everyone was so friendly and helpful and none of the teachers ever made me feel like I was "just a sub" or like I was "the new girl".  I was sad to leave at the end of April, but also a little relieved - going back to regular subbing would be like a vacation.
   At this time I was offered a promotion to manager at the tutoring place I worked for.  This meant more hours, but since I wouldn't be subbing long-term I figured it wouldn't be unbearable in my already busy schedule.
   The next Monday I subbed at one school and Tuesday I subbed at another.  While at lunch that Tuesday I received a call from the district saying that I was requested back at Roosevelt to cover for another teacher on maternity leave, and this placement would last through the end of the year.  I was excited.  One week away and then I was back at Roosevelt covering freshman and junior language arts classes.

Blessing #5
   As the end of May approached I started stressing about job applications and where I would be the next fall.  The band director had asked me to work with the marching band, but I wasn't able to give him a definite answer because I had no idea where I would be living or working.  The uncertainty was killing me.  Then one Friday after a really great flute lesson I got a phone call from the assistant principal I had been working with all year.  He asked if I wanted to teach summer school and of course I jumped at the opportunity.  I spent all of June teaching the second semester of sophomore language arts.  My morning session started with 65 kids and the afternoon session started with 55.  It was killer.  Some of the kids (fortunately and unfortunately) slowly dropped out of the class and the numbers became more manageable.  This was my first group of students that were truly mine.  I didn't share them with a master teacher, and I didn't take over for another teacher, they were mine from day one and I ended up having a lot of fun.

Blessing #6
The second day of summer school I got a call from the district asking to schedule a screening interview for a permanent teaching position I had applied for.  I told them I was interested but that I was teaching summer school and I wanted to know how that would work in terms of scheduling.  They said they would call back.  Two weeks later I still hadn't scheduled an interview time.  Summer school was close to ending and I was starting to stress about what my next move would be.  The district finally called back and I went in for an 8am interview during the last week of summer school.  I felt really good going into the interview, and even better when I saw that I would be interviewed by Roosevelt's principal ( I had already spoken with him on several occasions).  My uncle (an elementary school principal) had helped me prepare with sample interview questions and I felt comfortable the whole time.    However, when I left all the adrenaline left me and I felt nauseous and nervous.  I didn't think I could possibly get the position, and I had heard that at least 150 people had applied.  I went back to my class planning on applying for more jobs as soon as summer school ended.

That afternoon I went to tutoring as usual.  I sat down and started focusing on the work there when I got a phone call from the district.  The voice on the other end said she wanted to offer me the Language Arts teaching position at Roosevelt.  I was shocked, all I could think was, "Don't scream."  I thanked her and asked her what I needed to do next as my eyes started tearing up.  The next day I went in to sign my contract.



So that's it, my year in (a very large) nutshell :-p   It looks like I will be teaching freshman language arts, and I will also be working with the flute section during band camp and throughout the fall marching season (in addition to private lessons).  I am so excited (and nervous).

Timing is everything and this year proved it.  Just when I started to stress about one thing ending and what I would do next, I was presented with a new opportunity.  I had to keep telling myself this year to just concentrate on one thing at a time and trust that I was where I needed to be and doing what I needed to be doing.  Timing and Divine providence.

I want to end this very long post with some thank you's.  I want to thank everyone for their support and encouragement this year.  When I started telling people that I got a full time position I was overwhelmed by how excited people were for me.  At times it has felt like other people are more excited for me than I am (which is not a bad thing).  Teaching is a huge responsibility and can be overwhelming, but it helps to know that so many people I admire and look up to are sure that I can take on this responsibility.  I'm weary of thanking specific people because I'm sure I will leave people out but these people deserve special thanks.

My friends for basically allowing me to ignore you and be M.I.A. for the last six months of craziness.

I specifically want to thank my parents for not harassing me about living at home and for not constantly asking me what my plan was.

Thanks to my Aunt Monique and Uncle Robert for their insight and advice about all things concerning teaching and being a professional.

Thanks to Michael Fleischmann for allowing me to work with the flute section and supporting me throughout the application process, he is a great example of the Trojan Family in action.

I also want to give a special thanks to my mentors, my own teachers, for their advice and support and for allowing me to teach in their classrooms this year: Michelle Choi, Becky Dell, Michael Pavek, Ioana Ciuperca, thank you.