Tuesday, August 13, 2013
One Year Later... Part Two
It's difficult to imagine that I left Glasgow and this blog close to one year ago. I believed I would keep writing but life, funnily enough, seemed to be a constant distraction. I received a few probing comments regarding my lack of writing (Hello you South Africans!) and continuously vowed to begin again. But, it just never seemed to happen. Now, a year and quite a few changes later, it's time to share with you all again. What exactly has happened in this year........
Richard and I left Glasgow on September 1st. We flew to the US and spent two weeks traveling and visiting with friends and family. I feel guilty about not sharing the stories from our time traipsing through Missouri and Kansas since they include a mirror maze, an exhibition on chicken bathing and of course a pig race. With no firm job offers in place and no visas in hand we decided to forge a cross continental relationship. A week after Richard returned to South Africa I was offered a job working with special education students. I was blessed to work with wonderful people and grew to love my students. If you ever need a plethora of party stories work with exceptional children! My job afforded me the opportunity to leave Kansas and spend Christmas in South Africa. I had the trip of a lifetime and was devastated to leave Richard once again.
Fortunately, our separation was for only two months as Richard visited in March. Before his visit he landed a job working as a research analyst and began rigorously studying for his CFA exam. Richard's trip was phenomenal and included a trip to the Rockies of Colorado and the arch of St. Louis.... It also included a proposal! I knew Richard was "the one" a month into our relationship and both of us were absolutely thrilled to make it official! Our engagement brought forward entirely new challenges, international wedding planning and the joys of immigration! We always joke that we have certainly earned our marriage with the many, many hoops we've jumped through!
In May I interviewed for a English/Language arts teaching position in a Kansas City middle school. The day after my interview I flew to South Africa to surprise Richard upon the completion of his CFA exam. For those of you that know Richard you may be asking how did he handle this surprise...... Exactly as I expected with a massive hug followed by "I'm just so confused!" A week into my visit I heard word that I received the teaching position! It then became official that our home would be in the United States. It was difficult decision and one we spent many, many hours mulling over.
The day after returning from South Africa I began training for my new job. It was wonderful to meet the teachers I would be working with throughout the year. My third week on the job I received the news that Richard passed his CFA exam! What an amazing accomplishment and how very much deserved.
Today was the first day for my seventh grade students. I have learned the truth in the statement "never say never." I always swore I would NEVER teach seventh graders, today I welcomed over 60 seventh grade faces into my classroom. And, let me tell you, it's already an adventure. I have learned the lesson all first year teachers learn.... the "to-do list" will just never be completed and eight hours of my day will be spent in total chaos. I will also hear "Ms. Garrett!" at least 500 times a day. I also have learned why I love teaching, because I love the students.
Where else would you get to experience the following conversation:
Tell me about your early years: "I was loud and I liked green beans"
Tell me about yourself today: "I'm still loud and I'm still liking green beans!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
or the following:
"I will be getting married in November. That means after Thanksgiving I will no longer be Ms. Garrett instead I will be Mrs. Carter-Brown. We are all going to have to work together to learn my new name."
"DANG! Can I just call you Carter or Brown. That's like two whole names in one Ms. Garrett!"
"What about Mrs. C-B"
"YEAH I LIKE THAT. MIZZ C-B! C-B! Yeah, I could get used to that. Wait! You know Ms. Garret you are going to have to change ALLLLLL this stuff to say MIZZ C-B (while pointing at my name written on the dry erase board).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, in my first hour one of my student's molars fell out. What a way to begin the year!
So as Richard prepares to immigrate, we plan an international wedding and both begin our careers I will use this blog to keep you all updated. With our loved ones scattered across the Globe we once again rely on the blog to keep us all connected!
One Year Later Part Two
It's difficult to imagine that I left Glasgow and this blog close to one year ago. I believed I would keep writing but life, funnily enough, seemed to be a constant distraction. I received a few probing comments regarding my lack of writing (Hello you South Africans!) and continuously vowed to begin again. But, it just never seemed to happen. Now, a year and quite a few changes later, it's time to share with you all again. What exactly has happened in this year........
Richard and I left Glasgow on September 1st. We flew to the US and spent two weeks traveling and visiting with friends and family. I feel guilty about not sharing the stories from our time traipsing through Missouri and Kansas since they include a mirror maze, an exhibition on chicken bathing and of course a pig race. With no firm job offers in place and no visas in hand we decided to forge a cross continental relationship. A week after Richard returned to South Africa I was offered a job working with special education students. I was blessed to work with wonderful people and grew to love my students. If you ever need a plethora of party stories work with exceptional children! My job afforded me the opportunity to leave Kansas and spend Christmas in South Africa. I had the trip of a lifetime and was devastated to leave Richard once again.
Fortunately, our separation was for only two months as Richard visited in March. Before his visit he landed a job working as a research analyst and began rigorously studying for his CFA exam. Richard's trip was phenomenal and included a trip to the Rockies of Colorado and the arch of St. Louis.... It also included a proposal! I knew Richard was "the one" a month into our relationship and both of us were absolutely thrilled to make it official! Our engagement brought forward entirely new challenges, international wedding planning and the joys of immigration! We always joke that we have certainly earned our marriage with the many, many hoops we've jumped through!
In May I interviewed for a English/Language arts teaching position in a Kansas City middle school. The day after my interview I flew to South Africa to surprise Richard upon the completion of his CFA exam. For those of you that know Richard you may be asking how did he handle this surprise...... Exactly as I expected with a massive hug followed by "I'm just so confused!" A week into my visit I heard word that I received the teaching position! It then became official that our home would be in the United States. It was difficult decision and one we spent many, many hours mulling over.
The day after returning from South Africa I began training for my new job. It was wonderful to meet the teachers I would be working with throughout the year. My third week on the job I received the news that Richard passed his CFA exam! What an amazing accomplishment and how very much deserved.
Today was the first day for my seventh grade students. I have learned the truth in the statement "never say never." I always swore I would NEVER teach seventh graders, today I welcomed over 60 seventh grade faces into my classroom. And, let me tell you, it's already an adventure. I have learned the lesson all first year teachers learn.... the "to-do list" will just never be completed and eight hours of my day will be spent in total chaos. I will also hear "Ms. Garrett!" at least 500 times a day. I also have learned why I love teaching, because I love the students.
Where else would you get to experience the following conversation:
Tell me about your early years: "I was loud and I liked green beans"
Tell me about yourself today: "I'm still loud and I'm still liking green beans!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
or the following:
"I will be getting married in November. That means after Thanksgiving I will no longer be Ms. Garrett instead I will be Mrs. Carter-Brown. We are all going to have to work together to learn my new name."
"DANG! Can I just call you Carter or Brown. That's like two whole names in one Ms. Garrett!"
"What about Mrs. C-B"
"YEAH I LIKE THAT. MIZZ C-B! C-B! Yeah, I could get used to that. Wait! You know Ms. Garret you are going to have to change ALLLLLL this stuff to say MIZZ C-B (while pointing at my name written on the dry erase board).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, in my first hour one of my student's molars fell out. What a way to begin the year!
So as Richard prepares to immigrate, we plan an international wedding and both begin our careers I will use this blog to keep you all updated. With our loved ones scattered across the country we once again rely on the blog to keep us all connected!
Richard and I left Glasgow on September 1st. We flew to the US and spent two weeks traveling and visiting with friends and family. I feel guilty about not sharing the stories from our time traipsing through Missouri and Kansas since they include a mirror maze, an exhibition on chicken bathing and of course a pig race. With no firm job offers in place and no visas in hand we decided to forge a cross continental relationship. A week after Richard returned to South Africa I was offered a job working with special education students. I was blessed to work with wonderful people and grew to love my students. If you ever need a plethora of party stories work with exceptional children! My job afforded me the opportunity to leave Kansas and spend Christmas in South Africa. I had the trip of a lifetime and was devastated to leave Richard once again.
Fortunately, our separation was for only two months as Richard visited in March. Before his visit he landed a job working as a research analyst and began rigorously studying for his CFA exam. Richard's trip was phenomenal and included a trip to the Rockies of Colorado and the arch of St. Louis.... It also included a proposal! I knew Richard was "the one" a month into our relationship and both of us were absolutely thrilled to make it official! Our engagement brought forward entirely new challenges, international wedding planning and the joys of immigration! We always joke that we have certainly earned our marriage with the many, many hoops we've jumped through!
In May I interviewed for a English/Language arts teaching position in a Kansas City middle school. The day after my interview I flew to South Africa to surprise Richard upon the completion of his CFA exam. For those of you that know Richard you may be asking how did he handle this surprise...... Exactly as I expected with a massive hug followed by "I'm just so confused!" A week into my visit I heard word that I received the teaching position! It then became official that our home would be in the United States. It was difficult decision and one we spent many, many hours mulling over.
The day after returning from South Africa I began training for my new job. It was wonderful to meet the teachers I would be working with throughout the year. My third week on the job I received the news that Richard passed his CFA exam! What an amazing accomplishment and how very much deserved.
Today was the first day for my seventh grade students. I have learned the truth in the statement "never say never." I always swore I would NEVER teach seventh graders, today I welcomed over 60 seventh grade faces into my classroom. And, let me tell you, it's already an adventure. I have learned the lesson all first year teachers learn.... the "to-do list" will just never be completed and eight hours of my day will be spent in total chaos. I will also hear "Ms. Garrett!" at least 500 times a day. I also have learned why I love teaching, because I love the students.
Where else would you get to experience the following conversation:
Tell me about your early years: "I was loud and I liked green beans"
Tell me about yourself today: "I'm still loud and I'm still liking green beans!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
or the following:
"I will be getting married in November. That means after Thanksgiving I will no longer be Ms. Garrett instead I will be Mrs. Carter-Brown. We are all going to have to work together to learn my new name."
"DANG! Can I just call you Carter or Brown. That's like two whole names in one Ms. Garrett!"
"What about Mrs. C-B"
"YEAH I LIKE THAT. MIZZ C-B! C-B! Yeah, I could get used to that. Wait! You know Ms. Garret you are going to have to change ALLLLLL this stuff to say MIZZ C-B (while pointing at my name written on the dry erase board).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, in my first hour one of my student's molars fell out. What a way to begin the year!
So as Richard prepares to immigrate, we plan an international wedding and both begin our careers I will use this blog to keep you all updated. With our loved ones scattered across the country we once again rely on the blog to keep us all connected!
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