Year three down, year four begins... in BVI?!

Well hello there... Haven't been here in quire a while. That may speak to how my third year went. In a nutshell it started off great and end...not so great. But I made it through. Oh and I moved out... but that's a whole other story. After my summer visit to the Dominican Republic last year I became restless and wanted to venture out. I began looking into teaching abroad, particularly in the Dominican. But that didn't work out...so what did I do? Quit? NEVER! I began looking at other islands. I sent my resume to multiple schools, did about 2 skype interviews and now I can say that I have found my new home. LITERALLY... in Tortola, BVI!!! It's been a whirlwind but I leave next Saturday.

Major Details:
It's a 2 year contract
I'll be teaching 4th grade (initially it was 3rd);
I'll have a para for part of the day!
Class size shouldn't be more than 21
Small international school
And I'll be living on one of the most beautiful islands!!!

I'm very excited but of course also nervous. I'll be moving there having no contacts, basically starting over from scratch. I'm shipping down most of my stuff down which has been taxing, the packing that is, and pretty expensive. But thankfully I will be getting reimbursed for quite a few things. So that's the skinny. I'm going to start a new blog to ring in my new life in the BVI. Keep an eye out! :)

Year 2 down, Year 3 on its way

So obviously I'm not the best at this blogging thing. It takes a really disciplined person and sadly I'm not there yet. However I do enjoy looking back over my posts and remembering the good (or not so good) times. Let's just say this past year was best left undocumented...lol 0_0  Yea. But I'm staying positive and hopeful for the next. Lots of shaking up and changes going on. And a whole lots of drama of course, but I guess that's just life. Trying to stay out of it...keyword trying. Not a whole lots is new really, which kinda stinks...I'm at a new church that I really like and I recently got baptized! Um...but that's about it. Sad...kinda... no romance...oh wait! I'm in grad school!! That's huge! I'll be done in December so that's good! One goal down...how many more to go?! Good question. I'll figure that out this summer. But I just wanted to show up and hopefully show out this summer. There's some fun in the forecast but mostly work (summer classes). 

Hugs and Kisses! TTYS

Post GRE/ Last Days

So I'm gonna pick up with after taking the GRE. Ofcourse it was terrible but OMG I felt like I was going into the witness protection program or something! Talk about security! I had to fill out this long form then write this pledge that I am who I say I am in CURSIVE (which alerted me to the fact that I don't write in cursive like..at all and I need to brush up on it! pretty rusty) Then I had a locker to put my stuff (which was nice) then I had to sign in, they ysed a metal detector to make sure I wasn't concealing...idk a GUN lol, then they recorded the conversation about testing rules and THEN took my picture! AAAHHH!!! Madness I say!

The test itself was horrible but I knew it would be. After all I didn't study or anything! But that's taken care of! Throughout the day I was texting Ms. Chaney (a para in my room) asking her about the kids! (paranoid much) She said everything went well. The reason I was so paranoid was because they were doing 5th grade exhibition presentations and its a big thing so I didn't want my class to screw up when I wasn't there! The sub left a note with a few names, and they go theirs the next day! lol But other than that everything was fine!

Thursday and Friday were a blur. Getting those 5th grade survivor kits together for them was ok. And I made magnets with the class picture! The learning celebration/lunch went really well. The parents really enjoyed it and I think the kids did too! Ms. Chaney and I got AWESOME gifts from the parents!! It was really nice! Friday seemed to go slow but we had fun! I thought I would get extra emotional but I didn't... I guess I was ready for them to go! lol I'll miss them but I'll see them next year... kind of... lol  hopefully I'll babysit a few over the break! That would be nice! Not much else to say really... I'll do another post actually reflecting on the year! :)

Finally taking this stupid test... the GRE

I've prepared for it in college and never took it. And now it seems that I will be taking it tomorrow cold...no studying no prepping... nothing! The only reason I'm taking it is because I'm trying to get into this Master's program at GSU and they have no qualifying score! Which is pretty awesome! But I still want to do a good job on it!! Is this too good to be true? IDK but I gotta finish my application by June 1. Already did FAFSA. Gonna be taking on my first school loan.. sigh. But I guess that's how it goes!

On the other hand...I'm going to be away from my babies for the whole day tomorrow. My first personal day! Its gonna insane tomorrow because of 5th grade exhibition (this big project they've been working on for months I suppose). Presentations are tomorrow as well as their moving forward ceremony, all of which everyone will be attending! (in two parts) Good thing I have Ms. Chaney!! I did my best to leave detailed instructions and praying the kids will keep it together cause they sure have been getting on my everlasting nerves! lol but that's another story I guess. I'm trying to keep it together myself! SIGH lol

2 MORE DAYS!!!! and still so much to do....AAHHH!!! Parents coming on Thursday for the END OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION! ugh lol And then these impromptu meetings with the principal which seem like its our end of year evaluation but we're not quite sure... cause that's not how it was suppose to go. I tell you, we need to cover that place in prayer! I started off saying I would and I did for a while, but fell off the wagon (like with other things). But everyday I need to pray for the admin and teachers and other staff! I wonder to myself... will I stay, and how long until I go home to Clairemont? Will it still be home when/if I return? We shall see! 

I should be getting on. Need all the rest I can get. Looking forward to a yummy breakfast made my yours truely! GOOD NIGHT!

<3

Last Week of the First Year

This post will probably take a few days to write...or maybe I'll do a part 2 and 3! It's officially the last week of my first year teaching! What a ride. I must say through it all it was awesome! But now there's still lots too do. Grading, report cards, cleaning up the room, end of the year celebration... it will be a packed week! Hoping to keep my head on straight! Oh and I'm taking the GRE on Wednesday!! AAAHHH!! Hoping to get into this Master's program at GSU in the fall. Keeping fingers crossed. It will be my first school loan... :(  the sad part!  But it must be done! Our Meet The third graders day with Clairemont was great. Saw some familiar faces that remembered me too!! Praying for a great year! And a great summer too!

On a more personal note, going through a lot at home. Don't know where to turn or what to do. I need some guidance. Some help. Im messed up in the head! and heart! Don't know how to make it better. I do know one place Im going wrong that I can easily correct and that is spending time in fellowship with the Lord on a DAILY basis. That is not happening and has not been for a while. So Im sure that has something to do with it. Am I really that broken? Can I be fixed? I know the answer is yes because He can do all things, but why does it seem so impossible. Sigh. Well I know where to start, and hopefully that will start me on the right path.

That is all for now. My brain is too foggy! lol Will hopefully post again tomorrow!

GN

It's All Coming to an End

So.... guess what!? 9 days left in the school year! talk about OMGEE. In 9 days I will have completed one year in my dream job! lol ha! amazing. I can honestly say I have hit a slump. I'm tired, like really tired. But I wouldn't have traded it for anything! I'm gonna miss my babies! So much to still do though. Projects being completed that I have to grade...lots of grading..ugh. And end of the year celebration that needs to be planned...another ugh... lol and an ice cream sundae party I'm trying to plan as well...all in 2 weeks! MADNESS! 

Then what you may ask? Spend the summer o the beach?! lol ha no! Getting ready for next year! Planning, learning about Common Core, organizing, becoming a better, more efficient teacher! That's what! Praise God I get paid over the summer! Maybe I'll do some babysitting for some of my babies! lol we'll see. But I promise I will have some fun! :) Hoping to visit Nashville and visit my friend! Oh and my BFF is leaving me for Korea!! For a whole year!! But she will have a good experience hopefully!

Sigh. My attempt at moving out failed. I will say that if it was meant to be it would have been. I want to say I've been praying... but not really. Im not particularly mad because Im proud of myself for going for it! But it sucks when you have no credit! The Lord will provide. He always has and always will. But it will be...well let's stay positive. 

I will hopefully post more in the summer time! :) and in the days to come!

Testing Frenzy!!

So we are in the middle of the testing frenzy at school. last week Wed, Fri and tomorrow was/is MAP testing. It only takes an hour and testing growth in math, Reading, and ELA. Each student has a growth target and this is the last test of the year so this one counts. Let's just say you want them to meet/exceed that target! However the standards you teach are not aligned to the test...so they will be tested on things you haven't taught yet! It's fabulous really... lol but you do what you can! So far I'm in the middle. Some students haven't finished the Math so we shall see. All finished Reading but...I gotta look at those again...  :/  

Then of course we have the dreaded CRCT...NEXT WEEK!!! Madness I tell you! lol The kids have been troopers though! Still up late...working on lesson plans...cause my weekend was a bust... don't ask. Report cards went home today. Busted my booty to get those done too, because I didn't do ANYTHING over the break! good and BAD!! Had to get a 5hr to get me through!! Doesn't look like I'll be catching up on sleep anytime soon. 6 more weeks of madness! But I will miss my kiddies dearly! most of them anyways..lol

Gonna try and get some sleep. Hopefully I can find pockets of time (like at 12 in the morning) to post. However my prayer/Bible reading time is suffering big time. And its my fault for not having my priorities in order. Gotta do better! I can hardly drag my self out of bed in the morning and force myself to go to bed at night. But I will make things right!

 P.S- Did I tell you we have a class fishy!!! OMGEE! Gotta post a pic! His name is Finn Bob Fishy!! (first, middle and last name!) He's awesomeness! :)