Today I am an Art Teacher. Soooooo cool for subbing, I don't know how fun it would be if it was my full time job though. I was talking to the first graders about how I am leaving on Thursday and I was having them guess where I am going. First I told them it is not in the US. So the first two guesses I got were Hawaii and Alaska. OK I said. It starts with A. Allegheny... hahahaha It is a continent I said. I think I got Africa 7 times and Asia about 4. There of course were a few other places thrown in there including Alabama but no Australia. Finally after giving them Aust a little girl in the back who hadn't even raised her hand yet blurts out Australia! She was so excited. I wish I had a prize to give her!



I guess I am going to start packing today... Maybe. Maybe I will just clean out my car. I put it up on Craigs list. Dad is gonna sell it for me:)



So I promised myself that I wasn't going to meet anyone before I left. Well this person just happened to fall into my lap last Thursday. I met him while I was out in New Paltz. I hate timing. I also hate saying, "Well we will see what happens when I get back" He is pretty awesome though so who knows.

Less than 1 week

So today I am a phys ed teacher at Cahill Elementary school. Totally sweet. I could not do this every day though! Even cooler is that I am subbing with my friend Sarah who was my roommate up at school. She is actually going to be a phys ed teacher so I am 'allowing' her to do all of the hard stuff while I just play with the kids. Its kinda like camp when I get to yell at the kids and Alec just plays with them all day and dunks them in the pool. I just played an hour of ulitmate frisbee with 4th 5th and 6th graders. Sweet!

So I leave next Thursday for anyone who is wondering. Mom keeps reminding me to start packing. I got about 1 hour of sleep last night because I went out with two of my friends in New Paltz. Very fun. Kinda shady, but a good time all in all. Got home at 5:30 this morning and mom was very confused! I have to hang out with my friends though as much as I can. Jenn is moving to China on the 13th, and God only knows where Rob will be when I get back. Same with Laura. What if I don't get to hang out with them the same again? That I think is the most difficult thing for me right now. I know I will have a great time while I am there, and that teaching will be awesome. But what will things be like when I get back? They could be completely and absolutely and totally different. Maybe I should just move to Hawaii...

I got a letter from RIT saying thank you for my interest in their grad programs and then gave me a list of the programs they offer. Its just funny because I applied for a specific one, I obviously already know what they are offering. I hope I get in. That would totally blow if I don't!!!! Where am I living next year??? Probably Rochester, but who knows things could change.

So I just got an email.....

I just received an email from my teacher in Australia. He seems really cool, but now I am all sorts of extra nervous. He teaches all year 12 math, which means more difficult stuff. One of his classes is primarily Chinese students and they are all higher level!!!! AHHHHHH It is going to be so hard. I don't even think I know enough math to be able to teach that stuff. He has three daughters. One teaches Japanese. One is a pharmacist, and the last is getting her doctorate. So basically he has a genius family. Now I am more nervous than ever and I totally wish that I had just student taught with Ms. Machuca in Rochester. I already know how awesome she is and I know I would have had a great time. Less than 2 weeks now. I wonder if I should start packing?

Memorial Day

So Yesterday was my graduation party. Amazing. So much of my family came!!!! And it was so fun. I had never been a hostess before and it was funny how my sister Arin kept reminding me of my responsibilities. It was cool to see everyone before I left because I wont get to see people again til at least October. But it will probably be Christmas. I realized also that I will miss camping at that lake... There is always next year though right? I am with my BBB Cassie right now, and we are about to go sit on some (rocky) beach called Fawn stock. Good stuff

Last Chance

The last thing I am writing from Brockport. I am totally gonna miss it.

My last sign language paper

I have learned an incredible amount since I started taking sign language last spring. Not only did I learn how to sign at an intermediate level, but I also learned a lot about myself, how to make real friends, and that there are still a few genuinely good and caring people out there.
During ASL 1, at the Alan B show, every one sitting around me kept asking me if I understood what he was saying during his final speech. I can still see him up there signing this incredibly emotional story, and I didn’t have a clue as to what he was saying. I of course told my fellow classmates that I could understand him, when really I only caught a few words. Then this past fall I was really geared towards learning sign language and getting good at it. I even had my kids at camp this past summer learn some signs so we could show the rest of the camp while singing Beatles songs. I started speaking as much sign language as I could to my friends, and then even incorporated much of it into my lessons during student teaching. I noticed that when I was out with friends, and I was perhaps intoxicated, the language started flowing from my hands and my facial expressions. I loved it. I never knew that I could learn another language, and then I realized that I could not give it up. I begged to be allowed to take ASL 3, even though I had a Monday night conflict, and then found out about the RIT program which is the next step in my life that I am about to take on.
I have been trying to write my application essay to get into the MSSE program for a few weeks now, and for some reason it is very hard to write. They want to know “Why do you want to go into your chosen program?” I don’t know how to put it into words, I just do. I have been told by someone, who I have now grown to look up to and always seek out for advice that “I was made to be a teacher of the deaf.” Well why? I want to know. I love teaching. I have always liked helping others. When I see someone struggling I just want to help, I may not be good at what they are doing, but it is just something inside of me that drives me to go ask if they need anything.
I would love more than anything to get a job in a school district teaching high needs students math These students could be deaf, hard of hearing, or hearing, I would love every second of it. I don’t want to teach in a school where students think that they deserve anything that they want and that other people will do everything for them.
I have also learned some of my strengths and weaknesses over the last several months. I need to be more aware of how I portray myself, but I also do not need to change myself in order to fit in with what other people are expecting of me. I can not lose who I truly am, and I need to respect myself in certain situations. I have gotten so much amazing advice from one of the best professors I could have asked for, and I treasure every word of it. I was on a run the other night and I was repeating in my head several of the things that I heard that day. Life is too short to worry about the small stuff. I want to be able to be myself, make good decisions, and not rush into anything serious. “A guy would do anything just to hold your hand.” I will treasure that line forever.
During ASL 3 the first major event that I participated in was deaf bowling night. When I arrived the first thing I said in my head was “Wow there really are real live deaf people out there!” It seems so silly to me now, but the first time I tried talking to this really nice old deaf man I realized I was terrified. At first he was talking so fast I just kept nodding my head in agreement, but after I asked him to slow down I actually had a conversation! It was amazing. Then at deaf coffee hour I walked up to him like we were old friends, it was a great feeling to not be timid to talk to someone, especially in another language. Finally, when we drove to Keith Wann I knew I would make it. I followed along with most of what he was saying, and I started to really appreciate the comments that he was making.
My final test for myself, was talking to my professor on the very last night of class. My finger spelling was faster, I was trying hard not to talk as much, and I wasn’t just gesturing signs anymore. I felt so much more mature, and I realized that I am really scared now about walking out into the real world. Sign language has been a safe haven for me over the last year. I know that I am welcomed in that class and people appreciate me for who I really am. We respect each other, and want to help one another get better at signing, or even start a club. I think I am most scared about leaving behind the things that I have been building and growing over the last four years. I feel like I have to start all over again. I am not moving home for good reasons, but no I am so worried about where I am going to go, and where I am going to end up. I hope and pray that I do not lose the things that I treasure most. I want to keep those new bonds that I have made, and I only want them to grow stronger. I know that the things that are meant to be will happen, I just also pray that I am ready to handle them.

So much on my mind

It is so hard to apply to RIT when I am not even sure if that is what I will exactly be doing next year. I know that I need to get my butt in gear though. I am subbing at Hilton today and it is so incredibly boring! This is the last period of the day, and it is finally my first free period. I am in the mood to write. Things I need to write
application essay to RIT
sign language paper
this blog.

I will return to it later:)

Can't sleep

1 month to go!

So I graduate from college on Saturday... Yikes, totally insane. I am trying to write my essay to apply to RIT but it is hard. I know why I want to go there, but it is hard to put it into words.
I totally can't sleep because I keep thinking of all of the people that I am never going to see again, and how I don't want to waste my time now. I am going to be so busy this week though which is totally unfair. I should have been spending my time more wisely this entire semester.
I really just don't want to leave school with any regrets. That is most important to me. I can not wait to start over fresh in Australia though. That is what I am most looking forward to.

Just started thinking about it

So today I am exactly 5 weeks away from leaving for Australia. I decided to start a blog, because I feel like it will be easier to communicate with every one back home if I just have one common place to share what is going on. This way I can also put up pictures and not have to worry about sending them in an email.

I need to think of a list of stuff to bring with me.
I know I need new face wash, lotion, and mascara, because apparently all of that stuff is really expensive over there.

I also need a list of things that I need to do before I leave. Such as;
Buy new running sneakers
Set up a Bank of America account (Apparently thats the good bank over there, strange)
Cancel my cell phone plan
Cancel my car insurance
Buy a wet suit or surf guard top, because I know its not going to be exactly warm enough to swim, but I am sure that I wil be going in the ocean any way.


Who knows what is going on with my financial aid. It is so annoying! I just want to know if I will have my loans or not!

Things you may want to know

I leave from JFK on Thursday June 11th at 7 p.m. and arrive in Brisbane on Saturday June 13th at 11 a.m.
The first two weeks we take a cool class about Australia to learn about their culture and what not.
Then we go on a two week trip up the east coast and then south through the outback.
Then I will be teaching math at Kawana Waters State College for nine weeks.
And finally for the last two weeks I will be staying with Grant ( a good friend of Uncle Jimmy) who lives down in Sydney. I just want to explore as much as possible!

I am nervous, but I know it is going to be amazing. Because honestly how could it not be!!!

If you want to see where I am living on like google maps, type in Newport Apartments, Mooloolaba, Australia.

Cant wait