Now before I get too carried away; I'm not technically unemployed. Well, I guess. I mean, I have "retired" from the Orange County Public Schools and have turned in my letter of resignation stating that I will not be returning for work in the fall (the 2011-12 school year). So they're not expecting me back. On a side note, I'm grateful that I still have insurance through the county until August. That is a relief. I also have a job waiting for me in Brazil so I do have a job, I just haven't started yet, so I do feel like I don't have a job. Fun. Fun. Fun.
Speaking of work, I just found out that I'll be teaching 9th, 11th, and 12th grade next school year. At first it can seem overwhelming to have three preps (different grade levels to all of the nonteachers out there), but what it does give me is a challenge. And I am always up for a challenge. Anyway, I won't have to teach as many periods per week as I have had to do in the U.S. so even with the extra preps, and various novels that I'll be teaching, I shouldn't have more work to do in Brazil than I've had here. I mean, isn't that the point of switching jobs? I also enjoy teaching older students so teaching upperclassmen is something that I've been interested in for awhile. I am appreciative of the opportunity to teach 11th and 12th graders. Oh yeah, and I get to teach To Kill a Mockingbird again. What a powerful book!
Ok, enough with the digression.
Now back to my summer vacation.....I'd say one of the best parts of not having to work is that I can sleep in. No more 5:45 a.m. alarm clocks. I'm also not as exhausted as I was previously this month (or last month) and my eye doesn't twitch from lack of sleep and stress like it did before. I can stay up at late as I want (oh Lord, I sound like a teenager). I can also spend quality time with friends, like I did today (hopefully pictures will be posted later on) and can travel without worrying about taking days off of working (or how many sick/personal days I have left) or having to get back to town in order to work. We don't need to drive back and forth to Miami in one day; we can stay down south and stay in a hotel near the beach (like we're doing this weekend) and relax. And of course, we can visit my family and friends in New York any day of the week, for as long as we want (within reason of course).
I also have free time to read. On my Kindle for sure. I finished a (not so interesting) book yesterday and then read My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler in fewer than 24 hours. It was a great book! I couldn't put it down. AND it was on sale for only $1.99. So even if it wasn't as good as I thought, it was still a fabulous deal. (The price has since gone up). I wouldn't have time to read a book, especially that quickly, if I were working. I'm now the (proud?) owner of the book (on the Kindle) Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert - it's the sequel to Eat Pray Love. You can't be surprised that I'd want to find out exactly what happens to the American woman and her Brazilian lover, correct?
All of this is funny to me because I used to have such a strong work ethic. I started work as soon as I could - at the age of 15. I worked nonstop unless I was abroad. I've worked two jobs, and probably three if I worked hard to remember. I've worked summers even though I was still getting paid by the public school. Then again, maybe I haven't changed that much because I'm taking books and resources with me just in case I decide to give private English language classes.
But for now, I'll gleefully enjoy my month long (or is it six-week? :) summer vacation, relaxing by the pool, hanging out with friends and family, and taking pictures of botanical gardens, Miami beaches, and Times Square in New York City.
