I've signed my contract

I have received my teacher contract for the next two years (which can be extended) for the international school where I'll be teaching in Brasilia, Brazil starting next month! I printed three copies, initialed the margin of the first page and signed my signature on the second for each copy; tomorrow I'll mail all three copies to the school - they'll give me a copy after everyone signs their copy so I can keep one for my personal records. 


It's official now :). It could seem weird that I'm signing the contract now, versus in December when I received the job offer, but not all schools/counties work the same. For example, I signed the last contract that I had from my former school district in Florida (from August to August) MONTHS into the school year. I did receive a written job offer from the school in Brasilia and they have invested a lot into me, so I never doubted that I had the job. I actually don't even feel much better now that I'm putting the signed contract in the mail. But I AM glad that it's taken care of.


Once I printed out the contracts I realized I had to print out 13 copies of our cell phone bills, meaning each bill from the last 13 months. This is part of our requirement in providing proof that E has lived outside of Brazil for at least a year. I was having a problem printing them so I only got a few months in hand, but we still have a few more weeks so I'll do it later. AT&T is not the best phone company in the United States and of course their website was having difficulties. At least I got started with this.


On to the rest of moving....I gave away a framed piece of artwork that I love (one by Gustav Klimt) - but did so to a classmate of mine so I'm happy that she'll be able to enjoy it. We also have packed two full suitcases that will not be touched until we arrive in Brazil. One of them is 60 lbs (full of E's clothes) and the other is about 68... lbs. These are our smaller suitcases so it's OK that the first one is not heavier, plus it's jammed to the max (thanks to my amazing packing skills). We'll take all of our bags to FedEx to weigh them before we arrive at the airport to make sure they're all under 70 lbs. I did have to open up one suitcase to find the novel 1984 since I just found out that the 11th graders will start the year reading that book; turns out I won't be able to teach To Kill a Mockingbird until the year after, but that's OK. I could potentially fill that suitcase more, but I'm not going over 70 lbs.


This week we need to visit the army/ navy store and hopefully buy a heavy duty duffle bag and we're good to go. Our closet is almost empty and our piles are significantly smaller. Most of the books have been packed away, as well as some of our valuables, tucked between towels and pieces of clothing.  It's the rest of our valuables and kitchen appliances that need to be carefully packed. Our list of items to buy has also shrunk greatly so I know we're almost there. Good to know because we'll be on "vacation" in a few days and I don't want to worry about anything at all.


Until later....

Wordless Wednesday: I'll miss my favorite English teacher

Wordless Wednesday: School's out for the summer!

Toni Morrison says it best...

Maybe this quote will help me get motivated as I prepare to fly to Brazil.

Source: Another international expat teacher currently living in South America

Teacher Appreciation Week

It's National Teacher Appreciation Week. Yeaaaa! to all of the teachers out there - especially the public school teachers who are not only educators, but are also mothers, fathers, counselors, nurses, big brothers and sisters, facilitators, providers, liaisons, and advocates.

Good teachers are patient and kind. They try not to lose their patience. Good teachers are sympathetic and understanding, but also challenge their students and are encouraging. They put up with more than they should because God knows that kids have bad days and take it out on the wrong person. They are nonjudgmental, open minded, flexible, and quick on their feet. And really, all of this only describes a good teacher's characteristics, not their abilities in the teaching field.

When I think back to why I became a teacher I realize there is no definitive moment. My mom told me when I was a teenager that I'd make a good guidance counselor and I almost laughed out loud. I could NEVER have imagined becoming a teacher until I actually became one. And now I wonder if I can picture myself doing anything but.

I always wanted to be an interpreter or translator; however, I'm really not that far off by being an English teacher. I initially got involved with teaching during my college years. I started to volunteer at the American Civic Association, I was a high school Spanish volunteer, I tutored college students in Spanish, I volunteered as a tutor at an English language institute in Uruguay, and I was a teacher's assistant for an ESOL class at my university. I enjoyed this so much, and liked working with people interested in the English and Spanish languages. I even got a job as an archaeologist's assistant in Peru because I was fluent in Spanish and an Anthropology major. Experiencing new cultures and languages was exhilarating and opened so many doors for me.

So, what do you do when you value education, love languages, and studying diverse cultures?  You become an ESOL and English teacher. That's what I am. I'm a professional. Highly educated. A "forever" student. A lover of the English language. I LOVE to teach and I love my students, even though I have days when I could throw those 9th graders against the wall. And the thing is, I'm not the only one. I'm amazed at how many of my fellow teachers have a Master's degree (and even a PhD).

I've heard hilarious comments by students over the years; I could almost write a book. I've been cursed at (if you work in a tough inner city school you can't avoid this, no matter how much you're otherwise loved). I've cried about students. Worried about students. Spent hours grading papers, creating lessons and tests. But you know what, I make a difference. All public school teachers do. So congratulations to us and THANK YOU to all the teachers out there that make a difference in the lives of our students.

Once my students heard over the announcements in the beginning of the week that it's teacher appreciation week, many of them began to thank me. I was deeply touched, and surprised as this was unexpected to me. Then little by little, students from different periods (classes) began to write me short notes on my board. Usually I don't let them write on there because they'd use up all of the markers, but their messages were so sweet that I left them. Eventually I needed to erase the board because it got so full and started to look a mess (and I needed to use it). Here are the first picures I took. Thank you, students! It means a lot to me. I mean, this is why we teach.

Act II is from "Romeo & Juliet" :)

Thank you. Gracias. Merci.

Vicarious Living

Just like Alice spent hours daydreaming, so do I. And apparently I'm not the only one who will be dreaming of a "different world". There are people around me who will be vicariously living through me as I embark on my journey to Brasilia. My world will be full of adventure, and hopefully more fun and less stressful than that in which I live currently. It won't be full of queens wanting to cut my head off at least (when I was a kid that part of the film scared me to death).

As I have increasingly been telling more and more people that I'm moving (including the dentist, who told me today that his unfriendly secretary is Brazilian....who knew? And of course, became much nicer once she learned I'm heading to Brazil), I'm actually surprised by the number of excited people out there. Honestly, I expected a lot more, "Why would you go there?" or "Is that a third world country?" or "Will you be safe?". I actually don't think I even heard any of these questions since I've sprung the news on people. One of my assistant principals did ask me today if I'm going to start up jiu jitsu. Um, no. But he's a nice guy and at least he knows a little something about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu so I'll excuse him for asking me if I'll be rolling around on the floor with guys trying to submit them.

For instance, as I have been telling my colleagues that I will be teaching in Brazil next year, I've noticed a number of interested teachers. I even gave out the name of the association that connected me with the school in Brasilia to one teacher seriously interested in teaching abroad. This reaction was very unexpected because I thought that people would question my desire to move abroad, not want to join me :). This was a pleasant surprise and I hope to "plant the seed" of international school teaching in the hearts of teachers that I know and/or work with.

Maybe it's the state of affairs in public school education today, or maybe it's the call of adventure that stirs the idea of teaching abroad in the hearts of professionals. I don't know. But whatever it is, I hope that it spreads. One of my co-workers, an Italian national and French teacher, told me that she'd loved to go back to Italy to teach, but with her American husband and son here, it's difficult. She told me she'll be vicariously living through me, and immediately asked for my personal e-mail address.

People have expressed their enthusiasm, and even jealousy, and have made comments that they wish they could take their families abroad so they could go and teach. Some have told me that they're also ready and if they could just convince their significant other to uproot, that they'd move. This I didn't expect. Another ESOL teacher told me that she doesn't have enough courage to up and move to South America, but that she's happy for me and wishes she could do the same (which she could because she already left the Islands to come to the U.S.). All of the support and excitement of those around me in response to my news makes me feel even more ecstatic about moving.

I am really not afraid of too much (besides getting my wisdom tooth pulled, apparently). I'm anxious for some real adventure, a change of scenery and lifestyle and even the challenges that along with moving to a new country. I mean, even though I realize that moving back to Brazil is going to have its ups and downs, I'm ready for it. We're both ready for it.