XO

At the end of one of the most challenging years, Beyoncé dropped an album that I absolutely cannot stop listening to. If you are reading this post and don't like Beyoncé or having something negative to say about the album then you can click here. I don't ever do album reviews...I actually don't even know if you could call this post an album review--I honestly want to just write about my experience with this album--audio and visual.

Beyonce's new album should be listened to not song by song and in between trips to the grocery store. The set of songs and the way that she created her masterpiece is a story and should be sat down with and listened to like you read a book--giving it thought and time. The self-titled album pulls on your heart strings, makes you want to dance, love your people for who they are, and just down right cry--it's what my professor George would like to call a catharsis. That is exactly what happened to me while listening to this album--I had a catharsis, an emotional outpouring.

She goes from singing about her love with Jay-Z, to crashing down the anti-feminist barrier, to losing a child, and then her love for Blue--and so much more. My favorite song on the album is constantly changing and at the moment, the song I am in love with is "Superpower." I love this song so much more because of the video. Beyonce didn't leave fans trying to visualize what each song meant--she just created a video for each song, and "Superpower", like all of the other videos, is just flat out brilliance. Beyonce brings in all of her people to the video--her people people. I have such a thing for being around your people. I love my people and they are my rock. When I watch this video, all I can think about is my people.

Honestly, I have so much to say about this album but I'm not entirely sure I have processed enough of it into words. I don't remember ever being obsessed with an album like this before--song, yes, maybe...but album...no, never. Beyonce has redefined how my heart responds to music--mainly because she shattered it into a million pieces with "Heaven" and then picked it right back up and put it together with "Blue".


Christmas came early this year. Love you like XO.

Baby It's Cold Outside

I have started a Christmas countdown board in my classroom. I know that creating a bulletin board is a small thing (really it's kind of tedious and helps me understand why it is considered a "first year teacher thing") but I love countdowns. I really appreciate this countdown because there are many things that I am looking forward to that will happen around day one--I will be with my family, my first semester of teaching will be complete, my project PaCE observations will be done (they are looming over my head), etc. I am looking forward to day one but I'm not wishing my days away either.

This week was freezing--I am not ready for Texas Panhandle weather. Cold weather is one of my least favorite parts about winter--that and the days getting darker sooner. I expected it to get somewhat cold in the Valley, but I'm tired of thirty degree weather. I don't do well with the cold and never have. There is just something about warm weather and the sun that makes me smile. 

On Friday, I decided to have my kids write a letter to Santa as a journal assignment. In 11th grade, students are working on persuasive writing. I know it might seem rather silly, but I had them write a letter persuading Santa to take them off of the naughty list. The letters that I received have kept me laughing and my kids really seemed to enjoy the assignment. Obviously a letter to Santa isn't the most rigorous writing I could assign, but my students wrote and were persuasive--celebrate the small things. 

12 days until break--17 until Christmas.

I can wait until then

To start this post I would first like to say thank you to all those who have sent my kids letters. We read them in class all of the time and many of them are posted on my walls (I will post a picture soon). The response that I have received from all of my readers exceeded my expectations and I couldn't be more grateful.

Yesterday I finished teaching my first six weeks of high school English. I laugh to myself when I reflect on the trials and successes that have happened in my classroom in this short span of time.

As I continue this post, I write today knowing that tomorrow will be the beginning of the third six weeks (it's amazing how time can fly when trying to draft a blog post). What a year it has been. I have learned so much about life, love, and what it means to really be committed to someone and something.

Accepting my spot in the corps and coming to the Valley was never a question in my mind. I knew what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. I think the only way to really explain it is just to say...I just knew.

Teaching 11th graders has been such a rewarding experience. Everyday is a new adventure. There is always something to laugh at and something new to learn. Honestly, I could talk about my kids all day long. They are the most incredible people in the entire world. When I crafted my vision for my classroom at the beginning of the year, I had no idea how much it would actually manifest in my classroom. If you need to know the definition of a dreamer, just come and talk to any one of my 120 juniors--believe me, they know.

Whoever the "they" is, they say that your first year of teaching is sometimes just a matter of surviving. Maybe I just lucked out...but they are wrong. My first year of teaching is more about living than surviving. It has been a journey that is far from the road of "I think I want to quit my job every time I drive to work." Don't get me wrong, teaching is hard and emotional--and there are those days where I just want to scream...so I do, but I love it. Before I started in August, I was also hired to coach. Coaching has been such an amazing opportunity where I am able to get to know my kids on a different level. I am always busy (which is nice) and I am able to work with my kids outside of the classroom. I coach the 7th grade B team for basketball and going from the high school to the middle school everyday is eventful to say the least. Middle school girls have such a different perspective on life...(yes, let's just put it that way). I love my kids across the board--and maybe coaching your first year isn't for everyone, but it definitely is for me.

I remember moving to Austin and only knowing a handful of people in the city (and no one at school). Moving to a place where I know no one is a pretty reoccurring event in my life. Starting my life in the Valley and finding my people has definitely been the biggest challenge I have faced. When life changes, it is so important to know who the people are that are always on your team. The people that have always and will always be on my team are fourteen hours away. Fostering relationships is always a new experience and having people on my team is always a very crucial part of my well-being (isn't it for everyone though?). It has definitely taken me a bit to find my people, but the most loving and caring people have come into my life. Each day I am thankful for these relationships and how much love each person brings to the table.

Now, will I teach for the rest of my life? Will I stay in the Valley after my time in the corps has ended? These are both big questions that I work on answering everyday. Honestly though, I am in no rush and I kind of just want to let life happen. I don't have any desire to stop teaching or leave Raymondville. For right now, I am living not surviving--I am breathing not gasping for air--and as always...I am dreaming.

I believe in you

When I made the decision to join Teach For America, and even more when I decided that the Rio Grande Valley was the absolute number one place that I wanted to be while on this adventure, I knew that I was taking my first step into a part of my life that I had been anxiously awaiting for a very long time. After I returned from Chile, I had a very different sense of what I actually "needed" to survive throughout each day; I had a completely different outlook on relationships and what love looked like; I had a changed mindset about other cultures and races; I had gained a new sense of independence and adventure; and, I was incredibly devastated. This is probably the first time I have openly written about it, so why, you may ask, was I devastated? I was happy to return and see my family and friends but I had the absolute worst time readjusting to my life in the US. There were too many things that I felt like I need to have, time moved too quickly, people demanded too much, and I missed the instant gratification that came from learning something entirely organic about another culture each day (this was heavily based on the fact that I was constantly learning Spanish). So yes, as excited as I was to move back home, it completely broke me. I stayed pretty broken for most of the year--and it was awful. Don't get me wrong, there were great things about my senior year of college, but it was very very emotionally exhausting and difficult. I thank God each day that I have such good people who constantly helped me out while I continuously processed all of my reverse culture shock. I'm not sure at what point I knew, but soon I realized that I had to go back to simplicity. How do you even do that right? Well, for me, it was going rural. It was moving to a culture in the US that identified with the one I experienced in Chile--but still remained an adventure in and of itself. It's very hard to tell people exactly "what" Raymondville is like, and so many people have so many different opinions about what it is like to live here. But this video helped me really understand the town which I have come to call home.

This place is nothing like my home, except for the fact that it is a rural, small, sports-loving town. Now, getting down to my kids.

What do kids in the Valley face compared to other students? For every 100 students entering a public school classroom in South Texas today, only 12 will earn any type of degree within six years of graduation. As early as third grade, students in South Texas are performing behind their peers across the state, and this gap persists through the grade levels and into college for those students who are able to further their education. 

When I was in high school my biggest worry was making a B, not being able to CLEP a college exam, or not getting into the college I wanted to attend. It is impossible for me to try and even remotely understand what my kids face each day at home, in school, and for their future. But what I do know is that they can succeed at levels just as high as any other students in the state. Where does that start? Success is rooted in what my students experience at home, at school, in the community, within the government, within themselves.

Any veteran teacher knows that building a classroom is an insanely expensive and difficult thing to do and takes lots of time. Many of us are young 20-somethings fresh out of college who can't rub two pennies together--thank goodness I have amazing parents who help me rub pennies. So yes, anything you want to donate to our classrooms is always welcome. I have gotten the most amazing supplies from peoples' used or unwanted school supplies from previous years. However, putting all of the material aside, what can you really do for our kids that may end up changing their lives forever? Believe in them. Do not tell my kids that they cannot go to college because they aren't smart enough, don't have the money, actually....just don't ever tell them that they can't, for any reason. Tell them that they can do it. Tell them about your life and how you were able to push through your struggles. Tell them about how amazing life is even when it doesn't seem like it in the moment. Tell them you are here for them. And most importantly, tell them that you believe in them.

I know that many of you haven't had a conversation with me in a very long time and just keep up with my life on here. Others of you I communicate with all of the time. Whichever it may be, something brought you to my blog--something brought you to this post and I want to ask you to do something (which isn't something I ever really like to do...besides like watching videos and listening to songs and such). I want you to write my kids a letter. Yes, the snail mail kind (or the email kind I guess). I know that you don't know my kids from Adam (right now neither do I) but you have to care about the future, right? The future is my kids. Write to them and tell them that you are cheering for them--write to them and tell them that you are on their team. Let them know how you succeeded in life and overcame your struggles. Tell them that they can go to college. Explain to them that they were made to do great things. Really, write anything that you believe will inspire my kids to dream big, challenge themselves to go beyond mediocrity, always find the silver lining, and let them know that there are people out there in the world that care about them. Even if it's just one sentence, let these kids know that you believe in them.

Leigh Anne Winger
12712 State Hwy 186 W
Raymondville TX, 78580

lawregion1@gmail.com

Life Lately

So it's been a while...a long while it seems. In the past month and a half my life has changed probably more than it ever has. I guess that's what happens when you like join the real world and do that whole "becoming an adult thing" right? I'm not one to be accepting of change, and I sure hate to think that I won't always be young, but this new chapter of my life has started off being one of the most rewarding yet. Here is a glimpse into the past few weeks:

First and foremost I graduated college--praise Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. Of course there wasn't a moment that I was ever worried that I wouldn't finish (granted there were plenty of days that I wanted to quit) but graduation day with my parents and closest friends is one of the happiest days that I can remember in all of my 21 years. After graduating, I was able to go home and spend time with my family. It was the longest amount of time that I have been at home since my freshman year of college and everything about it was just wonderful--I cried when I left--not a bad cry, just an, "Oh my god I want to live with my parents forever because they feed me, clothe me, and love me all day" kind of a cry. My mom is also excellent at this from a distance (her snail mail skill is unstoppable). When I left Gruver, I headed to the Valley for two weeks where I was immersed into the TFA world of Rio--I met my future colleagues and had a wonderful week talking about the goals we have for our kids in the upcoming years.

After leaving Rio I traveled to Houston and walked into the most wonderfully rigorous environment that I have ever been in. I have been at Rice University for the past month basically going through the teacher military. We wake up around 5:30 AM, get to school at 7:30, teach all day, attend classes all day, go home for dinner, attend more classes, then lesson plan for the next week and day--this is real life, this is Houston Institute. Teach For America requires that every teacher go through the five week intensive program where we are in sessions, teach summer school, and learn many of the ups and downs of being a teacher. I have met the most amazing people, have been pushed to the furthest limits of my comfort zone, and have been blessed beyond words. The kids that I teach every day are the most amazing group of high school students that I have ever met and I don't even like to think about not being their teacher after the end of next week. I honestly keep having this moment where I know that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and as mushy and cliche as that sounds, I wake up every morning and am legitimately excited to go to work.

While I was at Institute another blessing happened to spring upon my path. Teach For America partners with many grad schools and I was researching the programs one night and came upon the John Hopkins School of Education application. I decided to make the move and sent in my application (about three weeks ago) not really thinking what could happen. I woke up Tuesday morning to an email that said that I had been accepted to the MSED program--it was like Christmas morning times ten. Now it's back on the role--scholarship applications. However, this time around, applying for scholarships and going to college is different. I am working with my kids on writing scholarship essays and the importance of writing and literacy. After pushing my kids to see the impact that reading and writing can have in their lives, I begin to think past the buzz of Institute to what I want to do after completing the masters program. I know that I don't have to know what I want to do now--and honestly, I doubt I will leave the classroom anytime soon (it's my sanctuary, I love it too much) but it is a window of hope--which is something I talk to my kids about every single day.

In the Valley (I think I might have said this in a previous post), I was given this quote, which is now the mantra of my life and of my classroom:

“Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.”--St. Augustine

This quote really does explain what is happening in my life and I hope each day to be able to have the courage to work to change the things that need to be changed. The people that I work with think that I am crazy (because we work eighteen hour days) but I really am sad to be leaving this place at the end of next week. The group of ELA teachers that I work with all day have become my family and my kids have such a special place in my heart. I am excited to see what hope holds in the next few weeks.

Sweet summertime

There is nothing in the world like being home. I never really quite understood this until now though. Not that I didn't like coming home to see my family, but for the past three years in college  I was pretty content staying in Austin over the summer and just visiting the Panhandle over the holidays. I guess it's probably something tied up in that whole growing up thing but I really have just enjoyed my time at home so much and don't really want to leave (so I'm coming back in a month haha). My friends are home for the summer, I get to spend time with my parents, grandparents, and brothers, and it's just nice to be somewhere that is and always be a familiar place. I am still excited for the change in my life but for now it's just good to be home. And honestly, I probably have never really understood that until now.

I also just realized that it has been ages since I have blogged so let me go ahead and catch you up in pictures:

Don't you feel caught up now? Okay, great.

Being In Love...With Life

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. I cannot tell you how lovely mine was. I really am just overflowing with emotion so this blog post may be a little long (maybe?). The weekend started out with my friend (and basically sister) Laura coming into town. Laura is also a Teach For America teacher--she works in Marksville, LA. Laura was a senior when I was a freshman at St. Ed's. We lived in different buildings and were introduced through our mutual friend Amarette, who is teaching on a Fulbright in Germany, (don't I have the most amazing friends?) and we have been close ever since. Laura is one of those friends who is just super patient and nurturing. I had just come off of a really stressful week so it was nice to have Laura in town. Because I go to a Catholic school, I had five days off for the break. Laura and I spent time in Austin hanging out and then left for the Valley Friday morning (basically afternoon). I never have really liked the car, but I don't mind road trips with my friends. We ventured down to the Valley and into culture shock I went.

Now let me preface that my culture shock in the Valley was not near that of when I went to Chile...it was pretty mild actually and I absolutely LOVED IT. I was having a moment of struggle accepting the transition from college to the job world and going to the Valley with Laura made me feel so much more at ease. Laura is pretty much a wealth of information and her family lives in the Valley. We arrived and there were orchards everywhere. I don't think I can quite explain my obsession with them...mainly because the only crops I grew up around were corn, wheat, more corn, more wheat, and some times cotton, soybeans, and sunflowers (all of which I am highly allergic to). There were also so many palm trees (which I am also NOT allergic to). I'm sure by now you get the gist that I'm potentially not going to be highly allergic to the Valley. This is super important to me because I get sick so often. We stopped at her house and talked to her precious cutie parents for a bit then went to visit her brother, sister-and-law, and kids. Everyone in the Valley that I met was just so warm and receptive. The Mexican culture, like Chilean culture, is just very loving, family-based, and slow paced. Everyone is late, eats late, drives slow, and time just kind of slows down. The Spanish language is also dominant. I really appreciate this. I honestly just have a deep love for the Latin American culture and knew almost instantaneously that this was where I was supposed to be. It is gorgeously hot, crazily humid, and amazing.

We also took a trip to the beach (which is totally right around the corner) and had such a great time:

It was such a fabulous day. It was a day where I just really understood how in love with my life I was. I read the other day that the most genuine form of selfishness was to honor yourself and be in love with your life everyday. I'll have to find the quote and put it up for you all...I definitely didn't do it justice.

I was a bit (actually quite a bit) sad to return to Austin. I do love Austin and everything it has to offer, but I miss the small town life. I have never been a city girl. I don't know that I have ever even claimed to be one. Austin is a great place but I would never want to live here indefinitely. The Valley felt like home and I am ready to be home. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way wishing away the final six weeks of my undergraduate career---I am just looking forward to change (which never happens).

My mom and I were talking about it and she told me that it probably really helped that my first venture to my new home was with Laura. She is totally right about that one. I couldn't be more grateful to Laura and her family for welcoming me like they did and showing me around the Valley. I felt secure, safe, welcomed, and loved in the most familial way.

I received an email today letting me know that I could be potentially working at Raymondville ISD. It is a 3A school--I am hoping to interview later this week. The second exciting news of the day is that I had a new article published on USATODAY College. You can read it here: 2-20+ Play-doh for stress relief.

I will be taking my ELA certification exam this Thursday so keep me in your thoughts and if you have any tips you are willing to share about TX certification testing, feel free to comment below!

Also, my new favorite music obsession, Icona Pop. 

And the award goes to...

First, I still don't really know what this is: Liebster Award. However, I was nominated by my friend Laura--who is the author of The Bright Side. The more I read about it I think it's just a way of saying, "Hey, I think your blog is great even if your reader population isn't!" just not with that much sassy sauce (it's totally genuine, which is how I am nominating my blogs as well).

I first started blogging when I left for college as a way to keep up with everyone in my life. My blog really took off when I left the country (I mean obviously then my life was more interesting). And now I kind of just mess with it here and there. Who knows where it's going next...

Laura is definitely one of my favorite bloggers (and one of my best friends) and I'm so glad she is finally back to blogging (it took some convincing). Anyways, about that Liebster thing that she gave me...

Liebster rules...

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself.
2. Answer 11 questions from your nominator.
3. Nominate 11 other blogs with under 200 followers and ask them 11 questions.

11 Random Facts About Me

1. I pretty much only like foods that are white or brown in color.
2. My favorite scent in the whole wide world is Amber Oil.
3. I hate the cold. At this point in my life, I refuse to live anywhere that it does not feel like summer year round.
4. One day I would like to go back and live in Chile.
5. March Maddness is my favorite time of year.
6. I absolutely love craft beer. I pretty much refuse to drink nasty beer (Budlight, Coors, Miller...).
7. I have played the drums since I was nine and now play the drumset for my school jazz band. 
8. Thanks to my oldest brother, I could sit and watch Starwars all day.
9. I don't really like to text people--I'm one of those callers...
10. I pretty much only shop at Old Navy.
11. Someday I do think I will make a career in policy.

11 Questions Posed by Nominator

1. What is your favorite season?
   Summer, hands down.
   
2. Who was your first concert?
   No clue honestly. Probably someone like the Newsboys or something like that.
3. What is your go-to Karaoke song?
   "We Are Family"
4. What is your favorite quote and why?

   “Someday, somewhere - anywhere, unfailingly, you'll find yourself, and that, and only that, can be the happiest or bitterest hour of your life.”  --Pablo Neruda

   I love Pablo Neruda and going to Chile made his life and poetry come alive to me. This quote is just beautiful. His writing is so captivating. 
   
   
5. What is your favorite blog post and give us the link to it?
   That I have ever written? This one
   
6. Who or what inspires you?
   Usually good books or movies that are realistic. Like Silverlinings Playbook---that was inspiring.
   
7. What is one thing you cannot do without in the morning?Oh my god coffee.
   
8. When are you at your happiest?
   When I am at the beach.
   
9. List three strengths and three weaknesses about yourself.
   Strengths: I'm pretty independent. I can find humor in almost anything. I am super time oriented. Weaknesses: I'm not good with change (but I'm getting so much better). I am super critical. I'm very stubborn.
   
10. What is your all-time favorite song?
    "Always Alright" --Alabama Shakes
    
11. What are three blogs you read regularly?See nominations

My 11 Liebster Award Nominations

Aromos Nevados y Flores de Poesía

Mary Mail

The Bright Side According to Laura (I don't care if it's against the rules)

Bitch Beer I know they have over 200 readers. WHATEVER.

Amarette's Abenteur

Through the Lens

European Adventures

Writes Like a Girl

Culture Greyhound

And...those are all of the blogs that I read...once again I will break a rule.

11 Questions For Nominated Bloggers

 1. Why blog?

 2. What's with the title of your blog?

 3. If you could get anyone in the world to read your blog who would it be?

 4. What is your favorite font?

 5. If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?

 6. What is your most read blog post?

 7. Which of your posts has the least amount of views?

 8. What is your favorite song...or top 5? 

 9. Should cheese go on top of the meat of a burger or under it?

10. What is your favorite book?

11. Where is the best place to get ice cream?

Alabama Shakes

I don't usually post about bands or albums, mainly because I don't ever like an artist enough to devote an entire blog post to their music. I have been on an Alabama Shakes kick for a while now--a long while. This obsession has now escalated to a pretty ridiculous amount of listening time that is solely devoted to them. I am definitely one of those people who thinks that there is certain music that goes with certain seasons. For instance, country music is a summertime genre, bands like Mumford and Sons belong in a winter playlist, and well...artists like Beyonce can go into the year round category. I listen to the Alabama Shakes year round, but I do think they are a springy/early summer band. It's the type of music that you want to listen to on you back porch watching the sun go down. There are very few artists that I think have a very established original sound. The Alabama Shakes definitely have it--so do Givers. It's that type of music that you just sit there and are like...god they are so good.

If you aren't a huge music lover you probably think that I'm babbling a bunch of nonsense. I don't know, I've just always been one of those people that really resonates with sounds and I love to really get the heart of what lyrics mean to me. I think that Brittany Howard's voice (the lead singer for the Alabama Shakes) is just so phenomenal. She really is able to produce a sound that is just magnificent. They play with so much soul and have such a down to earth vibe. This is probably my favorite song of theirs:

Granted, this is my all time favorite movie--and no, not just because it's popular right now. I saw this movie long before everyone fell in love with it. It is the most phenomenal movie that I have ever seen--and this song pretty much makes the movie. When I am learning a new chart in my drum lessons, my teacher (who is pretty much the coolest guy ever) always tells me to read a chart like it is a story. I don't know that a piece of music has ever made as much sense as it did the day he told me that. Music is totally written that way. When I started to read music and play it that way, it honestly just came alive off of the page. That is exactly what the Alabama Shakes music does for me--it comes alive. I think in doing that, it also makes me feel more alive. I realize that not everyone has my taste in music or even listens to it in this way--which is totally fine. I just think there is always something greater that can be accomplished with music. Like check this out:

Isn't that great? Totally unexplainable--except that human beings are amazing.

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)

Welcome to the Austin Kite Festival everyone. I loved the festival except for the fact that it was windy, the cedar is high, and I have insane allergies...so I could stay for like five minutes until I had to leave haha. Whatever. I still got some great pictures! I hope you like them. Two things: 1) yes, the sky really is that blue 2) yes those kites are that big--watching ten men fly a kite is great fun.

It's so beautiful right? I've been having these moments where I will be driving by an overlook of the city and realize how much I will really miss the city. Don't get me wrong, I am so excited about moving to the Valley, Austin is just an easy going place that has a special feel and will always have a place in my heart.

Arrrggh mayteee.

See that kite? Isn't it HUGE?

This is one of the places I will miss the most in Austin--Town Lake. I spend the majority of my time (when I am not working) swimming and kayaking in this lake during the summer. There are all sorts of wonderful coves to paddle into and it's just a place bursting with life and great people. I actually jumped off of the bridge upon which I stood to take this picture. I later found out that there is all sorts of metal at the bottom of this lake....won't do that again. I can't wait until those trees turn green and the water gets warm...which will be in like two weeks. It has been pretty warm in Austin (like the 80s) which makes me so happy. I love this place and everything that it has to offer. Today it is the dreary kind of rainy weather....which is fine. I'm staying inside all day and watching movies--I also might go to the movies. Wherever today takes me, I'm looking forward to it. I plan on embracing Spring Break truly as a "break"--watch out yo.

Home is wherever I'm with you

En el año pasado fui yendo a chile. It is so weird and is so strange to be in a completely different world. I remember this time last year I would have been just meeting my chilean parents who were an amazing part of my adventure and a significant part of my life. Honestly it doesn't seem like a year ago. I dream of the day that I will be able to return to chile, even to visit. I wish that it would be possible this summer but considering all of the moves that I will be making with starting a new job, I'm pretty sure it is impossible to do. However, I hope that I will be able to go over the coming Christmas break, or at the latest, next summer. I miss my family and the simplicity of the city on the hill. I also long to be in a culture where I am constantly learning a language--it is so stimulating to me (which is part of the reason I am so excited to go to the Valley). I think that learning a language is one of the most valuable things that I have ever done. Granted, of course my Spanish isn't perfect--but I can speak, understand, and write it--even if it is not always grammatically correct. I am currently a TA for a Spanish class here on campus and it is so weird to me. The professor is wonderful (and Chilean) but I can't help but laugh at how confused I am sometimes when I am listening to a lesson on how to speak Spanish in English (because I learned Spanish in Spanish). When I'm in class listening to how to learn Spanish in my own native language I pretty much find myself confused as ever! I have learned so many different things in this class and it has been a great experience so far.

Enough about my nostalgia...the kite festival is this weekend! I am SO EXCITED. Why am I excited? 1) because I love kites (my parents got me the coolest parrot kite for Easter one year and I used to go out and fly it with Dave Karlin, one of my friend's grandparents...he was such a cool guy) and 2) that means I can take pictures with all sorts of amazing colors! I have decided I really want to start taking more pictures. I made a point to take tons of pictures when I was abroad but there are so many beautiful things that I am sure I could be capturing throughout my week. Maybe I'll become that kid...you know the one that takes a camera everywhere. Anyways, have no fear, I will post all of the pictures for you. Here are some that I took from our jazz band concert last night: (thanks to everyone who came!)

I can't wait.

"Are you smarter than your professor?" That question was asked to me today. What a question. I mean really. I will receive my BA in a few months and all of my professors have their doctorate and have been teaching for a number of years. However, the classes that I have chosen to take in lower divisions this semester seem to be the classes that I struggle with the most. Most people call it, making it harder than it really is. I just struggle when I am not challenged. If you set the bar--then set it, and stick to it. Don't get me endlessly searching for this bar that you don't even have. I also found out today that sometimes professors make it easier in class so that students across the board can still achieve in class--what a concept right? I know it's totally selfish but I guess I always expect my professors to challenge me relentlessly, and if they aren't I find their class to be dumb. Why would I take a class that bores me? So, this semester has set up this "opportunity" per say for me to focus my energy on somewhere other than school--WHICH IS WEIRD. Granted, no my grades aren't perfect and I'm sure some parts of this will still stress me out and I will be challenged. However, compared to many other semesters...this one is proving to require me to do less thinking and more working on something other than school.

I hate it. I hate being forced to think about things outside of things that require me to learn and be more educated. However, I'm totally doing it. I'm committed.

So am I smarter than my professor? In his or her respective discipline--no I'm sure I'm not. Outside of that--maybe so, I guess it just depends on what you define as smart. I think by this time I can say I know a lot more about literature and how to understand, analyze and read it more than many people. Granted, I still have lots to learn. I just don't like doing something that has been done. SO this is me doing something that I have never done--focusing my energy (or a portion of it) somewhere outside of school.

WHAT NOW? ;-) 

NOT COOL ROBERT FROST

So I was introduced to this video yesterday and I pretty much can't get enough of it. You should really watch it--promise it will be worth your time.

Isn't it so great? It pretty much made my life. Then this one:

I really don't watch that many YouTube videos...but when I think they are good I think they are realllyyyy good.


I mean really. Yes, I'm sure it's scripted but it's still great. And, I had to read Robert Frost all the time in high school and college so it's just perfect. Anyways, nothing about my life today except that we are going to make it an AWESOME YEAR. I'm on your team, be on my team....we can cry about it, or we can dance about it.

A Local Boy's Shoes

Tomorrow I begin the first day of my last semester as an undergraduate. It is funny to think back to a year ago at this time. I was working full-time at the pub and living on a mattress in my friends' (and now and then roommate's) living-room. I was in transition because I wasn't going to school--I was fixing to leave for Chile. I was preparing to embark on the biggest journey of my young life. Honestly, I cannot believe that this part of my life is only a year in the past. I am looking forward to the end; I'm sure it will be bittersweet.

I have almost received all of my books in the mail. Because of my major, I tend to have a huge stack of books every semester. I'm not exactly sure what is in the pool this time but I'm sure it will be interesting. This upcoming semester I am taking my seminar class, a Shakespeare class, ethics, interning a Spanish class, playing for the jazz band, and just for fun I signed up to take nonverbal communication--I figured it would be good for me. Since I have moved to college (with the exception of last semester), I have always been one of those kids who really looks forward to going to class. I know at some point or another I will want to pull my hair out because of them, but I am anticipating the beginning of my classes.

So the song of the year right? Don't watch the video--it's dumb. But I think it's a general consensus that this song is that good. I'm pretty sure those are all of my great thoughts for the day....

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." e. e. cummings

I hate change, and I probably have said that in more blogs than not. My mom told me when I was leaving Gruver that change is part of life and my life will always be changing so embrace it. This is not the first time I have heard this nor the last time I will be told. As I begin the new semester, I am trying to embrace change as a good thing. I like routines, I like schedules, I like structure and I don't like when any of these change...even in the least bit. I am a type A person so even though I would say that I am pretty "flexible" in general, I am super time oriented. Beginning this new year and ending the last has brought wonderful opportunities into my life, so I am trying to embrace them--gracefully.

This past semester was by far the most difficult five months of my academic career, and I would never wish to redo them. I struggled with pretty much everything going on in my life. Looking back on the past months I am so thankful for the people in my life who stuck it out with me and always brought sunshine into my life when I could only see the rain. My mom was a huge rock during everything. I have always called her everyday since I moved away but I'm pretty sure I called her every five hours this semester crying about something different. We worked really hard to make our relationship better this semester and that is something that I am very thankful for--it really does take two. I have learned so much about the kind of work relationships take since leaving for college and am so glad to always have her fighting for me. My dad always gives me something to laugh about and is there to keep my mom sane when I call more than once a day. They are special people--Papoo always told them their lives weren't complete until they had a girl. I'm thankful for my grandparents (all of them) who are by far my biggest fan club and are always praying for me, my brothers who keep me grounded, and especially Wid and Peter who have been such a huge part of my life since moving to Austin. The people who live with me are an extension of my family and are friends I am so blessed to have. This girl and all of the people who have been a part of my life this semester at SEU were incredible. I was told at the beginning of the semester that I needed to surround myself with people who were fighting for me--looking back I'm so thankful that these people were there.

I will graduate in a little over four months which seems incredible. I love (no really I hate it) when people ask me what my plans are after I graduate. I'm graduating with a degree in English, which people constantly tell me is useless. Lord have mercy child what are you going to do with a degree in English? There are also people who love to tell me how awful the job market is and how impossible it will be for me to find one. Yes, finding a job and knowing what I am going to do after college was and is still overwhelming. I worked multiple internships last semester and one in particular stood out amongst the rest--my internship with Teach For America.

I became invested in the education movement in the states after returning from Chile and seeing the education protests every week in the streets. Until August, I was almost positive I would go abroad again--this time as a teacher. However, I came home and realized that there were students in our country who did not have access to the educational opportunities I had always taken for granted. I began pursing TFA in August and submitted my application to be a coprs member and teacher mid-semester. After months of waiting and a difficult interview day, I received my acceptance notification this past Monday. The TFA application process is rather long and if/when you get to the final stage you submit your teaching preferences and locations. I put the Rio Grande Valley as my number one location and high school English, Spanish, and math as my number one subject preferences. There was never a point where I was sure that I would get the job. On Monday, when the email came, I found out that I had been placed in the Rio Grande Valley teaching high school English for two years. It was the biggest blessing coming on the tail end of a season of struggles. I am excited and nervous about the future endeavors. I know that this will not be an easy job and I will face some of the biggest challenges of my life. I hope to work to close the achievement gap and fight for students just like so many people have fought for me.

Even though it is change, I am looking forward to my final semester at SEU. I am taking a class just for fun (which I have never done), taking my last English classes, and finishing the honors program by doing a Spanish internship. I also will continue two of my internships from the fall, work with starting a student organization, and playing in the jazz band. However, aside from all of this my main focus is to get healthy. No, I am not an "unhealthy" person, whatever that means, but I do want to work on getting my immune system back and feeling good. I think that there are so many things encompassed in being healthy and outside of how my illnesses function I want to work on healthy thinking--because that always gets me into trouble. I'm totally bad at it, most people are. During this effort, I am going to start by laughing more (worrying less will come later...baby steps). I want to enjoy my last semester in college and have fun with the people I spend it with. Believe me, the people I am friends with are funny and I think laughter is a good place to start.