Girl Time

I spent a lot of time this weekend doing things with girlfriends, so I thought I'd take a moment to express how much I enjoy having such wonderful women in my life. I spent much of Saturday with a group of women who got together for a bridal shower for one of our friends. So much love, fun, silliness, kindness, friendship, and the like was present in this group of old and new friends. The sister of the bride - also the maid of honor - took so much care in planning special cuisine for the event. Her mother and another friend carefully planned decorations and the event itself and several more friends helped make everything happen.

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon and evening with one of my oldest friends. We just talked about life, our careers, our plans, and our families for hours. Sitting by the pool gabbing, splashing around in the water gabbing some more, catching up over dinner and just plain hanging out made for a little oasis of peace in the sometimes crazy and frantic-paced life we can lead. There's nothing else that compares to this kind of time with a friend.

Languages of the Pacific

As my move to Hawaii approaches, I am learning more and more about the experiences I will be having. Thanks to the kindness of one of the two teachers who will be supervising my student teaching, I have learned a little bit about the language backgrounds of the students in my classes. The number of languages that the ELLs (English language learners) speak is astonishing! Some of the languages I could have guessed expected: Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Tagalog, Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Other languages are ones I truthfully didn't know existed! In addition to the ones I just mentioned, I will have students who speak Marshallese/Ebon (from the Marshall Islands), Samoan (from American Samoa and the Samoan Islands), Kosraean (from Kosrae, an island in Micronesia), Chuukese (from Chuuk, also part of Micronesia, and Tongan (from the Kingdom of Tonga). Need a refresher course on where these places are located? I sure did. Check out this great map. I am so excited to think about how much I will learn there. My goal for now is to learn at least a few phrases in each of these languages. I think as a future ESL teacher I can make a much better connection with my students just by knowing how to say 'hello' in my students' first languages.

Aloha!

Aloha! Even though many of you know this already, I decided it was time to "go public" with the news that I will be moving to Hawaii this August! It still seems totally unreal to me and it will probably stay that way until I step foot on the island of Oahu in mid-August. Still, my plans have pretty much come together. I've booked my tickets and made arrangements to bring my cat (no small feat at all considering Hawaii's strict animal import laws!) I will be doing student teaching through the University of Hawaii - Manoa at two different schools in a town called Aiea. Aiea is very close to Pearl Harbor and not far from Honolulu. I have no idea where I will be living yet and I probably won't know until I get there. With any luck though, I'll find someplace reasonably inexpensive and QUICKLY! After my student teaching this fall, I'll be eligible to become a licensed teacher in Hawaii to take a full-time ESOL teaching position in the spring.

Its no secret that George has played a big part in my decision to go to Hawaii. I'm crazy about him and we're both really excited for the move! Still, I've been craving some sort of adventure that would take me to a new and different place and this has become the perfect opportunity to explore someplace new. It may be quite different than Tunisia or Morocco (places I'd previously had in mind), but I think I will get an equally exciting experience from Oahu. We are both ready and excited to try surfing, hiking, mountain biking, spulunking(sp?), rock climbing, try out the new food and culture and meeting new people. As for me, I want to learn some hula as well as some of the Hawaiian language.

With all this excitement, there is indeed a sad side: the realization that I'll leaving my wonderful wonderful friends in Washington, D.C. I've already shed more than a few tears just thinking about it and I know more will come, especially as I actually have to say goodbyes. I don't even like to think about it, actually. I will undoubtedly be in touch with everyone (maybe MySpace will help!) and I will try to come and visit. Travelling will be expensive, though, so I probably won't be making TONS of trips to the East Coast. I will warmly welcome visitors and I will make room for you wherever it is that I end up living!

On that note, I *really* hope I get to see lots of my friends this summer. You guys have been the most wonderful par of my last ten years here in the Washington, D.C. area!

Love,

Me