I'm sorry for not keep up with this! I will be better now that I am SETTLED. I have found a routine which should help me stay focused.
Current update:
I am super sick. Fortunately I have a four day weekend due to Rosh Hashanah! It started out as just a small cold, but it has progressed into something painful. I have basically stayed in bed since Wednesday. Tonight (Friday) was my first night going out since becoming sick... all I did was go out to dinner and it completely wiped me out. I really want to feel better. MERRR.
One the plys side:
My college roommate is coming to visit! I haven't seen her since we graduated. I'm hoping that I will feel good enough to show her around Philly! It should be a good weekend.
Just wanted to let you know that I'm not dead!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
City Living
I guess I've been here a full two weeks, but it feels like I've been here for months. I can't lie and say that I don't like it here... I love it here! I love that one minute I can be on the busiest street in the city and the next on a historic, cobblestone road. It's truly amazing.
I can say that I'm not homesick, but I do miss the comfort I got in Holland. At home I know where everything is, where to get the cheap food, how long/how far it would take me to get to school, and more. For my college roommates, they know that I wouldn't come back to the apartment (or dorm) until hours past midnight. I could study in the music building and then still feel safe as I walked home. I tuck my phone and keys into my back pocket and not worry about someone stealing them. Above all, I could leave my doors unlocked. Yeah... definitely not how it is here.
I know it's a good thing for me to be out of Holland and learning things on my own. This is not like moving to college-- this is like moving into a city. I've been lost a number of times and have even thought I lost the five keys to my apartment. Awesome.
The nights are loud on my street and I'm certain that my upstairs neighbors smoke pot about three times a week. It takes four keys to get into my apartment. I do have one key so I can unlock the bars on my windows from time to time.
It has been fairly rainy here. This last Tuesday I was supposed to go to a Phillies game... well, I went! It was freezing and I was tired. So I left. The game was supposed to start at seven. It didn't start until nine.
I did have my first week of student teaching. It was wonderful. I love the kids and I think we're going to have one fantastic semester. They call me Ms. A-C because Ashcroft is too hard for them to say regularly. It takes me an hour to walk to the school from my apartment. I could use public transportation, but it doesn't make sense yet. The walk is nice and once it's cooler it will be perfect.
I have a grocery store two blocks North from my apartment and a laundromat three blocks West. There is also a really cool thrift store about one block South. I got lucky incredibly lucky.
My apartment is a small little thing. It has one bedroom, a den (which turned into another bedroom), a small living room, a kitchen, and a small bathroom. It works... except for when it rains. We have a leak in our bathroom which I discovered at 6:00 A.M. when I couldn't figure out why our cute rug was sopping wet. We're hoping it doesn't rain much more because we haven't had it fixed yet.
Word that would describe the past two weeks? Exhausting (in a good way) I pretty much know my way around now. I've had a lot of information shoved into my brain-- I can't wait for the time where I don't have to think about where I'm going all the time. I can't wait to be used to the loud music early in the morning. I need a routine and I don't have it yet. Once I have a schedule I will be home. It just takes some time.
I have seen the LOVE park, the Libery Bell, and have been to Independence Hall. I am definitely not a tourist here... which feels great.
I have always wanted more than just a degree... I've wanted an education. Well, HELLO! I am totally getting it.
I have student teaching and a seminar throughout the week. I will keep posting. I know have reliable internet in my apartment.
This post was very fact-y and I will tell stories tomorrow. I just needed to get the basics down!!
I have to finish a journal and paper... so blogging is going to have to wait!!!
<3 <3 <3
I can say that I'm not homesick, but I do miss the comfort I got in Holland. At home I know where everything is, where to get the cheap food, how long/how far it would take me to get to school, and more. For my college roommates, they know that I wouldn't come back to the apartment (or dorm) until hours past midnight. I could study in the music building and then still feel safe as I walked home. I tuck my phone and keys into my back pocket and not worry about someone stealing them. Above all, I could leave my doors unlocked. Yeah... definitely not how it is here.
I know it's a good thing for me to be out of Holland and learning things on my own. This is not like moving to college-- this is like moving into a city. I've been lost a number of times and have even thought I lost the five keys to my apartment. Awesome.
The nights are loud on my street and I'm certain that my upstairs neighbors smoke pot about three times a week. It takes four keys to get into my apartment. I do have one key so I can unlock the bars on my windows from time to time.
It has been fairly rainy here. This last Tuesday I was supposed to go to a Phillies game... well, I went! It was freezing and I was tired. So I left. The game was supposed to start at seven. It didn't start until nine.
I did have my first week of student teaching. It was wonderful. I love the kids and I think we're going to have one fantastic semester. They call me Ms. A-C because Ashcroft is too hard for them to say regularly. It takes me an hour to walk to the school from my apartment. I could use public transportation, but it doesn't make sense yet. The walk is nice and once it's cooler it will be perfect.
I have a grocery store two blocks North from my apartment and a laundromat three blocks West. There is also a really cool thrift store about one block South. I got lucky incredibly lucky.
My apartment is a small little thing. It has one bedroom, a den (which turned into another bedroom), a small living room, a kitchen, and a small bathroom. It works... except for when it rains. We have a leak in our bathroom which I discovered at 6:00 A.M. when I couldn't figure out why our cute rug was sopping wet. We're hoping it doesn't rain much more because we haven't had it fixed yet.
Word that would describe the past two weeks? Exhausting (in a good way) I pretty much know my way around now. I've had a lot of information shoved into my brain-- I can't wait for the time where I don't have to think about where I'm going all the time. I can't wait to be used to the loud music early in the morning. I need a routine and I don't have it yet. Once I have a schedule I will be home. It just takes some time.
I have seen the LOVE park, the Libery Bell, and have been to Independence Hall. I am definitely not a tourist here... which feels great.
I have always wanted more than just a degree... I've wanted an education. Well, HELLO! I am totally getting it.
I have student teaching and a seminar throughout the week. I will keep posting. I know have reliable internet in my apartment.
This post was very fact-y and I will tell stories tomorrow. I just needed to get the basics down!!
I have to finish a journal and paper... so blogging is going to have to wait!!!
<3 <3 <3
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