Realizations

Just got back from a trip to Moab with my students and co-workers. We had an awesome time. While I work on writing about that, here are some realizations I've had recently regarding my career explorations.  They maybe seem kind of obvious, but I just recently really learned them for myself:

• I can be and do more than one thing with/in my life.

• Some things can just be hobbies or interests. There are several things that I love, which I don't want to have as a career.

• Just because I am doing one thing now, doesn't mean I have to do that thing and only that thing forever.

• I will change and grow and develop as a person, as time passes, and my needs for a career will change as that happens.  Which just makes life more interesting!

I feel like I've reached a really good place.  Teaching English is perfect. 12 year-olds are fun. Walden is awesome. I love my co-workers.

And teaching. I thought I would never want to be a teacher again.  But coming back to it after a few years of exploration, I can see what a good match it is.  Yes, it can be draining. Yes, planning lessons is sometimes a pain.  But isn't that the case with any job? There will be parts of it I don't like? A huge plus for me, is that I am in control of what happens in my classroom.  I don't have anyone hovering, telling me what to do every second of my day (hallelujah!).  And, there is a ton more social interaction! And I am not sitting at the same desk all day long! ...which I really, really appreciate.

Plus, summer off? I'm totally down with that.

(Today is the last day of school.  Which includes going to Veteran's Memorial Pool for a swim party with all the kids. Pay me to go down waterslides with 12 year olds? Awesome.)