Wednesday, June 21, 2006

In short,



I've been in California at my brother's graduation from Stanford, where I had lunch by the bay with phc and met the cute, sleepy, and extremely easy-to-get-along-with Olivia. Graduation events with my family - my brother graduated with a major in Comparative Studies in Race & Ethnicity, a thesis about labor history at Stanford, and a minor in Spanish and might be going into teaching - and a little nostalgia for my old campus. I still know when to jump when the LSJUMB plays "All Right Now"... Then a show at my friend's art space, CounterPulse, and a lovely breakfast with her. More graduation events and a little World Cup in the student union. My parents drove me to a friend's house party (it's been a long time since that happened!), where I unexpectedly knew almost everyone! So I got to catch up - however briefly - with people I haven't seen in years and others whom I see every year. My friends are union organizers, work with youth, sell t-shirts, work in the arts, teach... they are silly and smart and inspiring and good people, and I miss them. My brother gave a speech at graduation, we went out to dinner, I chatted with a friend of his who studied abroad in Turkey. It was a good weekend, and a whirlwind, and I am left a touch sunburned and asking myself the unsettling yet persistent question: Why don't I live in San Francisco?

Lots to say about a lot of things, no time - ever, any more - to say it. I spent most of today grading seventh grade final projects about climate change and sixth grade lab reports about solutions, so that I can enter all my grades tomorrow, prepare certificates for an awards ceremony, plan field day, and continue my search for an apartment. I'm nervous as hell about my work visa, but I don't yet have an address in Turkey and have been asking and asking... I'm supposed to be taking my typhoid vaccine to prepare for India but I had to order it from the stupid mail order pharmacy and it hasn't arrived and hasn't arrived. Neither have the malaria pills, though I don't take those for another week or so.

Things will ease up when school ends next Wednesday, but I have no interest in wishing away days. My head is in a thousand places, and sometimes leaves me feeling like the last person you'd want to know. Or maybe I just feel that way tonight.

12 Comments:

Blogger talk said...

hi. nice post. I'm searching blogs at blogger and found yours. I was thinking if you would like to join my "million linky" :-)

12:17 AM  
Blogger talk said...

Im a professor too...just like you :-)

12:17 AM  
Blogger posthipchick said...

many of us wonder why you don't live in san francisco...

12:56 AM  
Blogger East Coast Teacher said...

Just take peace in the fact that school will be over soon and then you'll have a nice getaway in India to look forward to.

And I'm envious of your going to teach in Turkey. That's going to be such an amazing experience. I can't wait to read about it.

I say this now and I won't be teaching for another year. I've read your blog for awhile now and when I do start teaching, I hope that I can do so with even a small ounce of creativity and dedication that you have.

Your students are lucky to have you and the students you have in Turkey are as well.

8:20 AM  
Blogger magnolia avenue said...

I am a Brooklyn teacher and a reader of your blog--by way of an introduction--and I noticed you said you were looking for an apartment. I have no idea if my old place in Clinton Hill is a.) available or b.) appealing, but I had a great year there living dirt-cheap with a freelance writer and a lovely, brilliant librarian (former teacher). (Two ladies around 30.) Rent is $395, no joke, it's rent-stabilized. Leave a comment on my blog if you want me to send you an email, and I will put you in touch with them.

6:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

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Blogger Mie84 said...

graduation is only one in our life when we make it begin with secondary school..
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