Well I spent the past few days in Virginia doing so many things I can barely keep track. Part of me is feeling a lot better about the whole situation and the other part is just overwhelmed and still nervous!
Monday I went down from NJ with my Dad and we looked at two different apartment complexes before getting dinner. Everything is much busier than in Rochester, but I think given some time I will adjust, especially to the traffic. After dinner we drove by a few other apartment complexes, that we nixed right away just because of location and outward appearance.
Tuesday I went to the administrative building and filled out a lot of paperwork. I got just about everything taken care of and then sat through a benefits orientation. Oh was that boring, necessary, but boring. I did not feel old enough to be listening to information about retirement and life insurance. I know it's all important, but it was kind of crazy for me to realize that I'm finally an adult. After all of the paperwork I met back up with my Dad and then my Mom got into town and we all had lunch. My Dad went to look at a few apartments while I was in meetings in the morning so once he left in the afternoon to go back to NJ my Mom and I went back to look at the few he thought were worthwhile. One was out of the running real quick, which helped narrow things down in my head to two, out of six. For dinner that night we went to a restaurant called Not Your Average Joe's! It had an awesome gluten free menu. I had a great smokehouse turkey blt on a gluten free onion roll!! One of the first sandwiches I've eaten on g-f bread at a restaurant!! I will definitely be going back there! After dinner I made a pro-con list of the two remaining apartment choices and made my decision.
Wednesday morning I sent a few emails and did some work from the hotel and then after lunch Mom and I went to the hotel and put in the application for the apartment I wanted. I was approved, so I officially have a place to live and will be moving in July 29th! After filling everything out there we went to a little shopping center and walked around before getting dinner with friends of my parents. It was nice to meet some people close by that I knew I'd be able to visit and go see if I needed something. Plus they have a daughter about a year younger than me that everyone is absolutely convinced we will get along, so hopefully we will meet sometime soon and we will hit it off, or at least she can show me around DC a little bit.
Thursday was the biggest calming of my nerves. I met with my two math department heads, and was shown around both of my schools, which are built almost the same way. I walked into the first school and was met with a big hug by my first department head. She was so welcoming to both my mother and I, it just felt great! We were shown around the the school, I was given curriculum, teachers additions of the textbooks, a calculator (TI n'spire-so cool), and all sorts of information from other teachers. We went over to the other high school where I met the other department head, 2 assistant principals, the principal, and a whole bunch of other teachers. I was shown around that school as well. Another round of hugs and jokes and a warm welcome. It really felt good. After all of that I grabbed lunch with Mom and stopped at the credit union in town to set up direct deposit and then we were on our way out of town, which took a lot longer than planned. We were planning on stopping to see my grandparents in Delaware, which should only be 2 hours away. It took 4 hours to get there because of traffic. We went out to dinner with them and relaxed there for a little while before continuing on to my parents house in NJ.
Friday I relaxed at my parents house for a little while and then went to IKEA with my Mom to just get ideas about furniture for my new place. I am thinking about stuff for my living room and a new bed, so we just went to look. It was informative and a nice way to spend the afternoon. We had a nice dinner at home and just relaxed.
I got back to Rochester this evening, packed for day camp for next week and worked on some paperwork for certification stuff. When all is said and done I will have jumped through hoops in three states and have my certification in all of them. Oh well, at least now I have a job to show for it.
This week I'll be in Schoharie working another day camp. I'm super excited about this one. We are expecting 100+ kids and a bunch of awesome volunteers as well. It's going to be a lot of work and I'm not exactly sure what my role is, but I'm sure I will figure it out and fall in line. Either way, I get to spend a week outside playing with kids and working with adults, I really can't complain.
Once I get back I have to pack my life up and say goodbye (for at least a few months) to some great people here. I'm not really sure how to process everything that is happening. I'm feeling very overwhelmed right now. As much as this past week makes me feel better, knowing I have a place to live and that the people I am going to be working with are there to help and want to help. I am also going to have to pick up and leave a lot behind. I've struggled a lot the past year here and I know that picking up and starting over isn't going to be easy, it will probably be harder, but I have to try. I owe it to myself to grow up and do this. Socially, and emotionally I'm terrified, and the thought of saying goodbye to some of my best friends scares me more than I can put into words. I know the wonders of the internet and the phone will keep us connected, but its not the same. Knowing I only have a week to pack as much time in with these people before I leave (while trying to pack my life into boxes) makes it even harder.
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