Canada is too cold! and other musings

I know it's a cliche - kind of, "Canada is cold" but really it is. At least in my area of the country. Here I was, used to the pleasantly warm climate of Iowa and then, I got back to Canada bam! COLD! The furnace in my house turned on!! (the furnace never turns on, my parents like to keep things an outrageously cold 60 degrees in the day, 66 when people are home) It even snowed in Calgary last night! Thankfully it hasn't been that cold, but it's only a little above freezing here. I'm not a happy camper, at least in that respect.


But, I'm having a good summer so far. I love my job at the U of A. and it is so nice to be home and to relax a bit. No more school for me! until I actually have to teach in school.

Other big news: My grandparents are having their 50th anniversary celebration this weekend. Everyone is in town, all of my aunts and uncles and their kids, great-aunts and uncles, cousins I don't know. It's going to be a "big to-do in Nottingham". It should prove to be a fun day even if some of the organizers are going a little over the top. We are having coffee and some refreshments after church and they are going to decorate the basement of the church and there has too be 'x' amount of squares, 'x' amount of cookies, 'x' amount of cake, etc and the 'x' is on the order of 10^2 - that's hundreds to the non exponent-savy. (I needed to throw in a little math/science nerdiness, too much left brain use recently) It's a little crazy but I'll just smile and serve cake awkwardly because it's at the church that we left :)
The actual party should be good though, great food, time to talk to the long-lost relatives and my sister and I are going to sing.

I'm getting so excited about teaching and setting up my classroom. I just bought Harry Wong's "The First Days of School" and I've been reading it, taking notes and just imagining my wonderfully run classroom complete with procedures for everything.

Sidenote: Andrea, you should read it, it's really good, Wong is the guy that Cella loves, you probably saw a video by him too.

See I actually posted within the time frame I set out. So there doubters - you know who you are.

Really, I'm still here

First off, I'll start with a promise to anybody who still reads this blog – I give my solemn oath that I will post at least once a week. I didn't post much when I was student teaching because I was either way too busy or I didn't have anything to write about except for complaints and I didn't want to do that.

Here's the news:
I had a phone interview with a school in B.C. while I was still at Dordt and they wanted to see me in person.
I graduated on Friday – Huzzah! I even got a degree. Got to say "Hi!" and "Good-bye" to friends and had an emotional last day - no more Dordt for me. Then I drove home Saturday and Sunday.
With very little sleep I left the house at about 5:00 am Monday morning to catch a flight to Abbotsford B.C. I went to Unity Christian School in Chilliwack, got the tour and they sold teaching at their school to me. I got to see some classes, talk with other teachers, and interact with the students and then I was offered a contract. And I accepted it!
I'm gonna be a teacher! I'm so excited about setting up my classroom and actually teaching - it'll be my class now, not someone else's with different rules and procedures.

Everyone told me that science teachers were in demand and I'd have no trouble finding a job, but I didn't have that many options that stuck out for me except for Lynden - which didn't happen and then Chilliwack - I think that there were only a couple of schools was a good sign for me. And, I probably wouldn't have considered Chilliwack if I hadn't already been interested in the Fraser Valley area (Lynden/Abbotsford, etc.) I really feel that God placed this opportunity in front of me and kind of blocked out the other ones. This is where I should go.

Now I need to find an apartment in August in Chilliwack, get a car, a teaching license in BC and then start thinking about actually teaching in Septemeber. Wow. I'm a grown-up now - kind of.

This summer I'm working at the U of A again - I've got a great job with great people. It'll be fun.

And again... I will post this summer.

new school

I started at my new school this week and I just want to go back to my last school - where the kids were friendly, staff was supportive and friendly, people didn't insult me for being Canadian (I can put up with a few jokes, but...)
The teacher I'm working with isn't one for talking much either, so I just sit around silently watching. It's boring.

But, I still want to be a teacher. I'm glad that my first experience was awesome though.

It's spring break here at college and I'm still at school. It's weird, this is my first spring break that I'm not home. All of my Canadian friends - have a rrrrrroll up the rrrrrim for me.

Well, I'm done my first session of student teaching, and I absolutely loved it. It was a great experience; I learned so much and I know that I'm going to be a teacher for a long time.

I'm going to miss my school and students but I'm excited about starting at a new school.

I had 4 interviews in the last few days. Most of them went really well and I'm really excited about a few of them. I think I might end up in Washington state. (Email me if you want the details - I don't want them on a public blog)

Once again, I love teaching!!!

I'm alive!

I know it is a long time coming, but I'm alive and loving student teaching! I don't even have the time to check blogs anymore, let alone update my own blog. But, here it is, I'm making time.

I am student teaching now, and I love it!!!!!!!!! It is so much fun and really rewarding. I'm on my fourth week of teaching at my first school, and I don't want to leave in two weeks because I finally have almost all 126 names of my students memorized and I know how this school works and my cooperating teacher is great. I don't want to leave and go to a new school.

I am so glad that my 5 years of college haven't been wasted and that teaching is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

I'm teaching two (large) sections of 8th grade Earth Science - I like the class, I like the students, but I am NOT going to teach junior high if I can help it. All I have to say when they are out of control and crazy is, "I did not sign up for this!" But they should be angels on Monday - they got a pretty big lecture on their behaviour.

I also have two sections of junior chemistry - which I love. That's the age I like the best, and the subject that I like the most as well. It's so much fun.

And on Wednesday, I take over for the general/physical science course with the freshmen. And we're starting Chemistry!! Then I'll have full responsibilities, eek! But, I'm excited. Hopefully I can teach them and they'll learn.

I'll let you know how it goes.

"Winter"-peg

We are in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA now. I'm the only Canadian in choir and that fact has been made very clear to me today. So many people were making fun of Canada, but I stood up for my home and native land.

Tour has been great, lots of fun and good times.

But... my feet hurt!!!!!!!!!!!
I should never have placed fashion before comfort (at least without buying insoles).

Time for bed! Good night!

Oh, It's snowing here.

And... if anyone knows the Fountain Tire commercial: "Goin' to Winnipeg."

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

I finally went online today, so here's the first post in an incredibly long time. I hope some people haven't given up on reading my blog.

My sister and I took the bus home this year. It was a really long ride but not terrible and in some ways it might have been better that we were taking the bus rather than flying because I'm sure we would have gotten stuck in Denver. After about 40 hours on the bus, we made it home.

I had a really nice Christmas, we went to my grandparents and had a great Christmas dinner, and one of aunts from Ontario was here and it was really nice to see her.

I've been working at Wendy's again, and man, I am so thankful that I won't have to ever work at Wendy's again after this break. Those long shifts with - how shall I put this diplomatically - not the most intelligent or motivated people is very taxing on my patience. There is a reason I went to college! Although after working with a bunch of high school kids again, I'm kind of wondering if teaching high school students is the best idea. Meh, it'll be a different relationship and I'll get to boss them around more effectively.

Hallelujah! I just found out that I not only passed Linear Circuits, my evil engineering course, but I got a B. I think that if I had turned in my research paper, I could have gotten an A. I checked my grades fully expecting to see an F, I was only hoping for a D. Wow, I was so scared I would have to take that course again or some other super hard Physics course.

Well, Happy New Year!

I hope to see most of you soon!

- Amanda

Brrr!

It's cold! Too cold. And I am not happy.
If there was snow, the cold would (maybe) be bearable, but cold weather without snow is just useless.

I have to go back out into the cold and my ears haven't warmed up since the last time I was out. (And yes, I'm pouting.)

I love American Thanksgiving

It's great to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving twice a year.
American Thanksgiving rocks! I get a super long weekend for a holiday that has no real significance to me, no family obligations, and there is good food, friends to see and so much more.
I get to meet so many new people because of Thanksgiving. Two years ago I went to Laura's place and met her extended family, last year I went to Erin's and met her extended family (and all the strays -people, not animals- her family has picked up) And this year I got to meet Jeremy's family: parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, cousin's crazy mother-in-law... It was fun.

I went to Minneapolis and I stayed in Laura and Karissa's apartment. It was such a great trip and even though Laura, and I were sick with colds it was an awesome weekend. I met new people, made new friends and totally kicked ass in Settlers of Catan. Anyone up for a game sometime? Seriously.

Visiting friends’ apartments is really making me look forward to the time when I have my own apartment/house (hopefully by August). I can’t wait to have my own place that I can decorate and really make my own.











Here's us at the California Pizza Kitchen ( I took like four pictures this weekend - oops) Side note: If you ever have the opportunity to go to this restaurant, go; it's great.

townhouse 11/17/06

shit-iness

I feel like shit today. I've got such a bad cold, I can't breathe, or talk, and everytime I move my head my brain hits my skull and pain reverberates through my head. It sucks.

and to top of the feeling crappy physically, by reading someone else's blog I found out a close friend had her baby on Friday. And to make things worse I probably won't see that friend or the baby for a long time, and that makes me depressed.

But maybe I'm just depressed for other reasons. Sometimes life is a bitch.

I'm going to be a teacher!

I found out where I'm going to be student teaching next semester - at least for the first half.
I'm going to be at the Rock Valley public school and I talked to the teacher I'll be working with and I think we will get along and that it will be a good experience for me.

It is so mind boggling to me to think that next year and next semester (!) I'll be in charge of a class. I really hope that I'll be able to teach well, and show my kids that science can be really exciting and interesting and that I'll be able to be caught up on all the lesson plans, and that I remember/understand what I'm supposed to be teaching, and agh!!! I'm going crazy already.

But, I don't have to deal with that now.

ugh, brain hurt

I had my terrible, killer, engineering test today. And it was terrible and extremely hard. I think I got two questions correct (out of like 8) and I'll get some half points. But, ugh! it sucked.

I'm still alive - barely.

It's a good thing I'm not going to be an engineer; you wouldn't want me to design your car-stereo or blowdryer. It might go boom!

Overwhelmed

I have way too much stuff to do. I don't think I can handle it.
I have a big test in my electrical engineering course (which I shouldn't have to take!!!!) and I'm very afraid that I will fail. And on top of that I've got tons of other homework.
I don't know what how operational amplifiers work, I don't really understand how current flows or how voltage drops. I don't know how to calculate Thevenin or Norton equivalents! I am going to die on this test. I'm typing and thinking about how painful this is going to be and I'm kinda tearing up (how pathetic).
Here's a stupid cartoon about a fraction of my test.
Who would every want to know that? Not me that's for sure. But I have to understand it.
Update tomorrow on whether or not I died.

(Ok, I'm exaggerating, but I'm really worried, and I can't do poorly in this class - it's the only real reason I'm here this semester.)

so busy - therefore: procrastinate

I have too many things too do! Way to much homework. I think that I will end up staying up way too late trying to do my homework becaue I procrastinated.

I had a good day though. Went to chapel for the first time this year (I'm a bad person - but I don't really feel bad) good skit though. And then had a ridiculously fun lunch with cool people, complete with entirely inappropriate comments and awkward conversations. It was fun. I like awkwardness.

I went for a long walk to clear my thoughts this afternoon/evening and I feel much better now - even though it was fraking cold outside. Being at Dordt I rarely have the time or space to just sit and think and be alone. There are always people around and most of the time I like people (friends are good) but sometimes I get cranky and just need to be alone or else I rip people's heads off, and make everyone around me angry - but no worries, I'm happy again.

Back to the homework.

Arsenic and Old Lace - done!

So I finally uploaded my pictures from this weekend onto my computer.

I think I took about 100 pictures - Yeah for digital cameras! Here are some of my favourites:

Abby, Elaine, and Martha - all dressed up

Only four girls in the dressing room this year - ha! I laugh at the boys and their stuffy dressing room

I wonder if the corpse look will ever be fashionable because I can totally pull it off.

No Comment.

Watch out! We have wine and we aren't afraid to use it for our own twisted purposes.

Wide-eyed aunties

It's our last play together, and our last Dordt play. Hopefully not the last time we can act on stage though.

I have mixed feelings about this play ending - now I can go back to my life, but I'm going to miss being Martha and am really going to miss seeing some of my cast members everyday (there are some that I can certainly do with seeing much less of though).

This past weekend was so amazing; it was great to see so many friends, especially those who came from far away.

I'll say it again: what a great weekend!

Back to the realities of school now; Boo hiss.

Lay every burden down

Do you ever feel like a complete hypocrite? I find that so many times I go to a service like GIFT and I sing songs and say things that I don't really mean. A lot of times I want to sing the songs from my heart but there are things in the way that prevent me from doing that.

"I lay every burden down at the foot of the cross"

Those words really struck me tonight. I wasn't laying every burden down. I want to lay those things that are keeping me from God down at the foot of the cross, but at the same time I don't want to. I can't let go of my burdens, my worries, my struggles, because I deep down I feel that that is all I really am and without those worries and burdens I'll be totally open and vulnerable and I then I can get hurt. It's so much easier to hide behind that big brick wall that I've built up.

It's amazing how God can convict you of something with just a few words in a song.

ahh, simple pleasures - an update

Amy and Justine yelled "UPDATE!" to me this afternoon while they were checking blogs... so here it is girls, the update.

ahh, simple pleasures:
a well-made hot cappuccino
great conversations with friends
canadian chocolate bars (aero)
sleep
stargate (yup, I love sci-fi)
time to breathe
an amazingly wonderful song stuck in your head

mmm, contentedness. I love it when things just feel good and you can ignore the stress that you've been under (for the last how-ever long it's been) and you can just be and enjoy being around people. If you couldn't tell, I've been having a good afternoon. Even though I should have been doing tons of other things I took some time out and relaxed.

We have another performance of Arsenic and Old Lace tonight, hopefully it will go well. The selector from ACTF was here last night and the respondent is coming tonight. I'm always interested in what they have to say. The selector didn't think I was an incompetent idiot (Yipee!) - or at least he didn't say so :) - so that made me feel better about the whole show.

I love talking to people afterwards – one man came up to me today and said how much he enjoyed the play and that he really appreciated all the hard work that went into the production. I also had the privilege of speaking to the Gen 200 class with some of my fellow thespians. I enjoyed doing that - and the class actually asked us questions! I think that I just like to talk. Maybe it is a good thing I'm going to be a teacher - that way I can have 30ish students who have to listen to me. Ahh, the power. Mwahahaha!

Off to have a nap now!

the quoteboard can go back up

Put up the quoteboard again, the parents are gone. Anyone who knows me and my roommates can appreciate the fact that our quoteboard had to come down for parent's weekend or we would all be facing serious reprimands and disapproving looks.

Well, the weekend is over and life can get back to normal - kind of. It was parent's weekend and my family came to see me and my sister. And... Liz came here for the weekend to see her family and friends and she stayed with me. I didn't think that I'd see her this soon after graduation - thought I'd have to go to Florida for that. I didn't realize how much I'd missed her. And... it was opening weekend for Arsenic and Old Lace which went wonderfully - and much better than I expected.

For all the complaining we have been doing about the show and particular people in the show, things have improved dramatically *excuse the pun :)* and from an outside perspective the problems we've seen aren't as glaringly obvious as they are to us.

People loved the show and I didn't realize how much of a rush I'd get going out onstage during curtain call. I've never played one of the lead characters and the cheering has never gotten louder when I've come out -I loved the feeling. Don't worry - I'm not going to become an egotistical diva. But, it was pretty awesome. Now we only have 4 more performances - ugh. I'm so tired already.

Onto another subject...
This weekend I realized how much I want to be done with school. I love it here at school - great friends, wonderful experiences, etc. and I love living on my own but when my family was leaving I just wanted to go with them. If I could have gone with them I would have been in that vehicle in a flash. I've never really felt homesick but this time I wanted to go home so badly and not have to worry about school at all. It wasn't really that I was going to miss my family, I just wanted to leave all of the stress here behind and not have to do any schoolwork. Only a few more months and then it'll be Christmas break - and then a semester of student teaching, which seems to me like there will be way too much responsibility thrust upon me.

Enough self-pity.

HUZZAH!

HUZZAH!
I got the crappy gray hairspray out of my hair! it only took half - well actually only about 1/6 of the bottle of shampoo to get it out.

and HUZZAH! we didn't suck tonight in Arsenic and Old Lace. I don't think I could have handled it it we were really crappy again. I might have cried. Seriously.

and HUZZAH! my parents and little brother are coming tomorrow - hopefully I'll see them Thursday if they get here in time.

and HUZZAH! I'm going to sleep soon!! and I get to sleep in tomorrow.

That's all, I'm huzzahed out.