Welcome Back!

Year 2 has started.  It was a nice beginning to the year; a good way to ease into going back to work.  Really I didn't do anything work related today.  It was a wasted day and I must admit I was a little bored.

Setting my alarm, getting up early, and getting dressed in a long skirt and a sweater ugh!  Putting the sweater on this morning was terrible.  I had gotten quite used to wearing whatever I wanted, and man is it HOT!  I can tolerate the skirt, it's the sweater that is awful. 

I didn't know when to show up at school since no one had told us an official time so I assumed we needed to be there by 8:00 like during the school year.  So, I got there at 8:00.  Not many other teachers did.  It was kind of a "come whenever you want" kind of day.  Although we did have to stay until 1:00.  I was hoping for noon.

As I compare my first day last year to today there are many differences.  The main one being I knew everyone!  That really helps.  Last year all the Arabic teachers were kissing (cheek kisses) and hugging on the first day and they just said hi to me.  Well this year I was included in the kissing and hugging!  Boy oh boy was there a lot of kissing and hugging.  Which meant there was a lot of standing up and then sitting back down.   And since everyone didn't come at the same time it's like the greetings never ended.  Someone would come in and we would all stand up wait for our turn with the kissing and hugging.  The issue with the kissing is that I would never know how many to give.  Sometimes it was three (that seemed to be the most common) but other times it was five or more.  It all depended on the person giving them and how well they liked me.  The number of kisses you get is basically determined by how much they like you.  So if someone gives you only 3 kisses, that's just a standard greeting, but if someone gives you five or six kisses that means they really like you!  Hard to figure out and a bit awkward.  There were a few times when I would stop the kissing but the other person wanted to continue so I would lean back in and give/get a few more kisses.  That was pretty much it for the day.  We just chatted and kissed and hugged. 

Another big difference this year was that I wasn't nervous and I felt like I belonged; like I was actually wanted there.  I was actually a bit excited to go back.  To see the people that I met last year and talk and laugh with them.  I didn't feel out of place this year!  The second year is already starting off better!!

Unfortunately Andrea is still there:(  She is still the same.  I swear if I hear her say "you need to go in with a face like a candle snuffer" one more time I'm going to scream.  I just can't not smile and be mean.  She did inform us that we have to have lesson plans for next week!!  Really!  What am I going to be doing?  Let's see.... assessments, procedures, and rules.  Nothing that warrants a lesson plan.  I don't think I've ever done a lesson plan for the first week of school.  Oh well.  If she wants a lesson plan I'll give her a lesson plan but it's going to be short.    Hopefully she'll be a bit preoccupied with the new LTs so she'll leave me alone. 

One of the new LTs showed up this morning.  We're supposed to be getting 2, so we'll meet one tomorrow.  She seems nice.  A bit overwhelmed.  Man, I can relate!  We all tried to tell her it's normal and things will settle down.  

Back tomorrow and hopefully I'll work in MY classroom and get some stuff done!  Just 4 more short days until the girls come!

108 degrees with 15% humidity at 3:05