It's hard to believe that my alarm will go off at 6am tomorrow, and the routine of the school year will be back. We have a great welcome back with Mass and breakfast before heading off to meetings.
Where has this summer gone?
School ended on June 8, and I mixed relaxation with future class planning for two weeks before hitting the road.
For three weeks, I was volunteering in Connecticut as is typical for the summer. This year I was lucky enough to be there for the orientation week and came away with some great icebreaker activities and games that I hope to use as needed. I also go to know some amazing Notre Dame students who shared their learning from the Summer Service Learning Program with me to the benefit of my social justice classes.
From there, I went to Twitter Math Camp in Minneapolis. I'm so excited to see everyone in my department tomorrow since I have been emailing and texting them repeatedly as I learn more and more.
After Minnesota, I spent a couple of days in Chicago with my dad. I made my first trip to the Field Museum which was incredible. I can't believe I've never made it there before. I also visited the Pauline Sisters book store and grabbed a copy of I Forgive You that I've been wanting since Nicole published it. I'll use it in my classes and share it with my goddaughter.
I flew from Chicago to Providence and spent the day with an old friend while waiting for my mom to arrive. We visited my grandma in Massachusetts for a day before traveling into Boston to meet up with my dad again. The most interesting thing we did in Boston was the Freedom Trail. I've been thinking a lot about the idea that history is written by the "winners" and the foundational principles of our nation. In three games at Fenway, I found myself "wondering and noticing" all sorts of fun and random things. Does Fenway have more foul balls because of the lack of on-field foul territory down the lines? How did they decide upon the height of the Green Monster? How are pitch speed, bat speed, and the speed of the ball off the bat related? How much must your bimonthly paycheck be if you make $24 million in a year?
My mom and I went to Bar Harbor for a wedding. What a beautiful little town. It's so interesting to me to live in a place where you don't need air conditioning, where outdoor activities (in the summer!) are the primary focus, and where lobsters sell for $2.75/pound.
I had one day to unpack, focus my thoughts, pack up my school bag, buy groceries, and get ready for the new year to begin. Other than that 6am alarm, I am so ready. I'm anxious to share ideas with my new department members, to meet my lovely freshmen ladies, and to hopefully be a bit better of a teacher than I was last year.
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