How did I wander into this?

After being in New York City for a week, I've discovered that it's just too difficult to ensure that everyone is updated about the nitty gritty details of my life. Therefore, I have succumbed to starting a blog so that those of you who are interested (very few in number, I'm sure) can be updated in regards to my experience. With general details aside, communication can focus upon more meaningful aspects of our lives.

Now that I have developed a personal philosophy of blogging, let me tell you about New York. I am back in the dorms as a 22-year-old at St. Johns University in Queens. This has been a very humbling experience to feel like a freshman in college again: eating in the cafeteria, attempting to get your ethernet to work, looking like a hispanic maid in your college ID, meeting friends, and engaging in many awkward social moments. I have met some amazing people from every background imaginable; I hope to find possible roomates in the future, but developing relationships can be a long, tedious process. It also makes finding an apartment difficult.

This past week has been filled with school visits, seminars, interviews and "induction" activities to help familiarize us with NYC. I have gotten into Manhattan almost everyday this week, whether for dinners in neighborhoods or simply going out for a drink with friends. Yesterday I spent the day walking around the Upper East Side, Upper West Side and Harlem. I have a better idea of where I would enjoy living, and apartment hunting is a major concern right now. I'm the envy of TFA (not really) because I won a raffle that partners me with a housing broker for free. This might help me find a place faster and more efficiently.

After interviewing for a position last week, I was offered a job at P.S. 42 Claremont Community School. I will teaching 3rd grade special education in an inclusion class. This means that not all students will require special education, but in reality the majority of them probably will. My students will be those who have emotional issues, behavioral issues and learning disabilities. I will be team teaching with another teacher and we will have about 25 students between the two of us. I'm incredibly excited, nervous, reluctant and hopeful...all at the same time.

Tonight was our opening ceremony for Institute. This is the beginning of our five-week training period in which we teach summer school and take classes. My day is planned from 5:30 am until 11:00 pm, everyday. I will have my own students in a week and teach them for four weeks with a group of teachers. So it begins...

For the record: my roomates are currently making a paper chain to help us track how long until Institute is over. We're sooo teachers.