Summer Review: Part Two

Oh man. It is October and I still have to fill you in on the rest of my summer life since June. This scenario is freakishly similar to how I feel teaching every day. Always behind. It is a never-ending game of catch-up. But to get us back on track, here goes:

Back in June, after seeing my sister graduate from high school I flew back to California to teach summer school - which by the way is something I swore to never ever do. Here is a textbook example of how you can get me to do anything if you ask me on a happy optimistic this-job-is-awesome day. But honestly, it was a special summer program for kids who chose to sign up, which is a million times different than teaching the D and F students who do not want to be there. Still, there were plenty of students who admitted that they were there either because they had nothing better to do over summer or because their parents signed them up to stay out of trouble. These were the kids who decided that this was "fake school" and that they did not have to do anything. But whatever, I'm used to dealing with those attitudes by now, and I was much more optimistic in the idea that I was able to teach classes of only 13 and 14 students (Glorious!). I actually have some of those same students in my classes right now, and Jackie actually has one too, which is pretty awesome.

The original post-summer-school plan was to go on another long hiking trip, this time through the Sierra Nevadas for about 212 miles along the John Muir Trail. Unfortunately our late wet spring afforded California too much snow to handle, and it stuck around too long for the trip to work. Remembering the beginnings of our trip last year, it was certainly not too hard convincing us to save the trip for another time. Plus, Jackie ended up being invited to be a bridesmaid in a somewhat spur-of-the-moment wedding of her friend and coworker in Tahoe. It worked out great though; we were able to spend a week down in San Luis Obispo visiting friends, hiking, mountain biking and learning to surf (me specifically), just before hiking and camping near Lake Tahoe before the wedding. It was just the relaxing summer I needed.

I do wish I would have been able to visit extended family during my "time off," but between still being relatively broke and attending two bachelor parties and two weddings of my own friends, teaching summer school was essential. I do have a million things on my mind right now about school, but I'll save that for a new post.