Sittin' In A New York Coffee Shop

     Today is the last day of my TEFL course!  Although it included tons of tedious paperwork, lesson planning,  and only a few hours of sleep each night, I am definitely walking away with a lot of knowledge.  I feel that this course prepared me well for any future experiences teaching English and even teaching my Kindergartners.  I met really interesting and fun people that made the course even better.  It's strange to think that we will all go back home and to our normal lives and never see each other again.  I am thankful for email and Facebook for connecting us to people so far away.  I was suppose to teach this morning, but my student called and said she wasn't coming.  I was a little relieved because I didn't have much prepared.   So, I'm sitting in a coffee shop watching the people walk by with their umbrellas in the rain.  Its a cool thing because all the times I pictured myself in New York I saw me sitting in a coffee shop, watching the people walk by and being surrounded by skyscrapers.  It has really set in that my adventure here has come to an end.  4 weeks have gone by so fast!  I was able to do many things here but even in 4 weeks you can't see everything.

     Several people have asked me if I want to live here.  I love this city!  This concrete jungle still amazes me everyday.  There is so much to see and do here that it will be hard to adjust from a city that offers everything back to a small town in Oklahoma.   Have I mentioned fashion?  People know how to dress well here.  However, I can think of something that NYC doesn't have, and that's all the amazing people that I dearly love back home.  If I could move you all here, it would be the best! lol!  For me, it's the people that make it home, not the place.  I think it would be awesome to live here for a couple of years but my heart will always belong to Oklahoma:)

     I don't have a real specific plan for my last 2 days.  I do know my friend Mark has ordered me that I must eat a hot dog here, so that's on the agenda.  Tonight, Mariah and I are going to see Batman!  I'm really excited because I just recently saw Anne Hathaway on Jimmy Fallon, so it will be neat seeing her on the big screen after a real life encounter. I'm silly I know.  We were going to go to SOHO for some shopping but may have to move it to tomorrow if the rain doesn't let up.  Tomorrow we will be going to the Bronx zoo, the MET, and then home to pack.

I will be arriving in OKC on Sunday around 1:00 PM.  My friend Jenn will be picking me up and I'm so excited to see her.  I hope that I can get connected with most of you before school starts and catch up. I'm going to have to get started right away on my classroom too!  School is just around the corner.

Oh! One more thing.  I wanted to let you know how I did on the final.  It took my two hours to complete, but there wasn't any questions that I had no clue on.  Most questions were multi-faceted so there were a few that I didn't answer completely.  I am sure I passed, but I don't think I'm going to get to see me grade.  I would really like to see how I did after all that work.  Maybe I can get her to send it to me.

It's about time for me to get to class for the last couple of hours.  See you all soon!

Friday the 13th!

Greetings!  I'm am sorry I haven't updated my blog, lately.  I don't think I've ever done as much work as I have in this class.  The long days still continue as I cram lesson planning, observations, self-evaluations, materials projects, and reading assignments.  I don't get to bed most nights until 12:30 or 1:00 and have to wake up and 6:30.    I don't get to do much during the week so I use the weekends to tackle my list of things to see and do.  Although it is a lot of work, we have fun in class...when I'm the student or the teacher.

Last weekend, Mariah and I went to the 9/11 Memorial.  I was very surprised what had still not been done.  The memorial has the North and South pools where the towers once stood and the survivor tree.  The museum wasn't finished so it didn't take long to look around.  From the outside the new towers look like they are almost finished.  We visited a couple of churches where the rescue workers and volunteers would go for food and rest.  It was hard to imagine that 11 years ago so much turmoil happened in the place we were standing.  St. Paul's church has a banner hanging inside from Oklahomans sending encouragement and hope.  We walked down Wall St. and saw the New York Stock Exchange and another bride.  That makes 4 I've seen so far, but having it on Wall St sounds strange.  Saturday, we went to see the Broadway show "Chicago."  It was wonderful!  The set was simple with the orchestra on stage and a small cast, but it didn't take away from its entertaining factor.  I recommend this one or Wicked it if you're ever in NYC.  I looked through a few exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Sunday.  It is huge and there is not way you could do it in a day...or even 3!  I plan on going back sometime this week.

Jump forward with me one week to today, Friday the 13th.  I'm not what you would call superstitious, but there are many times I seem to have some rotten luck.  But today was the opposite.  After class today, Mariah and I went to the taping of the Jimmy Fallon show.  I was like a kid in a candy shop sitting there in that seat just watching how they make it all happen.  Anne Hathaway was gorgeous as always did a hilarious scene with Jimmy before making her official appearance.  There weren't any audience shots that I can recall being in but that didn't matter when I tell you what happened at the end of the show.  So, Jimmy signed off and then ran through the aisles to give high-fives, handshakes, and autographs.  I was sitting in one of the last few rows he would greet, waiting patiently to get some physical contact.  The girl in the same row got an autograph and then he quickly past me and hugged the girl in front of me.  I held out my hand for a handshake but he hadn't even noticed me.  Then, he looked up at me and shook my hand.  But the best part was when he looked back and leaned in to give me a hug.   Mariah said my face was priceless and that moment for me was priceless!

I promise I will put up more pics and update my blog sooner rather than later, but the lobby is closing now and I have to get ready for bed.  I am going to see the Statue of Liberty tomorrow:)  Goodnight my dear friends.  sweet sleep!

New York State of Mind

Hello friends!  It has been very busy the past couple of days.  The work load in my class has more than doubled since the first week.  There are so many forms to fill out for every section of the course.  I wake up at around 6:15 and get home no earlier than 9:00.  After I teach a lesson, I have to complete a self-evaluation, class lasts until 3:30. Next, I plan for my lesson the following day, and then stay during the evening lessons for my observations.  The work is very tedious!  Creating lesson plans and teaching ESL students is very different than preparing and teaching Kindergarten.  It has a different structure and I am reteaching myself parts of speech, rules of grammar, phonology (all the "stuff" I was taught in elementary school, except I don't remember all this terminology).  In fact, its hard to write this blog without thinking..."Oh, that's the noun with the modal verb and past participle," or "Is this sentence in the perfect present or the present continuous?" Don't even get my started on adverbs, articles, and prepositions! LOL! I suppose this is a good think, but it takes a lot of work.

    Last Friday, I visited the Empire State building.  I really wanted to arrive to see the sunset from the top, but I didn't make it in time.  It wasn't a very good experience.  I'm glad my first time to go to the top of the Empire State Building was in December with Jana.  We did not have to wait in any lines to go up and it was not crowded.  We got to freely roam to any side to see the view.  This time, I was fighting through the crowds just to get a glimpse of the city.  I'm glad I have my first memory to hold on to.

    
     I'm continuing to meet great people, see different places, and try new things. Ashley and I went to a fine-dining restaurant within Bryant Park late Friday night.  It was my first time to try Guzpacho and muscles.  I thought Guzpacho tasted like cold salsa and the muscles  like cleaning products.  Maybe I'm the only one that thinks this way.  Apart from my opinions of fine cuisine, I am proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone.

My classmate and friend Ashley from Venezuela

                                          

I tried to go to the Hillsong United church on Sunday, but was unable to attend because there were too many people!  I just think that is crazy!  I couldn't go to church because there wasn't enough room.  I was very disappointed.  I plan to try again next Sunday:)

After class yesterday, I went to Bryant Park where they were showing the Wizard of OZ.  This is one of my top 5 favorite movies.  There were tons of people sitting on the lawn with their kids, friends, and family.  I thought how lovely it would have been to watch it with someone, but exhaustion quickly kicked in and had to go.  However, I did get to see the scene where Dorothy sings "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." Take a look below.  Thank you to those who have kept in touch with calls, fb posts, and texts.  Even though I am staying pretty busy, its nice to hear a familiar voice that cares.

Sweet sleep everyone!
B