Home is where the heart is

Well here I am. It has been a year and a half since the previous blog post about leaving Taiwan. Honestly, for a while I didn't blog because it was too painful. For two years, my blog was a way to keep my friends and family updated about my life. And I couldn't cope with blogging about adjusting to life in America because I missed my life and friends in Taiwan so much. Then I got busy. In order to combat the sadness, I took on far too much (like that is new) and buried myself in work.

Now I am finally at a place where I feel like I should begin blogging again. I don't labor under any delusion that a large amount of people read this. However it is cathartic to get my thoughts out.

For the past two years I have lived, breathed, and eaten teaching 7th grade English. There are days (last week) where I feel like I am a teaching rockstar and then there are days (like today) where I want to crawl under a rock. I teach one class of three ESL students where I either teach them English and American customs, help them with their homework, or just make sure they are doing what they are supposed to. Second, Third, and Fourth period I teach Basic English which is Special Education and lower students (I call them my Basic Babies). Fifth period is my planning period and sixth period is my regular English class.

Being a teacher is hard work despite what people think. I teach all day long arriving normally around 7 and not leaving until AT LEAST 4:30 or 5. Most days however, I am busy running one of my five clubs or attending sports events, band concerts, or just trying to catch up with my crazy amount of paperwork.

I am currently in the middle of Baseball season. I am the sponsor of the Diamond Dolls, eight delightful young ladies who are managers for the team. I keep the baseball stats and am in the process of teaching them to do the same. I also help run the Cat's Meow Theatre Troupe, BETA Club and the Cat Spirit Club as well as being in charge of the Spelling Bee and putting on the first PJHS Talent Show in November!

I have also had the privilege of being involved in two productions at The Wetumpka Depot Theatre. This summer I was assistant stage manager for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and in January/February I stage-managed I Love You. You're Perfect. Now Change. Through this wonderful theatre, I have met some wonderful friends that now seem like family after our long days and nights together. As if this did not give me the opportunity to re-kindle my love for theatre, being so close to amazing venues with amazing shows certainly has. I have had the opportunity to see Mary Poppins, The Great Gatsby, The Taming of the Shrew, A Christmas Carol, and Dracula - the ballet at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. I have also gotten the opportunity to see Newsies and The Book of Mormon at the Fox Theater and the BJCC. Tomorrow I will go back to ASF to see The Importance of Being Earnest.

Though I struggled for a while, I have made some amazing friends. It is of course wonderful to be back with my family. My dear friend Mallory married David Breed last January and my baby brother married the sweet Anna Jean Cox in November.















It has been a busy year and a half. There have been extreme highs and devastating lows. There have been days where I doubted my decision to leave Taiwan and days where my choice was confirmed to be the right one. The old saying, "Home is where your heart is." is correct and for now, my heart is here.