College ends, but Work never does...

So, I was planning on having a super productive Thursday (I no longer have classes on this day, or Tuesday) but I was called up by a few Destino friends for a spontaneous beach trip to Wilmington (just under two hours away from Raleigh). So, I went. We left Raleigh around 3 on Thursday afternoon, stayed in a beach front hotel that evening, ate out, hung out, took a boat tour of the sound (water way), and headed back on Friday afternoon. It was glorious to be able to just "go"!...I realize that does not last forever. I was reminded of the quotation that says something like "stay up late when you have an 8am class, go out the night before an exam, ...etc..., because college ends, but work never does".

Tomorrow morning I take the ESL Praxis (an exam I must pass to get my ESL license), then tomorrow night we have the Mi Familia End of the Year Gala. I will also be doing lots of work in there somewhere! ....I have to finish two papers and prepare for three exams.

Excitement with a pinch of stress

This week has been an "up and down" week of excitement and a little bit of stress.

Excitement:
-Taught my last ESL class at Leesville Road Middle School on Tuesday. They made me a huge card and my teacher brought me a cool vase back from Peru (where she recently visited). I feel soooo much freer now that I don't have to plan lessons and my Tuesday and Thursdays are wide-open time wise.
- My Philosophy of Law class was canceled for Wednesday and next Monday. My teacher had a death in the family (not so exciting) but I has been nice to have some extra free time. I now only have 3 more PHI of Law classes left!
- In my Spanish Senior Seminar I am DONE with everything except my final paper that is due on May 3rd (and I have already written 5 out of the the 8 pages!!!). My teacher is allotting the rest of the semester in class to working on this paper! ...so basically, I'm done with this class.
- I have been encourage with support raising for Mexico this week. Though I have a lot to raise, people are being very generous with their gifts and people have been great about being interested in what I'm doing and how I am doing...which I appreciate.
-My roommate Allison is getting married in July and tonight (Friday) my other roommates and I are throwing her a surprise batchelorette party! We have about 12 other girls coming, we will be playing games, eating yummy food, opening presents, and drinking virgin strawberry daiquiris! ...see all the pictures!
- I was selected to receive two awards this week from the department of Foreign Languages and Literature. The "English as a Second Language Teacher Education Award" and the "Arlene Malinowinski Memorial Award". There are a series of awards that are giving to seniors in my department and I will receive my awards at an awards ceremony on April 28th. I'm not sure what the second award is for (I do know that she was once a professor at State)...but I'll let you know after I receive it! ****see below for description
- I went out for Tapas (Spanish appetizers) and Salsa dancing with about five of the girls that studies in Spain with me. It's always fun to catch-up with them and reminiscence of Spain.
-Played Inter-mural softball


Stressful:
- My STS (science, gender, and technology) class is probably the worst class I have ever taken here at State. The teacher is new and not very good at clarifying expectations and she used lots of BIG words that none of use understand (she just graduated with her PhD from Duke in History last year...maybe we should remind her she is a State now and those big words are NOT necessary!). We have a finial paper and I STILL do not understand what exactly it is suppose to be about. We have guidelines, but they are very complex and different areas contradict other areas. I have asked her MANY questions, but the more I ask the more confused I get. I think I have decided to just write the paper, take whatever grade she gives me, and just BE DONE! This is really the only thing that is giving me stress as I approach the end of the year.
- I'm taking the ESL Praxis next Saturday. I have to pass this test to get my ESL License...I can take it more than once, but it cost me $150 so I would prefer not too....so, it's just a little stressful!


*****According to my adviser and professor, Karen Tharrington:

The award honors our late colleague Dr Arlene
Malinowski, who served the FLL dept in many
capacities including associate professor,
assistant department head and director of
the foreign language teacher education
program. She was an inquisitive scholar,
a tireless advocate for students, a lover
of foreign languages and cultures, a
dedicated teacher and caring colleague as
well as a zealous promoter of foreign
language education. In her memory we honor
a student in our foreign language teacher
education program who demonstrates
outstanding academic achievements and
leadership qualities as well as a love of
languages and  cultures and a high level of
involvement in academic and extra-curricular
pursuits.

Your high GPA, dedication to the field of
teacher education, high ethical standards,
leadership qualities inside and outside of
 the classroom, enthusiasm for new
challenges and your ability to take
initiative are what made the FLL Dept.
choose you as this year's recipient.

Fun Fun in Asheville

This weekend I returned home once again to run in a half-marathon in Charlotte. I left Raleigh Thursday afternoon (right after my University Supervisor observed me teaching my ESL classes...thankfully that went well!) and headed to the mountains. I arrived home around 4pm and then headed to work at Stoneridge Tavern at 5pm. I am so thankful for my job there. They let me just call them a week in advanced and they will put me on the schedule for whatever days I want. It's wonderful. I chose not to work Friday and spent the day doing some work, relaxing, and running with my dad. Friday evening I went baby Abril's ("April" in Spanish) one-year-old birthday party. I work with Abril's dad (Alberto) at Stoneridge Tavern. The party was so fun with lots of Hispanic families and children in attendance. We had rice, beans, and steamed lamb (this was new for me!), and tortillas. And of course, a yummy tres leches cake ( a three milk cake traditional in Latin American). Baby Abril is pictured above, Sara (the girlfriend of one of my co-worker and I, Abril's cake, and Concho one of my friends, co-workers, and Abril's uncle.

Saturday morning my dad, Rico, and I left Asheville at 4:45 am to head to Charlotte to run the half-marathon. My dad was gracious to drive so Rico and I could sleep in the car. The race was great! Great weather and not too hilly. The race took me right at 2 hours and Rico one hour and 33 minutes (he got third in his age group). Saturday evening I worked once again and then Sunday went for a bike ride (it was glorious!) in the beautiful weather before heading back to Raleigh.


I only have 3 weeks of school and 1 week of exams before I am done with my undergraduate degree....hard to believe!

Yay!... some pictures finally!

My aunt Sherry made this super awesome edible Easter bunny












Here is Ellie always ready to go...











My parents "best" Easter picture yet. (Haha...I just thinks it's so funny...I don't think either of them was ready)














And me with some short hair! It's my spring-do

Spring is in the air!

Spring is definitely in the air. I have been wearing flip-flops to class. I still am wearing pants, but it's finally comfortable enough for t-shirts and flip-flops.

The "I am graduating" countdown has begun. I have 3 papers, two projects, and two exams between me and graduation. CRAZY! As I was walking around campus yesterday I saw a group of high school students and their parents taking a tour of NC State....just like I did my junior year of high school when I was trying to pick a college to attend. It seems like just yesterday I was going on those tours...and now, now I'm about to GRADUATE?!?!? I just can't believe it.

Well, as my need for promptness and productivity always gets the best of me, I will be attempting to write two of those final papers this weekend. The way I look at it is if I write them now (at least a solid rough draft) I will be essentially done with those classes. Wouldn't that be a great feeling! Also, I will be going home next weekend for Easter and then the following weekend for a half-marathon that I'm running in Charlotte. I like to do my "big" assignments on weekends, but I try not to do homework in Asheville, so I need to be super productive this weekend so that I can have the next two "off".

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I'm playing on an intramural softball team (Thursdays) and flag football team (Wednesday) this semester. Intramural means we play one game weekly and never practice. It's great fun! It reminds me of high school and organized sports. In football I just kind of run around and try to catch the ball in the end zone....where the boys will OFTEN pass me the ball because the team gets twice as many points if a girl scores. And softball I either play out field behind 3rd base or I just play 2nd base. I'm pretty good at batting too. I don't hit the ball that far, but I always hit the ball. Also, I can bat left or right handed...and I like to always be mixing things up for the other team!

Mexico.....some days I am so excited to go and be there, and them some days the thought of raising so much money is overwhelming. It's good to remember that all money belongs to God and He'll get me there on His time in His way. It's also exciting to share with people "Why Mexico?", why I feel called to go there and how this location really matches my heart.

I have decided that student teaching (of which I am student teaching ESL currently) is really hard to do part-time. It's hard to be in student teacher mode and college student mode. I just feel really disconnected from the students when I only see them two days a week. Also, my classes have grown A LOT. My ESL II classes went from 4 and 5 students to 7 and 9 students and my ESL I class went from 8 to 14 students! It's still fun, but I just feel a little disconnected. I will be observed April 8th, my one and only observation, which is a little nerve racking because I only get "one chance", so to speak.

Today I have one class, then my long run, then discipleship, then I'm off to writing papers.
Have a great weekend!

Spring [Break] Fever!

It is here. I have it. It makes me just want to be outside in the sunshine and avoid my work. It has me keeping a daily count-down. .....Spring [break] Fever has arrived.

This little taste of beautiful weather has left me ready for Spring. I'm feeling a little burnt-out and Spring Break (only four days away) is just what I need for a little relaxation and change of pace. I don't really want to just "sit around"; in fact I will be working at Stone Ridge Tavern over my break and working on MTW/Mexico support raising; I just want to do something different then study, read, and write papers. I've learned that I'm a socialite. I thrive on interactions with others. Therefore, working as a waitress is just not work to me...I love it. However, studying in my room in solitude, or doing research for a paper=work! I ready for a "work" break.

So, Spring Break here I come!

I have also kept myself busy this past week with things other than school work. This weekend our apartment hosted Amanda's (my roommate) birthday party. We had a pot-luck dinner, played board games, and then later in the evening when out to sing karaoke. Saturday evening I attended Mi Familia's culture show, then attended the "after-party" at a local restaurant where there was Salsa dancing. Sunday afternoon, which was gorgeous, I went bike riding with some friends and then finished off the afternoon with a jog (triathlon season is just around the corner!).

I just finished a midterm!, and the only things between me and Spring Break are a 6 page research essay for my Spanish Seminar Class, a few lesson plans, and some readings. I also plan to go out for half-off sushi with some friends on Tuesday and maybe throw a night of Salsa dancing in there somewhere.

In Mexico/MTW news, I will begin calling potential supporters this week to talk about them becoming part of my support team (either prayerfully or financially). Pray for me...this is a new experience. Thankfully, God has given me other missionary friends (Melanie!) who have been encouranging and supportive with words of guidance as well as a great coach from MTW (Tracy) who is great with answering my questions and staying in-touch with me.

In turbulosis news, I go to pick up my LAST bottle of medicine this week. HAS IT REALLY BEEN 9 MONTHS ALREADY???? I actually will be taking the meds through May, but I can't believe it will be my last (let's hope!) trip to the Health Department.

Enjoy the weather!

This week...

....was busy, but good! I started the week off a little tired after my awesome Destino Retreat (see pictures). The conference topic was "Identidad en Cristo" (Identity in Christ). We had an awesome speaker from Texas, and students from other Destino groups in attendance from Texas, Miami, Arizona, New York, Ohio, Virginia, Chicago, and California. The retreat started Friday afternoon around 2pm and I was busy non-stop until Sunday around 9pm. It was an great time with little sleep, challenging Bible teaching, and lots of new friendships. On Saturday afternoon during our free time we all played soccer. The picture makes me look like I'm really good, but really it's just a really good picture. The other picture is a group picture...can you find me? (grandma, I'm on the front Right).















The rest of this week consisted in my first Philosophy exam. I studied really hard and I felt really prepared while taking the exam, which was nice! Also, this week I taught my ESL students at Leesville Road Middle School for the first time. We did the Hokie-Pokie to work on body parts in the ESL I (beginner) class, and then I introduced Point of View (1st, 2nd, and 3rd person) to my ESL II class. It is way different than teaching Spanish, but I love the small class sizes and the honesty of the students (the later might just be a Middle School thing).

For example:

I draw a picture of Abraham Lincoln on the board.
Student A says "Miss Sol-A-BEN, why you draw a snowman?"
I say "That is not a snowman."
Student B says "duh!!!...it an OLD snowman."

I am so excited that I have "nothing" to do this weekend. I shall stay home, relax, and be very productive!