The author shares the emotional turmoil of leaving Hong Kong after unexpectedly losing their teaching job. Despite initial challenges and rejections, they secured a teaching position in Guatemala. The new role comes with unique challenges, including teaching fifth grade without a partner and adapting to a different lifestyle. However, they express excitement about the opportunity, reconnecting with Spanish, and fulfilling a long-held desire to live in Guatemala.
A few years ago I started marking each actual year of my life, answering these same set of questions each birthday to help me measure moments. Here are the last 365.25 days: new hair for a new decade! first time... Continue Reading →
hassan II mosque. gorgeous. I’m lucky that my schedule as an international teacher allows me to travel a lot, and my income teaching in Hong Kong supplements this desire, and my sometimes dangerously (I like to think comically) low levels... Continue Reading →
Every once in a while as a teacher you experience a true “a-ha” moment, watching a lightbulb go on and experience the joy of truly teaching someone something. For me this happened this week when I taught my students the... Continue Reading →
After ten years of living abroad, I have finally cracked the jetlag code - the key is to just go immediately on vacation! It’s that simple, folks. Here’s how I did it - I flew from SFO to HKG, which... Continue Reading →
The end of a school year is always bittersweet - saying goodbye to colleagues moving on or away, cleaning out classrooms, changing year groups. It’s especially challenging when you teach in an international school and city because people - both... Continue Reading →
on teaching first grade (never again!), being a spinster, auntie life, good friends.
Lots of people do round-ups for New Year's Eve, but a few years ago I started marking each actual year of my life, answering these same set of questions each birthday to help me measure moments. Here are the last... Continue Reading →
*goes on a trip to a foreign country and comes back wanting to show you pictures of the cats she saw* "What's up, I'm Rachel." I haven’t been in a serious relationship with something besides a bread recipe or tv... Continue Reading →
making ALL the new friends and being super normal. An ex-marine, a PE teacher slash rugby player slash crossfit star, a documentary film-maker coming from the front-lines of Ukraine, a gorgeous gay farmer from Oklahoma, a Barbie-looking tv producer from... Continue Reading →
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vJ2A1Bbc9DurnLp7rQNWR?si=lqQuMNSETdCoZAV9e5GpRg start to finish - a wild and wonderful ride. Each year for my bday I like to answer these same set of questions to help me measure my moments. Last week had two good friends' bdays, my own with... Continue Reading →
finally got to change this!!!!! Day Two https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ZXc7Ofu3ZNZY5OBJe42tX?si=514f7dac18e54d3a I went into my classroom this week to regroup and set up for a return to face-to-face learning for the first time since January 13th. It made me sad to clear away... Continue Reading →
Sunglasses Always Fit 