surviving the first day of teaching in 2025! only cried once! I (40SWF) on a Friday night, finished a paper for my Masters program, dusted, was accosted by my creepy landlord’s husband (they live downstairs and he creeps on me... Continue Reading →
The author reflects on the transformative experience of moving to Guatemala, shedding past roles and expectations. Embracing solitude and self-discovery, they express joy in forming new, authentic relationships while adjusting to their teaching position. This journey serves as a liberating reset, fostering confidence and personal growth amidst challenges and new adventures.
AI-Generated Summary, which cracks me up: After moving to Guatemala, the author encountered challenges like navigating the unmarked roads and adapting to cultural differences, but found joy in the friendly locals and natural beauty. As a teacher in a struggling school, the author is determined to make a positive impact despite the lack of resources, feeling grateful for answered prayers and a chance to utilize their skills.
I couldn’t have ordered a more Rachel-esque day to get here to my new home in Panajachel, Guatemala. Moving out of my home in Hong Kong to the temporary spot at my parents in California for six weeks was wild enough. I was waiting on boxes still from Hong Kong . . .
me and bestie Everyone has a morning ritual. In this long six-week summer between teaching jobs, I’ve cozied into very different morning routines than from when I’m teaching. Those were usually "AH!/Coffee/get dressed/teeth/out door/try to not forget anything/forget something/AH!" mornings. But... Continue Reading →
north stars There’s a long list of things that can be painful or annoying about being single; getting a zipper up on the back of your dress, applying sunscreen in the right spots, opening a stubborn jar of pickles, a... Continue Reading →
me, very cool, through almost all of my birthday, crying at anything nice said to me. (literally 90% of the pictures are a version of this.) The soundtrack for this blog can be found here. And I recommend the heck... Continue Reading →
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 →
a moment from last year's birthday! It is birthday week! Around lunchtime, seven days from now, I will officially have been out of the womb and in the world for 40 years. That's 14,610 days. What the heck does that... 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 →
my little life This month marks my three and a half year anniversary of living on my own (when you don’t have a partner or kids, you have the mental capacity and also the emotional imperative to notice and celebrate... Continue Reading →
Sunglasses Always Fit 