Empire State of Wine
I feel like I am back in "Institute" mode. Every day is absolutely full. From a 5:30(ish) AM wake-up to an 11:00(at earliest) PM slumber, I am alert and pushing my brain and body to learn, grow and plan for the week and year ahead. Even my minutes commuting, roughly 60 in the morning and another 60 in the evening, divided amongst 4 separate trains mind you (G to L, L to 4/5, 4/5 to 6... 6 to 4/5, 4/5 to L, L to G), are allocated to learning. I am frantically devouring books that will help me as a teacher, such as The First Days of School, Difficult Conversations and The Absolutely True Diary of Part Time Indian (the first class novel I will ever teach), all of which have been consumed over the past 2 weeks. I wouldn't say I am in a panic, but it is certainly a frenzy, as I slave away willingly to best prepare myself to instruct.
Tuesday, September 6th, I will become a teacher. Not a summer school teacher. Not a volunteer gym teacher. A teacher. It's amazing to me.
The other day, I had the chance to enjoy a picturesque moment on the 50th story of a Midtown apartment building over looking the villages and financial district to the south, the Hudson River to the west, the East River to the east, and an impressive Midtown to the North, greeted of course by the iconic Empire State Building. I was visiting a friend who I'd known while studying abroad in Milan and it was atop her soon to be ex-apartment building that I experienced this magnificent view.
As is the case at most parties I attend these days, I had quite a few new people to introduce myself to and was required to explain what in the hell I am doing here. "I used to work for a global consulting company, but now I'm a special education teacher in the Bronx. I know, f***ing crazy, right?" But it was while talking with my friend Cassie's younger sister, who was also contemplating a similarly drastic deviation of life course, that a comment caught me off guard. "Look how happy you are," she said. "You are right where you need to be."
Indeed, although sometimes I feel so stressed that at any moment I might begin to sweat blood, this anxiety generally gets balanced out by a breath of purpose and understanding; I am here for a reason, I am happy to be here and I am inspired by what we are doing as teachers.
The second moment I would like to share with you is one from yesterday. I was finishing Harry and Rosemary Wong's excellent book, The First Days of School. Near the conclusion, the wonderful Wongs put on the pom-poms and celebrate teachers for what they do. I wrote down the quote, as well as a message to myself;
"You are the window through which children see the world. You are the sanctuary their heavy hearts come to each day. It only takes one person to make a difference. And we applaud that person who does. Know that you don't just make a difference - you ARE the difference." (Wong, 321)
May these words inspire you every day. You have chosen a noble path Joshua. Pursue it with great passion, purpose and care.
And so I will. Wish me luck these next few days loving readers - the first steps of a thousand mile journey are about to begin.
Much love,
Josh
Quote of the Day: Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Robert Frost
Tuesday, September 6th, I will become a teacher. Not a summer school teacher. Not a volunteer gym teacher. A teacher. It's amazing to me.
The other day, I had the chance to enjoy a picturesque moment on the 50th story of a Midtown apartment building over looking the villages and financial district to the south, the Hudson River to the west, the East River to the east, and an impressive Midtown to the North, greeted of course by the iconic Empire State Building. I was visiting a friend who I'd known while studying abroad in Milan and it was atop her soon to be ex-apartment building that I experienced this magnificent view.
As is the case at most parties I attend these days, I had quite a few new people to introduce myself to and was required to explain what in the hell I am doing here. "I used to work for a global consulting company, but now I'm a special education teacher in the Bronx. I know, f***ing crazy, right?" But it was while talking with my friend Cassie's younger sister, who was also contemplating a similarly drastic deviation of life course, that a comment caught me off guard. "Look how happy you are," she said. "You are right where you need to be."
Indeed, although sometimes I feel so stressed that at any moment I might begin to sweat blood, this anxiety generally gets balanced out by a breath of purpose and understanding; I am here for a reason, I am happy to be here and I am inspired by what we are doing as teachers.
The second moment I would like to share with you is one from yesterday. I was finishing Harry and Rosemary Wong's excellent book, The First Days of School. Near the conclusion, the wonderful Wongs put on the pom-poms and celebrate teachers for what they do. I wrote down the quote, as well as a message to myself;
"You are the window through which children see the world. You are the sanctuary their heavy hearts come to each day. It only takes one person to make a difference. And we applaud that person who does. Know that you don't just make a difference - you ARE the difference." (Wong, 321)
May these words inspire you every day. You have chosen a noble path Joshua. Pursue it with great passion, purpose and care.
And so I will. Wish me luck these next few days loving readers - the first steps of a thousand mile journey are about to begin.
Much love,
Josh
Quote of the Day: Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Robert Frost
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