During the month of January, the dust has settled from graduation and Christmas and the strangeness of not returning to Lee for another spring semester has begun to set in. Alongside the nostalgia and longing to be with friends, though, is the excitement of new things:
First of all, I turned 22 this month. I had the privilege of spending the few days around my birthday with Katelyn, a summer project friend from California. During her time here we reconnected with several other friends from SP who live in the Triangle.
I also got a new(ish) job this month. My boss from the YMCA where I worked in high school graciously re-hired me to work in Tracking Out programs. I’m working almost full-time, and I’m responsible for the youngest group of kids: kindergartners and first graders. I’m really thankful to have this job, especially since it was looking like substitute teaching was my only prospect. There have definitely been some challenging days—taking care of 28 five- and six-year olds is never easy—but in many ways it’s an ideal situation for me this spring.
Just yesterday I got the news that I’ve been waiting for for months: I was nominated for the Fulbright grant to Colombia…which means that I’m still in the running but won’t know the final decision for several more months. I’m really excited that I’m even being considered for the award—that in itself is an honor—but in a way it’s anticlimactic because I still can’t get my hopes up or make definite plans to be in Colombia next year.
Well, for anyone who happens to be following my blog, that’s pretty much all the news for now!
