Introductions

Whew! One week down. Finishing the first week of staff orientation feels like a serious accomplishment. Plus I have been negotiating with the boxes and clutter in my apartment. I have no pictures of anything work related but here's an update.

5 days total. 3 of them with homework assignments. 2 days comprised of an intense project and strict time deadlines with 4 people I just met. 46 other people to meet and talk to who are all new to the organization and, luckily, 2 days with only the 10 staff members I will be working closely with. All of this equals exhaustion. For those of you who don't have the particulars, I am working for a charter school that is 1 of 4 run by a non profit organization called Envision Schools. I fell in love with this organization upon my first read through of their website and when I interviewed in June, they hired me. The school that I am working at, in Hayward, is about to embark on it's first year; as Bob Weintraub, my old headmaster would say, it's first voyage. When I first learned this, a part of me couldn't believe the irony. Last year, two colleagues and I started a brand new special education program at Brookline High School, a feat that nearly drove us to the grave. Starting something brand new takes an enormous amount of energy and, while exciting, can take over your life. So, when I heard I'd be having a "first year" again with ONLY 9th GRADERS I had a bit of a hard time. However, I am now starting to feel that contagious excitement about all the possibilities of this place and I know that much of the getting ready has already been done. The staff and the principal I will be working with are great so I am looking ahead with a little more optimism.

Getting my apartment ready hit the back burner until the weekend. The place is still not ready to be photographed but Tania convinced me to put up one of my favorite windows.

And a view from another window.

Here are some shots of the neighborhood I took on a bike ride around town. This one is a Lutheran church down the street. Such different architecture!

Other streets...

I live in a part of Oakland called Lake Merritt. The lake is about a 20 minute walk away and there are a few streets of shops that I have frequented off one end of the lake.

Although I am enjoying the neighborhood, I am far from settled and I look forward to coming home to an apartment that is free of boxes. I feel like I teeter between the excitement of being here and all it's newness and the longing for a little familiarity. I think I am mostly in what Rebecca reminded me the other day is called the honeymoom period of moving somewhere. Everything is new and exciting and fullfilling. Over time this gives way to homesickness and eventually adjustment to the new place. Even before Rebecca reminded me of this phenomenon, I had been noticing my fear that sadness was lurking around the corner. I am trying to be balanced about everything, but really if everyone I know would like to visit in the next three months I would be ok with that. I am a very accomodating hostess!

So, with this, I must get back to reading the book we are discussing tomorrow. Love to everyone.