last night in boston!

this is it!  the last night in my home for the last five years.  the past few weeks have been so bittersweet.  they have been joyous yet there is some sadness is saying goodbye. 

during the last week of school, we celebrated the math extravaganza...which turned into a celebration of all sorts.  my darling advisees and i (along with a few other advisories...) had a last day of school pizza dance party.  berdine really did it right.  i've been lucky to have visits from friends in the last weeks of boston life.  seattle, maine, burlington....lots of good meals and fun days out on the town.

this weekend friends and i went to the vineyard (my first visit) - a day of relaxation that i feel will be few and far between in these next few months.  the sun was hot and the water was swimmable (rare in new england.)  and last night the convent ladies and stacie threw a farewell soiree that had the rowers, the teachers, the convent, jcu gang, and family.  it was fabulous.  we even played bags.  

tonight i'm now sitting down after a day of packing the truck and sharing imperial pizza (the best!) with the ladies.   i just read through many of the cards and letters that friends have given, and, well, i'm overwhelmed with emotion.  i'm just so blessed.  having some friends help me move today - i would have never been able to do it without them.  i never really stop and think about the love i have in my life - i feel like i just float along, doing my thing - but i've been doing it among some pretty kick-ass people.  and soaking it all up over the past couple of weeks has just been a blast.  so thank you.  thank you!  THANK YOU!!  leaving TC today wasn't easy, saying goodbyes tonight was even harder...but it isn't goodbye really.  just "see you later!"

kristin gave me a birthday card this year & included a quote - i tore it out of the card and hung it in my room.  it was right in the beginning phases of my peace corps process...and in her card she included the same one...so i'll share with you:  

be brave enough to live life creatively.  the creative place is where no one else has been.  you have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.  you can't get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you're doing.  what you'll discover will be wonderful.  what you'll discover will be yourself.  -alan alda

i really like this idea of self discovery through hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you're doing.  its what brought me to boston, and that worked out pretty damn great.   

goodnight boston!  i hope to see you again soon.

tomorrow the news is broken....

the one thing i have yet to do in this crazy process is tell some of the most important people in my life the news that i am not going to be at trinity next year.  those people: my students.  here's what i'd like to get out tomorrow when i tell them, but might not be able to say it all without getting choked up...so they can read some of it here.

the past 5 years have been such a blessing for me; i have been so lucky to have been able to be a part of such wonderful community of students, parents, and teachers.  from the classroom to the court, all of the experiences have made me the teacher i am today.  i may have taught you math and how to shoot a basketball or serve a volleyball, but you have also taught me so many things along the way.  we pray everyday about being illumined with faith, hope, and love, and you have demonstrated all of these in so many ways.  without being witness to these, i don't know that i'd ever be ready to move my life to africa and teach there.  undoubtedly, it makes me sad to think about next year - my advisees and how you have come so far this year and how much joy you bring to my days, my students and how much we have done this year and your excitement for math and learning, my players and our 2 -a- days before school starts, van rides, state tournament games, and beach outings, the math wing and no more math extravaganza for me, the dominican trip and how special it is for me to lead you there - this list can go on and on; yet i am so excited about this new adventure that is in front of me.  

everyday, we try to instill in you the values in loving one another - it is what we are called to do as catholics, as christians, as members of the human family.  we can do this everyday in our schools, in our jobs, within our families and among our friends.  you don't need to travel far to do this and i know i am extremely privileged and lucky to be able to pick up my life and move to africa to do my part in serving to make this world a little better (and i get to do it by teaching math!)  i hope, at the very least, even if you are angry (which i know a few of you are), you realize that this my way of serving our global community.  we all have to do what we can in this world; i can do this (and want to do this) so i have to answer that call to go.  

i never imagined i would be in boston for 5 years but am so grateful for these years and for all of you.  you are all amazing young men and women and i pray that you are not afraid to do the things you dream of doing in your life, and always remember the lessons of faith, hope, and love you have learned along the way.  your heart will guide you in finding the way you can serve - and whether it is in boston, waltham, cleveland, the dominican, or across oceans, i know each of you has the courage to answer that call.  

faith, hope, and love.  they got you this far.  don't stop believing in them and living them out...and living them out LOUD.

peace corps timeline

many blogs have helped me understand exactly how long this whole process takes; i'd like to return the favor to all of you peace corps applicants out there.

november 7th, 2007 - started my application online

november 28th, 2007 - submitted my application (including all recommendations)

december 21st, 2007 - went to boston office for interview.  being a teacher made the interview a breeze.

december 27th, 2007 - was nominated for secondary math -western africa.  my four years of high school spanish qualified me for a french speaking country.  once upon a time i thought four years of a language would look good for college.  never thought it would matter now!

early january - march 2008 - worked hard to get through all of the medical and dental paperwork.  it took many visits to the dentist (3) and doctor (4.)  and i'm a healthy person!  but finally on march 17th, i was medically cleared.  dental clearance came much earlier.  now i could be officially invited.  i thought it would be right after that the invite would come.  not so much!  it took well over a month before that happened, but the more i hear, that is normal.

april 23rd, 2008 - while i was in the dominican republic with students, peace corps called to ask a few final questions.  one was about how i would feel about living in a muslim country (because they said my application seemed very catholic.  ha!)  i told them i'd be fine.  it was then that they let me know the invite would be following soon.

april 29th, 2008 - the invitation packet arrived!  the invite was for guinea....guinea??  i had to get out the map.  and i had 5 days to accept.

may 5th, 2008 - i call and say YES.  i leave july 7th.  even today, june 4th, that reality has not quite sunk in, although as we prepare for next year at school, it makes me sad to know i'm not a part of it - especially with my advisory, volleyball, the dominican trip, and next year's pre-calc kids.  

overall application process:

a lot of waiting.  a lot of paperwork.  good luck if this is the route you choose!