The school year is ending and I'm preparing to go to Japan. Nothing new there, except the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program listserve. All I can say is "Wow!"
As of this last week, I have been overwhelmed by e-mail. It's wonderful e-mail. It's incredible e-mail. It's an avalanche of e-mail. E-mail from all over the country, from every size and shape and type of educator is barreling into my mail box.
As of right now, looking over my list of people who are going to Japan, I know of ten people who are going to Katori, Chiba, thirteen people who are art teachers, and six people who are Texans. All total, I have counted over 114 people and I know I've missed a few! Some people have just sent one e-mail checking in while others have been e-mailing away at an incredible pace. Good thing it is all coming to my home e-mail address. My school e-mail would never be able to handle this type of volume.
I've been trying to keep up. I have to read it all. I don't want to miss one little thing. At the same time, I have an incredible amount of stuff to get through here at the end of the school year.
Let's see, there are grades and paperwork. There is the annual End-of-Year Check Out List. Oh, but the thing that is wiping me out is that I am changing rooms and I have to pack up everything.
The problem is that I am an art teacher and I have a room full of art materials of all shapes and sizes. Some things will just have to be moved as they are and others have to be brought together in one box with other similar items.
And then, there are the boxes. I have never before in my life had so many boxes. The school, my principal and the office staff have been incredibly helpful. I have so many boxes! But, at this point the school year is still going on and I have a classroom full of kids and boxes.
Top all of it off with trip preparations and I'm feeling a wee bit stressed. It's not all bad, but it does feel overwhelming.
I just bought myself a new laptop to take on the trip. I got a MacBook, my first Apple. This is the little machine that I've wanted for a long time, but now that it is here I don't have time to play with it until school is out. I take that back, I won't have time to play with it until this weekend. I definitely need time to become familiar with it before I head for Japan!
I got a new camera for Mother's Day and I have the same problem there. No time. It's a Sony CyberShot T70, very similar to my previous camera, so I'm a stranger to it. It has a touch screen which is taking a bit of getting used to, but otherwise it's easy to use.
It's time to get going. I have another day of kids and art and crazyness ahead. Wish me luck!
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