Dodger Dogs

I am officially a Dodgers fan. I attended my first game last night and watched the boys embarrass the Mariners from the Top Deck--I cheered obnoxiously, bought a t-shirt, and had a "Dodger Dog," which is really just a regular hot dog that costs an arm and a leg...but it's part of the experience so I went with it. Bottom line, I had an incredible time and it was worth the hour and a half it took us to get to Dodger stadium..10 miles away.

But more important than Dodger Dogs and the 405 freeway, I am learning so much here in LA. There are 150 other corps members training here in the city--150 distinguished young people who come from the most incredible, diverse backgrounds, none of which resemble my own. I am a specimen to these people, let me tell you. But they take my ignorant questions about Judaism, homosexuality, Latino, Asian, and African American heritage in stride and seem to be excited to share their culture with me. These accomplished, passionate, worldly people, believe it or not, are equally as fascinated by small town America, by Kentucky, by my "interesting dialect." I love it. It's such a melting pot of personalities and cultures that, although I have yet to find someone like me, it's comforting to know that we're all far from home.

Tomorrow, we get our summer school teaching placement. The rumor is, we will be in groups of 3 or 4 co-teaching the same subject in the same class. I guess they figure, since we all have zero experience, there is strength in numbers. I'll let you know when I get more info!
Oh, and Happy Birthday Big Brother!

I really can't even talk about it.

I loved Michael Jackson. I just have to process this for a while.

Employed!

I found a job!! As of yesterday, I am the new freshman English teacher at Lou Dantzler Charter High School in Crenshaw. After 30 minutes of talking to the representatives of ICEF charter schools in LA, I knew it would be a perfect fit..and luckily, so did they. God knows why they chose an admittedly naive girl from the south to partner with them in their goal to send 100% of their students to college after graduation, but I'm so glad they took that chance. I believe in their mission...and that's all a young, college grad can ask for..to truly believe in the organization they are serving. I've met some AMAZING people through this process and I know now what respect, humility, and deep-rooted belief in the educational system really means. I can't wait to start my new role as teacher, mentor, and lover of students at L. D. High in south central. Education is the great equalizer--I want my students to know, understand, and invest in that! Anyway, I just got back from a celebratory outing at Lucky Strike.. a bowling alley/bar that is evidently famous to natives here in the city. It was so. much. fun. and I got to bond with my fellow corps members in a not-so-structured setting--suites yesterday, stilettos tonight. That said, I'm absolutely exhausted. I'm still not feeling 100% healthy, so I'm gonna hit the sack and get back to you tomorrow!!!
Loving what the future holds..

California Allergies

I may or may not be allergic to big city living. At first, I thought God was just punishing me for leaving the Dixie...but it may actually be the city itself that is rejecting me. I woke up this morning with a wicked (my new east coast word) cramp from my neck all the way down my back extending into my left forearm. Sleeping on that cinder block of a dorm mattress forced me to spend the entire day turning full-frontal to anyone who spoke to me from any other direction than north. And any questionable mannerism makes friend-finding slightly more difficult. As the 13 hour day pressed on, my head got hotter, my body got colder, and it became increasingly hard to sit still for hours learning about the "tragically avoidable achievement gap." So, I'm sitting here in my dorm room, the first real day of training behind me, feeling like a sack of shit and praying I wake up with the same level of enthusiasm all these west coasters seem to have.

I pray I'm on my game because tomorrow is a big day. I hesitate publicizing this because it puts me at the risk of sounding like a huge failure, but if you cared enough to read this, I'm betting you care about me enough not to judge. Starting at 8am, there will be a "Placement Fair" located on campus for all of the non-local corps members to find a job. It's hard to explain, so I'll sum it up the best I can. TFA sends our resumes to charter schools in the area who have staff openings that may or may not coincide with our teaching credential. Tomorrow, the principals of these low-income, under-performing schools will sit in a room across from us hopeful teachers, review our resumes, and request interviews with their chosen candidates...these interviews happen immediately. I compare it to the speed dating of job interviews. These administrators talk to the candidate for 5, 10, 60 minutes then, on the spot, either offer the position or move on to the next TFAer. Intense. The people in charge made it clear that, more often than not, corps members do not get placed in these job fairs--it's more for interview experience than actually securing a job. So, don't get your hopes up..I'm trying not to..

On a more age-appropriate note, CLAY AND LISA ARE ENGAGED!! Some of you might know her as "Cali", a nickname she got after moving from California to Virginia for school, but since I am now a Californian, I refuse to call her by anything other than Lisa.. All that to say, she is getting married to my best friend's brother, who happens to be a great friend of mine himself, and I couldn't be happier about his choice. I love you two! And it's news like this that makes me question leaving such a warm, comfortable life in KY, surrounded by my friends and family who accept and appreciate my admittedly weird quirks... But, I'm gonna keep on trucking because I'm here for a purpose bigger than me (its very hippie, crunchy granola of my, but it's 100% true)

Ok, I really should be prepping for this interview and administering over-the-counters intravenously. Goodnight.

Ridin' Low

I just pulled into LA. With Peeps riding shotgun, we finished the final, 5-hour leg of our journey across the continental U.S. We pulled out of my parents' driveway 5 days ago with my entire life packed tightly in the back of the Honda. We were ridin' low. The sheer weight of all my worldly possessions was unsettling to Dad; he expressed his anxiety over the tires popping (and the brakes failing, and the engine overheating, and the battery dying), but I convinced him everything I packed was an absolute necessity, so he gave up the fight and, if I know my dad, has been sitting at home these last 5 days stewing over those same anxieties.
The drive was long, but the trip was awesome. During our travels, we've seen St. Louis from the top of the Gateway Arch, survived a notorious Wichita rainstorm with a life-long friend, watched The Big Lebowski projected on the Red Rocks of Denver, hiked (and gotten ourselves lost, naturally) in Rocky Mountain National Park, stayed out all night on the Vegas strip with Jen and Juni, been fingerprinted by the Anaheim Police Department, and survived my first experience behind the wheel on the 405 Freeway. Needless to say, it's been an eventful road trip. Lindsay has been a trooper--letting me bitch and criticize her co-piloting skills when we get lost, because she understands that leaving the people I love keeps me on the verge of an emotional breakdown. Sometimes we would talk for hours straight, followed closely by miles of complete silence, just taking in the incredible views and relating every song on the radio to this epic life event.
I take lil Peepers to the airport in the morning; and I'll stand at security check in and watch her leave...leave me in this new, big scary place all alone. I'll have to dry the tears quickly though, because tomorrow at 10 a.m I begin training for my new career as a high school English teacher...in south central. I have a lot to learn, that's for sure, and I have a ways to go before this fast-paced, unfamiliar place feels like home. I have no doubt that my Kentucky-nurtured simple-mindedness and red neck accent will make for some interesting stories as I attempt to show love to the youth of inner-city LA...and the purpose of this blog is to share those stories with you.

Until then, I jus be "swingin' my rag" like T.I in the ATL taught me to.