day 6.

So last night I went to my first American bar. The only thing that kept running through my mind was the line from Sweet Home Alabama when Reese Witherspoon says, “You have a baby!...in a bar” and I replaced the word baby with ‘Alexandra’. Its exactly how I felt. All in all it was successful night, I mingled (as much as I could, which isn’t too much) and even had to face the mormon question already. I need to get some book of mormons handy so I can just hand them out to outline my beliefs every time im at a bar. Great missionary tactic, I think. As I get older I realize there are things that I like and things that I don’t. having to flow around a room of 100 people I don’t know is definitely on the not like list. But I digress. I told myself that I would be 100% positive today and I am going to be. I have interview prep in 20 minutes and then after that I get released to go interview. Ah! Considering how terrible the last one went, I have no expectations and im going to take today easy.
Can I just say that I am among brilliant, exceptional people here at TFA? I sat in on a conversation on economic policy, talked environment with someone else, and everyone is moved by the social injustice of the achievement gap. I am in good company. I have to keep remembering why im here. Im here to teach, but also to learn. Looks like im going to have some great teachers.

now im writing like 12 hours and three interviews later. we had our "interview fair" today and luckily i was able to find suiting to wear that didn't lace up the sides. i had two interviews set up at EBR (east baton rouge) charter schools. the position available at the first school was an amazing opportunity- it was ELA (english language arts) but remedial. this isn't your mother's remedial course however. the assistant principal told me that i would be doing plays, rapping, and doing other engaging acitivities to get my students into english, and help them learn to express themselves in that way. hello, its perfect for me! i get to be creative and help students use writing, reading, and the arts to express and develop themselves. the sweet woman who interviewed me made me feel at ease and as i left she said, "honey, you have the energy to take on a job like this" and it made me feel like a million dollars. back in the interview prep room (a conference room in the hotel, in the conference room next door, principals gathered to interview us. it was a cool and convenient set up), i got a little surprise however. i was told that i was doing a follow up interview with Kenilworth middle, and would i please prepare a 10-15 minute lesson to present to administrators? so, with some help from some awesome veteran corps members, i pieced together a lesson in between my other scheduled interviews. i was stressing big time, especially because i really wanted this particular job. i had to rush to my next scheduled interview, and lets just say that one was over before it started. good thing i think i have one of the others in the bag. me and four others traveled to kenilworth (in a beautiful part of town ironically) to present our lessons. my adverb lesson went as good as it could have, i think, given the time constraints and my nervousness and the fact that i have no idea how to teach!! i think i find out tomorrow...cross your fingers!! this could be the one!!

we had another busy afternoon, with a stop to jason's deli and then a tour around the parish. i saw spanish town for the first time, and am wondering if i should live there or in the garden district. decisions decisions! but the highlight of my day was the trip to New Roads in Pointe Coupee parish. i am in love with the greenery, with the False River, and with plantation homes. honestly, life has new meaning for me after being at this beautiful, authentic plantation whose owner is an amazing, powerful woman who is champion for TFA. as i was sitting under the spanish moss trees, basking in the dusk i was thinking to myself how blessed i was to be where i was. i was having interesting conversations with fascinating people. im learning more and more about the worth of souls. i can appreciate a slower paced life. honestly, so many things were rushing through my mind, or maybe more like meandering through. but more than anything, i want to revamp my life. i had a great discussion with a fellow corp member about being connected to ones body, meditation, and the like. there is so much truth to that. there is so much truth in doing what you love, and in turn loving others. it is my goal, now that im a tad bit more comfortable here, to make it not about me. make it about the person who maybe isn't really talking to others, or maybe its the person that no one likes right off the bat. tonight, i saw things about myself and i want to change them. what you want to make out of life you can, so im going to take control right now. good news- the plantation helped me open up just a little bit more, but at this point, anything is progress! i had a couple great conversations, met a lot of new people, and am feeling more comfortable in who i am. it isnt easy, though. every morning i wake up and have to take it one minute at a time. sometimes if im lucky, i get a whole 5 minutes in without complicated thoughts going through my mind. todays lesson: others not you, and go sit and enjoy the southern life in cool grass that surrounds a beautiful white plantation home. louisiana is an amazing place to call home.