hard to imagine...

It's hard to imagine life before New York.

It's been a year.

Let's reflect.

Friends, Family, the Whole Shebang

I had an awesome set up in previous years of my life - surrounded by amazing friends and a very supportive, loving family. Then I moved here, roughly 1,500 miles away from anyone who genuinely knew me. I had never really struggled with loneliness at any point in my life, and at times here I did. Coming here made me realize and appreciate how wonderful things were, and learn how to battle loneliness and rebuild those relationships in an adult/altogether different environment. As a result, I don't think I've ever missed people/places as much as I sometimes do. I also feel like I've been lucky to be put in situations where I meet people who I truly enjoy and want to continue to work on developing the same types of friendships I've had in the past. I'm excited for year 2 - to see how my friendships here will continue to grow and to see new friendships grow and develop as well.

Past and present, I've been very lucky with the people in my life - love you all!

Adult Life

Quick - find a job and a place to live. Oh, your computer doesn't work and you lost your phone and somebody stole your wallet? And we can't give you an apartment until you have a job, but you can't get a job because there's a hiring freeze. Welcome to adult life.

It was a crazy beginning. And look how far I've come haha. I feel so much more 'put together' as an adult now than in the beginning. It's funny how some days I feel so youthful still, and others I feel like my gray hairs are a testament of feeling like I'm 30. I'm excited to move into my new apartment and have a fresh start to it all. Hopefully I won't become too "adult-like" yet, though.

Teaching and Learning

They say the hardest thing about TFA is constantly feeling like a failure... and they're right. It's funny talking to other people and hearing about how you're doing a good job and how you've had a really successful first year... but day in and day out you're just constantly evaluating and reevaluating things you could have done better. Incoming corps members are at our school now and thinking about it makes me smile - I get a glimps of how absolutely clueless and wide-eyed I was a year ago and compare that to the relatively confident and excited teacher I am now. I fell like a teacher, whereas before I felt like somebody who was just trying their absolute best to help kids learn. There is so much I want to improve on this next year and so much that I want to continue to grow in.

Mindset and Perspectives

Moving here has sort of made me realize the bubble I had lived in before. The south, and in particular Texas/Oklahoma, is soo different than here. Sometimes I miss the south a lot though - it seems so comforting to me now. Being around different people and different perspectives has been really beneficial, I think. It's so much different than simply visiting places too, because the time spent in the new environment allows you to challenge your own thoughts on life. I feel like I'm the same person, just a bit more well-rounded in my views now.

Experiences

Um, I went to Ireland this year!? (Thanks for hosting me, Megan!) What and awesome experience to look back on! I survived my first New England winter! Not really an awesome experience... but nonetheless, one to kind of be proud of haha. I got to be a super-tourist: New Years Eve in Times Square (Thanks for coming, ladies!), Broadway shows (Avenue Q, 9-5, Wicked, Chicago, In the Heights, Phantom of the Opera, Hair) NYC Philharmonic, the Met Opera, Alvin Ailey Dancers, chillin in Central Park/Prospect Park/the Promenade/Pier 1, walking over the Brooklyn Bridge, Staten Island Ferry/Statue of Liberty, etc. Sometimes I forget how many cool things I've gotten to do this year - some on a casual basis, others very exciting. Life has been good to me - that's for sure. Additionally, I feel like I know the city a lot better... and yet, there is still so much more to explore! :)

It's been a crazy year. It's been a good year. I predict this next year will be even better.