Living the Aloha Dream

I got the keys to the apartment on Friday after work and moved all my stuff ("all" meaning three suitcases) in.  While it was only three suitcases, it was up three flights up stairs.  I was a completely exhausted, sweaty mess. I had done a Target run the other day to get linens for the bed.  What I didn't realize is that there were no towels in the house either.  Chalk it up to jet lag.  Then I realized I had no shampoo either.  I ended up taking a shower and washing my hair with a bar of soap and using t-shirts for towels.  I didn't care, I was just too tired to contemplate going out again.  I was asleep by 7 pm.  Of course, I woke at 3 am.  The nice thing about that is I can talk to Penny.  The bad thing is it's 3 am! So Saturday morning I got up, made coffee and realized I had no toilet paper either.  Don't ask how I managed and I won't have to tell you lies.  A Costco run was imperative.  So, at opening, I was there and shopping.  Toilet paper, pap

It is really boring to listen to someone talk about what it was like at their old school, so I'm really trying not to do that here.  Refraining from comparisons is almost impossible however, the difference is so stark!  But if educational wonky stuff bores you, skip this post.  (and as soon as i get my good camera, I'll post better pictures). It's little things and really big things too.  Little things like before every meeting, norms are stated;  things like "keep questions that pertain to you personally until after" or "respect others input and time." Just a general sense of respect that I didn't know what diminished in my last job.  Then there's the union kind of things.  Things like our scheduled hours are the school day, and there is built in planning time that is sacred.  No extra duties or covering others classes.  And we have 18 sick/personal days.  That's DOUBLE what I had before.  Plus a week long fall break, two weeks winter brea

Sunset view from the stairwell of the apartment I arrived homeless and needed to find a furnished two bedroom, two bath apartment in a week, before my daughter arrived. It needed to be clean, safe, pleasant, affordable, and a killer view would be nice.  Really, not asking for much, am I? Using various apartment searches, I put out feelers and emailed several agents.  I made arrangements to see a fully furnished and renovated apartment just south of Kona that has never been lived in since the renovations had been completed.  Apartment of my dreams.  Everything is brand new.  It is fully turnkey with everything, spoons, dishes, towels, washer and dryer in the apartment.  High speed wifi and pest control included.  Brand new mattresses.  AND a KILLER lanai with an amazing view of the ocean where we will be able to watch whales in the winter!  HOLY SHIT! That is truly living the dream.   I filled out the application as soon as I got home and Penny filled out her end of it when

Why is night when all your fears, worries, and anxieties decide to attack?  I woke up at midnight after about 5 hours sleep after a 22 hour travel day and all my fears that I hadn't even acknowledged I had came avalanching down on top of me.  What had I done?  I left a safe, secure, comfortable world for this?  I left a teaching job I did well and where I was well respected.  I left a rich community of friends.  I left a beautiful home that I rebuilt from the studs up.  And for what?  To live on a rock in the middle of the fucking ocean?  Where I know no one.  Where I might not be able to afford anyplace to live?  I left my family (who will eventually follow) and my dogs...  So freaking stupid!  Or at least that is how I felt in the middle of the night.  I'd spent the previous two weeks going through every single item I owned, organized and categorized it all, cleaned, painted, fixed, caulked and who knows what else every day for 10-12 hours a day to get the house ready to go o

So, the first thing I did after picking up my rental car was to head to school.  That wasn't my original intention, but I wanted to meet the principal and see the school and make sure I knew how to get there.  So I met the principal and the head of Special Education.  Both seemingly delightful gentlemen. Chatted with them for about an hour and then headed to the condo.  Had the previously documented meltdown, got up and went to work. Like most new teacher work days, it started with coffee and breakfast.  Breakfast was fresh squeezed tangerine juice from the principal's tree, muffins, fruit, including star fruit, and coffee.  Then things got real different. There are six new special education teachers, but only five of us were there.  We sat in a circle in the library and it started with a ceremony.  Ringing a Tibetan singing bell, and then in the center of the circle was a pair of crossed ti leaves with a coconut bowl in the center.  Pouring of water in the bowl as the fres