Six-Month Anniversary

As my friend and co-worker Miranda and I were sitting in a booth at Panera writing endless grad school papers this past Friday night, we both happened to notice the date: December 5th.  Exactly 6 months ago to the day, 50 eager almost-teachers descended upon the University of Missouri-Kansas City, ready to change the world one student at a time.  The significance of this date prompted me to take a little life-inventory of how much my life has changed in the past 6 months. Here's what I came up with:

6 months ago:

I had never lived alone.

I had never paid a bill.

I had never had a walk-in closet.

I had never had gay neighbors who cook for me :)

I had never gone months at a time without seeing my family.

6 months ago:

I thought my life was in order.

My blood pressure was normal.

I had never been to Arizona. Twice.

I had never worked an 18-hour day.

I had never worked 18-hour days for 5 weeks in a row.

I thought finals in college were stressful.

6 months ago:

I didn't know the first thing about teaching. Literally.

I didn't know that there were rules about decorating bulletin boards.

I didn't realize how intimidating 8 year olds can be.

I didn't realize how mean 8 year olds can be.

I didn't realize that I would be depended on so much by my 8 year olds.

I didn't know the words "working for the weekend" rang so true.

6 months ago:

I had never met a child who was forced to sleep in a bed with her 3 brothers and sisters, like B is.

I had never met a child who was dealing with the details of her mother's frequent trips in and out of jail, even knowing how much bail was set for, until i met N.

I had never seen a child so angry from so much hurt and disappointment felt in just 8 short years until I met D.

I had heard the statistics about poverty in America, but had never came face to face with the reality of children who don't eat regularly, who don't have clean clothes to wear, and who have seen their own family members become victims of street violence.

6 months ago:

I had never felt the satisfaction of seeing a child learning because I was teaching.

I didn't know that even the worst of bad moods could be lifted by the sight of a huge, toothless smile.

I didn't know the truth of the notion that hard, hard, HARD work will be rewarded.

I didn't know my own strength. 

I didn't know my job would make me cry, both the saddest and the happiest of tears.

I didn't know how much I could miss my family and friends.

I didn't know how much I would love my students.

I didn't know what it was like to do something truly unselfish, putting the success and well-being of 13 little people above all else.

I didn't know what it was like to be part of something that is truly making a difference, and I could not be prouder to be "Teaching Across the States" (as someone once called it) with thousands of other gluttons for punishment like myself.

6 months down...and 18 more to go