Things I Never Thought I'd Say

When becoming a teacher, especially for younger grades (second grade over here!), you are expected to be positive, upbeat, and encouraging. I take it to a whole new level.

I’m so glad my only audience is a group of seven year olds. If any of my friends saw me, they would be so embarrassed. I literally jump up and down, clap my hands together, cheer, sing, and dance all so that my class has a good time learning. I actually kind of annoy myself. (But of course the kids love it.)

I was prepared to sing the alphabet song. I was not prepared to rap a Dr. Seuss book.

I was prepared to praise good students. I was not prepared to thank each student who raises his/her hand.

I was prepared to teach spelling. I was not prepared to stand on their desk and dance if they spelled the bonus word correctly.

I was prepared to deal with tough situations from their home life. I was not prepared to openly cry with students.

I was prepared to clean desks. I was not prepared to clean shoes, shirts, hair, faces, books, carpets, backpacks, water bottles, etc.

I was prepared to say beautiful, heartfelt, educational things that students will always remember. I was not prepared to say -

“Wow, I am SO proud of you for not getting pizza sauce on your pants!”

“No, there’s not a baby in my belly.”

“Tie your shoes before your mom sees.”

“Stop licking your desk.”

“No, I’m not your godmother. I’m just your teacher.”

“Only hold your breath for a few seconds, or you might pass out, and that would make me very sad.”

“Miss Lee needs coffee.”

“Get out from under the desk. I want to see your handsome face.”

“I don’t know if you’re adopted. Ask your parents.”

“No, no one in this class has dwarfism.”

“You’re not a fool. Who told you that?”

Teaching is such a blessing, with opportunities for prayers to be answered and miracles to happen every day.

I never thought it would be so hard, and I also never thought that I would leave every day feeling so happy.

I Thought I Was Going to Be a Teacher

I am a few months into my second year of teaching second grade. Including student teaching, I have taught well over fifty kids, so while I am still considered a new teacher, I have hundreds of stories to tell.

There are some thing that my undergraduate classes didn't cover, that nothing prepared me for. Because it's easy to be a teacher - come up with fun games to teach math concepts or help the students to write daily in a journal. The hard part is all the other jobs that comes with teaching.

I am not just a teacher.

I am a hair stylist, washing candy that got stuck in a little girl's hair ten minutes before the class picture was taken.

I am a nurse, applying ice and bandages, inspecting bug bites and scratches.

I am a musician, singing silly songs over and over to help the class memorize grammar rules.

I am a police officer, blowing my whistle to stop kids who are trying to jump over the fence and leave school property.

I am an artist, drawing pictures of flowers, seahorses, hearts, and wild things.

I am a referee, listening to angry friends each tell their side of the story.

I am a judge, enforcing consequences and requiring apologies.

I am a fitness coach, teaching students how to do burpees.

I am a Oscar winning actress, pretending to be surprised at things I've known all along, or holding in laughter when a child is being unknowingly hilarious.

I am a speech therapist, making sure the students are saying "erosion" and not "erection".

I am a scientist, giving kids a chance to suggest theories and test them out.

I am a cleaner, scrubbing paint off of desks and glitter out of rugs.

I am a mother, cleaning the wrinkled shirt that is worn to school every day, sneaking them an extra snack, comforting them after a hard night.

I am a doctor, making sure the little boy with asthma has his inhaler, and knowing the details of a seven year old's antidepressant medication.

I am a reporter, taking notes, sending information home, asking questions, finding the truth.

I am a grief counselor, when a family member dies and the child feels lost.

I am a constant, always smiling even when I feel sick or distracted.

I am an improv actor, finding words to say to "Do storks really bring people babies?" and "Is the tooth fairy real?"

I am supernatural, somehow going the whole day barely eating and never going to the bathroom.

I am a friend, holding hands, swinging next to them, giving hugs.

And I thought I just signed up to be a teacher.

Three Weeks Adventuring through Paris - All the Spots You Have to Go to!

I have not blogged in months and months and months, but I decided that for my own memory's sake, I should do a re-cap of my three weeks in Paris. Instead of stories, this is a list of all our favorite spots, with links so that you can learn more about them (and someday go to them!) So if you're interested in Paris or are planning a trip there, definitely read on! There are several hidden gems!

First of all, Natalie and I stayed in Montmartre, which I personally think is the best place to stay. You really get to live like a local. Everything is SO close together that it's easy to walk to, and there are many metros in the neighborhood that will easily get you to the other side of Paris. We lived right by the Sacré-Coeur, which was beautiful, especially if you climb up it (only six euros!) Any day that we were bored, we would wander up to the Sacré-Coeur, at the summit of Butte Montmartre, and walk around the block to Place du Tertre, also known as the Artist's Square, for live music and the best cafes! We were there probably a dozen times.

Although we took some special trips to restaurants that were recommended to us, we ate mostly in Montmartre. Just picture it - bakeries on every corner, ice cream, éclairs, macarons, nutella everything, crêpes. We both gained like five pounds. (It was worth it!)

Because we were there for three weeks, we were able to go to almost everything on our wish list. Museums, gardens, cafes, famous streets. Now that I'm back, places will pop up on Pinterest and I'll think, "What! Why didn't we go there?" I guess it just gives us a reason to go back.

As much as I loved scheduling to see museums or taking a day trip, I really liked our lazy days, when we would just wake up and wander around Paris. We discovered so many cool streets, beautiful houses, and cute cafes. 

We went to the Notre Dame Cathedral for mass on our first Sunday. It was absolutely beautiful! Neither of us are Catholic, so we went to experience a whole other culture - different religion, different language, different customs. It was so overwhelming and definitely one of the highlights of our whole trip! I learned so much from just those few hours. And then we went home and watched The Hunchback of Notre Dame and ooed and awed over how realistic the drawings were! 

We took a day trip to the Palace of Versailles on the hottest day of our entire trip. We walked over 10 miles non-stop, but it was definitely worth it! The gardens were beautiful, and we even got to tour Marie Antoinette's cottages. We took a wrong turn (read: we got absolutely lost) and ended up on this beautiful path. I don't even know how to describe it. There were trees and fields with people biking and picnicking. Natalie sketched the scene while I read out loud, taking several breaks to coo over little toddlers walking by us (French kids are definitely cuter than American kids, no offense.) 

For the 4th of July, we took another day trip to Deauville/Trouville. There's a video at the bottom of this post so you can experience more of this beach town. Rumor has it, this is where all the Parisians go on holiday. It is actually North of Paris, while most popular French beaches, such as Nice or Marseille, are on the Southern coast. I thought it was so interesting to see Parisians on vacation. They were touristy and laid back and relaxing - kind of just like us! Fun fact - Coco Chanel opened her first store in Deauville. 

Natalie's husband surprised us and gave us tickets to Disneyland Paris. I never in a million years would have thought I'd be going there. It was SO fun. It was nice to just get out of the city and all that was familiar to us. Because the EuroCup was going on, they knew that a lot of people would be there instead of Disneyland so they decided that this would be a great time to close down all the popular rides to do construction. We were super bummed because three of the coolest rides were closed, but we were able to go on almost every other ride! Our favorite by far was the Ratatouille ride - if I could have, I would have spent the whole time there. The It's a Small World ride was AMAZING. I almost cried - I love seeing the world come together and appreciate all cultures and all walks of life. Also, we got to meet a Mary Poppins who didn't speak English and a super friendly (let's be real - flirty) Bert. 

One of my favorite things about Paris was that there were gardens and parks EVERYWHERE. And there would always be couples wandering through, holding hands and kissing, or families picnicking, or groups of kids skateboarding and biking. The top picture is of Tuileries Garden and the bottom is right by Le Palais Royal. I recommend always bringing a book or a sketchpad with you because I guarantee you will often stumble upon beautiful gardens that will make you want to stop and enjoy the day.

My FAVORITE place of all - Musée Picasso. It is free the first Sunday of the month, and was filled with so much many of Picasso's works and the best gift shop. It inspired me so much, and if I could recommend anything, this would be the place. 

We also visited the Louvre, Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triumph, Eiffel Tower, Hillsong Paris, the Seine, the Panthéon, Galeries Lafayette (free view of Paris from the rooftop), and more! I am so blessed to have been able to enjoy THREE WEEKS in Paris, and I can't wait to go back! 

Check out the video Natalie made of our day in Deauville - 

Thoughts on the Terrorist Attacks from a 20-Something Year Old

I think, in my young American life, this is the first time that something "big" has ever hit me so hard. Yes, I was alive during 9/11 but it did not seem real to me. It was on the TV. And everything on the TV was fake, right?

It's not just Paris. There have been attacks all over the world recently. There have been so many natural disasters in just the past 6 months. There are thousands of victims of other circumstances - homelessness, domestic violence, bullying. And it's hitting me all at once.

There is a feeling of hopelessness that comes over me every time I think about the terrible recent events. What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to take care of the millions of children who will sleep on the streets tonight? How am I supposed to raise the funds for new homes that hurricanes and earthquakes have destroyed? What am I supposed to say to those who have lost loved ones? What is expected of me?

Nothing. Nothing is expected of me. Actually no, I'm expected to change my profile picture to France's colors to show my support. And I understand why..but what about the mass shooting in Kenya? What about the earthquakes that happened over the summer in Nepal - where people are STILL struggling to survive day-to-day? There are too many disasters for me to change my profile picture to one country's colors and not feel guilty about it. I do support France, but I support everyone else, too. Changing my picture to France's colors feels like I'm brushing every other attack under the rug, and I don't feel comfortable doing that.

And even if I did change my profile picture, I know that I would not feel any better. The uneasiness and the fear that is inside my heart as I blindly scroll through dozens and dozens of articles about ISIS and bombings and terrorist attacks has not gone away since Friday. I scroll, I scroll, I scroll. Because all I have in front of me is my screen and since I can't do anything, I just want to know everything.

If you look at my recent internet history, it will show you that instead of sleeping, I am googling ISIS and instead of taking my lunch break, I am reading CNN articles. I scroll, I scroll, I scroll.

I had plans to go to the gym today. But my heavy heart screamed at me because there are thousands of people in this world who would give anything to have a "normal" day today. To have a day where they wake up early, go to work, and then hit the gym on the way home. This "normal" life that I have lived daily suddenly fills me with feelings of selfishness. Who am I to have this "perfect" life? Who am I to live life "normally" even after these attacks?

I am changed inside. Part of me wishes that I could go back to normal and absentmindedly go for a run and then shop at some thrift stores before going home to cook myself a vegan, gluten-free meal. I cringe at myself.

But the other part of me is thankful for this chance to grow up. For this opportunity for me to actually, literally, physically get down on my knees before God and PRAY. For those who are directly affected, for the countries who have some serious decisions to make, for the fear that is consuming so many people's lives. To repent for those who have made terrible comments, ignorant posts about how it's a certain religion's fault or it's a certain country's fault. To ask God to give me wisdom, because I don't know what to do. There is nothing I can do.

All I can do is pray. And scroll, and scroll, and scroll.

One Year Local: Three Month Update

It has been hard for me to define what shops count as independent. One of the main reasons that I am doing this challenge is to try new cafes, restaurants, and shops, instead of just sticking to what I'm used to. So some of the independent shops that I have found and love do have several franchises, but I still feel good about it. I am branching out, supporting small franchises, and making new memories!

It has been so fun to find hole-in-the-wall places that serve phenomenal coffee, hire a great staff, and have the coolest interior design. I've also found several places that serve burnt coffee, nothing vegan, and are overpriced. Oh, well. You win some, you lose some.

I have also been searching for friends' Christmas presents at farmer shops, thrift stores, etsy stores, and independent shops. The gifts are so much cooler, and often, so much cheaper! They are also one-of-a-kind!

Here are some of the best local, independent places that I have found in the past three months of my One Year Local challenge.

Rock 'n' Joe

One of my favorite small franchises is Rock 'n' Joe's Coffee. I have been to three different franchises all over NJ and they are all SO different. Some have macarons, some have their own special brand of soda. They all have their own complete style and feel, and I love that about them. They also have the BEST iced coffee I've ever had, hands down, no competition. 

Baco Juice and Taco Bar

There were so many vegan, gluten free options, including fresh pressed juices. This was some of the best Mexican food I've ever had, and my "Orangeade" was made fresh with oranges, lemon, and agave. I cannot rave enough about how good this place was, and I can't wait to go back.

Tomato Pie Cafe

For a friend's pre-wedding breakfast, she introduced us to Tomato Pie Cafe. I had their gluten-free quinoa pancakes, and they were SO good. The artsy, woodsy feel of the restaurant was perfect. I wish I lived closer so that I could go back!

Burlap and Bean

For a coffee date, Tori (she gets photo credit) and I tried Burlap and Bean for the first time. They had gluten-free, vegan cookies for me, and plenty of other pastries for Tori to try! I ordered their dark roast and just put some cream and sugar in it. It was probably the best cup of coffee I've ever had at a cafe. Tori's latte was way too sweet and she wasn't a fan of the doughnut (although it looks incredible!), but I'm definitely up for trying it again! It's also only just a short drive from my town.

Phoenixville Farmer's Market

Every weekend when the weather is good, my town hosts a farmer's market. It is so nice to see local farmers and get to support the community. I also love getting the chance to eat organically for not crazy-expensive. Just remember to bring a bag, because the first time, I didn't and I ended up carrying my mushrooms and cucumbers around in just my hands, and it was a little embarrassing.

Artisan's Cafe and Gallery

This has been one of my favorite cafes for years. I always get their vegan, gluten-free honey mixed berry muffins. It is such a great place to meet up with friends, and they have a bunch of games and books to entertain yourself with. They also sell fantastic paintings and pottery made by local artists.

Wild Joy Studios

I need to promote this etsy shop. One of the most inspiring women I've ever met started this etsy shop while living in Nepal. I bought that bear print in the the left top corner, and I am obsessed with it. There are so many great prints, and I am always amazed by her talent. These make fantastic presents.

Summer Re-Cap

Lots of dates.

Lots of books.

Lots of crossing things off my bucket list.

Lots of hikes.

Lots of new cities.

Lots of exploring new places.

Lots of beach trips.

Lots of green smoothies.

Lots of driving.

Lots of museums.

Lots of crisp nights.

Lots of local cafes.

Lots of farmer's markets.

Lots of celebrating friends' marriages and successes.

Also starting a new job as a second grade teacher!

Also..fall doesn't start til September 23rd. So it's still summer, and no one can stop me. More hikes, more coffee dates, more parties, more traveling!

Follow me on instagram to keep up with my fall adventures!

Reasons Why I Hate Hiking Alone

I can see why the thought of hiking solo would sound enticing. Clearing your head, finding yourself, and all that. But for me, an extroverted extrovert, with an imagination too big for my own good, hiking alone is another form of torture. There are so many reasons why, but I will expand on just a few.

On my recent expedition to find Mount Joy (which is adjacent to Mount Misery, one of my favorite trails), I discovered my lack of skills in the art of map reading. So I set off on a different trail, hoping to find Mount Joy on the way. This trail was a paved path, which happens to be my least favorite kind of trail and was full of strollers and dogs and old men without their shirts on. I mean, it was hot out, but not that hot.

Anyway, here are some reasons why I hate hiking alone. I always like the idea, because it sounds awfully romantic, but there are only so many cute chipmunks and pictures of trees that can be taken before I lose my mind. Also, have you ever realized the danger of a twenty-something-year-old girl hiking alone through the woods? If you've ever seen an episode of Law and Order: SVU, and I have seen all of them, it is not uncommon to either a) get kidnapped or b) get murdered.

Did I mention the fact that there were a lot of old man jogging without their shirts on? If that's not creepy I don't know what it is. I had to pass an old man who was walking by himself with his shirt off, admiring the view. And then I realized, as I was speed walking passed him in my spandex capris, he was probably enjoying the view even more. And that's when I knew I was about to be killed.

But I was already too deep into my hike, too dedicated to quit, and too intent on finding Mount Joy. I took a self-defense class in college, so I put my knowledge to good use by surveying what I had on me. I had both a set of keys, which seemed promising, and a full water bottle, which also seemed like a good idea. Unfortunately they were both in my backpack, and it would be a little too obvious for me to take off my backpack and hold my water bottle in one hand and my keys in the other, with my empty backpack bobbing up and down. So I did the less obvious thing and continued to speed walk, checking behind me every six or seven steps.

Unfortunately this paved path that I was on went through an open field, not through the woods as I had hoped. The field gave me no protection as I imagined trying to run and hide from this inevitable killer. Speaking of running, I can't do that. I've been trying to build my stamina at the gym, and I have gotten up to four minutes straight of light jogging. My boyfriend always says he's proud of me when I hit anything above my average two minute running spree, but I know he's just saying that because he's trying to win brownie points. So I stick to speed walking, with my water bottle sloshing in my backpack with each step, making me slightly annoyed but mostly just nauseous. I really wished this trail was through the woods, because I have seen The Hunger Games a time or two. I even read all the books. If anyone knows about scaling a tree or hunting a deer, it's me. I've studied Katniss and she knows what she's doing. I mean, come on, she's been in the Hunger Games twice now (spoiler).

Entrance to Mount Joy's trail.

Fortunately for me, I finally found Mount Joy and it's a skinny little path through the woods - my favorite kind of trail. Unfortunately for me, my water bottle is still sloshing and it is beginning to sound an awful lot like feet scampering through dried leaves. So I continue my hike, still checking over my shoulder every six or seven steps, and I'm trying to enjoy nature and clearing my head and finding myself or whatever. I have finally calmed down enough to start to enjoy my hike when I see more hikers. Yay, I'm not alone in the woods anymore! But then I realize, more people means more crazy people which means more murderers hiding in the woods.

During one of my many over the shoulder checks, I notice not one, but two men approaching from a distance. I was lucky enough to have taken my water bottle out of my bag for a drink, so I at least had some sort of defense mechanism. I have two options a) hide in the trees and let them pass or b) run. Since I obviously can't do plan B, hiding in the trees is my only option. Which shouldn't be hard, because I've seen The Hunger Games a time or two. When I peek back over my shoulder, because it had been seven steps without a check, they are far too close and have already seen me. One even met my eyes, how dare he. So I resorted to speed walking, and because I had been speed walking for the past two and a half miles, it's starting to get a little hard to breathe. With that said, the first man passed me, and nothing happens. I neither die nor get kidnapped.

With a slight boost of confidence, I checked over my shoulder to see how this other stalker is making out. That's when I noticed he had a dog. If there was even a slight chance that I could outrun a human, I know I could never beat a dog. And besides, I'm more of the cat person. I heard him closing in on me and I casually switched my water bottle to my dominant hand, so that my biggest hit might actually throw him off balance slightly (if he's very weak and if I'm very lucky.) Before he even passes me, I heard a Learn Chinese Yourself audio tape that he is listening to and to make me feel even safer, I notice that his guard dog is some kind of little poodle or something. I don't know the exact breed because, as I told you, I'm a cat person. I even snuck a picture because I knew no one would believe me.

Who takes a tiny dog on a mountain hike? Don't their little legs get enough exercise walking from the food bowl to the water dish each day? Needless to say, I no longer felt endangered and I switched my water bottle back to my left hand as an ancient peace symbol.

Anyway, as much as I love nature, which is enough to desire to go on a solo two and a half hour hike, it is rather boring when the danger of being murdered and/or kidnapped is gone. So I wrote this in the notes section of my phone as I finished my hike for two reasons a) to hopefully be used as a future blog post or b) on the slight chance there is still a murderer/kidnapper still waiting in the woods to get me, there will at least be an amusing story for my friends to remember me by.

Update: I finally found my car only about a mile away from where Mount Joy's trail ended. I made it home tired and sweaty but mostly unharmed, except that my shin splints from high school basketball started acting up again.

I also realized that I didn't exactly give you a list of why I don't like hiking alone, but hopefully you will be able to pick a few reasons out of this terribly long story. Also, quick question. Would you like to be my hiking partner? Because I'm never going alone again.