16 yr old Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant - WHAT!?

So I heard that Britney Spears' younger sister, 16 year old Jamie Lynn, announced that she is pregnant with the child of her 18 year old boyfriend. I saw this announcement on the local news while at the gym and the pictures and video footage of Spears showed her flaunting her little belly in the latest maternity fashion and grinning ear to ear. The report made it seem that this was the most normal of announcements coming from teens these days. I was outraged, but then, sadly, not very surprised. Here's a perfect example of how our society deals with sex; America flagrantly disseminates sexual images and messages in all media forms (music, movies, t.v shows, magazines and news) but somehow discussions of sexuality remain taboo in many homes, churches, and schools and as a society we are shocked about rapidly lowering age at which sexual activity begins.

And to think that I, along with many others would be shocked about the news - well it fits right in with the values of our culture. It is one that supports the not so subtle expressions of sex appeal and temptation (I'd like to come back later and provide some clear examples). In seeking out the origin of such disturbing developments we should recognize also the fear of discussion and honesty about the difficult and confusing issues and questions about sex in general. But really we must ask some more questions. Is there a false sense of identity at the heart of the issue? What about the what is discussed and modeled about relationships and why we're in them? Is this what leads to shaky marriages and so many divorces?

How is it that so many children and adults end up in such compromising positions where they make a choice to engage in sexual activity without understanding it fulling or without being in a committed relationship? Do we even know what sex is about? Is it our primal nature that drives us to fulfill our sexual needs? Is that all we are - just instinct driven beings? I'd like to make the argument that whether one becomes sexually active due to lack of education or proper upbringing is a moot point; ultimately as human beings we have hold incredible power with the ability to reason and to choose between right and wrong- that's what makes us different from the rest of the animal kingdom. (Obviously, I am not including rape in this discussion). I understand that choices are situational and not so black and white but my point is that we have the ability to gather information on our situation and recognize our options and consider how our decisions will affect our future. What ever choice we make affects us negatively, positively, or both. Jamie Lynn made a choice and it will affect her and her child for the rest of her life.

Jamie Lynn has said that she plans to raise her child. Some have applauded her for taking responsibility for her actions (instead of what, abortion?), but I think it is crucial to ask what is really meant by "taking responsibility". Is raising her child really the right thing to do? Does she understand what it takes to be a responsible parent? Does she realize that the decision to have a child and raise it is one of the biggest decisions one can ever make? Why? Because parents are responsible for raising a child to become a good thinking, loving, and respectful
This society has turned into a mess - there is a small minority of parents out there who actually dedicate their lives to raising a child to become a thinking (this is where the power of choice and reason come in), loving, and respectful citizen that is actively and positively involved and contributing to this society. That's what parenting must be and it shouldn't be taken lightly or seen as just something you do when you grow up. It must be a conscious decision and then result in a commitment to selflessness, humility, and most importantly love. Can a 16 year old pop star make that commitment? Is she willing to drop her social life and education to provide for her child? Is she willing to be a good role model for her child? Really, who am I to say. There could be a myriad of circumstances out there, both for Jamie Lynna and other teens like her. The choice was made and the consequences stand. While we continue to heal this society it's not condemnation that should guide us. Learning from mistakes is crucial, but what matters the most are the decisions made from here on out. What is the most responsible to.....? I guess it all comes down to how each of understands responsibility.

I received this in an e-mail from my mom and found it worth reading.

Subject: FW: Obituary

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense. Mr. Sense had been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such value lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge).

His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Mr. Sense declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student; but, could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, she spilled a bit in her lap, and was awarded a huge financial settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by two stepbrothers; My Rights and Ima Whiner.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on; if not, join the majority and do nothing.

I've heard it said before that the world becomes a playground once one leaves the comfortable cookie cutter path set during childhood and school years. After graduating from Dickinson College in 2006 with a degree in American Studies and a special focus on Latino cultures and Spanish, there was a blank slate ahead of me and in theory I could fill it in whatever way I chose - what freedom! After an cross country road trip to California and back, I decided to ease my way into the complex web of adulthood and go to a land of milk and honey, let's say- a place where I didn't have to pay rent for a home with a large kitchen and three bedrooms; a place where all the basic necessities of a healthy lifestyle (a track, pool, and gym for exercise, three FREE fresh, healthy, and diverse meals, a post office open daily, an ATM, woods for exploring) could be found within a 7 minutes walk; a place without cellphones; a place where people smile when they say hello; a place where high achievement, intelligence, creativity, goofiness, and worldliness are pillar traits of its people; a place where friends and colleagues support one another; a place where tradition is valued and embraced by the community.

Ok ok, maybe the Emma Willard School wasn't this heavenly all the time but it was a pretty darn good place to start out. Don't be fooled by my official title of Spanish intern. This was no ordinary internship involving coffee and copy machines. I taught two classes - Spanish I and Spanish II to fresh[women] and sophomores. In the fall I was one of the assistant volleyball coaches. Two times a week I was a dorm affiliate on one of the halls, working from 5:30 - 12am watching over students during study hall in their rooms and checking up on the latest events, drama, and gossip in their lives before they went to bed. The internship lasted only a year, but I was hired to return as the head volleyball coach this past fall while the former head coach was on sabbatical.

The Emma Willard Jesters had an incredibly successful season in which we won many matches (making it to the 2nd match of playoffs was a first in 4 years!). More importantly though, we built a real team unit that was hard working, enthusiastic about the sport, and extremely supportive of each other.

While I am not continuing with the teaching and coaching professions at this point, I am grateful for how the experience enriched my life: I developed an incredible respect for teachers and coaches of all kinds, made lasting relationships with colleagues and some students, gained valuable professional skills, and soaked up the blessings of being supported by and integrated in such a strong academic and familial community.

Probably the most exciting update from my end is that I traveled to Asia for a month during the summer. A good friend of mine from college, Charissa, and I ventured into the unknown land of China to visit another close friend, Ally.

Ally studied Chinese in college and studied abroad in Beijing for one year. After graduation she returned to a smaller city called Panjin to teach English to adults at an oil company and then join a law firm for an internship. Our two week journey through mainland China, visiting sites like the Forbidden City, Tienanmen Square, the Great Wall (in Beijing) and the panda reserve (in Chengdu), and the Three Gorges and Dam Project (along the Yangtze River), not to mention ordering food in restaurants and navigating through cities, would not have been possible without Ally's superb fluency in Mandarin Chinese and her knowledge of the culture. Once Ally returned to work, Charissa and I were left to explore (and survive!) on our own in Hong Kong, China and Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the Krabi/Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. See the photos HERE!



Since moving back home in mid-November, life moves at a pace that is much less structured than that of EWS and not as adventurous as world travel. However, I am enjoying the respite and the time to live in the moment and prepare for my future. While I wait for possible employment opportunities with a staffing agency for non-profits and calls to tutor Spanish in the area I busy myself helping around the house, playing ball with Basie, and writing and perfecting a graduate school essay for the School for International Training and essays for the Peace Corps, which would follow after one year at SIT. My addiction to intercultural social experiences has been partially fulfilled by partaking in the World Bank/IMF Choir, dancing tango at least once a week, and joining a Spanish discussion group.

Should you all be interested in keeping up with my day to day experiences, observations, and reflections, check out my blog.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

El Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe/ Our Lady of Guadalupe Day

Today, el 12 de diciembre, is one of the most important days in the Mexican cultural and religious calendar, El Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe. This day celebrates la virgen morena , or dark skinned virgin Mary, who is said to have appeared to a humble indigenous Mexican man named Juan Diego outside Mexico City in 1531. She told him that she was the blessed mother of the indios, indigenous Mexicans, and she would comfort and protect them forever. There are many theories (academic, religious, and otherwise) about her appearance and true nature but whatever the belief she is still a unifying cultural icon. I had the great opportunity to learn more about her integration into the Mexican Catholic faith and Mexican culture first when I was a sophomore at Dickinson College studying Mexican migration from Michoacán, Mexico to Adams County, PA (are with many apple orchards and factories) and second when I was living and studying in Querétaro, Mexico my junior year of college. While doing some field work involving a bilingual Catholic Church in Gettysburg, PA, I attended the festive mass on the Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe. I will try to post a video from the service.

Interesting dialogues on religion

Discussions of religion, spirituality, and philosophy really fascinate me. A few months back, my mom directed me to I Believe coming from the Washington, D.C. area. The interviewer visits the different worship locations representing the major religious traditions and talks with the leaders of each church, synagogue, temple, mosque, or other religious meeting places. It's worth taking a look.

A tadpole in winter?

I was just took Basie outside and after playing ball and wandering through the woods, we did a little walk around our pond in the front yard. The water is down to a very low level so it's easy to step in it but still be standing on the dirt/mud. Well I walked in to pull a huge tree branch that had fallen and upon moving the branch a little and breaking the soft ice at the edges, I noticed a large tadpole swim up to the touching of the water to the shore (is there a name for that point of contact?) Anyway, it was the size of a bullfrog tadpole, so the size of my thumb. I am really surprised to be seeing one of these (1) because frogs mate in the spring time and (2) how is it surviving in the cold? and (3) how is it surviving in that little water?


Are there any biologists out there who can explain what I just saw?

Who knew he could sing?

Anyone need to laugh? Listen to Chewy sing. Merry Christmas everyone!

Mom called me a snob

My mom called me a snob today. I didn't want to go to the Glen Echo swing dance tonight and she called me a snob. Now she actually wasn't trying to be mean, but just point out that maybe I'm too limited in methods of branching out in the community.

We started swing dancing as a family when I was in 6th grade. I never took any formal group lessons that I can remember but we just learned at the start of the once a month Saturday dances at Glen Echo with the Tom Cunningham Band. It evolved into something that I shared with some friends in my middle school and by the time we got to the required dance classes at Christ Episcopal School which is where I went from 2nd to 8th grade, we were all pros. Andy and I got used to the old couple instructing us come out to "Center Stage" to demonstrate.

Glen Echo and swing became the one of the primary family activities once a month; it was the only thing (besides waterskiing and bumper tubing) that we all knew how to do and enjoyed doing together. So even as we kids moved on to high school, boarding school and college, the family activity was waiting for us whenever we came home to visit. The activity was also a great thing we could use to socialize with both new boyfriends/girlfriends and our parents. It's sad to say, but for a long time, swing dancing was the only social activity I did when I came back for breaks. I only had two years at the local high school and the only close friend I made is in San Francisco. Now there was/is nothing wrong with having a good time with your parents. Actually, I don't know of many people that do. But at some point it started to bother me that dancing with my parents and other swing fanatics was the only social interaction I had. I love my parents dearly, but I'm 23, going on 24 and need to branch out a bit.

So when my mom said I was a snob, I secretly agree with her. Maybe I am limiting my social options by not wanting to be connected at the hip with my parents every time I leave the house. I love my parents dearly but I'm discovering that it is very difficult to sustain an individual and adult identity while living at home. I feel like everything I do outside of this house (except tango), my parents are somehow connected to it.
-I go to the gym (the same gym my mom belongs to) and I like to go to the noon treadmill running class (which my mom does occasionally also)
-I go to choir rehearsal downtown, to which my mom belongs also so we go together
-I go to the grocery store or run errands with or for my mother
-My dad just told me about the World Bank Christmas party next week and he offered to take me one night and then mom the next night.
-Every time I get a meal out, I'm with one of my parents.
-I go to church, where my mother is the First Reader (Christian Science Church)
-Every time I leave or enter the house, at least one of my parents and the dog know about it.

Really, this isn't a parent bashing post. I'm just questioning what happens to an independent, socially integrated and involved person once they go back in the womb, so to speak. I want to maintain the strong relationship with my parents that was created during my years away, but was that bond created because of distance? Do I have to now find ways to stay away from them, even at home? That doesn't seem right.

Much of my discomfort is certainly coming from the fact that I've been on vacation for over a month now. I am technically employed by a temping agency but they have yet to inform of job openings. Also, as of yesterday was hired by a tutoring company
to be a Spanish tutor in the Montgomery County/WDC area. I'm not sure when that will start up because the company just began this year and they may not have a large number of clients yet. So my days of waiting are passed much like vacation days - sleeping until 8am, sometimes 9am, taking time to read yesterday's paper while I eat breakfast. I move into my room for quiet time/spiritual study and then eventually get to my computer. That's when the long process of brainstorming and writing for a graduate school essay and application to the Peace Corps starts. I try to work on that for at least 3 hours, but I am the slowest writer. I have to brainstorm first, then do some writing down on paper and then cross it all out because the perfectionist in me isn't satisfied. Then it's time for lunch, walking the dog, and then going to the gym before I get too tired. Before know it, it's time to help mom with dinner. And in an instant it's dark outside and lose all motivation to be productive and just end up having quality time (I mean it! I like this time with my parents!) with my parents, discussing the news, readings in the living room or watching a though provoking, or not, movie. I don't feel like I've been lazy by any means but I'm definitely not feeling productive.

This hasn't been the easiest of transitions. Yes, I have all the time and access to so many activities that I dreamed of during those super busy days at Emma Willard. But there is something so unsatisfying about not completing concrete tasks each day and not being on a schedule. Since boarding school, every last detail seemed to be scheduled and planned out for me. I awoke at a certain time. there was a specific set of tasks to be completed and a time frame in which to do them. Good and plentiful food was provided and cleanup taken care of. If I didn't want to work out outside, fitness centers were only a few steps away. I didn't have to ponder for a minute how I would engage myself socially - there was a whole campus of people to hang out with! Plus, I could just attend an already planned activity if I wasn't feeling creative enough. If not feeling social, I'd welcome the down time to just read a book or watch a movie or make some phone calls or e-mails. Options abounded in those settings but in many ways those options were handed to me on a platter. All I needed to do was show up.

Now that I'm home, I am the creator my community and my activity. It's all in my hands what my schedule is, what kind of work I produce and in what time frame I produce it. Dinner must be well thought out, I've learned from my mom - I can't just eat cereal all the time. There are currently two vegetarians and one meat eater in the home. How do you fill and please both parties? And you have to buy the food and take the time to prepare it too and then clean it all up. I live on one acre of land surrounded by trees and far from any campus lifestyle. The only place provided any kind of social activity is just a few steps away. It's the National Lutheran Home, a retirement community, which is not the scene I'm currently looking for. So a lot of gas gets burned up going to the gym, to the store, driving to DC for a tango milonga.

It's a different life I'm living now. In reality, it's not a difficult life by any means. I actually consider myself fortunate to have this freedom of waiting for work and still being able to feed myself and stay warm and find the $dollars to fill my car and belong to a gym. But am I taking it for granted by saying that I don't want this lifestyle to last much longer? I guess what I'm seeking is to be valued. My sense of value right now is helping out with the house however I can and praying for myself and the world. I know this is useful and probably exactly where I need to be right now, sadly, I've discovered, I'm influenced by societal values - our society expresses value in measurable production and money. What am I producing with my help and prayer and prep for my future (ie. grad school and peace corps apps)? I guess that's where I need to defend and protect myself from social constructions that might try to damage me and the good I am contributing. When I think about it, very little of the things I value in life are related to money, or something physical - love, friendships, nature. I'm not sure where I'm going with all this. Life's pretty darn complicated, isn't it?

I'll be in a concert!

Speaking of music, I myself will be participating in a concert next week. When I got home, my mom told me about a choir group she was in through the World Bank/IMF (my dad currently works with the WB). Currently they only practice and perform during the Christmas season, but the participants are from all levels and departments of the development groups, as well as family members of people working in these offices. Since I had yet to find a job I joined in. We practice once a week at lunch time.

I've only been practicing with them for about a month and I love it. I sang in a choir in middle school, high school, and a year in college, and I'm reminded of how much I miss being apart of a group like that. What's great too is that we're actually pretty good! There is so much talent in this choir, which you discover when you hear the soloists in particular.
As you can see from the poster, the songs we'll be singing are in all different languages. This is great because it really paints a picture of the diversity of the choir also of the countries supported by the Bank/IMF. Fun Fun!

An evening at the Music Center at Strathmore

Last night my grandmother treated my sister and me to a concert at the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, MD. My grandmother lives about two hours south in Virginia and I see her only occasionally during the year and in the summers when I go down to her lake house. So this was a unique occasion for us to dress up and see a professional performance. I wasn't sure what to expect but only knew that there was a choir involved. Group performing was the Washington Bach Consort, a choral and orchestra group dedicated to playing Baroque music. They performed Bach's Christmas Oratorio, a long series of Cantata's originally created for time when Christmas did not fall near a Sunday. The oratorio orates the story of the birth of Christ Jesus.

I'm not too knowledgeable of the classical music genre and I don't listen to it often, but I really enjoyed the visual and auditory experience last night in this concert hall. First, the place is absolutely stunning in it's architectural design - I felt like I was walking into heaven. Really the appearance is quite simple yet exquisite and elegant. Second the acoustics were incredible. Third, we were able to follow the words of the concert in our program where there both the German lyrics and the English translation was provided so I was learning a lot as we went along. Plus, it kept me from zoning out and not being aware of the message. The singers and musicians were extremely talented also.

The best part was how happy my grandma was. She just recently got back into playing her cello after 30 some years and she's quite talented and even a little celebrity in her small town in Virginia. I think it meant a lot to her to see this performance and share her love for the music with her granddaughters.

Cool video

Cute dog

I love my chocolate lab, Basie! He rocks my world!

From fall to winter

I'm so pumped today because it's December 5 and there is already snow! Just last Friday I spent the entire day blowing, raking, and picking up leaves on our 1 acre yard. I've heard that the rest of the week is supposed to be sunny and warmer. I hate when snow melts because all the grass pokes through and white snow turns to slushy mud - yuck. I guess today is just the start of the snow season. Hopefully it'll come back around Christmas time.

Brought to tears

Today I went to Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA for the annual performance by the US Marine Corps band, followed by the Carol sing along. It's a big theater that is roofed but it is wide open and has no walls. So visitors bundle up, drink their hot chocolate or cider, and jingle their little bells and join together in singing classic holiday tunes. Well I have no idea what got into me but I had to hold myself back from tears with every single song that was sung. I'm not sure if it was the emotion built up from reading Iraqi blogs and realizing how good I have it here or because of the shock I experienced yesterday after hearing personal stories about America's deadly healthcare system when watching SiCKO. Or maybe it's because I saw all the little children in the audience who looked so darn cute and happy and it made wish I was in their innocent shoes again. But then I realized that much of the emotion could have been because Wolf Trap Carol Sing is dependent on the community to create the atmosphere and fill the theater with love, joy, generosity other good spirits. It was this environment that reminded me of Emma Willard, a gracious and spirited community that I left about one month ago.

The holiday season was my favorite time of the school year because it was jam packed with celebrations and traditions unique to the school. The campus, which already felt like a movie set daily, becomes even more magical when the snow falls, and as students anticipate the performance of all the seniors in Revels. I can't remember the name of this one event in the video but I remember feeling so blessed to be a part of this beautiful community. There is a brief choir concert in the chapel and then every lights their individual candles and shuffles out into the cold. All surround the senior triangle in the center of campus and the choir stands tall over the crowd on the steps of the chapel. Granted it was quite frigid, but the combination of their singing, the tall and glowing gothic buildings, and the immensity of the crowd gave me the chills. I miss it all.

Thanksgiving Pics

Back in Mo Co

Mo Co is short for Montgomery County, Maryland, statistically one of the wealthiest counties in the United States. Ugh, that fact makes me shudder. Without a doubt, I've benefited from the safe streets, beautiful landscape, and easy access to restaurants, shops, and banks, and proximity by car and metro to the nation's capital. While in many ways a participant, I get overwhelmed by the crowded streets, the confiscation of spacious farms to serve the causes of suburbia, locals teens driving the latest Hummers and soccer moms with Suburbans polluting the air, among other things.

I was fortunate to be raised on one of the few acre plots in the area where I don't share my front or back yard with another home. Trees surround the lot and we share the dead end street with four other homes. Through the woods I can barely see the giant florescent cross of the National Lutheran Home across from our street. In those woods are memories of stick forts and capture the flag, foxhunts and hideouts. The pond in our front yard served many a purpose from mud baths, to tadpoles for science class in elementary school, to picnics in the small metal rowboat. Oddly, one of my comfort sounds from home is that of crickets and frogs' mating calls.

Home for me is the leaves tumbling in the air in the fall season and taking walks along the serene and beautiful C&O canal only 10 minutes away. For many of my friends, being home means reconnecting with childhood and high school friends. On that note, I can't really relate. It's been 7 years since I lived at home and I didn't leave much behind. My one friend from HS now lives and works in San Francisco. All my friendships are spread across the states and the globe - in China, in Ecuador, Texas, California, New York, New Mexico, Pennsylvania.

Now that I'm back and living with my parents again I'm going to need to establish a new meaning of home - one that goes beyond bonding with my parents and reaches out to the community. At this point I still feel like a young student visiting my parents on vacation from classes, staying close to home and spending time with my parents. I find it strange how easy it is to slip back into the little me I once was when in this home - bound to the activities of the family and common habits - meals, errands, church, swing dancing (yes, not the average family activity but it was for us!), and sleeping in until 9:00am.

So much has happened in my life and in my mind since I left seven year ago. I'm an adult, right? Haven't I moved beyond those habits and activities? I fear that somehow I'll slip back into the me before I took the timid yet hopeful steps to go to a boarding school in St. Louis. While I want to preserve the simplicity of my childhood, I want to expand it's meaning to include healthy activity and involvement in the area and in Washington, D.C. I don't want to be a visitor anymore, but a resident.

In the two weeks since I've been home, there's been much relaxing, reading, and rearranging my living space. I've so put my feelers out already and got hired by Professionals for Non-Profits, a group that places professionals in temporary positions in non-profit agencies in the Washington, D.C. area. It's the perfect step for me if I want to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to work internationally or domestically in the non-profit sphere. Socially, I've managed to preserve my passion for dance and have been to a few milongas, or tango social parties. I joined a gym a few days ago also. Now I just need to meet people!

Where have I been?

It's been It's been almost 4 months since I've made a post and of that I am actually quite embarrassed. I think I've forgotten how to write, so bear with me while I take a few posts to get back into it. Where have I been?

I was relived to finish my first (and maybe only) year of teaching in June. It was a fantastic time full of trials, tribulations, and also some successes too. The colleagues, students, and sense of community made the experience the most fulfilling. Well once I finished I had one week to get home, unpack, and repack for my trip for a four week trip to China and Thailand with Charissa, a friend from college. If you'd like to know more about that check out my PICTURES here: http://picasaweb.google.com/margiehatch

There were a few weeks of domestic downtime here in MD and then it was off to Maine for a week of boat driving, teaching skiing, and rediscovering my spiritual center at family camp (www.newfound-owatonna.com). From there I went southwest 5 hours back to Troy, NY and got to work with the varsity volleyball team as their head coach. What did I do with all my time during the day?: agonizing over practice planning, building sandcastles, hide n seek, and changing diapers for 2 yr. old Eli, researching graduate schools, settling on Peace Corps Masters International program through School for International Training - phew!

Coaching I came to realize quickly, was much like teaching because it is a much more demanding position (if you want to do it well) than most make it out to be. I spent hours planning my practices mulling over little details like what announcements to make and when and how. How do I do this drill with my team of 11 when it calls for only 6? How do I work on more difficult drills with the starters and not keep the bench warmers stagnant and without opportunities for progress? Are they really capable running this much? When do I do water breaks and for how long? Should we do sprints every day? Oh no! Two of my best players have gone down with injuries in practice! That means I need to completely rearrange my drills for tomorrow! And what about Thursday's game? What tone do I want to set with practice (strict and down to business or educational and more accepting of mistakes, or will this be a fun practice to let them let loose the tension of the day, or should practice be a combination of both? Oh man, it was incredible how much I labored over the details. In addition to this, I wrote summaries after each match (). Um, yeah, not feeling the writing bug at this moment. Will include more if so inspired.

Ni Hao from China

My desire to travel and explore is finally being satisfied. Well, I actually don't think the addiction can ever be fully quenched. However, I write you all from Wuhan, Hubei Province China - I'm in the heart of a rooster, if you could turn the map of China into a drawing. Honestly, China wasn't at the top of my list of places to visit in the next 10 years but when your closest friend moves back to China, you haven't seen her for a year, and she's near fluent in Mandarin Chinese, you've gotta take advantage of that! So the mere fact that I've made it this far in a country where I am no doubt a minority in height, dress, skin tone, language, and inability to do a proper Chinese squat is kind of remarkable. Of course, I am doing my best to fit in - I can dodge traffic, pick up small, slippery little suckers like peanuts and cucumbers, and count my Chinese numbers with the best of them. But really I would not have been able to leave the Beijing airport two weeks ago had it not been for my dear friend Ally. In total, Ally's been in China for two years and thank goodness because she's not only an expert in Chinese but also highly skilled in the art of bargaining, getting a taxi, and ordering the best eggplant and 'hot pot' (a Sichuan restaurant tradition) dishes in the mainland. I have to be careful not to take her valuable skills for granted.

I don't have my time right now to detail my travels but here's a quick summary of the geography covered so far.
BEIJING: In the three days in Beijing we met some awesome travel buddies, stayed in a lovely hostel, did a 4 hour hike on the Great Wall, saw Tianamen Square and the Forbidden City, and did our best to bargain at the Pearl Market.

CHENGDU: From Beijing we flew south to Chengdu where we once again stayed in an awesome international hostel, saw the famous pandas, went to a two temples- Daoist and Buddhist-, took a side trip to Leshan where I saw the largest Buddha in the world, and sweated more than I ever thought possible when eating in a restaurant - that's the hot pot I mentioned above. In a group, you sit around a table that has a hole where a pot of oil sits over a gas flame. The pot is usually split in half dividing between regular oil and really spicy oil. then you order a bunch of uncooked dishes like tofu, beans, noodles, pumpkins, radish, lettuce, mushrooms (and all sorts of meats for nonvegetarians). Then you throw it into the pot and wait for the goodness to boil. I thought Mexican spice was intense but this kind of spice numbs your entire mouth, lips, and chin and all the heat moves through your entire body. Now, what the local Chinese men do is strip their shirts off - oh if only that was appropriate!

CHONGQING: took a bus to this town - apparently one of the largest cities in the world with 32 million people...who knew? we didn't have time to explore because it was at this town that we boarded a 4 star cruise ship to make our way down the Yangtze River from Sunday evening to Wednesday afternoon. Don't have exact names at this moment, but we did pass through the famous big gorges. They were absolutely incredible and unlike anything I've every seen before. I was surprised to see beautifully terraced lands along side the water (I'll be sure to post pictures as soon as I'm back in the states). What was most fascinating though was to see what land is on its way to destruction by the flooding of the waters as a result of the new 3 Gorges damn, started in 1992. Along the river are meter markers showing how high the water will raise by 2008 when the dam should be finished. Already, 1.2 million people have been displaced from their homes and villages and relocated to 'new' towns, relocation towns they are called. These towns look more like cities near the water with high rise apartment buildings that give the area the look of a ghost town. I'll try not to get riled (sp?) up right now but it was interesting to listen to the cruise tour guide, who was Chinese but speaking English. - She makes it sound like the majority of people are satisfied with the change to these new relocation cities - they are given new jobs, she said, are able to have televisions, and overall have more opportunities....hmm....interesting. I understand that cities provide more opportunities but the relocation also alters a way of life that had been established for hundreds of years and generations and generations. Found out that ultimately the dam should provide up to 2-3% of the countries power. That is a good amount but I was expecting more.

Anyways, here's another observation from going down the river - lots and lots of shoes. What? yes shoes. Crazy right? It makes it seem like people as well as land were destroyed by the flooding, which is quite creepy really. Anyways, I have some other interesting and somewhat disturbing experiences occured while on this boat but overall I was awed by the beauty, beauty that may not be there in just one year.

WUHAN: Now, here I am second day in Wuhan, after crazy, wicked hot bus ride from our end destination on the boat. We're stayin in an air conditioned spacious apartment of a friend of Charissas. I've been lazier here than anytime this year...lounging around, chatting, making good food, and actually....sad to say it...watching t.v.! This is because there really isn't too much to see in Wuhan and it's probably in the high 90s with the thickest air I've ever experienced - near impossible to function in when you're drenched within 5 minutes of leaving the apartment. I will begin my productive travels tomorrow morning when we leave by plane for Hong Kong. I'll be there most likely until the 10th seeing some Emma Willard students who live there, taking a side trip to Macau (the Portuguese island), and trying not to blow my funds in such an expensive city! Then we'll fly to Bangkok, Thailand.

Hope to send updates from there! Zai jian! (good bye!)

Born to Tango

"Tango Pasión" 1999 José María Cornide

I've been wanting to do something adventurous and spontaneous for some time now and the opportunity came this past Friday night. While sitting at the j.v. basketball game I received a message on my cell phone from Kevin, one of the dance teachers here at EWS, inviting me to a Milonga ( a tango social party) that was beginning in only 2 hours or so. Somehow he heard through the grapevine that I knew how to tango (not sure where he heard that joke!) and he wanted to introduce me to the local tango crowd in this region. I've certainly never considered my big and tall self capable of dancing such a sensual and intricately detailed dance as the tango, but my interest was peaked and I decided to take him up on the offer. I told Jessie, my housemate, and she was interested too. Well when I called and confessed to him my inexperience but sincere interest in learning he told Jessie and I to meet him in the school dance studio where we'd have an hour private lesson and then head over to the Milonga together. What an amazing opportunity!

I didn't think it possible but in one hour he had us dancing the 3 key moves that we would need in order to participate at the Milonga - the basic 8 steps, forward ochos, and backward ochos. He also gave us some tips about the social gestures and procedures necessary to invite someone to dance with you and keep them dancing with you - In Argentine Tango you show you're interested in dancing with someone by making eye contact. Then, there are three short pieces of music within each set. If you enjoyed the first dance you need to be sure not to say "Thank You" because that communicates that you are done dancing with them and would like another partner. If someone says thank you to you they don't want another dance with you and are in someone unsatisfied with your performance. If you get through three dances then your partner must be really impressed and want to take you out on a date after the milonga! Isn't it all fascinating? I had no idea that there were actually rules of behavior for dances like this.

So we get to the dance studio, which is used as a yoga studio during the week, and the crowd is mostly older and , no surprise here, much shorter than I. Jessie and I were a bit worried we wouldn't fit in and that we'd be wallflowers the whole evening because of our inexperience but it turned out to be quite the opposite. Kevin, our most amazing and patient teacher, actually danced with us the entire night. He'd dance a few songs with me and then invite Jessie to dance for a few. Each time helping us when we needed and introducing new steps as the night progressed. Occasionally he would dance with some of the people he knew there but he really was dedicating this night to help us learn. Jessie and I both were invited to dance with others in the room, which was a lot more challenging because the steps where not always done in the way Kevin did them. That's what makes tango so fun is that there are some basic stpes but they are never done in the exact same way each time. There's always room for interpretation and improvisation. Although dancing with those other men was more of a challenge I felt I could keep up well and many were impressed that I'd only been dancing the tango for less than three hours.

When I wasn't dancing I really enjoyed watching. there were some incredible dancers there. But there are so mancy nuances to the dance that one can't see or understand unless they do them. The male is the leader and determines every step the female is to take by how he has his hand on her back or how or when he crosses the center line of the woman's body. Much of the dance too is done on the balls of your feet. The best tip Kevin gave me was to take one step at a time. The next step is mostly determined by which foot the female has her weight on and where her center of gravity is. So if the female decides to predict the moves or speed them up, it makes it difficult/impossible for the male to lead her. Now one could read into this dance and see that it mirrors patriarchal values which control even the slightest movement of the female and as a feminist I can say there is much truth to that. However, there is something magical about being held by your partner and being carried across the dance floor in the most graceful of ways. Like I said, I never thought that my 6'1" athletic self could be turned into a nimble, quick and lightfooted dancer. But Friday night I proved myself wrong and felt like I was dreaming. It was so amazing that we could learn so much in such a little amount of time, be able to put it to use on the dance floor and learn more as we went along. I learned some new moves such 'la parada' (sudden stop/pause in the dance), "la mordida", or sandwich (when one partners foot gets trapped between the two feet of the other partner), and "arrastre"( where the foot is dragged across the floor by the foot of the other partner, which forces one to cross their foot over their center of gravity).

We had a great time and stayed until 1:15am! I'm hooked and now trying to find a way to keep practicing. My weeks are pretty booked now with my only free day being Monday (tuesdays I play volleyball in a league nearby and wednesdays and thursdays I'm on duty in the dorms). I found out there are private lessons at someone's home for only $5 every monday and also Williams College is beginning lessons next Monday. I think it's worth a look into either one of them! For this week I'll continue practicing each night in my attic room!

"Be the Change"

Soon after graduation last May I went to Barnes & Noble and bought myself a little book called God's Graduate: Continuing Education for everyday life. There are 39 themes , such as Attitude, Love, Prayer, Forgiveness, and Worry, explored through six or seven pages each. Looking over it again tonight I came across one page that is particularly applicable to what I wrote in my last post.

"Be the Change" briefly explores Ghandi's simple yet profound statement that you should "be the change you want to see in the world". After this statement the author offers what she believes to be a comparative statement by God to Abraham, "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing." (NIV Gen. 12:2) She then offers this comforting thought, "God may not be calling you to make your name great but He still calls each of us to be a blessing to the world. Be the change. Be the blessing. If those around you are blessed by the things you do, the beliefs you stand for, and the love you share,then you are effecting change in their lives."(p.27)
I like this way of thinking about my present purpose and only hope that I can effectively apply in immediately.

theme for the week

Recently I have been anxious about future plans and excited for what's to come. to be honest I have no idea what that is but I've been feeling recently that I need to do something very different, something that will throw me out of my comfort zone and get me to toughen up. I've certainly been challenged as a first year teacher, but i'm looking for new challenge that will force me to take action with the things I care about and force me to really apply and expand my religious, moral, and academic education.

With all this excitement I must be careful not to get too ahead of myself. A big lesson I am learning in life is that it is not about taking jobs or moving to places where I can feel the most comfortable or where I can grow the most. Instead it is about finding the place where I can use my skills to give the most. Of course growth and enlightenment come with this, but acquiring those is not the ultimate goal. The Christian Science Bible Lesson never fails to be applicable to my thoughts, experiences, and challenges every week. This weeks subject is LOVE. Two particular quotes stood out to me from the first section: "let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:4 let) and from Science and Health, by Mary Baker Eddy: "Wait patiently for divine Love to move upon the waters of mortal mind, and form the perfect concept. Patience must 'have her perfect work' " (454:22).

I think that last statement is referring to the healing waters of Bethesda where one could be healed by touching the water after the heavens 'moved' it. But for me, both of these statements can be applied to so many situations in life - desire to find a new job, travel, find a boyfriend, get the money I need, etc. All of that has to do with needing certain things to occur or to arrive before we can be happy or feel complete. According to both the Bible and SH we must be patient and give God time to "form the perfect concept"....why would we want to rush and receive anything less than perfect? I'd like to add another thought to the pile. It's one that I gained from reading Eckert Tolle's book "A New Earth" --> There is nothing we need to wait for because all we ever need to realize our complete identity is right here, right now. Perfection is present because it is not formed or gained by material circumstances and objects. What a relief! all that time spent day dreaming and creating constructing ideal moments/situations in our mind is a distraction from the complete, perfect life that is in the present moment. Why waste time thinking about something that has already happened or could possibly happen? --> that's thinking about things that don't even exist! Once we decide to be still and dedicate our energies to the present moment we'll realize that there can be nothing more.Wow, even writing this out helps! So I'm going to really 'be' this week and start being the person I am and want to be rather than waiting for the right circumstances to give me the permission to change.

At least one good thing this week

1. Spanish 2 Friday afternoon --> although it may have been a little out of control, spanish 2 was fun. 5 minutes before class starts 5 out of the 11 students run into my office and ask if they can run to get food from the school store. it being the the afternoon and the last day of the semester, (and me being the softy that i am) I told them to go quickly and get the darn food. So they arrive 5 minutes late to class, wired and energized and in no condition be focused in any way at 1:45 on the last friday of the semester. we started commands, or mandatos, as they're called in spanish the day before so I decided to play a little game with them. Split into two groups the students had to come up with 5 formal commands (in spanish of course) to make the other team do. i.e, hagan un pirámide humano, actúan como pollos, cantén el alma mater de Emma Willard, etc. (yes they're very creative those girls) well the human piramid was the best one. then after successfully completely this activity we all sat together on the floor and we read two classic children's books in Spanish that I had found in the education section of Barnes and Noble - La Oruga Muy Hambrienta (Hungry little catepillar) y El Árbol Generoso (the giving tree). As they ate their chips and dip they sat enthralled like little children at the beautiful pictures in each book. It all felt a little juvenile but it was fun and they seemed really into it. nothing like calming kids down with a good book.

good teaching week

As you can see from my last post, it's been a pretty good week. I also should add that things have gone quite smoothly as far as teaching goes. I've feel much more relaxed in class. I used to be planning and fine tuning those plans up until the last minute before class. Add onto that that I would enter my classes super nervous and I'm sure my students could tell. After more than one observation, Marilyn noted that the pitch of my voice gets higher when I'm nervous and unsure. Thanks goodness that has subsided a bit! I think the high voice was the icing on a not so good cake that was overly decorated and detailed. I was too uptight and trying to make everything perfect and feeling like it was my huge responsibility to educate them. If they didn't get it, or weren't doing well then it was my fault. Geez! why do I take everything so darn seriously!

I think the change in 'performance' and confidence came once I realized that I most likely will not be teaching next year. I know that I'm not teaching Spanish here and that I'm going to explore other options. So I've said to myself: "Self - who knows when, or even if, you'll be teaching again, so why not make the most of it. Have fun! Make mistakes! Keep it light! Laugh a little! You are not the only way these students can learn Spanish. it's a life long process to get into and master a language and you have to face the fact that not all of them will love it as much as you do. However, that doesn't mean they can't enjoy it while they are learning it!" yeah, that was a great revelation. I've also stopped seeing my students as these odd creatures who have some power over me. They are just kids! Why do I let them get to me! If anything, I should be the one that scares them! Ha ha, but know, I'm not that mean!

Each unit (of three chapters each) is structured around a different Spanish speaking culture. All the vocab, grammar, and dialogue relate in some way back to the culture. This unit we're in Puerto Rico and the first chapter, which we just tested on yesterday, has a cultural reading on the music of Puerto Rico, specifically "Bomba y Plena"

(http://www.smithsonianglobalsound.org/archives_03.aspx). I've been a little frustrated because there is so much pressure to cover tons of vocab and grammar before the end of the year and focus on culture is often pushed to the side or given minimum attention. Well I truly believe that the reason you learn a language is so you can better understand and connect with the cultures in which the language is spoken. Unfortunately, I have skipped over many of the cultural sections because there just isn't time and I have to keep up with the schedules of my colleagues who are teaching other sections of the same class.

Today, however, I decided to prioritize culture. On the test there was a reading that mentioned a Bomba y Plena concert and although more knowledge of this cultural item wouldn't have really affected how they answer the question, I felt like a jerk that I didn't prep my students about this cultural aspect that was mentioned on the test. So I decided to take the beginning of the class today to do the reading in the textbook on Bomba y Plena and have them answer some questions related to the reading. Then I found two great videos on the Smithsonian website that demostrated the music and dancing. Know one has educated me yet on how to connect a mac to a projector (I've tried it myself but it's all the wires are twisted and don't fit. I feel like a dunce!) so I had all thirteen students and I huddle around my 12inch screen to watch these tiny videos. Throughout the video I could point out certain things we saw in the reading. Afterwards, I had them brainstorm a few other dances that they knew and from where in Latin America they dances came.

It was a good bonding experience. It made me realize that even if these students don't absorb and master all the grammar, they at least should be exposed to the rich cultural characteristics of Latin American and Spain. They may not remember my the precisely organized lesson plan about stem-changing verbs but they will remember me trying to demostrate dancing across the front of the room, trying to demonstrate tango (which I did today!). I'd like to find a way we can bring some Latin American dancers to Emma so that they can see the dances in action and have the culture come to life.

So moral of the story - I'm learning to chill out a little and not take everything so darn seriously. We gotta have fun in every moment, because its the only moment like it that we have.

Woo hoo for long birthdays!

I've decided that Sunday is the best day to have a birthday because there are so many days to celebrate before, on and after it. This year served as a perfect example. Here in the Emma Willard community, birthdays, and just personal interaction and care in general, are very important. So, the week before my birthday i was getting birthday wishes, hugs, and hellos. My house mates planned a Friday night birthday outing with the young faculty members (and for a boarding school there are a good number of us!) We went to El Mariachi, a popular Mexican restaurant in downtown Albany. Saturday I spent the day with preparing myself for my birthday - sleeping in until 11am, making myself a yummy scrambled eggs and toast breakfast, reading, running 3 miles, talking on the phone with friends and putting myself to bed watching the movie Garden State.

From an outsider's perspective my actual birthday on Sunday could have been pretty uneventful but for me it was absolutely perfect. You see, I typically am working my booty off on Sundays to get ready for the week. But by the grace of God I was already pretty well prepared and found myself enjoying another day of relaxation and quality personal time (which I adore). As the evening rolled around, Kristi (one of my house mates)and I decided to order Chinese food and watch a movie on t.v. That worked for me! I was craving a birthday cake that Kristi had promised to buy but rainy/icy/yucky weather forbid any one from tackling the slippery streets. As I'm scarfing down mu-shu vegetable (I know Ally, my Chinese expert....that's probably not how it's spelled!) down i get a call from three of my students who proceed to sing a loud and enthusiastic happy birthday over the fun. It was so great to hear from them! Later on Jessie (house mate 2) made a batch of brownies and wrote 'Happy Birthday'in frosting on it. Yum!

So then you'd think that by day after my birthday I'd be all birthdayed out but thankfully (well actually not so thankfully because of the dangerous streets) the bouquet of roses from my parents that were to be delivered on Sunday, arrived during classes Monday. And thus the celebration lives on, keeping the top left corner of my work desk brightly decorated and smelling sweet!

Alright, so that was Monday and today my friends, yes today, three days after my birthday the residential hall where I am on duty 2 nights a week gave me a surprise birthday party. I had no idea it was coming and must have been very tired because I was completely oblivious to some actions of the students that almost gave it away. In the last 10 mintues of study hall, I noticed that an unusual number of students needed to head to the bathroom or to get more water and then head back to their rooms. I found it odd, but I'm not one to do much policing on this hall because I trust them. Then Melissa (houseparent on next hall over) comes to the hall saying she is going to talk to Gemma (the houseparent of the hall. She had her night off - hence why I was on duty) about something. By the way, I had spelled something very yummy baking and so when Gemma came out of her apartment I asked her what was baking, hoping it to be something for the hall. "Oh it's my advisee's birthday tomorrow.". Then she asks me to come into her apartment because she wants to discuss the upcoming community dorm program that I didn't hear about because I wasn't at the ResFac meeting on my birthday.

Anyways, I completely fall for it, enter Gemma's apartment and hear all about the program. Then Melissa says she must head back to her hall. I stay there because Gemma says I need to select 5 questions from a list that will be used for the program. I comply but midway through completing the task Gemma says, "well don't worry about doing it now. you can just get it to me tomorrow". It being her night off, I wanted to protect her free time and so agreed and decided to leave. Gemma opens the door to the hall to let me out and I see and hear all girls on my hall scream: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARGIE!!!!!!! and then they proceeded to sing to me. Streamers were everywhere and I was presented with a huge happy birthday poster. That yummy baking turned out to be for my surprise birthday party!!!!! Lucky me! It was so great, especially because I didn't see it coming. Apparently when Melissa left before me the girls thought it was I who was leaving and so they started to shout and then had to hold it in. I, of course didn't hear a thing! I'm so gullible.

So yes, this was a wonderful long drawn out birthday and I am so blessed to be living with/working with such great, generous and fun people!

Birthday pic

Vacation summary and Job ideas

I had a wonderful 2.5 weeks for break in which I visited with family, met up with some good friends and even went to Florida for a wedding! There were two firsts in that visit- first time in Florida (not too impressed! it's so flat and you have to have lots of money and want to only shop, eat, or sun bathe! nevertheless it was a great respite from the pace of northern life)It was the first wedding I have been to for one of my friends. Apparently this is going to be a common thing as I move through my 20s. I certainly won't be able to keep up. I am super excited for her and they seem wonderful together but marriage is no where near my radar (neither are any potential husbands or boyfriends to say the least! It seems they don't grow many intelligent, tall, charming, and fun men here in the Albany region!) Anyways, I am quite content in my singleness. I have so much I want to do and I am currently okay with the fact that I can plan and explore freely.

Speaking of which, I have some new ideas for the upcoming summer and year. it is becoming clear that I won't be at Emma Willard School next year. The contract is only for a year and even if I wanted to stay there really isn't room for another Spanish teacher. Marilyn will be back full time and they are also opening up a Chinese program. I wonder how many students will choose to study this up and coming world language over Spanish or French. So...this means I need to pursue other areas and I am actually quite excited about this. I think I am not destined to write on a chalkboard for the rest of my life but I could see myself returning to teaching in a few years. I am, however, still interested in the field of education, but perhaps I am looking for something more interactive and international. Are there grad schools for international education? i will have to look into that!

I've taken one step to get into this field. I turned in an application to an organization called Global Works (www.globalworksinc.com) which is based in State College, PA. Generally it's an organization that takes 2,3, or 4 week trips abroad trips for high school students in the summer. The programs I am interested travel to Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, central and coastal Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, and Spain. Each program is based on community service, language learning, and cultural exchange. I would like to be a co-leader for one of these programs. Two days after turning in my application I was asked to go interview in NYC on Jan.20th (next Saturday)!! I am really excited about this opportunity and hope it leads to more job opportunities in the field.