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As I’m writing this, I feel that it’s more of a list of 26 confessions than interesting facts about me- take it for what it’s worth.
1. I am a teacher, always have been, always will be. I love my job and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I care about my students more than I probably should, and I hope everyday that I am able to be a role model or an influence for them in a positive way. Having said that, I invest 98% of myself in this job, and rarely leave room for me. At least twice a year, I break down out of frustration and contemplate what else I could do for a living… and always come back to teaching.
2. I become immediately connected to the people on “reality” makeover shows- whether it’s the Biggest Loser, What Not to Wear, Extreme Home Makeover, Model Gardens- any of them.
3. I hope to participate in the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest on Coney Island in New York City. I am fascinated by Takeru the “Tsunami” Kobyashi.
4. I love my family, and don’t tell them that enough. I haven’t seen my older brother in over 7 years, and I regret that regularly- though I don’t know how to right it. I don’t give my little brother enough credit for being as good a person as he is. Without my parents, I would be nothing. They have sacrificed for me and my brothers our entire lives, and continue to do so to this day. I’ve become closer to my parents now that I’m realizing that they are more often than not, right. I admire their relationship – as they are happy just being with each other. I don’t know what I’d do if they weren’t in my life.
5. I love to be a couch potato and watch episodes of Law and Order (any version) or West Wing. My heart flutters each time I hear of a marathon of either show on television.
6. I sometimes think I’m an 80 year old in a 30 year old body. Ok 31. I love to go to bed early. I think the clothing teens wear is an embarrassment. I teach not only history, but manners and how people should behave. I’m turning into my mother…
7. I love to learn languages – I have “studied” in one fashion or another 7 of them. (French, Spanish, German, Polish, Chinese, Japanese & Hungarian) I haven’t learned any fluently, but I’m fascinated by them- how they are pieced together, the origin of the words, the history of the language. I believe that it is the responsibility of the visitor to learn as much of the language as possible when traveling to a new country. I am
8. I love to read a book that captivates me – envelopes me in the world that is fiction. I love to escape into a world that is unfamiliar to me, experiencing other people’s lives through stories.
9. I have learned to love running. Though I don’t do it as much as I should, I love the feeling of accomplishment felt after a good run. More than running itself, I love teaching others to love and appreciate running. Though I’ve never been a fast or talented runner, I am good at encouraging others to reach beyond their limit, and I think I was a decent coach.
10. I love to be in control, and as I’m getting older, I am learning to let go – a little.
11. I am a gift shop junkie. I love to visit historical sites and buy the silliest things possible for my classroom. I love talking president dolls, bobble heads, any sort of tactile historical thing that I can bring into school that will start a conversation or at least make a teenager think.
12. I regularly wish I was a better friend. I haven’t ever been real good at staying in touch with people, and as my life has gone down a different path than many of my friends, I’ve almost given up. I feel like I’m behind the times because I’m not married with kids and a house. I am genuinely happy for my friends and their lives, but I feel like I’m not a member of the “grown-ups” club yet, and sometimes I am jealous of their membership.
13. My students and most of my colleagues, have NO idea how much time I put into planning lessons. I teach because I love learning, and I want my students to love learning also, so I try to make it interesting. I feel like a failure if students aren’t engaged in what I’m talking about, and sometimes I feel like it’s a personal thing against me if they don’t do their homework. I really don’t think the things I do in class are busy work, there is a reason I teach the things I do.
14. I love the winter. Well, let me be more specific… I love a beautiful snow fall, hot cocoa, and a good movie. I love to play in the snow, for about a half hour, then I have to be warm. I have about a 10 degree window of comfort, and if I’m not in that window, something’s got to change.
15. I am a life-long learner. Any chance I get to learn about new things, I take it. I particularly like to learn things that I can bring back into my classroom and share with my students. I love to travel to places and learn about them in the summer – it’s my free time and I really enjoy it.
16. I now live with a cat. Though she is the brunt of many humorous stories and the source of much frustration, I love having her around. It’s been a learning experience, and one that doesn’t always go well for both of us, but we suit each other well.
17. I enjoy telling stories. My students, friends and family will all tell you this. Whether it is in writing on a blog, or in person, I love to make people laugh with me at the stupid and crazy things that happen in my life. www.teachinginhungary.blogspot.com
18. I try to encourage tolerance and understanding as much as possible. This has not always been easy, but I think it has spawned interesting discussions. Sometimes I know I won’t get anywhere with the people I’m talking to, but if it makes them think about why they treat people the way they do, it was worth the effort on my part.
19. I don’t drink much, but when I do – watch out.
20. I have a Diet Coke habit. It’s not pretty. At one point, I was up to 5 cans of Diet Coke a day- and then I’d go run… not a good mix. In the last two weeks, three different classes have commented that I had a bottle of water in class and not a cola… and they were concerned that I was not feeling well. The cafeteria lady here doesn’t speak a word of English, but knows that every day I will purchase a Cola Light (which is the closest thing to Diet Coke they have here).
21. I live in Hungary and I love it. I think that secretly I was adopted and in my infancy I was taken from my motherland of Hungary. Ok- not really, but I feel comfortable here – except for the fact that the language is ridiculously hard.
22. I am a social science major, but Economics was never my strength. In this current global economic situation we face, I am blown away by the massive implications that the poor choices of a select group of people have affected the entire world. I have no idea how the situation will be fixed or how bad it will get before it gets better – but it scares the crap out of me.
23. I would love to have a library of guide books. Up-to-date ones that is… nothing worse than using an old guide book that is out of date. I love the pictures, I love to know about the places I visit, I feel almost handicapped when I arrive somewhere without information coming out of my ears.
24. I am a difficult teacher who expects the best of my students, and I really feel that they will rise to the occasion. In the long run, the rigor of my class will make them better learners; they just don’t realize this until later. I often wonder how many of them appreciate the energy teachers put into their jobs. I also wonder if I have any effect on the students I teach in Hungary. Everyday I miss something from Burnsville High School, but I also treasure the opportunity I have here in Hungary, and the students I have been able to meet.
25. If I could do any job without worry of my financial situation, I would take pictures. I love to take pictures, look at pictures, show pictures and tell stories with pictures. I love the innocent moments that are captured on film, and the memories that are created by them.
26. I love the little things. The thoughtful things that shows someone really cared about you. Fresh flowers, a nice note, an unexpected invitation somewhere, a thank you out of nowhere... the little things are what make me tick.
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