FOUND A PLACE!!!

I'm no longer homeless yay!!!! I was looking on craigslist.org for a place to live. Since New York is an expensive city I decided to live in a share. Most of the teacher's that I'm close with in the program or either teaching too far away to room together or have different living situations.

Looking for a place within your budget, ideal area and also a person to share an apartment with is not an easy thing to do. I've been stressing these two weeks and focusing my energies to apartment searching.

BUT I finally found somewhere to live. I'm excited it's close to school, the apartment is two bedrooms third floor walk-up and has also been recently renovated. It has a tiny kitchen but has nice new appliances, walnut stained gleaming hardwood, two large windows in my bedroom along with an airconditioner and a REAL closet!!!

My roommate seems cool, she's my age from Iowa and works as a fashion designer. The only thing that's not the best, is the apartment is located in a more 'industrial' area of town. I guess everything can't be perfect.

A great night out.

Last week was restaurant week in Manhattan with price fixe menu in some of the best restaurants in NYC. On Wednesday, 10 female teachers and myself went out to eat at Mesa Grill by Bobby Flay. I had grilled scallops for appetizer, the main course was grilled Mahi Mahi and dessert was a fruit shortcake custard thing. There was 3 choices for each course and it was 35 bucks. Excellent food, though southwest grill is not my favourite genre. I have pictures of the food but I'm too lazy to download the pictures.

Afterwards, the NY pretty entertain DOE treated us to see the show CURTAINS starring David Hyde Pierce. It was entertaining and a fun show though I want to see some other broadway shows.

Sorry for not blogging, for a while -I've been busy apartment hunting!!!

Things I’ve done

1. Went to see Transformers. Personally I thought it was long but the action was great

2. Visited P.S. 1 - a art thingy in Queen’s Long Island City

3. Checked out the neighbourhoods of Park Slope in Brooklyn and Astoria in Queen’s

4. Ate Thai food, Japanese Food, and had Easy Mac for the first time

5. Shopped at Target for the first time (my goodness that place is busy on a Sunday).

6. Bought a black skirt and black tank top from old navy (gotta get rid of my suburban look).

7. Trying to workout regularly at the wonderful gym that I have free membership

8. GOT PAID first 1000 bucks for showing up for the STEP Program! Woot!

9. Violence Prevention Workshop

10. Spoken word poet Lemon Anderson performed for us

11. American Place Theatre directed PD workshops for us

12. Went to the Yankee versus Jays game today, (Jays lost boo…) and didn’t get beat up for cheering the Jays!

Good News!

My Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday has been quite hectic days with lots of decisions to make. On Tuesday, a job fair to interview with principals and assistant principals with vacancies occurred. I accepted a position in Queen’s (in long island city) which is right across the bridge from Manhattan.

I’m happy. I get my own classroom –and 4 sections of grade 9 living environment. Biology is taught in grade 9. It’s a small school with all new facilities (3 years old) I get my own science classroom and use of a laboratory classroom.

Thursday night, I went on a boat cruise around lower Manhattan! It was a great outing with dinner, a free drink and a cruise for 10 bucks. Good time!

Optimistic, emotional, sad and beautiful.

The American Place Theatre has a Literature to Life series where they bring books verbatim (but condensed) to the Stage. Today, I saw a performance of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Forer bought to life in the form of a one-actor production.

It's plot centers around the September 11th attack, and the emotional and physical journey of a child who's lost his father. For some reason it reminded me of The Catcher in the Rye -though the only parallel seems to be a young person wandering through New York City. It's an emotional read, but I definitely recommend reading this novel.

I also went on a scavenger hunt through Central Park (got to visit the John Lennon Imagine Memorial), toured the Museum of Natural History and tried YOGA for the first time!

Weekend Update!

This Saturday and Sunday I used to get a few ‘housekeeping’ things done. I got a new cell phone, went out Saturday night to the clubs/lounges/bars in Brooklyn, and went to the swanky gym to workout.

Next door to the residence building that I’m living in is the Eastern Athletic Club in Brooklyn Heights. This is by far the swankiest gym that I’ve been to. All the newest cardio machines with individual TV screens attached, pool, full weights, racket ball courts, boxing ring, spinning studio and leather lounging areas throughout. I’m definitely going to miss this when I have to move out of rez.

Upcoming: orientation on Monday, Job Fair is Tuesday, and Professional Development Wednesday.

First Day of Summer Teaching Experience Program (STEP)

The reason why I’ve moved to NYC so soon in the summer is because I got accepted to the STEP program which allows out of state and international teachers in areas have teacher shortages to come in the summer for an orientation. They provide residence, professional development, job placement help, orientation and also a stipend! So I’m going to be attending classes every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at St. Francis College. Monday is available to visit schools and weekends to spend on my own time.

Today has been a really long day. Traveling and hauling luggage on the subway is not fun, but on the bright side -LOTS OF FREE SWAG from the NY DOE!

My roommate is also from Toronto and actually lived quite close to me in Toronto –It’s a small world! Pictures will go up as soon as I figure out how to post pictures on this blog –any help will be much appreciated!

P.S. write comments! It makes me feel loved!

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

All my bags are (almost) packed, I'm ready to go. I'll miss you all in Toronto. I signed for teaching high school biology (grade 9) with the New York Department of Education (NY DOE). My flight is leaving at 8:30 am on Friday July 6th...a ONE way ticket.

I'm living in Brooklyn Heights in Residence for six weeks for orientation arranged by the NY DOE. opefully will figure out my job placement, getting a place to stay and prepping for September!

It's overwhelming, exciting and scary all wrapped into one!