Wednesday, June 27, 2012

We need to go deeper

On our Institute schedule for today, we had a session immediately after student dismissal called "Reflecting on Reflecting". Seeing that on the schedule last week, everyone was already incredulous. "Are you fucking kidding me? How much reflecting to they expect us to do?" Everyone was pretty much prepared for a bullshit session in the warm, stuffy library where we stared blankly at a SmartBoard, not listening to a thing because once the munchkins are gone, you lose pretty much all motivation to stay awake. Anticipating an already bullshit session, we were told we actually had to go to auditorium, which is even warmer and stuffier and harder to keep your eyes open in. We get to the auditorium, which is completely dark except for the light from the powerpoint projected on the screen. Enya's "Only Time" is playing. "This has to be a fucking joke," I say to my friend Nicky. "There is absolutely no fucking way this is real."

Turns out it was not real. Turns out it was an elaborate ruse to tell us we had the afternoon off to play with dogs from the local animal shelter or jump in moon bounces or run through the campus fountain (I don't think that last one was a TfA-sponsored activity, but we did it anyway).

And now I have like 92748275834 lessons to plan.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

A little bit of positivity

Tonight my new BFF Isabel was saying how even though this whole training experience is insanely stressful and frustrating and confusing, she is grateful she has a group of people with whom she can at least have dinner and relax and laugh with for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. And you know what? I am grateful I have those people too <3

Monday, June 18, 2012

Institutionalized

TFA's Institute is pure insanity. There is so much to do and yet still only 24 hours in the day, when we really need at least 30 to do everything we're supposed to be doing. As a result, I am listening to insane amounts of bad pop music. One Direction and Carly Rae Jepsen are the only things banal enough to keep me from going crazy.*  Also, I bought a Justin Bieber poster at Wal-Mart.


*Even alcohol is too exhausting at this point.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

On being inducted

Induction for TFA has been a lot more fun than I expected. Sure, there are a lot of serious discussions about the achievement gap and identity and community involvement and whatnot, but I actually fucking love my other corps members and I've been meeting so many cool people. And I decided who I'm going to room with tonight! She asked me while we were already a bit tipsy at a pub, of course. She said it felt like she was asking me out.

Then we went to this great piano bar that had $1 drinks. I am way drunker than I should be considering I have to get up at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Kansas City is more like Oakland/SF than I imagined

I went to the Crossroads Arts District to check out the First Friday art walk they have here. There was a punk rock band playing a cover of "Niggas in Paris". So, like, a million hipsters everywhere. And I just read online that this past week is Pride Week here and tomorrow is Pride Festival! It's like, what even is this place? Am I really even in the Midwest or did I just imagine driving 2000 miles?