Oh, Heeyyyy

I haven't updated in a while. Here's a little update on what's up:

I'm getting antsy for school to start. I've been pinning away and working on random classroom stuff. I'm so ready to go set up. I'm getting a classroom set of iPads for my class this year so I'm getting ready for lots of training in August and my very own iPad! I'm also taking a couple of writing classes and a PLC class in August. For fun. My class next year is going to be a big one (33-35 students!), but I am soooooo excited for this school year.

Starting next month, I'm going to be a volunteer at a place called English Skills Learning Center (ESLC) in Salt Lake. Basically, I'm going to be teaching adults English. Part of this includes helping them get ready to apply for citizenship. During my time there, I really want to work with a group called "Empowering Parents" which focuses on teaching immigrant and refugee parents about their child's educational needs and how to help them with reading. So I'm super excited about all this! I've decided I want to do something like this for my Masters.

Which leads me to my next update, I figured out what I want to do for my Master's degree/I think I will apply in January. I know I don't ever want to be a principal (ever!) so I needed to find a program that would be good for me. I want to get my TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and work with students and parents who are new the country in their educational pursuits. Basically, I want to focus on what the ESLC does with Empowering Parents and bring that to district/school levels/classroom levels. Anyway, I have to meet with an adviser next month to work out jumping through a few hoops (taking a linguistics class and testing out of a language class) Yay!

I went on a random lindy trip to Las Vegas when our trip to San Francisco fell through. They have a fun scene there and the people we stayed with were super. I really don't like Las Vegas (just too much) so it was good to only stay for a couple of days. We went to a couple of dances and lindy bombed the Bellagio fountains (clarification: we danced to the music played at the fountains) I also got sick on the car ride home. Let's not talk about it.

I got called as the Relief Society activity leader. I get to plan all the activities. Seriously like my dream calling.  I've done 2 activities now that turned out pretty good.

Um, this is old news but my stake put on a performance of The Lamb of God by Rob Gardner. They were looking for people to be in the orchestra and choir and I was all over that. We got to perform in the conference center little theater. The whole experience was incredible. I was very frustrated with myself during most of the rehearsals mainly because I haven't played since I was in high school and my stand partner plays for Utah Symphony, but I loved it! I miss being in an orchestra and playing good music. Oh the music, it is amazing. Every night after rehearsals I came home with such a spiritual high, I could have ran a mile or something. The story follows Christ's time on earth, His death, and the resurrection. There are soloists and the voice of Christ is portrayed by the cello. If you want a copy of the music, let me know for sure. Here's a video, cause ya know.

So now I'm looking for another orchestra to play with.

So, that's what's newish. I hope to better with updating this blog! We'll see...

Seattle! (Picture time)

I finally found my camera so here's some pictures of my Seattle trip!

As you can see from the top picture (which I totally took, btw) Seattle is gorgeous. Like super. It's very green, pretty buildings, and it has a cool scene. Would I ever live there by choice. Nope, not at all. But I will visit again. When I wasn't dancing, myself and 3 other girls went sightseeing during the day. We visited the Space Needle, went to Pike's Place (awesome!), rode the monorail, took a ferry ride, ate lots of fish and chips and salt water taffy, played on the beach, and listened to street performers. 

The Space Needle was just as huge as I imagined it. Because it was Memorial Day weekend, the wait in the line was 3 hours so we didn't go to the top. Next time Space Needle! 

At the Space Needle, there was an art festival going on. Tracing back to my Peruvian roots, I decided to listen to some Peruvian music and watch the break dancers (?) jam out to it.

This cool building cost $10 to get a sticker to get into the door. 3 kind gentlemen gave us their stickers for free. It was defiantly worth $10, so we passed on the stickers to 3 other lucky people when we left. Inside there was a huge music exhibit, Avatar exhibit, and Dr. Who exhibit. It was great. 

Cool guitar statue.  

Eww, is that ABC gum?

My trip was made when we found the gum wall at Pike's Place. This picture doesn't do it justice. It just kept going and going. 

Yup.  

Seattle is very pretty and very green. This was the view when we were walking to the beach. Those plants are hanging off the side of the freeway. This isn't uncommon, there are plants hanging off of everywhere!

This picture is mostly for my family. I really did ride a ferry and I really did get right to the edge. And yes, it did freak me out.  

The cute little island we rode the ferry to. 

We stayed with a friend Theresa's family. They live in a town called Shoreline about 20 minutes north of Seattle. It's called Shoreline for a reason. This is the view from our upstairs bedroom. They have about a 5 foot backyard with small rocks, then a 5 foot rock wall, then the beach, and then the water. It was sooooo pretty! You could hear the waves at night.

See these super cool buildings? See that no turn sign? Those no turn signs are everywhere because everywhere is a one-way street. And some streets are only one-way from 9am-5pm then you can go both ways. Confusing, no?

This picture doesn't seem like much, but let me explain the importance. There was a show called the Jump Session Show the first night I was there. Basically it was a talent show for a whole bunch of pro-dancers. So pretty much everyone I watch on youtube. I was 4 rows away from the people I watched the night before on my computer. This show happened 2 hours after we got to Seattle and after 13 1/2 hours of driving, we were all dead. But seeing most of my Lindy heroes on stage gave me a super high. Nerdy? Yes. I don't care. 

I was too tired/excited to record it. But here's the finale from Patrick and Natasha (the first couple) from Youtube. (P.S. Mike and Laura at 2:22 and Max and Alice at 4:16!) (P.P.S Alice Mei is my favorite dancer)

Last video is of the Strictly Lindy competition Sunday night. These guys auditioned as couples and they danced to a live band and were judged by pros. The first couple came in 1st. If you look closely, you can see me in the bottom right during the video. I'm wearing a black dress and my hair is back. My first youtube debut! (P.S. 3:41 is why they won)

Camp Jitterbug was insane. It was the best dancing I've ever done/seen! I danced with some really awesome people from all over and I learned so much from just dancing with them. I want to go next year (someone else has to drive!) and I want to take classes. It was a great experience and great fun.