The first week of school is completed, and I am beyond proud of my students. My class got bigger by three students, and I’m already enamored by their dedication to their goals. Most of them already know what they want to major in for their university while some have an idea but not where to start. However, a few of them don’t know what they want to do because of the many choices available to them. Sure, they are nervous about that…but I let them know that that’s part of the fun of their journey.
life
For thirteen days, I was in the “Comital City” and fell in love with everything about it. The people. The food. The history. Everything about Barcelona was what I was missing in China and what I wished America could be. I still do, actually. However, I will not focus on that. Instead, I will gush over what I did in the lively city. But where do I start? Oh! I know! I’ll start with my living arrangement.
Last year, China lifted the travel ban for obvious reasons, i.e., tourists make up most of their revenue. It doesn’t matter because I finally get to travel to different countries during holidays. At first, we were all hesitant about it because we didn’t really trust them (the government) so our boss volunteered as tribute. as he wanted to visit his family. He left and came back safe and sound so now we are all traveling to different places. For me, it’s Barcelona.
Today is a good day for many reasons. I just finished my last paper for my Literary Theory and now I can return to my actual writing (I was only doing about 25%). I will admit that this class was something fierce and gave me a newfound respect for literary theorists. I mean, the amount of analytical thinking involved with this type of narrative nonfiction is quite something. It’s something else entirely and I know hands-down that I’m not going anywhere near it after I finish this class.
So, I’m writing this blog during my break – at work! Yes! I am at work because the Chinese government doesn’t like it when students lose a day of school. So, since we had a five-day week (one was the actual holiday), we were told that last Sunday and this Saturday would be work days. Yeah…my students and I are pissed.
Well, since the first novel of my crimeverse was typed up and put away for a while, I’m now tasked with hiring models the professional and lengthy way. Yes! It will be my first time utilizing a professional website/service. Yes! It will be my first time being the only one who will be picking the models. Yes! I understand that the models have to be sexy and closely resemble the characters in my story. Yes! I’m fully aware that, if I pick wrong, the characters will not pop and my book series will be dead on arrival. Yes! I am clearly in a panic right now, but the book isn’t the only reason.
This day has become a special one for me. Despite all the chaos I had endured, I finished creating my midterms for my eighth graders, measuring the English Room, editing my students’ research paper projects, and decorating the board for the school’s Reading Month. Most of all, I finished typing out the first installment of my LGBTQ+ Crimeverse, and my chest is swollen with pride now!
So, I have two new students in my Grade 9 class and two in my Grade 8 and with it brought a whole new set of challenges. However, it wasn’t as bad as my previous student. She was a total nightmare and all my students hated her. Even Jack-Jack didn’t like her – and he likes everyone. Anyway, I would like to focus on the two that I’m responsible for.
Grad Student. Teacher. Author. Nerd. It’s a good thing I always have a weekend to myself because I would have broken down a long time ago. Well…actually I did suffer a fatigue snap during my first year in China but, again, thank God for weekends/days off. Seriously, I do need my day of unplugging and winding down. Now! On to some good news…