Back to School

Friday, 1 July 2005

As is routine for the first day of a new month here, the tsunami warning alarm went off at about noon today throughout the islands. Just a test of course. Although I dismissed it as just routine, it brought back memories of the day the tsunami hit when I was in Thailand this past year, and although it did not directly affect me, it was surreal living in Thailand when the disastrous event occurred.

After another successful yoga sweating practice this morning, I pretty much collapsed on the couch watching the tube until I decided to get out of the heat and enter some cooler areas. Those options for me meant either driving around in my air-conditioned truck, going into an air-conditioned grocery store, or sitting in an air-conditioned bookstore. Now I remember why shopping has become a favorite pasttime for me growing up here in Hawai'i. Although I could have gone to the nearest Barnes & Nobles only about five minutes away at Kahala Mall, I opted for a longer drive in my truck to Borders at Ward Warehouse, near Ala Moana. With my frothy chai drink, I perused the teacher test prep book section and "studied" for a few hours, reminding myself of how I suck at math and how much I hate taking standardized tests. In order to become a licensed teacher here in Hawai'i, I have to take at least six tests in reading, writing, math, elementary education, and special education. The last time I took a standardized test was to get into graduate school, which was over six years ago. And, did I remind you that I suck at math! After looking at a few sample test questions today, it looks like I may need to borrow my cousins' high school math books to study up before I take the tests in a couple of weeks.

Many public schools here are on a year around schedule, so they start the 2005-2006 school year this month. Although it would nice to be able to start receiving paychecks again and having insurance benefits so that I can go see a doctor and dentist for routine checkups, I really don't want to start teaching this month. Much of my teaching stuff won't even get here until August, and some of my stuff is still in Seattle. We'll see. Not having any rent or car payments to pay makes it less motivating to find a job right now.