Girl with an attitude


Student teaching is over. 

I thought I would jump and do happy dances when it was over. Instead, I sat in the classroom as my students filtered in and out all day, giving me hugs and homemade gifts and Ms Taylor, Can you come back to visit? I didn't want to leave. I wasn't ready and never felt like the job was temporary. And then I told the principal how I felt :) There aren't any jobs around these parts right now, so I'm in limbo--trying to plan what happens next in my life and trying not to go crazy about not knowing what's happening next in my life. 

My first day of no work was Monday. I wish I could say I was excited to be at home with my girls and have some time to relax. Frankly, I would have rather been at my school with my students. Mine mine mine. I dropped off Hannah at kindergarten and thought, Let's take myself on a 5 mile hike to some hot springs nearby. I'm the only tard I know that gets these hare-brained schemes. And then does them. 

Plus, time was short so I had to kind of run the whole way. Uphill on the way there. 

Plus, I realized I got spoiled last month. There are waterfalls in Grenada. I was hiking to a waterfall on Monday. It's an understatement to say I was underwhelmed when I finally got up the hill and found the hot springs. What a brat I've turned into. I'm sorry, people. 


The Garden of Eden:



The Lone and Dreary World:



The expression here captures it best. Not bad for a selfie:


I really tried to appreciate it for what it was. The hot springs are pools of water warmed by volcanic activity (!), so each pool is a different temperature depending on how far away from the waterfall it was. This pool (the next pic down) was my favorite. The water is clear and is the temperature of bath water. 

Plus it REEKS. And the water is filmy/slimy. With floaties. 

People came from all over to hike to this spot. Cars parked at the trailhead said Colorado, Vermont, Tennessee. The hikers were clearly not locals. I realized this and felt bad that I wasn't appreciating something unique and beautiful. But it didn't make me want to stay in the smelly-floaty-filmy water any longer. 





Comments

Unknown said…
Congratulations on graduating. We are so proud of you. I'm glad your trip was great. Can't wait to see more pictures.
May 5, 2013 at 8:32 AM
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