It Just Gets Better!

As many of you may know, this was the first year in ten years that I have not attended a houseboating trip. Given that this is my favorite kind of vacation with my favorite people, I was pretty bummed on the whole bit. But due to upcoming babies, weddings and being out of the count-try, we couldn't wrangle an entire crew. Boo-hoo.

So I figured, might as well earn some $$, so I signed up to teach summer school. But the regular staff size was cut in half, so I wasn't chosen. Crap.

Then at the last minute, I signed up and was selected to be in the writing class that lasted 5 weeks. Got paid, had a great time and met amazing people. Great enough in itself...or so I thought.

Returned from my trip Tuesday night (30 minutes early!) to find a message from a program I'd heard about my first day of the writing class from Linds, who I'd just happened to sit next to on the first day. It is a program that has teachers (me!) chaperoning kids on trips around the world. And the teacher goes FOR FREE! All food, hotels, transportation, tour guides...the works! The night I heard about it, I scrambled to their site, filled out the form and hoped for the best...

AND I'VE BEEN SELECETED!! The brilliant, incredibly soul-seeing and beautiful Linds had given me such a tremendous recommendation, I was practically in before he even spoke to me! So just a day after returning, I learned that next summer I'll be heading back! I'll be spending two weeks with 5th and 6th graders on a trip called a Tale of Two Cities. The tour takes you to Paris and London and the surrounding areas. I am thrilled!

Of course, there is a fair amount of work before hand, but it's spread out over the entire year...but once I get there, I don't have to "teach". I just make sure the kids aren't jerks. And since I get to interview and choose them, no problemo! Clearly one of my questions will have to assess their game playing skills. I'll need someone to play dominos with on the plane.

I'm up early due to jet lag...heading to the classroom for the first time. If any of you would like to come take a peek/read a book/do an art project...you know you are so welcome at any time...

Just don't do the project on the right...I'm saving that for Paris!