I am a 4th grade teacher from Birmingham, Alabama. This blog is not an official site of the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State. The views expressed on this site are entirely those of Rebecca Smith's and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State, or any of its partner organizations.
Snow Day!
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This morning, while still in bed, I got the word that due to snow and ice on the road, school was closed for the day. I'll tell you a secret - teachers are just as excited about snow days as kids are! Shhhh...
I've had an absolutely perfect snow day, the kind of day you are supposed to have on a snow day! I read a book, watched some TV, did some baking, did only a little bit of school work, caught up on some emails, fed the ducks and went for a walk in the snow. And, all day long, I got to continuously sing one of my favorite holiday tunes.
It is guaranteed to pick you up, no matter what! Just have a listen while you look over my photos from the last couple of days...
The neighborhood is scattered with snowmen, but this one is by far my favorite!
They've been very hungry the last few days!
Then somebody stole a slice of bread!
I created a little snowman on a path in the middle of the woods, hoping that perhaps he'll bring a smile to people who happen upon him!
Do you see my snowman?
Well, there was this hill you see and no one was around, so I couldn't help by slide down it! :)
Wow! There is so much to do! This exchange is teaching me so very much about organization and planning! The thought of being gone for a year is quite daunting, and thinking of all of the things that need to be taken care of is a bit overwhelming. I'm thinking about... -UK visa -car insurance -driver's license -home insurance -bank accounts -transferring money -cell phones -ways to stay in contact -home repairs -finding ways to ship items -places to visit -what I'll be teaching -what to pack!! There's so much to do and plan for! I know that things will still through me for a loop, no matter the amount of planning I do, but I hope to be as on top of things as I can be. I'm also very thankful for the communication and comradery from the other Fulbrighters as we share thoughts and tips to help each other through this checklist (and all the things I'm forgetting about!).
It is hard for words to express the impact that my time in Senegal had on me. My eyes were opened in new, expansive ways, and my understanding of the world, and my profession, grew. I do want to take some time to honestly, and openly express my thoughts about my travels in Senegal. Often, I know that our social media posts tint our vision with rose-colored glasses, and while this can be helpful, I want to also be honest. 1. Teranga. First and foremost, how I portrayed hospitality was not tinted. It was honest, heartfelt and overwhelming. I must admit that the hospitality that I was shown almost embarrassed me. It wasn't that it made me feel uncomfortable, it was more that hospitality was something I had always prided myself on, something that we Southerners are known for. We have a long way to go. 2. Trash. I spoke on a recent post about trash. Again, I reiterate when I say this, that I know I am spoiled, and that my tras...
After about a week together in Dakar, the fearless fifteen split into three groups headed into three different directions in Senegal. Seven of us boarded a minibus and headed north to Saint Louis. (Yes, it looks a lot like that name of the arched city in Missouri, but remember it is French city, so say it as such.) Mouhamadou, one of in-country-hosts, road along with us to make sure that we arrived safely. He also, generously, invited us to his home in the large city of Thies along the way. We even got to drop by one of the schools he teaches at and briefly meet some of his students during their break. The road north was a wide, flat, paved two-lane road through desert landscape. I loved the opportunity to see the countryside and not just the large cities. I'm not sure I once saw soil on the journey, but rather as far as the eye could see was sand. However, it wasn't vast stretches of nothing, as many trees and often shrubs had found a way to li...
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