Day 1 in Houston

Life is crazy! I feel so many different emotions that I can't even describe how I really feel, does that even make sense? Graduation was 3 weeks ago, it seems so much more distant than that. Leaving Walla Walla was the hardest thing I have ever done... I haven't cried that hard in years. I grew to love Walla Walla and absolutely loved Whitman. Whitman gave me an amazing four years with a great network of friends that I will deeply miss. It was so hard to say goodbye to those I love. Making it harder was the idea of leaving WW to go to Houston, a scary, humid, and unknown place. I am usually up for adventures and relish the opportunity to explore new places, unfortunately, it was very difficult to have anything other than apathy toward moving to Houston.

I arrived in Austin a day and half after graduation. I had a job coaching at UT Swim Camp with the world's best swimmers (7 world record holders, including my favorite, Brendan Hansen the most amazing breaststroker alive) and the current US Olympic coach, Eddie Reese. Austin was amazing! I loved my time there, I loved my job, I loved the staff, and the kids too. I had such a positive experience. I really hope to come back next year and coach again. Austin was a perfect transition from my wonderfully relaxed and beautiful life as a Whitman student to an adult in the working world in Texas. The weather was hot and muggy, not as bad as Houston, but different than WW, again a good transition from home to the South. The long tiring days also helped me prepare for what is to come this summer.The last night I was in Austin, Brendan Hansen and his girlfriend and roommate took me to the Salt Lick, a famous all you can eat barbque place outside Austin, it was awesome!

I arrived in Houston last night. It is just as muggy and gross as I had anticipated. I immediately met some really cool people who I related to immediately. It is a small world, it is crazy how many people I know through people. We had a barbque dinner at a park near Rice which was a fun way to meet people. Last night a group of us had ice cream and wine in our 50 degree hotel room. I like the other corps mebers as of now... so much energy, enthusiasmm, and intelligence. I was a little weary of the Teach For America people prior to coming as I know their intensity and education backgrounds, this is a haven for Ivy league grads--there are so many of them. However, the people I have met, thus far, are really relaxed and fun and have procrastinated on all the pre-orientation Teach For America assignments that we had (think hundreds of pages of reading and 8 or so essays) to complete.

I am getting more and more excited to begin teaching and for being able to explore Houston. Right now, I am content staying inside the Crown Plaza where it is a comfortable temperature. This summer is going to be intense, working full time in a classroom, student teaching in summer school, developming lesson plans, etc on top of 8 hrs of classroom time where I will be learning to be an effective teacher who is equipped with the skills to create change in my students so that the achievement gap in America can be eliminated. I will be living at the University of Houston begining tomorrow. I have a job interview this next week at Garcia Elementary teaching 3rd grade in a 94% Hispanic school with several other corps members in other grades. Looking forward to it!

Love you all!
Robert