Running Around Like a Chicken With My Head Cut Off

I have been very bad at keeping the blog updated lately. I have just been too busy to keep up! But before I talk about my busy life, let me give you a Peter Update.

Peter Update: Peter is on the boat now, and they shipped out a couple of weeks ago. They were near Hawaii, but he was not allowed off the boat. Peter has been sick quite a bit on the boat. For the first few days he had the flu because his flu shot made him sick. Then he was sick with diarrhea. Other than that, there isn't much to report. Things on the boat are pretty dull right now, which is fine by me!

Kristin Update: I am back in Okinawa now. When I got back, I had messages on my answering machine from students wondering why I wasn't in class. Turns out I am teaching a class of twelve students this term, and no one thought to inform me! In addition, no one told the students that I was on leave the first week of class, so they all showed up to class and I wasn't there to teach them. So I spent the first week home sorting that problem out. This class is the largest and smartest math class I have ever taught.

In addition to teaching, I also went back to school to get my teaching license. So I am studying to get my Masters in Secondary Education and a teaching license. I will figure out what state to get certified in when we get closer to PCSing. School is eating up a lot more of my time than I expected though. My first class, Communications, was three weeks long, and during that time I had three presentations, three papers, and several homework assignments due. This week I start my second course, The Art and Science of Teaching.

And I'm still subbing and tutoring (although the tutoring is minimal this term).

As if that weren't enough, I also joined the Navy Cheerleading Squad and Dance Team. I won't be on the sidelines cheering, but I WILL be the halftime entertainment during the Island Army-Navy football game. And entertainment it will be - I'll be doing HIP HOP. So if you're on island, come have a good laugh at my expense. And if you aren't on island, well I'm sure there will be Youtube videos. Dancing is fun, but the practices are eating up all my free time, and I will be relieved in two weeks when the game is over with. At the moment, I'm busy to the point where simple things like grocery shopping are stressful, just because I'm never home when the stores are open!

Fall Leaves - Which Don't Exist in Okinawa!! (This photo caused quite a stir with the Japanese ladies that developed it)