It Feels Like Home To Me

The water in Concord tastes funny. Not all the water, just the water in the pool at the Beede Center, Concord's new fitness center. It's a bit too salty, like the ocean, which makes me feel like the water should be warmer. It isn't though; the temperature is fine. It's the taste that bothers me, though that was my only complaint today.

I had been told during my interview that "the public high school just built a new pool that is open to the community, so if you come here, you can keep swimming there." When I moved here, I resolved to do just that. I checked out the Beede Center (which is a gorgeous facility) a few weeks ago and saw that though they didn't have a Masters team, they did offer coached workouts twice a week. Since I had already decided, after listening to my friend Scott talk about how he swam 6,000 yards at his Masters practice, that I very much did not want to join a Masters team, I thought that coached workouts might be the appropriate way to go. Why not just join the Center and swim on my own? you might ask. Well, I tried that this past summer, and frankly, swimming alone sucks. I really hate it, and part of the reason I loved swimming so much, especially at Oberlin, was the sense of community that as formed on a team. It's difficult not to become super close when you're all hurting in every inch of your body. I wanted that feeling of together-ness, but without too much hurting. Thus, the twice a week coached workouts.

Today was the first day, and the first day I have seriously swam since February. Since my last competitive season. Since college. Since my shoulder decided that it didn't care it was my last competitive season. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous, especially since most of the other people in the group were middle to old aged and seemed like the had never swam a yard in their life. Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that these people are getting out to swim. I just didn't want to be that girl, the ex-college swimmer that every body hates because she's faster than me and why does she have to be here, in this group, anyway? But I think my fears were in vain, because every one seemed very friendly and welcoming. Even though I hadn't swam very seriously at all since that last Conference meet, I still knew what I was doing, still could breathe every three, still had (basically) the feel for the water. And it felt wonderful. It was like coming home. I know that sounds super cheesy, but it's true. Swimming has always, always been a refuge for me, and, once again, I felt like I was back where I belonged, back where I didn't have to worry about anything except stroke, stroke, stroke, breathe, stroke, stroke, stroke, breathe. It was such a relief to be doing something I really knew how to do, rather than felt like I was just faking, like I do sometimes with teaching. It made me think about all the coaches I've ever had, all three of them, in those 11 years of hard, competitive swimming. How they must have started out just faking coaching too, just like I fake teaching sometimes*. How they must have finally gotten the hang of it, like I am, and will. How they became great at it, and how they inspired us to work harder, go faster, dream bigger. That's how I want to be, in teaching, and hopefully in coaching, if I ever get the chance. I want to make kids feel like I felt today, swimming for the first time in months. That the pool is where they belong.

I have a new coach now. His name is Mike. Funny how I keep getting coaches with one syllable names- Wolf (ok, that's just his nickname, but that's who he'll always be to me), Dan, Mark, and now Mike. He seems nice, and I'm interested to see how he'll deal with me alongside everyone else. We talked briefly about a possible coaching position for me at the club team there. It sounds so perfect I don't even want to consider it too much, lest it disappear as one of those things that was "too good to be true." I do have to put CA first, in any case, so we'll see what happens.

So, I'm back in the water now, back where I belong, at least twice a week. Things are really starting to settle down here and I realized today how much I really do love being here. I know it's only been a month, but everything has been so great so far, and even the stuff that hasn't been so great has been bearable, since I feel like I'm enough a part of the community now that I can have a hand in trying to make it better. And that's what I really love: community.

Wow, this post was so cheesy it's a bit sad. But it's the truth; what more can I say?




*Obviously I'm not actually faking, since I am teaching these kids every day. I guess it just feels like I'm faking since I had absolutely no experience 6 weeks ago on my first day.

Another First -or- My Initiation into the Red Sox Cult -or- How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Sox

Yet another First. This past Tuesday, my co-worker and (I hope!) friend Ben happened to have an extra ticket to the Sox game that night and graciously invited me along. Since I had yet to experience this Boston phenomenon, I eagerly agreed, and around 5:30pm we started the long, arduous trek from Concord to Fenway (drive from Concord to Alewife, park at Alewife then take the red line to Park, transfer to the green line and ride all the way to Fenway. phew!). Our seats were fairly good, by my standards, thanks to the Alumni foundation at CA; it seemed that we were crashing an alumni event, though not really, since Ben is, in fact, an alum. Anyway, we were sitting on the lower level, a bit far back, but still the closest I had ever been to the field. Unfortunately, we were right behind a supporting column. Oh well, can't win 'em all.

Now, I have been to baseball games. I wouldn't call myself an enormous fan of the Reds, but over the summers growing up I would certainly attend a game or two, or watch them play on tv with my dad. And Cincinnatians are big baseball fans. Big sports fans in general (I mean, come on, why does everyone still root for the Bengals?!), but it was nothing, nothing, compared to the way Bostonians poured into Fenway, the way they all cheered for every aspect of the game, the way everyone rose to their feet in unison during a critical moment of play. I was awed, and slightly overwhelmed. I couldn't believe how many people were there, on a Tuesday night! This wasn't even a weekend game! And the way everyone sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" or "Sweet Caroline" - it was astonishing. There was such a sense of unity and community there; everyone was there to root their team to victory, to support them during every moment of the game, to make sure they won. It was as if every single fan knew he had a crucial role to play, that without the fans, the Sox couldn't make it. And I have to believe it.

After the game, which we (since I'm a Sox fan now) won, we went to Boston Beer Works to "wait for the T to settle," and Ben told me about the mania that had ensued when the Sox beat the Yankees during the World Series, before they had won the whole thing. He had just been threatened, then pulled down off a banister. As the two stood in the street observing the chaos around them, Ben queried, "Wouldn't it be great if they won it?" and the cop, who, moments before had been threatening violence, said, "Yeah, yeah it would."

Thus was my entrance into the world of Boston baseball. I can only hope that I become such a dedicated fan.

The First Week

I guess my life is full of firsts now. First apartment, first job, first day, first time really living out of Ohio...

So last week was my first week, though this is really my first full week, since we didn't start classes till last Tuesday. If I had to sum it up in one word it would be: exhausting. I am still extremely tired, though I didn't get as much sleep as I was hoping this weekend. More on that later. But yeah, things went well, considering it was the first week and everyone was still settling in. Both of my classes (Latin I and II) are pretty good, though Latin II is a bit rowdy and might cause some problems in the future. I'll just have to bring down the iron fist. Cuz I'm so mean. I did have a few moments (ok, more than a few) where I stopped talking and faced a classroom full of blank faces staring at me like I was a three-headed alien. During such moments, I would pause and ask, "Did you all get that?" and they all slowly nod, like their in a trance or something. I try pretty hard to get a response out of them, but some days it just ain't happening. Hopefully as they become more familiar with Latin, they'll loosen up a bit and be more responsive.

As far as other aspects of CA life go, I have a hard time finding something to complain about. Everyone is very friendly still, always asking me how things are going. Even the students are friendly, and the student heads of the house I have duty in are positively divine. I really love the close student-teacher relationships that form here-everyone is a mentor, every teacher takes a real, personal interest in the education and general well-being of their students. It's great. I just hope that someday I can be that meaningful to someone. Ok, that was really cheesy.

Anyway, this past weekend I went into Boston to see Bryne, Scott and Chris, who just moved up last Thursday. We went out Friday night and had a wonderful time dancing at a club that was surprisingly on the upper floor of a Chinese restaurant. It was weird, but fun. On our way back to their apartment, Chris thought a skunk was a kitten and almost tried to pet it before he realized his mistake. It was one of the more hilarious moments I've ever had. Saturday was spent shopping and wandering around before coming home and "helping" Bryne cook a spectacular dinner. During the cooking and eating of this delightful meal, the four of us consumed about three bottles of wine. It was fantastic. Sunday I woke up earlier than I would have liked, which didn't help, since I was so exhausted from the past week. Oh well. We discovered that the MFA was free that day, so Scott Chris and I hurried over and spent a long time drooling over the ancient art collection. hehe.

I'm really glad that things are setting down so nicely. I am often struck by how incredibly lucky I am, to have landed a job that I really like (so far) in a town I really like, with people whom I really like. I mean, how did I get this lucky?!?! I just hope that I continue to love it here, and continue to love teaching. Thus the second week commences...

The First Day

I guess I should write about my first day of teaching, but really, I don't think there was anything super significant to report, other than it was my first official day in my first official job. Things went smoothly, I introduced myself, had everyone in the class do the same and tell me why they decided to take Latin. Then we went over class procedures and then onto pronunciation. They were shy, reticent at first, though I tried my best to get them talking, asking questions. I daresay my enthusiasm did nothing but freak them out (thought bubble: "Holy SHIT, this woman is CRAZY!"), but by the end of class a few braver boys were speaking up. I was extremely nervous (I kept my notes on the desk instead of holding them, so they couldn't see how badly my hands were shaking), but got more confident and comfortable as the class went on. I guess I switched my energy input from being nervous to trying to get the kids to talk. I know they were all just as nervous as I was, probably more so, being only 14 and 15, so I'm hopefully about our next class meeting on Thursday. So, all in all, a successful day. Let's just hope Latin II goes just as well tomorrow.