Subbing thus far

Say what?  A blog post that is not backdated?  :)

School here started July 30th, so I put my job at the Coffee Bean on hold and dedicated myself to subbing full time.  Besides one sick day that I took off for myself, I've been able to sub every day that the kids have been in school.  I'm making plenty of money, too bad the checks are delayed a month!  :) come September 5th, I may be buying a new dress.  :)

Anyways, subbing has been great.  A bit on the dramatic side, but still a lot of fun.  A majority of the drama stems from the political BS that is teaching and unions (and parents),  but I've tried my hardest to steer clear and let everyone else figure it out.

I started out the school year in a third grade room.  The teacher was on some sort of administrative leave that was full of gossip and whispers.  The biggest problem was that the administration at my school was not sure when this teacher would return.  This was also the biggest problem the parents of my students were having.  They wanted a timeline, and some sort of preparation for their kids of when their beloved Mrs.Pieper would be leaving them...lol.  I sort of joke.  I did bond with the kids, and I feel that I built an excellent report with them.  And everytime I see them around school, I get lots of hugs.  :)

Starting out the year was super stressful for me at first--I was handed a boxed up classroom 3 days before school started and was told to "do my best." Oye!  The third grade team was fabulous though, and my grade level chair held my hand through the first week.  It was a really nice practice run at getting a classroom up and running!  And now I have tons of fabulous ideas for first week activities.

I also found that I actually really like third graders too!  I know I've always said I only wanted Kindergarten, but I can tell you after spending a week and a half in Kinder (which is also where I am now), there is definitively something to be admired about the level of independence that third graders possess.  Kinders, on the other hand, can't seem to make it from their cubby areas to the desks without losing a shoe.  :)

I did finalize all of my paperwork last week so I am now eligible to get a full time teaching job.  At least at the school I'm at now, there seemed to be a tendency on the part of the past administration to "promise" positions to long term subs, when really they were just saying whatever it took to get the position covered.  I definitely understand the want to be in the same classroom day after day, but it also adds the responsiblity of planning everything and spending time after school while still only making $159/day.  If I'm going to do the full time job of a teacher, I would love the full time job (and the medical benefits please!)

The past week and a half I've basically been a helper sub.  The other gal I'm working with in Kinder was waiting for her sub paper work to be processed, so she needed a "legal" presence in the room.  So she's basically been volunteer teaching for free, while I help when I can, but really spend most of the day playing in my iPad in the corner.  *shrugs* I can't complain.  Today is actually my last day, as  the other teacher's paperwork was finalized over lunch.

Next week I'm subbing the whole week for one of the other third grade teachers.  Then the week after that my sister and BFF Chris will be here, so I'll be taking most of the week off to hang out with them.  I did already take one Kinder position, but I figure they can come with me and play with the Kinders or they can go to the beach!  :)

I've still only subbed at the one school I was at last year, and I was hoping to be able to experience other schools and meet other principals.  I've still got many more months, so I'm not too worried!  And it's nice and convenient to have steady work at at school that is a three minute drive from my apartment, and that a lot of people already know who I am.  :)

Molokini Snorkel! 07/28/2012

My aunt Julie and my cousin Zoe came to visit right before school started in July. I loved having family in town! :)

One of the days we went on a Molokini snorkel trip with the Pacific Whale Foundation. I freaking loved it. I hope to go again when Korey and Chris are here, and that way Justin can go. (Last time was such short notice, he couldn't get off of work.)

A little about Molokini: It is a crescent shaped, partially submerged volcanic crater that is 2ish miles from the coast.  It is very close to where Justin and I live in Kihei, and we can see it from most of the beaches in South Kihei/Wailea/Makena.

According to Hawaiian legend, Molokini and Pele, the fire goddess were both in love with the same dude.  So Pele turned Molokini to stone, and she rests out in the ocean.  According to scientists, Molokini was a volcano that erupted 230,000 years ago.  I thought it was really cool that ancient Hawaiian used to paddle out to Molokini to fish off of her.

And of course, because we can't appreciate nice things, the United States Navy used Molokini as target practice during World War II, we placed mini-bombs on it in the 70's and 80's, and a lot of coral was harvested from the area, as well as a lot of it destroyed from the bombings.

Despite all that gross history, Molokini is now a conservation area, for fish and coral as well as the seabirds that nest and lay eggs on the top of the crater.

It was a very beautiful area, and I had a lot of fun.  We went early in the morning, so the water was a bit chilly.  The crew fed us breakfast, let us swim around Molokini for an hour, then took us to another place known as "Turtle Town."  We got to see a couple of turtles swimming around, though most of them had tumors on their faces and/or backs.  :(  The guide said it was most likely from the polluted run-off from the golf courses in Wailea.  icky.  :(

On the way back to the docks at Ma'alaea harbor, the crew feed us lunch.  I had a great time, and I can't wait to go again.  And I'm glad we picked the Pacific Whale Foundation as our guides.  There are tons of tourist groups that go out to Molokini, but I felt like we had the experts...and it was cheaper than everywhere else!  :)

Let the pictures begin!

Walking down to the dock

Hanging out on the front of the boat

Zoe, Aunt Julie, and me!

Nearrrrr......faaarrrrrr....wherever you areeeee... :)

Getting closer to Molokini!

Cheesin'!

Posing in front of Molokini

Hi Aunt Julie!

Look how blue the water is!

Swallowed A LOT of salt water.  yuummm.

Hello black triggerfish!  I guess they used to be feed these types of fish a couple of years back, so they're not shy at all!

Got the whole breathing under water thing figured out.

Coral reef

Baby school of fish

Hi Zoe!

Neon fish!

The moorish idol fish, or Gill from Finding Nemo!  :)

Yellow tang fish

 

Yellow tang fish!

The backside of Molokini.  The water is crazy bumpy back here!

Lava ash layers

Some crazy scuba divers come back here and scuba.

A sea turtle!  With tumors.  :(

The state fish of Hawaii!  The humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa

Swim away!

We were at what they call a "turtle cleaning station."  The turtles hang out and the fish eat all the algae off the turtles!

Swimming and cleaning

Waihe'e Trail- 07/11/2012

My father-in-law demands more posts! :)

So, back on July 11th, 2012, Justin and I hit up the Waihe’e Ridge Trail for the second time. (I do not believe I wrote about it the first time because I may have forgotten to charge the camera before we left and therefore had no pretty pictures to post!)

Waihe'e is pronounced Why-hey-eh, in case you were wondering!  :)

The Waihe’e Ridge Trail is located about 7 miles outside of Wailuku. (See map below!) I like this hike because it’s not too far of a drive out of town, AND it’s an ass-kicker. The elevation isn’t too bad after the first little part, and the views are spectacular! To start, you park in a Boy Scout Camp parking lot.

From the parking lot, you have to walk up this RIDICULOUS paved driveway to get to the start of the trail. I didn’t actually take a picture of the incline (though I should the next time we go), but one the picture below is of the lot where we park, and you can get an idea of how high you get in such a short walk.

Hello down there!

Someone's farm land, and the first views of Kahului behind it

The first half a mile or so of the hike is in the West Maui Forest Reserve, and it very much reminds me of home. It’s always cooler under the trees, and if I didn’t know any better, I would think I was hiking in Snoqualmie.  :)

Seattle?  Nope, Maui!  :)

Once you emerge from the trees, you are on the actual ridge. From here, you have fantastic views of the valleys around you. These deep valleys are remnants of the old eroded volcano of Puu Kukui.

Tiny waterfalls in the distance

Views of Wailuku, and Kahului in the distance

...and before you know it, you're at the end!

From there, you start gaining elevation pretty quickly, and before you know it, you’ve scaled Lanilili Mountain.  From here, you are 2,563 feet above sea level, and the views are fantastic.

See pictures below with explanations of what you're seeing!  The panoramic views are awesome!  



There is a picnic table that you can stand on--facing east you can see the cities of Kahului and Wailuku.  Turn to the SW and see the outer island of Lana'i.  And to the NW is another outer island, Moloka'i!

Very faintly on the horizon, Lana'i can be seen.

Hello Moloka'i!

The top of the mountain!

The actual top of the mountain is very small.  I'm sitting at the picnic table, which is pretty much on one edge, and there's the other edge!  :)

Justin taking a rest!

Hello ocean!