So long!

Well, the day has arrived. Or almost. I really can't believe how fast the last couple weeks of my 6 week summer vacation have gone!  Between shopping, socializing and family time, the last few days have really sped by and I am now feeling the pressure!  I leave Oakville tomorrow morning and lets just say there are quite a few things on my "to-do" left to do. I won't bore you with the details but lets just say they include packing my van to the brim with all my goodies for Wemindji! However knowing my Tetris car packing skills this could be fun. I just have to keep reminding myself of what happened last time I got ambitious and over packed my car...

I was reading through some of my old blogs a little while ago (vain, I know) and it was fun to see what I was doing this time last year. This time last year I was already in Wemindji, settling in and probably exploring the town. Carmen and I had given ourselves plenty of time to drive up (3 days, totally unnecessary looking back). I had spent my summer shopping and preparing and squeezing in a much quality time with friends and family as I could before making the big move, much like I have been this summer! 

It is interesting to see that while not much has changed in a year in that respect, so much has in others. I completed my first year of teaching, moved homes, dealt with classroom, personal and professional situations I never thought I'd be dealing with and most of all, enjoying a life I could never have pictured myself in before. I went up to Wemindji a little naive, ready to teach grade 5 (HA!) and excited to begin my career. I go up this year ready for round 2 of grade 2 with a new class, a new cycle team and a new home! I am very excited for the new adventures that will happen this year and getting the opportunity to take another crack at teaching grade 2 to a class that I feel will be receptive and excited to try new things with me. I am excited to be working with Stacy again and sad to see Carmen leave our cycle to teach high school although I know she  will be amazing. I am happy to welcome Monika into our cycle team as she tackles grade 1 with Marsha! This year is going to be full of learning curves, excitement and the need for flexibility and I think I am up for the task! Last year was filled to the brim with road bumps and "adventure" which I think has prepared me to deal with almost anything. I have learned to look out for number one, to be my own advocate and that as much as it may annoy other people, the squeaky wheel does get the oil! So I take those newly learned skills and hope that I don't have to use them as much this year, but know that I have them in my back pocket just in case!

Anyways, I write this on my phone as I sit in my mechanics waiting room while I get my tires changed for the drive back to Wemindji. I get some weird looks when I say I want my all seasons changed to my winters, but when I explain that I could very well encounter some snow within the next couple of weeks and point on a map to where I actually live, people smile and nod. 

Now that my Costco and Dollarama trips are complete and all there is to do is some last minute tasks, I hope to relax a little tonight with the family, spend my last night in Oakville in peace and mentally prepare for the long trip ahead!

Wish me luck!